Tuesday, June 19, 2012

A Bit of Humble Pie

Today was supposed to be the day I announced the PUBLICATION of my next novel (and sequel to The Peasant Queen)--The Tyrant King. I was going to share with you the purchase links, and show off a picture or two of the kids holding actual, physical copies.

It was going to be great. And it still will be great (say in July, or maybe August).

Alas, (did I just say, alas? oh, man...) it is not YET to be. As a writer, I overestimated the perfection of my manuscript and it has required more work with the editor than I'd thought.

But--that isn't all bad news.

Here's the silver lining--The book, when you end up purchasing it, will be BETTER than anything I've written before. It will be well worth the wait.

To prove that to you, I want you all to look up at the tabs on the top of this page. See the new one? The one that says SNEAK PEEK? Are you excited yet.

Where'd you go? Oh, to read the first chapter of The Tyrant King. It's all good. I'll wait.

I'm also cooking up an awesome blog tour for TTK with my sis in law for September. I will definitely keep you posted about that.

So, bad news--no book yet. Good news--it's still coming. And you get the first chapter to tide you over. Silver linings all around!

Monday, June 11, 2012

My Review: CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS by Connie Sokol

New college grad Megan McCormick just got dumped. Hard.

Swearing off men and relationships, Megan is coaxed into performing on a cruise ship where she meets the star performer, Bryant Johnson. Handsome and charismatic, he looks like trouble, but she can't deny the intense attraction between them.

Urged to find a wife and run the family lumber business, Bryant is torn between his family's expectations for his life and his own. However, when he meets spunky, but love-skittish Megan McCormick, settling down doesn't look so bad.

Just when Megan begins to trust again, and Bryant makes some big decisions regarding his future, her former fiance returns with a malicious surprise, taking Megan and Bryant to their own CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS.


In short, a delightful summer romance. I had so much fun reading about Meg and Bry's adventures aboard ship and beyond that I had a hard time putting the book down when it was all over. I understood Meg's hesitancy to jump into another relationship, but Bryant was such an awesome guy I had to cheer for him--and sometimes yell at her for being so obstinate. And, boy, when Meg's ex makes his appearance for Thanksgiving *I* wanted to slug him. What a slimeball. 

If you're looking for a fun summery read I'd check out Caribbean Crossroads. Here's Amazon's links for the PAPERBACK or KINDLE versions.

Now, a little about the author:  Connie Sokol is a mother of seven—a national and local presenter, and a regular speaker at Education Week. She is a monthly TV contributor on KSL’s “Studio 5” and regular blogger for LDSLiving online. She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications, and columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. Mrs. Sokol is also the author of Motherhood Matters, Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, and Life is Too Short for One Hair Color, as well as talk CDs and podcasts. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats. Visit her website at www.8basics.com
You can also check out Connie's Facebook page for details on her current projects.

Disclaimer: I did receive an electronic copy of this book for review purposes, but that in no way swayed my review. 

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

BIG Cover Reveal

So, lately, my favorite "thing to do" seems to be ignoring this blog. And I feel bad about that because I have some really INCREDIBLE blog followers. You guys are the greatest. Looking ahead on my calendar and realizing it's JUNE (carp), I'm thinking I need to give you a little treat. It's a secret that's not really a secret, but something I think you'll end up being as excited about as I am.

While I feverishly work to get The Tyrant King--next in The Peasant Queen series, I may have mentioned it--edited, formatted, and published, I will offer you a teaser for my next project.

We start with an amazing cover reveal. Yes, again, this one is done by my brilliant friend Deirdra.

Are you ready? No? Ok, I'll give you another minute. Are we good? Great. Here goes!

Excited yet? I am. Here's the back cover blurb (back cover is gorgeous too):

The City of Light and its inhabitants have long been protected from evil by the Barrier, the aura created by the actions of their pure hearts. One day their peace is shattered by the voice of The Demon, who vows his servant will enter their City and claim a maiden, Aisilyn, to be The Demon’s bride.
Five families wait with dread, uncertain if their Aisilyn is the one the Dark Warrior will take. Only Gennavieve is certain the Warrior will come for her sister. To protect Aisilyn, and her upcoming marriage to the man of her dreams, Gennavieve puts herself in her sister’s place—allowing the Dark Warrior to claim her as The Demon’s chosen bride.
In a world driven by prophecy no one knows which prophecy will be fulfilled, or whether Gennevieve’s choice will lead to The Demon’s destruction . . . or her own.

City of Light is slated for fall. I'm seriously shooting for a September release date, but it honestly depends on how much I get done this summer. So if you don't see me online much, or posting much, please know I'm working on something amazing. :)