Wednesday, April 16, 2014

WELCOME MINDY KLASKY AND PERFECT PITCH

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I'm so honored to have wonderful author, Mindy Klasky with us today to tell us about her exciting news, the release of THE DIAMOND BRIDES series. Mindy plans to release nine hot contemporary romance novels, one each month up to the World Series that are all built around the imaginary Raleigh Rockets baseball team. That's right, nine hot, sexy baseball players!!!

I guess I never mentioned that I'm  a devoted Washington Nationals baseball fan. After the winter we have had in Maryland, I've been marking off the days to the return of baseball--it's the true sign of spring. So how fitting is it that I get to host Mindy's first book in the series, PERFECT PITCH. 

Before I start naming all my favorite players, their batting averages, who the best pitcher in the National league is according to me, I better turn this blog over to Mindy. By the way, Mindy is as sweet as her picture portrays. 

Mindy, thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. 




MINDY KLASKY...

Once upon a time, I was a trademark attorney, working for one of the largest law firms in Washington, DC.  (Don't worry – this story has a happy ending.  I write novels full time now!)  Every couple of years while I was practicing, I would get a phone call from a headhunter, looking to fill a position at another large local firm.  The position was highly specialized – it was a non-partnership-track job doing trademark work exclusively for one client:  Major League Baseball.


 Each time the headhunter called, I was amused.  At the time, I didn't watch baseball.  All of the presumed perks of the trademark lawyer job – tickets to games, swag with team logos, etc. – would have meant nothing to me.


 Fast forward mumble-mumble years.  I'm now writing a series of hot, contemporary romances built around the (imaginary) Raleigh Rockets baseball team.  And I'm using my trademark lawyer skills every step of the way. 


First, when I was just beginning to develop the series, I ran a trademark search to make sure that "Rockets" was available for my fictional baseball team.  I couldn't use the name if it was confusingly similar to other team names.  "Similar" for trademark purposes can mean a lot of things, but I had to consider "sight, sound, and meaning".  I couldn't use "Rockets" if there was already a "Pockets" team out there.  Nor could I use "Rockets" if there was already a "Spaceships" team.


 Ultimately, I concluded that "Rockets" was available for use.


 But my trademark expertise was still required.  There is big money in Major League Baseball.  They demand high licensing fees for their team logos; in fact, licensed goods are worth millions of dollars every year.  While I'm determined to make the Diamond Brides Series a success, I know I'll never be able to afford Major League licensing costs.


 And so it became important for me to avoid infringing Major League trademarks.  I could not send my Raleigh Rockets to play the New York Yankees, or the Los Angeles Dodgers, or any other real team.  Nevertheless, I could send them to New York, or to LA.  (A city name can't be trademarked; only the team name can be protected.)


 Even with the restrictions on trademarked names, I can make factual statements about an existing team.  Thus, if I want to refer to Babe Ruth, I can mention that the Red Sox sold him to the Yankees.  I can say that the Colorado Rockies have never won the World Series.  Those are facts, and I'm not connoting that the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rockies have sponsored my Diamond Brides Series in any way or that the teams are somehow the source of my spicy romances.


 If I've done my job right, readers will be so engrossed in my characters that they'll never think about the picky details of trademark law.  Baseball is a backdrop to my stories – each novel is about a man and a woman working through conflicts so they can be the best partners possible for each other.


 What books have you read where trademarks leaped out at you?  Or conversely, what books have you read where the author has gone through clever machinations to avoid having a trademark leap out at you?


 




Blurb of Perfect Pitch. Enjoy!



Reigning beauty queen Samantha Winger is launching her pet project, a music program for kids. All she has to do is follow the pageant's rules—no smoking, drinking, or "cavorting" in public.


That's fine, until D.J. Thomas—God's gift to baseball—throws her a wild pitch. He slams her in an interview, and the video goes viral. Sam's no shrinking violet. She parlays D.J.'s apology into a national T.V. appearance—and a very unexpected, very public kiss.


Soon, paparazzi catch the couple in a steamy make-out session, and Sam's music program is on the block. The blazing hot relationship is threatened even more when D.J.'s son begs to trade in Little League for music class.


Can Sam and D.J. sizzle past the sour notes and find their perfect pitch?


A little information about Mindy Kalsky

Mindy learned to read when her parents shoved a book in her hands and told her she could travel anywhere through stories. As a writer, Mindy has traveled through various genres, including hot contemporary romance. In her spare time, Mindy knits, quilts, and tries to tame her to-be-read shelf.




Mindy's second book, CATCHING HELL released two days ago. So, get reading. You have a little catching up to do. 

















Thank you for stopping by for a visit. As always, Mindy and I would love to hear from you. Please don't be shy. Ask us anything by clicking on the yellow pencil below. Until then, dash on over to Mindy's links and check out Perfect Pitch and Catching Hell. 

Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks

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