Revealing The Deets: My New YA Contemporary Romance!

As I revealed before (In Which I Squee Over News), my book baby is going to be published :)

I shared in that post how my debut, My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, wasn't actually the first book I wrote. It was the second. And the awesome peeps at Spencer Hill Contemporary are taking my first baby and giving it a home.

AND I'M SO STINKING EXCITED!!

We'll have a cover reveal in the coming year, and the book will hit shelves around the fall of 2014, but for now, I have the title, the blurb, AND a fun author quote to tease you with :)

So that there's no confusion, the original title was 2nd Type of Girl, and it really did fit both the story and my main character Aly Reed's journey...but the official title? It fits SO much better!

And that title is....

.....drum roll, please ...... 

THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING! 

Isn't that FUN??? Now, I promised you an author quote. And by now, I'm assuming y'all have ALL heard of Victoria Scott, right? The fabulous author of the AMAZING The Collector (A Dante Walker Novel)???

Well. she's a buddy of mine. And she was also one of the very first readers of my book baby. Here's what she has to say:

"Harris's The Fine Art of Pretending is a fun, meticulously written story that teens will easily relate to. I've always been a fan of Harris's spectacular characters and perfectly simmered plots, but this book may be my favorite yet!"  

SQUEE!! 

So now, you may be asking, what in the heck is this book about, Rachel? And I can finally tell you!!

• It's a dual character POV book, meaning you'll get to be inside both main characters' heads (I LOVE being in my book boyfriend's head). 
• It's a Contemporary Romance 
• And along with a ton of heart, it has a whole LOT of humor. 
• Oh, and it's going to be published next year!! (Did I mention that already??)

And Here's The Official Blurb:

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want. 

Add THE FINE ART OF PRETENDING to your Goodreads shelf HERE!

So, what do you think?? Were YOU the second-type in high school? Did you ever try to CHANGE your status? 

A Peek Inside Astarte's Wrath by Trisha Wolfe...

I'm so excited! One of my besties, Trisha Wolfe, just relased ASTARTE'S WRATH, and y'all, it is soooo good! I'm blessed to be critique partners with Trisha, so I've been drooling over this book for months....and now you can, too!

Want a read a snippet?? Check it out!

A peek inside Astarte's Wrath...

“I’ve found you.”

I turn to see Xarion leaning against the frame of my terrace door. A slight smile curves his beautiful lips, and his arms are crossed over his bronze muscled cuirass. 

Feeling brave, I slip close and wrap my arms around his waist, the brass studs of his belt pressing against my stomach. “I wasn’t hiding,” I say, looking up into his face. I can see his exhaustion there, in the dark crescents under his eyes, though he’s putting on a good front. “I’d never tempt a great hunter.”

He chuckles as he steps away long enough to slip off his breastplate, then he embraces me. Leaning down, he whispers in my ear, “You’re always tempting.” Running his thumb over my cheek, he lowers his face before mine, his breaths shallow. “In fact, your power of seduction is having its desired effect on me right now.” His lips softly brush mine, sweet and inviting at first, then he deepens the kiss. 

I realize that anyone could walk in, and I begin to pull away. “Xarion, my room is not secure,” I say between his kisses. 

He groans against my lips, and the deep rumble sends my hands into his hair, pulling him to me. I feel him smile. He scoops me into his arms, his lips never leaving mine, and walks us inside.

My sense breaks through, and I whisper, “Lunia or Phoenix could come looking for me and—”

“That’s what locks were designed for,” he interrupts.

I laugh. “Oh, that will not stop either of them.”

He turns the bolt on my door, keeping his arm sturdy beneath my legs. Then he takes me to the bed where he lays me down. I let my head fall back against the coverlet as he hovers above me, his fisted hands pressing into the mattress on either side of my head, his knees parting my legs.

Suddenly he bounds up, and I think he’s come to his senses. My stomach tumbles as I realize how much I don’t want him to be responsible—but we can’t chance it here. Only he grabs the chair from my desk and kicks the back. My eyes widen in surprise. He places one of the panels against the door, securing its ends in the torch brackets.

“That should give them some difficulty,” he says as he unbuckles his belt, the action making my heart beat wildly. “And give me enough time to hide in your dressing room like a clandestine lover.”

A smile twitches at my lips. “You mean, like exactly what you are?”

Shaking his head, his dark hair falling against his eyes, he counters, “I’m offended.” He strips off his leather armor. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth as my eyes slip over him, and a crooked smile hikes his face. “Ah, but that does it for you, huh? You like stealing kisses in the shadows, the constant fear of being caught.” Climbing onto the bed, he positions himself above me. “I bet your heart is pounding hard right now, the adrenaline claiming your body”—he presses his palm over my heart—“with a need only your clandestine lover can satisfy.”

Good, right??? To get a copy, head over to AMAZON or Barnes and Noble, and be sure to add this baby to your GOODREADS Must-Read/Need This Now shelf :)

About the author...

I’m the author of the YA Steampunk DESTINY'S FIRE (Omnific Publishing), the upcoming YA Utopian FIREBLOOD (Spencer Hill Press, Oct. 2013), and a new YA Dark Fantasy series releasing June 2013, OF SILVER AND BEASTS.

I’m the creator of YA Bound, a promotional blog for the Young Adult genre. A proud member of the SCWW and The Apocalypsies. And I’m also a business owner, partnered with my partner, my husband. When I’m not busy doing all of the above, I’m a wife and the mother of a gorgeous teen boy who's the sounding board for my male characters.

Check out my website TrishaWolfe.com for more on my books and bonus material. You can also follow me on Twitter@TrishWolfe or like my Facebook page for updates. 

In Which I Drool Over My New Cover . . .

So yesterday kinda rocked. It was the Cover Reveal for A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES, and so many bloggers joined the party to help show the world :) The feedback has been wonderful. I'm so glad you love it as much as I do!! And even better, I love all the comments I've gotten on the excerpts!

There are four different snippets floating around out there.

• There's the "meet cute" with Austin, though in this case, while Austin is more than cute, his intro is... well, let's just say Alessandra wouldn't describe his attitude as cute. (he he). 
• Then there's one of my favorite scenes, again with Austin and Alessandra, but this time out on a Jet Ski and it just captures a really awesome moment for her. 
• The third excerpt is just pure fun... a shopping excursion with Cat in a modern day mall where she gets her first glimpse of twenty-first century undergarments (ha!)
• And finally, there's the "Welcome To The New World" scene, where Alessandra first realizes she's in the future. This one is also one of my favorites.

To not take away from the amazing bloggers who helped me, I'll let you discover those on their blogs--a list of participants can be found on Entangled's site HERE. Be sure to enter the GIVEAWAY while you're at it.

A paperback (US) and ebook (Int'l) copy of A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES (as soon as it's available) is up for grabs!

BUT I will share with you my beautiful cover and the blurb for the story that I can't wait for you guys to read. 

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

Y'all, I admit it. I LOVE my cover! It's so stinking pretty :) And it fits Less perfectly. The skirt of a sixteenth-century dress paired with a top from modern day. The soft look about her that seems to capture her innocence with the hint of a smirk that shows her spirit and desire for more. The busy, modern day craziness in the background. And Austin. Yeah. I like me some Austin. I kinda fell for him myself writing this book (*grin*)

What do you guys think? And did you find all the excerpts out there? What was YOUR favorite???

Olivia Twisted: A Wicked Cool Cover Reveal from Vivi Barnes + Giveaway!

So it's established I love cover reveals. I also happen to adore Vivi Barnes. She's my Entangled Publishing AND agency sister, and believe me, this girl rocks.  

Having a little inside intel, I got a sneak peek at this cover a short while ago and I've been DYING to share it ever since. It's just so... freaking cool.

Don't believe me? Look for yourselves ;)

Olivia: 

 He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

 At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z: 

 I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.

It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.

Except that she’s not. 

 Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

Cool, right??? Since I know you're dying to read this, you can add it to your Goodreads shelf or preorder on Amazon. Go ahead. I'll still be here.

Now that you're back, we have a GIVEAWAY!!

One blogger who participates in the cover reveal will win a $10 Gift Card to Amazon. 

Five people who fill out the Rafflecopter form will win a $10 Gift Card to iTunes.

Unfortunately, Squarespace doesn't play nice with Rafflecopter, BUT here's the LINK for you to enter for all the goodness. Good Luck!!

About The Author:

Vivi Barnes was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes. 

Stalk her on her Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

Winner & A Taste The Heat Sneak Peek!

As much as I love Cover Reveals, I love giveaways and contests. Makes it feels like Christmas :)

Earlier this month, I joined my Entangled family in a Holiday Hop for Valentine's Day where I offered up a Taste of New Orleans chocolate gift basket, inspired by my upcoming adult romance A Taste of Heat, which is set in my hometown.

The first winner unfortunately never got back to me (*sad face*.. this box looks good) but I've sent off the goodness to the new official winner....

Congratulations Catherine Lee!!

I hope you enjoy this box containing Original Creamy Pralines, Assorted Tortues, Almond Toffee, and Mississippi Mud. I have to admit, I'm quite jealous ;)

Yesterday, I gave a sneak peek at my upcoming YA time travel romance, A Tale of Two Centuries, and now I'd like to leave you with a sneak peek at my Adult Contemporary romance coming this summer, Taste The Heat.

As I said above, this story is set in a fictional town near New Orleans, where I grew up. Cajun heritage, music, and family all play a huge part in this book, but the food is almost a secondary character. And since this was a foodie giveaway, I chose an excerpt that highlights just that:

Enjoy!

So the memories continued with each new taste. The crunch of fried crawfish tails, the velvet tenderness of the linguine. The tang of the garlic and the smoke of the Andouille. All brought memories of meals she’d eaten, dates she had gone on, meals she had prepared. And they brought memories of her dad. Not the bad ones this time—only the good.

As Colby closed her mouth around a forkful of etouffee, the punch of herbs and cayenne enveloped her. She was no longer in Jason’s living room, but right back in her childhood kitchen, closing her eyes as she tasted her dad’s recipe. She heard the laughter in her daddy’s thick Cajun-accented voice as he asked, “Good stuff, cher?” Her younger self giggled with a nod.

Have a fabulous day, y'all!