Jen Frederick's Blog, page 25
May 16, 2013
Amazon adds New Adult Category
We are legit, yo! If you like New Adult books, you have a great way to find them. Amazon has created a “New Adult” category. Look for it under Romance. “Undeclared” is currently 29. I wouldn’t mind if you pushed that higher. 
May 15, 2013
#amwriting – fall in love in a minute
Bo Randolph looked like a good time. From the tip of his constantly tousled hair, down the long stretch of his body, the arms that look like they could hold you up for hours and the wide mobile mouth that made you think he’d enjoy every minute of it to the tips of his large booted feet.
If you were into a good time, which I was not. Not because I was against hookups but because I fell in love in a minute. A kiss from his lips would be like the first hit off the crackpipe for someone with addictive tendencies. Just sitting next to him in class made me hyperaware of my own body. Who knew your forearms could feel aroused? I needed a life prophylactic.
#amwiting – fall in love in a minute
Bo Randolph looked like a good time. From the tip of his constantly tousled hair, down the long stretch of his body, the arms that look like they could hold you up for hours and the wide mobile mouth that made you think he’d enjoy every minute of it to the tips of his large booted feet.
If you were into a good time, which I was not. Not because I was against hookups but because I fell in love in a minute. A kiss from his lips would be like the first hit off the crackpipe for someone with addictive tendencies. Just sitting next to him in class made me hyperaware of my own body. Who knew your forearms could feel aroused? I needed a life prophylactic.
May 13, 2013
Least favorite household chore?
Contemporary Landscape by Encinitas Landscape Architect debora carl landscape design
As I was doing laundry this morning, this very early morning because I had taken the day off yesterday, I contemplated all the things that I didn’t really mind doing. I don’t mind folding socks or underwear. I don’t mind ironing. I figure that’s why the Bravo television channel exists, right? I don’t mind cooking and I don’t even mind cleaning the toilet. But I really hate to mow the lawn.
The last time I mowed the lawn was when I was home on maternity leave. I was feeling very inept, just sitting at home and taking care of my baby 24/7 so one afternoon, when it was about 90 degrees out, I strapped her into my Baby Bjorn and set out to mow the lawn (don’t do this kids. It’s not safe). She fell asleep immediately as babies are wont to do. And I labored over the lawn for what seemed like hours. At the end of it, I went back inside the house, into the cool air conditioning and passed out from heat exhaustion.
My husband came home shortly thereafter, spotted the abandoned lawn mower in the yard, and came in to give me a laughing scold. I wasn’t ever to do that again. “Fine,” I thought. “It’s not like I want to ever go out there again.”
And I haven’t. So lawn mowing is my least favorite household chore. Do you have one?
May 8, 2013
User Error
Last night I was clicking through to my Goodreads account, accepting friend requests, when suddenly I realized that I had hit “ignore” instead of “accept” for three friend requests. I hit the stop loading button and then the back button frantically only to have Goodreads give me this red warning message that I had no new friend requests.
This isn’t new for me. I’m often flubbing things. When I was younger, I used to read Julie Garwood. Her heroines were all perfect except for one tiny flaw, usually a poor sense of direction. I’m the opposite of a Garwood heroine. I’ve got a pretty decent sense of direction but a ton of really big flaws, not being able to hit the correct button at the correct time is one of them.
Noah feels that way in Undeclared.
I’m not sure how being around Grace managed to fuck up my decision-making process so much. I felt like I was pushing the shoot button on my Xbox controller every time I wanted to jump, resulting in stupid, self-inflicted casualties.
To the three Goodreads users I’ve somehow ignored, I’m sorry. To everyone else, please accept these apologies for future errors. Now, which one is the shoot button. Is it X or Y?
May 5, 2013
Blown Away
I’m so blown away at the level of support that you readers are giving “Undeclared.” I don’t really know the best way to express my gratitude to the bloggers, reviewers, readers who have given this book a chance. It means the world to me. I hope you give yourselves a pat on the back for being awesome.
Don’t forget you can win stuff like a signed print book and the awesome dog tags with Noah Jackson’s name on them over at places like The Rock Stars of Romance and over 20+ places on the blog tour.
May 4, 2013
The Rock Stars of Romance
Today I’m so pleased to be over at The Rock Stars of Romance. You probably all know about this site, but if you don’t, you need to check it out. These ladies promote over 100+ amazing authors with pictorials and excerpts and quotes. It is a great way to stay on top of the best new indie reads. I encourage you to check them out.
In “Undeclared”, Grace loves to take tilt shift photographs. Tilt shift is when the photographer makes real events look toy like. It’s pretty amazing stuff. At Smashing Magazine, you can see 50 examples of tilt shift photographs, one of which I’ve included here.
I hope everyone is having a great Saturday. Check out The Rock Stars of Romance or any one of the blog tour stops to enter a chance to win books or even an iPad Mini.
May 2, 2013
The Woodlands, inspiration post
I’d love to see what pictures you guys envision The Woodlands. I figure young guys would like open windows and lots of woods.
tropical exterior design by seattle architect McClellan Architects
modern exterior design by ottawa architect Christopher Simmonds ArchitectAnd they had to have a pool, right? Because what party house is complete without a pool?
contemporary pool design by dallas landscape architect TEN55 DESIGN
May 1, 2013
The news article that inspired the series (and blog tour dates)
Yesterday I kicked off a blog tour. I love blogs because they are constantly feeding our obsession with books. Without bloggers, I’m not sure I would know what book to read next. I really rely on these folks to give me the scoop on the best new releases and the best books I’ve been missing. It’s truly an honor to be hosted. On the tour, I’ll be giving away ebooks, print books, swag AND a grand prize of an iPad Mini!
This is the entire tour schedule:
Wednesday May 1, 2013
Sugar and Spice – http://sugarandspiceandeverythingnaughty.blogspot.com
Deep South Book Reviews – www.deepsouthbookreviews.com
Swept Away By Romance – www.sweptawaybyromance.blogspot.com
Swoon Worthy Books – www.swoonworthybooks.com
Thursday May 2, 2013
Book Reader Chronicles – www.bookreaderchronicles.com
Books Books Books Blog – www.booksbooksbooksblog.wordpress.com
Kindlehooked – http://kindlehooked.blogspot.com/
Friday May 3, 2013
Books, Babes and Cheap Cabernet http://bbcc1113.blogspot.com
Becca the Bibliophile – http://beccathebibliophile.blogspot.com
Reality Bites! Let’s Get Lost – http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogspot.com
#Book Nerd – http://booknerdash.blogspot.com
Saturday May 4, 2013
Love N Books – www.lovenbooks.com
Amber’s Reading Room – http://ambersreadingroom.com
Bridger Bitches Book Blog – www.bridgerbitchesbookblog.com
She Book Blogs – http://www.shebookblogs.com/
Sunday May 5, 2013
Romance Addict Book Blog – www.romanceaddictbookblog.com
Devoured Words – http://devouredwordsbookblog.blogspot.ca
Book Nerds Anonymous – http://avasmith.org
Monday May 6, 2013
The Book Hookers – www.thebookhookers.com
The Book Whisperer – www.book-whisperer.blogspot.com
Whoyoucallinabookwhore – http://whoyoucallinabookwhore.wordpress.com
Tuesday May 7, 2013
Wolfel’s World of Books – www.wolfelsworldofbooks.com
Book Crush – http://bookcrushbookreviews.com
Anna’s Romantic Reads – http://annasromanticreads.com
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Reviews by Tammy and Kim – http://tammyandkimreviews.blogspot.com
Shh Moms Reading – www.shhmomsreading.com
Into the Night Book Reviews – http://intothenightbookreviews.blogspot.com
So a few years ago, during the economic down turn, there was an article in the New York Times about how these luxurious houses were being rented for pittances by college students.
Here in Merced, a city in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and one of the country’s hardest hit by home foreclosures, the downturn in the real estate market has presented an unusual housing opportunity for thousands of college students. Facing a shortage of dorm space, they are moving into hundreds of luxurious homes in overbuilt planned communities.
Forget the off-to-college checklist of yesteryear (bedside lamp, laundry bag, under-the-bed storage trays). This is “Animal House” 2011.
Double-height Great Room? Check.
Five bedrooms? Check.
Chandeliers? Check.
Then there are the three-car garages, wall-to-wall carpeting, whirlpool baths, granite kitchen countertops, walk-in closets and inviting gas fireplaces.
Is this not a fantastic basis for a story? When I was inspired to write this series, I knew I had to use this. Bo and Noah come to live with Finn, Adam, and Mal in a house in a made up exclusive neighborhood called “The Woodlands”. (I had originally named it “Canyon Hills” but someone said it sounded to close to the show “The Hills”)
Is there a newspaper article or television news story that you thought “hey, that would make a great story”? Tomorrow, I’ll post a few pictures of what I think the house in The Woodlands looks like.
Another 5/1 Blog Stop on the Tour
SwoonWorthy Books is also hosting me today. If you haven’t visited this site, please do. It’s a great resource for readers who are looking for up to date information on the latest releases, particularly in the indie publishing ranks. Even better, Ena, who reviewed the book there, is a military wife. I admit I was a bit nervous when she told me that because my hero, Noah, is a former Marine. Ena ended up loving it. Yay!
They also have a fantastic Facebook page. Give them a LIKE.
