Friday, November 1, 2013

Florida Trip

So now that I’m back from our three week vacation and that my life has returned to normal, I thought I’d share with you all a few picture from our Florida adventures.

My mother came along for the first week of the trip. Our first trip together. Many memories were made.



For the first leg of our trip, we visited with my sister-in-law in Ft. Myers for a week. This was taken at a local Manatee park.






Then we spent an afternoon having a few drinks at the beach. Me and my mother enjoying multiple margaritas. Yummm! 












Mom's first time at Walt Disney World.





Meeting Winnie and Tigger is always the highlight of a Disney trip :)




After my Mom left we continued to enjoy our trip. This was taken in Downtown Disney.







We stopped by Universal Studio's to try out the new Transformers ride.


Now off to Daytona for a little writing research. This was definitely one of the best days of my life.

A three lap ride-a-long around the Daytona International Speedway going speeds of 170MPH. Can you believe it? I smiled for days.




I also got to touch and take my picture with the #48 Team Lowe's, Daytona 500 winning car driven by none other than Jimmie Johnson. My favorite driver. Skwee!!!







This is Daytona's version of the Hollywood stars for Daytona 500 winners. This one's of Jimmie Johnson first win in 2006. His 2013 one wasn't there yet.

This was one of my favorite trips yet.

Monday, October 28, 2013

OMG I Won!

So before I signed with my agent in July I’d entered a contest.

Which contest you ask?

The 2013 Unpublished Maggie Award for Excellence contest hosted by:


When the news came in August that I was named a finalist in the Young Adult category, I couldn't believe it. My baby, the one I’d poured my heart and soul in, the one that gave me hand cramps because the ideas flowed faster than I could write them (I hand write my first drafts), my pride and joy MAGNETIC SHIFT had gotten me into the finals. So imagine my reaction this month when I saw my name pop up on my Twitter feed, tweeted by someone who was in attendance at the GRW Banquet when they were announcing the winners of the contest.

I skwee’d so loud my husband nearly had a heart attack. Shortly after I got the official phone call. The only words that I could muster were thank you, thank you, thank you while my mind kept screaming “YAY!!! My writing doesn't suck”…lol

When this beauty arrived in the mail, I got all teary eyed.



I will cherish this award forever. It's a symbol that I can look at every day and know that I can do this. I can accomplish this dream. And I will.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

TRUST IN ME Cover Reveal & A Giveaway

Again it is an honor and a privilege to help reveal yet another of Jennifer L. Armentrout's masterpieces. 

This time the cover of TRUST IN ME!


It’s Wait for You as you've never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.


Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head. 

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?


Now for the giveaway!
Enter here to win some great WAIT FOR YOU stuff.




 You can also pre-order a copy of TRUST IN ME here...



Image Map



For those of you who don't know who Jennifer is (shame on you...) here's what you've been missing.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.


Jennifer has a great online presence. You can find her on her Website, on Twitter and on Facebook, but her Blog is where she keeps everyone updated on a regular basis and hosts lots of great giveaways. 

So Pit Crew, what did you all think? Let me know in the comments.

Monday, August 5, 2013

Official cover reveal - (NEVER) AGAIN by Theresa Paolo

Today I get the privilege to host the official cover reveal for (NEVER) AGAIN by Theresa Paolo due to be published by (Berkley) Penguin on October 15th, 2013.

Theresa Paolo is one of my agency sisters and I couldn't be happier for her.

So on with the reveal...


(NEVER) AGAIN

Just when she had finally moved on…
…He moved back.

When college freshman Liz Wagner hears her ex's voice for the first time since he moved clear across the freaking country, she does what any respectable girl would do: Dive into the girls' bathroom.

Zach Roberts—the Zach Roberts—is back. And he’s everywhere Liz looks—infiltrating her friend group, buddy-buddy with her brother. It’s enough to ruin college altogether. But what choice does she have but to put on a happy face and pretend he didn't leave her vulnerable and alone in a pile of emotional wreckage?

Pretending works, until tragedy strikes and the only person available for comfort is the one person she wants to stay away from. When Zach turns out not to be the jerk she convinced herself he was, but the boy she used to love, Liz needs to decide whether to open her heart again to the boy who tore it out.




 And now...*drum roll please* ...the shiny new cover



Available for preorder on Barnes and Noble and Amazon
Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads.


Now that we've all gawked at the cover for what seems like forever (I know I did, it's such a gorgeous cover), here's the deets about the fabulous author


Theresa Paolo lives in the same town she grew up in on Long Island, NY with her boyfriend and Milton, their big eyed goldfish. She has a hard time accepting the fact she’s nearing thirty which is why she writes New Adult and Young Adult books, reliving the best and worst years of her life through her characters. She put her love of writing on hold while she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Dowling College. On November 11th 2011 at 11:11 she made a wish. Two hours later she was laid off. Jobless for the first time since she was sixteen she was determined to make her wish come true. Writing became her life again and after many nights of ignoring her boyfriend to spend time with her characters, she finally received the call that all her hard work, finger crossing and eye crossing paid off. She signed with Berkley (Penguin) and her debut novel, (NEVER) AGAIN, a NA romance, will be out in Fall 2013.  When she’s not writing, she’s behind a camera or can be found in the blogosphere or on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.



So pit crew, did you love it as much as I did? Let me know in the comments.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

FRIGID Trailer Reveal

If you're anything like me and are a big fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout's outstanding writing and amazing success then you will join me in admitting that you were beyond excited when the totally gorgeous cover for FRIGID was revealed, was completely over the moon when the Kindle edition came out, and in my case, am so looking forward to adding a paperback of this one to my shelves someday soon. (I'm a book whore, not much of an ebooker, but I make exceptions.)

So, needless to say that I'm overjoyed to be able to share with you today the release of the FRIGID trailer.




For those of you who are just hearing about FRIGID for the first time (not sure how that's even possible, but heck, things happens) here's some information that might get you hooked.

FRIGID
by
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Written as J. Lynn

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn't anything new. They’d been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the ‘man’ in man-whore. He’s never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn't want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she’s perfect and she’s everything. But the feelings he has for her, he’s always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they’re stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor'easter, there’s nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

FRIGID is available for purchase at Amazon & B&N


And for those of you who don't know who Jennifer is (shame on you...) here's what you've been missing.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.


Jennifer has a great online presence. You can find her on her Website, on Twitter and on Facebook, but her Blog is where she keeps everyone updated on a regular basis and hosts lots of great giveaways. 

Speaking of great giveaways, she's having one right now. Check it out HERE


So Pit Crew, what did you all think? Let me know in the comments.



Wednesday, July 3, 2013

YAY! I have an Agent!

     I am ecstatic to announce that I have signed with a literary agent this past weekend. That means I am one step closer to being able to share my fast driving and fun loving characters with the world.


     I met Brittany Booker at the RT Convention in Kansas City last May in a face-to-face, 3-minute pitch at the Pitch-A-Palooza event. Brittany at the time had requested fifty pages. To my excitement, those fifty pages turned into a full request last month, and then an offer of representation by months end. :)

     She’s sweet, fun, and totally in love with MAGNETIC SHIFT. Her clients rave about her work ethics and her determination. Although I took the time to consider her offer, do my research, and weigh my options carefully, I was excited to take the plunge and say yes.

Signing with my MAGNETIC SHIFT pen for good luck
     This has been a tough journey and I know it’s going to get even tougher as I continue to pursue my career, but it’s nice to know that Brittany and The Booker Albert Literary Agency will be there to support me along the way.

 But right now, it's time to P.A.R.T.Y, why??? Cause I gotta!!
 

Monday, June 3, 2013

Because I love to share

When I went to the RT Booklovers Convention earlier this month, I was overwhelmed with free books and swag, and I would like to share some of it with you. So without further ado...

Giveaway #1

An Advanced Readers Copy of TEARDROP by Lauren Kate
Expected publication date: October 22nd 2013.


Never, ever cry. . . . Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before. But Ander doesn't know Eureka's darkest secret: ever since her mother drowned in a freak accident, Eureka wishes she were dead, too. She has little left that she cares about, just her oldest friend, Brooks, and a strange inheritance—a locket, a letter, a mysterious stone, and an ancient book no one understands. The book contains a haunting tale about a girl who got her heart broken and cried an entire continent into the sea. Eureka is about to discover that the ancient tale is more than a story, that Ander might be telling the truth . . . and that her life has far darker undercurrents than she ever imagined. From Lauren Kate comes an epic saga of heart-stopping romance, devastating secrets, and dark magic . . . a world where everything you love can be washed away.


US and Canada entries only please.
Good Luck Everyone :)


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

RT Convention 2013 Recap


I did it again. I survived another RT Convention. And let me tell you, that is not an easy task!

KANSAS CITY, MO - 2013

Since the pre-con class I signed up for didn’t start until Tuesday, I thought ahead and emailed the Kansas Speedway in hopes of getting some kind of tour to do a bit of research. I didn’t think I’d hear back from them but to my surprise, they were over and beyond accommodating. The Track’s PR Rep contacted me, and we set an appointment for me to visit.


As a writer of stories revolving around racing, this look into the NASCAR world was a fabulous opportunity, but as a longtime fan of the sport, this look into the NASCAR world was a monumental SKWEE!!!! moment in my life. It was so spectacular I can’t even describe it…



The Pre-Con Plotting class with Cherry Adair was a great experience. The woman can plot a story in minutes. She even thought up one of her next stories right in front of us. Cherry also met with us one on one to talk about our own plots and what we could do to improve them. Although her methods may not be for everyone, I got a lot out of this class, and I seriously recommend taking this one if you ever get the chance.

Cherry Adair & Me

The convention portion was intense. So many authors to meet, connections to make, business cards to hand out, workshops to go to, socials to attend, and networking to do at the bar. Needless to say, I hardly got any sleep all week, but with all I’ve learned and the friends I’ve made, it was all so worth it.


Riley Darkes & Me - Friend from SavvyAuthors.com
Waiting in line for the Teen Party
Me & Stacey Kade
Kiera Cass after making the NY Times Bestsellers list
We found a lost pass at the RT Gala
One of the exciting things that happened to me this year was that I was named a finalist in the American Idol Writer Contest hosted by agents Nicole Resciniti & Louise Fury.

During the finals, I was a complete ball of nerves. I didn’t win, but I got some great feedback and a friend got a sweet offer from one of the agents. All in all, I’m glad I participated.

My biggest goal this year was to conquer my nerves and actually pitch my story to agents face to face, and I’m happy to report that my nails are still intact. My 10 min pitch appointment was kind of a fail. My nerves got the better of me, and I blabbered my way through the whole thing. But when came time for the pitch-a-palooza, I found my confidence. A few full requests and a few partial requests later, I walked away bursting with a sense of success.

My big fan-girl moment (yes, I fan-girl once in a while... Don't judge me) was ending up in an elevator with Jennifer L. Armentrout. I'd been in her presence before and even spoke to her last year, but for some reason, after following her success throughout the year and admiring her work (when I say admiring I mean, pouncing on every book she’s ever written) I froze, said nothing and left the elevator feeling like a total idiot. But later I got to talk to her in the hotel bar, when a friend brought her down to meet me. SKWEE!!!!

Jennifer L. Armentrout & Me

Again this year the amount of books and swag I got was insane… Look at all this stuff!! (Lookout for Giveaways)

Swag & Books

And now that I’m home, exhausted, overwhelmed, yet grateful of my experience, I’ve marked my calendar yet again for next year. RT Convention 2014 in New Orleans… here I come!!

Sleep… who needs it!!!