Jocelynn Drake's Blog: Announcements, page 22

How Do You Do What You Do?

Shatter has finally been released into the world and is it a wonderful, terrifying feeling to know that something that you’ve worked months has found its way into the hearts of others. For months, you live and breathe these characters and their world. They’ve given you joy and heartbreak. Sometimes they disappoint you and sometimes they surpass your expectations.  No different than all the other people in your life… except for the fact that they live in my head.

Actually, scratch that. They live in my head and Rinda’s.

And that’s a great thing.

I used to think that I could never write a book — let alone an entire series — with another person. How could they possibly understand this world I’m building?!?!

But Rinda gets it because she’s in there building it with me. She loves these boys just as much as me. It allows me to breathe easy when I trust her with chapters. Lucas, Andrei, Snow, Ian, Jude, and Rowe are all in safe hands.

The best part is that we can make this even bigger and better because I don’t have to hold it all in my head. We’ve got two brains on this series, working to chase down the bad guys, build a love story, and keep a family together.

But back to the title of this blog….

How do I do what I do when it comes to writing books?

In truth, I don’t know.

No, seriously, I don’t. I see these stories in my head like watching a movie in my brain. My job is just write it all down as quickly as possible. Sure, sometimes the film reel pauses, but I just glare at the wall and ask things like:

What would Lucas do next to try to show to Andrei that he’s learned his lesson?

And what is Gratton doing next to make Snow’s life a living hell?

After enough questions and some more glaring, the film reel starts up again.

I don’t feel as if I’ve created these people so much as they are already living in my brain, just waiting for their turn on the page.

When the scene plays in my head, I make some notes and then trot over to Rinda, telling her about the movies playing in my brain. She then tells me her scenes and we start meshing it all together.

Which leaves me wondering… don’t you have movies playing in your brain?

With Shatter out on shelves, I’ve changed the film reel and I’ve started watching a new movie that we’re calling Torch . We have two-thirds of the book outlined and several chapters written. We’re still in the early phase where we’re getting to know some of the new characters and I’m mentally walking around some of the new locations. I haven’t gotten a glimpse of the end of the book yet … but that’s coming in the next month. No rushing this though.

The best part of writing a book is the long journey. Not getting to the end.

Release Day for Shatter

It's release day for Shatter , Book 2 of the Unbreakable Bonds series, and we are so excited!

Check your e-reader. If you pre-ordered the book, it should be sitting there, waiting for you. And you don't want to miss out on Snow and Jude's adventure in Cincinnati.

Here is a quick description of Shatter :

Maverick trauma surgeon Ashton “Snow” Frost keeps the world at a distance, relying only on his three closest friends to keep him connected. But when a ghost from their past returns to Cincinnati, Snow stands to lose everyone he loves. Framed for murder and reeling from attacks on his friends, Snow is pushed to his breaking point.

Jude Torres won’t let the doc shatter. The paramedic has been attracted to the doctor since he first laid eyes on him at the hospital, even if the arrogant, solitary man doesn’t fit into any of his plans. One hot, reckless kiss shows that Snow isn’t who he appears to be. And one night together will never be enough. Jude will fight for the doc.

Fight to keep him whole. Fight to keep him safe. Fight to simply keep him.

Unbreakable Bonds.

If you've been on the fence about picking up a copy, here are some early comments from reviewers:

“I absolutely loved this book. Snow and Jude were everything I hoped they would be and more. Jude is the exactly what Snow needs and I adored watching these two strong men fall for each other. It was incredibly sexy, emotional, and kept me flipping the pages.”

—Riley Hart, Author of the Crossroads Series

“This is a 5+ star read… This is about as close to perfection as they come for me.”

—Gay Book Reviews

“For Shatter the authors took: a great suspense story, an ERMERGERD sexy-alpha-male-getting-dominated romance, and a heartwarming friendship story, and dropped them in a blender… creating a sexy smoothie with bite. Yum!”

—I Smell Sheep

“I really liked reading Shatter I can certainly rave over Jude for ages and how he and Snow meshed. I also liked watching the interplay between the characters because one of the things I love is when the main characters have close relationships outside of their romantic interest. In this particular series I don’t think any of the main group of friends would still be living without the others. I really hope Drake and Elliott can write quickly because I NEED to see what happens next.”

—Bookpushers

Now is a great time to start this series! You can read both Shiver ,  the free short stories that follow Lucas and Andrei, and then read Shatter .

And don't worry; we will be putting out a few free short stories for Snow a little later this spring.

Now matter how many books I've written, each book from beginning to end is a roller coaster. You go through period of excitement, because you can see the plot unfolding and the characters reacting to events. Then you're whipped around and left wondering how in the world you're going to get that scene written because things are suddenly not working out how you envisioned and the characters are arguing with you and your co-author is pretty confident that you've lost your mind. And then ... it's just suddenly done. You're exhilarated and breathless and excited and a little queasy... and so ready to do it all over again.

Yeah... Rinda and I are hard at work on Book 3. More news to come.

So don't wait. Click here to order your copy of Shatter now. It's available as an ebook and print. You can also click here to order your copy of Shiver if you haven't read that book yet either. Happy release day!

A Little Light Reading

Release month is a hard month. Readers are anxious to get their hands on a new book. Authors are anxious about whether the book is perfect or ready for readers. And then of course, through all this, said author is supposed to be working on the next book.

I haven’t gotten quite as far as I wanted to be for book 3 of Unbreakable Bonds, but Rinda and I have made some nice headway.

And in between all the usual chaos of life, I try to sneak in a little reading.  I haven’t been able to read as much as I would like recently and I have to admit that my choices have been spread all over the place.

However, as you wait for the release of Shatter (just 11 days away now!), I thought I would share a few of the books that I’ve enjoyed recently.

Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley – I first fell in love with Robin McKinley when I reader her Outlaws of Sherwood. I also have a weakness for Beauty and the Beast retellings. Her Beauty is wonderful and I loved her second retelling of the fairy tale with Rose Daughter. She has a stunning grasp of language and I love the way she artfully weaves magic through this book.

Sticking with the magic theme, I recently read Omega in the Shadows by Zoe Perdita. This is a m/m shifter series. I think this one intrigued me so much because the heroes were so damaged. In addition, it’s interesting to see the growth of the characters because neither man is what you’d call your typical “hero”. I am planning to pick up the next book in this series.

A final book that I’d like to mention is Here for You by Skylar M. Cates. It’s a m/m contemporary romance, but let me give you a warning that it’s a big heavy emotionally. I don’t know about you, but I have to prep myself for these reads. I love books that deal with heavy emotions, but I have to know I’m heading into one. I’ve had some bad encounters when I’ve been surprised. It’s a great book and I want to pop in for the next book in this series. But it follows the lives of several men in one house living together, them finding their way through a traumatic event, and one of them finding love.

So happy reading this weekend!

And don’t forget to prep for the release of Shatter ! There’s lots of free shorts and excerpts. It’s best to start here with the Guide.

Geoffrey: Never Overlooked or Underloved

I love writing books because of all the surprises.

I’ve had numerous people look at me like I’ve lost my mind because of that statement (and we all know I have but just not for that reason). But Jocelynn, how can you be surprised? You’re creating the entire book, world, characters…

Trust me, the characters can surprise you. There’s your plans … and then there are your characters’ plans. I won’t discuss who usually wins. It’s not pretty.

But some of the best surprises come in the characters themselves. There are the ones you purposefully create to lead the story and then there are those who step up to help move the story along, act a plot point so the characters can move forward. And then there are those who just steal the scene and even a little bit of your heart.

That is Geoffrey.

I’ll admit that Geoffrey is 100% Rinda’s creation and I love him. He’s just this big, bright light that shines on the scene when he steps in. He’s so fun and full of life. And he absolutely LOVES Snow — not that I can really blame him.

As far as readers are concerned, he’s your typical club hopper. Trendy. Adorable. Confident. And he’s all hands. I think part of my love is that Snow is this tall, brooding, not-very-nice guy and Geoffrey isn’t intimidated by him at all. In fact, I think it’s partially his confidence that convinces Snow to treat Geoffrey a little more gently than he would anyone else.

Geoffrey first appeared on the page in Shiver in a scene between Snow, Lucas, and Andrei when Lucas goes to his other club —Gaile — for business. While there is fun banter between Snow and Lucas, I still think Geoffrey just steals the scene.

Rinda and I both instantly loved Geoffrey’s determination and confidence so we wanted to make sure that he had an appearance in Shatter . He’s still fun but I’m glad to report that he got a few more lines in the new book and a slightly bigger role. He also got to fling a little snark at Jude since he’s trying to step in and steal Snow away.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Geoffrey.

If you haven’t read Shiver yet, you can order your copy here. And if you haven’t pre-ordered your copy of Shatter yet, you can do that here. There are only 15 more days until the book is out!

Take a Tour of Cincinnati

We are now less than three weeks away from the release of Shatter . Rinda and I are getting excited. Readers are getting excited. Reviewers are definitely excited if you look at some of the early reviews that have been posted so far.

With that in mind, I thought I would take you on a personal tour of Cincinnati. While it is the home of Lucas, Snow, Ian, and Rowe, I have to admit that Cincinnati was also my home for many, many years. (We definitely don't need to go into how many.) But for me, any tour of Cincinnati actually starts in Kentucky. (I know, I know... you're already thinking that you can't trust me because you know that Cincinnati is actually in Ohio, but I'll get there.) While I consider myself a Cincinnatian, I am technically a Kentucky girl first. Both my husband and I were born and raised in Northern Kentucky. As such, we were never more than a hop, skip and a jump from downtown Cincinnati. All that ever separated us was a river. On any given day, you were just as likely to be in Kentucky as you were in Ohio when you were shopping, working, or just looking for a bit of fun. It was common to have friends living on both sides of the river, as you have with Lucas and the boys. (At the start of Shatter, Lucas is living in Northern Kentucky, while Ian, Rowe, and Snow are in the various townships surrounding downtown Cincinnati in Ohio.)

One spot that comes up Shatter is an area in Northern Kentucky called the MainStrasse Village (aka The Village). It is a quaint little spot that is heavily lined with bars and restaurants with a few little shops and tattoo parlors thrown in for fun. It's a fun place to go bar hopping, hear some live music, eat some good food, and always, always run into some people that you know. I have never managed to get through that area without my husband knowing someone there. And the boys from the Unbreakable Bonds make a quick pass through this area. However, if you are recalling The Laundry Room from Shiver , it's not in his part of town. We placed that across the river in Over-the-Rhine, which is in Cincinnati. The fountain in the foreground of the picture is of the Goose Girl. I'll admit that I haven't a clue as to why MainStrasse has a fountain with a bronze girl holding a pair of geese, but just look at it as another bit of charm for this unique area.

Well, I'll admit that I was going to continue the tour through a few other places, including a couple places on my wish list, but freaking wordpress is pissing me of by refusing to accept certain pics for no apparent reason. If I can figure it out, I'll post more.

But I do have one picture that Wordpress didn't fight me over. It's not in Shiver or Shatter , but I am hoping to talk Rinda into including in one of the future books... though I don't know where yet. Cincinnati actually has a castle. Yep. It's often referred to as Loveland Castle since it's located in Loveland, Ohio. But I believe it's formal name is Chateau La Roche. It was made slowly over many decades entirely out of river rocks and was largely constructed by one man. It was pretty big, particularly since it was built by one man. If you look closely at the picture, that lass up on yon balcony is me. (Well, me many many many years ago.)

Putting the Unbreakable Bonds series in Cincinnati has meant that I get to take readers to some of my favorite haunts around the region. Cincinnati is one of the mid-sized cities that manages to few a little bit big and little bit small. Downtown, you can find great food, great performances, and great art. And you drive less than a half hour out of the city, and you're deep in rolling hills and farmland.

There's beauty tucked in the hills of Cincinnati as well as ugliness. We have definitely not tried to whitewash this city, but show you her many sides, and hopefully make her as much a character in the book as the boys.

I hope that you've enjoyed this little tour of the place that the boys of Unbreakable Bonds call home. I am hoping to make a trip back to the Queen City some time this year and I'll take many more places, particularly of the regions that we've already mentioned in the book. And I'll be back to take you on another tour of the city.

And don't forget, it's not too late to grab your copy of Shiver or to pre-order Shatter !  You can also catch up on the free short stories here.

Your Guide to Preparing for Shatter

It’s almost time! We are less than a month away from the release of Shatter , Book 2 of the Unbreakable Bonds series. Are you ready to get a whole lot closer to the damaged Dr. Frost? Would you like to get a sneak peek at Lucas and Andrei’s relationship? After the ending of Shiver , do you think they’re going to be able to make it work?

Rinda and I are definitely getting excited. We’ve done our final read through on the book and it’s going out to reviewers.  We’ve lined of up our blog tour and we’re picking the first snippets that we’re going to release throughout April.

As Rinda and I get everything prepped for the release, I think it’s also important to have a reader’s guide to help you prepare for Shatter .
Guide to Prepare for Shatter
Step 1. Have you read Shiver ?  You know, it is helpful to read the first book. Now, Snow’s book can be read as a stand-alone, but you know that you want to get all the good dirt on millionaire Lucas Vallois and his bodyguard Andrei Hadeon. This still time to catch up!

Step 2. Look at pictures of the models who inspired Lucas, Andrei, Snow, Jude and all the boys. Here is a link to our Tumblr page. Yeah, Rinda finds some really great pictures. And in case you’re wondering, Andrei is MINE.

Step 3. Read the free short stories. To help you pass the time between books, we have released three free short stories that follow Lucas and Andrei’s relationship after the events of Shiver . The short stories are:

The Meeting

Perfect

Te Iubesc

And don’t worry. We will have a few short stories for Snow after the release of Shatter to help hold you over until the release of the third book.

Step 4. Pre-order your copy of Shatter . You don’t want to miss one second of reading. You can pre-order your copy of Shatter so that it’s immediately downloaded onto your e-reader on April 26. We will also be releasing physical copies of Shatter shortly after the release of the e-book.

Step 5. You know, it’s been two whole steps since you last look at those pictures of Lucas and the boys. Maybe it’s a good idea to go back to the Tumblr page again.

Step 6. Join the Unbreakable Readers Facebook group. This is our official group where you will be able to discuss the events of the Unbreakable Bonds series with other readers. Rinda and I have also posted an exclusive sneak peek of Shatter here as well as announced the title of Book 3. Click here to join the group now! Rinda and I are on the group frequently, giving hints and secrets. Don't miss out!

Refilling the Well in Uruguay

If you happen to follow me via social media, you know that I've been traveling recently. I'm lucky that my dayjob occasionally requires that I hop on a plane and travel  to somewhere interesting. Since I've started working as an editor with this group, I've been to Panama and the Bahamas. And last week... I was in Uruguay.  Yep, that tiny little country squeezed between Brazil and Argentina.

Other than a long nine-hour flight and I traveled without my dear husband, I loved everything about my trip. I flew into Montevideo airport, which is small but extremely beautiful and modern. From there, a car picked me up and whisked me off to Punta del Este, which is about 60 to 90 minutes away from Montevideo. I got to see a bit of the countryside with its rolling green hills and beautiful trees. The country has a lot of pine and eucalyptus trees. If you've never heard of it, Punta del Este is the premier beach resort for South America. It's where all the rich Argentines and Brazilians vacation during the Season (which is January and February). Outside the Season, the town and the beaches are pretty darn empty.

While I was responsible for helping with a conference and serving as an "on the ground" reporter, I managed to see some sights. Outside of Punta del Este, we went to neighboring La Barra for lunch and out to Jose Ignacio for the farewell dinner. There, a group of us arrived early and we took a stroll on an empty beach to see the lighthouse. It's hard to believe that I managed to live this long and not see a lighthouse up close until last week. Also during the conference, we went out for a vineyard and farmland tour. I think I fell in love with the country on that vineyard tour - and that was before they started serving the wine and lunch.

In Uruguay, I discovered that I'm a little homesick. I miss rolling hills and vast stretches of farmland. I miss the winding roads. The country has a different quality of green that you don't see in Florida, but it reminded me so much of Kentucky, where I grew up. Don't get me wrong. I love Florida. I love the warm, snow-less winters. But there are certain things you get used to seeing, like hills and valleys and certain trees that will go through the changes of the seasons.

However, homesickness aside, Uruguay was a place made for writing. The country was so peaceful and quiet. Every where I went, I was relaxed and felt safe. I wanted to just plop down with a notebook and start writing. I did make some notes for a future novella and I wouldn't be surprised in Uruguay shows up in other stories.

I worked some long hours during my week in Punta del Este, but I still came away feeling mentally refreshed. My busy schedule made it impossible to pick up a pen for creative purposes. I had to just soak in my surroundings.

I've heard of my authors talking about "refilling the well" when it comes to writing. You need to take a break, experience new things, travel to new places so that your well is constantly full of new ideas for writing.

My well is full again and I'm ready to dive into the third book in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

I wanted to include pictures in this post, but Wordpress is giving me fits. If you would like to see lots of pictures, you can go to my Facebook page where I have three slideshows of pics.

St. Patrick's Day Sale for Books

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm still deep in South America in the amazing country of Uruguay, which I've got to say is absolutely lovely. I think I've even met the inspiration for a new novella ... but that's a story for another time. When I'm back home and rested, I will try to post some of the pictures that I've taken during my stay in Punta del Este. It's a long flight to get here, but it's worth it.

But right now, I'm just popping in to announce that for TODAY ONLY, both Shiver and Shatter are on sale for 25% off to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Just think of it as our way to save you a little green.

Have you tried Shiver from the Unbreakable Bonds yet?  Here is a quick description of the book:

Lucas Vallois is always in control. He’s building an empire in the glittering city of Cincinnati and created his own family from his three close friends. The self-made millionaire has everything he wants within his tight grasp. But his world starts to crumble after he’s jumped by a trio of thugs late one night after leaving a club. The warning is clear—give up his new property venture or end up dead.

Caving to the demands of his friends, Lucas accepts the help of bodyguard, Andrei Hadeon, as he hunts for the source of this new threat. But as Lucas gets closer to uncovering the danger, he realizes the sexy Romanian bodyguard poses an even bigger risk to his carefully constructed world. Trapped by a need he never expected, Lucas must find a way to deny the shiver of longing he cannot control.

His brother. His warrior. His heart. Four friends. Unbreakable bonds.

This is a great time to get started on the Unbreakable Bonds series because Shatter is due to be released on April 26!

You can pick up both Shiver and Shatter for 25% off.

Read Shiver.

Then catch up on the FREE short stories here:

The Meeting

Perfect

Te Iubesc

And then you'll be all ready to read Shatter !

If you haven't caught the description for Shatter , you can read it here:

Maverick trauma surgeon Ashton “Snow” Frost keeps the world at a distance, relying only on his three closest friends to keep him connected. But when a ghost from their past returns to Cincinnati, Snow stands to lose everyone he loves. Framed for murder and reeling from attacks on his friends, Snow is pushed to his breaking point.

Jude Torres won’t let the doc shatter. The paramedic has been attracted to the doctor since he first laid eyes on him at the hospital, even if the arrogant, solitary man doesn’t fit into any of his plans. One hot, reckless kiss shows that Snow isn’t who he appears to be. And one night together will never be enough. Jude will fight for the doc.

Fight to keep him whole. Fight to keep him safe. Fight to simply keep him.

If you have read the Shiver and enjoyed it, please tell a friend about the sale.

And if you haven't, this is a fantastic time to pick up both books.

What's more, you can find even more books on sale this St. Patrick's Day on All Romance Ebooks! Don't miss out on this St. Patrick's Day Sale!

Talking Cover Love

Indie publishing has giving me a lot of new and interesting experiences. One of the biggest changes comes in the form of cover control. Whether you know it or not, most authors who publish through a big publisher don’t have a lot of control over what their cover looks like. In the past, my editor would ask if I had any ideas and she would pass along any suggestions to the art department, marketing, and sales. At that point, they would mull it over and decide whether to use any of my suggestions or move in a totally different direction. When I saw the cover, it was usually at the final stage and if I didn’t like it … well, there wasn’t much that could be done.

Now, that being said, I have loved all my covers from both the Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. I’ve been incredibly lucky.

But when it comes to the Unbreakable Bonds series, the cover look and style was largely in my lap and Rinda’s. We search through tons of book covers, making notes on the things that we liked and what we didn’t like. Then we started searching for pictures that would capture the feel of the actions and characters of the Unbreakable Bonds series.

From there, I turned to the one person who has helped me with website and all kinds of insane graphics. Really, he’s a genius when it comes to the inner workings of Photoshop. I contacted Stephen Drake with Design by Drake. (Yeah, he’s my brother but that wasn’t a reason to use him for the cover. I mean, it’s the cover! Your first impression! It had to be great.)

With Shiver , we settled on the pictures pretty darn fast, but we worked through several version of the cover, tweaking colors, spacing, and the fonts.  We crowd-sourced the cover to several friends, asking for their favorites. And their opinions came down to one of two final versions. From there, Rinda and I made the final call. I’ve got to say that I’m very happy with the result.

With Shatter , it took us quite a long time to find the picture that we liked. Shiver’s picture really captured Lucas’s arrogance and confidence, though I won’t say the model is supposed to be Lucas. I look at it more as a representation of the mood. Shatter is definitely different. I think this image appealed to me because this book has more of a feeling of being on the run or being hunted.

While Rinda and I are putting the finishing touches on Shatter , which is due out April 26, I have Stephen working on the cover for a side project for me that I hope to have out in the summer. I don’t have any sneak peeks to reveal just yet, but it is me going back to m/f paranormal romance. And then after he’s done with that cover, we’ll be switching gears to brainstorm Book 3 of Unbreakable Bonds.

Music: Set the Mood

Rinda and I are getting down to the final little bits and bobs for Shatter . We’ve got just a couple short pieces that need to be written and then it’s just lots and lots of editing until it goes off to the copyeditors and then it’s back to us for more editing.

Recently, I sat down to write a scene and I just stared at the blank page, frowning. Trust me, a blank page has never scared me. But as I sat there, frowning, blocking out the cat, the dog, and the husband in the next room watching Game of Thrones, I realized that I wasn’t in the headspace I needed to be to tackle this scene.

The scene was emotionally heavy — definitely not the heaviest of the book but it had some heft to it — and for the most part I’d recently written a lot of action sequences, so my focus in writing was more on the mechanics — the right punch, the right roll, the right dodge, the right lie to sneak out of a tough situation.

I needed to get my brain to switch gears, and the fastest way to do that was with a new music playlist. With the right song or series of songs, I can get that emotional shift like sliding from first to fifth as you race down the highway, without having to pour through each of the emotional gears — or stalling out. Music can make all the difference.

Today, I thought I’d tell you some of my go-to music when I need to shift into darker scenes or emotionally heavy scenes.

Counting Crows’ August and Everything After has been my go-to for the Unbreakable Bonds series, but when I created my new playlist I pulled out “Round Here” and “Raining in Baltimore.”

I’m a big lover of Blue October and there are so many to choose from, but I went with an easy one with “Hate Me.”

The Cure is starting to pop up here and there recently. For this playlist, I pulled on “A Letter to Elise.”

Some old ones that I love for this mood include “Brick” by Ben Folds Five, “The Freshman” by The Verve Pipe, and “I Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot.

And finally, I put in “I Remember” by Stabbing Westward. I don’t often put this song into playlists. Actually, I banned it from my music altogether for a few years. Why? Because this song belongs to Mira and Danaus of my Dark Days Series. I’ll admit, I wasn’t always sure they’d make it when I was writing that series. In that song, I wrapped up all my fears, worries, and dark thoughts about their relationship.

But years later, “I Remember” still puts me in the dark place to write heavy things.

I’ve still got one last scene to write before I’m done with Shatter . I can’t say what it is, but let me give you a glimpse of the bands on that music playlist:
Nine Inch Nails
Korn
Marilyn Manson
Rage Against the Machine
Rob Zombie
Five Finger Death Punch
Shinedown

Yeah, it’s gonna be a good one.

If you haven’t tried the Unbreakable Bonds series, you can pick up Shiver now as well as pre-order Shatter . Shatter will be out on April 26.