Bleeding Heart News!

If you've been waiting...

• to purchase a paperback copy or
• to download a Kindle copy

...today is the day!

It's a doubly exciting celebration, because not only is the paperback version of  Bleeding Heart "in stock" on Amazon, but you can also download a Kindle copy of the book for FREE between now and Thursday night!! Before summer officially turns into fall, you can take one last vacation - to the American West of the late 19th century. =) I hope the story blesses you in some way!

In other news...

• If you missed author Michelle Griep and Serena Chase's reviews of Bleeding Heart, they've been posted in new places! You can read the former at Novel Reviews and the latter at Edgy Inspirational Romance.

• I shared about my self-publishing journey so far at Novel Rocket - "Seasons of a Self-Publishing Journey." I incorporate the titles of my books, so do stop by if you're curious!

And one last thing...

• If you end up purchasing a paperback copy of Bleeding Heart, I'd be thrilled to see a picture of you with the book! (Or of the book on your shelf, desk, etc.!) There's certainly no pressure to do so, but if you wanted to share a pic I'd love to pin it to my Bleeding Heart Pinterest board. =)

Thank you for all you've done to support me during this season of my writing career! 

Bookish and Writerly Questions

The Liebster award has been floating around the blogosphere, and I've been blessed to be included in its wanderings! I was nominated to receive it by Miranda of To Be A Person, Rebeka of The Other World, Rel of Relz Reviewz, and Shannah of Book Reviews by Shannah. And I was mentioned by Crystal of Just Another Book Lovin' Girl and Rissi of Dreaming Under the Same Moon in their posts - such dear, sweet friends, who are also an inspiration to me!

Once upon a time I had a page for the blog awards I've received, but I decided to delete it because my list of pages (top right of the sidebar) got rather long... If you ever do want to see my awards posts (what I wrote about, who I nominated, etc.), you can click the "blog award" link in the labels section of the sidebar (titled "From Days Gone By...").

Anyway, I haven't been doing much with blog awards as of late, but I'm feeling the pressure this time around, LOL. Bloggers have been asking some great questions of each other, and I can't resist weighing in on some of them! Since I was nominated by four different bloggers with their own sets of questions, I decided to just pick and choose which questions I wanted to answer instead of answering all of them:

Question: If you had to choose one author to have a face-to-face chat with, who would it be and why?

Answer: Laura Frantz. (Although there are others I would love to meet, too!) Based on what I've heard and what I've experienced through her e-mails and blog posts and books, Laura is such a sweet person with a kind heart - not to mention a wonderful talent for penning gorgeous historical romances. It would be such a treat to be able to talk to her face-to-face about our stories and anything at all, really!

Question: If you were asked to pick one book you believe should be adapted into a movie, which would it be?

Answer: Does every author harbor a secret dream to have one of their books made into a movie? ;) At the risk of sounding incredibly vain, I had always thought it would be such a dream come true to have Michael Landon Jr. take on one of my books for a movie project! I'm not sure Bleeding Heart would make an ideal movie... Lots of traveling, violence and difficult topics, and just a lot going on - a movie version would probably have to change things up, and it might be hard to find the right audience without taking away from the story, you know? But Forget Me Not... I think there's potential! =)

Question: How would you describe your personal style?

Answer: I'm going to focus on my writing style - there's not much to say about my taste in clothes and whatnot, anyway, LOL. I'd say my writing style is atmospheric, thematic, and character-driven. I set the mood more than the scene, in the sense that I try to convey emotions more than I try to ground the reader with details. I keep things focused on the theme(s) of the story. And I pour my heart into my characters and their feelings. If you'd describe my writing differently, I'd be curious to here your thoughts! Hoping I'm not too self-deluded about my style. ;)

Question: Please share a snippet of your current work-in-progress.

Answer: Here's a snippet from the first draft of Fairy Slippers, a short story featuring Zachary Taylor (a secondary character from Bleeding Heart) that I'm planning on entering in Anne Elisabeth Stengl's Five Glass Slippers Creative Writing Contest. Zachary is in the middle of berating the proprietor of the general store for the lack of supplies, when he notices someone...

Turning, he spotted Margaret – the plain, quiet server who worked in the lumber camp cookhouse closer to the logging site. She appeared to be doing her best to blend into the shelves on the other side of the store. 

Something very much like butter clogged up his airway while simultaneously warming up his blood. She wasn’t the prettiest of Gertrude’s three assistants, but there was something about Margaret that softened him. Her long blond braid drew his eye down to her waist, where an apron she must have forgotten to remove hugged her hips. It was speckled with flour and grease stains. He almost smiled but caught himself in time before he ruined his stance in the argument with Lewis. 
 

Question: What is the name of the most recent book you have finished and loved?

Answer: A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron, YA historical fiction and sequel to one of my fave books of 2012, The Dark Unwinding. You can read my review HERE.

Question: What is the 17th line of the 125th page of the book you are currently reading?

Answer: I'm going to do this (approximately) for two books - one I'm re-reading (Watercrossing by Krissi Dallas) and one I'm reading for review, which I should have finished over a week ago (On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin). (I'm so behind on my reading, and I need to catch up and be a more responsible reviewer. *sigh*)

Watercrossing - "...then you're just going back to how you were, Amelia...and this whole summer was pointless!"

On Distant Shores - "The asphalt burned her backside. Her breath trotted at a steady pace."

Question: What is your genre of choice? Why?

Answer: I enjoy a variety of genres, at times. There are some contemporary romances I've liked, some fantasy, some dystopian, some mystery, some Amish... But the one I often enjoy reading and the one I've taken to writing in at this time is historical romance. I love the things it can teach you, the reality mixed with imagination, the challenges found in each era, the interesting facts and the adventures through the past. I love the uniqueness of the romance and yet its timeless nature. History fascinates me, and I love how historical fiction works like a puzzle where you have to search for all the hidden pieces.

Question: If you had to swap lives with a character, who would it be and why?

Answer: Maybe Savannah from My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison, or Casey from Clockwise by Elle Strauss, or Whitnee from the "Phantom Island" series by Krissi Dallas. Being transported into a fairy tale, time travel to the Civil War era, or trips to a magical island - all with cute and protective boys? Mmmmhmmm!

Question: Do you alphabetise your books by author or title, on your bookshelves?

Answer: Author - last name! That way you can group an author's books together and find titles fairly easily.

Question: What is your favorite spot to read?

Answer: Probably my bed, because it's quiet at night and I can generally read the most when I'm there all cozy and undistracted. However, I'm not quite sure that's really my ultimate/only favorite spot... I love the memories you make when reading a book - how you can remember reading certain scenes in a certain location. I can pretty much be found with a book wherever I go, and I've loved the times I've read at my grandparents' house, at the airport, all over the place at college, etc.

How would you answer these questions? Would love to hear your responses!

My Review of A Spark Unseen

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"When Katharine Tulman wakes in the middle of the night and accidentally foils a kidnapping attempt on her uncle, she realizes Stranwyne Keep is no longer safe for Uncle Tully and his genius inventions. She flees to Paris, where she hopes to remain undetected and also find the mysterious and handsome Lane, who is suspected to be dead.

But the search for Lane is not easy, and Katharine soon finds herself embroiled in a labyrinth of political intrigue. From the court of Napoleon III to the underground tunnels of Paris, Katharine will have to decide how a dangerous weapon might be kept from both a queen and an emperor, and whom she can trust –if anyone– to help make Uncle Tully safe once and for all."

My Rating

Spring/Summer

My Review

What a delight to revisit some of the characters from The Dark Unwinding in this suspenseful, intriguing, and twisty-turny story! The Dark Unwinding was one of my favorite reads of 2012, so it's little wonder I was eager to read A Spark Unseen. Happily, it turned out to be a wonderful sequel, building off of the great characterization from the first book and providing its own surprising adventure.

I absolutely love the mood Cameron sets in these books - created by that combination of mystery, history, romance, and a healthy dose of the unusual and unexpected. The core characters are loyal, determined, and smart, although not without making some unwise choices along the way. Katharine is no "shrinking violet" - despite her desire to remain hidden away from society, she can't seem to help but draw attention, and she certainly can't seem to keep quiet  when she feels something needs to be said (or done). Her boldness is balanced well with a display of her weaknesses and fears, making her a great first-person POV heroine to follow.

While this book has its own feel to it and could possibly be enjoyed fine alone, I highly recommend reading The Dark Unwinding first. One, because it's a fascinating read! Two, because Katharine's quest and certain developments of this story have more of an emotional impact, I believe, if you're familiar with relationships begun in the first book. 

The beginning had me intrigued, but the middle and end had me hooked - shocked at every turn, and even a little teary in parts. I loved watching all the cogwheels being fitted into place, the spinning story growing with each new piece. While The Dark Unwinding holds a special place in my heart with it being the first and with how much it impressed me, A Spark Unseen didn't disappoint at all. Some great lines, great twists, and a little sweetness and understanding mixed in...and we have the right conditions for a spark to ignite!

*With thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for providing me with a temporary e-ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

This book will be available September 24, 2013.

A Flower Has Bloomed (Paperback Arrival!)

I had a very special (informal) photo shoot today...preceded by lots of squealing. I'm thinking you'll be able to guess why when you see the pics!

My baby came - almost a whole week earlier than the arrival estimate!!! Go CreateSpace!

So. Unreal. Didn't Lena Goldfinch do such an amazing job on the cover and formatting??

I love the atmospheric back cover... How the top starts out bright, like the beginning of the synopsis - then leads down to the darker fog-shrouded hills, showing that the reality of "what true love really involves" is often hard and sobering, though not without growth (the greenery) and hope (the light breaking through).

Have to share the spine, too (along with the spines of some books in my TBR stack!). Love how Lena did this! Looks even better when seen in conjunction with the front and back covers. =)

Sally and I among the flowers. You know how we love 'em!

A lovely day for a lovely blessing!

Here's a closeup - we're sisters in pink, haha!

The final step in sharing Bleeding Heart with everyone - we're taking flight!

...because situations like this call for a little craziness/silliness!

If you'd like to learn more about Bleeding Heart, check out www.bleedingheartnovel.blogspot.com. And if you'd like to order a paperback copy, it's now available in the CreateSpace store for $9.99! It should be up on Amazon in the next few days, as well.

Thank you all so very much for sharing this journey with me!! *Big hugs all around!*

Conclusion of the Bleeding Heart Blog Tour!

Well, these past two weeks have been awesome, if you don't mind me saying so! A little crazy, but definitely in a good way. ;) And today I have lots of exciting things to share as we bring the Bleeding Heart blog tour to a close - so do get comfortable! (But not too comfortable, so you can quickly jump up and dance around the room should the need arise! Yes, I'm a big dreamer, LOL.)

(I'm including some quote pics from Bleeding Heart throughout the post. The pics are ones I took in Northern California or Oregon and edited via PicMonkey. If you're read Bleeding Heart, do feel free to share a favorite quote in the comments section, if you have one! I'd love to hear what lines stood out to you.)

Winners!

I have 2 winners to announce today!

The first is the winner of the Bleeding Heart "Journey to the West" prize pack, which includes a signed coy of Bleeding Heart when it's available, a copy of Falk's Claim: The Life and Death of a Redwood Lumber Town by Jon Humboldt Gates, a redwood bookmark, Pacific Northwest playing cards, and a wooden train whistle from Virginia City, Nevada. And the winner is...

AMY C!

Congratulations!! Be on the lookout for my e-mail! I hope you enjoy your "Journey to the West" via these items. =)

Now for the winner of the $10 Amazon.com gift card! I included the names of those who guessed the correct title of the sequel to Bleeding Heart (which I'll announce in a moment), as well as the names of those who suggested an actor to portray Zachary Taylor (I'll announce my choice for that in a moment, too!). And the winner is...

MARISSA!

Congratulations!! I appreciate you and all those who participated in the series-extras games. Hope they were fun! I enjoyed reading all of your guesses and suggestions. =)

As for the other book giveaways at other blog tour stops, they'll be announcing their own winners, so be sure to check in with them!

News!

So...anyone curious about that title and actor??

Sequel 

There were actually 7 people who guessed the correct title for the sequel to Bleeding Heart (assuming I don't change it between now and when I actually write it, LOL). And that title is Morning Glory! I love what Julie said as an explanation for her guess:

It sounds so spiritual and uplifting after the tragedies that have befallen the characters. 

I thought so, too! We've got the first title, Forget Me Not, which connotes feelings of longing, wistfulness, and fear. It's an uncertain thing, but also full of tremulous hope. Then we've got the sequel (the first published book), Bleeding Heart. Very dramatic, sorrowful, and poignant, suggesting tragedy but also hinting that a heart that can bleed is also a heart that can be healed. And finally, there's the third in the series - Morning Glory. I've already heard about a potential "Myghal petition" to make sure he gets an HEA. ;) While I can't guarantee what will happen to the characters in that book (I'm generally a "pantser" who likes to see where the story goes and how I grow during the writing process), I really do hope that a third book will be one that that has a dawning hope - an embracing of joy after trials, and an eye-opening perspective on life and eternity. We'll see what happens!

Short Story

In case you missed the update, my current writing project is Fairy Slippers, a companion short story featuring Zachary Taylor (the cook) from Bleeding Heart. You can learn more in a previous post. In that post I asked for some suggestions to help me give a fact to Taylor - and of those suggestions, I decided to go with Richard Armitage, suggested by Jaguar Hero. (Surprise, surprise, given my love of North & South!) But I had to find just the right picture to kind of suggest darker looks, a fuller face, a piercing gaze, a strength born of experiences and self-confidence, but also a depth - a well of gentleness beneath it all. Take a look at the pic I found:

Fairy Slippers Pinterest Board

What do you think?? It might not be a perfect likeness, but I think the "feeling" might be right. Would love to hear your thoughts! 

I'm looking forward to finishing this Cinderella-themed story within the next few weeks, hopefully. It's been fun so far! After that, I plan to move on to Forget Me Not...

Prequel

If you haven't already seen the links I've splashed all over Twitter, you can learn more about Forget Me Not on the new site (my cover designer made me a new header, which is so pretty!). You can also check out the Pinterest board and add the book on Goodreads.

And here's a super exciting update: Lena Goldfinch has already started on the cover design! SQUEE!! (Such a FUN part of the process!) Poor Lena... I found a few pins to add to our secret board on Pinterest the other night, mainly for reference, and Lena promptly got sucked into the cover-design process. We were planning on working on the cover design in November, haha! As it is, I'm absolutely in love with where the design is going, and I can tell you that, as far as it looks now, it will be an absolutely beautiful companion and complement to the cover of Bleeding Heart!

So here's a potential schedule for Forget Me Not stuff:

~ Mid-October: cover reveal!
~ Late November/early December: e-ARCs sent out to reviewers
~ January: e-book release and blog tour
~ February: paperback release (oooh, maybe a Valentine's Day release??)

If you're interested in being part of the cover reveal, do let me know!

Bleeding Heart

I still have some news about Bleeding Heart, too!

1. If you haven't yet picked up a Kindle copy of the book, it's on sale for $.99 this weekend! Celebrate Labor Day weekend with an inexpensive trip to the Old West. =)

2. I've ordered my proof copy of Bleeding Heart, which should be arriving this next week or early the following week!!! SQUEE again!! I'm sure I'll share a picture of me and my first paperback! And as soon as I get my copy and approve it, it should hopefully be available for order on Amazon and CreateSpace! Huzzah! Links to come soon... 

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Melissa Tagg, Serena Chase, Diane Estrella, MaryLu Tyndall, Rissi, Julie Graves, Miranda Uyeh, Kara, Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Audrey, Ariel Wilson, Rachelle Rea, Jana Grissom, Renee Chaw, Lydia, Casey Herringshaw, Faye, Vince Mooney, Abbi Hart, Melanie, Kate, Michelle, Melanie B., Lena Nelson Dooley, Rebeka B., Sherida Stewart, Meagan Davenport, Rel Mollet, Carissa, Kav, Alyssa, Michelle Griep, Samantha Jo, Grace, Amber M., Rebekah Gyger, and Ganise. You all made my blog tour so epic - there would be no tour without you! Thank you so very much for your support, your posts, your tweets, your reviews, your time, and your encouragement. ♥

As you can hopefully tell from the "news" section above, the fun is far from over! Beyond my writing projects, I also have an "Autumn Bash" coming in late September featuring 6 fabulous authors - as well as some exciting publicity projects throughout the fall. So stay tuned, old followers and new! A new season is upon us. =)

Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour: On Distant Shores

Here's a description of the book:

"Caught between the war raging around them and the battles within, two souls long for peace—and a love that remains true. 

Lt. Georgiana Taylor has everything she could want. A boyfriend back home, a loving family, and a challenging job as a flight nurse. But in July 1943, Georgie’s cozy life gets more complicated when she meets pharmacist Sgt. John Hutchinson.
Hutch resents the lack of respect he gets as a noncommissioned serviceman and hates how the war keeps him from his fiancée. While Georgie and Hutch share a love of the starry night skies over Sicily, their lives back home are falling apart. Can they weather the hurt and betrayal? Or will the pressures of war destroy the fragile connection they’ve made?

With her signature attention to detail and her talent for bringing characters together, Sarah Sundin weaves an exciting tale of emotion, action, and romance that will leave you wanting more."

My Partial Review

On Distant Shores has a promising beginning - kind of a slow waltz back into the lives of characters from With Every Letter, with a few spins and turns as the reader gets new perspective from previous secondary characters. I found it interesting that the book begins before the ending of With Every Letter, although it quickly catches up to where that first book in the "Wings of the Nightingale" series left off.

As for the rest of my thoughts on the book... I'm afraid I'm going to keep you in suspense a little longer! Unfortunately, I'm behind on my reading, and I have some other projects currently on my mind. I'm not quite a quarter of the way through the book, but I'll definitely plan on sharing my full review once I've finished. (Aiming for early next week - we'll see!) I apologize for the delay, and I thank you for your patience!

Update: You can read my full review HERE.

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity blog tour.*

About the Author

Sarah Sundin is the author of With Every Letter and the "Wings of Glory" series. In 2011, A Memory Between Us was a finalist in the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, and Sarah received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist’s mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. Visit www.sarahsundin.com for more information.

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour: Check out the reviews from other blog tour participants HERE.

My Reviews of Other Sundin Books: A Memory Between Us, Blue Skies Tomorrow, With Every Letter

Litfuse Contest

Sarah Sundin is celebrating the release of her latest novel, On Distant Shores, with a Romantic Weekend Getaway giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (good for a perfect couple's getaway)
• With Every Letter and On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 2nd. Winner will be announced September 3rd at the "On Distant Shores" Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Weekend Getaway, and giving away a ton of books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving party goers an exclusive look at the next book in the Wings of the Nightingale series.

So grab your copy of On Distant Shores and join Sarah on the evening of September 3rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 3rd!

Wanted: A Face for Zachary Taylor

I'm back with another series-extras post! I was planning on doing a "guess the scene" game to go along with the Bleeding Heart soundtrack, but since I'm currently working on that companion short story I keep mentioning, another idea has revealed itself. Hope you'll still find it fun!

Last week, I began a $10 Amazon.com gift card giveaway with a "guess the title" game. There's still time to enter if you haven't yet done so! Just leave a comment on that post with your guess for the title of Bleeding Heart's sequel. (More details HERE.)

Today you have a chance to get another entry in the drawing for the gift card (so this is not a new drawing, but a continuation of the one started last week)! Here are the rules (with a little background)...

I'm working on my contest entry for the Five Glass Slippers writing contest hosted by author Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I'm doing a Cinderella retelling called Fairy Slippers, set not long about a year after the end of Bleeding Heart in Falk, California in 1887 1888 (*I've already noticed a revision I have to make, LOL*). Rebeka of The Other World inspired me to consider writing a story about Zachary Taylor, one of Bleeding Heart's secondary characters...so, just so you all know, Zach is back!

I think this is a really fun writing prompt and an exciting contest, so I'm happy to give it a shot while telling a little more of Zachary Taylor's story. I hope you'll get to hear more about my entry in 2014 - either because it did all right in the contest (the top 5 entries will be published in a book titled Five Glass Slippers), or because it didn't make it, in which case I'd consider self-publishing it as a $.99 e-book or something. =)

Anywho, back to this contest! I got distracted by Pinterest again (what can I say?), and decided to create a board for this project. I have an actress in mind for the heroine, Margaret Richmond. But I'm having a tough time thinking of an actor who fits Zachary's looks and demeanor well. Here's a brief recap of his character:

~ Tall, dark hair, muscular
~ 42 years old
~ Served in the Confederate Army during the War Between the States (the Civil War)
~ Works as a cook in Falk, a redwood lumber town
~ Kind of gruff and doesn't say much, but a bit of a softy once you get to know him
~ Sings war ballads at the Saturday night dances

I would love your help in putting a face to Zachary Taylor! Gotta find that perfect pin for my Pinterst board, you know? ;)

So, here's how you can get another entry in the $10 Amazon.com gift card drawing:

• Leave a comment with the name of the actor you think fits Zachary's character well. A link to a pic would be even better! Please also include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. (If you know I know it, you don't have to include it, but otherwise please do, so your entry can be counted.)

• I kind of like more old-fashioned movies for actor pics, and I love to make a connection between a specific role the actor played and my character. (You can find examples of this on my Bleeding Heart and Forget Me Not boards.) However, you don't have to suggest the "winning" pic for your entry to be counted!

• The winner of this double-play (two chances to win) giveaway will be announced at the conclusion of the blog tour on Saturday, August 31st.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions! Don't forget that there are more Bleeding Heart blog tour posts this week (you can find all the links HERE) - and please don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions about this giveaway or the tour.