Tuesday, May 16, 2023

SUMMER READING release day celebration!!!

 




It's here! It's here! SUMMER READING is here!!!

I started writing this book in 2021 so I feel as if I've been working on it FOREVER (said ever so dramatically). No offense to my darling book baby but I am seriously more than ready to yeet you out of the nest. Fly, little bookie, fly!!!

Am I nervous? Of course. But so far the response to book baby has been just wonderful. With starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal and heady praise from Publisher's Weekly, I feel as if I accomplished what I set out to do with this novel. 


What did I set out to do, you ask? Okay, you probably didn't, but I'm me, so I'll tell you anyway :)  First and foremost, I wanted to craft a romcom around witty banter (I live for witty banter between a hero and heroine and heroine and friends and hero and friends and heroine and family and hero and...you get the idea). I also felt the need to examine how our families shape us, both good and bad on purpose and by accident. It was important to me to have characters with audacious dreams that they decide to go after one hundred percent. And I wanted my characters to grow enough to see themselves through each other's eyes and understand that what makes them different is also what makes them amazing. I feel as if I achieved that and I am so very grateful for the support and encouragement I received along the way, which includes you, Reds and Readers! 

Below is an excerpt if you're keen and I'm including a buy link HERE because of course I am!


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     I hurried into the house and quickly fashioned him a cocktail just like mine. I might have been a bit more careful with his, not that I was trying to impress him or anything. Okay, yes, I totally was, which was ridiculous because for all I knew he was married or had a girlfriend. Never mind that he was obviously a book person and I wasn’t. I pushed all of that aside and went back to the porch. 
     “Here you go.” I handed him the drink. 
      I watched as he lifted the glass to his lips, which were puckered ever so slightly. I glanced away. Staring is rude, you know, and I imagined that ogling a librarian was even worse than that. Sort of like checking out a nun. I picked up my own glass and took another sip. The hint of vanilla was subtle but it mellowed the tartness of the lemon perfectly. I really thought I had a winner here. 
     “This is good,” Ben said. He glanced at me and nodded. “Really good.” 
     “Not too girly?” I asked. “I don’t want to be re-inventing the appletini.” 
     He laughed. “It’s not as macho as a scotch, neat, but the lemon provides a nice punch. So, I’d say it’s no more girly than a mojito. It’s the name that’ll clinch it. You need a very gender neutral name.” 
    “I was thinking of calling it Liquid Sunshine,” I said. I frowned. “That will never fly with the XY chromosomal set.” 
     “Probably not,” he agreed. ‘You need something more manly like Scorched Earth.” 
     “Sounds delicious,” I said. “I’m imagining subtle notes of ash.”     
     “And dirt,” he added with a laugh. It was a good laugh.

61 comments:

  1. Happy Book Birthday, Jenn!
    Can't wait to dive right in . . . .

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  2. Congratulations, Jenn! I can see the Vineyard from the beach near where I'm writing on retreat this week (West Falmouth), so my Kindle order is now placed. If Eight Cousins bookstore has it when I head over to sign stock tomorrow, I'll snap up the paper copy. The snippet is irresistible, as is the official book blurb. Do you include the cocktail recipe?

    I noticed it' s 480 pages, which seems longer than your cozies. Can you talk about that a little?

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    1. It is heftier. Because the heroine is dyslexic the publisher agreed to print the book in a dyslexic friendly font - Verdana - and design it with better spacing so its more accessible to neurodivergent readers. Yay!

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    2. Ah, I remember you talked about that. That's THIS book - so cool. Thanks.

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  3. Jenn, I LOVE this book!
    My signed copy arrived yesterday from Poisoned Pen even though I already have an arc and reviews up. This week I will put a review on Amazon. We know it's going to be in the Beach Reads display at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, DE, and they offered to put signed bookplates in for you if you get in touch!
    Readers, don't hesitate! This book is the perfect summer read!

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    1. Thank you so much, Judy! I appreciate you! I will have Christie reach out to Browseabout about the bookplates.

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  4. Happy Book Birthday! This sounds like a fun read.

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  5. Congratulations Jenn! This is a wonderful book and the timing is perfect--for summer reading! Love the characters and the setting and hope we get to see them again:)

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  6. Okay, commenting in for our local library--they'd better order multiple copies of this book because it is going to be in demand! We'll have to referee fights for who gets it next! Put a brown paper wrapper on it so we can check it out discreetly, so no one will think we're playing favorites. Hmmm, maybe I can pick up some pocket money (bribes to move up higher on the list...jk). Seriously, Jenn, we have some new patrons who are going to love this book! Can't wait to get it in their hands!

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  7. Happy Book Birthday, Jenn
    I had to download it
    Danielle

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  8. Cute video! Love the excerpt Happy book birthday!

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  9. Happy book birthday! Adorable.

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  10. Thanks Jenn! Am looking forward to reading it!

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  11. Looks like so much fun! Happy book birthday!

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  12. Hank Phillippi RyanMay 16, 2023 at 9:14 AM

    Yaay yay yaaaaayyyyyy!

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  14. Congratulations, Jenn! So exciting! You are amazing!

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  15. Happy Book Birthday, Jenn! It sounds delightful!

    DebRo

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  16. Happy Book Launch Day/ Book Birthday, Jenn!

    Preordered the book from Bookshop dot org (fingers crossed!!!). Loved the excerpt!

    Cannot wait to read SUMMER READING....

    Diana

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  17. Congrats! Guess what song is filling my head? "Summer Nights" from Grease.

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    1. Ha! I hummed that all through the writing of the book!

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  18. Rhys: it’s going to be a huge hit! Congrats, Jenn

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  19. Congratulations, and happy book launch day! Amazon swears my copy should arrive in 19 minutes!

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    1. Update: Delivery promised by 10 am CDT. Actual arrival 3:41 pm CDT. But it's here!

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    2. Thank you, Gigi! I so appreciate the support!

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  20. Jenn, you know it's good when I read an excerpt and just want the characters to keep talking forever. You are awesome, and this novel is going to be a smash!

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  21. Delivery of my copy is today. Can't wait to get home and start reading.

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  22. Jenn, how can anyone read this excerpt and not want to keep reading?? My copy is on my Kindle and going with me to the dentist's office in just a bit. Huge congrats--I know this is going to going to be the best yet!

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  23. Pat D: Read it and loved it! So much wit and humor!

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  24. Congratulations and Happy Book Birthday, Jenn! I love witty dialogue, and your excerpt shows that. I think it was clever of you to have the hypnotic "Buy Now" at the end of the post because, well, that's exactly what I did.

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    1. Thank you, Kathy! Delighted that my tactics are working. LOL!

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  25. Congratulations on your new release. Can't wait to read the book.

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  26. Sigh. I miss the blog for ONE DAY and I miss an important debut! Good thing I caught it today. Congratulations!!!! I, too, am a huge fan of witty banter, so I can hardly wait to read this!

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    1. Thank you, Susan! I feel like banter is the key to a romcom - so glad you're with me!

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