Flirty & Feisty Romance Blog...spice up your relationships: #BlackAuthorsMatter ~ #AuthorInterview with @kimknightauthor

Monday, 13 July 2020

#BlackAuthorsMatter ~ #AuthorInterview with @kimknightauthor

WELCOME TO BLACK AUTHORS MATTER ~ INTERVIEW!!!

I'm Stella and I write Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels.
Follow me on Amazon.

Hello Romance Lovers,

Welcome again to my Series on Black Authors Matter. After my New Release; Longing for You: A BWWM Sweet & Steamy Romance hit Amazon #1 New Release in African Literature on June 1st 2020 and became a #1 Bestseller on 17th June 2020, I decided to start a movement to promote Black Romance Authors or Authors who write about characters of colour.

In the coming months, I'm going to showcase one black romance author after another and their great books.

After a long day, curl up on a sofa and sip from your chilled drink because you are about to meet the number 19th Black Romance Author on my list. Her name is Author Kim Knight! Kim was born in London and she still lives in London, UK.

AUTHOR: Kim Knight

BOOK TITLE: Sacrifices

GENRE: Multicultural Historical Romantic Suspense

RELEASE DATE: on presale now .99 cent until August, after August on pre-sale at full price $4.99. Release date 30th September 2020.

WORD COUNT: Full novel 76,000

Drum roll please...

We want to know a bit about your family life.

I have one son who is now six, I can’t believe it but time goes so fast! I also have a step daughter who is four years old.

What drives you to write romance stories?

It all started when I started to read the genre in my teens, Jackie Collin’s ‘Deadly Embrace’ was the first ever romantic suspense book I read. I was amazed at her story-telling in that novel, it had me on the edge of my seat. I must have been about eighteen or so, then I read every book she ever wrote, I collected them all and have them on my shelves at home. My one regret is never being able to go to a book signing of hers, before she died. Following this I started to read all kinds of romance. I really love paranormal romances too, as well as mystery, crime,

thrillers and suspense. My love for writing romantic suspense I owe to Jackie Collins, it’s as simple as that! But I write it in my own style and bring my own voice, I am a bit of a rebel I use first person and present tense often, when a majority of romance is past tense and third person. I actually don’t care! I pride myself on my individual style with story-telling, which so far as served me well, rather than following the crowd.

Do you have hidden messages woven into your stories?

There’s always some kind of lesson learning and growth for my characters, yes. I like to spin romance that shows growth, change, and learning. It may not be a direct message for readers, but there’s always character development and growth based on the situations I place my characters in.

What’s the best thing about your writing and publishing routine?

I’m a hybrid author both traditionally and self-published. To be honest I love both, they both have pros and cons. I’d say what I love about self-publishing is freedom! To do as you please, but this by no means, means a compromise on quality. So good professional editing and covers are a must no corner cutting! What I love about being signed to a medium-size mainstream publisher is the support, I have had some not so great publishers I’ve worked with, sadly. That said my current one is by far the best! Marketing, editing, brilliant cover designs. I’d say if you are traditionally published and find a good house you’re on to a sure winner. One that is willing to invest in you, your talent and not see you as just a dollar sign, but offer poor standards of working.

What steps did you take to publish your first book?

I was offered a traditional contact by submitting my terribly written first three chapters lol.

How did you come up with the idea for your recent book/Who’s your favourite character and why?

I just love this era, music and fashion and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s is awfully close to my heart. The idea was actually due to be a novella, for my Romance Set in Paradise series it turned into a novel as the characters, storyline and emotion took over. I wanted to write something set in the back drop of the jazz scene for some time, as I love it. Then, before I knew it, it became a full blown historical romantic suspense novel. I have no control over what my characters do, they talk to me as my creativity takes over lol.

I must say yes I did tear up too, especially when I wrote the scene where I placed my characters at Dr. Martin Luther King's march for jobs and freedom, in Washington DC, in the 1960s. I also teared up while writing the difficult scenes, as a white male and his views on the friendship and then relationship between my hero and heroine. On the other hand writing as a black male, who also hated this union was tough! Overall, this novel is special to me as 1. I had to write characters and their 'style' of love and dating, in a period I was not even born in LOL.

2. I had to step into the shoes of people with a different mind-set to me, as a woman and in an era I was not born 3. you know me I like to take readers on a journey around the world! So there was the challenge of writing in London, USA and Greece!! In the present day and the 1950s and 1960s!

Overall Sacrifices was a beautiful challenge that pulled on my heart strings at times. I am so in love with the story, as I love the music of this era, the civil right movement on both sides of the Atlantic. I love the characters and how I have brought them alive, and a new spin and voice to this sub-genre of romance. The 1950s and 1960s are not historical eras really used often in romance. Enough editors and publishers who rejected me told me that LOL.

What’s the hardest thing about the publishing process?

Editing, as a writer I feel I am too close to my work, no matter how many times I read it, I read what I think I want to be there, not always what’s there if that makes sense. That’s why it’s key to have a second or even third pair of eyes look over your work.

Next is marketing, you really need to get creative once you have a finished product, readers don’t fall in your lap. I think this is where a lot of ‘wanna be writers wanna be big house old name authors’ fall down. It’s a journey, a marathon not a sprint and you must do your part to find readers.

Why should a new reader buy your book(s)?

Because my pen spits fire I’m great— there I said it lol, nope seriously, if you like multicultural romance that’s suspenseful, heart-felt with well-rounded characters and non-predictable plots, or even love to be transported to different locations, and ‘feel’ the emotions check out my romance series and Sacrifices.

If you like crime, thrillers and suspense, also you may wish to follow me for updates on my next release, ‘The Broken Doll’. A romantic crime thriller, my publisher extended a contract for it just this week, I hope it will be published in 2020 also.

Working on a new book/project?

Two actually first my crime thriller ‘The Broken Doll’, and then ‘’Trust in Me’ a romantic suspense set in New York, with a Chinese -American female lawyer and a male detective. There’s a plot twist of history between these two, it’s a ‘’forbidden love’ with some second chances to it story! I’m so excited.

Brag about any awards or badges?

Ahhh okay, I’m not normally one to brag but I won an award for Best Romance 2017, and just last month hit the #1 spot on Amazon’s best-sellers new release list not once, but twice in the UK and internationally, for my writer’s reference 365 Days of Writing Prompts for Romance Writers. I must say I am proud of both.

Any thoughts on Black Lives Matter Movement?

I have been invested in this greatly, as mother of a black boy I hope to see the world change for him, as he gets older. I am overwhelmed by the police brutality in the USA, but the UK is not innocent either. I am a supporter and I make no apology for saying, ‘Black Lives Matter.’

Now to the Rapid Questions:

Your ideal Partner? The man I love now! Motivated with good direction in life.

Favourite place to write?

Anywhere, but I do like the outdoors.

Choice trope to read?

Ohhh ‘second chance love’ for sure!

Preferred genre to read?

I read everything from non-fiction, esoteric and the unusual to crime fiction.

Best time of the day to write?

I’m a night owl, always have been.

One food you can’t do without?

Caribbean foods!

Favourite Drink Award go to?

LOL … red wine, and cocktails.

Best Dessert in the world?

Cheese cake yes ma’am!

Best Movie, or TV series Award go to?

I don’t watch TV… really, I am clueless I like the radio and books. Oh wait wait…. True Blood I loved that show.

Beautiful Song Award go to?

To hard to decide I’m a real music fan.

Amazing Band Award go to?

Girl groups of the 90s both RnB and pop, damn I miss them.

Best Actor/Actress Award go to?

Taraji P Henson… she’s amazing.

Your #1 Colour?

Purple.

Perfect gift you hope to get someday?

Ummm, I’ll take any that comes my way. Gifts are blessings, period.

One fun thing you do?

Study astrology and numerology.

Never Have I…?

Been to Paris, I am ashamed to say!

Give readers your final thoughts about anything?

Thank you for checking me out, your support and if you do dive into one of my books or current new release I hope you enjoy, I appreciate you. please leave a review if you do enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Author Kim Knight.

Read the blurb of Kim's book below:

Don't also forget to grab a copy of any of her other books!

Sacrifices is a riveting romantic story with historical and suspenseful elements set in the 1960s Jazz scene and the present day.

Jane O’Sullivan, a sultry twenty-seven-year-old singer, starts a torrid, forbidden affair during the 1960s jazz scene in London. Working hard, she makes a name for herself. She’s a woman with dreams, hopes, and a burning desire to leave Europe behind and travel to New Orleans with her lover, Louis.

Louis Simpson, a charming twenty-nine-year-old musician from Jackson, Mississippi, is on tour with his band in London. Back home, the height of the civil rights movement plays out in the USA. Driven by ambition, a forbidden love, and a desire to turn his life around, he pushes forward, living his dream.

Once their paths cross, a twist of fate crushes Jane’s world, forcing her to make a life-changing decision that impacts both her and Louis. This historical love story spans across the Atlantic and roams through Europe with love, loss, and broken promises.

Twenty-five years later, when Jane and Louis’ paths cross on a Greek island, will the helping hand of fate bring them together, or rip them apart, once more?

Sacrifices

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A BIT MORE ABOUT ~ Kim Knight

Kim was born in 1983 and from London in the UK. She's a mother to a beautiful little boy, and a proud award-winning author (awarded Best Romance 2017 for A Stranger in France), and #1 Best-Selling Author (365 Days

of Writing Prompts for Romance Writers). She's also a contribution writer at Aspiring Authors Magazine LLC. Kim started her journey as a traditionally published author and later dived into self-publishing also.

As a reader she's head over heels in love with romance, historical fiction, crime fiction, African- American, suspense and thriller genre books. As a writer, Kim enjoys creating stories with a diverse and multi-cultural line up, within the romance, romantic suspense and general thriller and crime genres. When she's not reading, or writing stories of her own her other passions include practising her French, astrology, fashion, make-up artistry, drawing, spending time at her sewing machine dressmaking, watching make -up and beauty tutorials on YouTube, letter writing and being a mum.

CONNECT WITH Kim Knight

Website

Bookbub

Facebook

Twitter

If you would also love to get to know the previous author, click here.

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I'm Stella Eromonsere- Ajanaku, the initiator of

#BlackAuthorsMatter. To get to know me more, click here.

Before you go, please take a quick look at my Bestselling New Release; Longing for You and some of my other hot books.

For sure, you will laugh, cry, get an emotional thrill and drool with suspense.