Romance and Chocolate

Many Splendoured Things (But Not the Head Cold)

Karin Kallmaker 07/13/2017 Events and Appearances, Readers and Libraries 7 Comments

There’s a reason to read to the end. Just sayin’.

Eff You, Head Colds

Head Colds are lying sacks of you-know-what. You get the ‘flu and you know you’re down for a long count. The ‘flu gives others visible physical evidence that you are Not Well. Head Colds, however, build slowly and all the while they whisper in your ear that it’s not so bad. You’re okay. You can go about life – it’s just a sniffle or two. Read More

Your Conference Call is Live!

Karin Kallmaker 06/25/2017 Anthologies, Book News 1 Comment

Coming to a conference near you – that is, if you’re going to be at GCLS2017 in Chicago starting July 5th. Edited by Ann Roberts, Conference Call is a goodie bag of romantic stories set in, before, around, during, on and after conferences. Women liking the company of women – nothing better than that. Read More

So I Had This Idea 2017 – From Idea to Published Work

Karin Kallmaker 05/28/2017 Events and Appearances, Sisters of the Pen 0 Comments

Ask a hundred writers “how’d you finish that book?” and you’ll get 97 different answers and 3 people who’ll wander off muttering. Read More

Infomercials, Fraud and Your Credit Card – Be Cautious!

Karin Kallmaker 05/22/2017 Above Temptation, LIFE + STYLE

This comes under the heading of Public Service Announcement. Today I saw a rash of unrelated Facebook posts that all complained of similar issues dealing with credit card charges where people bought something from infomercials and fell into a pit of credit card hell. Read More

A Yank’s Opinion of Ireland’s Crisps

Karin Kallmaker 05/16/2017 Chocolate and Inspirations 10 Comments

Ithad to be done. I donned the mantle of science and tasted the most common crisps on the Emerald Isle. A great personal sacrifice, I know. This is my evaluation, which nobody asked for. Plus, I’m quite sure that no one in Ireland cares a rusty nail about what a Yank thinks on the subject. Read More

First Look the Second: My Lady Lipstick (Diana)

Karin Kallmaker 05/12/2017 Book News, My Lady Lipstick 3 Comments

You’ve had the chance to meet the puzzling Paris Ellison, and learn how she meets the dazzling, mysterious Diana. Who is the woman behind the red hair, impossibly green eyes and red, red lips? If only Paris knew what you’re about to learn! This is the rough draft, unedited second chapter of my next lesbian romance: My Lady Lipstick. Read More

Now It’s More than a Teapot – Travel Synchronicity

Karin Kallmaker 05/11/2017 Book News, My Lady Lipstick 9 Comments

Itall started when I was fleshing out the character profiles for my next novel, you know, like you do. Paris, the main character of My Lady Lipstick, shares a house with her landladies. I had already decided the landladies, living in Revere Massachusetts (a Boston suburb), would logically have strong ties to Ireland. Read More

Art Doing What Art Does – Fearless Girl Makes Us Reflect, Evolve

Karin Kallmaker 04/18/2017 LIFE + STYLE 6 Comments

There is a heated debate over Fearless Girl, the new statue in Wall Street who currently stands defiantly in the way of Wall Street’s iconic Charging Bull. Because the discussion is about art, intent, history and how that evolves, I offer two opposing blogs from this debate. I find that both have valid points, and both offer perspective. Read More

Same Thing Just Different People – When “Fix It” Means “Kill It”

Karin Kallmaker 04/04/2017 LIFE + STYLE 2 Comments

April is Autism Awareness Month

Cue the fundraising appeals and Facebook frames about raising awareness and “giving blue” and so on. Much like pink ribbon frenzy in October, lots of charities want you to help raise awareness about Autism. The big player in Autism “awareness” is Autism $peaks. Sounds great, putting a voice to help autistic people be better understood. Except that’s not what Autism $peaks is about. Read More

First Look: My Lady Lipstick (Paris)

Karin Kallmaker 03/29/2017 Book News, My Lady Lipstick 17 Comments

A work in progress has reached a milestone when I feel confident enough to share the first chapter. With the forewarning that this is as yet unedited, and completely subject to change, behold! The first chapter of my next lesbian romance: My Lady Lipstick.

P.S. Recognize anyone?
P.P.S. Interested in Chapter Two? Read More

Surviving that First Reading

Karin Kallmaker 03/19/2017 Business of Books, Events and Appearances, Readers and Libraries 2 Comments

I’vehad twenty-mumble years to get used to reading passages of my books aloud. My very first reading at a bookstore in Vacaville, sadly now closed, is still a vivid memory. I had flop sweats from minute one. I plowed onward and at the exact right time in the scene the audience laughed. Read More

Castle Wrath – Not Your Mother’s Jane Austen – Now Available

Karin Kallmaker 02/16/2017 Book News, Castle Wrath, Novellas 0 Comments

Burning curiosity. Wild imagination. Put them together and the breathless discoveries of an ingenue who reads far too many lurid novels come to life. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is all that and more. The dizzy chapters of young Catherine’s exploration of the Abbey are glorious fun to read. Cabinets that lure her with their tantalizing closed doors. The secrets! The treasures! Things that go bump in the night! Read More

Reblog: Laurie R. King “Moving Forward”

Karin Kallmaker 01/21/2017 LIFE + STYLE, Sisters of the Pen 3 Comments

Words have been hard to find, let alone the focus to express them coherently. Part of me resists the idea that a man so devoid of common decency or simple shame could set any kind of agenda for me. I am grateful to Laurie R. King for expressing beautifully how I am feeling today about moving forward.  Read More

Lesbian Storytelling in the New Dark Times – Laurel Bookstore Feb 19

Karin Kallmaker 01/08/2017 Events and Appearances, Sisters of the Pen

Tap open your calendar or get a Sharpie and write it on your paper calendar or on your hand or your gf’s body part (with consent): Laurel Bookstore, Oakland, 2/19, 4 pm, lesbian event. Really all you need to know right there. Read More

Getting Published – Panel in Castro Valley on Saturday

Karin Kallmaker 01/05/2017 Business of Books, Events and Appearances, Readers and Libraries

This is an event for new(ish) writers who are generally located in the East Bay. (I dislike reading about a cool sounding event and only finding out at the end that it’s thousands of miles away.) So Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Castro Valley, Pleasanton, Dublin, Fremont, Union City and so on and on. You can come from farther away if you’re up for it! The CV Library is not even two blocks from CV Bart. Read More

Indomitable Should Be in Your Public Library

Karin Kallmaker 01/05/2017 Readers and Libraries, Sisters of the Pen 5 Comments

“Glorious and inglorious complexity.” The phrase captures Barbara Grier to perfection, and is used by Katherine V. Forrest on the dust jacket of Indomitable, this new, richly detailed biography of the woman who “changed, for the better, every lesbian life…” as Lee Lynch adds. That means your life, even if you don’t recognize the name.

I’m not exhorting you to read Indomitable (you should). There’s something more important that you can do from your seat.

Read More

Songlist – Getting My Resolutions On

Karin Kallmaker 01/01/2017 Chocolate and Inspirations, LIFE + STYLE 8 Comments

As I said at the Bella Blog, my 2017 resolution is to put out into the world what I want to see more of. Clearly, we are in a time where good, truth, kindness and courage must rise ten times brighter because greed, lies, bullying and selfishness are willing to go so very low to score their temporary victories. Read More

A Fowl Mood (That Turkey Brine Thing We Do)

Karin Kallmaker 11/18/2016 Chocolate and Inspirations, LIFE + STYLE

Update 2016: Since I’ve received several email requests this week for “that turkey brine thing” I thought I’d repost this April 2008 entry with the recipe.

Turkey on the Fence

No doubt others before me have used this fowl pun, and why you may ask am I writing about turkey in April when Thanksgiving is six months away? There’s a turkey sitting on my back fence, that’s why. Read More