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A New Year, A New Book! THE JANUARY WISH is here… [Plus Giveaway]
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, 2014, here we are! And what better way to kickstart the new year than by relaxing with a good book? Don’t know what to read? Problem solved: my new novel releases today, 1st Jan, THE JANUARY WISH. 🙂
Here’s what the book is about:
From Escape’s queen of ro-magic comedy comes a sweet, emotional contemporary romance about the pleasures of making a wish and seeing it come true.
When Dr Sylvia Greene makes an impromptu wish at the Tarrin’s Bay Wishing Festival, it’s the most out of character action she can think of. Hers is not a life of wishes. Hers is a controlled life of order, plans and preparation…of science and research and diagnosis and treatment. But her past has been weighing on her mind, and decisions made long ago have far-reaching consequences.
A week later, the daughter she secretly gave up for adoption at sixteen arrives in Sylvia’s small coastal town with secrets that can’t be shared. Between feelings of guilt, gossip, and a growing attraction to an emotionally unavailable colleague, Sylvia’s well-ordered life is soon thrown into chaos. She is no longer alone, and for the first time she feels as if her world is open to possibilities.
They say be careful what you wish for, but, for Sylvia, the unexpected consequences may be just what the doctor ordered.
THE JANUARY WISH is perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs and Sherryl Woods, and those who like small town books like Susan Mallery’s ‘Fools Gold‘ series. The (then unpublished) manuscript of The January Wish was also a finalist in the Choc Lit Search for an Australian Star contest in 2012. It is the first in the Tarrin’s Bay series, and the second book FEBRUARY OR FOREVER is releasing soon, on 1st Feb 2014.
>>Buy THE JANUARY WISH from all good ebook retailers:
Amazon – Amazon UK – Amazon Aus – iTunes/iBookstore – Kobo – B&N/Nook – GooglePlay – BigW ebooks – Booktopia – JB HiFi – ebooks.com – All Romance ebooks
WIN STUFF! I’m running a giveaway for the whole month of January. You could win:
1. A $25 Amazon Gift Card to spend on anything at Amazon (you can get quite a few ebooks for that!)
2. A beautiful coastal photographic print of the setting of the novel (South Coast of NSW Australia). The print is unframed so you can put it in a frame of your choice, and measures approximately 30 x 21cm (12 x 8 inches). I’ll also throw in some autographed book cover cards for you too. I will send this anywhere in the world.
>>Enter via rafflecopter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
There are several ways to enter and if you like you can tweet about the giveaway each day and get extra entries, just visit any of the posts during my tour schedule and click the rafflecopter link to ‘tweet about the giveaway’ on as many days in January as you choose. All other entry options in the rafflecopter form are once only. The winner will be drawn on 1st Feb and will be notified via email.
THE JANUARY WISH BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE
Read more about The January Wish, myself, and my writing life during my blog tour. Here are the blogs and dates in January I’ll be visiting:
1st: ARRA blog.
2nd: Jenn J McLeod’s blog – interview.
3rd: Jennie Jones’ blog – interview.
4th: Special Event: THE WISHING FESTIVAL day 1 – on Facebook. Join now!
5th: Special Event: THE WISHING FESTIVAL day 2 – on Facebook. Join now!
6th: Rachael Johns’ blog – guest post.
8th: The Australian Bookshelf – Author Q&A.
10th: Whitney K-E’s blog – guest post.
11th:
12th:
13th: Juanita Kees’ blog – guest post.
14th: Eva Scott’s blog – interview.
15th: RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) – Author Spotlight.
16th: a) Tea Cooper’s blog – guest post.
b) Aussie Owned & Read – guest post.
17th:
18th: Fiction Dreams – interview.
19th:
20th: Darlene Fredette’s blog – Book spotlight & excerpt.
21st:
22nd: Katherine Givens’ blog – interview.
23rd: Jenny Schwartz’s blog – guest post.
Escape Publishing blog – guest post.
24th:
25th:
26th:
27th: The Neverending Bookshelf – interview.
28th:
29th:
30th: Chick Lit Central – interview.
31st:
>> Join the Tarrin’s Bay Series Readers Group on Facebook here, for fun, discussions, competitions, sneak peeks, photos, and more.
Make a wish… Take part in THE WISHING FESTIVAL!
To celebrate the new year, my new book, and to spread some new year’s cheer around the world (well, Facebook at least), I’m hosting the inaugural Wishing Festival in January! You are all invited, and I hope to see you there (details below).
What is a Wishing Festival? Well, first of all let me tell you about the one in my book, The January Wish, which releases on 1st January. In the story, it’s an annual Tarrin’s Bay event held on the 4th January at the Wishing Fountain in Miracle Park, the popular meeting spot for the town’s locals. People come from far and wide to the small coastal town to take part in the festivities and make a wish in the historic fountain. Legend says that on the day of the fountain’s completed construction, a woman tossed in a coin, walked around the fountain, and later on her missing husband returned safe and sound. Another woman who made a wish was cured of a serious disease. Or so the legend says. Dr Sylvia Greene, sceptic and all round party pooper doesn’t believe in wishes, but on the day of the festival she does her bit for charity and takes part, and what comes next turns her life upside down and inside out…
So instead of going to the trouble of finding a fountain and getting my friends from around the globe to trek all the way to my little part of the world, I’ve created an online version of the event!
The Wishing Festival will take place on the designated Facebook event page on the weekend of 4th and 5th January. There’ll be fun and prizes galore, and who knows, your wish may even come true. 😉
Why take part? Here’s why you should come! You will get to…
1. Make a wish – toss a virtual coin into the virtual fountain and make your wish! In other words; post your wish to the event page, or in the comment thread of the wishing fountain picture and the ‘make a wish’ post that I’ll put up there on the day. *If you have a private wish, you can simply post: ‘I have made my wish.’ Let’s all support each other’s wishes and some may just come true!
2. Pay a wish forward by sharing the event logo on your Facebook wall, page, group, or on a friend’s wall. (The event logo can be seen on the event page now, but on the day I’ll post it again officially and let you know when it’s time to start the share-fest!). When you share the picture, include a message for your friend or all your friends in general, and tell them what you wish for them in the new year. For example: In 2014 I wish for you…an abundance of success in your career, or ...optimal health and happiness, or anything you think your friend/s might appreciate. You may also like to encourage them to share the logo and a wish to their own friends as well.
3. Win prizes! Throughout the whole weekend you could win a heap of different prizes, from books to gift cards to writing critiques to jewellery and other goodies (I’m currently collating some great prizes. If you would like to donate anything please do so via this link).
Here are the ways you can win:
- Simply register for the event by clicking ‘Join‘. All registered attendees will be automatically put in the draw for a prize, even if they can’t take part in the fun (though I hope they will)!
- Share the event logo and a wish for your friends over 4th and 5th January.
- Post your wish on the event page or (preferably) the official ‘make a wish’ post over the weekend.
- Leave a comment on any of my posts during the event. I’ll let you know in each post which prize is up for grabs so you can enter all or just the ones you really want!
4. Have fun! Get sneak peek excerpts from The January Wish novel (and maybe even the next book in the series which doesn’t release till Feb!), meet the characters, answer trivia questions and scavenger hunt questions to win prizes, ask me questions, chat with other attendees, mingle with surprise guests, and enjoy gourmet virtual food and drinks all served by the gorgeous Jonah from Tarrin’s Bay’s most popular cafe: Cafe Lagoon (Jonah is a character in the book).
So before the mayhem of Christmas and New year’s takes over, head over to the event page now and click ‘Join’, and invite a few friends too if you like. Here’s the link.
I look forward to seeing you there! And if you wish to read the novel before the event (not required but there might be some extra rewards for those that do!), you can preorder here. I might include some trivia questions that need a copy of the book to be answered 😉
Would you like to donate a prize for the event? Click here. Donations close 19th Dec.
Make a wish … Pay it forward … Win a prize! Join THE WISHING FESTIVAL!
Freebies & Giveaways!
With November being Escape Publishing’s 1st birthday, there are lots of giveaways and freebies going around, so I thought I’d share some of them here so you can nab a bargain or a prize!
>>First, here are two ebooks that are FREE right now for a limited time:
1. WHITE CHRISTMAS by Ros Baxter (free for preorders)
2. THE SECRET DIARY OF LADY CATHERINE BEXLEY by Viveka Portman
>>And here are four giveaways to win books from Escape Publishing (including some by yours truly ;))
1. Win I DREAM OF JOHNNY at Novel Escapes (Hurry! Ends soon!)
2. Win a five-pack of ebooks, including FAST FORWARD, at Chick Lit Club.
3. Win one of nine ebook bundles in various genres at Delighted Reader.
4. Win a five-pack of contemporary romance ebooks at Into The Night Reviews.
So get in quick and stock your e-reader with some holiday reading!
And once again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESCAPE PUBLISHING! 🙂
Past, Present, & Future with Jami Deise [Plus Giveaway!]
In the spirit of my debut novel, Fast Forward, I’m doing a series of interviews with authors about their past, present & future. Today, please welcome author of humorous women’s fiction, Jami Deise!
PAST:
1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A doctor. But I never had any aptitude for math and science.
2. What did you do before you became a writer?
My only non-writing jobs were before graduating college with a journalism degree. I worked at McDonald’s. I was an RA in my dorm at the University of Maryland. I babysat.
3. What is one of your most treasured memories from the past?
I won a poetry contest in the 5th grade. That was pretty cool.
PRESENT:
4. What’s your latest/upcoming release about and/or what are you currently working on?
Right now I’m plugging “Keeping Score,” which is humorous women’s fiction about a divorced mom, her 9-year-old son, and his first summer playing travel baseball.
5. What’s a typical day like for you? (If there is such a thing!)
Walk the dog, go the gym, spend the afternoon writing. Make dinner for my son. Spend the evening reading or watching TV. Most of my days are typical!
6. Name three things you are grateful for in your life right now:
That my son is living with my husband and me and is doing well. That we haven’t been affected by economic turbulence or Congressional shut-downs. That my parents are healthy.
FUTURE:
7. If you could fast forward in time to any age or year for just one day, what would you choose & why?
66. My son will be 40. I want to know how his life is going to turn out.
8. If you could have any new technology or invention in the future that would make your life a whole lot easier (or more fun), what would it be?
A robot to make dinner and do dishes.
9. What are your hopes & dreams for the future?
To be able to support myself as a writer or with a job in the publishing industry, and that my son is successful in a job that he loves.
Thanks for taking part, Jami!
>You can visit Jami online at her blog, facebook, and twitter pages, and you can buy her latest book Keeping Score here. It’s only 99c for a limited time!
>WIN! Jami is also giving away 2 ebook copies of Keeping score… to enter, simply leave a comment below! Winners will be drawn on 11th October and contacted via email and notified in the comments.
KEEPING SCORE:
When her 9-year-old son wanted to play summer travel baseball, Shannon had no idea the toughest competition was off the field….
When her son Sam asks to try out for a travel baseball team, divorced mom Shannon Stevens thinks it’ll be a fun and active way to spend the summer. Boy, is she wrong! From the very first practice, Shannon and Sam get sucked into a mad world of rigged try-outs, professional coaches, and personal hitting instructors. But it’s the crazy, competitive parents who really make Shannon’s life miserable. Their sons are all the second coming of Babe Ruth, and Sam isn’t fit to fetch their foul balls. Even worse, Shannon’s best friend Jennifer catches the baseball fever. She schemes behind the scenes to get her son Matthew on the town’s best baseball team, the Saints. As for Sam? Sorry, there’s no room for him! Sam winds up on the worst team in town, and every week they find new and humiliating ways to lose to the Saints.
And the action off the field is just as hot. Shannon finds herself falling for the Saints’ coach, Kevin. But how can she date a man who didn’t think her son was good enough for his team … especially when the whole baseball world is gossiping about them? Even Shannon’s ex-husband David gets pulled into the mess when a randy baseball mom goes after him. As Sam works to make friends, win games and become a better baseball player, Shannon struggles not to become one of those crazy baseball parents herself. In this world, it’s not about whether you win, lose, or how you play the game… it’s all about KEEPING SCORE.
RELEASE DAY! Starstruck in Seattle [plus bumper giveaway!]
Wow, what a month! Last month my novella I Dream of Johnny was released, and this month, today, sees the release of another novella, STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE!
I’m so excited for this one as it was written quite a while ago, and is my first story not set in Australia, so it’s good to see it finally out in the world. And if enough readers like it, I’ll write more in the series, each with a new stand-alone story set in different cities but linked by the reappearance of the quirky and loveable character of Lulu and her dog, Spark (see pic below). Lulu has a very important job in bringing soulmates together, so the story possibilities are endless.
Here’s the blurb:
Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of intuitive love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com to give her the courage and determination to follow her destiny. But fate has different ideas, Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans…
I got the idea for this story when Sleepless in Seattle was on TV. I thought, instead of a call-in-radio show where people ask for advice, what if there was a website that specialised in helping people anonymously with their love dilemmas (and there might be, I just haven’t looked!). So I thought up the idea for a Love Coach, but as I like to do in many of my stories, I decided to give it a slight magical twist. That’s right, Lulu, known as Lulu the Love Angel, might just have more power than people know. 😉
This story is slightly different from my previous two books, in that it’s a bit more ‘romancey’ and not as much of a giggle-fest, though it does have some humorous moments.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading about Anna’s search for love and how, unknowingly, Lulu helps her along the way.
BUY NOW: >> STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE is available worldwide and you can buy it from all ebook retailers, including:
Amazon / Amazon UK / iTunes iBookstore / B&N Nook / Kobo / Booktopia / JB Hi-Fi / Google Play / ebooks.com / All Romance ebooks
GIVEAWAY: >> And now, I have a fantastic giveaway for you all! You could win four Escape Publishing ebook packs, using the rafflecopter links below and following the instructions. Competition closes midnight on 10th October and is open worldwide.
Here’s what you could win. Enter one or all of them!
#1 Fun, Fast, & Fabulous novella pack:
Christmas Wishes, New year’s Kisses, and Valentine’s Dates by Rhian Cahill; I Dream of Johnny by Juliet Madison; The Virginity Mission by Cate Ellink; and Bonjour Cherie by Robin Thomas.
Enter prize #1 here >> a Rafflecopter giveaway
#2 Escape from Reality pack:
Fast Forward by Juliet Madison; Red Moon by M.A. Grant; Fish Out of Water by Ros Baxter; King Hall by Scarlett Dawn.
Enter prize #2 here >> a Rafflecopter giveaway
#3 Out and About pack:
Matilda’s Freedom by Téa Cooper; Getting Wild by Sarah Barrie; Swift Runs The Heart by Mary Brock Jones; Riding on Air by Maggie Gilbert; Dark Oil by Nora James.
Enter prize #3 here >> a Rafflecopter giveaway
#4 Emotional Rollercoaster pack:
Forget Me Not by Nina Blake; Bound By Her Ring by Nicole Flockton; Her Man from Shilo by Robyn Richards; Finding Home by Lauren McKellar; Under The Hood by Juanita Kees.
Enter prize #4 here >> a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck, and happy reading! 🙂
Click here to visit the STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE page at Escape Publishing.
Click here to add STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE to your Goodreads shelf.