Big news, bigger giveaway!!!

Welcome to the Tuesday tease!

Yes! It’s here, my ~BIG~ news. Things have been happening behind the scenes and I’m so glad to finally share them with you! Drumroll………The SOMEONE TO LOVE Series has been purchased by Skyscape publishing in a three-book deal! *throws confetti* *happy dances*

Skyscape is a division of Amazon’s traditional publishing arm, and has an amazing team that’s dedicated to making their books succeed. I’m so excited to be working with everyone over at Skyscape including the super awesome, Tim Ditlow! *waves at Tim* I’m super thrilled to experience everything they have to offer and super excited to get started.

I want to especially thank my agent Rachelle Gardner for helping me get there. She’s my ninja fairy godmother, so it’s no surprise she makes magic happen. She always seems to get me to exciting places. Thank you, Rachelle!

And I can’t wait to bring the rest of the series to you. It's steamy, and fun, and well... more Cruise. ;)

So, what does this mean? SOMEONE TO LOVE will be released as a paperback sometime in the fall (October-ish). Book two, Ally and Morgan’s story will be released around the New Year—and the final book which reverts back to Kendall and Cruise will hit the bookshelves shortly thereafter.

I’m really excited—so much so that I want to get you excited too. So here's a little giveaway to celebrate this awesome publishing news, the launch of EVANESCENT, and as my thank you to YOU for getting me on the bestseller’s list this year. I’m giving away four Amazon gift cards for $25.00 each, along with a Kindle fire HD!!!! That’s right, FIVE winners!!!!!!!! I’ll announce the winners on May 7, 2013. The deadline to enter is midnight pacific time May 6, 2013 and the only way to enter is through rafflecopter. (If you’re reading on facebook please drift on over to the blog!)  

Now for some odd news…

Saturday morning I wake up groggy, sans coffee, flip open the laptop and see the new ad for this season of the Bachelorette. Fun right? I’m their biggest fan so I’m already there! But I must say I was a bit surprised when I saw the dress the new bachelorette donned to kick off her hormone-laden journey. It looked a little familiar. Like really familiar. As in Laken Stewart, familiar. Well, anyway here are my book covers, and their ad for the new season so we can do a little juxtaposition…

SO what do you think? A little photo-shopping and I can use it as the final cover for the trilogy. Right? 

I’m teasing. I’m totally awestruck to be in such great company. And I guess this is a great time to tell you all about my New Adult book entitled, THE FINAL ROSE, in which my protagonist Christina Harrison goes on a wild and steamy adventure while shopping for love on a reality show. Sounds cool, right? I jest. I JEST!!!

I love my covers. I love their ad—great minds and all that good stuff. I’m still their number one fan. Or at least I will be once I procure some tickets to the season finale.

On to the teasers and please don’t forget to enter below with rafflecopter!

Happy reading!   

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

 (Logan to Skyla in front of Chloe)

“You and Chloe are friends?” Logan wraps his arm around me tight as we follow Ingram down the winding path. “When did this happen?”

“It happened never. She’s just trying to meet her quota of lies for the day. I’m her most prolific subject if you haven’t noticed.”

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

(Skyla with Barron and Emma)

“So have you decided which one you’ll spend the rest of your life with?” Barron says it so banal and polite you’d think I was getting ready to order dinner off a menu—more like dessert. Gage would be liquid fudge and Logan would be one of those exotic dishes that they set on fire before they serve it to you.

I shake the thought away.

I can’t believe my mind just reduced a Celestra to flames, it’s so not right.

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

(Gage and Skyla on Rockaway Beach with Nev)

Nev has the nerve to hop into our tiny hut and onto my back.

“Hey, dude.” Gage gives him a gentle push off my person. “If I’m not getting any action, neither are you,” he teases. 

I give a soft laugh. “God, Gage.” I trace out his perfect lips, and my muscles tense up. “Everything in me wants to give you more than a little action,” I whisper.

Hope you enjoyed!

Enter below to win one of four $25.00 Amazon gift certificates or a 7” Kindle Fire HD!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Tuesday Tease

It’s Tuesday.

First, super big hugs to everyone because yesterday was a tough day. My heart goes out to all those in Boston, and to every hurting soul on the planet. Evil doesn’t win. It Can’t. It won’t.

I had a huge giveaway planned for today but I didn't think it was appropriate so I’m going to move it quite possibly until next Tuesday. I’ll also have some big book news to share in a few days, so I might just couple it with that. The giveaway will happen. I have to thank you for your impossible kindness which has translated in my ability to land in places like this: Publisher’s Weekly (The Bestselling Books of 2013 January-March). So BIG thank you.

EVANESCENT is out! I wish happy reading to all who are reading it. I really hope you enjoy hearing from Laken, Coop, and Wes.

To those of you who received the newsletter, I hope you had fun with it! I got a letter from “mail chimp” (my newsletter carrier) threating to suspend my account for illicit drafts. What's this? Passing illegal notes? Threats of suspension? Why, it’s just like high school! For me, anyway. 

Anyhoo, the newsletter lives to see another day. For now.

On to the teasers. Since I’m just "teasing" the one book, and it’s been a tough week, I thought I’d give you two ELYSIAN teasers—and they're long! I might tease a new book starting next week. ELYSIAN feels a little lonely down there. 

Enjoy!    

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

*(Skyla and Logan observing Ezrina's dealings in the lab) And, it might sound spoilery, but I promise it's not!

“Transfusion?” I hop over to see who or what in the hell she’s sucking the living plasma out of, hopefully Demetri but since he doesn’t meet the human criteria I find this doubtful. In fact, I bet if we sawed the violent Fem in half all sorts of green goo—

I startle at what those twisted cords are connected to and all thoughts, all memory of autonomic responses leave my body as I forget to breathe.

Chloe Bishop lies in the stainless casket next door. Her face pale as snow, her lips a muted shade of navy. Her unpolished fingernails have turned black at the base.

“Holy shit,” Logan whispers.

This is a dream within a dream—Chloe Bishop captured and drained for a noble purpose like piecing Ellis Harrison back together again. Chloe the white witch lies with her granular appearance, ashen as table salt. She looks marvelously dazed, her eyes crossing ever so slightly as she labors to breathe.

“Sky—la,” she stutters out my name while locked in her death throes. It’s such a beautiful sight, I’d whip out my cell and take a picture, but I don’t want to miss a second of the action. Watching Chloe die has been my heart’s desire for some time now.

“I’m here for you, Chloe.” I try to hide my blooming elation. “Go to the light.” But in Chloe’s case, it’s most likely the dark.

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

*(Skyla and Gage in his bedroom)

The pipes squeal and twist as the water shuts off, and a moment later Gage steps out in a vat of steam with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

“All dressed up and nowhere to go?” I tease, propping myself on my elbow to afford a better look. Gage is cut to precision with abs that ripple, strong as steel.

“Oh, I’ve got somewhere to go,” he says it low, most definitely seductive and a mild panic surges in me.

Gage swoops in and lands beside me on the bed with dew from the shower still beading over his chest. He beams a wicked smile that lets me know it’s game on and Logan had better watch his pretty boy back. Gage is in it to win it, and I’m not sure how much fortitude I have to stave either one of them off.

Hope you enjoyed~!

I’ll keep you up to date on the giveaway and the big news!

Evanescent is live!

Evanescent (The Countenance Trilogy 2) is live over at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords! I'll update once it hits  iBookstore.

Young Adult         Mature Situations/Language

Sixteen-year-old Laken Stewart died last summer. Her resurrection at the hands of the Countenance hasn’t run smoothly. With the memory of her past life still firmly intact, Laken moves deeper into the Countenance organization in an effort to free her mother and sister from the deadly Celestra tunnels.

The love she feels for her boyfriend, Wesley, is compromised when gorgeous Cooper Flanders teams up with her in the fight to free their families. Old bonds are slowly severed as new ones are galvanized.

Wesley is sure that what he and Laken share is special but when it becomes apparent that she’s reading his mind, he’s determined to get the bottom of her true intentions. And one thing is for sure, the Celestra that’s giving her these powers is going to have to pay. Wesley’s love for Laken takes him to the dark places he never believed existed and what he discovers dismantles his world as he knows it.  

Happy reading!!!

Tuesday Tease + cover reveal~!

Happy Tuesday~! Welcome back to the Tuesday tease!

I did it! I finally read through EVANESCENT for the  thousandth final time. *breathes*

I swear, it was an OCD effort on my part. I read it fast, I read it slow, I read it with a finger over each and every word, I read it out loud—twice. In fact, a neighbor knocked on the door and said she came by earlier but I didn’t answer and she didn’t want to bother me because she could hear I was “on the phone.” She then proceeded to gawk at me in horror, crazy eyes and all. I have a serious disdain for talking on the phone for longer than a minute. What she heard was me reading my book. Probably something steamy, or incriminating in a felony suit—both if she was lucky. Anyway, such is life, right?

So EVANESCENT is off to the formatter. I’ll update on FB and let you know what the status is. In the meantime, I’ll set up the blurb and get it one hundred percent ready to roll as soon as I get it back. Which brings me to the newsletter! As soon as the book goes live I’m going to push my newsletter out to let you know. See? Totally not spamming your inbox! Plus, I’m throwing in a bunch of book extra’s and a letter from Gage to Skyla, so if you haven’t signed up, please do!

Now that EVANESCENT is out of my hands I’m one thousand percent all over ELYSIAN. Yay! ELYSIAN is exactly twice as long as EVANESCENT *cries a little* but like all my books I let my characters do the grunt work and I sit back and watch the show. The edits are on Skyla’s shoulders. I’ll be there cheering her on with coffee and chocolate. #Truestory

Off to the teasers!

EVANESCENT (The Countenance Trilogy 2)

(Wes and Laken at Charity Lake. Wes wants an explanation as to why she’s been acting strange.)

*Wesley’s point of view

“Are you ready to hear this?” She shoots the words out like daggers, and a ball of acid rips through my insides. The last thing I expected was Laken to be pissed at me.

“Yes,” I say it low, trying to defuse the situation.

“You never believe a damn thing I say,” she snaps. Her head ticks to the side as if she were readying for a showdown. If a shouting match is what she’s hoping for, she’ll be sorely disappointed. Not one part of me feels like fighting with Laken tonight or ever.

“What do you want me to believe?” I say it calm, sedate, and it only seems to piss her off more.

She takes a breath and holds it before bouncing to her left and gaping at me incredulously.

“Are we in Kansas again?” I shake my head. “Is that what this is about?” I can feel my blood pressure spike out of nowhere. I try to deny myself the right to an argument, but my emotions want to duke it out all the way back to her fictitious town.

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

*(Skyla and Marshall, Halloween night.)

Marshall tweaks his brows, amused. “I believe the words you used as you entered my home this evening were trick or treat.”

“Oh, so you decide to go for the trick just as Gage and I were about to indulge in a treat.”

“It seems the entire exercise was lost upon you. I, my love, am the treat.”

“Ha!” I yelp in his face a little louder than anticipated. “How was your party?” I pause to take him in. He looks no worse for wear. There’s no sign of external trauma, no bedhead, no claw marks at least anywhere I can see—not one hickey to sexually incriminate him.

“You think I slept with her.” His cheek rides up the side as if he were relishing this.

“Did you?” I stop breathing in the event he paints a picture that I’ll need to grate out of my mind with a razor.

“No, Skyla. I’m perfectly chaste. The only place these lips have been this evening is on your person. And you Ms. Messenger? Can you say the same?” He tips into me ready to roll his eyes if I deny it. “I thought so.”

Hope you enjoyed~!

**Please be sure to sign up for my newsletter that I promise not to spam your inbox with.  You’ll receive updates as soon as books are launched, character extras and exclusive excerpts! It will be made of serious yum~!

Subscribe to my mailing list

Tuesday Teasers~!

It’s Tuesday again! It’s like we’re on a loop, oh wait, we are. ;) I hope everyone had a great weekend free from drama and trauma that only holidays can bring. I think I’ve overdosed on chocolate, although that didn’t stop me from lopping the ears off a choco bunny this morning for breakfast. He had it coming all snug in his gold foil suit, that painted on smile, but I digress…

Book news! EVANESCENT is done, done, done! I’m still touching up the cover, and I’ll probably read it for the zillionth time while I take my daughter and her BFF to Color Me Mine this afternoon, but I’ll give it to the formatter ASAP and I’ll let you know as soon as I hit publish. I hope all goes well (I’m looking at you B&N).

In other news, ELYSIAN is looooong but I’m going to tackle edits like my life, and mostly my sanity, depended on it and knock it out. I’ve been getting a steady eight hours of sleep but I’m willing to shave a few Zzz’s off the backend and make this happen. You deserve the conclusion to Skyla’s story. I hope you’ll enjoy the final journey of the young adult series as much as I have. It’s a wild one.

Plus there are the innumerous secret projects which I hope to unveil soon. But that fun is for another day. Off to the teasers!  

EVANESCENT (The Countenance Trilogy 2)

(Laken and Cooper headed to his house)

*Laken’s POV

“So”—Coop nods in my direction as we make our way through the white picket fence—“everything go okay with Wes tonight? You looked like a beauty queen—still do.”

A warm rush filters through me as I blush head to toe. Coop knows how to make me feel like a princess.

“Thank you. And it went fine,” I say as we make our way up the porch. It feels great like this with Coop, coming home with him night after night. His bed feels more like my own than the one waiting for me at Austen House. “I saw you talking to Wes earlier. Anything you want to share?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

“He was feeling me out.” Coop opens the door and lets us in. “He was playing it cool but started asking about Grayson. He wants us to go on a ‘double date.’” Coop mouths the words with a silent laugh. He takes up my hand and electrocutes me with a jolt of excitement. Coop leads us through the dim lit house as if we were on some covert mission. So I guess it’ll be you and me, and him and Grayson, he teases. You think they’ll make out in front of us?

ELYSIAN (Celestra Series Book 8) The Final book in the young adult series.

*(Brielle trying to convince Skyla to take the boyz out for a test drive.)

“Trust me”—Brielle lends a dramatic pause—“you want a man who knows his way around both his equipment and yours.”

“I’m sure each of them could figure it out.” A brief visual of Gage and his equipment runs through my mind and I blink it away.

“You’re right it wouldn’t be fair.” Brielle looks off in a daze for a moment. “It’s obvious Dudley would dominate in that arena. I swear to you I’ve been with a lot of guys and not one of them knew half the things that man did. He was just…it was incredible—it was out of this world.”

“He sort of is out of this world,” I whisper.

My face explodes like a firecracker on the Fourth of July. I had long suspected Marshall would win the gold in the fornicating Olympics. It doesn’t help that he’s got the face and body of a sexual demigod.

“All right, enough.” I run my fingers under the sink and sprinkle both her and I with water in an effort to cool us off. “I’m not having some sexual triathlon, so you can pull your head out of the gutter.”

Hope you enjoyed~!

**Please be sure to sign up for my newsletter that I promise not to spam your inbox with.  You’ll receive updates as soon as books are launched, character extras and exclusive excerpts! It will be made of serious yum~!

Subscribe to my mailing list