What I've Been Reading: Crazy For Her by Sandra Owens
Many of you know that I finalled in the RWA Golden Heart contest in 2013. While I didn't win, I did have the privilege of becoming part of a wonderful group of ladies (and fellow finalists) called the Lucky 13s. And one particular Lucky sister, Sandra Owens, has an awesome new contemporary romance with Montlake out that I just had to read: Crazy For Her.
That he is in love with Dani Prescott, his best friend and SEAL teammate's wife, is a deep secret Logan Kincaid keeps close to his heart. On their last mission in Afghanistan, Evan Prescott is killed in battle. With his dying breath, Evan begs Logan to take care of his wife and child.
It's been close to two years since the death of her husband, and Dani Prescott is living in Asheville, North Carolina with her daughter Regan. When a stalker threatens, she turns to the most dangerous man she knows. Logan Kincaid.
There are many reasons why Logan believes he's not good enough for Dani. His secrets are as dark as the underside of a rock. The best thing he can do for her is catch the stalker and then get the hell out of her life.
Of course, when love is involved things have a way of not going as planned.
When I say Crazy For Her is awesome, I really mean, it was awesome!
That awesome starts with one word -- SEALs! As soon as I saw that Logan was a SEAL, I had to read this book. I mean, who doesn't love a SEAL hero? And Sandra doesn't disappoint. Logan is incredibly tough, surviving a horrendous childhood and watching the woman he loves marry his best friend, Evan. He lives through his friend's death and bears the burden of his guilt over the whole situation as only the strongest man could, with complete stoicism. And even though we're in Logan's thoughts and hear his tender side a bit, we never lose the feel that he is one tough you-know-what. ;)
Y'all know I'm totally hero focused when it comes to books, but Sandra's heroine is just right for Logan. Dani is strong in her own way. She's taken care of her baby by herself since her husband died in battle, she's gotten through horrific grief, but she's finally come up against an obstacle she can't overcome: a stalker who claims to be her dead husband. She needs Logan's help to keep her child safe. Even more important, she needs Logan for herself. The passion between the two sizzles with tension, and when they finally come together, it's not without a few surprises and the most satisfying use of an outdoor patio in the rain that I've ever encountered. ;)
But what's the absolute best part of Crazy for Her? The baby! Or more specifically, Logan with the baby. There's just something about a big, strong soldier cuddling a baby that just...melts your ovaries. :) And when we're in Logan's thoughts and he's watching Dani nurse her child? Gah! It's awesome. I also like that though Evan has died and some time has passed, there's not this sense that he's forgotten. When Dani sees Logan with her child, she can't help but grieve the fact that Evan will never get to hold their daughter. There is a good balance here between focusing on the relationship between Dani and Logan now and remembering the person both of them lost.
So, yes, I really did enjoy this book, and it's gotten some rave reviews as well (not just mine!). I would highly recommend checking it out here, and maybe some of Sandra's other books as well. She's pretty versatile, with historical romances alongside her contemporaries. Oh, and the sequel to Crazy For Her, coming out early next year. (Yay!)
~ Ella
Funny Friday: "You Don't Read?!?!"
Kristin Scatton's The 6 Reactions Book-Lovers Have To People Who Don't Read is so painfully true...and so genuinely funny. I once spoke with a fellow author who said she didn't read, not because she didn't have time or was too busy, but because she just couldn't get through other people's books. My response -- after I picked my jaw up off the floor -- was similar to my favorite line from this article:
"I see your lips moving. I hear words coming out of your mouth. They sound like English, but I can’t comprehend them."
What's your response when people tell you they don't read?
~ Ella
Dirty Little Secret Reviewed by LaSR
A great new 5 STAR review from Long and Short Reviews for Dirty Little Secret!
"This story completely captured me from the very beginning and kept my attention until the very end. Cailin has a naughty side that no one but Alex ever got to experience, and once he got a taste, he did not want to give her up. I can honestly say that the relationship between those two was something out of my fantasies."
See Peppermint's full review here:
Dirty Little Secret by Ella Sheridan.
~ Ella (or One Very Happy Author :) )
TEACH ME Cover Reveal!
Almost seven years ago, the niggling of an idea entered my mind, the start of a story featuring a girl much like me (when I was younger) and a man who was everything that girl could possibly want. That story, the first novel I ever finished, ultimately became the opening book in my trilogy, Southern Nights. And now, all these years later, TEACH ME is almost ready for release. One month from today, this book that's been my baby, more so than any other I've written, will be unleashed on the world! Despite the three books I've published in the past year, this feels like my very first release, and in a way it is -- it's my first indie-published book. I've taken such pride in perfecting this story and presenting you with the very best novel I can. I can't wait for you readers to get your hot little hands on it! You can even preorder the book beginning today (links below), but first, I have a surprise for you...
The first glimpse of TEACH ME's cover!
I can't begin to express the emotion that filled me the first time I saw the completed cover. It's just...amazing. And I've had to keep it under wraps since the spring! (Can you say nail-biting? So glad that's over! :) )
Want to know more? How about the blurb for the book?
A woman determined to heal…
Shy researcher Jess Kingston spent the last eight weeks recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s brutal attack. Body healed, she’s ready to put her life back together—except her ex isn’t ready to let go. She won’t cower in a corner while Brit tortures her, but she’s powerless to fight back.
A man determined to resist…
Ex-military security specialist Conlan James avoids commitment like the plague. His job, his Harley, and the occasional one-night stand are all he needs, until the day he rescues Jess from a tense situation and realizes he can’t get her off his mind. He can teach her to protect herself, but protecting his heart is another matter.
A madman determined to win…
As the deadly game of cat-and-mouse with Brit heats up, so does the hunger between Con and Jess. Safety might be found in numbers, but in bed, all bets are off—and the wrong move could lead to heartbreak. Or death.
TEACH ME will be available in e-book and print beginning October 28th (my first print book -- squeeee!). But guess what? You don't have to remember a date a month from now. TEACH ME is already available for preorder! Just click on the link for your favorite e-retailer below and pick up your copy now, for ONLY $.99!!!
Pick up your copy today, and have it delivered as soon as it goes live! Still not sure? How about an excerpt? Okay, you twisted my arm... :)
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
What the hell are you doing here?
This wasn’t the first time in the last five minutes that Conlan had asked himself the same question. Maybe if he had an answer, the revolving door in his brain would stop spinning, but that didn’t seem likely. Not anytime soon. Not with the beautiful brunette he’d come to see sitting close enough that, if he let himself look, he could detect the light dusting of freckles across her nose. But he wasn’t looking, and he shouldn’t be here, so how had he ended up standing in line behind the thirtysomething latte league? It sure as hell wasn’t for the coffee.
Legs braced wide, he shifted from one hip to the other, the creak of his motorcycle chaps reminding him he could be enjoying a few extra minutes on the Harley before work instead of spending that precious time here, mooning over a woman. Doe Eyes. The first time he’d seen her all those months ago, he’d thought her eyes reminded him of sweet Georgia pecans and skittish does. The name stuck, as had the memory of her eyes—and a hundred other glimpses he shouldn’t have taken.
Another name called, another latte dispensed, another shuffle forward.
He hadn’t seen those eyes in eight weeks, and yet still he’d shown up every Monday, like clockwork, hoping for one more glimpse and calling himself an idiot. Wasn’t like he planned on asking her out. So why the hell did he torture himself with these weekly forays into enemy territory?
Sex. Or sex appeal, at least.
Another step closer to the counter. The move didn’t ease the constriction behind the zipper of his jeans. This was what she did to him, thinking about her. Especially now, after so long apart.
The thought had a snort escaping. Ahead of him, Mr. Suit and Tie startled and glanced over a shoulder, but Conlan ignored the look. He was too busy figuring out when “this” had become enough like a relationship in his head that he would think things like “after so long apart.” Doe Eyes might appear prominently in his thoughts from time to time—especially certain times—but he’d never seen her outside of this coffee shop. And he wouldn’t. A quick roll in the hay was one thing, but Doe Eyes wasn’t the kind of woman who had one-night stands. He could tell that much just by looking at her. She was a relationship kind of woman, and he was a relationship-phobic kind of guy. Which meant he seriously needed to get a grip—and not on the part of him growing even harder at the idea.
Idiot was right.
He should be at work. Southern summer heat brought out the crazies almost as well as full moons did, and JCL Security was feeling the impact, juggling cases like they had eight arms, which they didn’t. Too many sleepless nights had been spent at his office, especially with the Bennett case coming up. Just a couple more weeks before Thea Bennett had her bastard of a husband before a judge and hopefully out of her life, but the paper- and prep work to get the high-profile bastard there had been a bitch. He seriously needed to—
“Conlan, hey!”
For a passing moment he was convinced the voice belonged to the woman filling his thoughts. But when the high, candied voice called again, he realized it was coming from the counter. The cashier. Tonya, Tammy? Tracy? He couldn’t remember. She was blonde with a deep tan he would’ve deemed impossible in a landlocked city like Atlanta, the shade a stark contrast to her white smile. Stepping up, he threw her a grin. “Hey.”
She batted long lashes, almost hiding the way her glance slid down to the crotch of his jeans, framed in his leather chaps. “Long time, no see.”
He winked automatically. “It’s a long wait between Mondays.”
The girl giggled. “Your usual?”
“That’s right. Thanks,” he said, passing over a ten-dollar bill.
She made change, certain to caress his hand as she laid the money in his palm. Conlan was more interested in the dark Colombian roast another employee was walking toward them. High-octane all the way. The sight of the near-black brew had him salivating for something other than Doe Eyes for the first time that morning.
He reached the condiment counter just as his phone buzzed in his back pocket. Probably Jack. Retrieving the cell confirmed his suspicion.
Where the hell are you? his partner had texted.
Piss off, Con replied, a grin tugging at his lips. The irony that he’d spent too much time asking himself the very same question didn’t escape him. In a half hour he’d be at the office and they could both stop wondering.
With a little back-and-forth he managed to cram the phone back in his tight jeans. He glanced around absently, and his gaze snagged on a pair of amber-brown eyes that suddenly met his.
He froze.
Doe Eyes dropped her chin and shifted over the slightest bit, enough that her friend’s position blocked her from view, but not before he caught the blush coloring her creamy cheeks.
His cock banged against his zipper as if begging to be let out. The bite of pain caught his breath in his throat. Jesus, what the hell was he—
Don’t! Ask. Again. He knew what the hell he was doing here, and he needed to go; he really did. He needed to stop letting his dick run this show, grab his coffee, and get back to reality.
He was restless, that was all. He was a man who needed action. Needed to be doing something, anything, not sitting behind a desk like he’d been for weeks while prepping Thea’s case. Usually he worked off his frustration in a way that involved cool silk sheets and bare skin and satisfaction on both sides, but there’d been no damn time. Just his hand and the additional chafing it provided, which wasn’t near as effective—or satisfying. That had to be the reason he couldn’t stop thinking about his mystery woman.
Of course. That had to be it.
Popping the lid off his cardboard cup released the rich aroma of ground coffee beans into the air. He lifted his cup and blew across the hot liquid, the sound almost a sigh of relief. He was already reaching for the packets of sugar when black squiggles caught his eye. There. On the part of the paper sleeve now facing him, he could see a name and number were clearly written: Tiffany. A 470 area-code phone number.
So that was her name. Sounded like an eighties pop star. A glance over his shoulder found the cashier leaning across the bar where drinks were picked up, her mounded breasts shelved there, on display. Come back soon, she mouthed, her shoulders doing a little wiggle. On reflex, he threw her a grin, but her seemingly seductive move couldn’t pull his glance downward. His dick didn’t even twitch. Apparently only one thing could trigger his runaway libido this morning.
He added the sugar, trying to ignore the panic in his gut and his one-track mind. The latter was impossible. He wanted to know Doe Eyes’ name, her phone number. Were her breasts as full as they looked beneath that starched white button-down? Was her hair as soft as he swore it would be when he fisted it between his fingers?
He stirred a bit too vigorously, and coffee sloshed over the side of the cup.
Don’t look. Don’t. He realized he’d closed his eyes. A sigh escaped as he rubbed a thumb and finger against them, but as soon as the lids popped open, he searched for her. Had to see her. Felt his heartbeat pick up knowing she might meet his eyes.
He was so screwed—and smart enough to admit it. He let go, let the conflict and the churning in his gut and the tension cramping his muscles go. And then he looked toward her table.
It was empty.
“Well shit.”
He stood for a moment, cursing himself, the coffee, and everything else he could think of. When another customer stepped up behind him and cleared his throat, wanting access to the counter, Con grabbed his cup and headed out the door. On his way, he chucked the coffee in the trash without a single sip.
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
I hope you enjoy Conlan and Jess's story as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
~ Ella
Psst! Don't want to wait until the end of October to read the book? You just might have an opportunity to read it before it hits stores by joining my Advance Review Team. Only newsletter subscribers are eligible, so sign up today! Better hurry; ARCs are set to ship any day now...
NGWN Teacher's Pet Blog Hop
Hello, everyone! I'm so glad you're visiting for Ms. Dakota Trace's NGWN blog hop, Teacher's Pet! I have my very own pet below. ;) Don't forget to gather your facts about him and return to the NGWN blog to enter the information and gain a chance to win that $50 gift certificate! Now here's my pet:
Brad is the hero from my latest release, Just a Little More. Here are five fast facts about him:
1. In high school, Brad was voted most likely to become a father early. He spent way too much time watching over all his friends -- and going out with the girls. ;)
2. The craziest thing Brad did in high school was...fall in love with his best friend. Oh, and there was that incident in the janitorial closet with what's her name, but we won't mention that...
3. Growing up, Brad wanted to be just like his big brother, Michael.
4. In college, Brad's crush was Angel, his best friend, but she lived hundreds of miles away. No other woman would do.
5. In high school, Brad was president of the student body. They were his responsibility, you know, and he had to take care of them. :)
There you have it! Brad was a favorite with the girls and all the boys looked up to him. So what happened after his illustrious high school/college career? Find out in Brad and Angel's book, Just a Little More:
Six weeks ago Angel had it all—a brand-new master’s degree, an apartment with her best friend, Brad, and the chance to take their friendship to a whole hot new level. But on the night of their first kiss, a would-be rapist ripped her bright future apart. Stuck in a never-ending cycle of fear and depression, Angel is determined to find herself again, even if it means putting herself at risk.
Brad has loved Angel since he saved her from a playground bully in the fifth grade. But just as it seemed Angel’s eyes were opening to the true feelings between them, it all fell apart. When Angel disappears on the night of a freak snowstorm, Brad is determined to find her. And when he does, he won’t let her hide any longer. It’s time to wake her up—to a life without fear, and to a love that can heal the deepest wounds.
Just a Little More is available at Loose Id, Amazon, ARe, B&N, and Kobo. And don't forget to go back and fill out your entry for the NGWN Teacher's Pet Blog Hop Grand Prize!!!
Taking a Break
I realized something important recently: aside from writing and my family, I no longer had any hobbies that "take me away" from the stresses of everyday life. Reading used to be my go-to, but nowadays it takes a very talented author to pull me out of the analyze mode that kicks in when I pick up a book. I'm a professional author and editor, a double whammy when it comes to enjoying a story. But I still love stories.
So what's a writer to do when they want to take a break from work?
Lately my daughter and I have turned to stories in another form: movies. Maybe because the visual is distracting to the analytical part of my brain, or maybe because there's often so much fabulous eye candy (!), I can enjoy movies despite issues that might otherwise turn me off a book. Besides, it's hard to judge someone's comma usage when you can't see the commas. :)
Next week we have fall break here. It's pretty much spring break in the fall, a midsemester week off for the schools in this area. In honor of our upcoming "break," here are some movies I've enjoyed in the past year. Maybe you can take a break and enjoy one (or all) of them too.
1. Red Dawn
The new one, not the original. I mean, Chris Hemsworth. Need I say more?
2. Tomorrow When the World Began
This little gem got stumbled upon by my husband recently, and we've enjoyed it so much we've moved on to John Marsden's books (on which the movie is based). Basically Red Dawn in Australia.
3. The World's End
I have a hard time finding comedies I enjoy, but this one... It's just so out there, so completely overdone that I can't help but laugh. A f*ckton of language, but still, Simon Pegg is hilarious.
4. Jack Reacher
Can you tell I like hero-centric movies as much as I like hero-centric books? And in that weird "six degrees of separation" connection, Tom Cruise starred with a much more serious Simon Pegg in Mission Impossible 3. :) Just don't spend the movie trying to find all the ways they made Tom Cruise look tall.
5. Hotel Transylvania
I have kids; so sue me! But even if I didn't have kids, this movie would be a hit. My husband and I have made it our mission in life to find family movies that have enough adult humor that it keeps us entertained as well as the younger members of our family. "Look at me! I'm a Frankenhomie!"
6. World War Z
I am a sucker for zombie movies. I don't care what anyone says about WWZ; I can successfully separate the movie from the book, and this movie rocks. Besides, Brad Pitt -- yum!
7. 47 Ronin
Being a martial artist, I can't get enough of the sword play and the beauty of the fighting in this movie. Dramatic, fantastical, 47 Ronin brings the legend to life, in all its glory and pain. If you don't like unhappy endings, however, skip this one. The legend makes no concessions to our desire for an HEA.
8. Catching Fire
I had a very hard time watching Hunger Games; I'll admit it. The things children were forced to do, the things others did to them, were difficult to see onscreen. Catching Fire was easier, and in some ways the inevitability of death was easier to accept because the participants were adults. I enjoyed the emphasis on alliances in this one, and thought the ending completely unpredictable. (I haven't read the books.)
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
I watched this classic for the first time recently when it came available on Amazon Prime. Although leaps in logic and storyline were rife, I enjoyed seeing a movie I'd heard about for so long but never actually took the time to watch. And the cultural changes between then and now were an interesting comparison as well.
10. Clue
An oldie but goodie! I enjoy rewatching movies as much as I do rereading books, and this is one of my faves. Again, comedy not being easy, I love the over-the-top acting here -- Tim Curry in one of his greatest roles. :)
So how about you? What's your favorite way to rest your mind from the stress of the day? Do you have a go-to movie you enjoy, or are there new one's you've added to your must-see-again list?
Don't forget, I have a very good reason to need a break -- my new release comes out soon! Want to be one of the first to read the blurb, see the cover, have access to exclusive content? Then sign up for my newsletter before you miss out on all the fun. Oh, and hotties, don't forget the hotties!
~ Ella
Want To Read Teach Me Early?
TEACH ME, the first book in my Southern Nights series, releases October 28th. I’m anticipating that day almost as much as the arrival of my firstborn -- okay, maybe not quite that much; she was two weeks late, after all. :) But this is a very exciting day, and I need help making it truly spectacular — and you can help me do that!
How? By joining my Advance Review Team.
That’s right: ADVANCE. You get to read Teach Me before it actually releases. What do I require in return? Only one thing: an honest review posted on release day.
That’s it.
Interested?
Awesome! Here’s what you do.
1. Sign up for my newsletter if you haven’t already. Only members of my mailing list get the opportunity to join the Advance Review Team. You will continue to get only one e-mail a month from me. No spam! Just news, once a month.
2. Once you’ve signed up for the newsletter, send an e-mail to ellasheridan.writer @ gmail (dot) com with the Subject: “Advance Review Team”.
3. What do you have to tell me to get picked for the team? Only one thing: that you want to read and review my books. That’s it! If you want to read advance copies of my books, and are willing to post a review on release day, nothing else is required. :)
Okay, once you’re a part of the team, what then? It’s simple.
1. I will send out an e-mail when a new release is coming up.
2. Shortly after, you will receive an ARC of the new book in the e-format you prefer. (Approximately three weeks before release.)
3. You read the book. Awesome, right?
4. One day before release, you will get a final e-mail from me. That reminder e-mail is to let you know your review should be posted to Amazon and any other e-book retailers or sites you feel comfortable posting to (Goodreads, B&N, etc.), on the following day. You can even write it ahead of time and have it ready to copy and paste on release day.
That is all. Oh, and there might be occasional prizes…
Now, does this mean I want a guaranteed 5 star review? No. I want an HONEST review. Once a new book goes up for sale, your reviews help the book get noticed, help others find it and decide if it will fit their reading tastes and needs. One of the greatest gifts you can give an author (aside from buying their books) is a book review. Receiving a review on one of my books is a privilege I don’t take lightly!
Now, are you ready to join? Believe me—if you want to read an advance copy, you want to start now! Teach Me is already getting awesome props from beta readers. It’s a don’t-miss opportunity. Not to mention, it gets you on the team before books two and three come out in December and February, and you get to read those too!
So what do you say; are you interested? Sign up for the newsletter and then shoot me an e-mail quick, because arcs for Teach Me will be going out to my ART members by October 7th.
~ Ella
And don't forget, I'll reveal the official cover for Teach Me on September 28th!
Funny Friday: The Writer's Life...
Sometimes when you sit down at the computer, ideas buzzing in your head, you find that sweet communion with your muse and out pours the story you long to tell. And then some days, you sit down at the computer, ideas buzzing in your head...and you get this:
:)
~ Ella
Inside Scoop: Creating a Book Cover
Even before I became a writer, I was fascinated with how writers do things. I guess maybe it's like those behind-the-scenes features on DVDs, the ones that tell you how all the special effects were created, what the actors thought about their roles, the other actors, et cetera, what went into the making of the set and script and movie itself. I can't get enough of those "sneak peeks," and since I'm a lifelong reader, it makes sense that I'd feel the same way about books. Authors don't usually have much of a say in their book covers -- did you know that? But this year I got to do something very exciting; I got to help create my own book cover!
Now, I didn't actually do the drawing or Photoshopping or whatever myself, though some authors have the skill to do so. I hired someone to help me create a cover for Teach Me, the first book in my new series, Southern Nights, which premieres October 28th. The entire process, though, was eye-opening, intimidating, and often just plain amazing! Want to hear about it?
No, no, you don't have to beg! I was gonna share with you anyway. ;)
There are several steps to creating a book cover, but two things are necessary from the outset: a book (of course!) and a cover artist. So I started there. Once the rough draft of Teach Me was complete, I began the hunt for someone to help me bring those characters and their story to life visually. And let me tell you, the process was not easy. What was the process? Here are a few of the stops I took:
- I started by reading articles on creating book covers, what worked for different genres, what to look for in a cover artist. Have you ever compared the cover on a historical romance and a paranormal? They "feel" different, don't they? So I educated myself on how a romantic suspense novel was supposed to "feel" when you look at the cover.
- I also visited the Amazon top 100 romantic suspense book list several times, making notes on which covers I liked and why. I did the same with my favorite RS authors' websites.
- I visited cover artists' sites recommended to me by fellow authors, as well as some I saw in online forums, and many I found just by googling "romance book cover artist." Ultimately I went to over two hundred sites.
Sound tedious? That's because it was. :) What was I looking for? Ultimately I was looking for an artist whose covers drew me. If I went back to a cover again and again, if it caught my attention, I knew the artist had the potential to create the same effect with my cover. That's what I wanted, but as the saying goes, I had to kiss a lot of metaphorical frogs (or look at a lot of covers that didn't quite fit me) before I found a prince of an artist -- or princess, in this case. That's how I ended up with my fantastic cover artist, Kelli at Book Cover By Design.
The next thing I did after contacting Kelli was to fill out a questionnaire for her. This gave her the blurb for my book, info about my characters, the genre of the book, the "mood" or feeling I wanted to convey (remember that comparison we talked about?). When a reader looked at my cover, I wanted them to see dark, mysterious, steamy, sexy. Filling out a questionnaire helped her understand what I was going for. She even read an excerpt of the rough draft.
Of course, there was one more important piece to this puzzle: the cover model.
Finding the perfect representation of the character that has lived in your head for so long is NOT easy. :) In this case, Conlan had been with me for over four years, since Teach Me is the first book I completed (though it has been through many incarnations since). As with cover artists, I went through hundreds of stock photos looking for the perfect man to represent my hero. (For more on that search, see my awesome blog post Finding Hotties. ;) ) Conlan had to be dark, broody, masculine. Oh, and he couldn't look like he was seventeen years old. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find stock photos of a model who doesn't look like he hasn't been out of high school more than a few weeks? To represent a man who was ex-military, in his early thirties, who had seen combat and was now a bodyguard and security specialist, I couldn't settle on a baby face. I needed a strong, handsome man -- and I did eventually find one! Here he is, as a matter of fact:
Yummy, isn't he? Kelli looked at several different poses from the same model, combined them with her ideas for the background of the cover, added the title and author name in fonts that would enhance the mood we were going for, and then sent me a couple of examples to look at. These "mock-ups" weren't official, but were the first step toward what would be the finished product.
What happened next? Well, I responded to Kelli with the particular example I liked. There were some things I wanted tweaked, of course -- every author has particulars they want just right. We added a tagline, a single sentence that summed up the story for the reader (and hopefully makes them want to read the book. And no, I'm not telling you what it is yet! :) ). We added a cover quote from my good friend and fellow author, Gina L. Maxwell. We even created the spine and back cover, including the blurb for the book (or back-cover copy) and images, so that I can offer Teach Me in paperback as well as e-book format. And when it all was finally complete?
WOW!
I'm not ashamed to say that, once we got a final version settled on, I cried. This isn't my first book cover -- I have three published books already -- but this was the first one I had a hand in designing, the first one where I chose the model and could get what I considered the perfect representation of my character in front of my readers. It was an amazing feeling; it truly was. I cannot wait for you all to share it with me!
And where is the cover, you might ask?
Well...I can't show you yet. *ducks to avoid various objects flying at my head* I know; I know. I want so badly to share this with you, but I can't! Teach Me will go up for preorder -- get this! -- on September 28th, exactly one month before its release. And on that same day, I WILL REVEAL THE FINAL COVER. All that hard work, all the decisions and the searching and the angst (I do have a few bald spots now, lol) will finally be over, and I'll get to share with you the results.
SEPTEMBER 28th!
Will you be waiting? I know I am! I have the file in my hot little hands (metaphorically speaking), and I can't wait to let it out into the world. I hope you love it as much as I do. But I guess, like you, I'll have to wait a little over two weeks to find out. :)
~ Ella
A cover reveal isn't all I've got going on in the rush up to Teach Me's release! Want to find out what other fun we'll be having? Be sure and sign up for my newsletter and get first access to all the details!
Enjoy Your Labor Day!
By Beverly & Pack [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Tech Hubby
I've been married since 1995. I've always known my husband and I were opposites: I love books; he loves science tomes. I love rock 'n' roll; he loves Rush and trance. I like Big Bang Theory; he likes... Okay, we both share that one.
The point is, my husband is very different from me, but I never realized just how valuable that could be until I started plotting stories that needed believable technology.
See, Tech Hubby keeps up with all the latest trends in science and technology. Part of that is necessity; he works in engineering in a city chockfull of engineers, so he's expected to know the latest advances. But he also just loves knowing the latest about computers and security and engineering and space exploration. As a long-time NASA employee, he knew astronauts, met with them daily, helped monitor space flights and experiments on the space station, and even now, many light-years from Houston, he craves information about Mars and the Hubble telescope and even commercial space flight. He builds his own computers and is always reading some new development in tech or communications or whatever makes my eyes glaze over. His degrees in physics and material sciences means he actually understands that information too, and when I ask him about satellite usage or how to fool computer programs or how to hack someone's phone or whatever, he can usually tell me. It's like having my very own expert right here at my side, except I get the added benefit of cuddling at night. :) Whenever I'm stuck, he's right there. It's awesome.
And no, I won't answer the question of what else he's an expert in. Pull your mind out of the gutter!
;)
I won't share inside knowledge about hubby's antics, but I will keep you up-to-date with all the exciting things I've got going on these days (outside the bedroom, you naughty readers!). To get in on the action (haha! that just totally came out there; it really did!), be sure and sign up for my newsletter. I promise not to hold back any sexy PUBLISHING details -- or (not my husband) man candy. ;)
*Photo courtesy of Robert McGoldrick.
Funny Friday: The Joke's On...?
Yeah, I couldn't resist another "man candy" post, though this one is the start of a joke rather than the joke itself. :) Have a great weekend! ~ Ella
Finding Hotties
I've been looking at a lot of stock photos lately -- a LOT. Why? Because I'm currently in the process of commissioning covers for my Southern Nights series of books that release this October, December, and next January. (No, you can't see them yet, although I can tell you book one, Teach Me, is done -- but you have to wait to see it. :) ) In the process, I've learned something very important: Not all stock photos tagged "sexy muscular man" are of the same...shall we say...caliber.
You might be expecting this:
But you get this:
*
Um...really? (You might also get a whole slew of women, but somehow I thought putting "man" in the search terms would kind of, I don't know, exclude those pictures?)
For "sexy man with long hair" you might be expecting this:
*
But you get this:
*
For"athletic man at beach" you might be expecting this:
But you get this:
*
See what I mean? Needless to say, that old "needle in a haystack" analogy is making more and more sense lately. :D
Want to keep up-to-date with my adventures in cover land and all the other exciting things I've got going on these days (including new releases and fun contests)? Then be sure and sign up for my newsletter here. I promise not to hold back any sexy details -- or REAL man candy. ;)
*Hotlanta Voyeur, Georges Biard [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons, Richard Riley, Paul Jones
Funny Friday: Man Candy
I write romance, and for those of you who aren't around romance authors very much, we see (and search out!) a lot of what we call "man candy." Why do we call it that? Because a good-looking man is sweet to look at, that's why! So today I wanted to share a meme one reader posted to the Nice Girls Writing Naughty Facebook Group that made me laugh. And yes, we all thanked her. ;) Enjoy your Funny Friday!
What I've Been Reading: Tempting Her Best Friend by Gina Maxwell
Let's just say, this summer hasn't been the easiest for me. In fact sometimes I thought my to-do list was trying to drown me. :) So to say that I needed a little lightening up was a drastic understatement. And my good friend Gina L. Maxwell's new release, Tempting Her Best Friend, did just that!
If she had to dress like Nightclub Barbie for a few days to get Dillon to see her as a woman and not some asexual being, then that was what she'd do. Anything to ensure success for Operation: Damn, Aly's Hot and I Totally Want To Do Her.
I quoted this line on Facebook too, probably because it almost made Coke shoot out my nose. This is the kind of snarky humor Gina provides -- and that I love. I'm not your typical romantic comedy reader, and I admire those writers a great deal because humor is so hard to get across, but Gina just has the right wit for my funny bone. :) Putting the hero in a Tarzan costume and dumping him in the midst of a horde of ravenous romance readers is hilarious. There's just so much about this book that is fun that I spent most of the time sniggering behind my Kindle while I waited for my kids to finish all the activities I'd dropped them off for around town. Yes, I got a lot of sidelong, oddball looks, but who cares -- I was enjoying a book! I think you would enjoy it too.
And lest you think that humor is all this book has going for it, think again -- the sex is hot and steamy and intimately emotional. Gina is known for her intensely erotic love scenes, and Tempting Her Best Friend delivers on that front as well as it delivers on humor.
Her vision started to blur at the edges until all she could see was the ruggedly handsome face above her. So much like the friend she'd known her whole life, and yet so very different. As her brain struggled to reconcile the old and the new, her body shorted everything out that wasn't necessary for surviving a tactile flood of epic proportions.
She vaguely heard herself repeatedly begging for "more" sprinkled with the occasional commands for "faster" and "harder."
Alyssa had never been one to talk during sex. She'd always thought it was because she wasn't one to lose her composure, even in the bedroom. Apparently she'd just never been given the proper inspiration.
Tempting Her Best Friend is the first book in Entangled's new Lovestruck line, and while I'm the first to admit I don't usually enjoy "category" romance, this book doesn't read category to me any more than Gina's other books do. It's a fun, flirty read with characters I related to, and their journey into love was supremely satisfying to this reader. You can check the book out today (because it releases today -- woot!) at Amazon for only $0.99. The sale price is ONLY FOR THIS WEEK, so get it while you can!
Don't forget, if you’d like to keep up-to-date with all the exciting things I've got going on these days -- besides taking time out to read great books! -- be sure and sign up for my newsletter. I'm not quite as funny as Gina, but I do promise man candy that will make you smile. ;)
~ Ella
Funny Friday: Fabio IS the Man!
Yes, Fabio. The guy that made millions of women swoon on romance covers for a decade (or more). Turns out, he's not just a romance-cover hero -- he's also fabulously funny and PATIENT.
Don't believe me? Check out this post on Mandatory; it'll prove you wrong:
12 Pics of Fabio Posing with Strangers Like They're on a Romance Cover
Told ya!
~ Ella