I’m a beach-loving California native who’s been tantalized by the tropics since Adam Troy sailed the Kon Tiki in Adventures in Paradise. Thankfully, my Silicon Valley tech writing job funded many trips to tropical destinations. So after visiting Hawaii, Mexico, Florida, and the Caribbean, I moved to Florida.

While in Florida, I was able to take a break from tech writing to focus on fiction. I wrote and secured an agent for Real Women Wear Red, which is set on a Caribbean cruise. But I always put a little bit of the west in my books – California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, and the Pacific Northwest.

With the publishing industry waxing and waning, I’ve also tried my hand at writing romance, suspense, contemporary women’s fiction, and young adult novels. Ironically, movies inspire my writing more than books – romantic comedies, musicals, period pieces, film noir, and Hitchcock-type suspense.

To find out more about me, I’ve added news briefs followed by navigation tips around my website (listed on Top Websites for Women). Or you can follow me on Twitter.

Hope you enjoy your visit.

JULY NEWS

Back by popular demand – “Myths of the Fatherless” has been re-released on Kindle. You can purchase a copy here.

It’s time for the July meeting of “The Book Review Club.” Start by reading my review of Laura Caldwell’s Red Hot Lies – the first of the Izzy McNeil trilogy – on my blog. Then click on the link to the list of other reviewers.

JUNE NEWS

My first article on More.com has been published. Check out Sexy at Any Age, Any Size.

My review of Disney California’s Food & Wine Festival has been published on passporter.com – a collaborative effort with my husband and author Rich Eckardt.

Attend the June meeting of Barrie Summy’s “The Book Review Club” and read my review of Melissa Kantor’s Girlfriend Material on my blog.

MAY NEWS

Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival: Winemaker’s Dinner with MacMurray Ranch

I’ve posted our review of the Winemaker’s Dinner with MacMurray Ranch, hosted by Fred MacMurray’s daughter, Kate, along with other events on this blog.

Pink Monorail

Found the recipe for the “Pink Monorail” drink, originally served at the top of the Contemporary at Walt Disney World. This drink made it into my novel, Real Women Wear Red, after a chance encounter with a woman at the Trout Pass Bar at Wilderness Lodge at Disney World. You can get the recipe on my blog, although I must credit fellow Passporter Pinkerbell for tracking down the recipe.

Speaking of Disney, we just returned from the Food & Wine Festival at Disneyland and will be posting about our experience.

APRIL NEWS

Kite Tales

I’m pleased to be quoted in the Spring Issue of Kite Tales. As mentioned in the newsletter, I’m back to blogging on wordpress by way of my domain name of kathyholmes.net.

MARCH NEWS

Real Women Wear Red Available on Kindle

Real Women Wear Red is available on Kindle. When I first heard about Kindle, I wasn’t sure what to think. But somewhere along the line I saw an opportunity and so I made my book, already available on Amazon.com, available in their Kindle store.

And it’s paying off – for writers looking for wider distribution of their books – and for readers in search of a wider variety of books not found in the local book store. With the demise of so many independent book stores, it’s a real boon to the book world.

So, what’s Kindle? Check out this description about the New Kindle on Amazon.com. You can even watch a video to learn all about it.

Here’s what else you’ll find on my Web Site:

ABOUT ME – A recap of my path to publishing so far.

BLOG - Disney, writing, beaches, travel, California and Florida – posts on some of my favorite topics.

BOOKS - Books currently available – a chick lit novel for women of all ages, available in Print, E-book, and on Kindle.

You can read an EXCERPT with a link to PURCHASE the book from the publisher. You can also read my best REVIEW ever – why I keep persevering in writing. The reviewer really “got” what I was trying to do.

WELCOME or HOME - With this design, either will work. Or click your heels three times and it’ll bring you right back here. “There’s no place like home.”

Kathy Holmes, Author