New Website

Hi all,

I'm moving!

Check out my new website for my blog, book news and such at: http://dawnklehrbooks.com/

See you over there!

Cover Reveal: THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR

We are only five months away from the release of my YA thriller debut, THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR. And today, I'm happy to show you the beautiful cover! But first, here's the official synopsis:

Life in the Heights has never been easy for seventeen-year-old Riley Frost, but when she's publicly dumped and outed at the same time, she becomes an immediate social outcast at her high school. So Riley swears off romance and throws herself into solving the shocking murder of her favorite teacher, Ms. Dunn.

Riley turns to her best friend, budding filmmaker Desmond Brandt, for help. What she doesn't know is that Dez has been secretly directing her life, blackmailing her friends, and hoping his manipulations will make her love him. When his schemes go too far, Dez's web of lies threatens to destroy both of their lives.

Creepy, right?

So are you ready to see the cover? The team at Flux did an amazing job and I adore it.

Take a look and let me know what you think!

Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17393014-the-cutting-room-floor

 

The CUTTING ROOM FLOOR is also available for pre-order at:

http://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Room-Floor-Dawn-Klehr/dp/0738738042/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-cutting-room-floor-dawn-klehr/1114856281?ean=9780738738048

Happy Anniversary to MNYAWriters!

This month marks the one-year anniversary for my writing critique group, MNYAWriters. And it’s been an amazing year. Looking back, joining this group was probably the single most important decision I’ve made for my writing career.  

I’ve had wonderful critique partners in the past (winking at you Sara Biren and Tanya Byrne), but there is something special that happens in a group of writers I can’t quite explain. We generally meet once a month to critique the work of two brave souls and occasionally split off for writing dates when we can find the time. The energy that radiates from this group is powerful—so much that we’ve been kicked out of one library for our enthusiasm (and volume) and have been warned at our current location. Sometimes things get a little heated; sometimes we laugh and visit so much we run over on time; sometimes we focus more on the negatives of a piece than the positive. We are still learning. Always, however, we inspire, support, and encourage each other to be better.

I think it’s working. In the last year, we’ve watched our members win contest after contest, get agents, switch agents, sign publishing deals, publish books, and OMG—make the NYT Best Sellers List. And most importantly, we’ve produced some incredible writing.

After I got a book deal, I wondered if I would slow down my participation with the group. Once I had the support of a publisher, I thought maybe I wouldn’t need my new friends as much. That is laughable to me now. Though working with a publishing team is incredible, I’m finding I rely on MNYAWriters more than ever. I need a sounding board, resources, and a place where I can feel safe to talk about ideas and share my dreadful first drafts. Who are we kidding? I need people to help make me look good in front of my editor. Thankfully, this group is only too happy to oblige.

So happy anniversary Liz, Ryann, Sara, Kari, Jonathan, Kitty and Nikki! I can’t wait to see what we’ll be celebrating next year!

Why I Heart Nora Roberts

On this bright and snowy Valentine’s Day morning, I’m thinking about romance—books in particular, and why I’ve come to love them so.

As a teen, I remember reading my mom’s Danielle Steel novels while on vacation but that was really the only time I indulged and there would be a huge gap in time before I picked up a romance again. Once I went to college, and for some time after, I was too serious to appreciate the joys of a good Happy Ever After story. I was a Ms. Magazine-toting, Alice Walker-reading, young feminist for crying out loud.

Over the past few years, however, I’ve grown to love romance novels. It is a pure indulgence and I absolutely love it. Nora Roberts is my go to when the mood strikes. I can always count on Nora to bring incredibly hot men, funny dogs, cool careers, strong women, and great food to my world for an afternoon. It’s a world where the women don’t have to try too hard to make their men fall at their feet; where life is ripe with opportunity and new beginnings; and let’s face it, a world with great sex at every turn.

The contemporary romance scene today is really fun and the options are vast—from the tried-and-true publishers and their big-name authors, to new players (like one of my favorites, Entangled), to some great self-published titles. There is something out there to meet virtually all tastes and heat levels.

I’ve been on quite a romance-reading kick since the holidays. Here are a few that may make your day a little brighter:

·         The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts

·         On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

·         The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

·         Losing It by Cora Carmack

·         Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson

·         Operation Cinderella by Hope Tarr

·         Seducing Cinderella by Gina Maxwell

And for those who like a higher heat level:

·         Hard to Love by my friend, Kendall Ryan

·         The Original Sinners Series by Tiffany Reisz

Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!