My subscription page turns 1! #reamstories #contemporaryromance #rockstarromance #romanceauthor #romancereaders

A Year Went So Fast...

A year ago today, my Ream Stories page officially launched!

The page has grown and evolved since, and I'm really happy with where it is now. Have you checked out the updates?

All previously-published books are loaded there, as well as my current work-in-progress.

In addition, exclusive bonus stories will also be published there. (Like the ones I'll release in May 2024.) Every level gets perks!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Public readers can try out my First-In-Series titles that are free at all e-book stores, AND the first 6 chapters of Rae and Shane.

Follow my page with your e-mail and receive exclusive updates in the Community as well as story or chapter access. Followers can read and comment on 5 Flash Fiction stories currently published and the first 13 chapters of Rae/Shane!

For $3/month, gain access to my rom-com novella and future Flash Fiction stories. This is the tip jar tier.

At $5/month, you gain access to ALL of Rae/Shane before it is published in stores! Plus everything available at the lower level. Leave feedback that may shape the final book and maybe even help me pick a title.

With $10/month, get all the above plus access to all of the Jacob and Beth's Rockstar Life series - that's 5 books!

$15/month makes you a serious fan - Receive all the above plus the West Coast Soulmates series about Jacob's bandmates.

$20/month makes you a Duet Partner! Gain access to everything above and The Bittersweet Duet - my two most recently-released novels. When We Were Young and Make You Feel My Love tell the story of Kate and Sam.

Got a question? I answer promptly. Feel free to comment on any story. All I ask is that you be respectful.

Current work-in-progress posting every Monday. Chapters will release through September 2nd, 2024 at minimum!

*Vacation romance
*Met as teens
*Small-town boy
*Big-city rich girl
*Family expectations
*Very steamy
*He falls first

Note: Is this a first draft? Yes. Do I write clean, though? YES.

I'm not an author whose first draft is a total disaster of typos and continuity errors etc. that might make the reading experience a pain (for anyone that doesn't love editing lol).

Ready to try things out? 

START READING

FAQs

Q: When will I receive my member benefits?

A: Immediately upon joining a tier.

Q: What is the content "rating" for these stories?

A: Mature. Every book has at least one sex scene, and my characters use profanity (except Beth, so when she swears, it's a really big deal).

Q: How do I comment on a story?

A: The Ream team breaks it down here. 

Q: Who do I contact for technical support?

A: The Ream team: info@reamstories.com

To read your favorite stories anytime, anywhere, download the Ream app. For instructions on downloading the app, click here.

Bonus stories based on published books are free in exchange for becoming an email Follower. New short stories will be placed where they fit best in the future.

Happy New Year! Here's a sneak peek from me! #workinprogress #hecaughtfeelings #romancereaders #contemporaryromance #sneakpeek #oppositesattract

Meet Rae and Shane!

Current work-in-progress posting every Monday: Rae & Shane

"How does a small-town boy win the heart of a Bel Air princess?"

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

When We Were Young arrives in ONE WEEK! #romanceduet #romancebook #romancenovel #contemporaryromance #singledad #SecondChanceRomance #romancereaders

Only 1 week to Kate and Sam's arrival!

When We Were Young - The Bittersweet Duet #1

Kate was my best friend and secret dream girl and I let her go.

Twice.

Yeah, I know, not my finest moments, but they seemed right at the time.

Now, she’s back in town for our twentieth high school reunion and I want to know everything—especially did she miss me? A newly-single dad of little ones, my focus shouldn’t be romance, but Kate was always my weakness.

She makes me feel alive for the first time in months, I’ve missed our closeness from the past, and Mom loves her like a daughter. My kids even like her instantly. I want her no matter how much it complicates our lives.

Kate Carson will finally be mine.

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

Buy direct from me | Smashwords | Apple | Barnes and Noble | Eden Books | Google Play | Amazon | Kobo |

Read a NSFW excerpt from the book.

Then pre-order Make You Feel My Love, book 2!

 

New Contemporary Romance Duet Coming Soon! #comingsoon #contemporaryromance #preorder #romancereaders #newbook #romanceduet #steamyromance

The Bittersweet Duet is coming soon!

We have titles and release dates!

When We Were Young - Bittersweet Duet #1 - Apple | Barnes and Noble |

Make You Feel My Love - Bittersweet Duet #2 - Apple | Barnes and Noble |

Book 1 releases March 1st and Book 2 releases April 3rd!


Pre-order now!

Then download the free prelude:

Bittersweet Duet Prelude - Grad Night - Eden Books | Smashwords | Amazon | Apple | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Scribd | Google Play |

Sam and Kate are best high-school friends crushing on each other but afraid to act on it. With high school ending, there’s one last night that might bring those feelings public.

Will they finally give in to that attraction?

This story is an exclusive sneak peek into a second-chance romance!

Bookbub

When finding your true love comes after a bit of heartbreak.

Flavors - like life - need balance. Nearly every cookie or cake recipe includes a pinch of salt. The finest dark chocolate rides the line between bitter and buttery sweetness.

So it is with The Bittersweet Series.

Support me on my BMAC page and read two exclusive chapters from The Drummer! #WIPWEDNESDAY

Wanna read two chapters from The Drummer?

Become a Supporter and read two deleted chapters from Lincoln and Michaela's story before they're offered to anyone else! 

The two posts are for Supporters and Members only, so put something in that tip jar today.

Chapter One | Chapter Two |

Lincoln Adams is only supposed to be a drunken mistake, the consequence of a little too much Christmas wedding eggnog. Once he’s asleep, I sneak out of his apartment expecting to never see the drummer again.

Except I left my guitar at his friend’s house. 

And my earring on his floor.

An earring he uses to leverage me into a lunch date where he starts chipping away at the armor erected around my heart while heating up my body with a need I’ve never felt before. One last indulgence before making it clear I won’t do a relationship ever again.

Until a surprise mutual connection brings us together for a week of sharing and sensual delights.

What happens in Virginia can stay in Virginia—right?

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

Pre-order: Apple | Barnes and Noble | Kobo |

Pre-order THE DRUMMER! West Coast Soulmates 4 arrives soon! #contemporaryromance #rockstarromance #romanceauthor #romancenovel

 Pre-Order The Drummer Today!

The Drummer (West Coast Soulmates #4)

Apple | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Eden Books |

TBR: Goodreads

Lincoln and Michaela were introduced in A Rockstar Christmas Wedding.

Lincoln Adams is only supposed to be a drunken mistake, the consequence of a little too much Christmas wedding eggnog. Once he’s asleep, I sneak out of his apartment expecting to never see the drummer again.

Except I left my guitar at his friend’s house. And my earring on his floor.

An earring he uses to leverage me into a lunch date where he starts chipping away at the armor erected around my heart while heating up my body with a need I’ve never felt before. I indulge in his body one last time.

Until a surprise mutual connection brings us together for a week of sharing and sensual delights.

What happens in Virginia can stay in Virginia—right?

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

SWEET REUNION excerpt! #contemporaryromance #romancereaders #comingsoon

SWEET REUNION Chapter One

20th high-school reunion. Back in the town where dreams seemed possible and the future bright, where Kate's old crush Sam still lives with his seemingly perfect life.

When Kate’s family was in a devastating car crash, she took custody of her little brother at age twenty and focused on giving him the best life he could possibly have in a wheelchair. Eighteen years later, he encourages her to put herself first for once and have fun at the reunion.

Sam is waiting until after the reunion to announce his divorce publicly, but seeing Kate again rouses feelings long buried and he wants her no matter how much it complicates the weekend. She makes him feel alive for the first time in years, he’s missed their closeness from the past, and his mom loves her like a daughter.

Kate finds Sam even more gorgeous and sexy than twenty years ago, but he’s still technically married and she lives in Nashville. No matter how amazing their connection is, a relationship would never work. Why couldn’t he have shown up to that reunion fat and bald?

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

Sweet Reunion - Book #1 - Smashwords | Goodreads | Paperback | Barnes and Noble | Apple |

When finding your true love comes after a bit of heartbreak.

Flavors - like life - need balance. Nearly every cookie or cake recipe includes a pinch of salt. The finest dark chocolate rides the line between bitter and buttery sweetness.

So it is with The Bittersweet Series. Each book will start with the word Sweet.

Chapter One

20^th high school reunion.  Back in the town where dreams seemed possible and the future bright.  Where Sam still lived.

The Bittersweet Series is coming in 2019! #bookboyfriend #romancereads #romanceauthor

The Bittersweet Series

When finding your true love comes after a bit of heartbreak.

Flavors - like life - need balance. Nearly every cookie or cake recipe includes a pinch of salt. The finest dark chocolate rides the line between bitter and buttery sweetness.

So it is with The Bittersweet Series. Each book will start with the word Sweet.

These stories will release on Patreon. You can gain access for only $1/month.

Stay turned for the release announcement. Bittersweet #1 is coming soon.

Book #1 - Kate and Sam's story. Work in progress. 

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

Book #2 - Rae and Wes's story. Work in progress.

This story is intended for readers 18 and over due to adult language, sexual content, and adult situations.

#WIPWednesday 2015 Excerpt #5 by @carlakrae #contemporaryromance #amwriting

WIP Wednesday #5

Here's excerpt #1. And excerpt #2. And excerpt #3. And excerpt #4.

The weeks preceding the Grammys had been comfortable, so Beth wasn’t tense around him anymore…no more so than she’d ever been since age fourteen.  Spending the day with him was fine.  It was the not-knowing what scheme he had up his sleeve that was the problem.  She didn’t like surprises.  They tended to not go well.

Ready to leave, they headed for the garage, where she saw an unfamiliar car.  “New?”

“A rental.”

“Why do you need an SUV?”

“One, the paparazzi don’t know it, and two, I’m not tellin’.”

“Are we going off-roading?”

“Nope.”

“How far away is our destination?”

“You’ll see.”

“Jacob…”

“Patience, love. I promise today will be fun.”  He opened her door and helped her up.  “I could blindfold you if you intend to be difficult.”

“Very funny. No.”

He winked, shut the door, and ran ‘round to his side.  The windows were tinted as dark as legal in CA, making it harder for any paparazzi lurking outside the gate to identify them, and Beth hoped they wouldn’t be followed.  Jacob found his way to the 10 Freeway and pointed the SUV east.

With a comfy leather seat and warm cabin, she drifted off.

Pressure in her ears woke her up.  She yawned.  Why would…altitude?  The SUV was moving up a grade. 

“Good morning again,” he said.

“Where are we?”  Unzipping her purse, she dug for gum.

“Almost there.”

“How long was I out?”  Never could give a straight answer to a question…

“’Bout an hour.”

She popped a stick in her mouth, then glanced out the window.  Snow lined the road.  “The mountains? Jacob, neither of us is wearing snow gear.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“So you plan to stay in the car all day and drive around?”

“Nope.”

“Why can’t you answer questions like a normal person?”

“When have you ever called me ‘normal’?” he replied with a grin.

She might hit him.  She wanted to hit him.  A nice sock on the bicep, right within reach.  He did this shtick on purpose to annoy her and it worked every time.  “You’re not nearly as amusing as you think you are, bud.”

“Aww, that hurts.”  He turned off the main road.

“Where are we going?”

“Patience, love.”

#WIPWednesday 2015 Excerpt #4 #contemporaryromance #amwriting

WIP Wednesday #4

Here's excerpt #1. And excerpt #2. And excerpt #3.

Chapter Four

Jacob awoke at nine.  He brushed his teeth, pulled on a pair of sweatpants, and went downstairs expecting to find Beth dressed and fed already.  But the kitchen was empty and the house quiet.  She wouldn’t have left.  Her car was at home. 

Finding her asleep in his chair with her phone on her lap was a surprise.  He touched her shoulder.

“What?”  She blinked.  Looked around.  Looked up at him.  “What time is it?”

“A smidge after nine. What were you doing in here, besides drooling on my chair?”

“I didn’t drool. I woke up and couldn’t sleep and checked my messages. It was early, so I was trying not to wake anyone. Guess I dozed off.”  She stretched and stood.  Her spine made a satisfying crack.  “Good morning.”

“Hey.”  He leaned in and kissed her.  “I haven’t seen Maria.”

“Maybe she’s running errands. You know she can walk silently when she wants to.”

“Aye. Well, better fuel up and head out.”

“Where are we going?”  She followed him out of his office.

“Still supposed to be a surprise,” he said over his shoulder.

“I don’t like surprises.”

“No, you don’t like leaving plans in other people’s hands.”

“That, too.”  They started upstairs.  “Do you even have a plan, or are you winging it again?”

“Yes, there’s a plan. Trust me.”

“Hmph.”

“Now unless you want to shower with me, go get dressed.”  He swatted her bottom—she yelped—and went into his suite. 

#WIPWednesday 2015 Excerpt #3 #contemporaryromance

WIP Wednesday #3

Here's excerpt #1. And excerpt #2.

This is from chapter 3:

Ending up in his office, she settled into the soft leather chair, pulled out her phone, and pushed the button for a preset number.  The blinds were open, showing the garden in cloud-filtered light.

#WIPWednesday 2015 Excerpt #2 #contemporaryromance

WIP Wednesday #2

Here's excerpt #1 if you missed it last week.

This excerpt is from chapter 2:

Afterward, they picked up the real statue with his name engraved on it.  The band did press and such while Celeste and Beth found the limo.  They’d finally be able to relax at the party. 

#WIPWednesday 2015 Excerpt #1

WIP Wednesday #1

February 2012

January was more difficult than Beth and Jacob imagined it would be when he came back from tour.  The month-and-a-half leading up to the Grammys had been full of adjustments and hiding from the paparazzi, but they were finally in a good place now.

Official Cover Reveal - Dylan and Jen: a My Once and Future Love Revisited story

WIP Wednesday

I first talked about this story here.

Now see the official cover!

Pretty, no?

This will be on Amazon by Christmas Day. It's a short I'm still working on (due to some real-life delays out of my control), so I can't give the exact date, but I'm hustlin' to release it ASAP. ETA: Story is at 9628 words now. It'll reach 10,000 before it's done. 4 chapters. Releasing by Christmas Day 2013.

Here's a little excerpt:

December 2013

It’d been five days and Jen hadn’t called, yet.  Dylan couldn’t get her out of his head or his dreams, and it was driving him crazy wondering if she regretted their time together, or was merely busy.  They didn’t know much about each other, of course, but the girl was already in his blood.  His favorite high.  He knew if she’d only see him again, they could create something fantastic.

For Christmas, he went over to Jake and Beth’s house.  When it turned out he was the only guy there without a date besides her father, it hit him that maybe he should’ve stayed on the mountain at least another day.  He hadn’t thought about having a girlfriend since his ex broke his heart years ago, but now…surrounded by friends with serious relationships, he realized it was time.  He wanted it.  He wanted to love again.

WIP Wednesday - Book 3 Update

ETA: There is a discussion thread for this book at Goodreads.

Haven't updated you all on MOaFL Book 3 progress in a while, so I thought I'd do so now.

Current word total - 32,744. That puts us 5 pages into chapter 10, so far. ETA: 32,848.

I had planned to work on adding significantly to Book 3 between 7/16 and 8/6, but some challenges have popped up - first was a housemate's unannounced vacation time (that they always spend at home) and second is a health issue with Tech Guy that might require multiple doctor visits. My personal deadlines tend to be cursed (you've picked up on that if you've read this blog for a couple years), so I really shouldn't have made plans even in my own head, but that's where we are now.

If you'd like to read early sample versions of chapters one - nine, they're available here. ETA: 10 Part One.

I consider getting to a full-length novel as  at least 70,000 words, so we have a ways to go, although I have pre-written material I haven't inserted, yet (over 13,000 words). Probably 24,000 new words minimum to write still.

When this book is finally ready, it'll get a big release and I still remember I owe the entrants of the Turn the Page Goodreads event a free copy of Book 3. You will be contacted when it's released. I'm dreadfully sorry for the long wait.

Any questions? I think that's all the news on this book I have right now, but feel free to post a comment.

Thanks,