Audiobook Review Offer and 2014 Goals Update

Audiobooks - those awesome products that allow you to "read" a book while driving, cleaning the house, walking around the backyard, working out, etc. One of my editing & publicity clients, Sandra Leesmith, had her latest releases, Love's Miracles and Love's Refuge, made into audiobooks, narrated by Rachel Fulginiti. Since rating/reviewing an audiobook is different than rating an e-book or paperback (because you have to take into account the narrator - voice, volume, pacing, etc.), the reviews from Amazon don't exactly transfer to Audible.com, even if they show up in their own section there. This is where you come in!

If you'd like the opportunity to listen to one or both of Sandra's audiobooks for free in exchange for an honest review on Audible.com (and perhaps Amazon, Goodreads, etc., if you'd be willing!), all you have to do is e-mail me with your choice (either book, or both). That's it! As long as I have a valid e-mail address from you, I can pass that along to Sandra so she can send you a promotion code and instructions for using it. You don't have to have a blog to review the book(s).

Here's the lowdown on the two audiobooks:

Love's Miracles was originally released as a secular romance in the '80s, but I assisted Sandra in editing the book, cutting out most of the stronger content, and re-publishing it. There are still a couple of swear words and some violence, which we decided to leave in to show the hardships veterans face. So this is a generally clean romance, but it is a bit darker.

Dr. Margo Devaull came to Dominic Zanelli's mountain retreat confident that she could help this Vietnam veteran overcome the torment that kept him apart from the world. But her training as a psychologist had not prepared her for the tragic, explosive contradictions brewing inside him. For here was a sensitive artist who could be gentle - and a man whose eyes flashed with violence and pain when he told her to leave and never come back. Yet Margo did come back, slowly gain his trust, and awaken the sleeping needs of his heart. Only by reliving her own wounded past and helping Zane confront a terrible memory from the war could she set them both free - and save their last chance for love.

Length: 10 hours and 48 minutes

Narrator: Rachel Fulginiti

Audiobook release date: October 28, 2013 

Love's Refuge is more of an inspirational contemporary romance, with a thread of suspense. It's sweeter than Love's Miracles, with no language. It was never published prior to Sandra and I working together on editing the book (along with the help of Rachelle Rea as proofreader) and self-publishing it under our "Amber Press" line.

Skye Larsen loves her peaceful life on Leeza Island in Puget Sound - the tranquility, the friendly neighbors, and especially the safety from big city dangers. So when cruel pranks start to escalate and changes threaten to overtake the island, Skye is determined to fight for her haven. The presence of a handsome vacationer and the unexpected feelings he awakens can't distract her from her goal.

Danny Fraser doesn't realize how desperately he needs a rest until he meets Skye. By allowing him to glimpse her simple way of life, she helps him reorient his priorities - and steals his heart in the process. But his work and home in Seattle keep Skye at bay.

An isolated island girl with painful memories. A dedicated city boy with a wild past. What will it cost for them both to find a refuge from their storms?

 Length: 9 hours and 10 minutes

Narrator: Rachel Fulginiti

Audiobook release date: January 20, 2014

If either of these sound good to you, and you're willing to provide an honest review(s) on Audible.com, be sure to send me an e-mail!

2014 Goals Update

You can find my goals post from the beginning of the year HERE.

Personal:

• So...no new job yet. I did do some online searching and applied to one place (and I went in to meet the manager, as well). Unfortunately, that place isn't currently hiring. *sigh* I suppose I'll have to be a little more diligent next month in actively contacting and applying to places. However, I do have some client projects coming up, and I've been doing some off and on work for my dad, so that's something, right?

• On the book front - I started off really well, but did get a little carried away with requesting books toward the latter end of the month. Here's the breakdown:
• Bought 3 Kindle e-books (So I did not surpass my limit there - yay! I did pick up 4 free Kindle books in addition to those, but I'm not counting them if they were free.)
• Requested 4 books for review (That was 1 e-ARC from an author, 2 e-ARCs from NetGalley, and 1 paperback from Blogging for Books - not counting client projects. However, three of those books have April release dates, so I might be able to sort of keep my goal if I strictly limit my requesting for the next couple of months...)

• I've been keeping up with reviewing most every book I read (not counting devotionals and such)! I do have one review to write, but it's for a February blog tour, so I have a little bit of time.

• The exercise was going pretty well... I failed that first week, but starting the first full week of January, I've kept up with exercising four times a week - except for this week (although it's not over yet, but I don't know if I'll make the full four days). Most of my workouts are only 25 minutes, but I've done a few 55-minute ones. (I'm doing exercise videos.) So, mostly I need to try doing the longer workout more often and keep up better after this week.

• I've written and sent at least one letter every week this month, although I haven't done so this week. But since this has reminded me, I shall have to do it tomorrow!

Publishing:

• This has been a busy month on the publishing front! I revealed the cover for Morning Glory; launched and maintained "The Heart's Spring" series blog; proofread, finalized, and published Forget Me Not for Kindle (and sent it to my formatter/cover designer for paperback preparation); planned the Forget Me Not blog tour (which starts tomorrow) - including sending out review copies, responding to interview questions, writing guest posts, marketing, etc.; wrote Bellflower, sent it to my proofreader, revealed the cover, and finalized it for distribution to my newsletter subscribers; and put together my first author newsletter. Whew! I don't think I could keep up that pace every month... Next month is going to be rather busy at the beginning with the blog tour and such, but once that's over, I plan to focus on Morning Glory for the next few months. I'll still be maintaining the series blog, and I'm sure I'll be doing something with another short story I've written, but still - I want/need to take a step back from the hectic marketing and get more writing done! 

January had its ups and downs, for sure. We had some friends over a few evenings, and all of my book projects have been generally fun for me. But there were also some very hard times - like taking my grandpa to a care home last weekend, and hearing about difficult things friends and family have been going through. It's been a hard month in the sense that life keeps marching on... My dad has been incredibly busy, my grandma's birthday has come and gone, and we're all just trying to figure out what our priorities are and how we're supposed to be there for one another. There have been some sweet blessings mixed in, though, and God has been providing for us, faithfully present through it all. I'm looking forward to the start of a new month and seeing where God leads in the days ahead.

How was January for you? What are you looking forward to in February? 

Review Copy Cleanup 4.0 Sign-Up!

I saw blogging friend Abbi (Christian Novels) sign up for this one, and while I didn't have a ton of success with the read-a-thons I participated in this last December (although they were great fun!), I'd like to try again to catch up on my review reading. Some poor review books have been languishing in my review TBR stack for far too long... Here are the details for this reading challenge:

• Who: Open to bloggers who receive books for review
• What: A reading challenge for catching up on review reading
• When: February 1st-28th
• Where: Hosted by Books, Biscuits, and Tea and Nyx Book Reviews 
• Why: To make a dent in your review TBR and have fun with other reviewers 

February is going to be busy (honestly, when aren't we all busy? LOL) with the Forget Me Not blog tour at the start of the month, preparations for at least two blog tours in March (sign-ups are still open for both: Lena's Sweet Spring Reads Blog Tour and The Paris Connection Blog Tour), editing projects, hopefully getting a good start on Morning Glory, etc. But I would love to catch up on my review reading as much as possible. At least the read-a-thons in December helped me whittle down my review TBR pile a bit, and I haven't been requesting too many new books (although I can't seem to stop myself entirely!). So here's hoping!

Here are the review books I'd like to read/review during the challenge:

Paperback

  
The books are: Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House), All in Good Time by Maureen Lang (Tyndale Blog Network), Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta (from author), Mountain Homecoming by Sandra Robbins (Harvest House), Burning Sky by Lori Benton (from author), Under a Blackberry Moon by Serena B. Miller (Goodreads First Reads giveaway), and The Thief by Stephanie Landsem (Litfuse Publicity Group).

I haven't received The Thief yet, but it should be coming soon since the tour is supposed to start at the end of February.

E-book

The books are: Pilgrimage of Promise by Cathy Bryant (from author), Fly Away Home by Rachel Heffington (from author), Circle of Spies by Roseanna M. White (NetGalley), and Remnants by Lisa T. Bergren (NetGalley).

The last two aren't really crucial, as their publication dates are in April, but I'm looking forward to both and will probably be tempted to read them sooner anyway! ;)

You can follow the challenge tweets via the #RCCleanup hashtag. And if you'd like to join us, you can sign up for the reading challenge HERE!

Seeking Reviewers for a Clean Romance Set in Paris!

I'm organizing a blog tour for Cerella Sechrist's upcoming release, The Paris Connection (from Harlequin Heartwarming)! We're looking for bloggers who enjoy sweet/clean romances to join in by posting a book spotlight, review, or interview. The blog tour is scheduled for March 2-8, with the posts to be shared March 3-7. It's going to be a blast with its focus on Paris, romance, and travel (including an awesome themed giveaway package or two)! So if you meet the qualifications shown on the form - namely the number of blog followers (50+), a willingness to read the e-ARC in PDF format if you want to review the book, and a love for romance - please considering joining in the fun. The more, the merrier!

Here's the book cover and blurb:

Sparks are flying in the city of light… 

Emma Brooks, single mom and managing director at the leading recruiting firm in Paris, was against their merger with an American company from the start. Not only was her firm losing its autonomy, she was losing her well-deserved promotion to Cole Dorset – a handsome, arrogant interloper from New York! 

How did Cole’s ex-girlfriend’s dream of moving to Paris become his nightmare? Now he’s got to find his way in a new country, and the woman showing him the ropes wants to string him up by one. But as he gets to know Emma and her daughter, he realizes Paris may have more to offer than he thought… 

Releases March 1, 2014 from Harlequin Heartwarming
Learn more about the author and her books at www.cerellasechrist.com

Interested in participating? Just fill out the form below!

Exotic Snack Size Reviews

Here are a couple of books that swept me away to exotic places recently... One is the prequel to a book I'll be featuring on the blog (The Paris Connection) for a tour I'm organizing. The other is one I heard about on Elle Strauss's blog earlier this month and couldn't resist making one of my Kindle purchases this month.

Gentle Persuasion by Cerella Sechrist

Rating: Spring

Once again, Sechrist has penned a sweet romance with a charming setting and delectable food descriptions. The title and cover fit perfectly - this is a gentle love story featuring a hero and heroine whose dreams are at odds, both determined to persuade the other of the rightness of their stance. The unique tour of Hawaii, a fun cast of secondary characters, insight into interesting careers, and a "dream theme" that encompasses the heroine's mother make this a nice medley of story elements. I'm looking forward to following one secondary character's romantic Parisian adventures in The Paris Connection!

Pieces of Jade by Lani Woodland and Melonie Piper

Rating: Spring

From the cover to the blurb to the preview, I knew I wanted to read this story. It completely engaged me, even if that sometimes meant I was voicing my frustrations over certain characters' choices or plot elements! The characters are really intriguing, and the situations Jade finds herself alternately hysterical and heart-wrenching (and occasionally bizarre, LOL). I really enjoyed the adventure. It has sort of a historical-fantasy-dystopian vibe. I'm glad to see this is considered Book 1, which hopefully means the story will continue in subsequent releases! Several things to note: there is violence and some disturbing descriptions, as well as sexual innuendos (though that's basically as far as it goes) and the use of magic. 

Note: "Seasoned" or "unseasoned" is in reference to my book rating system. Thanks to Juju of Tales of Whimsy for the inspiration regarding mini reviews!

Seeking Reviewers for Sweet YA Reads!

I'm putting together a reviews-only blog tour for my fabulous cover designer/formatter/mentor/friend, Lena Goldfinch! We're looking for bloggers who are passionate about clean YA (Young Adult) books and interested in receiving an e-book (or four!) to review. The blog tour is scheduled for March 9-15, with the reviews happening March 10-14. While it's a reviews-only tour, there just might be a giveaway and some other fun extras, so do consider joining us for a fantasy-filled celebration this spring!

Here's a little info about the books available for review:

The Language of Souls: This was the first story I read by Lena, and it's what caused me to jump at the chance to be her beta reader...which led to our awesome business partnership today. It's a touching, engaging, and romantic fantasy novella - an endearing little read!

Aire: I had the pleasure of beta reading this book and offering some feedback. It's an intriguing fantasy novel featuring royals, danger, romance, a seer, and a shapeshifter.

Songstone: My favorite of Lena's books so far (though I've loved them all!), this one made my "Favorite Reads of 2013" list. I was one of the editors of this thoroughly enchanting, intense, and beautiful island fantasy romance novel.

Haunting Joy: And here's a novella with a paranormal flair! I also edited this story - the perfect read for those who are curious about the paranormal genre but unsure about the "scariness" or "gross factor." This is a sweet ghost story with a hint of melancholy and a touch of romance.

Interested in signing up? Just fill out the form below! You can choose one, two, three, or all four of the books to review, as long as you can commit to posting your review(s) during the tour. And if you have an open schedule, I'd love to feature some more bloggers earlier during the tour!

Humility and Forget Me Not

After years of writing and waiting, a burst of rewriting and editing, and a bout of finalizing and formatting stress, Elizabeth's finally making her debut...

I confess that Forget Me Not has been a continual lesson in humility for me, and I've marked her arrival on Amazon with a sort of bittersweet welcome. This story and its characters have been with me for so long... I've watched her change and grow as I've done the same. I rejoiced when her first draft was complete, then felt discouragement when I realized how much blossoming she still had left to do. I set her aside in favor of her sequel, and only seriously returned to her this past December. I dug out her deeply rooted issues and gave her a new beginning, fixing up the rest as needed. I revisited her after the proofreader spent some time with her, then again with another read-through. I've worried over her, afraid that I've let myself be too influenced by other stories, afraid that her recent changes have made her too similar to other plots and not as unique as she ought to be. I fretted over her formatting, frustrated at yet another experience demonstrating my lack of skill and understanding in that area. And I grew increasingly impatient, wanting to share her with the world and move on.

The whole thing has left my emotions in a turmoil, although my night-owlish ways, the pressures of marketing, and the knowing that I need to find another job outside the home probably have contributed to my confusion. I just feel at a loss right now, and I wish I was giving Forget Me Not a more proper welcome.

The one thing that stands out to me in this, though, is the important reminder that this is a gift. Forget Me Not wouldn't be what it is today without the help of some really wonderful people (including Elizabeth Ludwig, Rachelle Rea, and Lena Goldfinch, to name just a few). My writing lately, watching pieces fall together, has reminded me that a story - while certainly a labor of love - is not some amazing work of brilliance that I've worked out all on my own. It's a beautiful gift, a combination of inspiration, insights from others, and a passion for characters that I've been privileged to know like no one else will, as they're pieces of my heart (even if I don't know everything about them and get some of their facts mixed up from time to time). I'm not saying the stories I write are perfect or on the level of Scripture, straight from God's mouth - not at all! But I'm learning that being a writer and bringing a story to fruition aren't claims to my own fame. They're indicators of God's glory and love. They're reminders that this dream I'm living is a blessing.

And now I'm crying... Oh goodness. I'm not really sure how this post is going to come across. It probably seems ridiculous that I'm feeling unsure and contemplative instead of ecstatic at the release of another book. I just hope that somehow God uses me and this book baby for His glory and for the blessing of others. And I hope that I'll keep learning and growing through the cyclic seasons of humility.

If you want to check out Forget Me Not on Amazon, you can find it HERE. There should be a paperback version soon, but I'm not sure on the exact timing... If you wouldn't mind praying for God's will to be done with this release, I'd sure be grateful. While I am a little stressed at the thought of the blog tour preparations left to finalize, I am looking forward to that time - and hopefully my spirit will be a little lighter by then!

Thank you for putting up with my rambling release-day thoughts. Hoping all is well with each of you whatever season of humility and life you find yourself in!

Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour: The Dancing Master

Here's a description of the book:

"Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch’s daughter. Though he’s initially wary of Julia Midwinter’s reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul–and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master–a man her mother would never approve of–but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec’s help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village…and to her mother’s tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a 'good match' in Regency England."

My Rating

Spring

My Review

The Dancing Master is an intriguing dance from beginning to end, with spins and flourishes and a few dips. I love that each of Klassen's books that I've read so far has been unique, drawing off of her passion for Jane Eyre and Jane Austen books, but sharing characters and themes that are very much her own. Her latest is a bit quirkier in some regards than her others, but the overall rhythm is enjoyable.

The hero and heroine - Alec and Julia - brought to mind Mr. Knightley and Emma from Jane Austen's Emma. (Well, at least the movie version with Gwyneth Paltrow, as I confess I haven't read the book.) Alec is very much an upstanding man, with a devotion to his family and a fondness for Julia, despite the need to correct her on occasion. Julia is often self-centered, craving attention and lacking a Mr. Woodhouse to shower her with a father's love. But she does have a dear friend who has quiet lessons to impart (with an apt name, I might add), and a vulnerable soul waiting to be understood and to come to terms with her need to give understanding in return. Just like with Emma, I confess to getting frustrated with Julia and loving Alec all the more for being such a dear and devoted gentleman.

Yet Klassen's unique twists make the story very different, as well. There's a large cast of characters, a good dose of mystery to lend a somber mood, and some perspective from Julia's mother to add more heart. Alec's fight to find a way to do what he loves, as well as the mother-daughter lessons, resonated with me.

I confess the quirkiness of the premise was at times off-putting or just a little strange to experience. And the ending... This is possibly spoiler-y, so beware, but the ending felt a bit like How the Grinch Stole Christmas to me. It's certainly cute (and goes along with the ending of the Emma movie, in the sense of wrapping up everything thoroughly), but it's also sort of jarring with its "dahoo dores," "everyone's happy now" sort of feel. It is clever, though, and fun, if a bit more whimsical like a storybook.

While perhaps not my favorite of Klassen's books that I've read with its village inhabitants and their interesting behaviors, The Dancing Master is still another great Austen-esque read.

*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

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane–Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She is a three-time Christy Award winner and a 2010 Midwest Book Award winner for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. Find out more about Julie at www.julieklassen.com.

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour: Check out the reviews from other blog tour participants HERE. (My apologies for being a day late in posting my review!)

My Reviews of Other Klassen Books: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Tutor's Daughter

Litfuse Contest

Best-selling author Julie Klassen will be hosting a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a live webcast event (1/23) to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Dancing Master. Enter and RSVP today!

 
One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 23rd. Winner will be announced at the "All Things Jane (from Austen to Eyre)" Live Webcast Event on January 23rd. Connect with Julie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Julie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, Jane Austen DVDs, fun "Jane" merchandise, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Dancing Master and join Julie and friends on the evening of January 23rd 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 by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!