Wednesday, December 9, 2015

PROMO SPOT: Sojourn by Cecilia London



I love authors who are willing to take risks with their writing. Cecilia has created a unique saga that blends genres and pushes boundaries. Her new book SOJOURN is out today! 


What are people saying about her books?

"Sojourn is a deeply emotional story which is stark at times but is ultimately filled with hope. This book is just part of the journey, but one that will grab readers and keep them on the edge of their seats." -- ROMANCE NOVEL NEWS

"This series is off the chain. OFF. THE. CHAIN. Gutwrenching, heartwarming, frightening, loving, sexy as all living hell--it's life in a book. The depths, the nuances, the ways the normal happens even when everything is shattering--it's all captured against the background of Dystopian Fascist America." -- BEVERAGES AND BOOKS

"Breathtaking. Brilliant. Stunning...Reading these books is like eating a delicious and very expensive box of chocolates, each piece is unique, some sweet, some bitter but in the end you simply can't have enough...never before have I felt so inside or so connected to a story." -- Dee, WRAPPED UP IN READING

  
Order of series, The Bellator Saga:
1. DISSIDENT
2. CONSCIENCE
3. SOJOURN
  
Here is the blurb for the new book...

Sojourn full blurb:

Haunted by her experience at The Fed, Caroline tries to create a new identity. A new present, a new future. She can’t escape the memories that dog her when she least expects it, leaving her mired in a depression that she finds difficult to escape. Caroline needs to regain her physical and mental strength if she intends on surviving the journey to find the elusive rebellion. But that’s easier said than done with the ghosts of the past constantly whispering in her ear.

The road is long and dangerous, and there are no guarantees. She and her companions have no idea what they will find when they arrive at their destination. And what they finally discover may change everything.

Part Three of a Six Part Saga. Sojourn (approximately 89,000 words) is not a standalone and must be read after the first two books in the series. Ends in a cliffhanger. For readers 18+. This book contains adult situations including explicit sex and violence.

The Bellator Saga is a six part series. Each full length novel (except for part six) ends in a cliffhanger. For readers 18+. This saga contains adult situations, including non-gratuitous violence, explicit (consensual) sex, psychological and physical trauma, and an oftentimes dark plot.

Buy links:

Social media stuff:


--
http://www.cecilialondon.com
Twitter: @authorclondon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcecilialondon




Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Sweet Cinderella Is Here!



It's that time again. 
Time to head to the North Pole and see what sort of trouble the Klaus brothers are stirring up.

SWEET CINDERELLA IS FINALLY HERE!
99 CENTS FOR GREGOR KLAUS!



Book Blurb:

Just one night.


Hannah De Luca Andersen has been battered by the worst year ever, but even that can’t squash her love of the holiday season. She has one night to forget life’s hardships and enjoy the magic of an elegant Christmas gala. If she’s really lucky, maybe a handsome prince will ask her to dance.

Gregor Klaus, Director of Finance for Klaus Enterprises, has completely lost his Christmas spirit. One look at Hannah thaws his icy demeanor and gives him a new sense of purpose. If he can only figure out the key to Hannah’s heart, he might have the best Christmas of his life.

But one night isn’t enough for Gregor Klaus. He won’t be satisfied with anything less than forever.


SWEET CINDERELLA is a 28,000-word holiday novella, part four of the Klaus Brothers Series. It takes place at the same time as Sweet Adventure.




If you need to catch up on the series, THE KLAUS BROTHERS BOXED SET (Books 1-3) is now only 99 cents!





Ever wonder what the inspiration is for this series?




Take the fun quiz on my series page!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!








All my best,
Penny

 

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Super Quick November Updates and Excerpt for SWEET CINDERELLA


I'm in the midst of cranking out my Christmas novella. (See picture above...that's me at the moment).

Here are some super quickie updates...


1. I had an amazing visit with Lexxi Callahan and Laura K. Curtis...

Lexxi brought me gifts from the "Southern World"...hee hee!


Laura and I introduced Lexxi to lobster roll...


...A Maine lighthouse!


 New England Fall Foliage!

(I took these photos around my house...enjoy!)








...and a girl's night out with Jen Porter!

Selfie!



2. A TASTE OF HEAVEN is still available for 2.99!

Here's a great review at ALL ABOUT ROMANCE
"Sparks fly on and off camera in this delightful romance."







3. SWEET CINDERELLA (Klaus Brothers #4) is coming soon...here's an excerpt!

THE KLAUS BROTHERS boxed set: at Amazon (books 1-3)



EXCERPT (unedited):


--> -->
Ice. Cold.
            Gregor Alric Klaus, fourth son of Nicholas and Alena Klaus, Director of Finance for Klaus Enterprises, knew what his colleagues whispered behind his back.
            Cold, calculating, ruthless.
Unemotional, detached, relentless.
There was a reason he was a formidable opponent in the boardroom, and it wasn’t because he was a nice guy.
            Gregor Klaus never lost the game. He played to win, every time.
            Because of his financial expertise, Klaus Enterprises had established itself as a powerhouse in the industry. The company that produced hand-crafted toys was unparalleled in quality and distribution. The company that brought so many children happiness owed its success to the most cold-hearted brother in the Klaus family.
            Even as a child, Gregor displayed an uncanny talent with numbers. While his brothers baked gingerbread and carved toys, he poured over the books with their elfin accountant. Assessing each season, calculating ways to cut overhead, predicting trends. His father didn’t know quite what to do with him, so he set him up as Director of Finance and moved him to New York.
            It was a perfect fit.
            Gregor thrived in the urban environment. He loved the architecture, the cutting edge technology, the competition within the industry. He lived in a sparse apartment, adorned with a minimalist dĆ©cor. He dressed in the height of fashion and enjoyed his gadgets. Even his dates—when he found time to squeeze in a social life—were elegant, tasteful. Cold. His brothers enjoyed an old-fashioned lifestyle in the North Pole, but Gregor had assimilated into the affluent world of Manhattan, a world away from Pfeffernusse cookies and elfin magik.
He lived for two things…his job and his family. Family loyalty was everything. He knew how much his parents and brothers depended on him. He was a rock in a sea of chaos. And how could Glasdorf—their town in the North Pole—be anything but chaotic? They lived within a magical ice wall, hidden from the rest of the Sudenwelt, with hundreds of elves. His brother Oskar did his best to control the unruly bunch, but it was a daily challenge. Between unpredictable magik spells and an unlimited supply of eggnog, the elves in Glasdorf were quite a handful to manage.
            All of their lives were mired in turmoil at the moment. Nicholas and Lucy had just welcomed their first baby into the family. Sven was secretly planning to open a furniture studio—and only Gregor knew the truth. Oskar and Kiana had adopted an elfin BƤndiger and were building the North Pole’s first library. And his parents—Santa and Alena—had a full schedule packed with triathlons and philanthropic projects. Tonight was one such event, which his brother Wolfgang had been organizing for months. The New York Childrens Literacy gala promised to be a huge success, thanks to Gregor’s financial support and Wolf’s attention to detail.
            Gregor wove through the crowds on Fifth Avenue, dodging shoppers and Salvation Army buckets. Bitter winds tugged at his coat and reddened his cheeks. He stopped and glanced at a window display. A fat Santa smiled at him and waved, its robotic arm twitching with Christmas cheer.
            Mocking him.
            It stood to reason that the Klaus family had some natural holiday generosity in their DNA. His father was filled with compassion, his mother was sympathetic to children all over the world, his brothers poured their hearts and souls into the toys and sweet treats and acts of philanthropy and care-taking of the elves.
            Emotional, kind, and thoughtful. Those were traits appropriate for the Klaus family. Those were traits nestled firmly in the genetic code of his parents and siblings. In some ironic twist of fate, those characteristics had skipped right over him. Nothing about Gregor Klaus was warm or cuddly.
            He was the polar opposite of Santa Claus in every way.
            He’d promised to meet his family at the affair. He needed this walk first, striding along the icy Manhattan sidewalks. He did this every day. The bracing wind reminded him he was still alive, not a robot but a man. He kept hoping that immersing himself in a sea of humanity would help him to find his own humanity.
            He kept hoping.
            His family hadn’t noticed that anything was wrong. They were distracted by life’s adventures, and none of them knew what Gregor hid behind his impeccable clothes, well-trimmed goatee, and self-confident expression. That now, in addition to ice cold, he felt numb. He peered into the frosted holiday windows on Fifth Avenue, and felt absolutely…nothing.
            Yes, it certainly was ironic.
            Santa’s son was a cold, hard bastard, with nary an ounce of Christmas cheer anywhere to be found. 

                                                                               ❊

 Happy November!
Penny


Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Release Day for A TASTE OF HEAVEN!



IT'S RELEASE DAY!



TIME FOR SOME BUBBLY!



BALLOONS!


CAKE AND ICE CREAM!

And...

Haggis.

Haggis?

Ugh.

Why haggis?


You'll have to read the book to find out.


A TASTE OF HEAVEN

is now available at...




For book blurb and quotes/comments, see this post!

Here is the Goodreads link for more reviews.

More early feedback about A TASTE OF  HEAVEN...

Book Riot

Heroes and Heartbreakers

Fiction Vixen

Smexybooks

10 Must Read Romance Novels for September 2015

Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell



Thank you so much to everyone for support, friendship, solidarity, and advice during this book-writing journey.

Enjoy!

Penny

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Time To Pre-Order and Win Swag!



It's only a couple of weeks until the release of A TASTE OF HEAVEN! Woo hoo! Here are some announcements, chances to win swag and goodies, and early buzz about the book.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has supported me...and that includes readers, bloggers, reviewers, authors, beta readers, critique partners, family, and friends.

I LUB YOU GUYS!


1. In response to many readers asking about a pre-order option for A TASTE OF HEAVEN, I finally put it up at Amazon.


SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE OF $2.99!
 

The book will be released on SEPTEMBER 15 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.



2. Do you like paperbacks? A TASTE OF HEAVEN is already available at Amazon in print...




3. Do you like swag? Check out the adorable custom soaps and lip balm that Be Greatful made for A TASTE OF HEAVEN...




Soap is lemon and boysenberry, and the lip balm is whisky-flavored. Yum! For a chance to win some excellent swag, please sign up for my newsletter. It will be coming out in 2 weeks with purchase links, Scottish recipes, and more!

 
4. Win more stuff! I'm also giving away this adorable print from Native Vermont at Etsy. You must be a newsletter subscriber to win.







5. I am thrilled with early feedback and buzz about the book. Thanks to numerous bloggers and reviewers, reviews for A TASTE OF HEAVEN will be posted during release week. Here are some early quotes...

"A TASTE OF HEAVEN is a true taste of fiction heaven." 
Babbling About Books


"Older characters, a heartwarming romance, a fresh plot, and haggis make for a fantastic story that will delight readers."
Romance Novel News


"Food is a vivid metaphor for all that life still holds to savor in this sweet and sexy story of second chances, full of heart and humor."
Laura Florand, Bestselling author of The Chocolate Series


"A TASTE OF HEAVEN is an absolutely charming story about trust and family...Watson may even have convinced me to try haggis."
Book Riot


"Well written and thoroughly drenched in humor, romance, and a touch of bittersweet emotions."
Smexybooks


"Charming, delightful, and delicious!"
Theresa Weir, NYT-bestselling author






6. BLURB! Here's the blurb for A TASTE OF HEAVEN and a few more fun links about the book...

“Create one perfect bite.”
 



Good little widow Sophia Brown always follows the rules. When the producer of a cooking competition requests an amuse-bouche, the chefs stick with proteins. Sauces. A savory concoction. She has only one shot to impress the judges on A Taste of Heaven. But in a moment of defiance, she creates an extraordinary dessert, one that combines both the bitter and the sweet, just like her own life.


That one bite changes everything.

After a year grieving for her dead husband, forty-seven-year-old Sophia is finally ready to break out of her shell. Unfortunately, there is a large, angry obstacle standing in her way. Scottish chef Elliott Adamson has a chip on his shoulder the size of Loch Ness, and he’s blocking her path to victory.

Spurred by her daughters, she embarks on a poignant adventure that takes her from the wildflower fields of Vermont to the wind-swept vista of North Berwick, Scotland. Fear, courage, and inspiration from unlikely places will mark this journey, and Sophia is determined to persevere until the very end.


A TASTE OF HEAVEN is a 57,000 word short novel that includes a foodie romance, second chances, and a wee bit of haggis.


Some more links...

Pinterest Board

Etsy Treasury

If It's Not Scottish It's Crap!
 
Goodreads Link

 

Please pre-order and spread the word...IF IT'S NOT SCOTTISH, IT'S CRAP!

Penny


Wednesday, August 19, 2015

The Weather's Fine Outside of the Box and I'm Stayin'


Recently, I had to make a decision.

I finished another manuscript.

What to do?

Should I continue self-publishing? Should I try to get an agent? Should I try to get a traditional publisher?

My last novella was very well-received. APPLES SHOULD BE RED was a finalist in the DABWAHA contest, a finalist in the CoRWA Award of Excellence, it was a bestseller for months, and resonated very well with readers.

It did not, however, fit into a traditional publishing niche for romance. It had characters in their late 50s and early 60s--the polar opposite of the uber popular NA trend. And it was not a full-length novel.

Then I went to Seattle. There was a fabulous exhibit at the EMP Museum about Nirvana, the ground-breaking grunge band that changed the sound of American rock. It reminded me what the term "indie" really means...it's about artists who are risk-takers, who have courage to think outside of the box, who are fearless. Indie musicians are not concerned with commercial trends and what's selling and what's hot.

It's about craft. It's about innovation.

Years ago I met with an agent, when I was pushing my very first novel. It had finaled in three contests. I was so proud of myself because it was DIFFERENT. It was unique. No one else had created something like it. The agent hated it. She hated it because it was different. It was the wrong word count, it was the wrong theme, it was seasonal, it wasn't like anyone else. In fact, one of the first questions she asked me was "Who are you like? What other authors?" I was shocked. I thought I was supposed to be unique, one-of-a-kind.

That was my wake-up call about the publishing industry. They didn't want unique. They wanted you to fit into a tidy little box, just like a ton of other authors, so they could market you in a certain way, sell your books to a certain audience.

Trad publishing is LOW risk.

I had a successful author tell me to rewrite my book and lose the Christmas angle. (My book about Santa Claus and his sons). Just turn it into a regular old contemporary romance...it would do great. I also had to shave off the hero's beard--because "publishers don't like beards." I also had to double the word count, because "readers don't like short novels."

I didn't change the theme.

I didn't change the word count.

I didn't shave off the hero's beard.

(Oh sweet irony: Now tons of authors are creating heroes with facial hair. The unacceptable character trait has turned into a hot trend.)

I still sold my book. To a small digital press that liked short novels, that offered seasonal stories. And for a debut book, it did pretty well. And the whole series continues to do well. Go figure.

I had a decision to make then, and I have a decision to make now. Am I going to squeeze myself into that tidy little box? Or ignore the box and enjoy the freedom to write my book any way I please?

This is a tough decision. I would love to have more readers. That's always been my bottom line goal. Not the money or sales or bestseller rank. I WANT PEOPLE TO READ MY BOOKS. And it's possible that an agent and publisher would help me find more readers.

But on the other hand, an agent and a publisher won't like me writing 57,000-word novels. They won't like me making my romance characters "old." They won't like me playing with genre parameters and taking risks.

I made my decision.

I'm staying outside of the box.

I'm not going to make any big bestseller lists this way (or a million bucks)! Hee hee. But I will continue to have the freedom to write what I like, when I like, how I like.

And I have a nice little posse of readers who are coming along for the ride. Thanks, guys!

Happy To Be Box-Free,
Penny

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Seattle In Photos!


SEATTLE IN PHOTOS!

(AKA, WHAT I DID OVER MY SUMMER VACATION)



Chihuly Exhibit...






Hipster Coffee (Latte with Lavender Honey!)






EMP Museum







Seattle Aquarium



Whidbey Island Lavender Farm






Pike Place Market






Japanese Garden


Steelhead Diner
(flyfishing dream!--hubby loved it)


 Happy Summer Vacation!

Penny