KEMBERLEE SHORTLAND is a native Northern Californian who was raised in a community known as Steinbeck Country, home to author John Steinbeck, as well as Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson and others. With so much literary influence around her, it's not hard to see why Kemberlee fell in love with the printed word.
Sarah's Secret, Kemberlee's first novel, was the result of years of short story writing. It was completed, though unpublished, in 1989, several other novels following as she learned the craft of writing and developing her voice.
Kemberlee began her professional writing career as a reviewer in 1995, publishing reviews with Compuserve Romance Reviews then What I'm Reading. She was a co-founder and charter member of RIO (Reviewers International Organization), chaired the RIO Award of Excellence awards, headed up the RIO newsletter and served two terms as RIO President. And she's published travel articles since 1998.
It was in 1997 while employed by Clint Eastwood that Kemberlee couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend six month in Ireland. While in Ireland, she met a man who eventually became her husband. Upon permanently relocating to Ireland, Kemberlee established an Irish travel consultancy and built a reputation as one of Ireland's foremost Irish travel experts.
Living in Ireland has allowed Kemberlee to study the country's torrid past and unique culture first hand, and has even picked up a cúpla focal . . . a few Irish words.
Because of her knowledge of Ireland, Kemberlee has had the privilege of working as researcher and editor with some of the romance industry's top authors who have set their stories in Ireland.
In 2005. Kemberlee was invited to submit her short stories for a charity anthology which was released in 2006. Those stories included Tutti-Frutti Blues (2006 RIO Award of Excellence Honorary Mention) and Dude Looks Like A Lady, both set in Kemberlee's hometown of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. These stories were rewritten and published by Tirgearr Publishing in January of this year. Both stories are also part of the Carmel Charmers Series.
Kemberlee's love of Ireland has inspired a number of Irish set stories, including the short stories Moondance (2006 PEARL nominee) and The Power of Love.
In 2010, Kemberlee saw the publication of her first novel-length book, A Piece of My Heart, part of the Irish Pride Series. This book earned Kemberlee the Coffee Time Romance Award. Constant Craving is the short story sequel to A Piece of My Heart, published with Tirgearr Publishing August 2010.
Rhythm of My Heart was published in July of this year, a long-awaited addition to the Irish Pride Series.
Shape of My Heart is the final book in the Irish Pride series and due for publication in Autumn 2013, also by Tirgearr Publishing.
~~} To recognize the 2012 Blue Moon, which takes place tonight (31 August 2012) around the world (a blue moon being the second full moon in one calendar month), Tirgearr Publishing is proud to announce the release of a totally rewritten and lengthened version of Kemberlee's 2006 PEARL nominated story, MOONDANCE.
This book is being offered for FREE through Monday 3 September!!
MOONDANCE
Blánaid thinks there's something wrong with her. It's been months since she's dated, and even if she makes the first move to invite a man out, it seems he can't run away from her fast enough. If it weren't for her best friends, Ronan and Siobhan, Blánaid is sure she'd go crazy with loneliness and despair. Then, one night while watching the sunset, Ronan kisses her and suddenly, the world as Blánaid knows it is thrown into turmoil. She turns to Siobhan for advice and a shoulder to cry on.
Can Blánaid face the truth in Siobhan's words?
The instant his lips touched Blánaid's, Ronan was sure he'd found Heaven. Ever since meeting her, he tried to find a way to tell her how he felt about her. When he overheard her telling Siobhan she never dated the friends they hung out with, he kept his feelings to himself- until this night when everything seemed so right. And he thought she felt the same when she returned his kiss. But when she realized what was happening, she ran from him. Ronan was sure he'd scared her off forever.
Can Ronan settle for just being Blánaid's friend?
RHYTHM OF MY HEART
Artist Representative, Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career so that other women could have a fair chance at having their music heard. Having suffered rejection from callous men in the industry, she thought she would get away from ‘casting couch’ mentality. But when she finds herself in the office of Fergus Manley, all bets are off. Disgusted by his continual come-ons and lewd invitations, Eilis is looking for ‘the one’ who will take her career to the next level, getting out from under Fergus’s controlling thumb.
Aspiring blues guitarist, Kieran Vaughan, is looking for his big break. But after suffering near bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous business partner, Kieran is left picking up the pieces. He’s unsure if the debts will ever be paid or if he’ll ever have a chance to do something with his music. At his whit’s end, he’s about ready to throw in the towel and find a full-time job with real hours.
When Eilis discovers Kieran playing in a seedy pub in Dublin’s Northside, she knows he’s the one rare talent she’s been searching for. With her know-how and his talent, Eilis will finally get everything she’s been waiting for. Neither of them count on the powerful attraction from first meeting. Eilis is so rocked by Keiran’s forthright words that it sends her running. Kieran risks being arrested as he chases Eilis across Ireland.
Seeing what’s happening between Eilis and Kieran, anger wells inside Fergus and he steps up his pursuit of Eilis. Refusing to let Kieran get in his way, Fergus vows to add Eilis’s notch to his bedpost, whatever it takes.
Will Kieran be able to protect her?
THE CARMEL CHARMER SERIES
From
Tutti-Frutti Blues
Town therapist Maisie Daniels is having a bad day. A failed alarm clock makes her late for work, she's locked herself out of her house and worse, she's half way across town when she realizes she's wearing her bunny slippers. A double scoop of tutti-frutti ice cream is just the ticket to boost her mood.
When Sergeant Jake Hennessey spots a woman in bunny slippers muttering to herself in the park, he wonders if she's one of the local eccentrics. When she steps from the ice cream parlor with her double dip in hand, Jake decides not to cite her for eating ice cream on the street, a recent ban, but invites her to dinner instead.
When Jake arrives at the restaurant and sees Maisie in her bunny slippers, he knows instantly that he could love her.
From
Dude Looks Like a Lady
Pamela Howard can't believe what she let her friend Maisie talk her into - a charity costume contest where she's made to dress as King Louis XVI. Her partner, dressed as Queen Marie Antoinette, reminds her of a man she's spent five long years trying to forget.
Hank Delacroix is ready to throttle his friend Jake. Hank is a great clown around his 49er teammates, but six-inch heels and a poodle on his head are a bit much. He has to be the tallest drag queen in the state. When he meets his Louis partner, he can't keep memories of the only woman he ever loved from waking in his mind.
When Hank realizes Louis is his ex-fiance, he has to find a way to make her stop running away from him so he can finally apologize.
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COMPETITION --
Kemberlee loves hearing from her readers. Please drop a comment here for Kemberlee and one lucky random winner will receive a copy of her book, Rhythm of My Heart!
Kemberlee is a native Northern Californian who grew up in a community founded by artists and writers, including John Steinbeck, George Sterling, and Jack London.
