Lindsay Detwiler's Blog, page 32

New York City: Live It Up Large

I thought about starting this post with the cliché descriptions you would typically see in a NYC post: horns honking, lights flashing, Times Square Shrieking, Statue of Liberty gazing.

But, after careful consideration, I decided not to. Why? Because I don’t think it could possibly capture the excitement, the life-altering rush one gets when visiting New York City.

Overall, I’ve been to NYC about six times. I’ve had trips with the band to see Broadway, trips with the college to the Met, and trips to just browse the city. Each time I go, I’m awestruck by the zest of not only the city itself, but of New Yorkers as  a whole. It’s awe-inspiring to see the exuberance, the energy, and even the sometimes brash attitudes of those in Times Square. The shoulder-to-shoulder, shove your way through or be trampled attitude is quite the opposite to the charming albeit it sleepy town I’m from. New York’s atmosphere reminds me life is for living; it’s not about napping on your couch or sleeping on your deck. It’s about getting out there, mingling with the lights and noises of life, pushing your way to your destination. I like that feel of the city.

My favorite memory of NYC was the trip I took my mom on. For our college trip, we could take a guest to see our Broadway play. Since my mom had never been to NYC, I chose her as my guest. We spent the day seeing a play, visiting Time Square, shopping a street fair, and even going to Macy’s. The look on my mom’s face at the energy, the excitement in the square gave me an appreciation for the power of New York City.

Sure, there are bad things about the city, some would say. The sound decibel often radiates past deafening. It’s tough to find a public restroom without a line, and even grabbing a bite to eat can take hours. There are unpleasant smells, unpleasant sights, and unpleasant people. The brash attitudes of the NYC regulars can be off putting to a small town girl like me.

But, overall, I think you have to give the city credit. It’s been a symbol of the American Dream for decades. It’s been how many gauge that they’ve made it in life. It’s been the biggest fantasy of writers, actors, singers, dancers, and business execs. It symbolizes not only the energy of our country, but the energy of humanity. It’s excitement, it’s living on the edge.

It’s heart.

This is why when I needed somewhere for my character Jenna to go to find herself, to get away from boredom and monotony, I didn’t even falter in choosing a location.

New York City. What better cure for a lost, bored soul could there be?

Author of Without You and Voice of Innocence

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

@LindsayDetwiler

http://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler

Say Something: Without You

Okay, so now it’s Jenna and Camden’s turn. Jenna and Camden are definitely struggling with issues of their own. Like Violet and Liam, their relationship is far from perfect. The common denominator?

Love.

If I had to sum up Jenna and Camden with a song, I would choose Big World “Say Something.” Check out their video below, and be sure to pre-order Without You to read more about Camden and Jenna’ s love story.

Diary of a Rocker’s Kid by Haley Despard: Cover Reveal

★★★ SYNOPSIS ★★★

Madison Daley’s father has concealed the truth from her for seventeen years… 

Raised on a Kentucky farm, Madison is stunned when a conversational slip reveals her father Michael is a famous ’90s rock star known as the Grim Weeper. Michael left the spotlight and his mansion behind when Madison was dropped off on his doorstep by a woman in a black mask. A dark past is revealed, and the only thing Madison isn’t allowed to know is her mother’s name.

The answers Madison needs can only be found in Beverly Hills… 

Though she does hope to persuade her dad to return to the stage, Madison’s real mission is to discover the identity of her mother.

But she is slightly distracted—literally—by the boy next door. Giovanni Abate’s father is an action film star, his stepdad is a major designer, and Gio has his own claim to fame. Madison catches the handsome, young Italian actor’s eye, and their mutual attraction makes for a hotter summer than she ever could have imagined.

Madison hasn’t set foot in California since infancy, but a lot of people are certain she has… 

After Madison has a makeover, people are sure they’ve seen her somewhere before, and she is extremely curious about the identity of her supposed doppelganger. As she looks into this strange situation, she’s unaware that Gio is hiding a potentially devastating secret.

Could finding the answers she seeks change Madison’s life forever? 
Or will it just lead to more questions to fill the…
Diary of a Rocker’s Kid.
 
★★★ HALEY DESPARD ★★★

Haley Despard was born and raised in small, yet ever-expanding Simpsonville, South Carolina. She discovered a love of writing at age fourteen and hasn’t been able to turn off the motor fingers since then. Today she lives just a stone’s throw over in the country side of Greer, SC with her husband, son, and Boston Terrier. Her loves include cats (even though she’s allergic because the universe hates her), reading, composing music, blogging, amateur photography, fro-yo, mall shopping trips, and anything that begins with, ends with, or includes the words “milk chocolate.” She also enjoys gaming with her husband on occasion and driving through the countryside with music on full blast.

Haley’s books will include a combination of feminism, romance, diversity, family values, complicated storylines, and maybe even a scheming heroine or two. She loves to defy conventions and standards and continually thinks outside the box. If you want to read something fresh and original, pick up a Haley Despard novel. A book should be able to make you gasp, sob, laugh hysterically, and want to hug the main character all at the same time.
Haley is very interactive on Facebook and Twitter so don’t hesitate to contact her at one of the links below, or you can email her at hdespardauthor@outlook.com.

LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/haley-despard/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/haleydespard
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/HaleyDespard
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14171202.Haley_Despard
WEBSITE: https://diaryofarockerskid.wordpress.com/

A First Love Doesn’t Fade With Time: Win a Signed Copy of Voice of Innocence by Lindsay Detwiler

The countdown is on! Less than three weeks until Without You is available for pre-order.

Before I focus my attention on my second novel, I wanted to give you a chance to win a signed paperback copy of Voice of Innocence!

There are several entry options available at http://gvwy.io/r24hfma. You only have one week to enter!

Lindsay Detwiler

Literary Lightbox: Voice of Innocence

Hey, everyone! I’ve been a huge fan of Loretta Milan for a while now. She does amazing videos, contests, and reviews on Literary Lightbox. So I’m BEYOND EXCITED to be mentioned on her video for November for Voice of Innocence. There will be an interview coming soon :)

Check out the video here:

Without You: Contests, Giveaways, and Prizes

Hey, everyone! Without You is coming December 1st through Limitless Publishing, but there will be lots of chances for you to win prizes until then!  Want to learn more?

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to be automatically entered to win a signed copy of the book on December 1st!

Follow my Facebook page to stay up to date on upcoming contests running from November 16th until release day!

Are you a blogger? Sign up for my cover reveal and more by clicking HERE.

Upcoming Dates for Without You: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Hey, everyone! We’re getting closer to some big events for my second novel, Without You! Check out the information below, and be sure to read the back blurb.

November 16th: Cover Reveal with Indie Girl Promotions (get your first look at Jenna, Camden, Liam, and Violet!)

November 21st: Pre-order available on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)

November 30th: Santa’s Helper’s Book Release Party 4:00-4:30 

On the surface, Jenna Landsen has it all…

She’s smart, beautiful, confident, and married to Camden Landsen, who happens to be drop dead sexy and just as successful. But after five long years, all the success in the world hasn’t brought the romantic spark back into her marriage. Jenna fears it never will.

When life gives you lemons, open a bakery and name it Vi’s…

Violet Streiff made the exact mistake her mother warned against—she fell in love with Liam Coffman, a charming finance major. When he left her heartbroken to further his career, Violet drowned her sorrows by opening a bakery, and now relies on Bob, her eighteen-pound cat, for warmth at night instead of a sexy man.

To find love, sometimes you first have to discover yourself…

When Jenna’s job offers an extended trip to New York, she packs her bags and takes a two-month vacation from life. The chance of her marriage surviving looks grim, until the surprise of a lifetime throws a wrench in her plans to stay in the Big Apple for good.

You can bend the rules—but sooner or later they’ll break…

When Violet meets a gloomy but totally drool-worthy guy named Camden in her shop, she’s sure her luck has changed. There’s no denying the chemistry, but he’s married, and that’s a major problem. Violet isn’t a homewrecker. Still, staying away from Camden proves nearly impossible. That is, until his wife comes home.

Two women.

Two men.

Double the chance to find love in the most

unexpected places—or double the chance for disaster.

Marriage is Hard

Hopeless romantic.

The term incites lofty visions of skipping through meadows, hand in hand, joy radiating from over-the-top smiles. Candles and rings, diamonds and hearts, all whirling about in a hazy cloud of happiness.

I love writing about love. I believe love is the most powerful, gorgeous emotion we can feel. I am, in many ways, a hopeless romantic myself. I melt during the kissing scene in The Notebook. I tear up at Edward and Bella’s wedding scene. I love the first kiss, the first I love you, the first everything in a romance. Sigh.

But I’m also married. And with marriage, as I’ve discovered over the past four years, the term hopeless romantic can just be cleaved into a single word

Hopeless.

Marriage, as many will tell you, is a tough business. Once the wedding cake crumbles and the champagne fizzles out, you’re left with each other. You’re left with heartache and hardships, bills, and the tedium of everyday living. You’re sometimes left with “I don’t feel like cooking dinner” and “Can you please stop leaving your laundry in the basket?” You’re left with “Are you even listening to me?” and “We don’t even talk any more.” You’re left with broken water heaters and crumbling ceilings. You’re left with “the stove isn’t working” and “Really? You got another flat tire?” and “How much do you think this is going to cost?” You’re left with confusion and boredom, agony and frustration.

Let’s face the truth. The prince and the princess don’t always skip off together into the sunset. There isn’t always a white horse waiting to carry you off to a gorgeous meadow. Hell, sometimes there aren’t even real plates at the table let alone candles.

Marriage is sometimes like walking through a scorching desert barefoot with no water in sight.

It is a honking tuba in your ear playing wrong notes over and over again.

It is sometimes like sitting through a three-hour lecture about earthworms and not being able to move.

It is frustrating, boring, exhausting, and even debilitating.

But, on the flipside, it is also the most connected you can feel to another human being. It’s knowing someone has your back no matter what. It’s moments of sheer, radiant joy and laughter. It’s looking at each other from across the room and knowing what you’re each thinking without a word. It’s crazy moments and spontaneous dates on a Monday. It’s new dogs and new houses and sometimes even kids. It’s knowing what your other half needs before he does. It’s connection at it’s finest.

After Voice of Innocence, I knew I wanted to write about marriage. Most romance novels end with the white wedding, the romantic honeymoon, the “happily ever after.”

I wanted to explore what happens when the happily ever after threatens to become hell. I wanted to explore what happens in the moments after the first year, when you feel like shredding that gorgeous gown into miniscule pieces. What happens when the realities of marriage threaten even the most head-over-heels couple?

From this idea came Without You. It’s about marriage at its finest…and at its hardest. Its about overcoming the lulls in a relationship. It’s about figuring out the tricky pathways of “forever.”

It’s about the idea that married or single, love is complicated, and forever is a long time.

As with all of my writing, I sought to portray the reality of marriage. I hope that some of you will be able to find yourself in Jenna’s character.

I know that in many ways, I certainly did.

Lindsay Detwiler, Without You

Available November 21st on Amazon

Our Little Secret by Ashelyn Drake

✰✯✰OUR LITTLE SECRET✰✯✰

 by Ashelyn Drake


✯SYNOPSIS✯
Becca Daniels needs a passing math grade…but what she wants is to spend more time with Toby Michaels. 

The only problem is Toby is her best friend’s twin, and Tori has a very firm “no dating the brother” policy.

But Becca’s grade has hit rock bottom and she needs a tutor. It just so happens that Toby is a math genius and more than happy to help—lucky her! Working so closely with the handsome, popular Toby, Becca can’t hide her attraction, and it soon becomes obvious he feels the same way.

Becca doesn’t want to lose her best friend, but she isn’t willing to give up Toby either. 

At first, sneaking around is fun, stealing kisses right under Tori’s nose. But things take an ugly turn when Toby’s ex-girlfriend Meredith catches them together. Meredith demands Toby take her back and restore her reputation, or she’ll tell Tori their secret. Do they dare tell Tori the truth? Or would that just make things worse?

Surrounded by secrets and knee-deep in deception, something has to give… 

How far is Meredith willing to go to keep Toby and Becca apart?

And how much is Becca willing to risk to keep… 
Our Little Secret?
 
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25876971-our-little-secret
 


✰✰ #ONECLICK ✰✰
– Available for FREE with #KindleUnlimited –
✰ KINDLE: http://amzn.to/1KaZBPT
✰ PAPERBACK: http://amzn.to/1Y5q0YR



★★ ASHELYN DRAKE ★★


Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes speculative fiction under the name Kelly Hashway. She is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

LIMITLESS PUBLISHING: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/ashelyn-drake/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AshelynDrake
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/AshelynDrake
WEBSITE: https://ashelyndrake.wordpress.com/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7075461.Ashelyn_Drake

Suds, Studs, and Stories: Where Authors Get Their Ideas

It came to me in the shower between shampooing and conditioning.

Some authors have stories of ideas coming to them on a subway or while taking a walk in the beautiful wilderness. There are stories of inspiration in people and real life events.

For me, though, Without You floated to me amidst the shower’s steam as I was thinking about life, love, and what it all meant.

I had just signed my contract for my first novel, Voice of Innocence. I felt accomplished, nervous, anxious, and thrilled at the same time. The big “What if I got a book published?” was answered. The what if had become more of a “Now what?”

As I was lathering my hair (Paul Mitchell, by the way), I started thinking about doing the unthinkable: writing another book. I now had proven to myself I could do it. I could write an entire novel. More than that, I could write something others might want to read. So, I thought, if I were to write another novel, what would it be about?

I thought of Jenna’s character first, probably because she is the most like me. Rational and a go-getter, she tries to think with her head over her heart. She plans her life out, strives toward self-improvement, and wants to do everything right. Risk taking isn’t in her vocabulary. And of course, I knew she would own a mastiff named Henry (obviously, right?).

I had been wanting to write about marriage for a long time. Not marriage as an end result like it is portrayed in so many novels, but real marriage. Marriage that is sometimes frustrating and infuriating. Marriage full of both passion and anger, love and frustration. Because real marriage isn’t picture perfect. It is, quite frankly, sometimes a mess. From this idea game Jenna, a woman married to a hunky, seemingly perfect husband. Everything’s going well for them, except for one little problem—she’s feeling bored in her marriage, drowned by the monotony of everyday living.

I also got to thinking, though, that as much as being married is a struggle, the single life isn’t a picnic, either. I’ve seen friends worry about being forever alone, and that’s really where the idea for Violet came from. I pictured a quirky redhead who was outgoing, spunky, and charismatic—yet she couldn’t figure out love.

As different as the two women are, I felt like they had common ground in their struggles and what they wanted out of life. From there came the plotline, the details, and the story that I’m getting ready to introduce to you in a few short weeks.

By the time I had worked out the characters that first day, my skin was beginning to prune. But I didn’t care. Without You was taking shape in my mind, and I couldn’t wait to start weaving the tale.

I knew I would write again, knew I wouldn’t be a proverbial “one hit wonder.” The girl who swore she would just be happy if one book got published in her lifetime decided to try again, see where this new concept would go.

And now I’m less than a month away from holding Without You in my hands. The idea that started as a mental “what if” game in the shower has become reality. I can’t wait to share these characters with you, characters who really sprung from a place of truth, a place of reality, and a place with some shampoo bubbles.

Lindsay Detwiler, Without You and Voice of Innocence

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