Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Woohoo - It's Release Day!

Tess in Boots banner
 
Anaiah Press proudly presents
TESS IN BOOTS by Courtney Rice Gager,
a contemporary romantic novel that releases today!


Tess Dougherty plans every aspect of her life right down to the last detail. But she doesn’t plan on running her boyfriend off by bringing up the topic of marriage before he’s ready. And she doesn’t plan to lose her job on the day she’s set to receive a huge promotion. So when her perfect world unravels, Tess makes a new plan: disappear. 
Tess packs her bags and leaves her city apartment for a remote vineyard in North Carolina. At first, she’s put off by the slow pace of small-town life in the South. She’s especially irritated by Thatcher, the vineyard’s smart-mouth, dimple-faced farmhand. But she soon begins to appreciate the area’s charm, and Thatcher’s charm, too. She even swaps her trademark heels for a pair of cowboy boots. As Tess spends more time getting to know Thatcher, she finds herself loosening her grip on her old life little by little. Unfortunately, things on the vineyard aren’t as simple as they seem. There’s a secret here, and when the truth comes to light, Tess is forced to reconsider every plan she’s ever made. 

Where to get the book:
 
Amazon     B&N    Smashwords     iTunes


 
About the Author:
Courtney Rice Gager

Courtney Rice Gager graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in creative writing. Courtney is also the author of The Buggy List. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.


Connect with Courtney:
Website      Twitter       Goodreads      Facebook     Amazon
  a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Monday, December 1, 2014

My Top 5 Pre-Book-Release Confessions

Ever wonder what goes through an author's mind the day before a book release? Wonder no more! Tess in Boots releases tomorrow (eep!) and I'm sharing my top 5 pre-book-release confessions, because well... why not?

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. I've stress-eaten two-thirds of a pumpkin cheesecake over the past week.

Okay more like three-fourths of a pumpkin cheesecake. Okay fine, all but two pieces, but let's not split hairs. If you must know, it was one of those enormous Costco cheesecakes. I regret nothing.

2. I am really, really excited! Like, little-kid-on-Christmas-morning excited.
I've been dreaming of this day for so long, and now that it's almost here I can hardly contain myself! Let's wake up at the crack of dawn and start obsessively checking sales rankings, shall we?

3. I feel like hiding under the table and/or barfing on my shoes.
I've been dreaming of this day for so long, and now that it's almost here I find myself questioning every last word in the book. What if it's a huge flop and everyone hates it and I have to start a new life in a small town in rural Oklahoma? Also, I just realized I can't spell Oklahoma without autocorrect. What kind of writer am I? If you need me, I'll be locked in a dark closet eating the rest of that pumpkin cheesecake.

4. I've obsessively packed my schedule in an effort to avoid thinking about release. 
I've managed to triple-book myself and generally overextend myself in every possible way for the next forty-eight hours or so. At first I thought it was just a randomly busy week, but I'm starting to think I may have done this on purpose so I don't end up actually locked in a dark closet annihilating the surviving slices of cheesecake.

5. I have an irresistible urge to hug a bunch of strangers.
That didn't come out right. What I mean to say is, I want to hug each and every reader who picks up and enjoys a copy of Tess in Boots. You are the best, readers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Tess in Boots book tour starts today!

It's finally here, it's finally here! The Tess in Boots blog tour starts today! Check out the schedule below to find out where we'll be each day through December 16th.



Tess in Boots
by Courtney Rice Gager

Release Date:
December 2, 2014

Book Tour November 18-December 16
Release Day Blitz on December 2

Book reviews, interviews, guest posts and giveaway!

Follow the Tess in Boots Book Tour:

11/18 Katie's Clean Book Collection http://www.katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com
11/18 Babs Book Bistro http://www.babsbookbistro.net/
11/19 Maiden Ink http://angelamcaldwell.wordpress.com/
11/19 Biblio Belles http://www.bibliobelles.com
11/20 Reviews and Opinions http://reviewsbymarybeth.blogspot.com/ 
11/21 Living the dream http://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/ 
11/21 A booklover's retreat  http://www.abookloversretreat.com 
11/22 Paula Rose Books http://paularosebooks.com/ 
11/23 Flirting With Romance http://flirtingwithromance.blogspot.com 
11/23 CBY Book Club http://cbybookclub.blogspot.co.uk 
11/24 My Book Addiction and More http://www.mybookaddictionandmore.com 
11/25 Literary Wonders! The Author's Hideaway http://theauthorshideaway.com 
11/25 Wonderous Reviews http://wonderousreviews.blogspot.com
11/26 The Phantom Paragrapaher http://www.thephantomparagrapher.blogspot.com
11/27 Wishful Endings http://www.wishfulendings.com/
11/29 Iola's Christian Reads http://christianreads.blogspot.com/
11/29 Curling up with a good book http://curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com
11/30 Beachbound Books http://www.beachboundbooks.com
12/1 Cheekypee reads and reviews http://cheekypeereadsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ 
12/1 Krysten Lindsay Hager, author http://www.krystenlindsay.com/blog

12/2 Release Day Blitz
Ting's Mom Books http://www.tingsmombooks.com 
Cheekypee reads and reviews http://cheekypeereadsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Musings From An Addicted Reader http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.wordpress.com 
A booklover's retreat http://www.abookloversretreat.com 
Krysten Lindsay Hager, author http://www.krystenlindsay.com/blog
Breathless Ink http://breathlessink.com

12/3 Just Contemporary Romance http://www.justcontemporaryromance.com/
12/5 Melinda Dozier Contemporary Romance Author http://melindadozier.blogspot.com
12/6 I Am A Reader http://www.iamareader.com
12/7 Musings From An Addicted Reader http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.wordpress.com
12/7 This is me... http://joshsmama05.blogspot.com
12/8 Swooning Over Books http://swooningoverbooks.blogspot.com
12/9 Red Cheeks Reads http://redcheeksreads.com/
12/10 True Story Book Blog http://www.truestorybookblog.com/
12/10 Angela Schroeder, Author http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/
12/12 Kit 'N Kabookle http://kitnkabookle.blogspot.com
12/12 Perusing Bookshelves http://www.perusingbookshelves.weebly.com/
12/13 Book Briefs http://bookbriefs.net
12/14 Fiction Zeal http://www.fictionzeal.com
12/15 Library Mistress http://librarymistress.com/
12/16 Susana's Morning Room http://susanaauthor.wordpress.com/ 
12/16 Breathless Ink http://breathlessink.com

Thank you to all participating bloggers!
 
Anaiah Press
http://www.anaiahpress.com
http://twitter.com/anaiahpress
http://anaiahpress.wordpress.com/

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Why I Say "No" to NaNoWriMo

There is a distinct possibility that a team of literary elves will appear and haul me off to their underground prison lair as soon as I post this blog. So if I go missing... ya'll know where to start looking.

But since I'm only a little afraid of elves, I'll just come out and say it: I don't "do" NaNoWriMo

There. It's out. Before I go into why I don't participate, please know it's not my intent to bash the project. I think it's awesome to bring together writers from around the world and encourage them to get... well, writing. There are all kinds of good things that come from National Novel Writing Month. It's just not for me. And here's why: 

1. Debilitating social pressure sends my creativity packing.

Two days ago my Facebook feed was flooded with an army of jack-o'-lantern photos. These weren't your ordinary carved pumpkins with triangle noses and crooked grins. Every single one of these things was an intricate masterpiece, each in its own way worthy of eternal Pinterest hall-of-famedom. And as I scrolled through this digital art gallery, I realized: we didn't even get a pumpkin this year, let alone carve one. My mind raced with panicked thoughts about my numerous parental shortcomings. There was no time for a picturesque hayride through the pumpkin patch, or a carefully-planned etching of a spooky three-dimensional Halloween scene. Best case scenario: I could run to Walmart, and maybe - just maybe, there'd be one misfit pumpkin left in the bin. And even then, I'd end up carving a triangle nose into it's poor, pathetic misshapen little face. I knew in that moment I'd scarred my daughter for life with my lack of mom finesse, and she's only two! Then I realized, wait a minute... she's only two. "Do you want to carve a pumpkin?" I asked her. "No!" she replied, her voice filled with defiance. (Note: This was a trap. She says no to most things, because well... she's two.) I breathed a sigh of relief and banned myself from Facebook for the rest of the day.

I tell you this story because it's the same way I feel about NaNoWriMo. I see all the word count Tweets and I'm instantly reminded of the manuscript I put on the back burner over the summer. Then I feel guilty about putting it on the back burner to begin with, and suddenly there is this enormous pressure to not only dust it off, but to finish it by November 30th at 11:59 p.m. because... NaNoWriMo!

The trouble is, nothing zaps my creativity like social pressure. There is an ounce of rebellious teenager left in me (only an ounce) (okay, maybe two ounces) and this part of me wants to be different just for the sake of being a rebel. So not only do I find myself not writing an entire novel in November, I usually find myself not writing at all in November, in a very emo sort of way.

2. The average woman in the U.S. is a size 14.

What does that have to do with NaNoWriMo? I'm glad you asked.

Take a quick scan at the magazine covers this month and you'll see that we are still setting unrealistic standards of beauty. The real women in the world aren't walking around with photo-shopped faces and sinewy arms. On a good day, I've at least brushed my teeth and/or rubbed yesterday's mascara out from under my eyes. But, like most women, I'm still prone to pursuing this standard of beauty that's all around me and totally impossible to meet, simply because it's programmed into our culture. 

My concern is that NaNoWriMo may affect writers in a similar way. If you're participating just for fun to kick start your creativity - fantastic! But if you're an aspiring writer who gives up because you couldn't get your novel finished in thirty days... then that's another story. 

Writing takes time. And dedication. And time. 

Did I mention time?

Sure, the occasional NaNoWriMo manuscript goes to publication. But that's the exception, not the rule. The vast majority of published authors have spent hours (and hours) (and seriously, I mean hours) plotting, writing, editing, and polishing. I pretend to take a principled stand about not allowing other writers to fall victim to unrealistic standards of productivity, but really it's all a facade to distract from the fact that debilitating social pressure sends my creativity packing.

3. November is a great month to query!

While writers everywhere are busy trying to cram as many words as possible into their microwaved manuscripts, agents and editors are slightly less inundated with queries this month. Focus on querying when the masses are busy writing, and you have a better shot at getting your (polished) manuscript noticed. It's sort of like going to the grocery store during the Super Bowl. Sure, you miss the big game, but the lines are shorter and the seven-layer bean dip is on clearance. (You should know that I have absolutely no data to back this up, it's simply a hunch. A logical hunch, for what it's worth.)

So there we have it - why I say "no" to NaNoWriMo. If you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year, good luck! Just remember, if you truly want to be a writer, there are 335 other days in the year. Promise me you won't give up when time runs out.






Thursday, October 9, 2014

Interview with Scott Springer, Author of Bound by Blood



I love chatting with fellow authors! Today I'm interviewing Scott Springer, self-proclaimed Law and Order connoisseur and author of the newly-released romantic suspense, Bound by Blood.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and the book you're currently promoting.
About me? I actually do have an answer for that because I took an online test. Turns out I’m an introvert. No surprise there. I’m not the first guy you’d think of when you think Party! But that’s okay because I’d be happier hanging at the house with a good book, a project, or marathon TV episodes. I’m always in for Law and Order, and in case you’re wondering why they always show those things: my daughter has a Nielson Box. You’re welcome. I’d watch it on Netflix, but without commercials I’d never get anything done. Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting. While I’m nowhere near as smart as that guy, I do get that whole outsider thing he has going on. Favorite color: green. It makes me happy.
BOUND BY BLOOD is a great story. Julia and Rick get themselves into so much trouble with drug dealers, and that’s the kind of trouble that can get you killed. They also might be falling in love. I kind of hope so.

2. What is your writing process like? Do you have any particular writing habits or rituals?
One writing habit that I used to have was writing every day for an hour or so, always at the same time. I did this for several years and my time was five to six in the morning. I found that this worked well because I was tired in the evening, but the best part was that my dream state was still active. Also, I think that by committing the same time each day for writing my mind learned to prepare itself beforehand. I had a lot of great productivity with this schedule. I even completed a nanowrmo novel in a month by writing only during this one hour a day. I never actually reread that novel though. The style was too wordy.

3. What part of the publishing process is easiest for you? What part do you find to be the hardest?
The part that is most fun is writing the first draft. This is the most creative time, and the project is fresh and new and full of hope. The rest of the process grows more difficult. Editing is not as much fun as writing fresh, but it is still fun to polish up the story and think about it from a reader’s perspective. I don’t mind sending out queries, and I can spot a rejection letter from the first sentence, and I don’t even care anymore. But apparently the hardest part is getting accepted. Now there’s a contract to read, and then lots of editing, and lots of reading and rereading the manuscript. I am blessed my novel is category romance length. I can’t imagine having written a four hundred page novel. Ouch. But again, while a lot of work, it is still fun. The absolute hardest part for me is the self-promotion. Like a lot of writers, I’m quiet and don’t really like talking about myself that much. I’m more used to listening than being the center of attention.

4. What did you learn while writing your most recent book?
I learned a lot by working with the editors. It was like your book is great, but . . . let’s make it better. I learned to make rewrites quickly. And I learned to not start sentences with conjunctions (or did I?) For having gone through the process I have learned to write better, and that’s pretty awesome.

5. What literary character do you identify with most, and why?
I got to say Tom Joad from Grapes of Wrath. The main thing about him is he was a stand-up guy that put family first, and he had that good ‘ol ingenuity. On their way out to California their truck broke down and they replaced a main bearing on the side of the road, having caught the old oil in a bucket so they could reuse it. That’s what I’m talking about. I have lived in California most of all my life, and the theme of farm owner versus farm laborer, especially later with Cesar Chavez, has always been part of life’s fabric out here. Of course, Tom was also a killer, but not every analogy is perfect.

Check out Scott's latest release, Bound by Blood!




Julia has accepted the Lord and is busy returning her life to order. She is not ready for love, especially when the new site foreman at work stirs up forgotten feelings. She knows a playboy when she sees one, but to Rick Mercado the attraction between them is surprisingly real. Other girls no longer interest him, and if she wants to play hard to get that's fine with him. Let the games begin!

What he doesn't realize is that her dangerous secret is not a game.

Julia's brother has returned from the street, strung out and in trouble with rival gangs. Loyalty to her brother draws Julia deeper into a world of drug deals and thugs. Rick doesn't understand why Julia won't simply go to the cops, especially once the bullets start flying. As Julia slips further into a world of violence, Rick realizes how easily his heart can be broken. His brain says to run, but his heart isn't listening. It may already be too late.

Book Links:

Buy Links:

Book Trailer:




Rafflecopter (only open to US residents): a Rafflecopter giveaway





Author Bio:

Scott Springer spent his youth playing pretend and dreaming of being a writer. As an adult he worked as a carpenter before becoming a software developer. Having produced much, his two children remain his proudest accomplishment. His wife led him to the Lord, and he’s glad that she did.



Monday, September 8, 2014

Tess in Boots Trailer Reveal Day!

I'm so excited to reveal my trailer to you today! Is it December 2nd yet?



Tess in Boots
Release date: December 2, 2014

About the book:
Tess Dougherty plans every aspect of her life right down to the last detail. But she doesn’t plan on running her boyfriend off by bringing up the topic of marriage before he’s ready. And she doesn’t plan to lose her job on the day she’s set to receive a huge promotion. So when her perfect world unravels, Tess makes a new plan: disappear. 
Tess packs her bags and leaves her city apartment for a remote vineyard in North Carolina. At first, she’s put off by the slow pace of small-town life in the South. She’s especially irritated by Thatcher, the vineyard’s smart-mouth, dimple-faced farmhand. But she soon begins to appreciate the area’s charm, and Thatcher’s charm, too. She even swaps her trademark heels for a pair of cowboy boots. As Tess spends more time getting to know Thatcher, she finds herself loosening her grip on her old life little by little. Unfortunately, things on the vineyard aren’t as simple as they seem. There’s a secret here, and when the truth comes to light, Tess is forced to reconsider every plan she’s ever made. 

Add Tess in Boots on Goodreads!




I can't wait to share this book with you!