My Publisher Just Closed Its Doors

Yesterday was the last day that Samhain Publishing was in business. Samhain published my book, THE NINTH CURSE, in 2009 and made me feel like a legitimate, published author after years of rejections and attempts at publication. That was also my first experience with a professional editor, and I learned so much from my editor, Sasha Knight, that I still use to this day when self-editing or helping other writers strengthen their writing.

I will be forever grateful to Samhain and the lovely people who ran that operation. My book was never a huge success and fell outside the mainstream for their readers...but I so much appreciate that they took a chance on me and my book anyway.

I will be getting back the rights to that book soon. Samhain has many authors they need to send reversion of rights letters to, and I'm sure they are working feverishly to ensure that authors are able to take control of their stories.

Meanwhile, as I wait for the letter freeing me to publish THE NINTH CURSE on my own, I have already purchased a new cover for both the Kindle version and the print version.

Although I truly appreciate the original cover made for this book, I don't think it was a good fit for the story inside. The original cover pushed a more romance-heavy idea, when really the romance is secondary to the action and suspense in the book. So I went a completely different direction with the cover.

NOTE: If you look in the side bar, you can see the old cover in my GoodReads section.

I'm looking forward to the response I get with this redesign. I have read several times where authors made changes to their covers and ended up with improved sales. I would just love for my book to find the right audience...if you like fast-paced, suspense/thriller type of books, then you will love this book.

I will let you know when they are available for sale again under the new cover.

Goodbye, Samhain, you will be missed.

Fix #21 - January 24, 2017

I'm back again today with another Stitch Fix review. This one is a little more current...from just a few days ago. Let's start with the usual intro for those who are new here:

If you are entirely new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015

Fix #16 - March 2016
Fix #17 - June 2016
Fix #18 - July 2016 
Fix #19 - August 2016
Fix #20 - October 2016

At some point my list of former fix reviews is going to be so long, I'm going to need a different method. Maybe just link to some of the most popular ones or the ones from the last 12 months...hm. Let me think that over.

For this fix, although my October 2016 fix resulted in a good pair of stretch jeans, I wanted a pair of 'normal' and not-so-fitted jeans. I was still needing good jeans to replace some that were being retired. So I asked for more jeans!  I also continued my request for warm sweaters, as we still have several months of cold here in Idaho. My final request was a jacket or vest that I could use as a layering piece.

How did my wonderful stylist do? Read on, my friend, to find out.

First, I opened the box - a very big one - with a massive wrapped package inside.

I knew that my stylist had given me what I asked for - sweaters and/or jackets/vests. w00t! The stack of stuff was promising indeed:

Lots of colors and textures going on here. In the end, I had received two sweaters, a pair of jeans, a vest and a jacket. SCORE!

Once again, I hung everything up and TRIED EVERY PIECE ON. Never ever ever ever ever look at something Stitch Fix sends you and say, "Oh my God, what is this? I would never wear this. Why did my stylist send this to me?"  No, that is not allowed in the world of Stitch Fixery. You just never know what might happen. You might look at the dress below and think, "What a lumpy nightmare."

Then, you try it on and say to yourself, "My stylist is a genius of the largest proportions."

This dress was from Fix #14 if you want to read the review!

Anyway, back to the review.

1) The first item I hung up was the Liza Skinny Jean by Lila Ryan for $98.

Hm, when I hung these up, they just looked small and wee compared to my other pants. Even my other SKINNY pants. But I've been fooled by this before, so I put them on...sort of.

 If you carefully analyze the photo, you may be able to see these pants are not zipped up. Want to know why? Oh my LORD the tightness. Sure I got them over the calves, over the knees and up the thighs...but then I ran out of stretch, ran out of fabric to yank, and was left with a waistband that sat across my derriere. No way to zip these babies closed.

First item was a NO. Done with the skinny jeans, people. Can I just have 'regular' jeans again? I like a good stretch, but does it have to be body conforming stretch at all times????? Sometimes I just want to throw on some jeans and walk away knowing that I look comfortable and not stuffed into my pants. (rant completed)

2) Next I decided to try on the Harrie Button Detail Pullover by RD Style for $74.00.

This sweater was so so soft. I thought it felt like cashmere, but, no, it was a combo of things...and none of them were natural fibers. I loved the color, I loved the simplicity of the design, and I had a red sweater that never was warm enough for me to wear much beyond October without a tank underneath.

When I tried it on, it fit GREAT. (notice the dreadful skinny jean was replaced with my good old Levi's?)

The sleeves were nice and long, the shoulders fit perfectly on my wide-shouldered self, and the softness was incredible. I checked the laundry instructions just to make sure I could put this in the washing machine (still convinced it had to have angora or something in the blend) and found out the only 'special' instruction was to lay flat to dry. Most of my sweaters say this. Not a problem!

KEEP! KEEP! KEEP!

3) The next item out of the box was the second sweater - the Nalia Cable Front Turtleneck Pullover by Emily Rose for $64.00.

This was a pretty, faded blue with a nice texture from the cable knit. It looked like a potential addition to the wardrobe, so I quickly threw it on.

I loved this sweater. I actually loved it more than the red sweater, and I'm no fan of 'turtleneck' anything. But this was more of a cowl style neckline that was warm without being tight. There's nothing I hate more than a tight turtleneck that makes my head look like a gigantic floating planet atop my shoulders (did I mention I have a pretty big head for a lady?).

The sleeves had some extra length, which is a rarity to find when you are tall with longer arms. It was a very flattering fit with a good length. The shoulders fit. All around a win!

KEEP!

4) The next item I tried on was the Wilco Solid Quilted Vest by Market & Spruce for $68.00 in a nice army green.

I already have a vest like this one. But it is purple and hard to wear with a lot in my wardrobe currently. Purple is not exactly a color that can work with everything. But this army green is a 'neutral' that I knew had a lot of potential with pieces in my closet. Plus, in my neck of the woods, layering is important, and I found my purple vest to be very warm and useful on the coldest days of winter or as a jacket on a cooler day in fall.

This vest had a scalloped bottom edge, where it was longer in front and in back than on the sides. I thought that was an interesting detail. It also had tiny little pockets, which my purple vest did not have, so that was a nice extra thing. It had a sturdy zipper that worked well. The warmth was good, and it fit well. However, I just wasn't 100% sold on this vest. I'm not sure why. I think because it was slightly bulky around my middle, where my other vest was more fitted. I just wasn't sure how I felt about it.

I actually set this vest aside until my husband got home to get his opinion. I tried it on a different way, though. My stylist had written a note to me where she explained that one of the sweaters in my box and the vest could be paired together. For some reason, I read the advice as meaning the turtleneck sweater. So this is what I wore when I showed my husband the vest:

I actually liked how that looked, and I would never have paired a sweater with a vest. I am not sure why. Maybe it is because I grew up in California and never learned the true art of how to layer your clothing? Or maybe I thought I would be too hot? Who knows. But pairing this sweater with the vest made me realize I could use this vest more often and in more interesting ways than my purple vest.

My husband liked the vest. He really liked the scalloped edge. I mentioned I didn't know if I liked the shape of it as much as my purple vest. I went back to my closet to show him the difference in shape....and that is why I discovered that I actually liked the fit of the Stitch Fix vest BETTER than my beloved purple Costco vest! The purple vest was very form fitting. This also meant I was a little more limited as to what I could wear underneath, or it would fit a little too tightly. Also, this army green would match a lot more items in my closet and would get more use. I also unzipped the vest entirely and realized it looked good that way also, which could not be said of the more form-fitting purple vest.

What started out as a 'maybe' turned into a KEEP. Big surprise to me!

NOTE: This morning, as I was re-reading my stylist's note to me, I was embarrassed to discovered I had misread her note...she wanted me to pair the RED sweater with the vest, not the turtleneck! LOL. But, to tell you the truth, I LIKED the way the turtleneck worked with the vest, so I'm sort of glad for my mistake.

5) The last item in my box was the Tamit Knit Jacket by Market & Spruce for $78.00. It was a deep navy blue, which isn't easy to see in the photo.

This was made from a rough cotton stretch-type material (I'm awful at fabrics, so I apologize if this makes no sense). Kind of a nubby feel to it. Not a ton of stretch, just a bit. It had a zipper with a Peter Pan collar when fully zipped and a nice blazer look when unzipped part way.

Peter Pan Collar

Blazer-style Collar

I really really really wanted this to work for me. It was adorable. It was flattering. I could imagine how this could be worn with pieces in my wardrobe in all seasons. HOWEVER, the upper arms of this jacket just fit. And when I mean 'just fit,' I mean I could not ever ever ever wear anything under this with any sort of sleeve. The style card showed two different ideas, one outfit with a long-sleeved striped blouse under it (cute) and another with a short-sleeved billowy sleeve blouse (also cute).

For me, I could never achieve either style with the way this fit me. So disappointing. I wish I had my arms of a younger day...but I don't. I have aging 40-something upper arms that really seem to enjoy carrying a bit of extra chunk on them to mess with clothing items with sleeves of this type.

Boo-hoo! This went into the NO pile with a sad face.

So this turned into a 3-out-of-5 box, which made me delightfully happy. I actually wore the turtleneck right out of the box for the rest of the day. Loved it! Yesterday I wore the red sweater, and today I will be wearing the vest. HOORAH! I love my Stitch Fix days.

My next fix is coming in April, so be ready to tune in for a spring fix review.

If you like my reviews and think I am somewhat funny and engaging, you might enjoy my book Acapulco Nights. It's a romance novel with some humorous parts. I've been told it has a lot of twists and turns:

Available in print & Kindle from Amazon!

Fix #20 - October 2016

Hello, everyone! I know it has been awhile since I posted a StitchFix review, and I apologize. I'm a bit of a political/news junkie and, let's be honest, October was a crazy month as far as news goes. In addition, my day job was pretty busy, so I just couldn't seem to find the time to be creative and post my latest review!

I am here to remedy all of that with a double post this week. Today is my October 2015 fix. Tomorrow will be my January 2017 fix! How does that sound?

Let's get into the nitty gritty of my fixes as per the usual:

If you are entirely new to Stitch Fix, please read up on the service here:

My Very First Stitch Delivery and Stitch Fix Explanation - Fix #1

You can also check out a whole bunch of Stitch Fix reviews below. I've been writing them since May 2014:

Fix #2 - June 2014
Fix #3 - July 2014
Fix #4 - August 2014
Fix #5 - September 2014
Fix #6 - October 1, 2014
Fix #7 - October 29, 2014
Fix #8 - November 2014
Fix #9 - December 2014 
Fix #10 - January 2015
Fix #11 - February 2015
Fix #12 - March 2015 
Fix #13 - June 2015 
Fix #14 - September 2015
Fix #15 - December 2015
Fix #16 - March 2016
Fix #17 - June 2016
Fix #18 - July 2016 
Fix #19 - August 2016

For this October fix I asked for sweaters and pants - warm clothing for the upcoming winter. I especially was hoping for some regular jeans, as a few jeans I used to wear had seen better days and needed replacing. I was also up for colored jeans, as I love my pair of red jeans so much.

My stylist has been so so good at picking out things I like and that fit well, so I had high hopes for this fix. Let's see what was in the box!

 It was a deep box with two bulky wrapped packages. I knew at once, I probably had some warm sweaters inside, which made me very happy. Here is a stack picture for you:

A great mix of patterns, materials and colors. I do get a lot of stripes, so I wasn't 100% pleased about that one, but you know my motto by now: TRY EVERYTHING ON! Never leave something in the box or on the hanger and just say, "no." Give all clothing items a chance.

1) The first thing I hung up was the Matillay Faux Suede Jacket by Tallie for $98. This looked so warm, so cozy, and so blanket-like, I was hoping for great things when I tried it on.

It was a mix of sweater and faux shearling. Just scrumptious under the fingers. A neutral gray that would go with a lot in my wardrobe and allow me to extend the use of summer or spring tops into the fall and beyond. However, when I tried it on....

 

It was a bit of a mess. A huge pile of fabric that sat on my body like a dead faux sheep. My body grew by two sizes that day. I am lost in the jacket, and it just didn't look as chic as I had hoped it would.

The side view was actually better. However, I don't typically catch glances of myself from the side. We all know it, ladies, we mostly focus on the front and what we can see easily in the mirror (as evidenced by a lot of bad back-of-head hair I've had in my day...I mean, who takes time to really style the BACK of her hair?). I also found myself readjusting the collar trying to figure out how to make it lay nicely.

This went in the "NO" pile immediately. Sadly, though, because it was delightfully warm and cuddly.

SIDE NOTE: After I packaged this up for return, I opened up the style cards that came with it. The picture of this jacket showed a much wider fold back of the collar than I had tried. Perhaps if I had worn it correctly, I may have liked it. But it was too late by that time...and I already had negative feelings about it. 

2) I moved on to my second item of the day. The Elizabeth Super Skinny Jean by Liverpool for $78. This was more like a jegging in material and style, but I hate the word 'jegging,' and I think Liverpool does, too, as they used the word 'jean' in the description. So dispel any thoughts you may have about jeggings and who wears them and why, and read my review!

They look very dark in the photo, but just to clarify: they are a dark blue jean color. Not black. I was pretty excited by this pair of pants. Stitch Fix sent me some Liverpool pants a couple of years ago, black ones, that I LOVE and wear all the time.  I was very hopeful these would be equally amazing.

As you can see, I tried them on at the same time I tried on the jacket. They fit really well. Tight, but comfortable. The fabric was stretchy, but not overly so. I have worn these a lot in the last 3 to 4 months and they have not bagged or sagged at all. They have an incredibly thick waistband that holds you in without resulting in a muffin top problem (as long as you are wearing the correct size, I'm guessing). They are a different and seemingly more durable fabric than my black Liverpools.

Here's another shot of them...please ignore my unfashionable wool socks. They are a staple where I come from! The only issue I have with these pants, as well as my black Liverpools, is the front pockets are faux. I am sure it would make the front look lumpy, so I get why they do it. Just disappointing not to have front pockets. They do have back pockets, however, that fit my cell phone, so that works for me.

These went in the YES pile (which I revealed in my description above...whoops...so much for suspense. What kind of writer am I???).

3) The next item I selected for a try-on was the Mabel Button Detail Striped Pullover by Market & Spruce for $68.00.

I will say that I was not thrilled by the stripe. I think I get a lot of striped stuff from Stitch Fix, but...I did love he button detail and the weight of the knit. It just felt good when I hung it up. Not cheap feeling. Heavy, stretchy, very high quality, fine gauge. I knew this would look great with my red jeans, regular blue jeans and even dress pants.

When I put it on, I loved it. The sleeves were plenty long, the shoulder fit well for my broad shoulder problems, and it had a great length...pretty long, which meant it would do good butt coverage with lower waisted pants. A big plus! I just loved the button detail at the top, as it added a bit of extra snazziness to the overall sweater.

This was a KEEPER!

4) So far this box was looking pretty good. I hung up the next item and crossed my fingers. The Brantly Plaid V-Neck Pullover by Absolutely for $54.00 was next.

I did like the bold plaid of this sweater. It also looked warm and cozy for winter. The knit was larger than the striped sweater and made with a thicker yarn. That actually was a good thing, as it would certainly hide any lumpiness and it would work well with my black Liverpool pants! So I was excited to try it on.

I know. You think it looks pretty good. And looking at this picture now, I'm thinking: "Huh, doesn't look so horrid in the photo." Well, sometimes photos can be deceiving! The problem once I got this sweater on was the boxiness of it all. It hung pretty loosely from the body and really reminded me of those big, bulky sweaters from the 80s that you wore with leggings. Not a flattering look back then for anyone with a less-than-straight figure. The bottom band of the sweater just hung there, providing zero shape. It just reminded me too much of poor fashion decisions made in high school/college that I regretted. The knit was not as high quality as the other sweater, which also made me wary of the wear-and-tear on this less expensive sweater.

Into the NO pile it went!

5) The last item in my box was the Alverta Textured Knit Dress by London Times for $118.00. More stripes for me!

I could tell when I looked at the way the striped fabric was used in constructing this dress that it would be a figure-enhancing dress. Although I was wary of more stripes in my wardrobe, I did have some cute cardigans that could really make this a smashing dress for church or special events. Time to try!

Okay, I took 3 different photos of this dress because I really did love it. I mean LOVE it.  The way the designer used the striped fabric was quite genius, from the stripes straight down the front to the angled stripes at the waist. I mean, isn't it adorable?

 Even the side view was flattering. Sigh...

And here is an up close photo of the top part of the dress...I just loved it. Notice the darts on the bustline for the ultimate in fit! The fabric was thick with some stretch. The shoulders fit like a dream. I really did love everything about this dress....but....

THE LENGTH!

ARGH! It is hard to see in my pictures, but this was just too short for me. If I were 35 maybe I could do it...but in my mid-40s, it just seemed way too young for me. If only the hem had been about 2 or 3 inches longer, that sucker would be hanging in my closet right now. The price also turned me off a bit. Not that I wouldn't pay $118 for such a well-made dress, but the fact that it was just not 100% perfect for me. If I am going to pay over $100 for a dress, I want it to be perfect in every way.

This was the hardest NO I have had in a long time....

So, overall, this turned out to be a 2-out-of-3 box. NOT BAD! I loved both the new pants and the sweater. They would fit in quite well with my wardrobe. The only thing I could've wished for was a little more color in my selections. But not a huge gripe!

If you like my reviews, consider reading one of my books. I write fiction, as well as fun blog posts about Stitch Fix. If you like paranormal suspense, romance or science fiction, I've got a book for you. :-D

My Amazon Author Page

Thanks for stopping by, and check back tomorrow for my January fix!

Radio Guest Spot: Speculative Fiction Cantina

Join me tomorrow, December 30th, at 3 pm PST / 6 pm EST for my guest spot on the Speculative Fiction Cantina online radio show. I will be reading one of my science fiction short stories and discussing my other science fiction works. Should be a fun time:


K. J. Gillenwater on the Speculative Fiction Cantina

Looking forward to 2017 and all it will bring. Happy New Year to all!

UPDATE 1/10/17: I very much enjoyed the interview on the Speculative Fiction Cantina. If you listened, you heard that I disappeared in the middle of my reading. My landline phone died, and I had no idea until it was too late! LOL. I rarely use my landline, so I had no idea it wouldn't last more than 40 minutes with a fully charged battery!?  Embarrassing, to say the least!

If you did not get a chance to listen to the interview, it is still available at the link provided above. The first 30 minutes are interview questions posed to me and the other author guest: J.P. Robinson. The 2nd half is dedicated to our readings. My reading was first. 

First NEMESIS Review! 4 out of 5 stars!

NEMESIS has received its first Amazon review. 4 out of 5 stars. Here is a short quote from the review:

"Nemesis is a good buy for the money. The book starts slowly but better stories keep showing up so keep reading. I really enjoyed Polarity and Stagnant."

Thank you so much to the reader who took the time to write about our anthology. We appreciate honesty. 

Pick up a copy today:

Buy NEMESIS!

NEMESIS Now Availlable

Today is the release date for my newest book, NEMESIS. This is a science fiction anthology of 10 different authors that I organized and edited myself. We all wrote a 4,000 to 5,000 word story based around the one-word prompt: Nemesis.

Buy now

In celebration of that release, I am offering my book of sci-fi flash fiction for free for a limited time.

Click here to download: http://amzn.to/1U4Hn9T

NEMESIS - a Science Fiction Anthology Available for Pre-Order

My latest book is now available for pre-order on Amazon in Kindle-only format. The release date is September 27, 2016.

ORDER HERE

I not only came up with the idea for the anthology, I served as the main editor for the project. It was a ton of fun, and I got to work with some great up-and-coming science fiction writers.

All of the stories included in this anthology used the same prompt: Write a short story between 4,000 and 5,000 words using the word ‘nemesis’ as your inspiration. 

Story Synopses

Star Log (K. J. Gillenwater)

Stranded on a desolate planet far outside the interstellar shipping lanes, a solitary man struggles to survive and to overcome the disturbing memories that haunt him.

Guardian (Louis F. Williams)

Reid Cade leaves New York and his badge behind when his wife dies of cancer. He settles in Montreal and quickly becomes a small-time bounty hunter. But, when Reid tries to collect on his latest bounty, he’s drawn into an ultimate hunt he can't refuse.

Disciple (Kristin Jacques)

Moll's street rat family is betrayed by one of their own and slain by the unyielding enforcers of law. Left for dead, Moll's pleas for vengeance are answered by a forgotten goddess.

Stagnant (Dave Cardwell)

In a world where nobody dies, society endures until a single death threatens it all. On the run, Skyla must follow the thread left for her where a devastating discovery awaits.

Polarity (Holly Gonzalez)

Decades after a genocidal war with human colonists, a lonely alien priestess hides to survive, believing she is the last of her kind. Taken prisoner by enemies who may be friends, she discovers the sacred ways of her people have been profaned by a mysterious usurper—and only destruction can restore the balance.

Superhero Comic Girl vs. the Litterbox (Steven R. Brandt)

Anastasia Starcaller believes she's an ordinary comic book artist. When the supervillain, Shapetwister, attacks her city, however, she discovers she has a superhero identity so secret, even she didn't know about it.

Last Walk (Jinn Tiole)

In need of a job, Rhône joins a mission to find a planet worth terraforming. As a geologist, she delves into the study of the young target planet's tectonic activity. Xenobiologist, Shea, is happy to find a possible alien life form. But then things start to go terribly wrong…

Three Shades of Black (Matthew Thrush)

Chaos rules the day and Fear the night. Humanity has lost its morality as the surviving humans resort to acts they never thought they could commit just to stay alive. Tray is the last human on the planet not inflicted with the curse. Hope still burns within him. That is, until the ones from the sky come back for the rest of them. When Tray loses all connection to the world he’s ever known, he must choose a new path.

Outwitting Alexa (Jesse Sprague)

Seb is a simple man. He wants simple things: to live out his contract and to buy his freedom. But between a worldwide catastrophe and his mistress’s state-of-the-art home security system, Alexa, both living and freedom may be far more complicated than anticipated.

Mordecai (Hannah Ansley)

After the sudden death of his lover, Mordecai is left with only the burning desire to avenge her. With his loyal companion by his side, an injured dog whose life he saved, he traverses the desolate wasteland hunting down the man who murdered his soul mate.

If you like science fiction, check it out. You are sure to find some new favorite authors in the bunch.