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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

13 Things I Learned in 2013 and 14 Things I Hope to Happen in 2014

I got this idea from Dawn Pendleton's blog and thought I would give it a shot. It's been a whirlwind year for me, full of lots of lessons and amazing opportunities, so narrowing it all down might be hard. My list of hopes for 2014 isn't really a resolution list, but more like my wishes and things I plan to work towards.

1. Blog Tours are important. This year, I was lucky enough to take part in too many blog tours to list through Bewitching Book Tours, the Blog Tour Exchange, and many other blog tour organizers. I say that it is important not because I have thousands upon thousands of readers following my every blogging word, but because spreading the word about books is important. I was also lucky enough to have an amazing response to my own blog tour, so I know what it feels like to be on the other end, having other authors and bloggers tell people about your book. It's amazing! Word of mouth is everything for an author, so hosting tours can help them tremendously, and they will be grateful for the part you play. Which brings me to my next lesson:

2. Networking is important. Because of the tours and contests I've taken part in, I've met some amazing people and been able to take part in some really cool stuff, like the New Adult Fall Promotion that just wrapped up (side note: we're still giving away a Kindle! More details here), submit my very first short story for an anthology competition, take part in the fantasy blog group There and Draft Again, and so much more. I've also given away so many copies of my book that I lost track, donating them to other giveaways.

3. The connections you make and the friendships you build in the writerly world will pay off, big. I'm a big believer in you get what you give, but also be genuine. So many times, you run into people in the writerly world that are just out for themselves and only doing things for you in the hopes of getting something back in return. But then you find other people, people who genuinely support you and care about you, and you build this treasure trove of support that can be absolutely overwhelming. I met my critique group and my fantasy blogging group through making connections during online events and contests, and I wouldn't trade any of them for the world. I even got to meet two of my CPs a few months ago and it was awesome!

4. Don't get bogged down in social media. If you've ever read anything Kristen Lamb has to say, pay attention to what she says about social media. Granted, I don't follow all of her guidelines, but I do take her advice to heart. It's so easy to either become automated or overwhelmed, which means you are forgetting the point of social media: To stay connected to other people. You have to act like a person to connect. There are so many social media outlets. Facebook, G+, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, etc. I tend to follow one golden rule: I say something when I have something to say. I try not to spam with links to purchase my book and instead go for gentle reminders. Chances are, if someone is following your fanpage, they have either already read your book or know how to get their hands on it anyway. Much like writing, I try to post things that I would want to see from others. This also ties into the whole being genuine thing from #3.

5. Story bibles are a must if you are writing a series. I blogged about the encyclobibliogrimoire over at There and Draft Again, but I honestly don't have much of one, and I think one of my New Year's Resolutions will be to finally sit down and make one. I'm tired of flipping back and forth between drafts of the first book (of which there are many) trying to find that one spot where I described the freaking emblem of the Duillaine or Cahira.

6. I have more than one story in my head. I know, that seems like it would be a given since I am a writer, but it really isn't. I set out to write Heirs of War, which I've been working on for several years with no other story in mind (save a few fanfics here and there). I didn't think I'd write anything beyond it. And then it happened. I came up with the idea for Altar of Reality. And then it turned from a standalone into pretty much a guaranteed series. And THEN I came up with an idea for a sci-fi series that will pretty much have to wait since I have my hands full right now. Oh, and I managed to write AoR in first person, which I hate, and also was able to write a short story, which I also hate writing and reading (it always turns into something so much bigger, or I'm left wanting more). So, this year I learned that I am more of a writer than I thought I was.

7. If you are self-publishing, pay for a professional cover artist and editor. I can't stress these enough, really. My cover artist and editor are both two of my biggest supporters, and not just because I pay them (I hope haha). They are just amazing people and such a vital part of Heirs of War that I absolutely cannot imagine doing anything with the series without them. Heck, they are one of the biggest reasons I think about self-publishing all my works, just so I have the choice to continue working with them. It is thanks to their hard work that Heirs of War looks as good as it does now, and I have to say I think it looks pretty damn good. Especially since I'm now referring back to old drafts and mockup covers that I did...*cringe*

8. When you find an editor you want to work with, trust them. Trust them, and let them guide you to being a better writer. I feel so much more confident about my writing skills after working with Kriscinda Lee Everitt. I made TONS of mistakes, but she corrected me, taught me why they were bad, and made me laugh a lot along the way. I can't wait to see what I learn with book two. I'm anxious to get it to her for that reason--I crave more knowledge, and one of the best ways you can get that knowledge is by working one on one with an editor as brilliant and patient and awesome as she is. I could spend the rest of 2014 raving about her (and will probably do that a lot throughout 2014). I know it is so hard to put your baby in someone else's hands and let them pick it apart, but it will be so much better for it in the end. If you read the version of Heirs of War on Wattpad now, you'll see that there are around 11 POVs in the book. Believe it or not, that was after I narrowed it down and cut a few. Kriscinda and I had talked about this because it was a common piece of feedback I'd get. There were too many POVs, but I didn't know how to narrow them down even further without losing the story and the buildup to certain story lines. She helped me find a way how, and I feel like the story is so much better for it now. Trust. Your. Editor.

9. Wattpad is an awesome way to connect to readers. I have no idea if my Wattpad reads will translate into sales for book two, but it doesn't really matter at this point. My experience on Wattpad will still be worth it. I love how readers have fallen in love with my characters, how they make guesses and predictions about what is going to happen to them, and how they are clamoring for more. That keeps me going. I try to respond to all the comments I get, sometimes glossing over the ones I don't understand (Seriously: What's with comments showing up as highlighting part of a sentence and then having a comment on it that says something like 'Oh'. I don't get it, and have no clue as to how to respond.). I've had a few negative people on there, some downright mean, but thanks to the outpouring of support and love I get on a daily basis for the book, I am able to laugh their comments off.

10. Have a thick skin. Sometimes this means just focusing on the positive (like I just talked about with Wattpad), but other times it really means blowing off the bad things. I've had someone give a one star rating to Heirs of War with no real explanation as to why, and I've had someone else give three stars to Heirs of War, Destiny of One, which isn't even published yet. I didn't bother trying to get it removed because my feeling is "Meh." There are plenty of books that I didn't like that also happen to be best sellers with rabid fandoms. Clearly, those authors did something right, even if I don't personally see it. But opinions of art in any form are...well, opinions, and quite subjective. Just like how my husband enjoys Dream Theatre and I can be found singing along to Taylor Swift when he's not around.

11. I want to be a hybrid author. When I first decided to self-publish, I thought that was going to be it for me. I know it is a lot of work, but so is publishing period anymore. But I do still like the idea of working with a publisher. I don't need it to be the big five or anything. Smaller would probably be better for me. Would I ever turn Heirs of War over to a publisher? Probably not. I don't want to lose any ounce of creative control with that one. That's my baby. But Altar of Reality and anything else I write? That's another story. If anything, it might be a relief to let someone else help with costs and marketing so I can focus on HoW. I'm not sure if I'll ever get there. I'm only so patient when it comes to querying, so if I end up with another year of rejections, I'll probably still self-publish AoR. But I'm willing to give traditional publishing a shot while still holding on to my self-published works, so we'll see where I go from there.

12. Never look at sales. When I first hit publish with HoW, I was checking daily. Now I only check sometimes, because it can get really depressing to not see those numbers move at all. But when you don't look, it turns into a pleasant surprise of "Oh, look how many books I've sold on iBooks now! I didn't even know I'd sold one there!" instead of "Still three. Blarg!" The same thing goes for book reviews too, though this is something you want to periodically check just so you can know to put a call out for more reviews. You'd be surprised how many people don't review, even if they've told you how much they enjoyed your book.

13. Don't think about marketing when you are trying to write a book. Just don't. I'm working on the second book for HoW right now, and I've been so bogged down by this. The rough and terrible draft of this book that I wrote last year was 200k--twice the size of the first book. I thought I'd split it up, but now I'm not so sure. I still might, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that I get it written, and then I'll decide what to do from there. My deadline for finishing this book was December 31st, and that totally isn't going to happen. But now that I've given up on figuring out how I'll end up selling it? I'm on a roll.

And Now for the 14 Things I Hope to Happen in 2014:
  1. I hope I publish two more books in the Heirs of War series, at least.
  2. I hope to giveaway lots of books and swag. Why? Just because I love doing it.
  3. I hope to attend a writers conference.
  4. If sales permit, I hope to attend a writers event and have a table set up. 
  5. I hope to attend a writer retreat with my wonderful critique partners.
  6. I hope to find a home for Altar of Reality.
  7. I hope to get to work on the sequel to Altar of Reality.
  8. I hope to get published in an alternate form other than self-publishing, whether it is a short story submission to a magazine or anthology, or traditionally publishing another book.
  9. I hope to sit down and create story bibles for the series I am working on.
  10. I hope to build even more amazing connections and friendships in the writerly world.
  11. I hope to review twice as many books as I did this year. 
  12. I hope to find a balance between my writerly life and duties, and real life since I start classes back up in January (eep!).
  13. I hope to learn even more from my editor and critique partners.
  14. I hope to continue to host blog tours and help spread the word about the amazing books out there.
Happy 2014 everyone! Tell me, what's your hope for this new year?

Monday, December 30, 2013

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Marina Myles's Ideal New Years Eve Party


Marina Myles is throwing a New Years Eve Party, but to get on the invite list, you have to be a fictional character! Check out which characters Marina would love to party with and why, and then take a look at the giveaway below for your chance to win an e-copy of her book, Snow White and the Vampire. Happy New Year, everyone, and big thanks to Marina for stopping by to celebrate with us!

About the Author: 

Although Marina Myles lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she would reside in a historic manor house in foggy England if she had her way. Her love of books began as soon as she read her first fairy tale and eventually led to degrees in English Literature and Communications. Now, with her loyal Maltese close by, she relishes the hours she gets to escape into worlds filled with fiery—but not easily attained—love affairs. 

She’s busy being a wife and a mother, but she is never too busy to hear from her amazing readers.  

Visit her at: 
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7104310.Marina_Myles

Fictional Characters I’d invite to My New Year’s Eve Party
Okay. The truth is I’m not much of a party person. Especially not a New Year’s Eve party person.
That’s why the idea of making out an imaginary guest list filled with fictional characters is right up my alley. I’m certain there would be stimulating—maybe even heated conversations—during my pretend soiree. There would also be a show of fantastic costumes and the consumption of much champagne minus the hangover. Yay!
You are more than welcome to be a fly on the wall as I ring in the New Year. Are you ready for it to begin?
Arriving first would be Edward Cullen from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, Dracula from Bram Stoker’s classic novel, and Anne Rice’s, Lestat de Lioncourt from An Interview with a Vampire. Can you imagine the sort of debate these vampires would stir? Who is the sexiest creature of the night? The most powerful blood-sucker? The most famous undead? Gad! I’d love to hear that.
To lighten things up, in would fly Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. They would remind us that we never have to grow up—even in 2014. I can picture it. Peter Pan would flirt with all the young ladies in the room, maybe even offer them a thimble. And Tinkerbell would leave a trail of pixie dust behind as she flits off to brood in a corner.
For all the children who aren’t old enough to stay up ’til midnight, it’s Nanny McPhee to the rescue. She would gather the children up with a stomp of her magic cane and send them to bed with visions of sparkling cider in their heads (instead of Asti Spumante, of course).
In keeping with the light-hearted side of the party, Ariel and Prince Eric from Disney’s The Little Mermaid would ring the doorbell. Not only are they adorable to look at, they’re my favorite imaginary couple ever. Eric would try and read Ariel’s lips (because she’s been robbed of her voice by the evil Ursula, remember?) and then he would get her glass of punch without taking his eyes off her. Double adorable.
Next, an intriguing scavenger hunt would be announced. To help out, serious-minded Robert Langdon (of Dan Brown fame) and well-known female detective, Nancy Drew, arrive. They would round up the guests, help decipher clues, and lead everyone on a suspenseful journey around my home. (Since this is pretend, my house resembles Jay Gatsby’s mansion in the Leonard di Caprio film version.) Langdon and Nancy Drew would eventually even help someone win an iPad onto which a bunch of ebooks can be download. Even Snow White and the Vampire, if the spirit moves them!
Then the guests would see Maleficent, the wicked enchantress from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, and the evil queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs materialize from a puff of smoke. From under black-fringed stares, they’d spike the punch and engage in cryptic conversations. They would also argue amongst themselves about who can whip up the best spell for an intriguing 2014.
Last but not least, there is me…your hostess. Did I mention that I’d be wearing a fabulous, size 4 cocktail dress instead of the sweatpants I have on right now? Perhaps I’ll assume the character of Jessica Rabbit. Hey, it’s my party and a girl can dream if she wants to. 
This has been great fun. Thank you for stopping by. I’m wishing you a safe and happy new year—and if you have a minute, I’d love to hear who you’d invite to your imaginary party!

Want to know more about Marina's fictional characters? Check out her book:


Snow White and the Vampire
The Cursed Princes
Book Two
Marina Myles 
Genre: Historical/paranormal romance
Fairy tales retold 
Publisher: Kensington  
Date of Publication: December 19, 2013

Amazon     BN     iTunes     eKensington    Blio

Book Description:

Fog and Fascination  

Alba Spencer thought her past in Romania and the dark magic that haunted it was behind her forever. She is one of the first female barristers now, safe in London. But London has its dark side, too. A man called the Ripper stalks the midnight streets. There are rumors that her hated stepmother has found her again, suggestions that the nightmares of her childhood are returning. And with them appears the cursed Gypsy boy she once loved, grown into a man more seductive and more terrifying than she ever could have dreamed… 

Dimitri Grigorescu has become a surgeon, a gentleman—and a vampire. The lusts that drive his body are scarcely under control, and even he does not truly know what he is capable of. To fight evil and confusion, Alba must rely only on her wits—and a desire that overwhelms her doubts…





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Sunday, December 29, 2013

Why I Might Be Merging Heirs of War Books Two and Three Together

I've been banging my head against my keyboard for a month now as I've set to work on Heirs of War, Destiny of One. I haven't made much headway at all, to be honest. I'm only six chapters in. Granted, I already had a rough draft to work off of, but there's a whole lot of rewrites involved. Why? Well, because the first draft was complete crap, and now that I've learned so much and grown as a writer, I can recognize that. The story is mostly solid, though, so I'm not scrapping it entirely.

The thing is, when I first wrote the second book in the Heirs of War series, it was split into three parts. Part One followed Zelene, Rhaya, and Terrena in Anscombe, while Part Two followed Ariana and Isauria, with bits of the others thrown in. Part Three brings all their storylines together. The problem with this draft of the book? It's 200k in rough draft format and with big gaping holes in some of their stories.

So I decided I was going to split the book up. Heirs of War, Destiny of One would follow Ariana and Isauria, and Heirs of War, Crown of Flames would follow Zelene, Rhaya, and Terrena in Anscombe and bring their stories together with Ariana and Isauria. It seemed like the perfect plan, and I haven't completely given up on that idea yet. But I'm getting there.

Why? Because it would piss me off as a reader. Here's the thing: You still hear about things that happen with Zelene, Rhaya, and Terrena as Isauria hears about them and interacts with some of those characters (and others from Anscombe) during her part of the story. So you'd have an entire book following just Ariana and Isauria while getting hints as to what is happening to the rest of them, but never seeing it until book three (Crown of Flames) is released next summer. If I was just a reader for this series, this would seriously frustrate me.

And keeping them separate really doesn't change anything cost-wise. I'm still going to pay the same amount for an editor because it's the same amount of words. If you are buying paperback, the cost of one larger book (I don't think) is much more than the cost of two. And of course, if you are buying an e-book, then you'd only pay for the one book. Will the cost still be $2.99 if I have two books in one? I'm not sure yet. I don't want to go much higher than that. I'm not trying to say my books aren't worth it, but I know what it is like to be a broke book lover, so I try to keep that in mind with pricing.

I'm still not ruling it out entirely, but I'm fairly certain merging them together is the better plan. What do you guys think? Would you rather have one big book with all of the characters, or two separate books that follow separate story lines happening simultaneously? This is one of the perks to self-publishing. I can get input from you guys, my wonderful readers, and make my decision based on that.

And if you think I should just keep it all as one book, which title do you like best: Heirs of War, Destiny of One or Heirs of War, Crown of Flames?

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Thursday Spotlight: Foresight by Erika Szabo





About the Author: 

Growing up with a father who was a closet reader, some macho image that allowed him to only read in secret. After I caught him reading my book, The Lady of the Camellias, he shared his love of books with me and introduced me to many great books.

Before I started writing this series, I had played with the idea of writing a fantasy story peppered with historical facts. The history of the Huns always fascinated me—they were my ancestors—although I decided that it was a stupid idea after I started reading about how to write a fiction book. I had no idea how to create a good story line or form characters and make up a plot, and I wasn’t a literary genius. But, the idea didn’t leave me alone, and I kept adding events and dialogues in my head to Ilona’s story.

Not knowing how to do something properly had never prevented me from accepting a good challenge before, so I sat down at the computer and began writing. I've never been good at following rules or formulas; therefore, I discarded the instructions and made up my own rules.

I began writing Ilona's story as a diary, for my own enjoyment, jotting down the ideas that swirled in my head was far better than being haunted by them. For months I kept writing and soon realized that I never had so much fun doing anything in my life before.

You can follow Erika on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Google+, or read more about her writerly exploits on her website. Other places you can find Erika online:



Foresight
Guarded Secrets Series
Book One
Erika Szabo

Genre: epic romance, fantasy romance

Book Description:

Ilona has been in love with her unsuspecting best friend, when a dashing stranger explodes into her life. The sudden magnetic feeling frightens her. Will he break her heart, or will he bring true happiness? 

A sinister dark man appears, Ilona connects his presence with the series of mysterious deaths around her. She is an emergency room doctor, born into an ancient tribe which still exists hidden amongst us with its fiercely enforced rules. She doesn’t know much about her heritage besides legends and rituals that she continues out of respect for her parents. 

She begins to remember the forgotten instructions concealed as rhymes her mother was teaching her since she was a small child and discovers that she can rearrange the human body to its healthy state. This ability is exciting as well as frightening. She is conflicted between having confidence in her intelligence and inherited abilities while having no confidence as a woman. 

Her insecurity created barriers which keep others out, and I also keep her caged in. She has been evacuated from her easy and steady life, and is forced to face the unknown.

Amazon    Smashwords   Lulu   BN



Tuesday, December 24, 2013

New Adult Spotlight Promotion Giveaway!


You may have seen the covers of these wonderful titles come through my blog already with the New Adult Author Spotlight every Tuesday. That promotion has wrapped up, and to end it with a bang, we are giving away a Kindle Fire HD! How awesome is that? You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter below. And be sure to check out all of these great titles available now. If you've missed any, simply click on the tag/label "new adult promotions" for this blog post, and it should bring them all up. It's been such amazing fun getting to know these authors and their books over the past several months, and Tuesdays just won't be the same without them. =)

Special thanks goes to Dawn Pendleton for putting this promotion together! You've been awesome, Dawn!

Happy holidays, everyone!


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Monday, December 23, 2013

Review & Giveaway: The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot to read and review. The blurb was really intriguing, so I was looking forward to this read, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! First, we'll get to know the author and her book before I give you my thoughts. Oh, and there's a giveaway too, with five $10 Amazon gift cards up for grabs! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below. And don't forget to get your own copy at one of these sites:
Kindle US  Lachesis Publishing Inc   OmniLit
 




About the Author:  


Jessica Penot is a therapist who lives in Alabama with her 2 corgis, cat, sons, husband and other strange creatures. She is the author of Haunted North Alabama, Haunted Chattanooga, and Circe.

Follow Jessica's writerly exploits on her website, blog, and Facebook.  






The Accidental Witch
The Darkest Arts Series
Book 1
Jessica Penot

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Lachesis Publishing


Book Description:


Phaedra Michaels is a small town psychologist who is beginning to lose hope. Two of her patients at the local hospital in Dismal, Alabama have just killed themselves, she’s still reeling from her divorce and what turned out to be a disastrous marriage, and her father has died, leaving her without any notion of who her real mother is.  


Just as Phaedra decides to commit herself to a serious drinking problem and an eating disorder, or two, a mysterious spell book arrives in the mail. Feeling desperate, Phaedra uses it to cast spells to save her fading patients. Suddenly, good things start happening.  Phaedra’s patients begin to get better and she even starts dating the sexy doctor from the hospital.


Phaedra is so happy she doesn't notice the small things that start to go wrong in Dismal, or the dark creatures slithering out of the shadows near her house. When Phaedra finally realizes her spells have attracted every card-carrying demon from hell, she has no choice but to accept help from a slightly nerdy, 500 year-old warlock with a penchant for wearing super hero T-shirts and a knack for getting under Phaedra’s skin. Now, if only she could get the hang of this witch thing, she might be able to save her town.    


My Review:




The Accidental WitchThe Accidental Witch by Jessica Penot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love everything about this book. Phaedra is a really fun and awesome MC and narrator. Her voice makes everything better. She's clever, she's sarcastic, she's witty. There were so many laugh out loud moments for me reading this book, and mainly because of the little quips Phaedra would throw in when talking about something.

The magic of this book is also really well done, and really simple. Sometimes magic can get over complicated and bog down a story, but not this one. I also loved Phaedra's approach to it. It felt very natural. She gets a book, tries a spell, it works, and then tests it. Then she gets carried away. Very natural progression to me, and I love that her sage adviser doesn't come in until after the s*** hits the fan.

All of the characters were really fleshed out, and even the villain was a complicated entity rather than a one-dimensional evil. I liked the little surprises along the way, even the ones you can sort of guess like how she got the book. Those little surprises always turned into something so much bigger, and you can see how it all snowballs to the final showdown. Phaedra's choice in that last fight at her house had my heart racing.

The world Jessica Penot built feels so natural, too. As a southerner, I could definitely relate. But the magic felt right too. She didn't go into heavy detail about all the spells or chants, and Phaedra recognized how silly the rituals could sometimes feel. But the magic was just sort of there. It existed and it was possible, and it was something that might require a lot of work, but mainly the power within. I'm not sure why that called to me, but it did.

Phaedra is such an amazing character, and so beautifully flawed. From her body dysmorphia to her issues from her ex-husband to her need to save everyone she comes across. She's turned herself into this tragic hero with so little life of her own, and it is so thrilling to watch her reclaim it. To build herself up from the rubble that was her life even when things are at their worst. She doesn't whine when talking about the bad stuff that's happened. There's an edge of anger, but never self pity. You can tell that she's given up when the story begins. Watching her regain hope and strength and confidence in herself while kicking ass with magic? Awesome.

My only complaint? The chapters are too long and that made for me being on the treadmill a lot longer than I intended since I would read until a chapter's end. =)

View all my reviews
 
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Saturday, December 21, 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: I See London by Chanel Cleeton (Age 17 & up)

It's cover reveal time! Well, actually, the cover reveal for Chanel Cleeton's I See London was the other day, but I've been completely booked this week with blog tours, but she was kind enough to let me post it today along with her giveaway ($25 Amazon gift card!). =) In the off chance I have any teen readers, I'm going to warn you away. Because this cover is HOT. And I have to say, I don't know which is prettier--the cover or her author pic! Gorgeous, both. You'll see what I mean:

February 3, 2014
Harlequin HQN (Digital First)
New Adult Contemporary Romance 

Summary:
 
Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.


When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.


Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.


This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.














About the Author: 

Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university. In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships.  Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever.  But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet.  
Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea.  An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book.  She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband.  Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers.  Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.

Website:   www.chanelcleeton.com
Goodreads:   www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton


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