Love Bytes celebrates 6 years! Guestposts & Giveaways by K-Lee Klein & Anne Barwell

Hello! Thanks for stopping by this wonderful celebration for Love Bytes 6^th anniversary! And big thanks to Dani for letting me participate.

 

This time of year my brain tends to still be in hibernation so I thought I’d do something that doesn’t require me to think too hard…I mean, I thought I’d do something fun. J So here we go with 10 facts about K-lee Klein—me—you might not know. My “real” bio is at the end of this post and please stick around for the giveaway at the end too. Cheers!

 

1. I grew up in a small British Columbian town in the mountains and my graduation was held in the local arena (where I spent most of my time because…hockey jocks). Afterwards we had our grad party in the bush with much alcohol and a few bears (not the human kind).

 

2. I have mild OCD and my kids often call me “Sheldon” because I have a favorite fork, spoon, plate, cup, and spot on the couch. Use one of those when I need it and you’ll be in big trouble.

 

3. My oldest son’s name is Jesse and he’s always thought he was named after Rick Springfield’s song, Jesse’s Girl (which I do love) But he was actually named after a character—Jesse Velasquez—in the 80’s tv series, Fame.

 

4. I’m going to be a first-time grandma! My daughter and SIL are due May 1^st. It’s a boy but for some reason they think the final decision on names is theirs and they refuse to name him Bucky, after the love of my life. 😉

 

5. I’m allergic to cinnamon, nutmeg, all-spice, cloves, and basically anything Christmassy. Pumpkin Spice lattes could literally kill me.

 

6. I rarely sit at a desk or table when I do authorly things. My preference is using my iPad on the couch, in my backyard writing oasis, in my front porch haven, or in the tub. And since everyone asks…no, I’ve never dropped my iPad in the bath.

 

7. I’m most definitely a truck-girl and have no interest in cars. I couldn’t tell you a car’s make or model if you asked me but show me a truck and I’m a damn encyclopedia. I also name my vehicles. My last truck was Kiedis (after Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and my new 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport is Bucky, affectionately called Bucky Trucky.

 

8. This one’s a little tougher but it’s important to me. My dad died when I was five months old so I never knew him, but there are days when I feel his presence and it makes my heart hurt.

 

9. I require a lot of comfort things in my life. These include comfort reads like STUCKY fanfiction, Outlander, rereads of ZA Maxfield, SJ Frost, TA Chase, JL Langley. It seems I like authors with initials. Then there’s all those comfort tv shows (endless reruns of Law & Order Criminal Intent, Law & Order SVU, Criminal Minds, Political Animals, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Supernatural, Daredevil, Live PD) and flicks (anything with Captain America, Hobbit movies, The Birdcage, You’ve Got Mail, John Wick 1 & 2, Turner & Hooch, Gifted, Tango & Cash, The Normal Heart, The Lost Boys, The Three Musketeers (Luke Evans version), St. Elmo’s Fire, The Outsiders, Alexander (with Colin and Jared)—just to name a few lol.) I guess you could say I need a lot of comfort. *many apologies for this huge list* J

 

10. And finally, I became a Mama Dog in October to a bouncing (oh my god can she bounce) baby Toy Australian Shepherd. Princess Chewbacca (CHEWIE) is doing awesome, keeping me on my toes, and she helped me with my depression during the winter. She’s meant to be my emotional support pup and the next big step is teaching her to walk beside my walker. No easy feat but she’s a smart cookie and I’m pretty attached to her goofy little butt.

 

Now you know more about me than Chewie does (though honestly, that’s not too hard). How about 2 giveaways to cap it off? Tell me something about yourself that almost no one else knows then I’ll pick 2 winners of an ebook from my backlist…here –> https://www.kleeklein.com

 

Cheers and happy spring!

 

K-lee Klein loves guys with long hair and tattoos, and you’ll often find her front and center at her favorite rock concerts. She has bounced around Western Canada all her life, but will always consider the solitude and beauty of the British Columbian mountains home. Her life is blessed as the proud mother of three now-grown but still spoiled kids, the servant of two bossy felines, and the wife of a truly patient husband.

 

Her writing muse is terribly temperamental, so to keep him close by and in check, she had him inked on her left calf. The gorgeous, long-haired, mostly naked, kneeling angel that resulted is truly a work of art, although he’s still a handful and hopelessly uncontrollable. She writes on his schedule and inspiration.

 

K-lee tends to fall easily into obsessions. When something grabs her attention, she jumps into it headfirst with complete abandon. Actors, musicians, superheroes, fictional characters, and brainwashed assassins all hold spots on her cannot-get-enough list. She once followed Thirty Seconds to Mars around the United States and Canada and saw them perform fourteen times that year. Obsession sometimes leads to ideas for her kneeling angel to turn into stories.

 

Although an introvert in person, she’s extroverted online and has met many wonderful friends there, sometimes with the added fun of meeting them in person at gay romance conferences. She’s grateful for all the people in her life who accept her as she is and support her through her ups and downs as mom, wife, and joyfully obsessed writer.

 

Places to find K-lee.

Website – https://www.kleeklein.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kleemoon

Facebook author/reader group https://www.facebook.com/groups/812548795471921/

Blog – http://chaosinthemoonlight.blogspot.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Klee_Klein

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kleeklein/

 

 

Happy six year anniversary, Love Bytes Reviews! by Anne Barwell

Thanks, Dani, for hosting me, not just today but for your generosity over the past six years. This post is an example of that. Being in New Zealand and working odd hours as well, the times for the author takeovers didn’t work for me at all. Instead of just saying sorry about that and moving on, Dani contacted me and offered to put up this post so I can could still be a part of the celebrations.

Looking back six years ago, I had four books out, and a fifth coming out later that year in June.

Since then each time I have a new book coming out, I’ve contacted Dani about cover reveals and advertising. She’s always been very happy to accommodate me for both of those, and her team have reviewed my books.

I was delighted when, two years ago, she invited me to fill a monthly author spot.

Writing can be a very isolating experience, and I feel very privileged to be a part of the Love Bytes community. I think communities are very important, not just for writers, but for everyone. We need someone we can connect to with common interests, and a safe place to discuss what we’re passionate about.

I love reading other author posts, the reviews, and the conversations that often happen in the comments.

For many of us those conversations are only possible online as real life isn’t always the safest place for discussion, and even if we’re lucky enough that it is, friends and family don’t always share our interests, or get that our writing isn’t just a hobby. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told but you enjoy it, right? I know most people reading this post—writers and readers alike—will get why that statement is annoying on so many levels with its underlying meaning that it can’t be work if you enjoy it.

Earlier in my post I mentioned I had a release in the same year that Love Bytes launched. That book was A Knight to Remember and I’m giving an ebook copy of it away to someone who comments on this post.

 

As a side note, I’m not a fast writer with working full time and other RL commitments, but I am working on the second book in that series. Sorry for the delay!

Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with a cat with ‘tortitude’ who is convinced that the house is run to suit her; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though Kaylee may be winning.

In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.

She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth. She also hosts and reviews for other authors, and writes monthly blog posts for Love Bytes. She is the co-founder of the New Zealand Rainbow Romance writers, and a member of RWNZ.

Website & Blog: http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sylvrebarwellhoffmann/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/anne.barwell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/annebarwell

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4862410.Anne_Barwell

Queeromance Ink Author Page:

https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/anne-barwell/

New Zealand Rainbow Romance Writers:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/491382394538058/

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