New Release: Any Way You Fight It by Monique McDonell

Are you ready for another great addition to your Chick Lit library? The very talented Monique McDonell has just released Any Way You Fight It, the third book in her Upper Crust series.

Publication Date: October 12, 2015

Matchmaking came easily for Cherie . . . unless she was matching herself. A successful realtor, Cherie could sell a piece of property with ease, she could match up her friends with their perfect mates, but she couldn’t seem to find love for herself. Heck, even her seventy-five-year-old Nona was dating again! Cherie had the perfect love once, or so she had thought. But that was a long time ago, and yet, Luke was the standard by which she measured all potential mates.

After matching her two best friends and watching them live their happily ever afters, Cherie decides it’s time to make a change and get back in the game. Now all she needs to do is balance what she wants (a Luke-alike) with the demands of her crazy Italian family (a good, Catholic Italian boy).

Just when she is ready to shake off her past and move forward, her past walks through the door of her favorite local pub with her best friends. Luke is back, looks better than ever, and still has eyes for Cherie. And Cherie can’t control the heat she still has for him. But as with most long-lost loves, he has a past as well, and that past just might prevent Cherie from finding her happiness despite what her Nona’s visions predict.

Can Cherie and Luke make peace with their pasts and look forward to a new life together? Or will this be the final good-bye?

Want a sneak peek? Check this out!

Lucy called me the next day. I was unlocking the door to my office. I was juggling keys, a folder, a latte, and an open house sign but I still managed to take the call.

"What's up, buttercup?" I said.

"Not much . . ." I could visualize her on the other end in kitchen whites and a hairnet trying to come up with a witty reply. "You sound perky today. Piper said you were exhausted last night."

"I was. Still am, actually." That wasn't a lie. I barely slept, tossing and turning all night with sexy and angry thoughts about Luke. "Your call perked me right up. Oh yeah, and I'm about to down my third coffee."

"Oh, I hope you're okay."

"I'll be fine. What's happening there?"

"Well, you met the hottie corporate sent to help us with branding."

"Don't you have a fiancé already?" I tried not to let jealousy seep in. Keep it light, Cherie.

"A girl can look. Anyway, you don't have a fiancé . . ."

"Yeah, well, I don't want a fiancé, and even if I did, I wouldn't want that guy."

"He seems pretty cool."

"Not my type." I needed to shut this down. “Anyway, he's probably married. How long is your new eye candy in town anyway?"

“He’s not, married I mean. A week or two, but he'll be back and forth." Great. "Maybe you two could . . ."

"Thanks for pimping out your new colleague, but if I wanted a guy, I could find my own." I tried to sound haughty. "Anyway, Lucy, I have to run. I have about a million calls to return. "

I dropped my bundle, minus the coffee of course, on the office sofa and turned at the sound of the bell above my front door tinkling. There in resplendent glory -today in chinos and a white shirt with sleeves rolled to the elbows, offsetting a killer tan- was Luke.

"Not your type, huh?" he said, closing the space between us a little.

"First of all, don't you know it is rude to eavesdrop and second, definitely not."

"I used to be," he said, one hand shoved in his pocket and the other gesticulating.

"Well, we all used to be different, didn't we?"

"I bet we're not all that different, you know."

"That's hardly a ringing endorsement for either of us." I leaned back against the edge of my desk, using it to balance me, and took a long sip of my latte. Some days there just wasn't enough coffee in the world.

"I don't know, I thought we were decent kids back then . . ."

"Until at least one of us wasn't."

"And which one was that?" he asked as if he didn't know. The bastard.

"What brings you here, Luke? I kind of have a lot to get done today."

"I wanted to see you."

Now for a bit about Monique from the woman herself:

I am an Australian author who writes contemporary women's fiction including chick lit and romance. I live on Sydney's Northern Beaches with my husband and daughter, and despite my dog phobia, with a dog called Skip.

I have written all my life especially as a child when I loved to write short stories and poetry. At University I studied Creative Writing as part of my Communication degree. Afterwards I was busy working in public relations I didn't write for pleasure for quite a few years although I wrote many media releases, brochures and newsletters. (And I still do in my day-job!)

When I began to write again I noticed a trend - writing dark unhappy stories made me unhappy. So I made a decision to write a novel with a happy ending and I have been writing happy stories ever since.

I have been a member of the writing group The Writer’s Dozen for eight years. Our anthology Better Than Chocolate raised over $10,000 for the charity Room to Read and helped build a library in South East Asia. I am also a member of the Romance Writers of Australia. I was also had a piece in the Australian non-fiction book Copyfight in 2015.

I have written five stand-alone romantic comedies and three books in the Upper Crust Series ;Any Way You Slice It, Any Way You Dream It and Any Way You Fight It.

To learn more about Monique McDonell and her upcoming books please visit her at:

Website     Facebook     Twitter     Pinterest

Ready to buy Any Way You Fight It?

Amazon     Smashwords

And don't forget to enter the giveaway for an Amazon gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Plan Bea

I am truly delighted to reveal the cover of Hilary Grossman's next book, Plan Bea!

Release Date: October 2015

Genres: Women’s Fiction

Publisher: Booktrope

Isn't it gorgeous? I don't know about you, but I want to know more! Here's the skinny:

How well do you really know the people in your life?  

Annabel O’Conner has the perfect husband, two adorable children, an amazing job, and the mother from hell! Annabel doesn’t like it but has come to terms with the fact that her relationship with her mother, Bea, deteriorated to the point of forced and strained communications. However, an unscheduled call from Bea turns her world around and makes Annabel question everything she believed about her life.

Despite the fact secrets, lies, and misplaced blame have destroyed the women’s relationship; Annabel reluctantly agrees to help Bea plan her wedding. Little does Annabel know the impact of her decision.

In this Women’s Contemporary Fiction novel, Hilary Grossman explores the complex relationship that exists between mothers and daughters in a light-hearted and relatable manner.

I'm totally ready to add this to my Goodreads list. It won't be much longer until you get your hands on this hot new book!

In the meantime, let's find out more about Hilary.

Hilary Grossman loves to find humor in everyday life. She has an unhealthy addition to denim and high heel shoes. She likens life to a game of dodge ball - she tries to keep as many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. When she isn't writing, blogging, or shoe shopping she is the CFO of a beverage alcohol importer. She lives on the beach in Long Island. 

Connect with Hilary

Blog  Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest  Instagram

Newsletter Sign Up

As all this weren't exciting enough, Hilary is giving away Chanel fragrances! Enter below for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Direct Link:

The Price of Freedom

The day is almost here. The day when my boys will be back in school and life can return to normal. Well, as normal as it ever gets around here. I rub my hands together with glee in anticipation of the little freedoms I have lived without for the past nine weeks. Once I get through the horror of getting them out the door and safely dropped at school, the world will become my oyster! I can write when I want to write, not when they are momentarily mesmerized by a cartoon–all the while, the guilt of using a screen as a babysitter eating away at me. I can run errands without constant whining in my ear. Hot dog! I can pee in peace! And I can actually finish a thought without being interrupted with a request for a Disney Infinity game system. (Ever since news spread of the Star Wars characters, it’s ALL my boys talk about. They are relentless!) Life looks pretty damn good.

Source

Then the other shoe drops. I realize that I will now be left to my own devices in an empty house. Instead of sitting down with my laptop to bang out brilliant ideas for my latest book, I will be tempted to take advantage of the array of vices looming in front of me. Perhaps, a long, hot bath with a good book? I cannot remember the last time I could read without being interrupted every two minutes. (Constant requests for sustenance, technical assistance or refereeing prevent such a luxury. I’ve already been interrupted ten times since I started writing this blog post.) Once I talk myself out of my Calgon-take-me-away time, the remote will try to jump into my hand, beckoning me to lose myself in the wonders of Netflix, Google Play and Hulu Plus (Have you SEEN the number of cool shows they’ve added lately?) As I use one hand to force the other to drop the remote, I will remember the list of recipes I have bookmarked for the time when little helpers aren’t close enough to hear the whir of my KitchenAid. I will run from the kitchen, knowing if I set foot in there, I will come out several hours (and calories) later. I’m nothing if not thorough with my quality testing.

Recipe

The more I think about it, my impending kid-free surroundings start to feel like a minefield of epic proportions. How can I possibly be trusted to bypass all this cool stuff in favor of buckling down to work on my next book? (If I didn’t fall asleep shortly after my boys went to bed, I wouldn’t be in this predicament. I have literally NO alone time. That’s what having two rambunctious boys will do to you.) I’m reminded of my early college days when the doors of freedom opened wider than I had ever seen them and I was left with the choice to stray into the unknown or stay on the beaten path. After a small detour into debauchery, I was able to stick to the straight and narrow, capitalizing on the benefits of my excellent education. Maybe this is what I need to do now. Just a small taste of freedom should do it, right? Then I can focus.

Suddenly, I remember my secret weapon. My husband has just changed jobs, which means he will be working from home EVERY SINGLE DAY. Ha! There’s no way I could stand the ridicule I would see in his eyes if he were to catch me, say watching my umpteenth episode of Gilmore Girls or perfecting my latest cookie recipe. The drill sergeant is in place, y’all. We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Come hell or high water, my next book will be written.

(Psst! Don’t be fooled. My husband may look like he’s a sweetheart, but he has a mean streak! He’s PERFECT for the job.)

The price of freedom is rough, peeps. I’m really glad I don’t have to pay it on my own. ;)

Unexpected Writing Partner

Writing is a lonely business. Well, it has been for me. Sure, I have people to bounce ideas off of, I have Facebook writing groups that I visit frequently to both give and receive tips, encouragement and at times, stage an intervention (hee!), but when it comes down to writing those words down, I’m on my own. It can be a rather chilling feeling.

Very recently, I was given a writing partner. I should specify that this partner is of the human variety, since I’ve had feline contributors for years. He fell right into my lap–literally! My brilliant ten-year-old son snuggled up to me (score! That almost never happens anymore.), sweetly offering his help in developing my next book. Given that I write Chick Lit, this may seem like an odd decision for a boy who thinks of little other than video games, battles and Star Wars (really anything with a hint of violence), but once I share an exciting tidbit, things will make MUCH more sense.

I have great plans to shake things up, peeps! I’m going to add a touch of *gasp* fantasy to book #4. What the what?!? I may be off my rocker, but it certainly sounds like fun to me. After writing about my life for the last three books, I relish the idea of writing characters whom I’ve never met. You should still expect a lot of wackiness and romance, since that’s how I roll, but you will encounter many otherworldly elements, creating what I hope will be a magical reading experience. Ha!

I suddenly find myself excited, rather than petrified, to start writing again. Not only do I get to spend more time with my amazing son, but he gives great writing tips to his panster mother. We sit down with our matching Star Wars notebooks (Darth Vader for him, Yoda for me, natch) and we discuss our plans. He has me write character maps, CLEAR plot outlines and detailed notes about my settings. I’ve been jotting down so much information that I may have to bust into the R2-D2 notebook we bought because it was too cool to leave behind.

He’s also a stickler for schedules. If we say we’re going to write for the next two hours, we write for the next two hours–no matter how many notifications we hear pinging from our tablets about our progress in The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Even when I remind him that he begged me to play this insane game, and is therefore, responsible for my current addiction, he won’t allow me just a quick peek. Honestly! Where does he get this determination? I suppose this is karma for my, ahem, strict attitude during homework season. Payback really is a bitch.

So, dear readers, you can rest assured that my next book will be written in a timely manner. At the very least it will be written, because even if I attempt to give up, my spectacular writing partner simply won’t let me. And thank goodness for that, since my furry companions seems to have far more interest in other activities…

To Write or Not to Write?

A crazy question for an author to pose, I realize, but it’s one I’ve been asking myself since I finished writing my last book. I often feel like, well, a fraud. I haven’t been penning masterpieces since I was six. I didn’t spend my formative years wondering what it would be like to see my book on the shelf in my local Barnes & Noble. I certainly never had the shakes from not creating my own fictional worlds. Truth be told, I spent most of my life hating writing. That’s right. You heard me. I HATED writing. With a white-hot passion.

Yet, here I am, an author with three books under her belt. If you’re interested in how I became an author, I’ll be happy to tell you the whole story. For now, we’ll return to the topic at hand. The burning question of whether or not to continue down this path has been haunting me for months. Sure, I was able to distract myself for a few weeks, what with the end of school, our trip to France to visit my husband’s family and the general craziness of summer.

But when the dust settled, it seemed as though the choice had been made for me. I honestly thought I had lost my writing mojo. *GASP* Every time I sat down with my laptop, my brain would freeze. I totally choked. Not one intelligible thing would come out. Unable to believe I could so easily lose a talent as stellar as mine (ha!), I quickly shifted into rationalization mode. You know the drill: find any excuse not to put your brilliant words to the page. I came up with some really good ones, if I do say so myself.

*I don’t have time to write.

I’m a stay-at-home mom. My boys keep me really busy! I don’t have a spare moment to myself! Yeah...somehow I found the time to watch all eleven seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Clearly my reasoning was flawed. Shhh! It’ll be our secret.

(Source)

*I have to exercise–doctor’s orders.

Since when has my life been ruled by such things? Well, I may be a bit of a hypochondriac AND have a few pounds to lose after overindulging my pastry obsession in France. And my wine obsession. And my chocolate ob–shutting up now.

*I need to clean the–

OK, I can’t even finish that sentence. I truly abhor cleaning, but I did it anyway in my tireless effort to avoid writing. My house was sparkling, but I was miserable.

(Source)

*Summer is the time to spend with your kids. My boys NEED me.

Not as much as I needed them to distract me. Once they had hit their Mommy quota for the day, they were ready to hang out with friends–both two and three dimensional. (They love their video games a little too much. I really need to cut down their tablet time.)

Once I reached the end of my list of justifications, I thought all hope was lost. I was convinced my ability to tell amusing stories had been a fluke that left as quickly as it had come. It seems I was wrong. (It happens occasionally. OK. It happens often.) One night last week I couldn’t sleep. My youngest had a nightmare–the kind with such blood curdling screams that you think an intruder is trying to steal him. I flew out of bed, comforted him and sleepily acknowledged I had lost yet another of my nine lives.

Long after I had him settled back in bed, my heart was still racing. Then the most bizarre thing happened. My brain started filling in details for my next book. I had only done basic character sketches and a jotted down a few plot points, so there was barely even a skeleton. Suddenly everything started to fall into place. It was AMAZING.

(Source)

And just like that, I decided to keep writing. For now. ;)

Walk This Way: A Jay Walking Soundtrack

Can you believe summer is almost over! I sure can't. But there's still plenty of time to find some great summer reads.  Case in point - the delightful Tracy Krimmer's latest novel, Jay Walking. It's been out for less than a week! And who better to tell us about this awesome book than the woman herself. Take it away, Tracy!

When I first began writing, the only time I could sit and write was in total and utter silence. Even the sound of the dog snoring distracted me enough that I couldn't get my words down. By the time I drafted my second book, I couldn't write in silence. I learned I need a soundtrack. Music plays such an important role in the writing process, at least for me. I haven't seen a music video in years (do they even still exist?), but when I listen to a song, I always see a video playing in my mind. Story ideas form out of song lyrics all the time. My first draft of Pieces of it All transpired through Maroon 5's song "One More Night." The manuscript ended up taking a completely different turn, but its roots start there. Jay Walking was a fun playlist to create. When working on a draft certain scenes or themes remind me of specific songs. I start a Spotify playlist and keep adding to it. I keep Spotify open on my computer and listen while I write. To give you some background on Jay Walking, here is the blurb:

 

Chelsea Wyatt, a single mom trying to build a life for her and her son, is sick of the body she sees in the mirror. A daily diet of Cookie Crisp cereal is not doing wonders for her mood or her figure, and it’s time for a change. Setting out to get fit, she commits herself to a daily walking plan, forcing herself to give up her all-sugar and carb diet, a difficult task at her donut obsessed job. But her plan goes sideways when a stumble on the ice puts her in the arms of Jay, an attractive young man out on a run. They grab coffee together, and Chelsea finds herself thinking about him long after their short meeting. The thought of dating again hadn’t crossed her mind in years, and she doesn’t even know if Jay is available, or if he would be interested in her despite her unfit body. Just when she has a handle on her new routine, her past catches up with her, throwing her blossoming relationship with Jay and the rest of her life into chaos. Can Chelsea hold onto the people she loves most, or will a wrong turn set her up for failure? 

 This book focuses on fitness, romance, and body image. There are 32 songs on the playlist, and I always add to it. Here are some of my favorites: "Weak" by SWV. Come on 90s folks, who's with me here? I loved me some SWV back in the day. I love this song and it's perfect for Chelsea and her love interest, Jay. "Conqueror" by Estelle & Jussie Smollett. The first time I heard this song during an episode of "Empire" I thought of how hard we fight for things and do anything we can to achieve it. Chelsea wants a great life for herself and her son, a healthy lifestyle, and a great guy to boot. "Who Says" by Selena Gomez & "Try" by Colbie Caillat. Both of these songs are so important for young women. Body image is in our face all the time and these songs speak to everyone and remind us to love who we are just as we are. "Cold Hearted" by Paula Abdul. Chelsea's ex, Daniel, is, in a word, a jerk. This song is perfect for him! These are some of my favorites, but I love them all. Here is the full soundtrack. Follow me on Spotify to access the playlists for Pieces of it All and Caching In as well! 

 

 Pick up Jay Walking for only $2.99 for your e-reader through August 15th. On August 16th it goes back to its regular $3.99 price! Amazon Barnes & Noble iBooks Kobo

Giveaway! Open to US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Tracy Krimmer: Tracy’s love of writing began at nine years old. She wrote stories about aliens at school, machines that did homework for you, and penguins. Now she pens books and short stories about romance. She loves to read a great book, whether it be romance or science fiction, or any genre in between, or pop popcorn and catch up on her favorite TV shows or movies. She’s been known to crush a candy or two as well. Her first romance novel, Pieces of it All, released in May 2014 followed in December with Caching In, a romance mixed with the hobby of geocaching. She also has written several short stories. Find her online at www.tracykrimmer.com, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KrimmerAuthor or Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tkrimms.

Ten Things I Can't Live Without

When I was a kid, I used to love playing the game–“If you were on a desert island and could only take three things, what would they be?” Now that I’m older, I realize three things are simply not enough, so I’ve expanded my list to ten. Now, keep in mind, this list assumes that I get to keep my family, friends and cats no matter what. Otherwise, I would simply be sharing a list of names with you. Where’s the fun in that?

1.       Chocolate

I don’t think this one requires an explanation. 

2.       Coffee

My sons are somewhat unpredictable when it comes to their sleep schedules, so I’m often functioning on a small amount of sleep. What could counteract my drooping eyelids better than a strong cup of coffee? After a period of trial and error, my boys have come to understand they must wait to ask for anything until I’ve had my first cup. The past has shown them I will ask the same question over and over and make cranky faces until the caffeine hits my brain.

3.       Yoga pants

They’re really comfortable! Sometimes when I have a bad case of writer’s block, I whip out my yoga mat, hoping the stretching will knock my brain out of its funk. Nine times out of ten, an idea hits me and I race to my laptop. The good news is that the story gets finished. The bad news is that my workout doesn’t. Oh well! The voices wait for no one…

4.       Cute Shoes

As a stay-at-home mom, I have no need to dress up. While I don’t miss working in corporate America, I do miss wearing nice clothes. (My dry clean only days are far behind me!) The one area I can still sport fashionable items is on my feet. It goes without saying that the fancy shoes aren’t paired with the yoga pants. 

5.       Music

Nothing relieves stress like a good booty shakin’. On those days when life seems impossible, I whip out my phone and play DJ for my boys. We dance around our kitchen like a bunch of lunatics, bopping our heads to our favorite tunes. (Billy Joel, Maroon 5 and Bruno Mars are at top of the list.) It’s impossible not to feel better when you hear your favorite hook. And as a very wise friend of mine once told me, “There’s nothing a little Prince can’t fix.”

6.       Books

Another thing that helps me combat writer’s block is delving into someone else’s fictional world. There’s just something about hearing another author’s voice in your head and reading the contents of his/her imagination. I always find myself inspired afterwards.

7.       A bathtub

Where better to read my books than in a luxurious tub? I fill it with steaming hot water, turn on the jets and grab a book. This is the time to employ my love of hard copy books. Given my klutzy nature, bringing my tablet close to a large amount of water is the definition of insanity.

8.       An oven

I may be an author by trade, but I’m a baker at heart. I haven’t met a recipe for cookies, cakes or muffins that I haven’t liked. (As long as it contains chocolate.)

9.       Hulu

My husband is a giant tech geek and has created his own DVR system, which I have no prayer of being able to program. I’m admittedly a TV junkie and am thrilled to find all my favorites on Hulu. It has become an integral part of my morning wake-up routine, with Mysteries of Laura showing particular skill at coaxing me out of my tired state.

10.    Wine

A glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. I prefer a dry red with hints of oak and pepper. I’m lucky enough to have access to my very own French label, Mas Astié, courtesy of my husband’s uncle. Marriage certainly has its perks!

  

There you have it–my ten necessities to survive life on a desert island. I suppose I should have included plumbing and electricity! You live, you learn. What’s on your list?

Find Your Next Chick Lit Read / #ChickLitMay Giveaway!

May is International Chick Lit Month. Let's be honest—it's the best month of the year! Every year, chick lit readers and writers get together to celebrate, share, discuss and gush about their favorite book genre. Not familiar with chick lit or Chick Lit Month? Visit internationalchicklitmonth.com for more information. This year marks the fifth anniversary of ICLM.
To celebrate, a bunch of enthusiastic authors got together and made an infographic to help readers find their next chick lit read. We're giving away 19 ebooks to 19 lucky readers. Just enter to win the books you'd like to read! To enter, comment on the blog post below, listing which books from the graphic you'd like to read and WHY you would like to read them. (Make sure to include your email address so we can contact you.) Entrants can only enter once per blog, but can check out other blogs with this same post and comment there for extra entries! All those links are down below. Entries close on midnight Friday, May 22 (Pacific Daylight Time), and winners will be contacted directly on May 31. Good luck everyone—and happy reading! :D (Even if you missed this giveaway, feel free to share this graphic on your blog and spread the chick lit love!)

Find the authors and books here, and enter again!

Deeper Themes

• 30 First Dates by Stacey Wiedower / Amazon link: getBook.at/30FirstDates
• At the Edge of the Sea by Karen M. Cox / Amazon link: getBook.at/EdgeoftheSea
• Cheating to Survive by Christine Ardigo / Amazon link: smarturl.it/qihydt
• The Postcard by Lily Graham / Amazon link: getBook.at/ThePostcard
• The Same But Different by Serena Clarke / Amazon link: getBook.at/TheSameButDifferent
• The Trouble with Dying by Maggie Le Page / Amazon link: getBook.at/TheTroubleWithDying

* * *

A Little Magic

• A Leap In Time by Engy Albasel Neville / Amazon link: getbook.at/LeapinTime
• Scary Modsters…and Creepy Freaks by Diane Rinella / Amazon link: getBook.at/ScaryModsters

* * *

Laughs Guaranteed

• Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr / Amazon link: myBook.to/Bloggergirl
• French Twist by Glynis Astie / Amazon link: myBook.to/gafrenchtwist
• Miss Adventure by Geralyn Corcillo / Amazon link: getbook.at/MissAdventure
• Molly Miranda, Thief for Hire by Jillianne Hamilton / Amazon link: mybook.to/MollyMiranda1
• Thirty-Two Going On Spinster by Becky Monson / Amazon link: myBook.to/32goingonspinster
• Twin Piques by Tracie Banister / Amazon link: myBook.to/TwinPiques

* * *

Light & Bright

• Caching In by Tracy Krimmer / Amazon link: getBook.at/CachingIn
• Something in the Heir by Jenny Gardiner / Amazon link: getBook.at/SomethingintheHeir
• Wedding Haters by Melissa Baldwin / Amazon link: getbook.at/weddinghaters

* * *

On Distant Shores

• Mr Right and Other Mongrels by Monique McDonell / Amazon link: getBook.at/MrRightOtherMongrels
• Set Me Free by Jennifer Collin / Amazon link: myBook.to/setmefree

* * *

Enter one more time at these great chick lit blogs!

• Chick Lit Plus
• Chick Lit Central
• Living Life With Joy
• Chicks That Read
• Bookaholic Confessions
• Mrs. Mommy Booknerd
• Book Mama Blog
• Every Free Chance

It's Launch Day!

The final chapter of Sydney and Louis' epic love story is now available for your reading pleasure! Woohoo! And to celebrate this awesome event, I will be visiting some fantastic blogs. Keep your eyes peeled for my riveting posts and sweet prizes! Visit my Facebook author page for daily updates on all the fun!

What kind of mess has Sydney gotten herself into this time? Check this out!

Sydney Durand had finally achieved the perfect life she had always wanted. After a whirlwind romance with a charming Frenchman, she endured the three weddings it required to satisfy the members of the newly formed Bennett-Durand clan. All she had left to do was stroll into the sunset with Louis to enjoy their long-awaited happily ever after.

But everything changed when the stick turned blue. Suddenly, Sydney finds herself facing the daunting task of becoming a mother before she has even returned home from her honeymoon. Keeping a tenacious hold on her hard-won happiness, Sydney is determined not to give up without a fight – no matter what or who is thrown in her path…and that includes an overbearing mother-in-law, a know-it-all father and her own anxiety about having a baby.

Will she finally be able to tame her neuroses for the sake of her unborn child? Or will her hormone-induced panic cause a meltdown of epic proportions? One thing is clear: Sydney and Louis’ nerves are going to fry…

Sound like a good story? Head on over to Amazon to snap it up!

And don't forget to enter the French Fry Launch Giveaway hosted by none other than Royal Social Media! The giveaway begins on 5/13/15 at 12:01 AM and ends on 5/20/15 at 11:59 PM. Three prizes will be awarded: 

1. $25 amazon gift card & ebook set of the French Twist series

2. 2 e-book sets of the French Twist series.

The giveaway is open for US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's on Page 45?

       Do you ever flip to a random page in a book and read it, just to see if the book will pull you in? I do. I love wandering around book stores and checking out the bounty of incredible books at my fingertips. Don't get me wrong–I love my Kindle–but there's something about holding a book in your hands and devouring the words the way you used to as a kid. The feel of the crisp paper as you turn each page, the smell of the fresh print and the lure of the brand new adventure hoping to tempt you into finding a welcoming chair (and perhaps a mocha) and losing yourself for the afternoon.

But I digress! We’re clearly not in a book store, so we’ll have to do our page flipping virtually. I’m going to give you a sneak peek into French Twist, my debut novel, which tells the tale of the whirlwind romance I shared with my husband *gasp* nearly fourteen years ago. I met him while he was in the US on assignment from his Paris-based software company and my life hasn’t been the same since. On page 45, you will find the conversation I had with my sister after our first official date:

       “The man is the most amazing kisser ever. Never in my life have I experienced anything like it.”  I became breathless just from the memory of last night.

       “Oooh! When are you going to see him again?” She was pretty breathless herself.

       I still can’t catch my breath after he unleashes his signature kisses on me–just the right combination of tender and steamy. This swoon-worthy feeling HAD to be included in our epic love story. It’s the stuff dreams are made of! And there’s plenty more where that came from. Feast your eyes on this!

       Sydney Bennett had spent her life in pursuit of perfection. She planned, weighed her options and made careful choices based on calculated outcomes. Through all of her efforts, she had come pretty close to perfection, if she didn’t say so herself. She had fled the cold winters in New York for sunny California, found a job that she loved and lived in the same town as her sister, and best friend, Kate. The one area of perfection that had always eluded her was her love life. No matter how hard she tried, she always ended up with a broken heart. After a particularly traumatic breakup, Sydney vowed that she was done with love.

     Just as Sydney threw herself into her new plan to forget about men, a handsome Frenchman tossed all of her intentions out the window as he swept her off of her feet. Louis Durand had lived a life filled with excitement and adventure. He was impetuous, intelligent and incredibly charming. So naturally, he scared Sydney half to death. From the moment they met, Louis and Sydney’s romance progressed at warp speed. Sydney did her best not to run, but her deep rooted relationship anxiety threatened to provide an easy exit. When Louis mentioned marriage before Sydney even knew his favorite color, she was more than tempted to reach for her running shoes. Will she be able to put her fears aside to follow her heart? The one thing that Sydney will learn is that sometimes perfection comes with a twist...

Was that enough to reel you in? I sure hope so! If you want to hear more about Sydney and Louis' story, run on over to Amazon and buy this awesome book!

But that's not all! Check out the links below for a whole bunch of other book teasers!

Kristina Knight   Pippa Franks   Laura Kenyon

Jayne Denker   Amy Gettinger   Gina Henning

 Jennifer Ammoscato   Lauren Clark

Laura Chapman   Celia Kennedy   Jennifer Farwell

Clodagh Murphy   Stacey Wiedower   Bethany Turner

Franky Brown   Tracy Krimmer   Jillianne Hamilton

Catherine L. Hensley   Becky Monson   Georgina Troy

Zanna Mackenzie   Jennifer Collin   Monique McDonell
Samantha March   Sky Greene   Whitney Dineen

Maggie Le Page   Kathryn Biel   Meredith Schorr

Karen M. Cox   Rachel L. Hamm   T. A. Munroe

Heather Balog   Jennie Marts   Serena Clarke

But that's still not all! You could win a truly delectable prize from all your blog hopping. Check this out!

GRAND PRIZE

A one-pound package of caramels from Whitney's Goodies! The winner will be lucky enough to choose their flavor from those listed below.

This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only.

The Girl Next Door (Crème Caramels): A scrumptious, full-bodied caramel. Old fashioned, melt-in-your-mouth bliss!

The Charmer (Chocolate Crème Caramels): This smooth, chocolate cream caramel will add panache to your day. An exquisite and elegant morsel, simply irresistible.

The Movie Star (Orange Crème Caramels): A timeless treat that will satisfy caramel fans of all ages. “The stuff that dreams are made of!”

The Bombshell (Lemon Crème Caramels): A bodacious bit of heaven with a bold citrus pallet. They will leave you satisfied and refreshed. Caramels are a girl’s best friend!

Always a Lady (Rose Caramels): A delicate bouquet of rose essence infuses this lovely caramel: alluring, tantalizing and reminiscent of another era. They are perfect for weddings and bridal showers. A definite for ladies who lunch or breakfast at Tiffany’s.

HOW TO ENTER

To enter, answer the following question in the comments section below: "In 4 or 5 words, why do you think French Twist would be a good read?"

Please be sure to include your full name as well as your e-mail address. Entries devoid of this information will not be eligible to win the grand prize. How sad would that be? And remember, there are 36 blogs to visit, each one giving you another chance to win! Woohoo!

 A winner will be chosen via Random.org on Tuesday, May 19th.