Author Kay Phoenix

How does one go on a midweek escape while in "The Great Pause"?  How about escaping into a nice book? 

Or, one of the things that I love to do is a little armchair traveling on Google Earth. Sometimes I have a destination in mind, sometimes just a country.  I've walked cobblestone paths in forgotten villages in France, and traversed busy freeways in Los Angeles.  I've re-visited the narrow streets of Old Jerusalem (a favorite of places I've actually been to).  I've researched streets of London for future travels, so I can pick hotels or air bnb's close to where I want to be.

I've even walked along streets so I could find the name of a restaurant that I visited once, so I could look them up and drool over the menu.

Armchair travel can be inspiring and fun.  You don't need sunscreen, or a map. You just need a wild imagination.

As an author who likes to include specific locations in her stories, Google Maps is one of my favorite tools. I never want to be that author that gets the directions or the time of travel wrong.  I've lived in Las Vegas all my life, and it bugs me when authors or directors get my city layout wrong.  :-)

So, take a trip with me. 

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy links:

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belonged to Las Vegas Romance Writers and served on the board for ten years. She was also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. Currently she works in an elementary school library. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. 

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

Author Kay Phoenix

A few weeks ago, I took a 3-day weekend to travel to one of my favorite places in the world...The Grand Canyon.  My sister had never seen it, so it seemed only logical to go. A person must see it.

We stayed two nights in a fifty year old hotel called the Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan, Arizona, right outside of the National Park border.  We even saw some wild elk rambling through town. 

We also took a side trip to Meteor Crater right outside of Flagstaff, and spent the night there (in Flagstaff, not in the crater).  If you've never heard of Meteor Crater, you should read about it. 

The last morning of our mini-vacation, we stopped into a place I know and love called Bearizona.  It's a first class wildlife facility in the tiny Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona. 

It was a great, somewhat exhausting, 3 day weekend and I can't wait to get on the road again....I just can't wait to get on the road again....

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy links:

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belonged to Las Vegas Romance Writers and served on the board for ten years. She was also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. Currently she works in an elementary school library. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. 

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

Author Kay Phoenix

I came up with the idea for Steele and Stone while hiking the Bristlecone Trail at Mt. Charleston near Las Vegas, NV.  Hiking gives me lots of time to think, as I’m not distracted by my child or dogs, or the ever present cell phone/modern technology that I know I use too much.  While hiking, it’s just one foot in front of the other, surrounded by gorgeous scenery and lots of quiet time to think. 

I wish I was a better hiker, one that went more often and was in better shape, like Elle is in the story.  I began thinking about Elle as a character, and wondered what her reaction would be if she had to, kind of, be a tour guide for a man that wasn’t as used to being in the mountains. 

Then, I remembered a scene from my own childhood, when I was about 3 or 4, hiking with my father when we came upon a mountain lion.  When my dad tells the story, he usually points out all the wrinkles he now has and blames most of them on that day. Being an Army medic fresh back from Vietnam, he went right into soldier mode, picked me up, and we hightailed it out of the enemy’s vicinity.  In hindsight, running from a predator isn’t the best thing to do.  But, we’re still here, intact.  The cat didn’t chase us. 

Funny enough, the only thing I remember of the incident was thinking “Oooo, pretty kitty”.

Thus, the opening scene of my book was born that day, hiking the Bristlecone Trail on Mt. Charleston outside Las Vegas, NV, and everything else was the character’s faults.  They took the reins, which was fine by me.  I provided their setting.

Come to think of it… it’s time to go on another hike!

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Author/pen name:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Steele-Stone-Daring-Hearts-Phoenix-ebook/dp/B01LYUQ75N/

Excerpt:

“So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.

“Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”

Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the doorframe.

“I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.

“Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.

He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belongs to Las Vegas Romance Writers and has served on the board for several years. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. She is also involved in several Las Vegas non-profits.

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

Author Kay Phoenix

A couple years ago, I took a jaunt to Barcelona, Spain.  The reason for the trip was to visit someone I know who is going to college there.  I'm so proud of her!  But, of course, we managed to fit in a lot of touristy things as well.

The first day, we trekked to what is probably one of the most photographed buildings in the world - The Sagrada Familia. This cathedral is amazing, as cathedrals go.  I've been lucky enough to have visited some other famous cathedrals in Europe, but this one is now my favorite - officially!  The non-traditional design of old vs. new, was fantastic and once you step inside the door, it's as if you've just gone to Heaven.  Well, that's how it felt for me.  The burst of colors from the stained glass windows took my breath away. The gorgeous, white pillars (no two the same), the intricate ceiling design, and the open, spacious feel was so majestic.

Sagrada Familia

Another highlight of the trip was a drive up to Monseratt and a nearby winery, Oller Dl Mas.  Being an amateur geologist, I particularly enjoyed the drive. The views from the top of the mountain were breathtaking, and the view of the mountain from the winery's fields was surreal. 

Monestary in Monserrat

View from the top of Monseratt

View of Monseratt from the Oller dl Mas winery

But, my favorite part of the trip was a day-long tour we took to the Salvador Dali Museum and to see his home on the beach.  Salvador Dali has long been my favorite artist, and this was something I never thought I'd be able to see.  So, it was a pilgrimage of sorts, a long time in the making.  I'd be lying if I didn't say my eyes were filled with tears a few times that day, especially during the few minutes that I got to spend alone in the room with his crypt (how that happened in such a crowded place I'll never know - I'll chalk it up to magic).  The aura in his home was palpable to me, I sensed a welcoming, fun spirit (like a child) and wished I could have had a personal tour of his home from him while he was alive.  Seeing his studio as he left it, complete with used paint brushes and the half-finished angel he was working on was incredible personal and touching. I did feel as if he'd left some of himself there, or as if he's never really left. I will always remember that day fondly.

The Mae West room

The last piece Salvador was working on.

***

Title: Steele and Stone

Series: The Daring Hearts series, Book 1

Author:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Steele-Stone-Kay-Phoenix/dp/1509210717

Excerpt:

     “So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.
     “Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”
     Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the door frame.
     “I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”
     “What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.
     “Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.
     He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belongs to Las Vegas Romance Writers and has served on the board for several years. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. She is also involved in several Las Vegas non-profits, and is the current Chairman of a popular, long-running, local art show.

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

http://www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_

Author Kay Phoenix

Title: Steele and Stone

Series: The Daring Hearts series, Book 1

Author:  Kay Phoenix

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Date of Publication:  November 2, 2016

ASIN:  B01LYUQ75N

Number of pages: 133

Word Count:  42,000

Blurb:

Elle Thompson was raised in Denver. She paints. She hikes. She knows how to avoid cougar attacks.

The only cougars Michael Williams usually worries about are the ones that wear leopard print leggings on 5th Avenue.

But, when his acquisition firm sets its sights on Elle's family business, his tidy life goes awry. As things unravel, so do all his preconceived notions of love and what makes a perfect partner.

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Steele-Stone-Kay-Phoenix/dp/1509210717

Excerpt:

     “So, how are you feeling today?” a familiar voice asked behind him. He didn’t have to turn to know who it was, but he turned anyway, temporarily forgetting about his sunburn until he saw the shocked expression on her face.
     “Whoa! No sunblock either? I had some, you could have asked,” she giggled. “That’ll peel for sure.”
     Blue! Brilliant, shimmering blue eyes. He hadn’t seen her eyes during their hike, as they’d been hidden behind sunglasses the whole time, and he’d always been a sucker for blue eyes. Her blonde hair hung long, loose and wavy as she leaned casually against the door frame.
     “I see you’ve already made yourself quite at home,” she said. “Randall told me he let you use the conference room.”
     “What are you doing here?” he asked in a tone that sounded a bit too firm.
     “Oh, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Nice to see you?’” She tilted her head to the side, causing a loose curl to graze her breast.
     He turned back to the coffee. “I didn’t mean to sound rude. You just surprised me.”

Author bio:

Ms. Phoenix is a rare bird herself...a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. She belongs to Las Vegas Romance Writers and has served on the board for several years. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America with PAN status.

Prior to writing, Kay was a Graphic Artist for fifteen years in the casino industry and holds degrees in both Graphic Arts and Psychology. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, traveling and photography. She is also involved in several Las Vegas non-profits, and is the current Chairman of a popular, long-running, local art show.

Kay has been blessed to be able to travel many places, which inspired her to host a weekly author spotlight called “Midweek Escapes” on her blog. It features guest author’s favorite vacation destinations, their travel tips, and, of course, information about their book releases and occasional giveaways.

Author website and social media links:

Website:

http://www.KayPhoenix.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKayPhoenix/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KayPhoenix_