Carrie Elks's Blog, page 4

Surprise Cover Reveal – Summer’s Lease

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Sometimes you have to make some tough decisions. Changing the US and Canadian cover for Summer’s Lease was one of those for me. You see, I loved the old cover. The designer and I worked really hard at getting the concept right, choosing the right model and background to really get the essence of the story. And yet, from the feedback I was getting, it just wasn’t working.

I’m a Brit, and we have particular tastes in covers. You only have to take a look at the top books in the UK romance charts to see that. We like covers with girls on, with bright colors and happy fonts. Especially when it comes to a summer book.

But then if you look at the US romance charts, the cover preferences are completely different. They’re dominated by two concepts — either the manchest (pic of man with a naked torso from the waist up) or by couples. There aren’t a whole lot of pictures of women on their own in there. Yes, there are a few, but these prove to be the exception rather than the rule. Usually, a  woman on her own signals Women’s Fic — and that wasn’t the vibe I was looking for here.

So with a heavy heart (and a lighter wallet) we’ve gone back to the drawing board and created a whole new cover for Summer’s Lease, and I have to say I LOVE it. I love the colours, I love the couple, and I love the way it feels so summery, and yet really screams romance, too. Because Summer’s Lease is definitely a romance, between a sexy movie star and a girl who’s just looking for an escape.

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MY BRAND NEW US COVER!

If you still prefer female-centric covers, don’t panic – my UK cover remains the same, with a pretty girl staring out across Lake Como, toward a glorious vista of Varenna, Italy. So really, I have the best of both worlds.

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HERE’S THE UK COVER!

It’s now only 4 days until release day, and I really CAN’T WAIT! I’ll be having lots of giveaways and celebrations over on Facebook and Twitter, not to mention with my newsletter subscribers, so make sure to join me there!

And don’t forget that you can still pre-order Summer’s Lease for only 99p / 99c at these places:

AMAZON UK

iBOOKS US & CANADA

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From Italy with Love… more on Summer’s Lease

Like many good things, my latest book, Summer’s Lease, started off with a ghost of an idea. What if a girl who’d lost everything came face to face with the man who’d ruined her career. And what if he’d had more success than he’d ever dreamed of? From that little kernel a story started to grow. As the heroine – Cesca – is a playwright, I wanted the setting to be secluded, almost like a theatre in itself. That’s where the idea of an isolated villa came from. It had to be behind gates, with no connection to the outside world, and yet beautiful enough for the seclusion to feel luxurious.

And on top of that, there had to be a reason for the heroine to be thrown together with the hero — Hollywood superstar Sam Carlton. And what better reason than the fact they both thought they’d be the only person at the villa? So when Sam, the man who caused Cesca’s fall from grace, turns up at his family’s villa on Lake Como, all hell breaks loose. And thus begins the story of Summer’s Lease.

When it came to researching the location, I felt truly blessed. I also managed to do it a little back-to-front. I started off with my good friend, Google, spending hours on trip advisor and travel blogs, soaking up the hot atmosphere of Lake Como, and becoming hugely jealous of all those rich people and celebrities who spend their summer there. I also spent a lot of time researching the food – finding out about the local produce, some of the best restaurants, as well as the luscious wine that’s produced in the region.

When I finished the first draft, I realized I’d not only fallen in love with the hero and heroine, but also with a whole country. So I turned to my long-suffering (but lovely) husband and said, “can we go on holiday to Italy this year?”

Thankfully, he said yes.

In the end, we agreed that Lake Garda was more suitable for our family of four than Lake Como. So last summer we hauled ourselves and our bags to our local airport and flew out to Milan, where we picked up a hire car and drove across to the lakes. And in a weird way I felt a bit like a girl going to meet a boy she’d met online. I was nervous that it wouldn’t be as beautiful as the pictures and descriptions had made it out to be. That somehow I’d been cat-fished by a country.

But of course it was MORE than I ever thought possible. The lake was as sparkling and blue as I’d hoped it be, the scenery as breathtaking, and the food as mouthwatering as I try to describe in the book. And when our two weeks were over, I got back onto that aeroplane knowing that I’d be back very soon.

And since a picture paints a thousand words, I’ll leave you with some photographs of our time at Lake Garda, and maybe you’ll fall a little in love with it, too.

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Summer’s Lease will be released on July 13th, in eBook and Paperback. For more information please click here.

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Release Day – Table 10 by Jiffy Kate

Jiffy Kate are two of my favorite people, and I’m delighted to be part of their release day blitz today. Table 10 is a fabulous new series with regular releases and a spicy storyline. Check out more below!

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Release Blitz



Table 10: Part 3 
 Author: Jiffy Kate
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Enchanted Publications


Amazon Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads 

A waitress fielding life’s curveballs.




A CEO with a penchant for pie.


She’s independent and tenacious.
He’s chivalrous and demanding.


They’re an unexpected match.


Somehow, through a series of events, their lives are thrust together. But what happens next? Find out how it ends in this final installment of Table 10.




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Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman.

Jiff was born and raised in Louisiana. She’s now living in Texas with her two teenagers and two bulldogs, Georgia Rose and Jake. She spends her days enabling people’s LulaRoe addictions. Don’t worry, it’s not illegal.

Jenny Kate was born and raised in Oklahoma where she lives with her husband, teenager, and two high-maintenance Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Wrigley and Oliver. She’s a coffee-obsessed accounting assistant, who wishes she had an endless supply of money and vacation days.

Some people think they’ve been friends forever, but they’ve only known each other about six years. Kindred spirits and all that. After their first “date”, they knew it was fate. Five years ago, they started writing their first story and they haven’t stopped.  

Their first published book, Finding Focus, was released in November 2015. Since then, they’ve published the second book of the Finding Focus Series, Chasing Castles, and a new adult romance, The Other One. 

If you like a romance set in the south, then you’ll love their southern fried fiction with heart and soul.

The graphics were keeping the email from sending. So, I’ll send those in a few separate emails.  

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads

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Cover Reveal – Turn the Page by Sydney Logan

Today we have the cover reveal for Turn the Page by Sydney Logan! Check it out and preorder your copy today!

Release Date: July 11
Genre: Contemporary/Sweet Romance
Cover design by: T.M. Franklin
Published by: Enchanted Publications


About Turn the Page:

Sex. Drugs. Rock and roll.

Life in the fast lane is nothing new to Corbin James.

After completing his second stint in rehab, Corbin heads home to Riverview, determined to leave the music world behind and focus on his family, his songwriting, and his sobriety.

Crippled with debt but determined to make it on her own, Jolie Daniels pours her heart and soul into the town’s bookstore. When Corbin finds his debut album in Jolie’s discount bin, sparks fly between the pretty bookstore owner and the rock star musician.

Corbin knows he’s nowhere near good enough for a sweet girl like Jolie . . .

But he wants to be.

When a record label approaches Corbin with the chance to make a musical comeback, he doesn’t think twice before saying no. He’s ready to settle down, and he wants to do it with Jolie. However, when her beloved bookstore is threatened with foreclosure, Corbin finds himself signing a contract that will take him away from home and back on tour for three months.

Can Corbin resist the temptations of the tour? Or will the loneliness of the road resurrect all the demons he’s worked so hard to bury?

 

Turn the Page is now available for pre-order!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iTunes | Nook | Kobo | Signed Paperbacks


Turn the Page Book Trailer

 

About the Author:

Sydney Logan writes heartfelt romances that feature strong women and the men who love them. In addition to her novels, she has penned several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul. She is a Netflix junkie, music lover, and a Vol for Life. Sydney and her husband make their home in beautiful East Tennessee.

 

Connect with Sydney:
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon


Enter Sydney’s Giveaway:

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Cover Reveal – Cookie Cutter by Jo Richardson

Today I’m delighted to share the cover reveal for Cookie Cutter by Jo Richardson, one of my dear writing friends, and an amazing author to boot. The cover looks amazing, Jo!

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Title: Cookie Cutter
Author: Jo Richardson
Publication Date: July 20, 2017
Publisher: Enchanted Publications

#cookiecutterreveal

Iris Alden & Carter Blackwood couldn’t be more different.

Recently divorced, newly-employed, cookie-baking, PTA super mom Iris likes her life neat & organized, while house-flipping Carter’s itchy feet means he never stays in the same place for very long.

When Carter purchases the home across from Iris to renovate it for a quick sell, he has no intention of putting down roots. He certainly doesn’t plan on getting involved with the local community, let alone the town committee mom.

But life doesn’t always coincide with what we think we want.

When an unexpected family crisis pulling Carter back to the city, & Iris’ ex-husband doing his best to sabotage anything resembling a new life for her & their teenaged daughter, Iris & Carter soon find, love isn’t always sweet.

AMAZON US – http://amzn.to/2sktTgu
AMAZON UK – https://goo.gl/xyqLPP
AMAZON CA – https://goo.gl/WKMouw

A movie fanatic, a writer of stories, a lover of life.

I grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity – but it was too cold up North for this thin blooded girl. Today, I live in Florida with my two girls and a husband who shares my same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

I write both contemporary and paranormal stories that include mystery, suspense, humor, action, romance, and anything else I can think up.

Author Links

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/JoRichardson

Website – http://www.jowrites.weebly.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/jowritesfics

Twitter – @JoFictionFreak

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My Writing Year – a Six Monthly Review

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Credit: Depositphotos

As a dyed-in-the-wool planner (and an ex-HR practitioner) I’ve always set myself targets, in fact it’s often the only way I get things done. If I don’t have a daily things-to-do list written down, then I feel lost. Or rather, I feel entitled to make myself a cup of coffee, sit back and get lost in my latest read. Either way, I need to have goals in order to motivate myself,

That’s why back in January I wrote a post about my writing goals for 2017. To give myself some accountability, and to have something to measure myself against at the end of the year. And a bit like reading an old diary, it’s fun to look back and see what I was thinking a few months ago.

In HR, we always used to preach that objectives are only useful if they’re regularly reviewed. And though I no longer have a ‘boss’ to sit me down for a bi-annual appraisal, that doesn’t stop me from rating myself. So let’s see how I’ve done so far this year.

Target 1 – Edit & publish Summer’s Lease, the first in my new series.

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Result – Done and dusted. Well almost. The book is fully edited and will be released on July 13th this year. It’s already getting some lovely reviews on Goodreads, and is available right now to pre-order for 99p / 99c.

Goal achieved. YAY!

Target 2 – Revise & submit A Winter’s Tale – the second in my new series.

Result – achieved. In fact, I think I overachieved this one. Not only has it been submitted, but it’s been through revisions, line edits & copy edits and is just awaiting a proofread. It will be released in November, and I can’t wait for people to read this one!

Target 3 – Write the first draft of Book 3 in the Shakespeare Sisters series

Result – target achieved. I spent most of the first 3 months of the year writing this book (tentatively titled Absent in the Spring), and since then have set it aside. One of my targets for the next couple of months is to revise and submit it to my publishers. I’m slowly learning to love the revision process (or certainly the outcome) but it’s still damn hard work. Wish me luck!

Target 4 – Write book 2 of my super-secret project

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Done! Wish I could tell you more, but my lips are currently sealed. As soon as I can share, I promise I will

My Favourite Italian Drinks

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It’s less than 3 weeks until Summer’s Lease is released in Ebook and Paperback (shameless pimp – sorry!) and the reviews are starting to come in. One thing all of them have in common is that they love the Italian setting, and in particular the food and drink I describe in great detail.

Researching (and tasting) Italian culinary delights was one of my favourite parts of writing Summer’s Lease. We even spent our summer holiday on the banks of Lake Garda, and then in Venice last year — and it proved to be the best way to make sure that my research was accurate (or a really good excuse to eat and drink my way through Italy!)

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Drinking wine on the hills overlooking Lake Garda (credit: author’s own)

So, as a result of this extensive research, I bring you my five favourite Italian tipples. Have I missed your favourite out? Let me know in the comments.

1. NEGRONI

Classed as an ‘aperitivo’, which basically means you get to drink it before you eat (yay!), a Negroni is fast becoming as popular in the UK as it is in Italy. A blend of one part campari, one part vermouth and one part gin, it’s served over a generous amount of ice in a glass tumbler, along with a slice of orange. In Summer’s Lease, the hero, Sam, makes Cesca a Negroni, and she’s suitably impressed. As would I be if anybody made me one (hint hint!)

2. APEROL SPRITZ

One of my favourite discoveries during my time in Venice, an Aperol Spritz is one of the most famous cocktails in Italy. To make the perfect Spritz, you need to combine 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and a splash of soda. Like a negroni, it’s served on the rocks with a twist of orange. I spent a lot of time drinking this during my stay in Italy, and have wonderful memories of sitting in a paved piazza with my ice-cold drink in hand, whiling the afternoon away people-watching. If you haven’t tried one yet, I highly recommend it.

 

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Aperol Spritz (credit: Deposit photos)

3. PROSECCO

Anybody who knows me (or has checked out my Instagram page – here: https://www.instagram.com/carrie.elks/) knows I love white wine, and in particular the fizzy variety! During the summer Prosecco is my fizz of choice. It’s crisp, delicious, and downright tasty. There’s really nothing bad to say about it, which is why it makes my top 5. Chin chin!

4. VALPOLICELLA

In Summer’s Lease, there’s a wine cave set in the side of the hill behind the secluded villa where Sam and Cesca stay. Inside is a treasure trove of Italian wine, and the one that stands out is the Valpolicella. Sam uses his knowledge of wine to impress Cesca, and at one funny part of the book he also uses it to show how well he knows her. Just don’t drink the 2002 vintage – it’s not the best!

5. LIMONCELLO

Another favourite of mine from my stay in Italy was the post-dinner lemon-flavoured liqueur, Limoncello. It’s thick and sweet, and the perfect way to round of an evening of pasta or risotto. It’s traditionally made from Sorrento Lemons, and should be drunk in small measures. Otherwise drunk will be the operative word!

So there you have it, a list of my top 5 Italian drinks, some of which you’ll find hiding in the pages of Summer’s Lease. The book releases on 13th July, and I highly recommend reading it in the garden (or at the beach) with one of these tipples in hand!

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Overlooking Lake Garda (credit: Author’s Own)

Cheers!

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Cover Reveal – Cutlass by T.M. Franklin

I’m so excited to share the cover of T.M. Franklin’s upcoming pirate adventure, CUTLASS!

 

Sarina Talbot is certain notorious pirate, One-Eyed Jack Tremayne, murdered her father and stole his prized cutlass. Out for revenge, she sneaks onto his ship disguised as a cabin boy, but Tremayne quickly catches on to her scheme. He claims she has the wrong man, and that, if they work together, he can help her gain the vengeance she seeks.

She doesn’t really trust him, and he doesn’t trust anyone. But they need each other to find the killer, and their uneasy alliance slowly turns to friendship, and then to more.

Add in an old journal full of cryptic clues leading to a hidden cache of Aztec gold, and Sarina and Tremayne have their hands full. Between sword fights, Crown ships, enemy pirates and a traitor on their own vessel, they’ll be lucky to escape with their lives, let alone the gold.

But perhaps, along the way, they’ll find a treasure even more valuable.

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T.M. Franklin writes stories of adventure, romance, & a little magic. A former TV news producer, she decided making stuff up was more fun than reporting the facts. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader’s Choice Awards. She’s since written three additional novels and several best-selling short stories…and there’s always more on the way.

Connect with T.M. Franklin

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bookbub | Amazon

 

 

“Reminiscent of the Mortal Instruments Series . . . Only Better.” – Penny Dreadful Reviews

 

“Riveting supernatural read that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!” – Jolanda, Amazon Reviewer

A Sweet and Funny YA Romance

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Multi-Author Signing Events

This week I’ll be heading up to Newcastle (approximately a 6 hour drive away) to attend the Dedicated Ink Author Signing Event. Multi-author signings are a relatively new invention in the book world, created in part as a response to the fact that for independent authors it’s always been difficult to arrange events in bookshops, which makes it hard for authors to meet their readers face to face.

I first became aware of events like these in 2013, mostly taking place all over the USA. These events attract hundreds, and sometimes thousands of readers and bloggers, and can be an amazing way to find new fans and make connections. In the UK they’re a relatively new phenomenon. I attended my first as an author in April 2015, when I attended the BRITISH BOOK AFFAIR in London. As a relative newcomer (I think I still am really) I was awed by authors like Christina Lauren, Abbi Glines, Samantha Young and so many more who were kicking it at writing and selling amazing books.

Since then, I’ve attended another 3 signings in York, Leeds, Berlin and Southend-on-Sea, which makes Newcastle my sixth event of this kind. For those of you who’ve never been to a multi-author event like this, they tend to look a bit like this:

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Multi-Author Events

Authors are there not only to sell books (and in fact this is often the lowest on their list). Instead they’re there to connect with readers, to give out a whole lot of free swag, and to make sure we all have a good time. The signings tend to last all day — long enough for readers to make their way around the big hall that usually holds anywhere between 50 to 100 authors — and then afterwards there’s usually an evening party where authors, bloggers and readers all mingle together. This is usually the best part  of the day for me — a time when we can finally relax and enjoy talking about everything to do with books.

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Signing After Party

Preparing for an event often involves spending time in a Facebook group where we get to know the readers who will be attending, ordering swag (see below for a picture of some of mine), making sure I have enough books and also setting up pre-orders for those who like to pay before the day. And because Newcastle is so far away, it also involves making travel arrangements, booking hotels, and making sure the kids and the dog are looked after while I’m gone!

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Some of the Swag I’ll be taking to Newcastle!

After Newcastle, I’ll be attending ChapterCon in August (which is not only a signing, but also an author conference) and then in 2018 I’ll be heading to Belfast, Leeds, York, Edinburgh and Brighton. I’ll also be heading over to RARE in London as a reader! Busy times.

So how about you? Have you been to a multi-author event before? If you haven’t would you consider going? And if you have, what event will you be attending next?

And if you want more information on where to find me, check out my News and Events page.

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Goodreads Book Giveaway


Summer’s Lease
by Carrie Elks

Giveaway ends July 13, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

 

Lights, Camera . . . Love?

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There’s something rather wonderful about a Hollywood romance, in both real life and as a story. Watching LaLaLand earlier this year brought that back to me. Although let’s not talk about that ending. Seriously, let’s not. I’m still in recovery.

So when I decided to write a new series based on four sisters, it seemed natural to have a hero who was a up-and-coming movie star — a huge contrast to the heroine who was a poor, wannabe playwright. And that’s how Sam Carlton appeared to me — almost fully formed before I even put pen to paper. A man who got his first big break at the age of 19, and has been part of the Hollywood machine ever since.

Of course, this isn’t the first time a romance book has ever been written about a movie star and a civilian (I wanted to say Muggle, but J.K. Rowling I’m not.) In fact, some of my all time favorite stories feature the clash of lifestyles between an ordinary girl and a famous star. There’s the hilarious The Unidentified Redhead by Alice Clayton, that features the gorgeous Jack Hamilton wooing a very normal, and notably clumsy, Grace Sheridan. Then there’s the hot Hollywood Dirt by Alessandre Torre – soon to become a movie itself, courtesy of PassionFlix. Love Unscripted by Tina Reber — my very favourite modern Hollywood romance — features a hero (movie star Ryan Christiansen) who literally crashes into Taryn Michael’s small town bar, leading to a chemistry that sizzles off the page.

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It’s not just in books that Hollywood Romances can be found, but also (in a rather meta kind of way) in the movies too. I’ve already mentioned LaLaLand, (oh Ryan, why did you break my heart so?) but of course this is only the latest in a long line of movies about movie stars. One of my favourites — and a classic by any measure — is Singin’ in the Rain, featuring a rather gorgeous Gene Kelly singing and dancing his way as he falls in love with Debbie Reynolds. Then there’s Notting Hill, where movie star Julia Roberts has orange juice spilled over her white top by a bumbling yet adorable bookshop owner, Hugh Grant.

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What do all these stories have in common? I think in the beginning there’s a mismatch between the hero and heroine, or in this case the movie star and the muggle *ahem* civilian. It seems as though the movie star is out of their reach, and that a relationship can never work. And yet as the story unfolds, the star becomes more down to earth, and often is searching for somebody who will treat them as normal. Fall in love with them for their personality, not for their handprint outside the Chinese theater. In that respect it’s not so different to a traditional fairytale like Cinderella, where a rich royal falls in love with a poor maid. It’s a modern, up to date (and occasionally gender-swapped) version of all those stories we read growing up.

I think that’s what makes a movie-star romance so magical. It has all the glamour of a fairytale, but with the added edge of a Hollywood setting. For those of us who grew up with our eyes glued to the silver screen, it offers a fantasy that can whisk us away from modern life, and for me, romances don’t get much better than that.

Summer’s Lease is the first book in Carrie’s new Shakespeare Sisters series, and will be released on July 13th. For more details click here.

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