Rumer Haven's Blog, page 8

Jane's Addiction (My Addiction to Jane Austen, Rather)

(Somehow snapping a photo of the table like some creepy voyeur through the window felt less tacky than doing so inside the museum. I don't know, I work in mysterious ways.)
Making one of my usual literary pilgrimages in the UK, I visited Jane Austen's house in Chawton, Hampshire over the bank holiday weekend, where I gushed like a school girl over her writing table, the modest wooden surface on which Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion were written (and Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, and Northanger Abbey revised). I then had the audacity to let it remind me of the far less accomplished short stories and essays I used to write at my little bistro table in the window of my Chicago studio apartment during grad school--one of which was a precursor to the novel manuscript I'm currently revising. Will have to possess the diligence, patience, and humility of Jane to see where that one ends up. :)

My gratitude to the Jane Austen's House Museum, at any rate, for a meaningful visit. Not only did I see the table where such great works were created, but I saw (and shamelessly bought a replica of!) the turquoise and gold ring that Kelly Clarkson bought at auction and would've taken out of the country if the museum hadn't bought it back, and I spoke with Jane's great-great-nephew in the drawing room; he seemed delighted that I was staying in the old garden cottage of his family's historic estate, where the same hedges grow that Jane would've strolled by. The ultimate past-meets-present experience that I shall be over the moon about for some time, reveling in the awesome that is Austen.

Taking the air with a turn about the garden. Dear me, if only I'd packed my good bonnet.

Happy Release Day tooooo...VIBRIZZIO, by Nicki Elson!

Vvvvvvvvery exciting news! Nicki Elson has just released her third fun-n-frisky romance novel...

Vibrizzio *** Buy it TODAY on Amazon! ***
~*~ Lyssa Bates doesn't need a man.
Not when the world is fully stocked with double A batteries and a wide array of options in Amazon's health and sexual wellness category.~*~
In celebration of her newest book baby, Nicki has asked bloggers to provide a one-sentence-or-less reaction to the mini-blurb above--but from a MAN's POV. Here's what my ever-in-business-mode husband has to say:

"She should package every book with one!"

The man is always thinkin' of an angle... Well, have fun discussing that one with your publisher, Nicki, and full speed ahead, VVVVVVibrizzio! 
 

What a Coinky-Dink!

This spring, I finally got around to dusting off an old manuscript--my first novel attempt--and getting down to some serious revisions. After two more read-throughs this past week, I'm feeling really good about it. Granted, I once felt really good about my earlier drafts, too, which just the thought of today make me criiiinge. But room for improving is infinite, so while I'll always be aspiring for that as a writer, I think I've got this little gal ready to query again.

This story is close to my heart for very personal reasons, but also because it indulges concepts that have always met my fancy. Ghosts, séances, déjà vu, synchronicity... I'm a total sucker for coincidences, always hoping to find connections between them even though it's perfectly plausible that they just happen at random. The human mind is such fertile ground for misperception and the consequences of when we see things the wrong way...or perhaps when we them the right way but question our own memories and judgment.

In any case, I love crazy coincidences, like one Father's Day when my brother was talking about going to a ball game in Cleveland and how the fans kept singing "Hang on Sloopy," which we Illinoisans furrowed our brows at, wondering what the hell significance that song had for Cleveland or the state of Ohio; my dad didn't even know the song, and I said how I hadn't heard it in ages. And then...my other brother gave my dad a speaker to pimp out his TV, and to test it, he turned on one of those TV music channels, which...yes. Was playing "Hang on Sloopy," along with a factoid on the screen about how Ohio adopted it as its state song in the '80s. That is not a "meaningful" coincidence to me, per se, but still. Come ON. That's weird, right?

I notice things like this so much that I once started writing them down to see if I'd ever find a pattern among them. But I stopped that habit, before I could become a crazy lady with maps and articles taped to the walls and a web-work of yarn tacked between them as if it would one day all come together like the end of an M. Night Shyamalan movie.

So that being said, I'm reading nothing into what happened today. It simply makes me happy that after pouring my mind and heart back into the story of a character who loves coincidences, too, today on the Tube ride to the British Book Affair here in London, I cracked open my book of JD Salinger short stories right to an old favorite, "For Esme with Love and Squalor," and the very first sentence ended with "in England on April 18th."

In England on April 18th. Yes, I am.

Cheers, Margot. Here's to coincidence and querying.

New Release: ENTWINED, by Cherie Colyer!

Entwined Embrace Series Book 3
by Cherie Colyer

YA Supernatural Romance/Thriller

* Available NOW!!! *

SUMMARY:

Only a few months after embracing her magical powers, defeating a dark witch, and banishing a faerie prince back to his realm, sixteen ­year ­old Madison Riley is back in book three of the Embrace series—and doing the bidding of a demon. She has no choice but to do so if she wants him to honor the deal they made to save the life of someone she loves. Twenty years of service to a creature of hell is a big price, but one she’s willing to pay. And it sure beats the alternative: selling her soul.

But life gets complicated when you’re the beck­and­call witch of a crossroad demon. Caden, the demon she serves, wants to become master of Death Himself, and with Madison at his side he has the means to do it.

It’s up to Madison and her coven to foil his plans, but Caden’s intentions aren't entirely evil—and the kisses he seals his deals with aren’t too bad either. As Caden's motives test Madison’s trust, his shameful flirting tries her boyfriend Isaac’s patience. But being caught between two supernatural hotties is perhaps the least of her concerns when the coven’s interference in Caden’s plot might just cost Madison her life and unleash hell on earth.


Find ENTWINED at:AmazonBN.com GoodreadsSimon & Schuster

*** GIVEAWAY *** Enter the Entwined RAFFLECOPTER at the link below to win either a $20 Amazon Gift Card or a 3 book bundle of the entire Entwined Series!
Rafflecoptor Giveaway

AUTHOR BIO:

Cherie believes there's a little magic in everyone. She also believes in following her dreams and never giving up. Her books are proof of that.

Besides writing, Cherie enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, the great outdoors, and she loves a challenge. While she has had many great experiences, what she finds most satisfying is seeing her children and stories grow into their own exciting and distinct entities.

Cherie lives in Illinois with her family.

Find Cherie Colyer at: Website FacebookTwitter

New Release: COMMAND THE TIDES, by Wren Handman!

Command the Tides by Wren Handman

Romantic Fantasy

* Available NOW in Paperback and Ebook *

EXCERPT:

“David, help Ryan cover the trail. I’ll help Sarah take Darren. Taya, take my sword and cover us.”

“The girl? She’s like to cut off her own feet as an enemy!” Liam hissed.

Taya felt her face grow hot. As always when she felt embarrassment closing in, she covered it with anger. She grabbed Jeremy’s sword by the hilt, drawing it out with one smooth motion and swinging it down so the point touched the ground just an inch in front of Liam’s foot. She felt Jeremy take a staggering step backward, startled.

“I will not only cut our enemy, I will cut the feet off of our enemy and leave them to bleed in the dirt. I haven’t let us down yet, and I certainly don’t intend to start now. And if you ever call me ‘the girl’ again, I will show you exactly what I am expert at cutting off,” she snarled, and then she hoisted the sword and spun on her heel, storming away before he could react. She stood at the edge of their sad, sodden company, the hilt of the sword resting snugly in the palm of her hand, her back straight and her head held high, and the only thing going through her mind was the fact she had absolutely, completely, no idea how to use a sword.


LINKS:
Amazon
BN.com
Goodreads
Simon & Schuster


*** GIVEAWAY *** Enter the Rafflecopter to win a free copy of Command the Tides and one of two $10 Amazon cards!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


AUTHOR BIO:

Wren Handman is a novelist, fiction writer, and playwright. Her first novel, Last Cut, was published by James Lorimer Publishing Ltd (Sept 2012) and is aimed at teenagers with reading difficulties. She has published short stories both in print and online, including in the anthology Voice From the Planet (Harvard Square Editions) and the online magazine Crow Toes Quarterly, an award-winning Canadian children’s publication. For regular updates check out her short fiction project, Lucid Dreaming (www.wrenhandman.com/lucid-dreaming), which responds to original art pieces with flash fiction stories.

New Release: LOVE STARTS WITH Z, by Tera Shanley!

Love Starts With Z Book Three in the Dead Rapture Seriesby Tera Shanley

* AVAILABLE TODAY, FEBRUARY 17! *
SUMMARY:

Twenty-four years into the Dead outbreak that ended the world, Soren Mitchell sticks out like a sore thumb in the remains of the human race. She's an anomaly: a hybrid of human and Dead, created by her mother's genetic immunity. Like her parents, she's fierce and strong. But despite their hopes for her happiness and safety, and even though she is no real threat to the colony, she has let the humans muzzle her and confine her within the walls of Dead Run River in search of a cure.

When Kaegan Langford stumbles into the colony with an injured friend draped across his shoulders, her world is turned upside down. Intrigued and affected by her, he asks her to come to Empalme, Mexico with him to fight in the war between Deads and humans. It'll be a long, treacherous journey to the coast, but she's had all she can take in the colony.

Battles with Deads, betrayal, injury, kidnappings, and a criminal-run train ride stand between them and the war. But in the end, it's not just the war with the Deads that could be the death of them.

Tera Shanley's final book in the Dead Rapture series will thrill your heart...and your braaaains.


LINKS: GoodreadsAmazon (Book One is only 99 cents for the month of February! And why not buy Book Two while you're at it!)  Author WebsiteTwitterFacebook

AUTHOR BIO:
Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love. A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two young children and when she isn’t busy running around after her family, she’s writing a new story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging, zombie slaying, friend hugging, and the great outdoors. For more information about Tera and her work, visit www.terashanley.com.

New Release: FOUR SOMETHINGS & A SIXPENCE by @RumerHaven!

FOUR SOMETHINGS & A SIXPENCEby Rumer Haven Adult Contemporary Romance
Available February 3, 2015
from Vagabondage Romance (an imprint of Vagabondage Press)

SUMMARY:
One wedding. Six participants. Be they sitting in the pews or standing at the altar, bearing witness in person or only in spirit, each of them knows something about the unsmiling bride.

Go ahead—offer them a sixpence for their thoughts, and they'll make you these vows:
One would love to declare this woman his “awfully wedded wife.” Verbatim.One fears what she already has and will have to hold—if not from this day forward, then soon.One takes her to be richer, not poorer—and for that reason wants to scrub the toilet with her toothbrush.One is better for what she told him this morning, worse for betraying a friend to get to this point.One worries whether today finds her in sickness or in health.And only one already knows—with certainty—that not even in death will they part.Whether they speak now or forever hold their peace, they all give the bride a little something she didn’t register for. With romance, resentment, faith, fear, mystery, and the mystical, Four Somethings & A Sixpence is a loaded yet light read just in time for Valentine's Day!

*** Add it to Goodreads ****** Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble ***
In celebration, I'm giving away 4 free ebooks of this 9,000-word novelette, and a lucky 5th winner will receive the ebook PLUS an authentic silver sixpence coin struck by the Royal Mint in London! RSVP at the Rafflecopter for your chance to win (runs from 2/3 - 2/14).  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fans, Faves, and Four Somethings...

I've got a bit of a smorgasbord going on here, with some fun developments as of this week.

First of all, I have the honor of being this month's Random Fan at the Big Spoon, Little Spoon blog, courtesy of my gracious hosts, Morgan and Jennifer Locklear. Authors of the contemporary romance Exposure , they not only interviewed me for this segment but answered questions of my own about their debut novel's inspirations and their writing process as a dynamic husband-wife duo. They're as lovely and fun as their story, which you can find here. You can access our recent Random Fan interview by clicking the image below, and Jennifer will also be reviewing the book at the Bookish Temptations blog later this week!


Next up, I am still sitting here in a very ladylike fashion with my mouth hanging open, unable to register that Bookaholic Babe has added SEVEN FOR A SECRET to her list of favorites! To be there with the likes of The Night Circus and fellow Omnific author Georgina Guthrie's Word series is such an honor.


And finally, my 9,000-word novelette, Four Somethings & A Sixpence , is scheduled for release by the Battered Suitcase Press (an imprint of Vagabondage Press) on February 3rd. There will be a Rafflecopter giveaway running from then until Valentine's Day to celebrate this season of looove, and YOU can help promote it NOW by joining my Thunderclap!


Thanks as always, daaahhlings, for your maaahhvelous support!

Cover Reveal for LOVE STARTS WITH Z, by Tera Shanley!

Love Starts With Z Book Three in the Dead Rapture Seriesby Tera Shanley


SUMMARY:

“She was Dead and human, and no matter which side she chose, she was a traitor.”
Twenty-four years into the Dead outbreak that ended the world, Soren Mitchell sticks out like a sore thumb in the remains of the human race. She's an anomaly: a hybrid of human and Dead, created by her mother's genetic immunity. Like her parents, she's fierce and strong. But despite their hopes for her happiness and safety, and even though she is no real threat to the colony, she has let the humans muzzle her and confine her within the walls of Dead Run River in search of a cure.

When Kaegan Langford stumbles into the colony with an injured friend draped across his shoulders, her world is turned upside down. Intrigued and affected by her, he asks her to come to Empalme, Mexico with him to fight in the war between Deads and humans. It'll be a long, treacherous journey to the coast, but she's had all she can take in the colony.

Battles with Deads, betrayal, injury, kidnappings, and a criminal-run train ride stand between them and the war. But in the end, it's not just the war with the Deads that could be the death of them.

Tera Shanley's final book in the Dead Rapture series will thrill your heart...and your braaaains.


LINKS:
Goodreads
Amazon
Author Website
Twitter
Facebook


AUTHOR BIO:
Tera Shanley writes in sub-genres that stretch from Paranormal Romance, to Historic Western Romance, to Apocalyptic (zombie) Romance. The common theme? She loves love. A self-proclaimed bookworm, she was raised in small town Texas and could often be found decorating a table at the local library. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband and two young children and when she isn’t busy running around after her family, she’s writing a new story or devouring a good book. Any spare time is dedicated to chocolate licking, rifle slinging, zombie slaying, friend hugging, and the great outdoors. For more information about Tera and her work, visit www.terashanley.com.

Cover Reveal for VIBRIZZIO, by Nicki Elson!

Vibrizzio by Nicki Elson 
    Adult  Contemporary Romance Available April 21st, 2015from Swoon Romance
This one's sending me nothin' but good Vibrations... Very witty, Very smart romance with plenty VaVoom!

SUMMARY:
Lyssa Bates doesn’t need a man. Not when the world is fully-stocked with double A batteries and a wide array of options in Amazon’s health and sexual wellness category. After yet another failed relationship, the twenty-six-year-old investment analyst is convinced that real guys aren’t ever going to live up to her expectations—so why should she bother with them? She’s determined to keep her dating life purely electronic…though she occasionally fantasizes about Hayden King, the delicious new associate she just got partnered with at work.

While Lyssa manages her romantic risks by deleting men from of the equation, the ever-charming Hayden protects his heart by diversifying his love life across multiple women. As the two young professionals travel together around the country for business, their flirty working relationship develops into a close friendship that hurtles toward something more. Between hot tub confessions in Baltimore, an accidental kiss in Dallas, and an all-nighter in Chicago, Hayden proves himself to be better than any fantasy.

* Add to Goodreads *
AUTHOR BIO:
Writing wasn't something Nicki set out to do; it just sort of happened when she realized writing reports was by far her favorite part of her investment consulting position. She traded stock allocation and diversification for story arcs and dialogue and now weaves her creative writing time in with the other activities of her busy life with her family in the Chicago suburbs.

Nicki writes with two goals in mind: #1 to keep the characters realistic, even when their circumstances are anything but, and #2 to make the reader feel. Watch for her new title Vibrizzio, coming in 2015 from Swoon Romance. Her published works include Three Daves, a light-hearted romantic romp through a 1980s college campus, Divine Temptation, a romantic novel of angelic proportions, and Hans & Greta: a Twisted Fairy Tale Novella. Her published short stories include “Sway” (available as a single), “I Don’t Do Valentine’s Day” (part of A Valentine Anthology), and “Impressionism 101” (included in the debut issue of Insatiable: The Magazine of Paranormal Desire

AUTHOR LINKS:
http://nickielson.com/
http://twitter.com/NickiElson3D
http://www.facebook.com/by.NickiElson
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3379575.Nicki_Elson