Alison G. Bailey's Blog, page 8
June 24, 2015
STOP! IS LIVE!
STOP! IS LIVE!!
Still waiting on iTunes and Kobo. …
Amazon US
http://tinyurl.com/oq4sfsy
Amazon UK
http://tinyurl.com/om8ebzt
Amazon Canada
http://tinyurl.com/qdwedfd
B&N
http://tinyurl.com/oqsfada
June 23, 2015
Say what?
Stop! WILL BE HERE JUNE 25!
My family is very supportive, it just takes them awhile to get around to it. Here’s my mom, sister, Kelley, and niece, Paige (cover model for Stop!) showing *cough, cough* their support.
Just sayin’…
“I can tell you this: if you expect a story similar to those of Bailey’s Perfect series, you are going to be surprised. Stop! is completely different from anything Bailey has previously written, and it’s way more than a typical new adult contemporary romance.” ~Robin, Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews
“Holy cow. This book. Alison always pulls feels from me, but I still feel totally blindsided by this one. Whatever I thought it was going to be, it was so much more than that.” ~Kim, Goodreads reviewer
“How do I begin to explain how moving this story was for me? Every now and again, I find a book that takes over my entire world. The feeling is so overwhelming that when I finish the story, I’m left speechless. Stop, by Alison G. Bailey, was that book for me.”
~Tracy Justice, author, When Fall Breaks
ADD STOP! TO YOUR TBR LIST
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop
FAN MADE TEASER
Today’s teaser was made by a lovely new reader, Janet Gomez. It’s the first one made with a Benton quote. I love it.
June 22, 2015
Getting closer
THREE MORE DAYS UNTIL STOP!
Today’s fan made teaser was the very first one made from a little snippet I posted early on. I give you, Risher, created by Tanya Carbajal.
STOP! RELEASES JUNE 25!
Add STOP! To Your TBR List
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop
June 21, 2015
Day 4 and counting
Fan Made Teaser
Today’s beautiful teaser was designed by the talented Loredana Vega
STOP! RELEASES JUNE 25!
Add STOP! To Your TBR List
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop
June 20, 2015
Talented Readers
I have some of the most thoughtful and talented readers around. Some of them have already started making teaser pictures of Stop! I wanted to share some of their beautiful work with everyone. each day this week, leading up to release, I’ll be posting a different teaser made by a fan.
This gorgeous one was created by Mary Rose Bermundo.
STOP! RELEASES JUNE 25!
Add Stop! To Your TBR List
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop
Stop! Playlist
http://open.spotify.com/user/1244737523/playlist/00lodAPM0R4drzlF2bDJQB
June 16, 2015
Have I mentioned I suck at blogging?
Because I so do. I posted the Tuesday Teaser everywhere except my very own blog. Sorry. But the good news is, there’s one more Tuesday left before the release of Stop! (June 25) and there is a giveaway a day up until release day. So lots of chances to win. Check out my Facebook page for the most up-to-date info. Also, you can read Chapter 1 during this week’s Blog Hop.
6/15-My Blog (Excerpt #1)
http://alisongbailey.com/2015/06/15/blog-hop-stop-sneak-peek/
6/16 – Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Excerpt #2)
http://tammyandkimreviews.blogspot.com/
6/17 – Nose Stuck in a Book (Excerpt #3)
http://ycervera.blogspot.com/
6/18 – The Literary Gossip (Excerpt #4)
http://literarygossip.com/
6/19 – Shh Moms Reading (Excerpt #5)
http://shhmomsreading.com
Have a great day!
~Alison
********
“Stop! didn’t make me cry. What it did do was even better. Was it sad? It definitely had sad moments. There were also quite a few funny moments. But, what I’m pulled back to as I reflect on what it was that made Stop! a five-star read for me are the moments that made ME stop and think.” ~Crysti Perry, Goodreads review
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop?ac=1
#Stop! is coming #June25th! #AllAreJudged #HowWillItStop?@AlisonGBailey1
June 15, 2015
Blog Hop: Stop! Sneak Peek
Release; June 25
Get a sneak peek of Chapter 1 during the Blog Hop Promo Week from June 15th – June 19th.
And make sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win an ARC copy of Stop!
Check out the next excerpt from Chapter 1 tomorrow over at Reviews by Tammy and Kim.
6/16 – Reviews by Tammy and Kim
6/17 – Nose Stuck in a Book
6/18 – The Literary Gossip
6/19 – Shh Moms Reading
****Head over to my Facebook and enter to win an ARC of Stop! before it releases June 25.****
https://www.facebook.com/AlisonGBaileyAuthor
STOP!
By
Alison G. Bailey
Stretch your mind, open your heart, and expand your understanding.
Chapter 1
My throat constricted as I held oxygen in my lungs. When I was on the verge of lightheadedness, I let the air slowly seep out and prayed for courage to take its place. My eyes stayed closed while I counted, waiting a beat between each number before opening them.
One.
Beat.
Two.
Beat.
Three.
Beat.
Open.
For thirty seconds, my brain registered shock at the image in the mirror. Every morning for the past year I started my day the exact same way. It was like living in the movie Groundhog Day. Each night my brain reset back to a time when I was Hollis Murphy, high school senior, math geek, and normal. When the dreams drifted in, I recognized myself. I felt like myself. My mind played tricks, fooling me into believing I was the same person in the family photos scattered around the house.
Each day started with me being convinced that what I’d seen in the mirror the previous morning was a figment of my imagination. But the memory was so vivid that a glimmer of doubt always existed. In order to live in the dream for a little longer, I didn’t look at myself until it was absolutely necessary. And when time was up, what I saw caused my stomach to twist into knots and my breathing to become shallow, just like it did yesterday. And the day before that. And the day before that. And the days before that until I had collected an entire year of days.
As my fingertips timidly brushed over my left cheek, I wondered if the person who stared back at me would ever match the one in my dreams. I quickly pushed the thought away and forced myself to focus on what was happening today. If I lingered too long on the events of the past year I’d lock the door to my room, throw the comforter over my head, and hide from the outside world.
Been there, done that.
My parents would be understanding if I bailed on them today. My best friend, Maggie, would make a good attempt at convincing me to step out of my comfort zone. When I wouldn’t budge, she’d eventually understand and support me. No one was pushing me forward or holding me back, except me.
Three rapid knocks on the door jerked me out of my thoughts.
“Hollis, are you getting ready?” Mom’s muffled voice filtered through the door.
“Yeah.”
“How long will you be? Your dad wants to be on the road before traffic gets heavy.”
“At least an hour and a half. I haven’t gotten my shower yet.”
“Okay, but try to be quicker than that.”
“I’ll do my best, Mom.”
I owe her at least that much.
She and Dad have been by my side every step of the way since the accident. My neck and shoulder muscles stiffened at just the thought of the word, accident. I hated the term. It felt like an easy excuse, a simplistic way to understand what had happened to me. Sarah, the counselor who had been assigned to my case while I was in the hospital said that with any trauma, the person had to go through five stages of grief before they could move on.
Denial and Isolation. Check.
Anger. Check.
Bargaining. Check.
Depression. Check.
Acceptance…
I had an issue with acceptance. I wasn’t in denial. I knew what had happened. It was as clear as the hideous reflection in the mirror. What I couldn’t accept was the theory that it had been a universal happenstance that just decided to blow up in my face. Maybe I was being naïve. Although, I had matured a lot over the past year, disfigurement will do that to a person. I was well aware that at eighteen years old, my outlook on things still held a certain amount of innocence. As much as I tried, I couldn’t wrap my brain around the idea that all the pain I’d been through was due to some random cosmic fuck you. There had to be a purpose. People didn’t suffer for no reason.
As I waited for the shower to heat, the sight of my phone lighting up with a text caught my attention.
Maggie: Mornin’, college coed!!
Me: Mornin’, goofball best friend. J
Maggie: When y’all heading out?
Me: As soon as I can get my sorry ass in gear.
Maggie: That could take years.
Me: Shut up.
Maggie: I know we said our goodbyes last night. But I wanted to remind you to call me with all the deets on your roommate, and the boy situation.
Me: Yes ma’am.
Maggie: You’re gonna do awesome. I love you, Woman.
Me: Thanks. I hope so. Love you too.
Maggie was the most amazing friend. She was a natural beauty. She didn’t load her face up with a lot makeup or spend hours on her blond curls. A genuine excitement about life lit up her chocolate brown eyes. She was comfortable in her skin. She was confident and not afraid of what the world had to offer. And next to my parents, she was the kindest person I knew.
I was told a lot of people visited me the first few days in the hospital. But I was so doped up everyone and everything blurred together. After the morphine fog cleared and I was sent home, all the visitors disappeared. Maggie was the only one who stuck with me. The first six months after the incident people were uncomfortable being around me. My face was in the process of healing and they didn’t know where to look or what to say. They didn’t want to ask rude questions, but they didn’t feel small talk was appropriate either. So, they just stayed away. Not Maggie, though. She was there every day being balls-to-the wall honest with me. She knew instinctively when I needed space to readjust to my situation and when to kick me out of my own pity party. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be taking this first step into a new life.
June 13, 2015
STOP! Blog Hop
Win an ARC of Stop! and read the first chapter before it releases June 25th!
Starting Monday, June 15, follow along the blog hop each day with these fantastic blogs to read an exclusive excerpt from chapter 1 and enter their Stop! ARC #giveaway
I’m so excited for you to meet #Hollis , #Risher , and #Benton .
6/15 – Sassy Divas Book Blog (Excerpt #1)
http://sassydivasbookblog.blogspot.com/
6/16 – Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Excerpt #2)
http://tammyandkimreviews.blogspot.com/
6/17 – Nose Stuck in a Book (Excerpt #3)
http://ycervera.blogspot.com/
6/18 – The Literary Gossip (Excerpt #4)
http://literarygossip.com/
6/19 – Shh Moms Reading (Excerpt #5)
http://shhmomsreading.com/
#Stop is coming #June25 #AllAreJudged #HowWillItStop #Amazon #Nook #ITunes #Kobo
June 9, 2015
Stop! Tuesday Teaser and GIVEAWAY
Head over to my Facebook page to enter.
https://www.facebook.com/AlisonGBaileyAuthor
#TeaserTuesday and #GIVEAWAY
“I was transfixed, I couldn’t look away, I couldn’t stop reading. You see this isn’t a book you read, this is a book you FEEL.” ~Sav, Chicks Controlled By Books
PRIZE: Advanced Reader Copy of STOP!…
ENTER: Share the STOP! teaser, then come back here and say hi.
Giveaway ends at midnight tonight eastern (June 9)
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop?ac=1
#Stop! is coming #June25th! #AllAreJudged #HowWillItStop?@AlisonGBailey1
June 7, 2015
Atmosphere
Stop! takes place at Chambers University (aka #WinthropUniversity in real life), which is the school I graduated from way back in the day.
Picture 1-Those concrete steps lead up to the dorm Hollis, Risher, and Benton live in. It’s also where I spent 4 great years.
Picture 2-Tillman Building, the center of campus. Gorgeous during the day, scary at night.
Picture 3-Chambers Lake (aka Winthrop Lake). I attended some good parties here.
Picture 4-Johnson Hall, wher…e the algebra class is held that all three character share. This building was like a second home to me during my time at school. It’s actually the theater and communications department. No math required to enter, thank goodness.
#Stop! is coming #June25#AllAreJudged#HowWillItStop
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24847312-stop
