It’s Release Day for Suddenly Forever! + Giveaway

And just like that, my next book is LIVE and out in the world. (Cue the emotions!!!) Suddenly Forever is now available in paperback and ebook today!

GET YOUR COPY ON AMAZon

I’ve talked quite a bit about how this story means so much to me. Early on in the drafting process, I became emotional invested in Cora and Luke and Ina’s lives. Their journey through grief to hope and new beginnings and love really hit me deeply. It’s my prayer that you, too, will find the story uplifting and encouraging.

Who’s Talking About Suddenly Forever

I’m excited to have a bunch of friends and early readers chatting about Suddenly Forever throughout this week! I’d love if you gave these folks a visit and show them some love. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for this kind of support. (I’ll come back and edit links to direct you to the specific posts as they go live.)

Celebrate with Me at the Book Launch Bonfire!

This Friday, October 9, join me and a few special guests over on Facebook for a super fun Book Launch Bonfire! As a “pre-party” warm up, at 6:30pm Central I’ll be sharing a super fun chat I pre-recorded with author Courtney Walsh, which you do NOT want to miss (watch and comment for a last-minute entry into the giveaway; see below). Then at 7:00pm Central we will kick things off with a LIVE chat with my friends and fellow contemporary romance authors Bethany Turner and Mikal Dawn. Get your questions ready as we talk about all things fall and movies and books (of course!).

You’ll have the chance to ask us questions, chat along with other readers, and more. I might even have a small giveaway or two just for the bonfire attendees!

Before the end of the evening, I’ll announce the BIG WINNER for the book release giveaway. More on that below. You don’t have to be present at the bonfire to win; the winner will also be contacted by email.

Suddenly Forever Release Giveaway

There’s still time to enter the book release giveaway, celebrating Suddenly Forever. One winner will receive the goodies listed below…some of my fall favorites! The winner will be notified by email the evening of October 9 AND announced at the Bonfire Facebook event (see above).

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE!

When You Give an Author a Microphone

As a writer, I prefer to type my words. The only sound accompanying them is the click-clack of my keyboard. If I do use my voice, it’s within the private sanctuary of my office to test a line for clarity before revising. And so, a few months ago when I booked my very first podcast guest appearance, some nerves started to bubble up!

Would I speak as well as my written words read? Would my nerves ooze through the airwaves? (Are they still airwaves in our digital age?) Would I stutter over my thoughts without the ability to edit them first?

Turns out, when this author got in front of a microphone, it wasn’t so bad!

Because Fiction Podcast
LISTEN HERE!

Even though nerves percolated just below the surface, I was thrilled when Chautona Havig agreed to have me on as a guest on The Because Fiction Podcast. LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE. Chautona put me at such ease and before I knew it, the conversation drew to a close and we were done!

This inaugural podcast experience got me thinking about two sort of surprising things: obedience and trust. Just ask my husband, I am not naturally inclined to put myself out there. Even though my career in marketing and communications tasks me with putting my organization’s events or products out in front of the community at large, I’m not so keen on it when it’s about me. My gut tells me it’s narcissistic or something.

But, God… (my favorite phrase) God has called me to write. The stories God has put on my heart are for a world in need of messages of truth and hope and grace. If I’m obedient enough to write the stories down, I need to be obedient enough to tell the world about those stories. That means putting myself out there. And so, with my second book I have felt pushed to stretch the limits of my comfort zone. Talking out loud about Suddenly Forever on a podcast is certainly new territory. When making my marketing plan for this book, God whispered podcasts on my heart. And so, I keep praying for ways to be obedient to that. I’m SO grateful Chautona and her podcast can be my first tip-toe into such a fun venue to talk books and writing and HOPE.

I also mentioned trust. Since speaking engagements scare me, I’ve had to lean on trusting in a few things I believe to be true. First, I am trusting in God’s promise to never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). When I go into a scary situation, God is right there by my side. WIN! I also choose to trust that I’ve got inside me whatever I need for the task at hand. This is a big one for me…insecurities abound! And so, I choose to trust that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippins 4:13). WIN! Finally, I choose to trust that God goes before me and also follows me (Psalm 139:5). To me, that takes the Hebrews verse even farther. God not only is always with us, but I take comfort in trusting that He prepares a path for us and knows what’s coming ahead. That helps me feel protected and prepared for whatever may come.

Sitting in front of a microphone may not ever be comfortable for me. I’ll likely always prefer sitting in front on my computer typing out my thoughts. Holding on to the ability to punch the backspace button and reframe a thought before putting it out into the world. But, I’m grateful for this new adventure. We can do BIG things with a little obedience and trust!

After you give a listen to the Because Fiction episode, be on the lookout for my upcoming appearance on the Footnotes Podcast with Jaime Jo Wright on October 5! I’m also excited to be chatting later this fall with the sweet ladies behind the A Rough Draft Life Podcast. I’ll post that date as soon as I know when it’ll air.

Before we wrap up…

We are officially counting down the last several days before the release of Suddenly Forever! If you prefer ebooks, be sure to PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY today. The paperback and ebook will both be available October 6.

Celebrate Suddenly Forever with me and a few of my author friends and a bunch of readers at the BOOK LAUNCH BONFIRE on Friday, October 9 at 7:00 PM Central. Get all the details and RSVP here.

A finally, don’t forget to enter my big BOOK RELEASE GIVEAWAY here. The winner will be announced at the bonfire on October 9…BUT, you don’t have to be present there to win. I’ll contact the winner directly, too.

A Special Invitation, Giveaway, Plus Early Reviews of Suddenly Forever!

I am 99% done with putting the finishing touches on my next novel, Suddenly Forever. On October 6, this second book in the Laurel Cove Romance series will be available in both paperback and ebook. Final edits are done. Tweaks have been made to the cover design. My street team is currently reading their early copies. Besides hitting the final “publish” button to send files off to Amazon, what’s next?

Next, we party!

Join me and a few of my author friends on Friday, October 9 at 7:00 PM Central over on Facebook. We’re going to celebrate the launch of Suddenly Forever the same way Cora and Luke, its main characters, would: sitting in front of a crackling fire talking, enjoying a hot beverage, and making s’mores. (Well, we’re going to improvise.) This Book Launch Bonfire won’t be the same without YOU!

RSVP HERE!

Grab a mug of warm apple cider, hot cocoa, or coffee and your favorite cozy blanket and join us for:

Speaking of giveaways, it’s time to tell you about the second way I’m celebrating the release of Suddenly Forever! The book is set during the fall season in the gorgeous mountains of North Carolina. So, one lucky reader will receive a bundle of my favorite fall things. I’ll announce the winner at the end of the Book Launch Bonfire (you don’t have to be present to win).

ENTER TO WIN NOW!

Early Reviews are Rolling In…

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nerve-wracking when people begin reading your book for the first time. Recently, I sent the advanced reader copies to my street team members. [Cue nail biting.] For a while, I’ve felt like this book is something special. But the early reviews coming in from my early readers are confirming that God is indeed doing something special with this story! ALL the glory goes to Him for the power on these pages that I pray reflect true hope and redemption after loss and pain.

Here’s a few bits and pieces of early reviews that have blessed my socks off!

True to life and not glossing over the pain of first loves lost, Tysinger’s latest contemporary southern romance left an imprint on me. Love is messy, it *is* a rollercoaster of many emotions, infinite layers, steps forward, and back, alike. But when it is God to both heal hearts and bring hearts together, as beautifully written in Cora and Luke’s story? Well, it makes for a memorable, impactful read.

Meghan DeWalt, Author (read full review)

This is an incredible contemporary novel of loss, grief, regrets, and learning to live again. It’s the second book in the Laurel Cove series but can absolutely be read as a stand-alone (those who read Someplace Familiar will enjoy the cameo appearance of Jake and Livy but their story is not necessary to fully enjoy this book). […] This book has it all – beautiful and lyrical writing, clever dialogue, wonderfully layered plot, and intriguing characters. It will make you cry ugly tears and happy satisfied tears and help you to hold onto hope and healing.

MJSH (read full review)

It’s a tender story full of times where grief had an overwhelming hold, and yet, there were beautiful examples of how love in action can bring healing. […] The author has a wonderful way with words as she describes the setting of this story. I loved feeling I was right there in Laurel Cove on the lake gliding across as the seasons changed. 

Marilyn @ MF Literary Works (read full review)

The countdown it ticking away to release day on October 6! If you prefer eBooks, you can pre-order Suddenly Forever now and have it delivered to your inbox on release day. Paperback and eBook will both be available for purchase October 6.

If you think of it, please add this book to your prayer list. Join me in asking God to bless those who need its message of hope and love and new beginnings. I pray, too, that YOU enjoy it and are encouraged. I can’t wait to share this sweet, tender story with you, friends!

Behind The Scenes: Edits, Final Proofs, and Prayers

In three weeks, my second novel Suddenly Forever releases into the world! To say there’s been a lot going on in my world and heart is an understatement. I’ve talked on here before about how publishing a book is like birthing a baby. While I won’t belabor (pun not intended – ha!) that comparison again today, I am full of the weight we indie publishers sometimes carry. Though I do have several folks who help me with certain steps of the process, I am my own marketing, design, sales, and accounting departments!

I’ve heard from a lot of readers that they love learning behind-the-scenes stuff about authors’ process. What it takes to get a book on the shelves. So, I thought I’d share a run-down of what I’ve been busy doing the last few weeks as release day approaches!

  • EDITS!!! As soon as my editor sent back her copy edit notes a few weeks ago, it was go-time! Because I set some quicker deadlines than usual, I really put in some late hours to do some scene rewrites and address my love-hate relationship with dangling modifiers. (PS Thank God for editors!!!)
  • Once edits were done, it was time to format the Advanced Reader Copy for my street team members and a few bloggers/reviewers. This step is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking because it’s the first time readers other than my critique partners began reading the story! Here’s a little insider info: I received my master’s degree in English with a concentration in book design through an editing and publishing program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. So, I actually LOVE working on formatting.
  • Next up, I designed the cover for the paperback book. I don’t have formal training in graphic design, but it’s been part of my job for more than 15 years. I absolutely LOVE it. I designed the cover for my first book Someplace Familiar and loved doing the same for the cover for Suddenly Forever, too. Incidentally, just this week I also finished up the paperback cover for the Something Borrowed: Christmas Weddings Collection that my novel Somehow, This Christmas appears in (releasing October 20!). Now, I am waiting anxiously for the final proof copy of the novel to arrive from Amazon. Once I thumb through one last time, I can give the final thumbs up for production!!
  • Speaking of design, I’ve also been busy designing marketing materials for the book. Social media memes, posts, advertisements, bookmarks, quote cards, etc. Here’s a few I’m really loving so far:
  • Marketing for a new book can be overwhelming. There are so many options out there and even as someone who works on marketing in my day job, it’s daunting to know what to pick to promote your book. I’m currently working through a schedule of features on several book blogs, review sites, multi-author promotions, and more. Hopefully, you’ll start to see Suddenly Forever out and about more and more in the coming days and weeks.
  • A brand new adventure I’ve embarked on in the last several weeks is PODCAST INTERVIEWS! AH! For an introvert, this has been a HUGE step out of my comfort zone. I’m so excited to be featured soon on the Because Fiction Podcast (September 29), Footnotes with Jaime Jo Wright Podcast, and A Rough Draft Life Podcast! I’ll share the other dates as soon as I know!
  • Swag, baby! Even though I don’t craft as much as I used to, I’ve been having fun putting together some fun swag for folks who have partnered with me to help champion the book. I just mailed off “kits” to a few VIP guests who will join me at my BOOK LAUNCH BONFIRE celebration on Facebook, coming up Friday, October 9. Stay tuned for a formal invitation soon! I’m also getting some thank you swag ready for my sweet street team folks.
  • Tired yet???? Me, too. HAHA. I feel like I could go on and on and on. It’s another full-time job, this author gig. But I love every minute of it. In addition to the above, there’s been lots of music jams, endless coffee, and prayer!
  • Prayer, you say? YES! About this time, with just a few weeks left before the book is “live,” I begin praying daily that God gets the book into the hands of the people who need the story most. I pray for God’s truths to settle into the hearts of those who need to hear them. I pray the book reaches far and wide and glorifies God in new and unexpected ways. This story’s characters have all been touched by grief and search for hope. So many of us can relate to this longing, so I’ll continue to pray that ALL readers will find just that — hope — in these pages.

If you’ve read this far, you get an extra gold star.

Thanks for peeking behind the curtain with me on what life has looked like recently. I forgot to mention that all of the above happens IN ADDITION to my full-time day job. Whew! Be sure to tune into the Because Fiction Podcast episode I mentioned above. Chautona Havig and I chat about what “writing on the fringes” looks like for me.

And lastly…for those of you who prefer ebooks, don’t forget there’s still time to PRE-ORDER Suddenly Forever! When you pre-order you ensure you’ll be among the first to get the book delivered to you on release day, October 6! Like paperbacks? Don’t worry…those will be available October 6, too!

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER SUDDENLY FOREVER!