Sarina Bowen's Blog, page 47

Whoa! Just Nine More Days Until Bridger's Book

Unbelievable, right? Bridger comes to an e-tailer near you on June 1st. The Year We Hid Away is loading up and (almost) ready to go!

Pictures from Vermont

Writing about Vermont has forced me to become a more visual person. And that's a good thing, because I live in one of the most beautiful, unspoiled states in the union. (And also one of the least populous. Did you know that we're number 49th in population? Only Wyoming has fewer people.) Here are a couple of quick shots I took this week on my phone. I won't be entering any photo contests anytime soon, but I sure had fun.

Woodstock Vermont is the perfect small town. Can you see it reflected in the tee shirt?

Why I Love College Hockey

Welp. The college hockey season is officially done. As a New Englander, I guess I'll have to pretend to care whether the Bruins can keep it up in the post-season.

But my heart is still with college hockey. Why?

Maybe it's because I have a short attention span. Hockey is a fast-paced, physical game. Unlike most other sports, there are barely any time-outs. (Just one per team, and it's short.) 

(But college hockey isn't outright brutal. Fighting is actually prohibited, with major penalties and ejections from the game when it happens.)

And (depending on where you live) you can see excellent college hockey in smallish stadiums all over the country. Want to sit a few rows from the ice? That will set you back $15, please.

While you're there, listening to the puck smack against the boards and watching the guys skate so fast they're practically a blur, remember that you're probably watching the next generation of NHL stars. Not a bad night's entertainment!

A Giveaway for Hockey Lovers

A Giveaway to celebrate the launch of The Year We Fell Down

There will be 3 winners! Enter between April 7th and April 14th.

U.S. winners will receive: their choice of a paperback or e-copy of the book. (International winners will receive the e-book only.)

U.S. winners will also receive handmade hockey-themed stationery from Unflappable on Etsy. Isn't it cute? Because everybody likes cute stationery, right?

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bridger gets a cover!

Here he is! Book #2 in The Ivy Years series has a cover. The title is: THE YEAR WE HID AWAY. Bridger's family troubles have only gotten worse. The only bright spot in his year is the time he spends with his first girlfriend, Scarlet. But Scarlet is hiding something big. And Bridger is hiding someone small.

A picture says 1000 words?

I'm not a very visual person. I love to write snappy dialog, and I'm not a fan of describing things. (It must be done sometimes. But I like to use a light touch.) However, marketing is a visual enterprise. And one day, out of the blue, the perfect image for the themes of The Year We Fell Down just came to me. A hockey stick... a puck with a tender heart... It's this. 

It's Release Day for IF ONLY by A.J. Pine

Congrats to author A.J. Pine, whose New Adult novel IF ONLY is published today by Entangled Embrace.

It's been two years since twenty-year-old Jordan had a boyfriend—which means it's been forever since she, well, you know. But now she’s off to spend her junior year in Aberdeen, Scotland, the perfect place to stop waiting for Mr. Right and just enjoy Mr. Right Now.

Sexy, sweet (and possible player) Griffin may be her perfect, no-strings-attached match. He’s fun, gorgeous, and makes her laugh. So why can’t she stop thinking about Noah who, minutes after being trapped together outside the train’s loo, kisses Jordan like she’s never been kissed before? Never mind his impossible blue eyes, his weathered, annotated copy of The Great Gatsby (total English-major porn)…oh, and his girlfriend.

Jordan knows everything this year has an expiration date. Aberdeen is supposed to be about fun rather than waiting for life to happen. But E. M. Forster, Shakespeare, and mistletoe on Valentine’s Day make her reconsider what love is and how far she’s willing to go for the right guy.

THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN wins 1st Place

I know writing is supposed to be its own reward. And many days it is! But it made me feel like a million bucks to find out last night that The Year We Fell Down has won the NT RWA's Great Expectations Contest, 1st Place. Thank you, Texas!

Cover Reveal: Breaking Fences by Juliana Haygert

Another day, another pretty New Adult cover to reveal! Juliana Haygert's BREAKING FENCES will be published in June.

Add Breaking Fences to Goodreads

All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.

College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding.

But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don’t hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn’t be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.

However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn’t have to mean standing alone.


** Companion novel of Breaking the Reins. Can be read out of order.**

Cover Reveal for Author Lex Martin!

I always enjoy helping authors launch their new books! Check out this cover for Lex Martin's Dearest Clementine. (You can find it on Goodreads Here.)

 

TITLE: Dearest Clementine
AUTHOR: Lex Martin
RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2014
GENRE: NA contemporary romance

SYNOPSIS:

Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn't mind being called bitchy and closed off. It's safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.

Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out...in the name of research, of course.

As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.

DEAREST CLEMENTINE is a stand-alone novel with two companion novels. This New Adult contemporary romance series is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content. Look for the second book, DEAREST DANDELION, this June.