writing
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Meet Author Rayna York
I’m excited for you to meet author Rayna York today on my blog, especially because her young adult romance The Right Kind of Unexpected releases on June 18! It’s available on Amazon.
The Right Kind of Unexpected Tess hasn’t experienced many kindnesses in her eighteen years. When her boyfriend abandons her at a small-town gas station, it’s just one more crappy event to add to the pile. Without a car, money, or cell phone, her options are limited, and calling her parents isn’t one of them. So when the family that owns the business throws her a lifeline, she grabs hold. Because even the worst situations can have a silver lining, and this one is a town called Jasper Creek, a diner everyone calls Earl’s, and a young mechanic named Colten Reed.
Rayna York’s standalone novel gives readers the small-town romance they crave with enough feels to make the heart sing. It’s the perfect feel-good, summer romance.My Review of The Right Kind of Unexpected
I want to spend summers in Jasper Creek with Colton’s family! This was such a heartwarming romance, and I was rooting for both Tess and Colton to end up together. Colton was so attractive in personality (and physique). I really loved the voice and character of Tess, and I especially appreciated her ability to perceive others who were also hurting and in need of love and to look out for them. I loved her relationship with the cantankerous Jeb. I also loved the friendship between the three girls and the message that first impressions are not always right. Highly recommend!
Meet Author Rayna York
Kathy: The place is so real in Jasper Creek. Did you visit or spend summers in North Carolina?
Rayna: No. I have never spent summers in North Carolina. Jasper Creek was based on small towns I was familiar with as a teenager growing up in Ohio. When writing the novel, I googled the different terrains in North Carolina and placed my imaginary town near a larger city that wasn’t fictional.
Kathy: The backstories were very well done in The Right Kind of Unexpected, and their scars from previous relationships really increased the conflict between Colton and Tess. Do you have any advice for creating those conflicts and back stories?
Rayna: Good question. I would emphasize the importance of knowing your characters well before writing the first draft. It will save you a lot of rewriting later on. Sometimes I know the character backstories ahead of times, but not always. I don’t plot, so everything that happens in the novel happens organically through the characters dialogue. They create their own conflicts, based on their personalities and backstories, from the situations they’re presented with.
Kathy: I especially appreciated her ability to perceive others who were also hurting and in need of love and to look out for them. I loved her relationship with the cantankerous Jeb. Was there anything that inspired that story?
Rayna: Not at all. That character showed up one day when I was writing. He interjected himself into the story and became one of my favorites, his story developing as I wrote.
Meet the Author Rayna York and Her Thoughts on Writing
Kathy: What’s your writing routine? Are you a pantser or a plotter?
Rayna: My writing routine is breakfast, clean the house, workout, have lunch, then write from one to four in the afternoon. If I am in the final stages, editing or in reader mode, I will spend four to six hours a day working, but I never forgo the workout. I need it to wake my brain up.
I’m a pantser all the way. I tried to semi plot my latest first draft, thinking I would write out the entire story in a couple of days, giving me a baseline for everything to follow. It was hell. I was trying to guess what they would do instead of them doing it naturally, if that makes sense. As I said before, my novels progress on their own thru my characters dialogue.
Kathy: This is your third book. Do you have to read your books in order? And do you feel more assured now as a writer? Was this easier or harder to write than the first and second ones?
Rayna: All my novels are standalone works. I know that having a series is more profitable, but when I finish my manuscript, I don’t want to live with those characters anymore. I’m done with them—really done. As far as being more assured as a writer, I think I’ve accepted I can only be as good as the time I put in, and that every time I write, my skills progress. I’ve also gotten past the imposter syndrome. That went away after the first novel. I am who I am. I may not be for everyone, but I accept myself as a writer, regardless.
My Favorite Question: If you could choose five writers to join you for a dinner party, who would you invite?
Kathy: And my favorite question: if you could choose five authors to join you for a dinner, who would you choose?
Rayna: James Patterson. Nora Roberts, Nicolas Sparks, Colleen Hoover, Penelope Douglass (because I’m curious how that woman’s mind works) and Brigid Kremmerer.
Kathy: That would be an amazing dinner party. Thanks so much for joining me on my blog!
Let’s Talk
Where do you spend your summers? I spend most of my summer by a beach, but New York City has so many great summer events that it’s fun to experience those as well.
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Mini Scenes: Is This for Real?
Is This for Real? I made some mini scenes that match what Penelope made in Is This for Real?.
In Is This for Real?, the protagonist, Penelope, is a struggling writer and she sells miniatures to make money on Etsy. She also has a blog where she tells stories acted out with miniatures.
“In my blog storyline, Piper, a doll with curly, brown hair like mine, was dating Julian, a doll with blond curls like Jamie. But then Julian abruptly broke up with her. Followers are still upset. Many of them took that break up quite personally and shared their own personal stories of how they’ve been dumped. I definitely tapped into something; I think, in part, because the breakup was so unexpected. But once Jamie told me he wasn’t interested in me, I lost all desire to play with his doll avatar. And I used those feelings to write the opening chapter of Fake Dating Folly, where the protagonist, Piper, learns that her boyfriend, who dumped her a year ago, is now engaged.”
Is This for Real by Kathy Strobos at 13.Mini Scenes: Is This for Real?
Here’s Piper busying writing her novel. I particularly like the fat cat lying on the floor. And of course, I included some discarded scraps of writing on the floor.
Piper writing her novel And here are Piper and her new beau! They are on a date learning how to cook in a restaurant. I bought that miniature range from a miniature shop in Tokyo.
A date with a new beau cooking at a restaurant Chill with a Book Readers’ Award
Is this for Real? won a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award! I am so happy!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading or watching? I just finished Christina Lauren’s Something Wilder. I read it in one day!
And the countdown for the release of Caper Crush is on! I can’t wait to share it with you.
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Single All the Way And the Triangle
SINGLE ALL THE WAY (on Netflix) was such a great friends-to-lovers movie and exemplified how to do the love triangle well. This post is a bit late because it’s a Christmas movie, but you know, it’s still enjoyable all year round. 🙂
Friends-to-Lovers
Philemon Chambers and Michael Urie are the two best friends. The friends-to-lovers journey was done really well. Their friendship was so warm and established, and then Philemon Chambers made you believe how much he loved Michael Urie–showing that he wanted more, with just the way he looked at Michael Urie.
Triangle
And as you know, I love analyzing romantic comedy love triangles. They made Luke MacFarlane as the “Bellamy” so nice that he was a viable alternative, but you liked Philemon Chambers so much that you still rooted for the Philemon Chambers and didn’t come away with “Second Lead Syndrome.” Luke MacFarlane was a great guy; he was just not the right guy for Michael Urie.
(In Korean dramas, Second Lead Syndrome is when you want the female protagonist to end up with the second lead instead of the main lead. I first experienced that in Boys Over Flowers. And I also really liked the second lead in She was Pretty, although the main lead held sway.)
Having a nice guy as the alternative does two things: (1) it increases the tension because your MC may believably fall for him; and (2) it reflects well on your MC. One of the problems with having a not-so-nice suitor is that I then wonder why the MC would choose (or chose) that person. A not-so-nice suitor can make me lose all faith in the MC’s judgment. On the other hand, that can be a character flaw that they overcome.
Family
I also loved the whole interaction with the family. I liked that the father was the one trying to push the Philemon and Michael together. I previously wrote about how family can be the antagonist. In SINGLE ALL THE WAY, the mom is inadvertently the antagonist when she sets Michael up with Luke MacFarlane. But several other supporting characters, like Michael’s father, then take the opposing view, supporting Philemon’s suit.
Let’s Talk
Have you seen SINGLE ALL THE WAY? What did you think? What did you think of the friends-to-lovers journey and the triangle? Do you prefer friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers?
Drawing by Ukrainian Artist Olga Landau The above magical art is by a Ukrainian artist, Olga Landau, from this past summer (@hexette on Instagram). She is still in Ukraine. What is happening in Ukraine (and other countries where there is war) makes me very sad. And sometimes I find it hard to concentrate on writing.
You can bid in Book Aid for Ukraine on two autographed paperback copies of my books, Partner Pursuit and Is This for Real?, with the proceeds to benefit British Ukrainian Aid.
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Meet Author Anni Rose
I’m excited for you to meet author Anni Rose today on my blog, especially because she has some tips on writing comedy callbacks!
Recipe for Mr. Right Blurb
A sprinkle of luck and a dollop of fate …
Ruby Brooks is a little sceptical when her horoscope say she’s going to have a fabulous year – especially when she loses a boyfriend and a job in quick succession. Plus, a rogue kitchen fitter has run off and taken everything, including the kitchen sink!
So, Ruby takes luck and fate into her own hands with an unusual resolution – she’ll enter ten competitions a day, whether they’re for her dream Japanese holiday or a year’s supply of dog food (she doesn’t have a dog) and win her way to happiness.
But when a Valentine’s Day prize from a local restaurant results in chef Adam Finder (and his dog, Brutus) appearing in her life, is that luck or fate? And will Ruby ultimately find out that true happiness doesn’t need to be won?
It’s available at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lqwepf
Apple: https://apple.co/3BpysL9
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3iM3p4H
Google Books: https://bit.ly/3uVCGYv
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AmzplN
Website: https://bit.ly/3AsYFHc
Meet the Author Anni Rose Interview
ANNI ROSE Kathy: Hi Anni, I’m so glad you could join us today on my blog. Anni is a fellow author in the Romantic Novelists Association with me, and I really enjoyed her book, Recipe for Mr. Right.
Anni: Thank you, Kathy, for inviting me, it’s a real pleasure to be with you today.
Kathy: I loved the set-up of Ruby applying to 10 contests a day in Recipe for Mr. Right. And I thought you did a brilliant job of comic callbacks with that set-up. Also, I loved the heart-warming romance between Ruby and Adam. And you did a great job of conveying the stalkerish friend who feels just a bit off. Oh, and I also loved Mr. Tahsin and his son Malik – what great characters. I hope we see them again too. Highly recommend.
Kathy: How did you come up with the applying to contests idea for Recipe for Mr. Right?
Anni: Time to ’fess up, I entered ten competitions a day at one time, but only for a month. I did win a “Write your own Will” book, a pair of rubber gloves, Ideal Home tickets and tickets to a Donny Osmond Concert though!
Kathy: That’s not a bad haul. Have you ever had a kitchen outfitter leave you with no kitchen?
Anni: Of course, the book is entirely fictional; however, a bad experience with a new kitchen might have been the inspiration for it. I don’t think anyone who’s had a new kitchen built will tell you it was much fun, so it was cathartic to get it out of my system by writing about it. But I am lucky, in so much, as I have two really talented sisters, one who designs and builds furniture. She built my current kitchen and (my office) while it was a stressful time for a while, it is just amazing, and I love it.
Kathy: Do you have any pets? What’s your favorite habit of your current pet?
Anni: I’ve always had pets, in the past horses as well as cats, dogs and chickens.
Now we have just the one cat, one chicken and two dogs. Brian is a fifteen-month-old Labrador and Rocky is a Romanian rescue, who came to us after an operation for two broken back legs. He’d been hit by a car and left in the road, nearly eighteen months ago. Both of them are amazing, and usually quite happy to settle in the office while I’m writing. But give Brian a treat, however small, and he won’t eat it until he’s run round it in circles, jumping and throwing it about, until Rocky comes from nowhere and then pinches it. Funnily enough when we had a reunion with his brothers and sisters, it seems quite a few of them do exactly the same thing. Oh, and he tends to sleep with his tongue out. So, whatever he’s lying on can get quite damp.
Kathy: Aww. I love that story.
Meet the Author Anni Rose and Her Thoughts on Writing
Kathy: Do you have a writing routine? If so, what is it?
Not a routine as such because I tend to write whenever I can, so it can be any time of the day (or night). Sometimes I find I’m most productive if I only have fifteen or twenty minutes, so no time to prevaricate and I am very good at that! I try not to go back and read what I’ve written. There’s plenty of time for editing once the first draft is finished. Otherwise I get caught up with rewriting and editing and before I know where I am, a couple of hours have passed in which time I haven’t written anything new.
I usually write directly on to a computer. I really love writing in long-hand and tend to revert to that if I get stuck on a particular idea. That’s my justification for buying new stationery, something I do a lot. Oh, and I find I am most productive when not too far away from a large mug of tea.
Kathy: Are you a pantser or a plotter?
A bit of both these days. One of the first books I wrote, I had no plan at all, other than the characters and a basic plot. I wrote the chapters I fancied writing when I fancied writing them. Some days it was just back story and never got into the novel. I loved the freedom of doing it, but it was a very difficult book to edit, and changed hugely over the first few drafts.
Now, I’m writing a series of books, set in the same town. I really need to be more organized and keep track of characters, places etc. It’s quite often minor characters that I find I’m interested in developing stories for in later manuscripts. Until recently I kept notebooks full of ideas and notes, but these days I’m experimenting with Plottr software, and so far, it does seem easier to be able to just go back and check on something.
Kathy: I feel like I’m a bit of both too.
Meet the Author Anni Rose and Advice on Callbacks and Comedy
Kathy: I really loved your use of callbacks. Do you have any advice for writers on writing callbacks?
Thank you. If there’s something the character needs to do or say at the end of the book, I try and introduce the idea early on and maybe refer to it occasional throughout the book. One of the first writing classes I went to said that if you were going to fire a gun in chapter four, you needed to introduce it in chapter one.
Kathy: Do you have any other advice for writers on writing comedy or romantic comedy?
My family think it’s incredibly funny that I write comedy, because usually if I tell them a joke, I get something slightly wrong. So, they don’t find it nearly as hilarious as I do and I end up explaining the joke to them. I like my main characters to have a sense of humour.
I think that humour is important in life in general. Quite often the things I think are funny at the time when I see them written down later don’t work at all and—I hate slapstick. My heroes or heroines are normal people. My comedy will hopefully come from their reaction to situations they find themselves in. I like them all too much to subject them to absurd physical activity such as pies in faces, pokes in the eye or have them slipping around on banana peel. Having said that I am currently struggling to fit my “Has anyone seen the dog bowl?” joke into my current WIP.
My Favorite Question: If you could choose five writers to join you for a dinner party, who would you invite?
Kathy: And my favorite question: if you could choose five authors to join you for a dinner, who would you choose?
This is an incredibly difficult question. I couldn’t possibly limit my dinner companions to five if I had to include any romantic novelists, so I’m going to exclude all of them. But it goes without saying if I could invite as many as I wanted then you’d be on my list Kathy. But it was still incredibly hard. I have a long waiting list if any of the following couldn’t make it:
So, without the romance writers it would have to be Ben Macintyre – he is a historian, reviewer, and columnist for The Times newspaper. He has written a number of books about historical controversies, and I heard him talk once about Agent Zigzag. I know he can really make the period come alive and has a lovely sense of humour too. So, I think he’d make a great dinner companion. And I have a huge number of questions about other events I’d like to know his theories on.
Enid Blyton: I grew up reading Enid’s books. I so wanted to go to Malory Towers or be a member of the Famous Five. Of course, we’d be having lashings of ginger beer which I think she’d approve of!
Harlan Coben: If you asked me what other books apart from romances I read for relaxation, I’d probably say crime. Anything crime except psychological thrillers—unless that is, they’re written by Harlan Cohen. I think I’ve read all his books and at the moment am loving Stay Close on Netflix.
Vikram Seth: I was introduced to Vikram by Suitable Boy and love his writing style. He is an amazing storyteller, but we haven’t seen much of him for a while, I’m worried he might have writers’ block so my final guest would have to be Anne Lamott.
Anne Lamott: I loved Bird by Bird, great writing advice, very provocative with a light humorous touch. It was one of the first writing books I read, and she gives great advice. I loved her novel All New People too, if anyone can get Vikram going again I’m sure it would be Anne.
Kathy: That is going to be an amazing dinner party! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I’m looking forward to reading your second book, Recipe for Mr Perfect.
Anni: Thank you, Kathy, it was great talking to you. The punchline for the dog joke – oh yes – I didn’t even know he played cricket.
Kathy: You can follow Anni here:
Twitter: @AnniRoseAuthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnniRoseAuthor
Website: https://anniroseauthor.co.uk
Instagram: anniroseauthor
Recipe for Mr. Perfect Blurb
How do you know if you’ve found Mr Perfect or Mr Perfectly Useless?
Jess Willersey realised things with Martin weren’t perfect, but it’s still a shock when he leaves. Is she destined to a singleton lifestyle with only her cat for company, or could a certain hat-astrophic encounter with a handsome stranger at a rather unusual wedding signal a turning point?At the same time, Jess’s best friends and work colleagues, Maggie and Sarah, are going through their own personal disasters – from shocking family revelations to dodgy dating app-related drama.
To top it all off, it seems that the handsome stranger won’t remain a stranger – and when Neil Jackson turns up at the friends’ office with yet another bombshell, how long will he stay ‘Mr Perfect’ in Jess’s eyes?
Let’s Talk
So, if you could choose 5 writers to invite to a dinner party, who would you invite?
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Blog Tour Continues!
The blog tour of Is This for Real? continues! It’s very exciting.
Blog Tour Reviews
Splashes Into Books gave their review in a poem that even rhymes! I am so impressed. Here’s a short excerpt:
The story is fun, with many parts that bring laughter
But is really a search for their happily ever after
Splashes into Books BlogAnd here are some more snippets from positive reviews, but check out the whole review at the ChickLitCentral blog:
Is This for Real? was funny and charming, particularly with the premise of Penelope and Rory’s friendship turned pseudo romantic relationship.
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Is This for Real? reminded me of how tough it can be to put yourself out there, and how much you can gain (or sometimes lose) by doing so. It was an enjoyable experience, and a side note: I thought some of the subjects in the book were really interesting; I didn’t know much at all about miniatures before reading about them in this story, and even how that’s incorporated along with Penelope’s writing was pretty fascinating!
Sara of ChickLit CentralAlso check out this 5 star review from HTDK2002 Reads:
If you want to know what a feel-good rom-com is . . . this is it!
HTDK2002ReadsBlog Tour Interviews
If you want to hear more about my passion for making miniatures, check out this interview with Reading Tonic.
In Is This for Real?, Penelope makes miniatures to sell on Etsy as a way to support herself and she does dollhouse soap operas on Instagram. (I don’t do either of those, but I admire those who do. It takes so much patience and skill.)
I also have an author interview with B for Book Review with questions like who would I like to interview and how do I do my research.
Partner Pursuit is a Quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Competition
Partner Pursuit is a Quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition. So thrilled!
Giveaway
And don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter for a chance to win these miniature tulips on February 8. I will pick one winner from my newsletter subscribers:
Let’s Talk
I am so thankful to Rachel’s Random Resources and all the bloggers and bookstagrammars on the Is This for Real? Blog Tour! Thank you!
I hope you are doing well. What are you reading or watching?
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Partner Pursuit’s Book Tour Continues
Partner Pursuit‘s virtual book tour continues.
On October 25, we will visit with All the Ups and Downs. She asked me what qualities I think make for the perfect significant other, so check out her blog for my answer.
For October 26, we will be talking with Sandra’s Book Club and Lisa’s Reading. We will also be hosted by The Faerie Review and Books a Plenty Book Reviews. Sandra’s Book Club will have a review of my book, and Lisa’s Reading will have an excerpt and an interview. She asked me if I ever write books with sad endings.
On October 27, we will hang out with Novel’s Alive with an author interview and a review. She gave me a choice of what question to answer and I chose: “What tips do you have for world-building and writing description?“
On October 28, I will be interviewed by Rogue’s Angels and The Avid Reader. They also have great interview questions, so check out their blogs for my author interviews and more excerpts.
On October 29, we will hang out with Harlie’s Books and Inside the Insanity. Both Harlies Books and Inside the Insanity also have author interviews.
For October 30, we will stop by Book Crazy for another author interview.
The tours will include excerpts and author interviews.
Here is the schedule for Goddess Fish Promotions, and here is the schedule for Silver Dagger Tours.
Halloween in NYC
A brownstone decorated for Halloween in NYC We have off on Halloween to go trick-or-treating! Hope you all have a fun Halloween! I just love when people decorate their brownstones in New York City for Halloween! These skeletons crack me up. I want to try to make our skeleton like the guy in the top row.
I spent part of Sunday helping out with my son’s school’s Halloween festival, volunteering at the obstacle course, so I spent about an hour yelling, “step on the o’s and x’s! Don’t let the hot green lava get you!”
Have a wonderful week! And I hope you enjoy Partner Pursuit‘s Book Tour as it continues virtually.
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PARTNER PURSUIT Releases Today
The e-book of Partner Pursuit releases today! It’s available on Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play and Kobo. Here is a link.
You can also request your library to order it!
Partner Pursuit is going on 3 virtual book tours around the world! I am so happy to see how well it is being received internationally. So far, it has positive reviews from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Malaysia, and South Africa.
The tours will include excerpts and author interviews.
Here is the schedule for Goddess Fish Promotions and here is a schedule for Silver Dagger Tours.
Everybody has such good titles for their blogs.
Book Tour Schedule for this Week
Today we are hanging out with Bowen’s Book Publicity, Literary Gold, Long and Short Reviews and A Pinch of Bookdust. Literary Gold interviewed me. She asked me what scenes I liked writing and what advice I have for a new writer, among other great questions. Long and Short Reviews asked me what lessons I learned from my heroine.
Tomorrow, on October 19, we are hanging out with Fabulous & Brunette and Lisa’s Everyday Reads. Fabulous and Brunette asked me how my book cover came about. I love my book cover by Cover Ever After, so that was really fun to talk about.
On Wednesday, October 20, we are hanging out with Read Your Writes Book Reviews, The Library of Erana and Literary Gold. I have an author interview with Read Your Writes Book Reviews.
On Thursday, October 21, we will be celebrating Partner Pursuit‘s release with Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews, Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed, and Insane Books. I have an author interview with Lisa Haselton.
On Friday October 22, we will be hanging out with Midnight Book Reader and Gina Rae Mitchell. Gina Rae Mitchell asked me to tell a story about anything entertaining related to the book or me.
We will have the weekend to recover. Lol.
Thank you for all your support as I celebrate that Partner Pursuit Releases Today
I am so excited to celebrate Partner Pursuit’s release today with you! Thank you all so much for your support. I am so happy about all the love my book baby has received.
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Partner Pursuit: Behind the Scenes
I’d love to share some behind the scenes photos of where I envisioned various scenes of Partner Pursuit taking place.
Here’s the corner where I envisioned Audrey and Jake’s cute-meet right outside the corner store.
A picture of the corner store where I envisioned Audrey bumping into Jake The Upper West Side also has many side streets filled with brownstones. They are a mix of single-family, two-family and multi-occupant houses. One floor could be an apartment or half a floor could be an apartment. Or you could have duplex apartment with a circular staircase like Audrey. They usually have about 5 floors. The parlor floor usually has eleven-foot ceilings so it can be the most desirable. I love the colorful colors of this row of brownstones on the Upper West Side.
And in another behind the scenes secret, this is the block where we did the photo shoot for my author picture.
Here’s a picture of Levain Bakery. I pictured them stopping by this Levain Bakery as they were bicycling to Riverside Park. It’s closed right now because of the pandemic because it’s an incredibly small space that gets really packed, but they opened up a more spacious Levain Bakery a few blocks north, so not to worry! And you may remember my previous post with a picture of the actual chocolate chip cookies. They weigh the cookie dough before they put in on the tray to make sure each is the right weight.
A picture of Levain Bakery Partner Pursuit: Behind the Scenes at Fairway
And here’s a picture of Fairway where Jake and Audrey go food shopping. Fairway has the most amazing selection of food.
Let’s Talk
How are you? Are there any other scenes from Partner Pursuit where you’d like to see my inspiration (if any?) Next time, I’ll do their bicycle date up the Hudson River.
Have a great weekend!
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Partner Pursuit Launch Week
Launch week for the paperback of Partner Pursuit was amazing and definitely exceeded my expectations.
I’ve been so thrilled and touched to see Partner Pursuit doing so well on NetGalley where it is Reader Recommended. Thank you also to all my ARC readers for your reviews. I have been so moved by them. It is amazing to see your book baby out in the world. And thank you to all my friends who bought the book and helped me this week.
Here is my first five star review on NetGalley. I was so relieved and happy when I read it.
NetGalley Reviews Partner Pursuit made it to #40 in Humorous American Literature in Amazon Best Sellers and also was in the Top 50 in City Life Fiction (Books). It was hanging out with Nora Ephron and Crazy Rich Asians.
PARTNER PURSUIT LAUNCH WEEK ENDS WITH BROOKLYN BOOK FAIR
Tomorrow, I will cap off this crazy 10-day launch by selling and signing books at the Brooklyn Book Festival from 2-4 at Booth # 220.
Thank you all for such a fabulous launch. I am so happy. And now I’m preparing for the e-book release on October 18. Partner Pursuit has three blog tours: Goddess Fish Promotions, Silver Dagger Book Tours, and Rachel’s Random Resources, so I’m busy answering the questions posed. I’m also sending my next book, Is This For Real?, off to be proofread this week. I’m also taking the Jenny Colgan CBC course (although I admit I’ve been quite absent), and I’m about to take Linnea Sinclair’s class offered by the RWA Contemporary Romance online chapter.
Let’s Talk
What have you been up to? Have you read any novels you loved lately?
Happy October!
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PARTNER PURSUIT COVER REVEAL
I’m excited to reveal the cover for my debut novel PARTNER PURSUIT available in paperback on Amazon. The e-book will release on October 18, 2021 and is available for pre-order.
Partner Pursuit Cover by COVER EVER AFTER It was designed by COVER EVER AFTER in Australia. I love it! I asked her to add the little briefcase on the back of the bicycle because Audrey is a lawyer.
Here’s the blurb:
Workaholic lawyer Audrey Willems is not going to take any chances with her bid to become a partner at her New York law firm—especially with only six months until the decision.
Until she bumps into Jake—her new neighbor. Jake is a fun-loving music marketing executive who might just be The One.
He’s funny, caring, supportive—and able to kill water bugs in the bathroom.
But Jake will never date a woman married to her job. His father was a workaholic lawyer who never had time for family.
And she’s just got the case of a lifetime—the one she needs to win to make partner. Working 24/7 at the office may not even be enough hours to pull off a victory.
If only she had not met him now.
Audrey is determined to prove that she can juggle work and romance—even if managing court cases, candlelit dinners, and bike rides around Manhattan is a lot harder than it looks. She keeps canceling dates for yet another case crisis.
But when making partner is like a game of musical chairs and the last seat is a business-class alone, which partnership will she choose?
Let’s Talk: COVER REVEAL
I hope you are doing well. What do you think of my cover?