HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO ME!

It's SWAY's release day!!!

I can't believe it's here. It's surreal, that's for sure. I actually have a book out in the world, like, available to buy and stuff.

So, what are you waiting for? GO BUY IT! Just kidding. But not really.

Seriously. How do you sell yourself? It's super awkward. I'm sure I'll figure out all this marketing stuff as I go along, but right now it's all very new and very weird and somewhat uncomfortable. For now, I'm doing the best I can.

And in case you want to know what my book is about (not that I haven't been posting about it AH-LOT lately), here's the deets. It's a modern-day retelling of PERSUASION by Jane Austen, set in LA. I'm giving away a signed paperback on Goodreads and another during the blog tour starting TODAY! (See the post below to check out the stops.) You can find both giveaways on the sidebar.
Also, LINKS! : Goodreads Amazon Barnes and Noble

She’d be happy to forget…if the past would just stop hitting “replay”.

Ava Elliot never thought she’d become a couch surfer. But with a freshly minted—and worthless—degree from Julliard, and her dad squandering the family fortune, what choice does she have?

Living with her old high school friends, though, has its own drawbacks. Especially when her ex-fiancé Eric Wentworth drops back into her life. Eight years ago, she was too young, too scared of being poor, and too scared of her dad’s disapproval. Dumping him was a big mistake.

In the most ironic of role reversals, Eric is rolling in musical success, and Ava’s starting at the bottom to build her career. Worse, every song Eric sings is an arrow aimed straight for her regrets.

One encounter, one song too many, and Ava can’t go on like this. It’s time to tell Eric the truth, and make a choice. Finally let go of the past, or risk her heart for a second chance with her first love. If he can forgive her…and she can forgive herself. 

Product Warnings

Contains an actor whose kisses taste like chocolate, a pianist with scores of regret, and a sexy crooner who just wants his ex to cry him a river.

 

SWAY BLOG TOUR

Tomorrow is the day that SWAY comes out into the world at last. !!! It's also the start of SWAY's blog tour. I'd like to give an advanced THANK YOU to everyone who has agreed to take part in the tour. The writing/blogging/reviewing community is truly amazing and I feel so lucky to be part of it. Stop by any of these blogs if you get the chance!

Here's a rundown of the sites taking part:

Spotlight at New LDS Fiction: December 29th
Excerpt at YA-NA Sisterhood: December 29th
Spotlight at Vanessa K. Eccles: December 29th
Guest Post at My Jane Austen Book Club: December 29th
Excerpt at So Little Time...: December 31st
Guest Post at Kristin Van Risseghem: January 3rd
Spotlight at The Nook: beginning of January
Guest Post at Laura Brown: January 4th
Guest Post at Monsters and Angels: January 4th
Spotlight at "Writing" Mom: beginning of January
Author Interview at Romance Done Write: January 7th
Guest Post at Perfecting the Craft: January 11th
Review and Guest Post at Delighted Reader: January 12th
Review at Half Agony, Half Hope
Review at Margie's Must Reads

There's a Rafflecopter giveaway happening- you can enter on the right of my blog, or at any of these stops as well. I'll be giving away one signed paperback of SWAY. Open internationally! Check out the tour if you get the chance and make sure to enter the giveaway!

She’d be happy to forget…if the past would just stop hitting “replay”.

Ava Elliot never thought she’d become a couch surfer. But with a freshly minted—and worthless—degree from Julliard, and her dad squandering the family fortune, what choice does she have?

Living with her old high school friends, though, has its own drawbacks. Especially when her ex-fiancé Eric Wentworth drops back into her life. Eight years ago, she was too young, too scared of being poor, and too scared of her dad’s disapproval. Dumping him was a big mistake.

In the most ironic of role reversals, Eric is rolling in musical success, and Ava’s starting at the bottom to build her career. Worse, every song Eric sings is an arrow aimed straight for her regrets.

One encounter, one song too many, and Ava can’t go on like this. It’s time to tell Eric the truth, and make a choice. Finally let go of the past, or risk her heart for a second chance with her first love. If he can forgive her…and she can forgive herself. 

Product Warnings

Contains an actor whose kisses taste like chocolate, a pianist with scores of regret, and a sexy crooner who just wants his ex to cry him a river.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

I'm taking a week off from the blog/website to spend time with my family and enjoy the Christmas holidays. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and I'll be back next week for the release of SWAY!

Friday Loves: Jane Austen

It's gotta be no secret that I'm a Jane Austen fan. My first published book is a retelling of one of her novels.

My love affair with her work started off in high school, when my sister got me into the BBC version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I read that book first, and then it took me a few years to read through the rest of her work. I've also read a few biographies, and lots and lots of retellings of her work and novelizations of her life. I've watched every version of every movie ever made based on her books (except maybe some black and white ones) and own most of them. I even own a dress that looks very regency, despite the fact that it's black and I bought it at Ross. I'm not quite as superfangirl as Jane in Austenland (love that book/movie) but I would never deny my love.

Jane's bedroom in Austenland

I'm talking about Jane Austen today not only because SWAY is less than two weeks from debut (eek!) but because Jane Austen's birthday was December 16th (the same day as my oldest daughter's). It seems only fitting that I pay my respects to one of my favorite authors.

I could wax eloquent about her work, the impact it has had and still has on society, I could talk about what I admire in Jane herself... If I was more scholarly, this would be an essay complete with footnotes and famous quotes. But I'm not scholarly. I love Jane Austen's novels because I just do. The best way to show my love is to post this video, which I didn't even make, but I think is a beautiful tribute to the author and her work.

Monday Reads: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

Well, I did it. I finally finished my reread of Harry Potter. It's a bittersweet ending. I read and read and read those books, knowing what happens but still feverishly tearing through the chapters, wanting to devour it all. Then I reach then end but I no longer want it to be over. :(

DEATHLY HALLOWS is still amazing. I still love every chapter. I loved the first DH movie and can't wait to watch the second part if we ever get a chance (it's been so busy around here lately). I'm sad to be leaving the world again but I know one day I'll go back to it because they're the kind of books I could never leave behind.

Do you have any book series that are like that for you?

Friday Loves: Fashion and Full Skirts

I am definitely no fashionista, but I appreciate fashion. I follow it. One of my favorite magazines to read is People StyleWatch because it's user friendly. It's not a highbrow mag for sure, but I love the way it's laid out and a lot of what it features is affordable to the regular gal like me. 

When I say I'm not a fashionista, it's because I'm not a trendsetter. I've always worn what I feel good and comfortable in, and sometimes that's jeans and a tee, and sometimes it's a dress with heels. The reason I read magazines like Stylewatch is that I need the ideas. I need to see how outfits are put together- I usually can't visualize that kind of stuff on my own. Fashion is like cooking for me- I need the recipe to make it turn out right. Sometimes I can wing it, but usually I stick to what's proven.

Lately I've started feeling more comfortable going a little outside the box, or my box maybe. I've gotten a little more daring about trying different things. (I remember the days when skinny jeans were tapered 80s jeans and no one in their right mind would wear them, including me. I've definitely changed my tune on that.)  I like to try different things and I care way less what people think of me, these days. I've read time and time again that great style is having confidence in what you're wearing, and I definitely buy into that.

One of the "looks" I'm really into right now is the 50s full skirt. I think they are so classy and beautiful that I'm wearing one to my husband's Christmas party tonight like I did last year. (This might be a faux pas but I don't care. Besides, it's a completely different outfit.) This is the look I'm going for:

This is sort of the look I'm going for, just darker, less pastel. Pic taken from the Lace and Locks blog.

Are you into fashion? What looks are you really loving these days?

Wednesday Writes: A Flat Stanley Road Trip

I haven't done one word of writing so far in December. Yikes. I need to get outlining my new WIP, but I haven't done that either. Double yikes.

It's been a busy December so far, though. I've been rereading Harry Potter, organizing a blog tour and other stuff for SWAY's release at the end of the month, and taking part in marketing for the short story anthology THEN COMES WINTER.

Speaking of that, the authors and editor in the anthology are doing a sort of Flat Stanley like thing with the book. It started with the editor in Washington State, went to an author in Vancouver, and then on to me. We each sign the book, take pictures with the book somewhere interesting, put a little gift in the package, and then mail it on. I received it last Friday and took the book downtown Calgary on Saturday for some pictures. It was a chilly day, and my poor 8-year-old who wanted to come with me wasn't wearing a proper coat (she'd decided to dress up like a cowgirl that day so only had on a jean jacket). We both shivered and took some pics as fast as we could so we wouldn't freeze. Another bummer was that even though it was cold, there was barely any snow on the ground, which made Calgary look a bit brown and drab. Boo. It would've been fun if it was snowing to take a picture with the book while doing a snow angel or something. Very THEN COMES WINTER-ish. But no dice. The third bummer was that I wanted to take some pics inside the Stampede grounds, but it cost $15 just to drive in there and park and that wasn't happening. (FYI- the Calgary Stampede is a very famous rodeo that happens every summer.) So instead we took a quick snap outside the grounds in front of a decorative chuckwagon.

I sent the book- with a real Canadian toque and one of my SWAY cards- on to the next author in Ontario. If you want to check out the road trip so far, go to the Meryton Press website, or see my pics below.

Downtown Calgary skyline, the Saddledome where the Calgary Flames play hockey is on the left

Me, the book, and a chuckwagon advertising next year's Stampede

I don't know why this pic isn't facing the right way, but it's my signature over my story, a toque, and a SWAY card

Monday Reads: More Harry Potter!

So I took an unplanned hiatus from my blog last week. I didn't really mean to, I just couldn't get my act in gear for some reason. Also, I didn't feel like I had much to say. Ever have one of those weeks? I've had many. Or, at least I might have something to say, but I don't find it all that interesting.

Anyway, in the past couple of weeks I've almost finished the Harry Potter series. I read HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, and HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE.

There isn't much for me to say about these books. I've already gushed about how awesome they are, which everyone already knows (and if you don't know that, GO READ THEM NOW. Seriously. It still surprises me that there are people in this world who haven't read them). ORDER OF THE PHOENIX is a bit long, and I feel a little less tension filled, but I enjoyed every second of it. And I LOVE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. I read a review somewhere after I'd finished it this time how someone didn't like all the teenage angst and hormones, but I think it made it real. The book isn't just about Voldemort, or the Horcruxes, or the wizard war. We're still dealing with sixteen-year-olds here, so of course there's going to be relationship drama. I love it. And I especially love the moment in the movie when Harry has taken Felix Felicis. One of my favorite parts, for sure.

I'm currently about halfway through DEATHLY HALLOWS and, again, loving it just as much as I did the first time. We watched Part 1 the movie last night and I love the part where Harry and Hermione dance. It's so lovely (and not in a Rita Skeeter sounding way). Frankly, I'm going to be sad when I'm done this reread because that means another few years until I enter the Harry Potter world again.