Laura Florand's Blog, page 33

SNOW-KISSED is here!

My Christmas novella SNOW-KISSED released on ebook today on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. This is earlier than originally announced, so we’re going to run an “early release” 0.99 introductory sale on it for those early birds who want to grab their Christmas now. (The print version, which should be available in 7-10 days, will be $6.49.)

Readers and reviewers who have been able to see early copies of this novella call it “heart-wrenching”, “steaming hot”, “full of so much LOVE”, and “have tissues handy.”

(So you’ve been warned, about the tissues.)

I hope it speaks to you, too!

It’s probably a bit odd to celebrate Labor Day with a Christmas novella, but they do say the holiday season starts earlier every year. Happy Labor Day weekend!

 

SNOW-KISSED, “heart-breaking” and “steaming hot”

I’m really honored by the generous review of SNOW-KISSED from Ivy Book Bindings, who calls it both “heart-breaking” and “steaming hot”.

“Don’t let it be said that Laura Florand can’t slay your heart just as much as she makes it palpitate with her descriptions of chocolate! After having read – and loved – five of Florand’s novels, I think I am more than qualified to admit that Snow-Kissed is perhaps her most ambitious piece. With every romance I read by Florand, I feel as if I am sucked deeper and deeper into her lush prose. . . . Her writing is like a drug.”

She gives a very thoughtful review of this novella, and I think captures exactly what the novella meant to me and was trying to “be”.

It should be live very soon now! Final proofing has gone well, so in the next few days.

Tiny SNOW-KISSED snippet

Shared a little snippet of SNOW-KISSED on Facebook, so had to share with all of you, too, of course! Just a tiny glimpse. This one should be live very soon!

***

She could feel his gaze trying to penetrate her concentration on the snow. But she had to get that powdered sugar snow just right. She had to. Even if she had to play at snow for all eternity.

“Kai,” he said and she shivered. Her name. Her name in his voice. “Can you still not even look at me?”

The weariness in his voice was like a hook dragging her gaze to him, and she did get her head up, just for a second, because he deserved so much better from her than what she had managed to give him. But he was so beautiful and so distant there against the window that it broke her heart, and her heart was so, so tired of being broken. It gave up quickly and let her look down at her sugar-snow again.

“Do you want me to go?” he asked.

***

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH in Target

Excited to hear that THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH will be on sale at Target stores next month (Sept). Let me know if you spot it!

Giveaway of Elyssa Patrick’s One Hit Wonder

I think last week with Tamara Morgan’s generous giveaway I mentioned that I wanted to start spreading the book love for some of the great reads I’ve been discovering this summer. My idea is that whenever I am getting excited about an upcoming new release from someone, I would like to share with you guys the first book I read by that author or maybe sometimes in that series–the book that got me so excited for future releases.

So today, thanks to Super Sweetheart of an author Elyssa Patrick, we are doing a little giveaway of her novella One Hit Wonder (Rock Stars in Love 1.5).

This was the first work I read by Elyssa, and I Adore the Hero, Damon. No, really. Sometimes, when I’m feeling down, I think about Damon scenes and I just cheer right up. Reading his book means you get to carry an extra smile around with you forever after, tucked in your pocket, for bad days. Two words: wears pink, and shakes his butt. OK, that’s more like 2 expressions than 2 words, but if that’s not enough for you…well, I’m sorry, but it was enough for me. He was hilarious. In fact, the only problem with this novella is that it is *too short* and we still want more Damon and his tricks. So ever since I read it, I routinely email, Tweet, and otherwise harass Elyssa to try to get her to include Damon cameos in all her other books. And since so far, for no reason I can explain, she is Refusing to Submit Her Creativity to My Demands, my real goal in giving away a copy of One Hit Wonder is to get other people to join my petition, until the pressure on her is So Great that she has to yield and we will have Damon, Damon everywhere. (Think rabid fans. That’s us.)

Elyssa Patrick is releasing the first book in a new NA (New Adult) series next week, STAY WITH ME, which is getting all kinds of great reviews. I can’t wait!! (Actually, she let me read an advanced copy and I still can’t wait. The hero of that one is such a sweetheart. Just the guy you wished you could have met in college.) But there is No Damon cameo in it, so read this book first and then help me with that petition for all her future books.

Passing on the Chocolate Karma!

People have been so generous with me this week, it’s crazy. Reader Jan sent me some yummy drinking chocolate mix and chocolate almonds from Christopher Elbow. Author Theresa Romain sent a box of chocolates from her favorite local chocolatier, Cocoa Dolce.

I was on jury duty and went by a favorite local donut place, Monuts, and they gave a huge bag of their pistachio nectarine and maple bacon bourbon donuts to take back to the jurors. And then my favorite local chocolatier, Miel Bon Bons, re-opened much, much closer to me! And welcomed my friends and me with this delicious glass of prosecco-lychee sorbet.

So I’m passing on the Chocolate Karma. If you’d like a 9-piece box of Miel Bon Bons chocolates, comment below, or you can also enter on my Facebook site.

One caveat, I can’t ship chocolates internationally, I’m sorry. US only. They would be ruined.

We’ll run this contest until Thursday midnight, let’s say.

Just so that Chocolate Karma keeps on going! One should never, ever let Chocolate Karma get stuck. (Can karma get stuck? Seems as if it could. But it’s not going to get stuck here, that’s all I’m saying! )

 

Giveaway of Tamara Morgan’s Confidence Tricks

Some of you may remember me talking about Confidence Tricks a few weeks back and how much I loved it? I am reading an advanced copy of author Tamara Morgan’s next book now, Derby Girl, and again am just in love with how unique her characters are.

So I thought–I have to introduce more people to these crazy fun books so we can talk about them! They’re fun, but they have a lot of heart, too, which I love.

Tamara kindly agreed to give two ebook copies away. I asked for CONFIDENCE TRICKS since that was my first book by her, and that way, you can be introduced to her the same way I was! Tell me if you laugh the whole way through, too.

I’m accepting entries for the giveaway either here (comment below) or on my Facebook site.

If you win–maybe consider leaving a review on Amazon or similar for the book? That’s not obligatory, of course, but reviews–honest, of course–are always a nice way to say thanks for a book, because they are sooo important to the website algorithms, among other things.

THANK YOU to Tamara Morgan for offering the two books! I’m very excited to contemplate two of you curling up with Asprey and Poppy and want to know if you laugh as hard as I do in the same places. Asprey is priceless!! Come tell me about it afterward, okay?

Thanks again to Tamara!

Talking About Libraries in Publishers Weekly

I’m on my soapbox about libraries in Publishers Weekly today.

What’s your take on libraries? Do you support them? Do you feel they support you?

I’m pro library, obviously.

Snow-Kissed: Coming Sept 24

I’m excited to officially share the cover and blurb for my Christmas novella, SNOW-KISSED. Coming September 24! I must warn you, this one makes me cry every time I work on it.

What do you think of the cover?

This is a packed fall/winter, with several releases coming up:

Sept 24: Snow-Kissed, a stand-alone Christmas novella.

Nov 26: The Chocolate Heart, the fifth in the Chocolate series.

Dec 3: A Rose in Winter, a novella in the anthology NO PLACE LIKE HOME, part of the Vie en Roses series.

If that sounds like a lot to keep track of, sign up for my newsletter to to receive an email on release dates. I don’t bother people much but occasionally I do have a special newsletter chocolate prize in connection with new releases.

 

Book Club Questions for The Chocolate Kiss

Does anyone want to help brainstorm book club questions for THE CHOCOLATE KISS? I’ve agreed to an invitation from a book club next month and thought you guys might have fun with this. We’re discussing it also on my Facebook page (which is visible even to people who don’t like Facebook, don’t worry!).

Any ideas?

THE CHOCOLATE KISS is the pink cover one with Philippe and Magalie and macarons and witches, just in case the titles are starting to blur together.