Reflecting on the past year...

I’ve officially been on this journey for a year. It’s been a year ago this month since I finished COME AWAY WITH ME and began sending it out to anyone who would read it.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

You see, it occurred to me today how different my life is from just one year ago. Radically different.

A year ago, it didn’t even enter my line of consciousness that in just one short year I’d be about to release my sixth title, I’d have a contract with Simon & Schuster, I’d have hit the USA Today list three times, or that I’d have a whole team of people; agent, publicists, editor, assistant, helping me to manage this career.

I didn’t realize that I’d have made so many new friends who now are a part of my daily life. People who inspire me and support me and keep me going.

People I love.

All of these things were the dreams of my wildest imagination.

What did I want to happen a year ago? What were my hopes?

It’s simple, really.

I hoped that I would have readers. I hoped and prayed that just a few dozen people, who didn’t know me, would read the book and actually like it.

That was it.

I’ve been writing romance novels for fifteen years. I’ll say that again. FIFTEEN YEARS, of writing, taking classes, writing some more. Listening to authors who had experience and were willing to give me advice. Writing even more and then filing those stories away as learning experiences.

I read and read and read.

And then I wrote some more.

I queried agents and publishers, and typically received a form letter in return. Thanks, but no thanks.

In those fifteen years I married and divorced and married again. I moved about eight times. Family members passed away. My husband was deployed to Iraq for a year, leaving me to be a single mom to his two children.

Life happened, and there were times that I stopped writing, but in the end, I always came back to it.

Because writing isn’t just something I do. It’s who I am. It’s my constant friend.

A year ago, I was working full time in a hospital emergency room, and I looked around and said, “This is not who I am.” Not to say that it wasn’t a great job, or an important job, because it is.

But it wasn’t who I was.

And so I took a chance and began sending messages to bloggers and other authors and said, “I have this novel…”

I didn’t even intend for it to be a series. When it began, Come Away With Me was a stand alone, until I met Jules and her brothers, and I knew it would be a series.

But in the beginning, I just wanted that first story to be read. That was my dream.

And now here I am, a year later, and well… my dream certainly came true and grew and grew. It didn’t happen over night. I hear so often, “It happened so fast!” And it’s true, things have happened quickly in the past year, but no one saw the past fifteen years of rejection, stories going unread, hours and hours of classes and workshops and networking.

Nothing worth having comes easy, and this is certainly worth having for me. This community is simply the most amazing one that I’ve ever been a part of, and I’m thankful that I’ve been welcomed with open arms. The readers are beautiful and intelligent, and my colleagues are simply stellar. I’m humbled to be here.

I love this job. And trust me, it is a job. Not an easy one. Still the best job in the world.

Thank you. Thank you for reading my stories. Whether you love them, or even if you think, “Meh, I’ve read better.”

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for making my dreams come true. It’s an incredible life, and I don’t ever take it for granted.

Not for one day.

Cover reveal/excerpt for LOVING CARA!

I'm so excited to share this cover with you! Josh and Carolina's story, LOVING CARA, releases January 28, 2014, by Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. It is the first book in the Love Under the Big Sky series! I know it sounds like a long time out there, but it'll be here before you know it!!

Here is the GORGEOUS cover!

And here is the synopsis:

CHEMISTRY WAS NEVER THIS SEXY IN HIGH SCHOOL.

In her sizzling new series, USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby sets the stage for a passionate reunion under the breathtaking Montana sky.

Cara Donovan’s summer tutoring job is turning out to be a challenge—and not just because of her troubled twelve-year-old student. It’s his uncle Josh who’s the real problem. If problem is the word for an irresistibly cocky, muscle-bound rancher with a taste for tight Levi’s and shameless flirtation. . . .

Cara is nothing like the wallflower Josh King remembers good-naturedly teasing in high school. This Cara is gorgeous, confident, fun. From the moment the fiery teacher steps foot on his family’s Lazy K Ranch, the stubborn playboy is determined to corral her. So what happens when his luscious lover takes over the reins?

The first in a steamy trilogy, Kristen Proby’s enthralling novel is filled to the brim with one hardworking family’s triumphs and challenges, all the wild adventure of the modern West, and a whole lot of titillating fun.

And the excerpt. Please remember, this is unedited and may be changed or deleted prior to publication!

“Where are your jeans?” Josh asks as he meets me at my car the following morning.

“These are jeans.” I pull my tote bag out of the car and walk toward the front door of his house. “Is Seth here yet?”

“No, he’ll be a few minutes. I have him feeding the dogs at the big house.”

“Okay.”

“Those are not jeans.” He’s scowling down at my denim shorts like they’re the devil incarnate.

“They’re denim.”

He narrows his chocolate eyes at me, but I see the humor there, and the butterflies take up residence in my belly again.

I love riling this guy up.

“Fine, they’ll have to do. Go ahead and get settled, Seth will be here in a minute. I have to ride out with a few of the guys to repair a fence, so I’ll see you at lunch time.” He pulls on some gloves and settles his green baseball cap on his head backwards again.

“You don’t wear cowboy hats?” I ask without thinking.

“Not usually. I have one, if you’d rather I wear it.” He smirks.

“No, just curious,” I mumble and head toward the house.

“Don’t leave before I get back. I have plans for you.”

He grins wide, winks, and saunters off toward the massive barn that sits between his house and the big house.

Well, isn’t that view nice? His Levi’s hug his ass perfectly and sit low on his hips, and as he walks I can see his buttocks and thighs flex.

Dear God, I’m lusting after a rancher.

SAFE WITH ME cover reveal and excerpt!

I am thrilled to unveil the new cover for SAFE WITH ME, Caleb and Brynna's love story, releasing September 24, 2013! So, without further ado, here it is!

A very special thank you to the talented people who made this beautiful cover happen:

Cover Artist: Renae Porter of Social Butterfly Creative

Photographer: Molly Claridge of Be Still Photography

Models: Michael Wilson and Steph Buzzell

Hair and Makeup: Melanie Hobus

Synopsis:

Keeping others safe is what Caleb Montgomery does. He’s never had a problem taking on an assignment, whether it was during his dangerous SEAL days or his most recent job of training war mercenaries. But being assigned to keep Brynna Vincent and her adorable daughters, Maddie and Josie, safe from an unknown threat has thrown Caleb off his axis. Hot for the tall brunette since she came back to town more than a year ago, being close to her day in and day out is cracking Caleb’s resolve to keep his hands off her gorgeous body and his head in the mission.

Brynna is sick and tired of being afraid. All she wants is a normal, quiet life for her and her precious girls. Just as she’s settling into her new home in Seattle and feeling safe again, Caleb shows up on her doorstep insisting the danger is as high as ever. But whether she needs to be sheltered from the threat in her past, or from the intense emotions she feels for the sexy, protective man sleeping in her home, remains to be seen. What will happen if Brynna and her girls fall in love with a man so broken he may not be able to protect them from the danger that threatens, much less himself?

SAFE WITH ME is the fifth book in the With Me In Seattle series, and continues to follow this tight-knit, loving family through life’s trials and tribulations with humor, passion and everlasting love.

And now a special excerpt from SAFE WITH ME!

Please remember: This is unedited and may be changed or deleted prior to publication. All copyright belongs to Kristen Proby.

“Deny it if you want to,” Meg smirks and glances out the back window. “Damn,” she whispers.

“What is it?” Nat asks and rises from the table to see what Meg is looking at. Her eyes widen and she glances back at me and then outside again. “Holy shit.”

I know exactly what they’re watching.

Or, who.

And yes, it is a sight to behold.

“How do you ever get anything done around here?” Meg asks as I rise and lean against the sliding glass door, coffee cradled in my hands, and watch the sexy man in my backyard. “I’d just stand around and watch him all day.”

“Uh, Meg,” I glance over at her and laugh. “You have one of these at home,” I remind her, referring to Caleb’s pro-football star brother, Will, who is also Meg’s live-in boyfriend.

“And it’s a good thing he’s gone most of the day or I wouldn’t get anything done either.”

“It’s starting to rain,” Nat observes, but it doesn’t seem to faze Caleb. He lifts two thick, heavy ropes in both of his hands. The ends are attached to Nat’s photo studio out back. With a firm grip on the ropes, he begins to wave them up and down, quickly, the rain pounding down on him, causing his shirt to cling to every muscle as it flexes and moves with the motion of the exercise.

“Hot damn,” Nat whispers and I silently agree. He continues to pump his arms furiously, effortlessly. “What does that exercise do?” Nat asks.

“Works his arms, back and abdomen, and it’s cardio too,” Meg responds and takes a sip of coffee.

Just then, Caleb drops the ropes, bends down to grab onto a medicine ball and lowers his tall body to the sit-up position.

“Maybe he’ll bend over again,” I murmur, earning giggles from the other two women.

“It’s a good thing Jules isn’t here,” Nat mutters and licks her lips as her eyes watch Caleb hold the medicine ball over his head and easily raise and lower his torso in smooth sit-ups. “She’d never let us watch him like this.”

“Jesus, that medicine ball is fifty pounds,” Meg whispers, amazed.

“Watch this part,” I urge them as Caleb tosses the ball to the side like it’s a beach ball and assumes the push-up position and begins to perfectly execute the push-ups, easily completing more than a hundred of them in two minutes.

“Why aren’t you sleeping with him again?” Meg asks and I choke on my coffee.

“I might be,” I whisper and feel their astonished gazes on me, but I avoid them. “Don’t you dare breathe a word of that to anyone.”

“Who can blame you?” Nat asks just as Caleb stands and returns to the ropes. “Look at those back muscles.”

“Look at that ass,” Meg counters.

“You should see it naked,” I respond and we all giggle again.

“Should I be grossed out by this?” Nat asks, tilting her head to the side. “He’s practically my brother.”

“But he’s not your brother, Nat.” I remind her with a grin. “And the Montgomery men are freaking hot.”

“That’s no lie,” Meg agrees. “Aren’t you going to be late for work?” She asks me.

“I have a few minutes,” I murmur and feel the familiar pull low in my belly as I watch Caleb lay on the ground again and execute more perfect sit-ups with his medicine ball.

It would be the perfect position for me to ride him. I might have to suggest that tonight.

“He’s hardly panting,” I observe. “What kind of physical training must he go through to work that hard and have it hardly phase him?”

“Oh girl, you have no idea the rigorous training they go through to become SEALs. It’s not natural.” Nat shudders. “All of the boys have always been athletic.”

“Obviously,” I murmur sarcastically. “It’s a bit intimidating.”

“Caleb can be the scariest person on Earth if he’s pissed off,” Nat informs us, her eyes still glued to him. “He’s just big and strong, and damn intimidating.”

“You should see him with the girls.” I grin, remembering our movie night last week. “He’s funny and sweet.”

I realize the room has gone dead silent. I look over to my friends to find them looking at each other and then staring over at me. “What?”

“You’ve got it bad,” Nat remarks and snickers. “Welcome to the club.”

“What club?”

“The ‘I Love a Hot Man’ club, sweetheart.” Meg laughs and salutes me with her mug just as Caleb approaches the sliding door, frowning at me. I step back in surprise as the girls giggle.

“What’s wrong?” Caleb asks, is hair and clothes soaked and a little muddy from the rain and grass.

“Nothing,” I reply and shrug.

He narrows his eyes at me, watching me closely, then turns his gaze to Nat and Meg.

“What’s going on with you guys?”

“Nothing at all,” Nat replies with a huge grin. “Just girl talk.”

“Uh huh.” He props his hands on his lean hips and watches all three of us for a moment and then shrugs and saunters to the fridge to pull out a cold bottle of water. “We have to leave soon,” he reminds me.