A Chat with Barbara Davis, Author of The Keeper of Happy Endings
One of my favorite things about being a writer is that I get to hang out with other writers. Sometimes I even get to read their books early! Barbara Davis is a lovely, funny human being with an inspiring and positive outlook on life—and she’s a brilliant writer as well. I’m lucky to count her as a friend and to have early access to her books! I can tell you first hand that The Keeper of Happy Endings is a beautiful, page turning, emotionally immersive read with a touch of magic. I loved it so much I got to blurb it, in fact!
“The Keeper of Happy Endings is a perfect blending of romance and mystery with a sprinkling of magic—heartwarming and satisfying. Don’t miss it!” ~Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Whisper Me This and Everything You Are
I’m so delighted that this lovely book is a well-deserved First Reads pick for September, which means you can get your hands on it a whole month before it’s official release date—for free if you’re an Amazon Prime Reads member, or for $1.99 if you’re not!
Watch our conversation to learn more about the book here, or listen to it on your favorite audio podcast outlet.
Real Life Meets Magic: Women's Fiction with Magical Elements
On women’s fiction day, I got together with Barbara Davis, Willa Reece, Maddie Dawson, and Kim Neville, all fabulous authors who write books about strong women on growth journeys—with a little magic along the way. We discussed our books and why we chose to include elements of magic, plus our thoughts about the difference between women’s fiction and fantasy and so much more. I seriously want to be able to meet with these women once a week for dinner and drinks. They are all so amazing and fun!
Everything You Are is a September First Reads Pick!
“Music, love, and forgiveness all make this book such a highly recommended read. I will say this about the book, once you start reading you are not going to want to put it down so make sure that you don’t have any plans.”
Everything You Are officially releases on October 1st - but you can get it now on Kindle for free!
If you are a member of Amazon Prime Reads, you can download free on your Kindle now. And if you’re not a member, you can still grab it for $1.99!
And this month is extra awesome in First Reads World, because you get to pick TWO books for free, instead of the usual one.
Which ones will you choose? I think they all look fantastic.
Let me tell you a little bit about Everything You Are to help you decide whether it’s the one for you to choose.
First, the book trailer!
“This is a novel that worked its way into my heart and soul utterly and completely....the rest of the world drifted away as I became immersed in the lives of Phee, Braden, and Allie. The author’s lyrical writing held me captivated—I read through my own tears, my heart in my throat, holding out hope for these wounded people to be healed and whole. ”
Next, let me introduce you to the characters
PHEE: when Phee's luthier grandfather died and left her his luthier business, she thought she'd get to spend the rest of her life building and repairing violins and cellos, but the position came with a few interesting complications. Like a cello with a soul, and the responsibility to make sure its owner plays it and treats it right. She's never quite sure whether she REALLY believes in the curse that will fall if she fails, but she's rapidly getting convinced.
BRADEN: once a brilliant cellist, Braden is the owner and man responsible for Phee's special cello. But eleven years ago he injured his hands and has been unable to play. Everything has fallen apart for him since then. He's an alcoholic, estranged from his wife and two children and has nothing in his life worth living for. Until the accident that kills his wife and son, and the realization that his teenage daughter, Allie, needs him.
ALLIE: Allie feels like she was born with music running through her veins, but she blames the music -- and particularly the cello -- for the death of her mother and brother. Angry at her father for abandoning her, caught in a spiral of grief and guilt and rage, Allie is on a fast track to a disaster of her own.
THE CELLO: The cello wants to be played. She has a special and unbreakable bond with Braden. She is the link that brings Phee, Braden, and Allie together on a trajectory that could end either in disaster -- or in hope -- if only Braden can find his way back to the music.
And the back cover copy
From the bestselling author of Whisper Me This comes a haunting and lyrical novel about the promises we make and the forgiveness we need when we break them.
One tragic twist of fate destroyed Braden Healey’s hands, his musical career, and his family. Now, unable to play, adrift in an alcoholic daze, and with only fragmented memories of his past, Braden wants desperately to escape the darkness of the last eleven years.
When his ex-wife and son are killed in a car accident, Braden returns home, hoping to forge a relationship with his troubled seventeen-year-old daughter, Allie. But how can he hope to rescue her from the curse that seems to shadow his family?
Ophelia “Phee” MacPhee, granddaughter of the eccentric old man who sold Braden his cello, believes the curse is real. She swore an oath to her dying grandfather that she would ensure Braden plays the cello as long as he lives. But he can’t play, and as the shadows deepen and Phee finds herself falling for Braden, she’ll do anything to save him. It will take a miracle of forgiveness and love to bring all three of them back to the healing power of music.
“This beautifully written, lyrical novel is about music and family and forgiveness with a touch of magical realism. It’s one of those books that you want to get to the end to see how it ends but you find yourself reading slower because you don’t want it to end and you don’t want to say goodbye to the characters. ”
If you choose to read Everything You Are I would love to hear your thoughts. And reviews are always welcome!
Author to Author Chat with Nicole Meier and Everything You Are Giveaway!
Join us for a fun conversation about writing and our new releases!
Want a chance to get your hands on a copy of Everything You Are before it’s even released?
How about an opportunity to hang out with Nicole Meier and me live?
You are so in luck, because you can do both things at once! Hey, I’m all about making life easy, fun, and filled with awesome books! So I love that I get to chat with Nicole Meier and with you. Plus, I love being able to give away books to good homes.
So clear your calendar, circle the date, and join us for a lively and fun Author to Author chat on Wednesday, August 28, at 11 am PT (noon MT, 1 pm CT, 2 pm ET) on my Kerry Anne King Facebook author page.
If you have to work, just sneak away to the bathroom or something. Or tell them you have a book emergency. This should totally be a thing, right? In my opinion, book emergencies of all kinds should be covered by medical plans everywhere. Reading is good for our health and highly medicinal!
Like the page now, so it’s easy to find, and make sure you set yourself a reminder alert so you don’t miss this!
Wait! There’s More!
Are you coming to my Inner Circle Coffee Party? Because I have a juicy secret about Everything You Are that I’m going to share first with my inner circle!
Join me next Sunday at 9 am PT (10 am MT, 11 am CT, noon ET) in a private zoom room to be first to get the news! And for another chance to win a signed copy of Everything You Are!
A Whisper of an Idea
What does it take for a woman to get free of something like that? Or for anybody to make a total life change? Do you just wake up one morning and realize you've had enough? Is there one moment in time that changes everything, or is it a gradual process?
Whisper Me This was born out of one of many conversations with my Viking about life, the universe, and everything.
We were soaking luxuriously in our hot tub (which is out on the back deck of our little house in the big woods) listening to the wind in the trees and reveling in the awesome life we are lucky to live up here.
And then the Viking started talking about this woman he knows who is not so lucky. She's trapped in a domestic violence situation--a bright, beautiful woman who struggles to see that there could be another way for her.
And then he asked this question:
"What does it take for a woman to get free of something like that? Or for anybody to make a total life change? Do you just wake up one morning and realize you've had enough? Is there one moment in time that changes everything, or is it a gradual process?"
And then he looked at me and said, "You should write about that."
So I did.
This is a topic that resonates deeply with me. I am an extremely fortunate woman. I was raised without any shadow of fear by a father who was an awesome human being who respected women. My brother is the same kind of human being, and when I went out looking for relationships I found men who were like them.
But I've been a counselor and I've listened to so many of my clients, both women and men, trying to get past a legacy of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. I've heard my friends talk about the situations they are in, or have gotten free of. Not to mention what I see on the internet on a daily basis.
I have talked to humans who have been incredibly impacted by abuse and don't yet realize that what is happening to them is wrong. Their whole experience has been such that they believe these toxic relationships are normal.
So in this story I delved into the stories of characters who have all been affected, one way or another, by domestic violence. And while I wrote I was always looking to answer that question - "What would it take to get free?"
And because this topic matters to me, deeply, I'm extraordinarily excited that this book has been chosen by my publisher as a Readers First pick this month on Amazon. I hope that it might make some small difference out there in the world, even if it just opens up some dialogue around this complex and pervasive issue.
And of course, being an author, I also hope readers love the characters and the story!