Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Letters in Friendship: Dear Ellie (Jason)



January, 23, 2011

Dear Ellie,

I hope you girls are having a good time in the sunshine. I know Katherine has been looking forward to this trip for weeks. Please don't be offended that I didn't tag along. The deadline for my next book is looming over me and I find that it is hard to write these days. The panic attacks are always simmering just below the surface. I dream about the cabin every night and wake up with the lingering smell of blood. During the day I just try and stay busy and not think about it too much. It helps when Katherine is out, because just seeing her face brings it all back in one crushing blow. I'll get over it.

I've been working all morning. Today is a good writing day. The clickety-clack of the keyboard is the best sound in the world. When your fingers fly over them without pause. A freak warm spell has descended on Virginia and it is actually raining today. The thunder and the sound of the rain tapping on the windows in my bedroom are a comfort to me. Sorry, this letter is even bumming me out. Don't worry, I will be back to by bitter sarcastic self in no time.

Soak up some sun for me.

Love,

Jason
Dear Readers, please let me know what you think about this new letter writing series. As long as there is interest I will be writing a letter a week up until the launch of the first book in the Syndicate Series, Red on the Run.
1) Letter One: Dear Ellie (December 2011)

2) Letter Two: Dear Katherine (December 2011)

3) Christmas Card Special Edition 

 4) Christmas Card Special Edition 2

 I also have a series of open ended letters to the characters in my head that I have linked below. Finally, be sure you sign up for the mailing list. The last letter will go out to mailing list subscribers only. 


 For up to date information on book releases, sales and opportunities to get free copies of books:

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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Letters in Friendship: Christmas Card Special Edition Part 2







Dear Readers, please let me know what you think about this new letter writing series. As long as there is interest I will be writing a letter a week up until the launch of the first book in the Syndicate Series, Red on the Run.

 1) Letter One: Dear Ellie (December 2011)

2) Letter Two: Dear Katherine (December 2011)

3) Christmas Card- Dear Ellie (Jason) 2011

4) Christmas Card- Dear Ellie & Dear Katherine & Jason 2011

 I also have a series of open ended letters to the characters in my head that I have linked below. Finally, be sure you sign up for the mailing list. The last letter will go out to mailing list subscribers only. 


 For up to date information on book releases, sales and opportunities to get free copies of books:

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Do you want to be a Beta Reader?
Email Format

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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Letters in Friendship: Christmas Card Special Edition Part 1


You know it is bad when your fictional characters have sent their Christmas cards out before you. Thanks for making me look bad, y'all.
-K.M. Hodge




Dear Readers, please let me know what you think about this new letter writing series. As long as there is interest I will be writing a letter a week up until the launch of the first book in the Syndicate Series, Red on the Run.

 1) Letter One: Dear Ellie (December 2011)

2) Letter Two: Dear Katherine (December 2011)

3) Christmas Card- Dear Ellie (Jason) 2011

 I also have a series of open ended letters to the characters in my head that I have linked below. Finally, be sure you sign up for the mailing list. The last letter will go out to mailing list subscribers only. 


 For up to date information on book releases, sales and opportunities to get free copies of books:

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Do you want to be a Beta Reader?
Email Format

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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Letters in Friendship #2: Dear Katherine (December 2011)


Dear Katherine,
I admit that this letter writing may be my most brilliant idea to date. I squealed out loud when I found your most recent one in my p.o. box this morning. I nearly gave poor Ms. Orgish, my ninety year old neighbor, a heart attack. She actually lectured me on how unlady like I was behaving, if you can believe that.


Though it has been hard starting over, I am glad that I moved here. The weather this time of year is just lovely. The locals keep telling me to prepare for the cold front, which to Central Texans translates to temps in the 40’s. I know you may not believe me but I do miss the snow a little bit--especially the first of the season. It's weird seeing Christmas lights and hearing carols on the radio while I'm wearing a t shirt and flip flops.


I’ve also been burying myself in my work, which I love by the way. The new job is so much more challenging and fulfilling than my job at the FBI. The people I work with are nice but I haven't really made many friends. One of the soldiers, a doctor, grew up in Northern Virginia. We sometimes sit and talk about home and the joys and sorrows that go along with being a medical doctor for the military. His wife passed away last year leaving him and his three sweet boys behind. His mother had been helping out with the kids but her health is failing and he worries about how he will do his job and support his boys at the same time. It's very sad. He is the only real friend that I have out here, which is why he is in so many of my photos. “Hunkiness” aside we are just friends.


I would love to have you come visit next month! You would just love the outdoor graffiti art gallery in Austin. It's ever changing and evolving. It makes me think of you every time I go there. It’s a bit of a trek but totally worth it.
I miss you and Jason. One night I was feeling particularly lonely and down on myself and I watched an SNL episode on Netflix. Dan Aykroyd came on Weekend Update and I cried.  Jason really does the best impression of him. God, he would have us laughing so hard that we would be in tears, nearly wetting ourselves. I don’t know if my loneliness is clouding the memories, but it seemed like that time was one of the best of my life. It was lovely wasn’t it?
Tell Jason to hurry up with the new book. I'm anxious to read it. Cliff hangers are cruel! Buy the tickets for any time and I'll work around it. I can't wait to see you.


Love always,
Ellie

Dear Readers, please let me know what you think about this new letter writing series. As long as there is interest I will be writing a letter a week up until the launch of the first book in the Syndicate Series, Red on the Run.
1) Letter One: Dear Ellie (December 2011)

2) Letter Two: Dear Katherine (December 2011)

 I also have a series of open ended letters to the characters in my head that I have linked below. Finally, be sure you sign up for the mailing list. The last letter will go out to mailing list subscribers only. 


 For up to date information on book releases, sales and opportunities to get free copies of books:

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Do you want to be a Beta Reader?
Email Format

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Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Migrant Report Blog Tour Stop & Thirty Second Review


K.M. Hodge Thirty Second Review:
The Migrant report successfully tackles a hot button contemporary issue with ease and grace. The characters are engaging and keep you invested in the story. The novel is informative but also accessible for someone who is new to the issue. I especially enjoyed the dichotomy between the male and female characters. While I liked the story overall, the transitions were sometimes abrupt, which took me out of the story for a minute. I recommend this book to my readers. 

About the Book - About the Author - Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of The Migrant Report! Here's what you need to do...
  1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
    2. a Rafflecopter giveaway
  2. Leave a comment on my blog
That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official The Migrant Report tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

  About the book: The penalty for stealing is losing your hand. No wonder Ali can leave his wallet overnight in his office. Crime hovers on the fringes of society, under the veneer of utopia. Police captain Ali's hopes of joining the elite government forces are dashed when his childhood deformity is discovered. His demotion brings him face to face with the corruption of labor agencies and also Maryam, an aspiring journalism student, who is unlike any local girl he has ever met. Ali and his unlikely sidekick must work together to find the reason so many laborers are dying. Against the glittery backdrop of the oil rich Arabian Gulf, Ali pursues a corrupt agency that will stop at nothing to keep their profits rising. As the body count rises, so does the pressure to settle the source. Can Ali settle the score before the agency strikes again?

 Get The Migrant Report through Amazon or Barnes & Noble.


 About the author: Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar’s award winning books have focused on various aspects of life in the Arabian Gulf nation of Qatar. From Dunes to Dior is a collection of essays related to her experiences as a female South Asian American living in the Arabian Gulf and named as Indie Book of the Day in 2013. Love Comes Later is a literary romance set in Qatar and London and was the winner of the Best Indie Book Award for Romance in 2013, short listed for the New Talent award by the Festival of Romance, and Best Novel Finalist in eFestival of Words, 2013. She currently lives with her family in Qatar, where she teaches writing and literature courses at American universities. Connect with Mohanalakshmi on her website, Facebook,or Twitter.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Letters in Friendship #1: Dear Ellie (December 2011)



Dear Ellie,


The first snow of the season is falling. I’ve been sitting in your favorite chair by the bay window watching it dust the neighborhood in a blanket of white. I can’t seem to find the motivation to do anything else but sit here and write to you. Well and drink hot coffee. Always coffee. Jason found this new brand that we have become addicted to. I’m already on the third cup, my limit, my hands shake a little as I write. So forgive the handwriting.


I took your advice and started running again. It is hard being out in the open like that, but once I get going all the worries and anxiety seem to fall away. I've worked up to two miles. Nothing like what I was doing before, but I’m taking it slow. I’ve been trying to get Jason to come out running with me in the mornings, but I haven’t had much luck. It didn’t help my case when I took a bad spill the other day (who doesn’t salt their walks!). Thankfully nothing was hurt unless you count my pride. He used the accident as evidence to support his case that running was pointless.


He’s been spending a lot of time in his room working on his newest book. When it is going well he goes through coffee like it's water. He even wears a string around his wrist with a bolt hanging from it to remind himself that he is a work machine. When things aren’t going well, the bottles in the recycle bin start to overflow. I’m worried about him, but I don’t know what I can do to help him. I have a sinking feeling that I am part of the problem.


I miss you, Ellie. Things just haven’t been the same since you’ve been gone. It’s like the joy has been snuffed out of the house. I’ve been putting in long hours at the FBI. It's a comfort to have the work to fall back on again. I told Ben everything like you said I should. I haven't heard from him since, it's been two weeks. Just another person the Syndicate has caused me to lose.


Keep sending pictures. I can’t believe that you are swimming in December. I should move to Texas. I wouldn’t break my ass on ice there. Maybe I will come for a visit in January. I have a lot of time accumulated and they are threatening to dock my pay if I don’t start taking it. I’ll check tickets and let you know. 

 Oh and don't think I haven't noticed that there is a commonality in all the pictures you post on Facebook. I would be remiss not to point out the totally hunky guy that dresses up all those pretty landscape pictures. You can't keep Mr. Dreamy a secret forever.


Love always,

Katherine

Dear Readers, please let me know what you think about this new letter writing series. As long as there is interest I will be writing a letter a week up until the launch of the first book in the Syndicate Series, Red on the Run. If you like this one keep reading the series and subscribe to keep getting updates. 
1) Letter One: Dear Ellie (December 2011)
2) Letter Two: Dear Katherine (December 2011)

 I also have a series of open ended letters to the characters in my head that I have linked below. Finally, be sure you sign up for the mailing list. The last letter will go out to mailing list subscribers only. 


 For up to date information on book releases, sales and opportunities to get free copies of books:

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Do you want to be a Beta Reader?
Email Format

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