C.J. Duggan's Blog, page 9

My New Years Resolution.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and are ready for the New Year that approaches.
It's New Years Eve here and Oz so I am typing profusely before my guests arrive to commence our traditional New Years Eve pool party (Yep! It's summer here)

My usual position in summertime.
It's been an amazing year 2012, both personally and professionally. From my whirl wind American holiday to the release of my debut novel 'The Boys of Summer.' Which is still sinking in.
So what now? What's my 2013 resolutions?
1 Release Book Two2 Release Book Two3 Release Book Two4 Release Book Two5 Release Book Two
And, well you get the idea.
This time I have no agenda of losing weight or joining a gym, ugh! No 2013 is completely focused on 'An Endless Summer' and then once that is done, I will go for a holiday, that's a promise to me as well as my long suffering husband who is often woken by me creeping into the bedroom at 2am after a night of writing.
So Book Two huh? Tell us more you say?
Well let me just say there will be more revealed in the not to distant New Year, I plan to have a cover and synopsis reveal down the track but before I take you down that road I will be running some competitions for TBoS swag as well, so my calender is filling up fast.
Tonight and tomorrow I will enjoy the the last of my summer holidays and then it's back to the keyboard for me. No tan for me this year I'm afraid, instead I will be ordering my NEW iMac (Thanks Santa) and get stuck into completing 'An Endless Summer.'
I tend to be thanking everyone a lot lately, but truly I have been blown away with readers enthusiasm over TBoS! To everyone who has bought a copy, thinking of buying a copy. THANK YOU!

What your beautiful paperback would look like. Thanks my friend the AMAZING Keary Taylor.
The Boys of Summer is available now:
Amazon (U.S) HEREAmazon (U.K) HEREiTunes HERESmashwords HERE
*Will also be available in other leading online stores, very shortly.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! And HAPPY READING. 
C.J x

Look Whats on iTunes!

Just in time for the holidays!
The Boys of Summer is now available on iTunes for only $3.99.

HOORAH!!!

Grab a copy HERE!

Release Week in Review.

At this time of year I am usually tired, fed up and thinking towards all those New Year resolutions that I will no doubt give up on by the end of Feb. Like going on a 'health kick' or something to that effect. But this year I'm not tired, I'm not grumpy I am in a completely different place all together. I am so deeply satisfied it's kind of scary.

With the release of 'The Boys of Summer' I have been overwhelmed and amazed by the response and I can whole heatedly say that book 2 'An Endless Summer' will be released mid 2013. I am currently working on it and I can't wait to reveal more in the New Year, lets just say it will be a satisfying spin off with a few surprises.

The New Year is filling up with press commitments with Guest post's, interview and giveaways. I will also be writing a column for an Australian site 'The Simpleton' who are famed for there weekly pod cast of the same name. I will be writing about Indie Publishing as a YA Author, a challenge I look forward to writing on a platform that is not my own. I will keep you posted to those future links.

There is lots to look forward to in 2013, but for now I will bask in the glory of publication.

                      Check it out!






























Week One of it's release and 'The Boys of Summer' has broken into the top 50 Amazon Best Sellers list in the 'Coming of Age' genre. (Thanks to my Editor Sarah for bringing this to my attention)

*Air guitar*

It's been an incredible week thanks to all you amazing, passionate readers out there. May Santa bring you Kindles, iPads, eReaders, Paperbacks galore. 

A particular high light this week was seeing my leading man (Toby Morrison) from 'The Boys of Summer.' feature in this weeks book boyfriend post on My Keeper Shelf! I seriously broke out my "jazz hands" over this one. 

>>>>>>>MEET TOBY<<<<<<<
If you haven't met Toby and the 'Onslow' boys yet, you can now do so on:
 Amazon U.S ($3.99) HERE and Amazon U.K (£2.56) HERE.
What are you waiting for? Escape to ONSLOW!

Paperbacks Now Available. Lets Rock it Old School.

I love my Kindle, I really do. But ya know what... I'm a paperback girl, there Ive said it...I like the honest to God feel of that real finger cutting, wrist aching paperback.

Never more so did I realise this when my proof copies arrived yesterday.

*Cue the dreamy music*

The one thing that goes through my mind as I lovingly pick up my gorgeous 'real' book, is I can't wait for this to go out into the world, to look just as beautiful on peoples bookshelves as it does my own. But now the wait is over because NOW on Amazon you can order your paperback copies.
Hooray!
You to can be holding 'The Boys of Summer' just like I did the day before.
So if your looking at rocking it old school like me and owning your own little slice of the 'Onslow' boys, click on the link below and order your copy straight away! Act quickly and you might even be able to grab a copy before Christmas or at the very least kick back and do some holiday reading.
I know many of you are all rugged up and dreaming of a white Christmas, but if you want to be transported to a hot, Aussie summer set in the mid 90's with a cast of swoony boys then I think you definitely need to get a copy.
BUY A PAPERBACK NOW!

There Are No Words.

The week unfolding, no wait! It's been two days...
My finger is not exactly on the pulse of time, so much has happened in the last two days it's hard to put into words exactly what it is I'm feeling.
Oh the irony! The author doesn't have the words...Wait! What did I just say? That's right, I'm an Author y'all! (It's in hot pink so it must be true.)
So many milestones after two years and I think this is the reason behind my array of emotions this week. It is one thing to believe to achieve but let me tell you when it happens, when it all comes together it is simply and utterly euphoric! (It's in electric blue so it must be true)
The beautiful feedback in reviews, emails, spreading the word about 'The Boys of Summer.' gives me serious warm and fuzzies. I have been so fortunate to meet so many new and amazing people I feel so deeply honoured to be able to be able to do something I love and share it with the world.
But is it real? Is it really real? You know how I know it is?
Because the postie brought me a little somethin-somethin today!!!

Oh yeah he did...



Isn't it sinfully delicious!

I laughed like a maniac...

I cried...

I took multiple angled photos...


Now it rests, in my office in great company.
So where do you get your hands on this baby?
Well I am happy to say paperbacks will be available by weeks end and you can land yourself a digital copy right now from AMAZON for only $3.99 and AMAZON U.K for £2.56.

(Insert excitement and squealing here)

You can also grab it on Smashwords!
And if you hold tight it will be on Barnes and Noble any day now, along with other major sites.
(Insert gasps of intrigue here)
I know right? What a week it has been, or should I say two days.
Thanks to all you amazing readers! You make what I do so much fun. 
xx

The Boys of Summer is finally HERE!

It's finally time to meet the 'Onslow Boys'
Synopsis.
It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’. Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.
Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.
To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.
How did she let her friends talk her into working?
After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.
All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.It will be a summer she will always remember. 
Warning: sexual references, and occasional coarse language.
***
Happy to officially announce 'The Boys of Summer' is available to download from the following online stores.




GO TO!

GO TO!


GO TO!
Happy Reading!
* Available soon in paperback and other leading online stores.

One More Sleep.

SO EXCITED!!!!
Will be available on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble.
Also in paperback (coming soon)

One WEEK till 'The Boys of Summer' release!

No way!....


WAY!
Yep! Just glanced at my calendar and it's exactly one week today until The Boys of Summer is launched into the big bad world for all your downloading and reading pleasures.




It's quite surreal to be at this point after such a long...dare I say it? dare I go all Oprah like and say..."Journey" Oooooh I so just did! But there really isn't any other way to put it.

On December the 17th you will be able to purchase your very own copy of 'The Boys of Summer' from all the usual haunts (links will be posted.) Paperbacks are coming and I am super excited about that.

I have no diva illusions in being an author; it means different things to different people. Some don’t actually class themselves as an author until the sell a book, some don’t class themselves unless the make a certain amount of money, some don’t class themselves unless they are a signed traditionally published deal with a huge advanced check.
For me it’s simple. I am an author as soon as that paper book rests in my hot little hands THAT will be my cementing moment of reality.
I have been doing a lot of thinking lately as I sit in my office wearing my smoking jacket, pipe and eye monocle.
I reminisce of the year gone by and what it has meant to me, things gained, things lost but above all what I have personally achieved. It's a bit early to be unfolding the folded up piece of paper and begin my thank yous (before the orchestra starts up and I am forced to speak over them)

Until then flag it on Goodreads, set your reminders, organised your alarms, schedule wake up calls and carrier pigeons to alert yourself and everyone you have ever met about the 17th.

Also don't forget to 'like' the official 'The Boys of Summer' Facebook page! Lot's of swoony, summer pics...What's not to love?

The Boys of Summer RELEASE date!

Yep! I am calling it people.  Here ye! Here ye! Gather round I have an announcement to make... Dim the lights and cue the dramatic music, it's finally time to lock in the deal and announce the official release date for 'The Boys of Summer.' For those not in the know, this December marks the release of my debut Mature Young Adult Romance.  If I were to sum up what I had intended The Boys of Summer to represent, it would be encompassing the classic insecurities teenagers face, about finding your way and making your own fun when growing up in a small country town. In this instance my characters live in a small mythical Australian town in the 90's. It's a classic coming of age story with enough twist and turns to keep you guessing and yes, there will be swoony boys!...Like HELLO! I write Mature Young Adult Romantic Novels, that's how I roll. The essence of my writing is based and heavily driven by the characters, I am a essentially a character writer. I am also an Australian author writing about Australian characters in Australian settings. It's such a euphoric experience to magically transport readers from all corners of the world and bring them to my own. I hope you enjoy The Boys of Summer. I can't wait for you to meet Tess and the 'Onslow Boys'. For the lead up of the release you can add it to your GOODREADS TBR piles HERE!  Okay drum roll please...(Even though I know you totally looked anyway)

The Boys of Summer Release Date: DECEMBER 17th 2012

It seemed only natural to nickname them the “Onslow Boys". Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week's work; their laughter loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition; a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn't help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him…. Toby Morrison.

 Quiet, 17-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a Summer time job.
She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before dreaded Year 12 begins.

To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fire works at the Onslow show, and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.

How did she let her friends talk her into working?

After first shift disasters, rude wealthy tourists, and a taunting ex boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come from working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer, and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love, and heartbreaking chaos.


All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.
   It will be a summer she will always remember.





           Warning: Sexual references and occasional course language  So there we have it, it's real and it's coming VERY soon. For further announcements and future sneak peeks in the lead up to release you can keep up with all the goss at www.cjdugganbooks.com   The countdown is on!

Calm Before the Storm.

Ejoying a cup of tea in my garden, how civilised am I?
As I soak up some downtime on the weekend I can't help but wonder shouldn't I be a lot more stressed? *slurps tea with crooked pinky*
I had predicted insanity, chaos, STRESS at this point as The Boys of Summer is due to be released in December. But I feel the opposite, is this normal? I have no real idea of knowing. I have been taking the opportunity to relax as I know things to come will be hectic. I have opted to do NaNo this year (National Novel Writing month) in November I seriously doubted the likely hood of being able to be apart of it as I do have the December deadline, and although I have no grand illusion of sticking to a goal of x amount of words a day, I thought I give it a red hot go.
Not to forget that The Boys of Summer was born from NaNo month, so it will always be something very close to my heart. Not only is it a unique, fun experience there is also this great community feeling to NaNo.But I have jumped ahead of myself at this stage The Boys of Summer is at the proofreaders going through the last checks, once it is returned I will work on the changes and then submit it to the formatters and then the spine and back cover will be designed. Woooo!

I am still taking submissions for advanced reviews from readers/bloggers who are interested and thanks for those who have contacted me with requests, I live through your enthusiasm.

Stay tuned for an exclusive sneak peak of The Boys of Summer with the announcemnt on the release date TBA.