Jessica Topper's Blog, page 3
January 6, 2015
The Dictatorship Has Begun!
Happy New Year, cats and kittens. This is a big one for me. My first print novel has officially hit the shelves today!
Dictatorship of the Dress is a new twist on boy-meets-girl. Told in first person, alternating points of view, it follows two travelers over the span of five days. It's a story of missed flights, of second chances...of Magic 8 Balls and Pez dispensers, asparagus and bad Japanese monster movies. It's about wearing flip flops in the snow and collecting Elvis impersonators as you go. And hanging on to your dreams and letting go of grudges. It's the best of Chicago and Vegas and Hawaii, and seats 3A and 3B on a fateful flight.
It may just be the best layover you've ever had.
I am so excited to share Laney and Noah's adventure with you! And I love and welcome all feedback. Feel free to leave a review, scatter some stars, rec to friends, or ask me a question, right on my author page. Thanks and happy reading in 2015!
Dictatorship of the Dress is a new twist on boy-meets-girl. Told in first person, alternating points of view, it follows two travelers over the span of five days. It's a story of missed flights, of second chances...of Magic 8 Balls and Pez dispensers, asparagus and bad Japanese monster movies. It's about wearing flip flops in the snow and collecting Elvis impersonators as you go. And hanging on to your dreams and letting go of grudges. It's the best of Chicago and Vegas and Hawaii, and seats 3A and 3B on a fateful flight.
It may just be the best layover you've ever had.
I am so excited to share Laney and Noah's adventure with you! And I love and welcome all feedback. Feel free to leave a review, scatter some stars, rec to friends, or ask me a question, right on my author page. Thanks and happy reading in 2015!
"Riveting and pitch-perfect...Topper’s tale of loss and love is a winner." - Publishers Weekly
"Laney and Noah are unique, likable characters worth rooting for" - Kirkus Reviews
"Lightning-quick and full of surprising humor...refreshingly daring" - RT Book Reviews
December 26, 2014
Post-Holiday Giveaway!
My first Goodreads Giveaway went so well, I've decided to offer up another one! ***FIVE Autographed Copies*** are up for grabs! ENTER HERE!
Best of luck and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From the author of Louder Than Love comes the story of second chances, missed flights, and a woman ruled by her mother's wedding dress.
"Riveting and pitch-perfect...Topper’s tale of loss and love is a winner." - Publishers Weekly
"Laney and Noah are unique, likable characters worth rooting for" - Kirkus Reviews
"Lightning-quick and full of surprising humor...refreshingly daring" - RT Book Reviews
Visit jessicatopper.com for more info.
Best of luck and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
From the author of Louder Than Love comes the story of second chances, missed flights, and a woman ruled by her mother's wedding dress.
"Riveting and pitch-perfect...Topper’s tale of loss and love is a winner." - Publishers Weekly
"Laney and Noah are unique, likable characters worth rooting for" - Kirkus Reviews
"Lightning-quick and full of surprising humor...refreshingly daring" - RT Book Reviews
Visit jessicatopper.com for more info.
December 16, 2014
My first-ever Goodreads Giveaway!
'Tis the season for giving, and I'm counting down the days until the release of my new novel with a Giveaway here on Goodreads!
Win a SIGNED ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of the forthcoming contemporary romance, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS!
First in the "Much 'I Do' About Nothing" series, Dictatorship of the Dress is a story of second chances, missed flights, and a woman ruled by her mother's wedding dress.
"Riveting and pitch-perfect...Topper’s tale of loss and love is a winner."
- Publishers Weekly
"Laney and Noah are unique, likable characters worth rooting for"
- Kirkus Reviews
"Lightning-quick and full of surprising humor...refreshingly daring"
- RT Book Reviews
Happy Holidays and good luck, Goodreaders!
Win a SIGNED ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of the forthcoming contemporary romance, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS!
First in the "Much 'I Do' About Nothing" series, Dictatorship of the Dress is a story of second chances, missed flights, and a woman ruled by her mother's wedding dress.
"Riveting and pitch-perfect...Topper’s tale of loss and love is a winner."
- Publishers Weekly
"Laney and Noah are unique, likable characters worth rooting for"
- Kirkus Reviews
"Lightning-quick and full of surprising humor...refreshingly daring"
- RT Book Reviews
Happy Holidays and good luck, Goodreaders!
September 17, 2014
Louder Than Love turns one!
A big horns up in thanks to all the Goodreads readers who have read, rated, reviewed, and raved about this rock and roll love story!
Louder Than Love
Be sure to "dig" out your favorite band T-shirt, set your rock playlist to repeat and click the pic above to visit the birthday bash being thrown by Expressions of a Hopeful Romantic! Enter to win gift cards, rock swag and e-copies of Louder Than Love!
Louder Than Love
Be sure to "dig" out your favorite band T-shirt, set your rock playlist to repeat and click the pic above to visit the birthday bash being thrown by Expressions of a Hopeful Romantic! Enter to win gift cards, rock swag and e-copies of Louder Than Love!
May 6, 2014
KEEP CALM AND...
I need to follow my own advice...but I couldn't help but post on Facebook the other day about making progress on my Louder Than Love follow-up novel! Nothing is set in stone yet, but Digger and Riff are back on stage together and it feels SO right.
It inspired one reviewer to post a gorgeous write-up on her blog, including two past interviews with me and with my hero, Adrian Graves, and she's got an e-book giveaway going on for Louder Than Love as well.
If you haven't checked out the book yet, or you have and crave more info, be sure to read the HEAs Are Us blog post!
Thanks to Elizabeth Haney/HEAs Are Us for the great "Keep Calm" graphic!
March 14, 2014
Of Mugs and Men
Greetings from the place where winter does not end! I guess we are still in Lion-mode. I am really ready for the Lamb-mode that March always promises.
Until then, I’ll just cozy up and keep writing. How do you get through the long winter days?
Coffee is high on my list.
I think a lot of writers have an all-consuming love for the elixir. I’ve sung the praises of my sanctuary-in-38-seconds-flat caffeine fix in the past. Author Chuck Wendig is unapologetic about his ascent into superior coffee snobbery. And a gang of writers I know (yeah, they’re a gang, and they don’t even need cool biker jackets to prove it) have a great blog inspired by their two passions: Women’s Fiction and coffee. Yesterday, Musings from the Mug let me drop by to wax poetic about the patina in my favorite coffee delivery vehicles (i.e. mugs that have special meaning for me).
I have a confession to make, while I have mugs on my mind. It took me a long time to make peace with drinking my coffee out of a dark mug. Call me crazy, but I like to easily see what I am drinking, and where I am in the process. White mugs are just easier.
While writing Louder Than Love, I took this weird quirk of mine and gave it to one of my characters. Not a main character, mind you. Not even a living, breathing character.
Peter Lewis, Katrina’s husband, died in a freak train accident four years before the novel opens. While Katrina and her young daughter Abbey have been making peace and moving forward, Pete’s memory is ever-present as they go about their daily lives. Lives that now include an unexpected element, in the form of recluse rocker, Adrian Graves. As Kat and Adrian’s relationship blooms, the ghost of Pete looms large and unspoken between them.
By giving Pete my strange mug affliction, I was able to bring him back, front and center into the middle of Kat’s kitchen; a heartbreaking reminder of what she and Abbey had lost. And a hint of foreshadowing at what they stood to lose, if Kat continued refusing to open up to Adrian about her past.
It's one of my favorite scenes in the book, and I have to thank my quirk for the inspiration.
Got a quirk? Got a favorite mug? Feel free to comment below and let me know.
I'll be here...waiting for the snow to stop.
Until then, I’ll just cozy up and keep writing. How do you get through the long winter days?
Coffee is high on my list.
I think a lot of writers have an all-consuming love for the elixir. I’ve sung the praises of my sanctuary-in-38-seconds-flat caffeine fix in the past. Author Chuck Wendig is unapologetic about his ascent into superior coffee snobbery. And a gang of writers I know (yeah, they’re a gang, and they don’t even need cool biker jackets to prove it) have a great blog inspired by their two passions: Women’s Fiction and coffee. Yesterday, Musings from the Mug let me drop by to wax poetic about the patina in my favorite coffee delivery vehicles (i.e. mugs that have special meaning for me).
I have a confession to make, while I have mugs on my mind. It took me a long time to make peace with drinking my coffee out of a dark mug. Call me crazy, but I like to easily see what I am drinking, and where I am in the process. White mugs are just easier.
While writing Louder Than Love, I took this weird quirk of mine and gave it to one of my characters. Not a main character, mind you. Not even a living, breathing character.
Peter Lewis, Katrina’s husband, died in a freak train accident four years before the novel opens. While Katrina and her young daughter Abbey have been making peace and moving forward, Pete’s memory is ever-present as they go about their daily lives. Lives that now include an unexpected element, in the form of recluse rocker, Adrian Graves. As Kat and Adrian’s relationship blooms, the ghost of Pete looms large and unspoken between them.
By giving Pete my strange mug affliction, I was able to bring him back, front and center into the middle of Kat’s kitchen; a heartbreaking reminder of what she and Abbey had lost. And a hint of foreshadowing at what they stood to lose, if Kat continued refusing to open up to Adrian about her past.
Abbey’s tiny elbow made contact with the coffee mug Adrian had been drinking from. It went skittering and I helplessly watched it plummet, then smash with a heartbreaking pop and gush; bone china and morning lifeblood scattered and smattered.
“Dammit, Abbey!” I yelled. Adrian jumped to grab paper towels. “Step back . . . go!”
Abbey backed out of the kitchen, lips quivering down and eyes brimming. I dropped to my knees as Adrian attempted to staunch the flow and gather the pieces carefully in the palm of his hand. Oh, no . . . the whimper never made it out of my vocal chords, the words were trapped painfully in the breath from my chest.
“Kat, it’s not her fault. I set it too close to the edge.” He swiftly rose and deposited the entire mess into the trash. “Calm down, luv. It was just a mug.”
It was.
Just a stupid Blue Plate Special diner mug from Fishs Eddy. But I had watched Pete drink from it every morning since we met. He couldn’t drink coffee from a dark mug. He had fessed up to his quirk with a sheepish laugh; it made him nervous when he couldn’t see how much coffee was left in the cup.
Couldn’t see the bottom. Couldn’t see the end coming.
“I know,” I whispered.
It's one of my favorite scenes in the book, and I have to thank my quirk for the inspiration.
Got a quirk? Got a favorite mug? Feel free to comment below and let me know.
I'll be here...waiting for the snow to stop.
December 11, 2013
GraveTells Readers Choice Awards!
Thanks to all the readers who nominated Louder Than Love's Adrian Graves for "Most Swoon-Worthy Rock Star" in the GraveTells Readers Choice Awards!
Voting begins December 15th, and he's got some sizable competition! If you've read Louder Than Love and consider him swoon-worthy, I know he'd appreciate your vote! :)
October 6, 2013
FREE LOUDER THAN LOVE E-BOOK GIVEAWAY!
The sweet and sexy brains behind HEAs Are Us enjoyed Adrian and Kat's story so much that they are giving others the chance to fall in love with Louder Than Love...for free!
They are gifting Louder Than Love to FOUR (4) lovely winners! Each winner will receive an ecopy via Amazon or Barnes & Noble from HEAs Are Us, and I am throwing in some sweet rocker swag to each as well!
***B&N ebooks are U.S. only. Amazon ebooks can be gifted to anyone who can receive and read Kindle ebooks from Amazon***
Check out their post and be sure to tell us who YOUR favorite book boyfriend or rock star is - thanks!
They are gifting Louder Than Love to FOUR (4) lovely winners! Each winner will receive an ecopy via Amazon or Barnes & Noble from HEAs Are Us, and I am throwing in some sweet rocker swag to each as well!
***B&N ebooks are U.S. only. Amazon ebooks can be gifted to anyone who can receive and read Kindle ebooks from Amazon***
Check out their post and be sure to tell us who YOUR favorite book boyfriend or rock star is - thanks!
September 18, 2013
COFFEE CHAPTER QUOTE CONTEST!
HAPPY RELEASE DAY, LOUDER THAN LOVE! In celebration of my debut, I am hosting a giveaway on jesstopper.com this week.
Chapter one opens with Katrina and her friends hanging out and chatting in their local coffee shop. What’s your favorite line from this first chapter? Let me know over at jesstopper.com for a chance to win!
(Note: You do not have to purchase the book in order to participate: the first three chapters are available for FREE download through my publisher, or you can sample the first chapter on Amazon. But I think after reading the sampler you’ll be hooked!)
The winner will receive an exclusive Louder Than Love coffee mug (pictured) and a $20 Starbucks gift card, so you can treat yourself and your BFFs to some coffee and girl-bonding time! (Please don’t steal any chocolate-covered goodies like Marissa does in the book, though.) I’m also throwing in some Louder Than Love guitar picks and pins to sweeten the deal.
This quote from Kat later in the book inspired the design of the coffee mug.
I wove the main characters’ names and other inspiring words into the heart-shaped design on the opposite side. I hope it makes you smile as you sip!
“At his feet were two Starbucks cups of coffee, which almost broke my heart. Our fourth date and the man not only brings coffee, but I knew it was exactly how I liked it, too: one sugar, two splashes of skim. Adrian was the type of guy who noticed the details.”
To enter, head on over to jesstopper.com, throw your name in the Rafflecopter and add your favorite quote in the comments of the blog post. It's easy-peasy! Bonus points for liking my Facebook page One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, September 24th. U.S. Residents only, please.
Good Luck!
COFFEE CHAPTER QUOTE CONTEST!
Chapter one opens with Katrina and her friends hanging out and chatting in their local coffee shop. What’s your favorite line from this first chapter? Let me know over at jesstopper.com for a chance to win!
(Note: You do not have to purchase the book in order to participate: the first three chapters are available for FREE download through my publisher, or you can sample the first chapter on Amazon. But I think after reading the sampler you’ll be hooked!)
The winner will receive an exclusive Louder Than Love coffee mug (pictured) and a $20 Starbucks gift card, so you can treat yourself and your BFFs to some coffee and girl-bonding time! (Please don’t steal any chocolate-covered goodies like Marissa does in the book, though.) I’m also throwing in some Louder Than Love guitar picks and pins to sweeten the deal.
This quote from Kat later in the book inspired the design of the coffee mug.
I wove the main characters’ names and other inspiring words into the heart-shaped design on the opposite side. I hope it makes you smile as you sip!
“At his feet were two Starbucks cups of coffee, which almost broke my heart. Our fourth date and the man not only brings coffee, but I knew it was exactly how I liked it, too: one sugar, two splashes of skim. Adrian was the type of guy who noticed the details.”
To enter, head on over to jesstopper.com, throw your name in the Rafflecopter and add your favorite quote in the comments of the blog post. It's easy-peasy! Bonus points for liking my Facebook page One winner will be chosen at random on Tuesday, September 24th. U.S. Residents only, please.
Good Luck!
September 16, 2013
Are you ready?
Tomorrow is the day - LOUDER THAN LOVE releases!
Are you ready to meet Adrian, Kat and Abbey? They are looking forward to sharing their story with you!
Are you ready to meet Adrian, Kat and Abbey? They are looking forward to sharing their story with you!
