KC Enders: Exclusive Interview & Excerpt
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Happy February! Holy cows, I’m so glad we finally made it through the entire year of January–phew! I’m KC Enders, Karin since we’re getting to know each other and all. My installment in the 425 Madison Avenue series is called Sweet on You and it’s all about finding love and returning home.
I was so excited to write this story, something light and a little different from what I normally write. As it turned out, life happened and this story became one of the hardest things for me to get through. As I was just getting started, we got word that we were moving for my husband’s job, after sixteen years in the house where we raised our kids. Ooof. It was good, though. Because while we were moving to a new city, we were returning home. My husband is an engineer-like Raleigh-and he was away on assignment for almost two years. We only saw each other a couple of times a month but, it put things in perspective. If we learned nothing from this experience, it’s that home is more than a place…it’s absolutely where the heart is.
I hope you enjoy Sweet on You and maybe check out some of my backlist. Thank you! ❤
HEA Novel Thoughts: What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t wearing your author hat?
KC Enders: I recently moved to a new city/state so when I’m not writing or doing any other book related stuff, I’m exploring my new digs. Museums, restaurants, breweries. There are so many cool things here! One of the weirdest…I meet a handful of ladies who live in the area at Starbucks every Wednesday night and we knit!
HEA: What is the most recent book to make you cry?
KC: It’s been a minute. Oh! When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann. Not the newest release, but wow. It broke my heart. There were some crazy mad message threads between me and my two friends who recommended it. Perhaps even some swearing and cursing and throwing of kindles. I can neither confirm, nor deny…
HEA: What would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Why?
KC: Most definitely one of my dogs, because let me tell you, they have it good! Sleep all day, gourmet snacks, belly rubs. Those boys are so spoiled, it’s not even funny!
HEA: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
KC: Not a thing! I love writing from the guy’s point of view! It’s ridiculously freeing, they just say whatever it is that comes to mind–no filter. From the girl’s POV, though…ugh. So much worry about whether what she says is going to offend someone or make them clutch their pearls!
HEA: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
KC: : Like bits and pieces of myself? Yep, without a doubt. A lot of the bad pick-up lines in Twist came straight from my boys. And I always try to put even just one thing in each book that ties into another one. Sweet on You has cameos from not only other 425 Madison books, but from Tunes. Tunes references a fictional band, from another author, that discovered my guys and helped make them famous.
HEA: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
KC: I am so stinking slow! Sadly, it takes a couple of months to just get it out. I had one, Twist, that spilled out like lightening, but the rest have taken longer than I wanted them to. This one especially-as I mentioned, we moved in the midst of writing it and that just threw me off so bad.
HEA: If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
KC: Writing-wise, start sooner. It’s something I always wanted to do but never thought I could. General life stuff? Keep your eyes open and take it all in. You never know where an experience will take you.
HEA: Do you have any tips or hacks that help you stay organized in life, writing or social media?
KC: I wish! Organization is one of those things that I struggle horribly with. I recently decided to try putting myself on a pretty strict schedule to try to rectify some of my scatter-brain issues, so we’ll see. If anyone else has some tips, I’d love to hear them!!
HEA: Do you relate more to one of your characters than the others?
KC: For this book, Sweet on You? Lord, the whole thing. I wrote this at the tail end of a two-year job-centered separation for my husband and me. There’s so much of us in this book. And the fire alarm thing (not a spoiler!) happens to me. All. The. Time!!
HEA: If a reader discovers your books today, where would you recommend they start reading?
KC: At the beginning, of course! They can be read in any order, since they are all stand-alones in the Beekman Hills series, but why wouldn’t you just read them all! In all seriousness, though, if I had to choose one book, it would be Tombstones. I know, it sounds morbid and terrible and all kinds of sad. There is some of that, but there are some seriously big laughs in it too. And, while the Beekman Hills series is officially done, the stories never really end. There’s a spin-off coming, that will squeeze your heart.
Book Info
Everything is absolutely perfect for Layla Dupree thanks to her successful patisserie and Raleigh Jacobs isn’t happy with his temporary assignment in NYC. Find out what happens for these two neighbors when you mix together bubbly and grumbly. Readers will want to turn up the heat with this return to hometown romance from KC Enders. The 425 Madison series is back with season two and SWEET ON YOU is now live!
About the 425 Madison Series
Welcome to 425 Madison Ave the perfect place to fall in love. Nine delicious romances set in fast-paced & sexy NYC just waiting for you to read.
This season will feature some new authors as well as some of season one’s favs. Back for season two is Allie York, Leigh Lennon, MK Moore, Aubree Valentine, Lauren Helms, and Katy Ames. Plus a warm welcome to KC Enders, and Marcie Shumway! Not only do we have a sexy mix of new and returning authors, prepare for pages packed with new romances, characters, and tropes all from the same well-loved high-rise apartment building in NYC.
Not only do we have a sexy mix of new and returning authors, prepare for pages packed with new romances, characters, and tropes all from the same well-loved high-rise apartment building in NYC.
Make sure to follow the 425 Madison Avenue Facebook page for more on release dates, cover reveals and author spotlights. For exclusive excerpts, giveaways, and news subscribe to our 425 Madison newsletter!
Copyright @ 2020 KC Enders
Lyla
“What did you say?” I ask, spinning to face Jake, my favorite maintenance man of the building. If he didn’t have a girlfriend, I’d ask him out. But alas, my luck in love runs pretty solidly toward crappy.
Jake’s standing in the hall outside my kitchen messing with the smoke detector that I swear on all things good and holy has a mind of its own. Or maybe the thing is possessed. I don’t know.
“Wasn’t me,” he says, clicking the cover back in place on the stupid noisemaker. “Did you turn this off yourself?”
“Pfft. As if. You know I can’t reach that high. I thought you turned it off, and why didn’t you just use your key? I could’ve had an actual fire in here running to the door to let you in.” I prop my hands on my hips and wait for a response.
“Lyla, I just got here,” he huffs.
“You didn’t knock, follow me in and work your magic to turn that thing off?” I ask, pushing my bangs away from my face with the back of my hand.
“Nope. I’d have used my key like I do every single time you bake.” Jake glances at me and then goes back to staring down my unofficial kitchen timer. If only it were accurate.
‘Sweet on You’ by KC Enders
“Hmmm. Maybe it’s fixed?” I doubt it. Honestly, I’m starting to lean more toward the theory that the thing is possessed. I lead Jake into the kitchen and fold a box from my patisserie, Bonne Chatte et Patisserie, transferring four of the vanilla crème brûlée into it. Tying the box with red and white string, I hand him goodies. “Thank you. I’m so sorry. I probably took you away from dinner or something with Emmy. The least I can do is provide dessert for you guys,” I chirp. “But I need feedback on it. I changed things up a little and would love to hear what you think.”
“Something,” Jake mumbles. “Definitely something.”
It takes me a moment to catch on to just what he’s saying, or not saying as the case may be. And then, I cringe. With my face hidden in my hands, I repeat my apology over and over until Jake interrupts me.
“Forget it. But hey, your new neighbor is here. I saw him go into his apartment when I got off the elevator.”
“Next door? You said him? Is he old? He’s probably old, right?” I shoot my questions at him, rapid-fire.
Jake turns toward the door and answers my questions the same way I asked them, “Yes. Yep. Nope. Not at all.” He steps out into the hallway and lifts the pastry box in thanks as he hurries to the elevator.
I lean out the door and say, “Tell Em I’m so, so sorry.”
The door next to me swings open, and a giant of lean muscle, scruffy cheeks, and deep, dark brown scowling eyes steps out into the hallway, startling me.
