A Writer’s Garden–Secret Gardener by Kimberly Rose Johnson

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A Writer's Garden, Certain Threat, flowers and vegetables, Kimberly Rose Johnson, romantic suspense, secret gardener

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing.

Today’s writer/gardener guest is Kimberly Rose Johnson. who will be sharing a secret with us. Welcome, Kimberly!

 

I have a secret. My gardening skills are lacking. Well, maybe it’s not so secret now since I shared a pic on Instagram of what I thought were amazing zucchini plants. According to experts they weren’t lol.

Zucchini?

I may not be a great gardener, but 2020 has proven to be a great year for my garden. My dismal backyard turned into a thing of beauty this year. It didn’t happen by itself. It took some weeding, grooming, water, fresh organic soil, fresh bark, and the right weather conditions, but for the first time in years, I’ve have a pretty backyard.

 

Backyard 

 

We made raised beds out of cinderblocks and pavers that were just sitting on the side of the house. We grew lettuce, radishes, and zucchini in the beds. I actually had a salad from my own garden! I realize this isn’t a big deal, but for me it is. We also have cherry tomatoes, and earlier in the season we had some delicious raspberries and blueberries.

 

 

I am hooked on trying to grow edibles. As much as I love growing food, I love my flowers even more. Through the years I’ve accumulated a decent number of pots. This year I decided to do something with them and planted wave petunias, coleus, a spikey plant, and something that spilled over the front of the pots. I’m not super great with their names.             HANGING BASKET  ⇒

 

 

                                                                                                                            The place I once avoided, turned into one of my favorite hangouts this past spring and summer.

 

ABOUT THE WRITER/GARDENER:

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson lives in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys looking at the pretty flowers in her garden and takes great pleasure in her berry bushes. Kimberly writes Christian romantic mystery and suspense that is safe for ages ten and up.

You can find all of Kimberly’s social media links at https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

 

CERTAIN THREAT

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Katrina White’s garage explodes and she fears someone is out to get her.

Not long after Katrina overhears two people talking about robbing the bank where she works, her attached garage explodes. With the help of her neighbor, Frank Davis, she escapes the burning home after a storage shelf falls over, trapping her beneath it.

The co-owner of Protection Inc. has one thing on his mind for the week of Christmas—rest and relaxation, but when his favorite neighbor needs his help he calls in his team. Unable to turn their backs on someone Frank clearly has feelings for the co-owners agree to help out Katrina.

When things escalate, Frank is certain of two things—he cares a lot for Katrina and he can’t let anything happen to her.

Join the team of Protection Inc. this Christmas where love is in the air even in the midst of danger.

       Certain Threat releases Oct. 6th on AMAZON 

 

 

 

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Wednesday Writers—Until I Met You Interview by Kimberly Rose Johnson

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A Christmas to Remember Collection, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Christian fiction, Christmas fiction, Clean read, excerpt from Until I Met You by Kimberly Rose Johnson, Kimberly Rose Johnson, Sweet read, Until I Met You

Today’s Wednesday Writers’ guest is Kimberly Rose Johnson. Kimberly is no stranger to Wednesday Writers, and I’m glad to have her back today talking about the Christmas collection A Christmas to Remember she’s put together just in time for the holidays, and specifically her novella Until I Met You. Welcome back, Kimberly!

 

 

 Thanks, Catherine.

In early 2018 I decided that I wanted to put together a Christmas collection so I posed the idea to several authors and all the spots were quickly taken. A Christmas to Remember has a total of eight Christmas novellas. My contribution to the collection is Until I Met You.

Until I Met You is the prequel to my Brides of Seattle series. There are two books that follow this one. As I wrote The Reluctant Groom (book 1) I realized Brandi needed her own book. Brandi is the best friend of the heroine in The Reluctant Groom.

Writing a prequel was quite a different experience since I had to back up and create the beginning of her love story. It was a fun process because when I wrote her in book one I hadn’t thought about how her romance how it had come about, I only knew the part of her backstory that related to Katie, the heroine in book one.

I thought it’d be fun to interview Brandi here.

 

Kimberly: Thanks for joining us today, Brandi. When you first met Ian you were taking a break from dating. What prompted you to do that?

Brandi: It seemed to me that I was always in a relationship—not that I bounced around from boyfriend to boyfriend, but for the most part I was the other half of a couple. Somewhere along the way I lost who I was and my relationship with the Lord had suffered. One of my small group leaders suggested I take a six-month hiatus from dating and spend that time digging into the Bible and getting to know God and myself again. It sounded like a great idea until I met Ian.

Kimberly: The two of you had an interesting meet cute.

Brandi: Yes. I for one will never forget it.

Kimberly: Speaking of your meet cute, I like to share it with the readers here today, if that’s okay with you.

Brandi: Sure.

Kimberly: Thanks, for taking the time to visit with us Brandi. Without further adieu here is the meet cute for Brandi and Ian.

Excerpt from Until I Met You

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Early Saturday morning, Brandi Prescott held her latte in one hand and opened the door to leave her favorite coffee shop in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle. She raised her hood and tightened the belt of her trench coat as rain pounded the ground.

“Bring it on.” She tilted her head and spoke to the black cloud overhead. Nothing was going to ruin her good mood. It might be a dreary fall day, but it was the weekend, and she planned to spend it reading beside a cozy fire in her apartment a few blocks away.

She walked to the crosswalk and frowned at the huge puddle of water blocking her path. How had it rained that much in such a short time? When she’d crossed the street, ten minutes ago, it had been fine. No way could she use the crosswalk without soaking her feet. She should have worn rubber boots instead of sneakers.

A vehicle careened through the yellow light. “Oh no!” She ducked her head as a wave of water splashed over her, knocking her latte from her hand. She balled her fists at her sides and glared after the red SUV.

“Of all the nerve!” She wiped water from her face, which had managed to get her even though she’d ducked her head.

The car braked and pulled into a parking spot. A man with dark hair hopped out. He jogged toward her. “Are you okay? I didn’t notice the standing water until it was too late.”

She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “My coffee is ruined, and I’m soaked. Otherwise, I’m fine.” She bent down and picked up the paper cup and the plastic lid that had popped off.

“I’m really sorry. Let me get you a new one.”

She studied the man a moment. His neatly trimmed beard and mustache framed a young face with kind brown eyes. “That would be nice. Thank you.”

“It’s the least I can do, considering I nearly drowned you.”

She chuckled. “Well, I don’t know if I’d go that far. My coat did a pretty good job of keeping me dry.”

He raised a brow. “Come on. Let’s get out of the rain.” He walked toward the coffee shop and pulled open the door. “After you.”

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt! You can pick this book up on Amazon for only 99¢ until December 30^th. The collection will no longer be available after that time. Here is the link to A Christmas to Remember.

Until I Met You

Graphic designer, Brandi Prescott hopes to work her way to the top at the Seattle ad agency where she’s employed. She’s dedicated and distraction-free since she’s taking a hiatus from men to focus on her relationship with the Lord and get to know herself without the influence of another person.

 Software engineer Ian Parker is in a good place. He loves his job, his social life and the direction his life is going. At least that is the case until one fateful rainy morning when he inadvertently drenches a woman standing on a street corner. He pulls over to apologize and is intrigued. The only problem is, she won’t go out with him because she made a pledge to not date for six months.

 Brandi’s six-month pledge ends on Christmas. Will Ian wait or will his scheming to get to know her destroy what might have been?

 

About the Author:

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Connect with Kimberly at Kimberly’s Website: Facebook: Twitter

 

Tuesday Wedding Tales–The Reluctant Groom by Kimberly Rose Johnson

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Catherine Castle's Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, Kimberly Rose Johnson, marriage of convenience novel, The Reluctant Groom, The Reluctant Groom book excerpt

Welcome to Tuesday Wedding Tales blog series, where wedding themed stories are the fare.

 

Today’s guest is Kimberly Rose Johnson. I had the chance to read Kimberly’s book The Reluctant Groom and found it to be a delightful read. So, without any further ado, here’s Kimberly!

 

I am excited to be on Catherine’s blog with you today to tell you about my latest adventure in writing. Weddings happen to be pretty important to romance writers, and in the case of The Reluctant Groom the wedding takes on a whole new meaning.

 

I’ve always enjoyed reading books with a marriage of convenience theme, but being a contemporary writer, I didn’t think I could pull it off. All that changed one night as I was lying in bed, and the inkling of a story idea began to formulate out of the blue. I was chewing on something in my mind and asked myself what would happen if I took an old-fashioned situation—marry by a certain age or lose everything, and put a modern-day spin on it.

Ray is a very eligible bachelor to Katie Fairchild’s thinking, so the idea that he was stuck in this predicament seemed nuts. She couldn’t imagine how a successful business owner didn’t have women lining up to marry him. She’d marry him in a heartbeat and accidentally blurted that out to Ray. She never dreamed a simple night out with friends would change the course of her life.

The story takes place in Seattle where Ray O’Brien owns an athletic club with a boxing ring in the basement. He never imagined the historical boxing ring would become the site of his wedding or that he’d say his vows in the ring. But that’s exactly what happened, for better or for worse.

Here’s the back cover blurb.

When everything goes wrong, can two friends discover true love?

When Ray O’Brien’s world is turned upside down, Katie Fairchild wants to help, but the personal cost is high. Neither desires a marriage of convenience, but when Katie blurts the first thing that comes to her mind Ray can’t dismiss her offer of marriage. It would solve all his problems except for one thing—they aren’t in love.

Can these two friends team up for the greater good and perhaps find love along the way, or are their expectations impossible?

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Here’s a sneak peak at their wedding.

Ray nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” They stepped out of the locker room into the gym. Two rows of folding chairs were set up facing the boxing ring. As promised, Rusty had the ropes removed from one side and added centered stairs. The ring had been transformed into a stage.

Hailey and her friends had done the impossible. They’d turned this gym into something beautiful. A white arbor with vines woven through it stood in the center of the ring. A white runner went down the center between the rows of chairs and up the stairs all the way to the arbor. A violinist and a cellist sat off to the side playing classical music.

He walked up the stairs to where the minister waited.

“You ready for this?”

Ray nodded. “I think so. Have you seen Katie?”

“Yes, and your bride looks lovely. Here she comes.”

Katie walked up the stairs. His eyes took her in from head to toe. The overhead lights caught on his bride’s sparkly headpiece. He sucked in a breath. The white dress was perfect. She held a simple bouquet of red roses. He let his eyes roam further and noted her fancy white sneakers. He held in a chuckle, afraid she’d bolt if he laughed.

Katie stopped beside him. Her lipstick stood out on her pale face. Had she suddenly become sick?

He slipped his hand around her ice-cold hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You okay?” he whispered.

“Yes.” A wobbly smile tipped her lips.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek! It’s been quite a few years since I last attended a wedding. One of the things that stuck out to me from that wedding was the arbor on the stage. When was the last time you attended a wedding? Did anything besides the bride grab your attention?

Thanks for having me on your blog, Catherine!

 

It was my pleasure, Kimberly. If you’d like to read more of Kimberly’s book check it out at Amazon

 

About the Author:

Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Finalist, Kimberly Rose Johnson, married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

You can sign up for Kimberly’s newsletter via her website. Her book may be purchased at Amazon. Kimberly loves to connect with readers on Facebook.

 

Wednesday Writers Welcomes Kimberly Rose Johnson with A Waltz for Amber

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A Waltz for Amber, book excerpt from A Waltz for Amber, Catherine Castle Wednesday Writers series, Christian romance, Christmas romance, Kimberly Rose Johnson

Today, Kimberly Rose Johnson is my guest on Wednesday Writers and she will be telling us about the background for her contemporary Christian romance A Waltz for Amber. Welcome back, Kimberly.

 Thanks, Catherine.

Growing up I loved the performing arts. Music was my passion. I sang and played the piano as well as took ballet. As a teenager I would rush home from my ballet class to watch the TV show Fame. I loved it! As life progressed my enthusiasm shifted to the creative arts, but I’ve never lost my love for music. Performing arts are featured in my series Melodies of Love. Each book focuses on a different branch of the arts.

In A Waltz for Amber I combined my past love of ballet with my love of singing. The heroine is a ballet instructor and dance choreographer, and the hero is a choir teacher. It was such fun creating characters who share my passions.

I didn’t have to do much research for this book since I’ve lived in the world of each of my characters. It was more a matter of jogging my memory than anything—It’s been a long time since I was in a ballet studio. J

I wanted to write this story set during the Christmas season because it has become a tradition for me to publish a Christmas book. Ever since my first published book, also a Christmas book, released back in 2013, I’ve been blessed to have a book release for the holiday. I really enjoy writing stories set during the holiday season. There’s something about the warm and cozy feeling I get when I immerse myself in a Christmas book.

I know it’s too early for Christmas, but since this is a Christmas book I hope you will indulge me. Do you enjoy the Christmas season? What is your favorite part?

 

A Waltz for Amber

By Kimberly Rose Johnson

A young woman’s business success depends on a one-time crush who broke her heart. Can she trust him or will their past destroy her future?

Their passion for the arts divides them. Can they overcome their differences and find true harmony?

Amber, a struggling dance teacher, is desperate to make a success of her studio. The quickly approaching Christmas recital should help except for one problem—the high school music teacher scheduled the holiday program on the same night, causing a conflict for her students. Will she be able to sustain her business or will she lose everything in the pursuit of her dream?

Chris is thrilled to be back in his hometown. However, his past won’t stay in the past, and the pretty dance instructor is a constant reminder of his failings. He wants to make up for his youthful mistake directed at her, but how?

Excerpt:

“Great class today, ladies.” Amber Jackson looked to each of her top five dancers in her intermediate ballet class. “Remember we have our first rehearsal for the Christmas recital this coming Monday evening. I need all of you to be here.” Without them, the recital would be a flop. “Have a great rest of the weekend.”

The girls rushed to the wall where their bags were hung and quickly slipped sweats over their leotards and shrugged into jackets.

Amber loved this time of year, especially in Oak Knoll. The crisp fall air put an extra spring in her step. Humming “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” she followed after the girls and slid a pair of jeans over her leotard, pulled a chunky black sweater over her head, then drew the pins from her bun and tugged off the band holding her thick hair in a ponytail. She massaged her scalp quickly with her fingers then ran them through her hair. “Much better.” She was a bunhead through and through, but wearing her hair down felt really good, too.

“Amber?” a timid voice asked.

Still facing the floor-to-ceiling mirror, she spotted Natalie standing behind her. “Hi.” She turned to face the girl. “You did a great job today.”

A nervous smile tugged at the teenager’s face. “Thanks. But I have some bad news.”

Amber’s good mood vanished. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t be in the recital.”

“But you have a solo.” The girl practically floated across the floor when she danced.

“I know, but Mr. Daniels scheduled the winter program at school on the same night.”

She forced a smile. “We’re doing a matinee. Surely you can do both.” She’d booked the auditorium at the community center in the afternoon since the rental fee at that time of day was cheaper. Saving money was key as she tried to grow her dance studio and turn a profit.

Natalie shook her head. “No, because he scheduled a dress rehearsal for the afternoon and it’s the same time as the ballet recital. If I miss any rehearsals, my grade goes down.”

Why was the name Daniels so familiar? “What class does Mr. Daniels teach?”

“Choir. He’s new. But he said he graduated from Oak Knoll High School.”

 

About the Author:

Award winning author, Kimberly Rose Johnson, married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

You can connect with Kimberly at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2x67ZjZ 

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2yr8qdm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson

Website: http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

 

Kimberly Rose Johnson Talks Setting on Wednesday Writers

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An Encore for Estelle, book excerpt from An Encore for Estelle, book setting, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, contemporary romance, Kimberly Rose Johnson

 Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Kimberly Rose Johnson to the blog. Kimberly will be talking about setting for her contemporary romance  An Encore for Estelle. Welcome, Kimberly!

 

 Thanks, Catherine.

When I sat down to write A Love Song for Kayla, the first book in this series, I wanted to set it in a small town without having to do any research. I also wanted to place the story in Oregon—up to that point in my writing career, all of my published books had been set in Washington State, so I thought it would be nice to change states.

I created a town called Oak Knoll, positioned NW of Salem, in the Willamette Valley. The name was inspired by a golf course West of Salem called Oak Knoll Golf Course. I imagine my town is somewhere near the golf course.

Oak Knoll is quaint like any small town should be. It has the usual places: a coffee shop, florist, churches . . . you get the picture. In An Encore for Estelle we see the community center, where the theater is located and the coffee shop—I wanted a hangout where my characters could go and visit with one another outside the theater.

I’m currently writing the third book in the series, and I’ve added a block to the town where Amber’s dance studio is located. We meet Amber in An Encore for Estelle. She is the dance choreographer for the musical. She is also the main character in A Waltz for Amber, which I hope to release in October.

It’s been fun to create a town and see it expand as the series grows. So far I have two series set in actual places and two in fictitious locations. The advantage of making up own town is that I can have whatever I want there. The advantage of using a real location is that people can relate to the story when they’ve been there. It’s so fun for me when people tell me I nailed those locations, and they feel like they were there as they were reading.

 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

 

An Encore For Estelle

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

A former A-list actress seeks to redeem herself in the most unlikely of places—a children’s theater. The writer/director didn’t anticipate a famous actress would ever show interest in his musical much less him. Will their pasts pull them apart or join them together?

Excerpt:

Estelle turned to face the man. She sucked in a breath. He had to be over six feet tall. His dark hair had a messy look that she liked. Get it together. He wasn’t the first ruggedly handsome man she’d ever met. Plus there was Jeff.

He looked down at her with chocolate brown eyes. “It’s nice to meet you. Helen has told me all about you.”

Estelle shot a look toward Helen. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

“Believe every word, Blake.” Helen waved a finger toward Estelle. “My friend here is a remarkable woman.”

Estelle’s face warmed. There was nothing remarkable about her, but people had always said stuff like that about her. Although it had never bothered her before, it did coming from Helen. She thought Helen knew her well enough to know she wasn’t all that.

Blake grinned, although it looked forced. “I’m heading to town. Did either of you need me to get anything while I’m there?”

“No thanks, but maybe Estelle would like to join you.” She raised a brow toward her.

Estelle caught her breath. Was her hostess trying to play matchmaker? She ought to warn her to give up now, because she was a relationship disaster. At least that’s what she felt like.

“How about it?” Blake asked. “Would you like to come along?” His words were friendly enough, but the look in his eyes was guarded. Almost like the last thing he wanted was for her to say yes.

Why did he seem wary? She didn’t recall ever meeting him—she would have remembered. “No thanks. I should finish my lunch then get settled.”

He dipped his head. “Okay then. See you around.” He turned and headed in the direction from which he’d come.

Estelle sat back into the chair she’d vacated when Blake showed up.

Helen leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Isn’t he cute?”

She burst into laughter. “You are old enough to be his mother.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to marry him. Goodness.” She frowned.

Estelle sobered. “I’m sorry, Helen. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Sorry, I overreacted. I’m fine. Don’t give it another thought.” She fanned her flushed face. “One would think at my age that I’d stop blushing so easily, but it appears that trait will forever plague me.”

“At least when you blush you’re pretty. When I blush, my neck turns red, and I get all blotchy.” Estelle made a silly face. “It happened once on set and the director was not happy. They had to take time out for the makeup artist to cover the red before we could continue filming.”

Helen bubbled with laughter. “It’s going to be fun having you here. Have you given any thought to how you’ll fill your time? I know three months is a long vacation.”

“I agree, and like I said, I may not stay the entire time. I have no idea how I’ll fill my days.” It’d been forever since she’d had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. There always seemed to be something or someone that needed her attention.

“You could volunteer at the community center. Every summer they do a children’s theater program. Auditions are coming up, and they’ll begin rehearsals soon.” She dipped her head and fiddled with her fork.

“You know I don’t act anymore.”

“So you said, but those kids don’t care. They’d be thrilled to have a real actress—” she raised a hand, “former actress mentor them. A little birdie told me you used to volunteer with the children’s theater in LA.”

Estelle sighed. It had been a long time since she’d done anything with the children’s theater. She liked kids, but she’d left that life. Then again, this was Helen asking. “I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think too long. My son tells me this new musical is ambitious for such a small town, and Blake needs help.”

If Derek was concerned then there was probably reason to be. “What does Blake have to do with the children’s theater?”

“Didn’t I mention that it’s his brainchild? He coordinates the program. He’s the reason I invited you. Actually I’m hoping you’ll stick around through the summer too. The theater has become a big deal here, and no matter what Blake thinks, he can’t keep doing it all on his own.”

Estelle shook her head. This must be the real reason for Helen’s invitation to spend the summer with her. Not that she minded, but wished her friend had been upfront about the reason behind her request. “You neglected to mention any of this.” She felt snookered, but it was fine. She’d do almost anything for Helen. Plus the timing worked—at least for now. If she could manage to stay away from her restaurant, and her life for three months remained to be seen. If necessary she could fly home a couple of times to check up on things. The idea of working with the theater sent a tingle of excitement zipping through her. That settled it—she was in if Blake would have her. She loved the theater.

Want to read more? You can get An Encore for Estelle at

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pDQweE

About the Author:

Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul. Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. You can sign up for Kimberly’s newsletter via her website at: http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/index.html

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh

Amazon Follow: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Rose-Johnson/e/B00K10CR6E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1435862403&sr=1-2-ent