gold boot on purple velvet for Vegas

Vegas Baby! GCLS2018 Class – Chase Your Own Success

Karin Kallmaker Events and Appearances 4 Comments

First thing first. Awards Gala attire chosen. Is that a purple velvet jumpsuit? Yes. Are those my beloved gold boots? Yes. Am I serious? Yes. VEGAS BABY!

Now that the all-important attire topic is out of the way, I was super excited to hear that the class I proposed to the Golden Crown Literary Society for GCLS2018 had been accepted. I don’t have date and time yet, but it’ll be somewhere between July 4 and July 8. The session is Thursday, July 5, 2018, at 11:40 a.m.

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10 diverse women pose as Rosie the Riveter photos by Ilana Spiegel

Thank You Courtney Milan – Representation is Our Job

Karin Kallmaker Craft of Writing, My Lady Lipstick, Sisters of the Pen 1 Comment

four people spell love with their hands

Reading is an Act of Empathy

There’s even science that backs this up: People who read are more readily empathetic about people who don’t live the way they do. As Elizabeth Anderson told me in a recent radio interview, reading allows us to know people.

Because of reading I have strong empathy for little girls who grow up on prairies and all the challenges they fictionally face. However, I didn’t get much empathy for the people who lived on that prairie before the family arrived. For the most part, their authentic story wasn’t told, not by anyone. As a child, I had no way to know that these untold stories even existed. Read More

Karin's superpower - knows where the chocolate is

Sommelier of Chocolate – Ask the Right Questions

Karin Kallmaker Chocolate and Inspirations, LIFE + STYLE 4 Comments

milk chocolate bordeaux by sees

More than once I’ve been asked how to find a good chocolate. I don’t know why people think I would know, but I usually ask a question or two, or three, and use their answers to send them the right direction. After all, procurement is a matter requiring analysis of palate, allowances for shipping temperatures, humidity and due consideration of personal tastes.

You might also want to check out It’s All Good, my blog about buying great chocolate on a budget. Read More

painted vintage no

Lacking in Graciousness and Generosity? So Be It.

Karin Kallmaker Business of Books 6 Comments

Female figure angry

Nothing New Under the Sun

1/17/2018 Update: It’s hard to believe I wrote this blog going on nine years ago. Not only do I still get requests like the one below from New Acme, it’s gotten worse. Now it’s a continuous stream of offers to “crowd promote” and “create viral visibility” through a mailing-funnel-follower-stream a.k.a. unicorn dust magic a.k.a. trendy sounding method that has zero proof-of-concept. Read More

cherry chocolate oatmeal cookies recipe Karin Kallmaker

Cheery Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Karin Kallmaker Chocolate and Inspirations, LIFE + STYLE 2 Comments

cherry chocolate oatmeal cookies recipe Karin Kallmaker
I don’t do recipe blogs often, okay, this is only the second one ever. (Here’s the first, Brine for Thanksgiving Turkey.) I usually save a great recipe for use in a book, but oatmeal cookies with cherry and dark chocolate is a winning combination I find irresistible. All the good things in life: Oats, brown sugar and butter, with bright pops of cherry and melting not-quite-bitter dark chocolate. Read More

cover-our-happy-hours-lgbt-voices-gay-bars-bess-lynch

Our Happy Hours – How LGBT People Thrive(d) and Survive(d)

Karin Kallmaker Anthologies, Sisters of the Pen 1 Comment

Our Happy Hours

This week marks the release of Our Happy Hours: LGBT Voices from the Gay Bars. I’m proud to be a contributor to this anthology. The stories, essays and poetry collected between its covers represent diverse voices raised to celebrate and commemorate what our bars have been and are for our community. Read More

Fingerless gloves on keyboard

Why #SWRepMatters – Disposable and Invisible Equals Unsafe

Karin Kallmaker Craft of Writing 2 Comments

Pride Flag in the wind

“We have a lot of work to do, and choosing not to do it is no longer acceptable.” #ChuckWendig #SWRepMatters

I’m on the Interstates between Colorado and California, slowly turning the brain from vacation to writing mode. It’s hard, but blogs like Not Being Inclusive is Also a Political Choice from Chuck Wendig help. It has given me both a lens and a mirror, and these are helpful tools to my writer brain. Read More

Fish Out of Water favorite little mermaid

A Fish Out of Water – The Little Mermaid for Lesbians

Karin Kallmaker Book News, Fish Out of Water 0 Comments

The Little Mermaid is one of those fairy tales I never understood. No matter how I interpret the original Hans Christian Andersen story I can only see the usual female who can have no value unless she is loved by a man. The Little Mermaid has no soul, and can’t enter heaven so she can’t be loved by God, the ultimate male.

book cover fish out of water by Karin Kallmaker Read More

erica-abbott-double-smooch-photo-maria-kaj

Many Splendoured Things (But Not the Head Cold)

Karin Kallmaker Events and Appearances, Readers and Libraries 7 Comments

Jammies-Fuzzy-socks-blankie

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

Glamour photo of red lipstick and red sunglasses of young woman

First Look the Second: My Lady Lipstick (Diana)

Karin Kallmaker Book News, My Lady Lipstick 3 Comments

Glamour photo of red lipstick and red sunglasses on young woman

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