Cover reveal – Amy Vastine

Cover Reveal for THE HARDEST FIGHT!

Posted on May 2, 2015 by vastine7

There’s no backing down this time

Lucy Everhart expected her opposing counsel to be a slick, soulless corporate lawyer. Who else would represent developers intent on turning Chicago’s Safe Haven women’s shelter into condos? But she never imagined it would be Dylan Hunt. Clearly, he’s no longer the idealistic young man she fell for in law school. This is Dylan 2.0. The man who let her go without a fight five years ago—along with his passion for social justice, apparently. He may have compromised what he believed in, but Lucy hasn’t. Dylan has no idea what kind of fight he’s in for. But then again, neither does she.

I am SO excited to share the new cover for my upcoming Harlequin Heartwarming book – THE HARDEST FIGHT. This is Lucy’s story, the oldest of the Everhart sisters, and anyone who has read the other two books in the series knows that Lucy is one tough woman. She is a fighter for sure, but what someone shows on the outside is not always what is going on in the inside. I can’t wait for everyone to hear Lucy’s thoughts and find out what’s really going on with her.

This is the third book in the Chicago Sisters Series and the one I am most proud of so far. The city plays a big part in this story, so I was really happy to see Chicago make an appearance on the cover. I’ve gone downtown a couple times since writing this book and have stood right where certain scenes took place, making me feel even more connected to these characters. I can’t wait for you all to read it. Is it July yet?

It’s bittersweet to see the Chicago Sisters Series come to an end. All three sisters hold a special place in my heart (as do their heroes!)

If you need to catch up before The Hardest Fight comes out in July, here are the links to all of the books in the series!

The Better Man:
HARLEQUIN
AMAZON
B&N

The Best Laid Plans:
HARLEQUIN
AMAZON
B&N

The Hardest Fight:
HARLEQUIN
AMAZON – available for preorder!
B&N – available for preorder!

xoxo,

Cover Reveal – Cookie Cutter by Jo Richardson

Posted on February 20, 2015February 19, 2015 by vastine7

Before I get the the big reveal, I need to announce the winner of the copy of The Best Laid Plans from the last post. The winner is Aimee Brown! If Aimee could please contact me via the contact form on this site, I will send you your copy right away!

Now, the real reason for this post … I am so excited to participate in the cover reveal for the second novel by Jo Richardson. She is an amazing writer with so much heart and wit. I can’t wait to read this book. Without further ado, here’s the cover!

coverfinalcovercookiecutter copy

Iris Alden and Carter Blackwood couldn’t be more different. Change-averse Iris likes her life neat and organized, while Carter’s itchy feet mean he doesn’t plan to stay in the same place for long.

When Carter moves into the house across the street from Iris, to renovate it, she fights the disruption it causes in her life.Before long, though, it’s not simply the house Carter’s rebuilding, but Iris’s heart, too.

Cookie Cutter

Author: Jo Richardson

Publisher: Little Bird Publishing

Genre: Contemporary RomCom

Release date: March 23, 2015

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24974934-cookie-cutter

Teaser:

“What are you doing here?”

It’s Carter freaking Blackwood. Of course.

He smiles that ridiculously bright, white smile of his and lets out a soft snicker. “I’m fixing a floor for a friend, what are you doing here?”

It’s completely obvious what I’m doing here, seeing as I’m carrying two huge trays of sugar cookies in my arms.

“A friend? You just moved in. How do you have friends already?” I say it a bit harsher than I probably should but honestly, how does he have friends already? James and I were here a good six months before people started really talking to me. It was a year before I could call any of them friends. The edges of Carter’s mouth turn down and his head dips to one side as his shoulders hunch then settle.

“People like me, I guess.”

The smug look on his face is enough to make me want to slap it. Or kiss it.

Wait. Not kiss it. I didn’t mean kiss it. Why am I staring at his lips?

“People who don’t want to kill me that is. Are you okay?”

I blink, and search my brain, but I’m still not quite sure what to say to him, so I extend my arms. “I brought cookies.” As soon as I say the words, I hear them. I sound ridiculous and Carter’s bright eyes crinkle with amusement.

He closes his lids and he breathes the baked goods in. Then hums. The sound of his voice sends a vibration through me and I shiver. I am eternally grateful that he doesn’t see it happen.

His eyes open slowly. When they reach mine, I’m glued to his stare like a deer in headlights.

“Those cookies smell really fucking good, Iris.”

The bedroom eyes catch me off guard and my mouth falls open so I snap it shut. I’m a buffoon with no ability to speak.

“Can I have one?” He reaches out and I balance the platter with one hand, then slap his fingers with the other while I find words. A word that is.

“No.”

“Ow.” He pulls his hand away, like a child getting reprimanded, only when we make eye contact again, he doesn’t seem child like to me.

I wouldn’t say he’s angry. He doesn’t exactly laugh, either. And his eyes gleam as he stares at me. I hate his eyes almost as much as I hate his teeth. Maybe more. Dammit, I’m staring, again.

“They’re for Ally’s class,” I tell him. “Fundraiser, I mean bake sale.” I fumble my words. He’s so frustrating.

Other works by Jo:

Cursed be the Wicked, a paranormal mystery romance, released March 2014 through Soul Mate Publishing

AMAZON | B&N | GOODREADS

Lost in Christmas, a short story included in Soul Mate Publishing’s 2013 Christmas anthology

AMAZON | GOODREADS

About Jo:

A movie fanatic, a writer of stories, a lover of life.

Jo grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity – but it was too cold up North for this thin blooded girl. So today, she lives in Florida with her two girls and a husband that shares her same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.

Jo tells contemporary stories with romance, humor, the supernatural, the paranormal, suspense, mystery, action and anything else she can think up.

In 2012, she wrote Cursed be the Wicked, a character driven, paranormal mystery romance that was picked up by Soul Mate Publishing and released in March of 2014. Since then, Jo has also written a couple of short stories and her recently contracted contemporary romantic comedy, entitled Cookie Cutter, is set to release on March 23, 2015 through Little Bird Publishing.

Social Media:

WEBSITE: http://jrrichardsonfics.weebly.com

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/author/jrrichardsonfics

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JRRichardsonAuthor

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jofictionfreak

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/JRRichardson

Cover Reveal – THE BETTER MAN

Posted on July 12, 2014July 12, 2014 by vastine7

I am so excited for my next novel to come out. The Better Man is the first in a three-book series that introduces us to the Everhart sisters, Kendall, Emma, and Lucy. Kendall is the heart of The Better Man. But it’s Max, the hero, who takes center stage here. Without further ado, here’s my September Heartwarming cover!

Back of the book blurb:

Kendall Montgomery’s six-year-old son has barely spoken in the past year, locked in his world of silent grief. Then one day, he spots his dead father across a crowded street.

Max Jordan moved to Chicago to be closer to his own son and prove he can be a better father than his deadbeat dad. His striking resemblance to Kendall’s husband and his track record with fatherhood make her determined to keep her distance…until Max helps her little boy come out of his shell. But can she trust him with their future? How can she be sure he won’t take off just when they need him most?

I’m in love with this cover. Max looks great and the little boy is precious. If your interested, I have a Pinterest board full of inspiration for this story. You can see what I think Max and Simon look like by clicking HERE.

Best of all, The Better Man is available for preorder on Amazon – HERE!

Lastly, the Heartwarming team is gearing up to attend the RWA National Conference in San Antonio at the end of the month.

As part of our celebration, we’re giving away bracelets to readers, reviewers, and other authors who tell us they love Sweet and Heartwarming Romance!

You have two ways to win:

1. Tell us via social media how much you love Sweet and Heartwarming Romance! Post a comment here. Post a comment on our Facebook page under our Sweet and Heartwarming Posts (and like us!). Share our post on Facebook with the #GoHeartwarming hashtag. Tweet about our giveaway: I love Sweet and Heartwarming Romance! #GoHeartwarming. Spread the word on Goodreads. Every comment/post/share/like/tweet/hashtag is an entry. We’ll track entries each week! We’re giving away 50 bracelets to our social media supporters during the month of July!

2. To our sweet romance fans and our writing sisters who’ll be attending either the RWA Literacy Booksigning July 23rd in San Antonio at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter OR attending the RWA conference July 23-26, if you come across a Harlequin Heartwarming Author wearing a pin like the one shown below (green beads and the distinctive “H”), all you have to do is say: I love Sweet and Heartwarming Romance! And you’re an instant winner!

I will be wearing these lovely pins made by fellow author Anna J Stewart. I love the sun for The Weather Girl, and yes, those are tiny little books with actual pages! So, come say hello if you are at the conference. I would love to hand out bracelets to everyone!

Cursed be the Wicked by J.R. Richardson

Posted on January 13, 2014March 27, 2014 by vastine7

I have a very dear friend, who just happens to be an amazing writer. Her debut novel is coming out this spring and I am thrilled to participate in her cover reveal today.

Title – Cursed be the Wicked
 Author – J.R.Richardson 
Genre – Paranormal Mystery Romance
Release Date – March 5, 2014   

Synopsis:
Cooper Shaw lives his life under a pen name and enjoys the anonymity it provides during his journeys across the globe as a seasoned writer for a travel magazine. When his job lands him in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts to cover the famous Festival of the Dead, he soon realizes that he can’t stay invisible forever as he faces ghosts from a past he’s been trying to forget ever since he left.

The city holds nothing but bad memories for Coop until he meets a quirky young woman with an old soul and curious insights by the name of Finnley Pierce. While she acts as his tour guide through a town he thought he knew, Finn helps him unearth the truth of his childhood and might even begin to open up his heart.

By unraveling the mystery of his father’s murder, Coop may finally accept who he is, where he came from, and perhaps even realize what he wants for his future.

About the author:
A writer of stories and lover of life.
Jo grew up in Maryland with four siblings, three parents and an endless number of cousins within the vicinity. Today she lives in Florida with her two girls and a husband that shares her same sense of humor and basic take on life as we know it.

Life is too short to put dreams on the back burner.
She’s always loved writing, so in her spare time, she wrote a novel that’s been picked up by the good people at Soul Mate Publishing.

Links:
Website: http://jrrichardsonfics.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRRichardsonAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoFictionFreak
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JRRichardson

I was lucky enough to read a very early version of this story before she even submitted it to any agent or publisher. It didn’t surprise me that it was immediately snatched up by Soul Mate Publishing as soon as they read it. It was good then, I can only imagine how amazing it is now.

Jo has a wonderful ability to mix humor, drama, romance, and mystery into her stories. Her stories make me laugh, cry, and turn the page to find out what the heck is going to happen next!

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book when it comes out and I hope you will check it out as well.

xoxo,
Amy

THE WEATHER GIRL Cover Reveal!

Posted on November 6, 2013March 27, 2014 by vastine7

After months and months of waiting, the time is finally here. The official US cover for The Weather Girl has been released. I seriously cannot believe there will be a book out there with my name on it. A book with my words printed inside of it. This is absolutely an unreal moment!

Without further ado, here is the cover …

I couldn’t resist posting it LARGE. Summer and Travis look like they’re falling in love, that much is for sure. I love the red umbrella. I love that my name is right there. I wrote this book. I did it.

How does Harlequin create the perfect cover for each book? Well, here’s some inside information. Authors are asked right away to fill out an Art Fact Cover Sheet. This is where we list all the things we can think of about our book. Who are the main characters, what do they look like, where does the story take place, what are the characters interesting traits and hobbies. They ask about everything. You can even post pictures of people you imagine your characters to look like.

Now, the art director isn’t going to get Alex Pettyfer to pose for my cover (darn it), but they dig in their stock photos and try to find something that fits the story as close to your descriptions as possible. I would say they did a pretty good job with this one!

Okay, enough about the outside. How about a peek inside? Here’s a little excerpt from The Weather Girl.

“Weather Girl.” Travis was all smiles as he sat on the corner of her desk. “Did you have a good weekend?”

“I had a great weekend,” Summer said, taking a good look at him. His hair was shorter, a lot shorter. It made him look older, less like a boy and more like a man. “It looks like someone attacked your head with some clippers.”

Looking sheepish, he rubbed his clean-shaven jaw with his knuckles. “I got a haircut,” he said, stating the obvious. “My aunt Kelly’s neighbor’s book club apparently thought it was too long. Kelly agreed and called my mother, who called me and said she wasn’t going to bake any red velvet cupcakes when I came to visit if I didn’t get it cut.”

“She drives a hard bargain.”

“You have no idea. Her cupcakes make me cry,” he whispered.

“Interesting,” Summer said, not interested in the least.

“I’ll ask her to bake you some. She likes you.” He cringed and closed his eyes. His cheeks turned pink. “I mean she watches you and likes you, you know, as a weather girl.”

If anyone knew about sticking her foot in her mouth, it was Summer. “If it makes you feel any better, my grandmother thinks you’re cute,” she confessed to ease his embarrassment.

“She does?” His eyes were bright like the clouds had lifted. “And would you say you consider your grandmother a wise woman?”

“Oh, Mimi is completely off her rocker. I mean, she is more than a few cards short of a full deck. Bonkers. Mad as a hatter. Crazy as a—”

“Okay, okay!” Travis put his fingers on her lips. “I get it.”

Summer’s heart skipped a beat, then flew into overdrive. Before she could process this unexpected physical reaction, Travis pulled his hand away and shoved it deep in his pants pocket.

“Did you know that the highest temperature ever recorded was 136 degrees Fahrenheit in Azizia, Libya?” she blurted out. “Can you imagine?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “That’s crazy hot.”

_____________________________

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I can’t wait for this thing to come out and for everyone to read it. There’s also a part of me that is completely terrified, by the way, but the excited part is winning right now. The awesome news is that you can pre-order the ebook version now!

Click here to go to Amazon

Click here to go to Barnes and Noble

But if you want that real book in your hands, on January 1, 2014, you can go to the Harlequin website and buy the paperback or the ebook HERE! As of right now, the Harlequin site is the only place where you will be able to purchase the paperback version. The editors of the Heartwarming line are hopeful that the line will go mass market paperback and all you’ll have to do is browse your local Target or Walmart for The Weather Girl! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this happens.

Until next time!

xoxo,

Amy