The infographic craze is, well, crazy. I think it’s safe to say that I’m about as tired of infographics as I am the #IceBucketChallenge.
And yet …
Let me know your result of this quiz, would ya? I’ll psychologically analyze you later.
Can I get a woohoo? How about a yeehaw? My latest novel, A Good Kind of Knowing, has won top honors from the National Federation of Press Women in its 2013 national writing competition. The book won first place in the Novel – Adult Readers category. The awards ceremony will take place this August in Salt Lake City. Earlier this year, the novel won the state competition, and that news was exciting enough. But national? Wow. I’m stunned!
To celebrate, the novel will be only 99 cents as an ebook on Amazon for a few days, so tell your friends, family, enemies, dogs, llamas, etc. Here’s the link.
Thank you so much for believing in my work. A national award is groovy, but whether you are a new reader or an “old” reader, your support is what matters most to me.
My latest novel, A Good Kind of Knowing, has been out now since October (in ebook, since December in paperback), and this is the first time it’s been offered free as an ebook via Amazon. It’s a free promotion in advance of my blog tour, which begins next week.
If you’d like to try the novel, risk-free, this is when to download! The promotion goes from April 4 through April 7.
Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009V3G93O
The book currently has 35 reader reviews on Amazon and a 4.5-star average rating. (Thank you, readers, who have offered your heartfelt reviews!) A friend recently told me that it was the most moving book she’s read in a long time. Wow. Just. Wow. So pleased with that kind of response to my work.
Feel free to share this information with friends. For every download, I hope that person enjoys the story enough to tell a friend.
Oh, and you don’t have to have a Kindle to get the free download. You just need to add the Kindle app to your iPad, android tablet, iPhone, desktop computer, whatever. You can get the free app here.
Thanks, always, for the support!
FACT: Chocolate milk baths aren’t just for ladies, according to the Internet.
In my novel, A Good Kind of Knowing, a scene involving a chocolate milk bath plays a prominent role. So, to honor the main characters Sera and Bill, I thought I’d post a simple recipe for making your own kind of chocolate milk bath. It’s good for the skin — and well, fun.
Double-dog dare you.
Ingredients
2 cups powdered whole milk
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix dry ingredients all together first, then pour into the tub as you’re filling it with warm water. Relax into the bath, preferably with one of my novels nearby for reading.
Let me know if you try this. When I was writing the novel, I tried it myself. Ahhhh….
The research we writers do for you readers is plain hell sometimes.
I started this blog in early 2012, at the request of my publisher. I’ll admit I was worried about it. I’d written a weekly online column before, but that was different. This was a BLOG, something I’d resisted for years. Would I have time to blog and blog well? Would people (other than my mother) care enough about what’s going on in my head to read it? And what in the hell would I write about?
Well, I haven’t kept up with the blogging schedule I’d hoped for, but I have written a few fun pieces. Below, I’ve featured links to the 10 most popular posts, just in case you missed `em. Even I enjoyed rereading a few.
Oh, and just to recap this AMAZING year in publishing for me (because that’s what you do on New Year’s Eve-Eve) … after becoming an Amazon bestseller in the spring and summer, Blue Straggler (released as an ebook in August 2011 and in paperback in March of this year) remains in the top 30 in sales and customer ratings in comic fiction on Amazon. It hit #2 again right after Christmas and #5 in a different category (humor). Pretty cool. Or rather, a huge dream of mine come true. A Good Kind of Knowing was released in ebook in October and in paperback earlier this month. It made it to the #10 spot in its category (fiction/drama) on Amazon and remains in the top 30 in ratings. It also made the top 100 in customer ratings in literary fiction. Whew. That’s as good for this writer’s soul as crab legs, cheese biscuits and a Bahama Mama from Red Lobster.
I’m so thankful to everyone who has supported me this year and always. Having my work touch just a few people would’ve been satisfying. But this kind of success has been overwhelming. Thank you!
Now on to those posts, and here’s to 2013, y’all!
#1 Our Dogs Are Going to Get Us Kicked out of the Neighborhood
#2 Saying Goodbye to My Dream, or the One-Year Experiment With Normal Living
#3 And This Is Why I Hate Dental People
#4 Friends Are Worried About My “Girls”
#5 What Happened When I Turned 30 …. and 40
#6 What Being a Texas Woman Means
#7 How Growing Up With Country Music Made Me a Better Writer
#8 21 Facebook Posts You’ll Never, Ever See From Me
#9 Open Letter to High-Fructose Corn Syrup
#10 Your Official Music-to-Read-By Playlist 
Today is a first for me — both of my novels are just 99 cents (ebook/Amazon Kindle version). A sale of epic proportions!
Not sure yet how I feel about it, since obviously the royalties on these sales wouldn’t even buy me a can of Dr Pepper or a scoop of Cool Whip. But the more readers, the better, right?
So there you go. This is a one-day sale on both titles, so get it while the getting’s good. (Texas translation – hurry and buy them while they are on sale.)
And thanks to every person who has read either of my novels. I’d add in a “mwah!” but that may be over the top.
I’ve always loved to listen to good music while reading a good novel. And since the love of music, and its universal calling, is a central theme in my latest novel, A Good Kind of Knowing, I wanted to develop a playlist for readers to have on hand while reading the story.
In the book, the artists and songs mentioned range from outlaw country to early jazz, from Ella Fitzgerald to George Strait, from music made in the 1920s to lyrics penned in the 1980s. In the following playlist, I’ve taken liberties to include some current-day music, as well. But mostly, I’ve carefully chosen music for each chapter based on the mood of the characters and the pacing of the plot. In many cases, the songs listed here are ones the characters themselves are listening to in the storyline; others are ones I remember listening to when I wrote these very chapters and scenes.
I sincerely hope you enjoy this playlist as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
PS: If you don’t want to pay for all these tunes by downloading them into a “real” playlist, most can be found on youtube for free.
A Good Kind of Knowing — A Novel by Kathy Lynn Harris
The Official Music-to-Read-By Playlist
Chapter 1
Pretty Paper – Willie Nelson
Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
Amarillo by Morning – George Strait
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights – Texas Tornadoes
Everyone Will Crawl – Charlie Sexton
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness – Nanci Griffith
I Gotta Find Peace of Mind – Lauryn Hill
Sugar Plum Fairy – Duke Ellington
Walkin’ After Midnight – Patsy Cline
Silver Wings – Merle Haggard
A Good-Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings
Chapter 2
Working Man – Merle Haggard
Faded Love – Bob Wills
Should I Come Home or Should I Go Crazy – Gene Watson
Old Time Rock and Roll – Bob Seger
Resistance is Futile – Steve Coleman
I Won’t Dance – Frank Sinatra
Regalame un Besito – Laura Canales
How Blue Can You Get – B.B. King
Chapter 3
Angel from Montgomery – John Prine and Bonnie Raitt
Lover Man – Charlie Parker
Summer Skin – Amy Cook
Can`t Let Go – Lucinda Williams
Chapter 4
Rainy Days And Mondays – The Carpenters
Someday – Steve Earle
Bruises – Train featuring Ashley Monroe
Chapter 5
(Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
Black Coffee – Ella Fitzgerald
Blue Moon – Billie Holiday
Chapter 6
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Who’ll Stop The Rain – Credence Clearwater Revival
Kentucky Waltz – Bill Monroe
Chapter 7
Rainy Day Woman – Waylon Jennings
Blueberry Hill – Fats Domino
Fishin’ in the Dark – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
California – Joni Mitchell
Lost Highway – Hank Williams
Understand You – Lyle Lovett
Chapter 8
Lullaby – Johannes Brahms
Sharp-Dressed Man – ZZ Top
Ain’t No Way – Aretha Franklin
She Thinks I Still Care – George Jones
New Life In Old Mexico – Robert Earl Keen
Chapter 9
Sunday Kind of Love – Etta James
A Love that Will Never Grow Old – Emmylou Harris
Chapter 10
If I Had You – Benny Goodman
That’ll be the Day – Buddy Holly
Runaway Train – Roseanne Cash
Chapter 11
Sunday Morning Coming Down – Johnny Cash
Desde Que Conosco – Freddie Fender
Down to My Last Cigarette – k.d. lang
A Soft Place to Fall – Allison Moorer
Chapter 12
I Don’t Wanna Fight – Tina Turner
Members Only – Bobby “Blue” Bland
Blues for Dixie – Asleep at the Wheel featuring Lyle Lovett
Yesterday – Gladys Knight & The Pips
Days Like This – Van Morrison
Wings Upon Your Horns – Loretta Lynn
Chapter 13
Sleepy Cowboy – Yonder Mountain String Band
Whoever’s in New England – Reba McEntire
Linda on My Mind – Conway Twitty
Chapter 14
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Take Me Down – Kelly Willis
Don’t Be Cruel – Elvis Presley
Heaven – Los Lonely Boys
Original Sin – Elton John
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues – Rodney Crowell
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music) – Vern Gosdin
Mr. Record Man – Willie Nelson
Chapter 15
I Am A Town – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Rose of My Heart – Johnny Cash
Sittin’ Here Drinkin’ (Whiskey Blues) – Muddy Waters
Chapter 16
The Weight (Take a Load off Annie) – The Band
Windows Are Rolled Down – Amos Lee
Chapter 17
Simple Gifts – Jim Brickman
In The Mirror – Yanni
Before the Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender
Down on the Rio Grande – Johnny Rodriguez
Chapter 18
Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival
Forever Mine – Hank Crawford
You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
Ball and Chain – Big Mama Thornton
Chapter 19
A Woman Left Lonely – Janis Joplin
Mary Jane’s Last Dance – Tom Petty
Chapter 20
Meet Me in Montana – Dan Seals & Marie Osmond
Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
Help Me Make it Through the Night – Sammi Smith
Chapter 21
If Wishes Were Horses – Lucinda Williams
Peaceful Easy Feeling – The Eagles
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man – Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
Texas River Song – Lyle Lovett
Chapter 22
Christmas for Cowboys – John Denver
I’m Coming Home – Zydeco Hurricanes
To Make You Feel My Love – Garth Brooks
When I Call Your Name – Vince Gill
November Rain – Guns N Roses
Chapter 23
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – Willie Nelson
A Picture of Me Without You – George Jones
Chapter 24
Losing You – John Butler Trio
Lovin’ Her Was Easier – Kris Kristofferson
Someone I Used To Know – Patty Loveless & Jon Randall
Lucky Now – Ryan Adams
Chapter 25
Sweet Dreams – Patsy Cline
Chapter 26
Silver Wings – Merle Haggard
Chapter 27
Blue Guitar – Earl Hooker
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald
These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
Sitting In Limbo – Jimmy Cliff
Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground – Willie Nelson
Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
THE END
Thanks for reading, and listening. Email me if you’d like a Word doc or PDF of this list – kathy [at] kathylynnharris dot com.
Yes, I only put Black Friday in the headline to attract people to this site. (Ha!) I’m not above tactics like this.
Seriously, to continue in my quest to provide readers with music to read A Good Kind of Knowing (my latest novel) by, here is a great song to listen to while reading Chapter 16. And it’s a favorite of my son’s, too, so of course I had to feature it here.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
New and old friends and family who support my writing. A six-year-old who can already cook up a mean batch of fried catfish. Sonic ice and Dr Pepper. A husband who buys me Sonic ice because he knows it makes me happy. Two furry babies who make me smile, no matter how very bad they can be. My publisher, 30 Day Books (Laura Pepper Wu and Brandon Wu) — it’s so darn awesome to know that there are good, kind people all over the world, and that I have these folks on my side. Jeremy Kron for his wonderful work on my novels’ cover and interior design. My new job with Truven Health Analytics. I’m loving the work so much. Knowing that I’ll get to see my family and taste my mama’s cooking in just a couple of weeks. My Kindle Fire. Brilliant writing by people who inspire me. The herd of deer hanging out on our road this evening. The Rocky Mountains. Fresh mountain air. Memory foam. This laptop. Friends I know will be there for me if I need them. Texas Hill Country pecans, found at a Target in Colorado, believe it or not. Cool cotton pillowcases. Good wine. Stand-up comedians. A mother- and father-in-law who adore my son and treat us all with overwhelming generosity. The good health of myself, my family and my friends. The music of Lyle Lovett. Sara Lee pies because I don’t have time to make my own. Readers out there in the universe who are reading my novels and taking the time to let me know that my words touched them somehow. Every single person who has written a review of either of my novels. My eyesight. A soft, warm blanket on a chilly night. Stars. Avocados. Dark chocolate. Ariat boots. Vacuum cleaners. Wild Orange essential oil. A massage therapist as a spouse. And the sound of my angel-son saying, “I love you, mama,” as he drifts off to sleep.
What are you thankful for right now, in this moment? (Don’t think about it deeply, just spit out what comes to mind. It’s nice sometimes to just Let. It. Out.) PS: Vacuum is a weird word, isn’t it?
Chapter 3 is one of my favorite chapters in A Good Kind of Knowing. And this little number from Bonnie Raitt and John Prine, “Angel From Montgomery,” fits the mood of that chapter just right.
I suggest closing your eyes and letting this one sink into the soul a little bit.