Riley Edgewood's Blog, page 2

2015 Goals!

HOW is it 2015? *asks every person everywhere* *making my question totally on topic*

So yeah. It's not technically 2015 yet, as this post is publishing on the last day of 2014. But still. Twenty Fifteen. Two zero one five. It's a year I'm really, really looking forward to.

I thought I'd set some goals here, and then try to keep myself accountable here throughout the year. Because, as you'll note if you read below, one of my goals is to blog a little bit more.


Write 30-40k per month--totally sounds like (and is) a lot, but it's necessary because of the next one:Stick to my 2015 publication outline/schedule (to be shared soon--but five books is the goal!)Read a wider variety of diverse booksMake a dent in my massive TBR (including, but so not limited to a few of the ones I've been dying to get to: Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley, One, Two, Three by Elodie Nowodazkij, Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers, Make it Count by Megan Erickson, All Broke Down by Cora Carmack, The Only Thing to Fear by Caroline Tung Richmond, Star Cursed and Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood, ... Oh man, I could go on and on and on, and these are just off the top of my head--and they're all waiting for me on my kindle or in hard copy (or both, ha)... Read more, in generalCelebrate successes of my writing friends, because I just know there are a ton coming just around the corner!! (I'm especially looking at you, my querying loves and on submission sweeties!! And, of course my debut and sophomore and whatever's the term for after that book coming out friends!!)Blog at least twice a month. Which, I know, is like a super lame goal but considering my current track record, uh... Paint my nails more. I know, also kind of a stupid goal. But... I love nail polish. I have approximately eleventy billion bottles and I've been slacking the past few years. (Pregnancy, motherhood, etc) So. I'm upping my np game again. Plus, I have more fun typing all the words when there are pretty colored nails flying over the keyboard.Better personal hygiene during weeks when I'm heavy drafting. Okay, yeah. This is kind of gross that I need to write it down. But I learned in December (when I wrote 30k+ in ONE week) that I need to set it. Because sometimes if you can't remember the last time you showered, it's more than three days and that's just scary.Clean/declutter my house once a week. (HUGE goal here, trust me.)Get SOME sort of exercise at least twice a week. (Preferably more.)Be better at catching up with my email inbox (dies laughing at the probability of this goal...)
And for some more personal ones, the most important, I believe:
Choose the kind option. Seriously. I believe in kindness (which, duh, who doesn't?) but I can honestly say I've worked hard the past few years to push it into one of my core values and...it's starting to stick. I think. I mean, not that I'm never unkind, because yeah I totally can be. But I've found that doing my best to keep my thoughts and my words kind really has made a difference in how natural those things now come to me. (SO not trying to toot my own horn about it, either. Just sharing. And, hell, those who know me best also know I can be a super jerkface. There's a lot of progress still to be made here and probably always will be.)Similarly, continue working on my ability/desire to empathize.Stay true to myself, both in career life and real life. Not that career life isn't real life, but you know what I mean.Love my family and never, ever lose sight of the fact that they're the most important part of my life, no matter what else happens.
That's it. For now. I'm sure as soon as this goes live, I'll think of like thirty things to add because I have a thing about making lists, in that I love doing it and always want to add just one more thing. 
What are your goals for the new year?? 
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and I wish you all a happy, happy new year! 
Cheers to 2015!
xo

Giveaway! All three Rock & Release acts AND a $10 Amazon gift card

So I haven't been blogging much here because man is it time consuming write + do promo elsewhere + take care of my lil gingersnap at the same time! Nap times are freaking golden, lemme tell ya...

ANYWAY.

The first two acts of Rock & Release are out and the conclusion launches in LESS than two weeks! Holy crapy, you guys.

It feels so weird surreal awesome! And I've met some fantastic people along the way. Readers, bloggers, other writers... It's just...wow. <3 x infinity.

To celebrate, I thought I'd have a giveaway!! Enter below to win all three acts of Rock & Release AND a $10 Amazon gift card.
















Haven't heard of my Rock & Release serial? The first act is called VIP--here's it's blurb and a teaser ;)

When Cassidy Evans scores VIP tickets to a concert, she decides to use them for one carefree night before beginning a summer internship at her father’s Fortune 500 company. But one carefree night turns into a few too many martinis—with two unexpected twists: A steamy encounter with Gage Logan, sexy singer and guitarist, and a tempting job offer from Gage's boss to work at the concert venue she now knows quite intimately. 

She definitely can't take the job. Her internship is an opportunity any business major would kill for. But the thought of working with her father, a man furious with grief over a family tragedy that struck six months ago, fills her with dread.  

Then there's Gage. Working with him all summer could be hot. Cassidy can't stop flashing back to their night together. Molten kisses. His hands smoothing across the skin of her belly. The weight of his body above her own…  

And suddenly the decision about how to spend her summer is much, much harder to make. 

New Adult romance suitable for 17+ due to mature content.(Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo)




The next two acts are Starstruck & Show Stopper and if you want to read ahead to their blurbs, you can do so under the Books tab (<--- or just click this link)!

ALSO if you think my books sound like ones you'd be interested in reading, you can always sign up for my newsletter or (and!) like my Facebook page ! (No additional entries for these, but if you love to read, and you love sexy romance, I hope you'll stay in touch anyway!

xo

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

PS You can also enter a giveaway for Rock & Release here with Bedroom Bookworms--and see my answers to some rather...awkward questions!

Checkout contestheat.com and online-sweepstakes.com!

Interview + Giveaway of all three acts! (VIP, Starstruck, & Show Stopper!)

Um, so Trish at Bedroom Bookworms is a freaking riot. And I'm NOT just saying that because she likes my books. Because seriously, this girl is like a weird, long lost sister. Okay? Okay.

And if you want further proof of the weird part, checkout the interview questions she asked me! THAT I ANSWERED. Like, let's just say that Ronald McDonald and the Burger King weird king dude are involved. (Ewwwwww.)

But so are Adam Levine & Shemar Moore's abs. (Win/win.)









Also, you can enter to win all three acts of Rock & Release, if you'd like :)

Check out the interview here.

Happy Thanksgiving, to all my American friends! And everyone else, have a lovely end of your week!

xo

Teaser Tuesday for VIP!!

So, yay! It's the last Tuesday before VIP (Rock & Release, Act I) comes out!!!

I...can't believe the first part of my book launches in a week.

AND. If you want to be a part of the release week blitz, you can sign up here!

Anyway, here's the teaser!!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Also going on in my life this week?

My dad has bursitis in his elbow and it. is. excruciating. So I've been staying with him during the days, because my mom's out of town, to help out with stuff.

The lil one has an ear infection and I haaaate it for her :(

Lots of pre-release prep stuff, like interviews and making playlists to share and figuring out which excerpts to release into the wild! PLUS early reviews are coming in and...it's really surreal that I have something out there to be reviewed. AND some of the early readers have been emailing me and I adore them. Like, not even about book stuff. Just life. They're awesome.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN IN!!
Okay, that's all. Happy Tuesday! xo


OH WAIT. I forgot to share my last teaser here on the blog. So I'm pasting it below. And then that's all. For real. xo again.

Pre-order Links! And a VIP Excerpt!!

Pre-order for VIP (Rock & Release, Act I) is LIVE at most retailers right for only $0.99!

So. Go get you some.

(Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo)
Or just have an awesome Friday and take a peek at this little excerpt from a scene where Cassidy's had maaaaybe just a touch too much to drink. But not so much that she can't still...enjoy herself. :)


I wonder if he's going to kiss me. 

I hope he's going to kiss me. 

I try to convey the message with my eyes, but he's a little blurred around the edges and I'm not sure I'm even focusing exactly where I should be, much less able to send any sort of meaning through a glance. 

He keeps talking, talking, talking. Something about bands. Something about where he's from. Something, something, something, but I keep forgetting his words the moment they breeze through his mouth. 

He's asking me questions. I'm giving him answers, though I can't be certain of their accuracy. We're laughing a lot, so I must be keeping him entertained. Or maybe it's the other way around. 

It's quiet for a beat too long—he's waiting for me to say something else, to answer a question, but I've lost track of all our words again. 

And he's meeting my eyes and then gazing lower toward my mouth. I realize I'm biting my lip, but it's got his attention so I keep it between my teeth, tugging a little. 

"There you go distracting me again." His mouth parts into a wolfish grin. "But this time you're doing it on purpose, aren't you?" 

Maybe, I almost tell him, but Demi Jade's first chords strike through the air, interrupting the word before it has a chance to come out. 

"So much for making the concert," I say instead. 

"So much for it," he agrees. 

We stare at each other for a moment that yawns out into eons. One second we're listening to Demi Jade sing about her lost lover and the next the world goes silent around me. There's an electric pause—like that moment after a violent thunderclap, when everything else is sucked away—and then my mouth is on his, or his is on mine, and he's teasing my lips with his tongue. I let him in, and he tastes like beer and like salt and like mint. 

Jesus, he's talented with his tongue. 

His hands wrap around my waist and he yanks me toward him and my hands are in his hair and I want to eat his fucking mouth, he tastes so good.



Happy Friday, y'all! xo

Cover reveal for VIP!!

So excited to get to share my cover for VIP (Rock & Release, Act I) today! Designed by Okay Creations (who's basically a rock star among cover artists) and love, love, loved by me :)

In case you hadn't heard, VIP releases IN TWO WEEKS. November 17th. And it's only $0.99!!

AND stick around because I'll be revealing the covers for the final two acts (Starstruck & Show Stopper) VERY SOON.



VIP is the first act of the three part sexy romance serial, Rock & Release. The final two acts, Starstruck and Show Stopper, will release on December 1 and December 15.
Also, VIP's up for preorder on amazon now. I'm just gonna drop that lil fact and walk away. <3

Oh, and the link. Just gonna drop this lil preorder link and walk away. xo

VIP (Rock & Release, Act I)
Oh, wait. Lies. ONE MORE THING: It should be up for preorder soon on other vendors, too, if amazon isn't your thing. Check back for updates!

For real. Out this time.

xo, again.

More than Exes!!

Elizabeth Briggs' new adult novella, More than Exes, is out today! 
I've read it.

I've loved it.

You should read it.

You will love it.


More than Exes
Keyboardist Kyle Cross may look like a bad boy with his tattoos and piercings, but he’s really the good guy who’s always stuck fixing his band’s problems and never gets the girl. His band is competing in a college Battle of the Bands, but when their bassist doesn’t show, Kyle must track her down with the help of the person he least expects: his ex-girlfriend Alexis Monroe.

Kyle hasn’t seen Alexis since she dumped him in high school, and she’s dropped her preppy image for fiery red hair and a bold new attitude to match. With only hours before his band goes on stage, Kyle has to be a little bad if he wants to win both the Battle and the girl he’s never gotten over. But when their old problems resurface, the good guy might just get his heart broken all over again.



Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo |  Goodreads


More than Exes is the prequel to Liz's first new adult, More than Music. If you haven't read More than Music yet, don't worry! I read More than Exes first and, since it's the prequel, there wasn't any background knowledge missing.


And check out these sexy lil teasers that go with it! (Look at yummy emo Kyle. *lick*)






AND you know what you should do? After you purchase More than Exes, you should stop back by and listen to her playlist for it while you read!!



Also, Liz is one of my most favorite people, and you should definitely get to know her, too. Promise you won't regret it! xo

Elizabeth Briggs is a full-time geek who writes books for teens and adults. She plays the guitar, mentors at-risk teens, and volunteers with a dog rescue group. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a pack of small, fluffy dogs.
Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Newsletter 




 a Rafflecopter giveaway

VIP Teaser Tuesday #1!

I love this Teaser Tuesday trend! Checking out the images and teasers of other authors' work is becoming one of my favorite things.

 And so, I'm joining in.

Here's the first official teaser for VIP (Rock & Release, Act I).


It's a small piece of a rather yummy scene between Cassidy and Gage--one of my favorites.

And PS VIP is up on Goodreads. I'd love for you to add it! If sexy lil NA romances are your thing, anyway :)

The road to New Adult and, ultimately, Rock & Release

Where to begin... where to begin...

*taps chin, all thoughtful-looking*
It was a cold day, the air scraping like the rough edges of icy bricks across my cheeks, when suddenly

Okay, on the real, here's how this all happened:

I started writing seriously with a career in mind back in 2009.

I wrote.

           a lot.

                  of books.

All YA.

Seriously. I love YA. Still do.

Then, in 2012 I got pregnant. Best decision I've ever made. Also one of the ones that's made me the sickest. (The only thing that even comes close is the great Salmonella Incident of 2011, which shall never, ever be discussed again.) So, considering I was too nauseated to do more than lie on the couch most days, I took a break from writing. Then when the sickness passed, I just wanted to figure out what this whole parenthood thing was going to be about.

"I'll start writing again three months after she's born," I told myself--and anyone else who'd listen.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

No.
The day my daughter was born was the best of my life. The next four months were the roughest. One word: Colic.

After that period of complete hell was over, I wanted a few months to spend some non-screaming-in-pain time with my daughter. Those few months spanned into the rest of her first year of life--and right around that one year mark, my husband and I were given VIP tickets to a concert (Steve Miller Band and Journey, oh yeah!) The tickets gave us access to this pre-concert VIP bar and deck area, and I sat there watching the college-aged staff work their shifts and found myself thinking that it could be a good setting for a book. That it could be really fun to imagine what it'd be like to work at a concert venue during that exciting "new adult" period of life.

All the sudden, that drive to write, the one I'd tucked away for so long, slammed back in full force. And the timing was perfect, as one of my best friends' husbands had, for her birthday, booked a writing retreat for us and one other writer friend to go on. (Husband of the year right there, huh??)

We retreated, we brainstormed, and Cassidy's story came pouring out. Never, in my entire life, have words come so easily for me. Never have I had a college-aged protagonist before, either. But I rolled with it, with Cassidy, and I'm really happy I did. Because now I get to launch Rock & Release into the world! And SOON.

VIP, the first act of Rock & Release, launches November 17th, and I hope you're as excited as I am!