Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Ruby and Quinn BONUS SCENE!!

Hey guys!

BROKEN AT LOVE is now sitting in the Top 100 on Amazon, which means you've earned more bonus material!

While I've got you here, I also want to announce the winners from last week's giveaway:

GRAND PRIZE: Sarah Lee Polson gets to name a character, plus I'll be sending swag!
FIRST PRIZE: Kaelyn Christian, major Broken at Love swag pack, including a signed paperback!
SECOND, THIRD, and FOURTH PRIZE: Jennifer Shiels, Edesa, and Jessirae Lloyd, I'll be sending you all a $5 gift card so you can buy more books!



I will be emailing you all shortly to get your addresses/details, but congrats!

Here's the link to the PDF of Ruby and Quinn's scene - I hope you have fun reading it! Let me know what you think in the comments!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Don't Miss Out!

An update for all of you new readers out there - you only have TWO MORE DAYS to enter my epic giveaway to win the chance to name a character in the next Whitman U book, signed swag, and also $5 gift cards to buy MORE BOOKS.

Here's the link to the contest post - ENTER ENTER ENTER!

IF/WHEN we make it into the Top 100 at Amazon, I'll be posting another bonus scene, either a funny Quinn/Ruby outtake or maybe something from Sebastian's POV since so many of you little deviants (I love you) seem to want to know more about Whitman's favorite psychopath!

That's all for this weekend! Here's one of my favorite gifs on the Internet right now, because I love you guys.



xo

Sunday, March 17, 2013

New Endings, New Beginnings

Hey lovelies! I can't believe I'm writing this post already, but I promised you things when Broken at Love climbed past #200 on Amazon, and we made it on Friday night - just SIX DAYS after release! I can't explain how overwhelmed and grateful and really, truly excited I am that so many of you are reading the book.

So, I promised you an uncut ending to Broken at Love, which I decided to just turn into an epilogue for the book. In a few days it will be included in both the eBook and print editions, but y'all get it here first. It's pretty steamy, but also a little sweet, and might give those of you who think Quinn got off with too little groveling a little peace of mind.

The link to the PDF is below, but before you jump to reading, I also want to announce a GIVEAWAY. You can enter once a day by tweeting about Broken at Love, connecting with me on Twitter or Facebook, or leaving a review somewhere. I have to say, I'm pretty excited about some of these prizes.

Grand Prize: A chance to NAME A CHARACTER in the next Whitman University book, either after yourself or any name of your choosing, a signed copy of Broken at Love, and a signed, framed print of the cover.

First Prize: A signed copy of Broken at Love plus a swag pack of a wall decal or poster, a water bottle, buttons, a keychain, and bookmarks.

Second Prize, Third, and Fourth Prize: Broken at Love swag and a $5 Amazon or B&N gift card.

Here's the rafflecopter! Enter away!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Click here to read the Epilogue for Broken at Love. I hope you enjoy it!

xoxo


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

FOUR FOR YOU GUYS

Hey everyone!

So, BROKEN AT LOVE is officially out in the world now and holy crap, the excitement and response has been AMAZING you guys. AMAZING.

Like, I've pretty much been doing this for four days:


Things are going great, but I know we can do EVEN BETTER. I haven't seen any spirit fingers on the Internet, y'all, AND WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT SPIRIT FINGERS?



Right now, BROKEN AT LOVE is sitting in the mid-300's in the Amazon rankings.

When BROKEN AT LOVE reaches #200 or higher, I promise to give you guys something I really think that you'll like...

AN UNCUT FINAL CHAPTER.

Which you guys, I have to say, I hacked because I'm single and couldn't handle any more Quinn and Emilie sexytimes.

It's hot.

Basically, I love you guys for reading. I love your reactions and your thoughts, and every time you leave a review or retweet or tell your friends you loved the book.

SO:



I want to give you things. Because I love you.

xo

Thursday, March 7, 2013

T-Minus FOUR DAYS

FOUR DAYS until Broken at Love no longer belongs to me alone, but to y'all also. I've got another teaser for you today, and hopefully it will make you crave a little more!

This snippet is from Quinn's POV!
____

I smiled, too, and shook their hands. The chorus of nice to meet you, heard so much about you, and sorry about the knee melted into a giant soup of chatter. Together, Teddy and I worked the room for another half an hour before I excused myself, expressing a desire to peruse some of the art for sale by my classmates.
Everyone in the vicinity smiled indulgent approval, but Teddy’s eyes darkened. “The dedication is in twenty minutes. Out here.”
“I’ll be back before then.”
I escaped without a backward glance, not intending to upset him but needing some time to breathe. For all of the parties and people constantly in and out of my house, crowds got under my skin unless they were neatly seated in stadium rows. It had gotten me a bad rep as a player who avoided autographs on the tour, but the crush of humanity pressed around me, shouting my name and sticking shit in my face, really wigged me out.
The clean, wide hallways displayed artwork and provided a less clogged space. People spoke softly in front of different pieces, commenting on brush strokes or color or possible inspiration. The lighting back here was softer, aimed at the walls instead of beating down like spotlights on a stage. It helped me relax, and the art took my mind off my father for five minutes.
Until I turned a corner and found myself in a nearly empty alcove. A girl with long dark hair pulled up into a knot sat alone on a bench. The bare, slumped shoulders were the color of toffee and when I closed my eyes I could smell them again.
I almost ran. Maybe I should have, but we were going to have to face one another sooner or later and we might as well get it done alone. “Emilie.”
She turned slowly, standing to face me, and the sight of her in the cherry red gown literally took my breath away. It hugged her waist on its way to the floor, strapless but tasteful, baring an enticing hint of what I’d held in my hands only days ago.
Unspilled tears shone in her dark eyes and she wiped at them hastily. I pulled the off-white handkerchief square from my breast pocket and handed it over.
Emilie wiped her eyes a few times, then glared at me. “I’m not crying about you.”
“I didn’t assume you were.”
The quiet snuggled around us like a cocoon until her sigh whispered against my ears. “I haven’t sold a single piece.”
“The night is young.”
She shook her head. “Plenty of the others have sold canvases already. It’s me. My father was right about this being a stupid life decision. It’s time for me to face it.”
My arms ached from holding still; I wanted to reach out and tug her against my chest, keep the pain of failure away. No one could do that, though, not for any of us. Sometimes you got your ass kicked, but it didn’t mean you got to walk off the court before the match ended.
“It’s hard to create, Emilie. You put your heart onto canvases and let other people look at it. They can love it or they can trash it, but you’re not an artist until you share your work. It’s brave.”
“Kind of like relationships, no?”
A challenge ignited in the center of her intelligent black gaze. It burned a hole through my skin until I felt exposed and I shrugged. “Some might say that.”
“Not you.”
“There are people who will appreciate your work,” I said, changing the subject. “Maybe they’re not here tonight but it shouldn’t stop you.”
“You really like my work?” The surprise in her voice cut like a knife.
“I told you I did.”
“Yeah, but after what…happened I assumed you were just saying that.”
“To what? Get you into bed?” Anger tightened my jaw. “I’m not a liar.”
She walked toward me, the lithe movement reminding me of how supple and acquiescent she was underneath that dress, and I closed my eyes briefly as the summery smell of her washed over me. Her hands reached out and so help me God I would rip that dress off her if she touched me.
They only straightened my bow tie, then returned the dampened hanky into my pocket.
“I know you’re not.” Her smile was hesitant and sad, but not over the two of us. It looked more similar to the pity for me she’d displayed the night we met. “At least, not when it comes to the things you tell other people."

____

There you have it! What do you think about Quinn after this??

Don't forget to add Broken at Love on Goodreads, and get ready for release day!

Monday, March 4, 2013

It's Tea(ser) Time!

Hey lovely readers!!

Broken at Love releases in just over a week, and I thought I'd celebrate by posting a few teasers between now and then! This first one takes place in Chapter 6 - I hope you enjoy it!!

_____________________________


Our eyes met, passion burning so hot in his gaze that it lit me on fire. I gasped when his fingers moved again, brushing the tender skin behind my knee. “It’s your turn again.”
“Did you like kissing me the other night?”
Oh, God. “Truth?”
Quinn nodded, his fingers skimming higher, leaving trails of wildfire in their wake. He was distracting me from the too-personal questions and the fact that he’d refused to answer most of them. My rational mind knew it but my traitorous body didn’t care if we’d finished using our mouths for talking the rest of the night.
“Yes.”
The word didn’t have a chance to fully form before his mouth met mine. The hot saltiness that clung to his lips tasted as good as the other night, and this time I let myself enjoy it. When he felt my hesitation dissolve he leaned in, hands sliding all the way up my dress and gripping my hips, tugging me closer. A whimper escaped at the demanding feel of his touch and I didn’t even care if he heard it.
My nerve endings came alive. If he had four or five hands it would have been better, because as good as they felt on my bare hips, I wanted to feel them everywhere else, too.
As though Quinn read my mind, one hand made its way up to my neck, tilting my head back and opening my lips. His tongue slipped against mine, not asking. Taking. My heart stuttered faster when his breathing quickened, fingers wound tight in the hair at the back of my neck. Shivers joined the shuddering heat and need wetting my skin. When his arm pressed against my left breast I managed to free my arms, winding them around his neck.
We couldn’t get any closer sitting cross-legged facing each other, and the intensity of my frustration at that fact knocked some sense back into me. His heart pounded underneath my palms, matching the thudding in my own ears. Quinn’s lips left mine bruised and swollen, moving down my neck. He flicked his tongue over my throbbing pulse in the hollow between my neck and shoulder. If I’d been standing, my knees would have given out.
“Quinn,” I gasped.
He paused but didn’t move, so I reached shaking hands to his strong jaw and lifted his face back to mine. I couldn’t resist pressing my mouth to his one more time, or sliding my tongue over his bottom lip to remember what he tasted like. Or taking a quick nip. Too delicious.
“It’s my turn.” 

_____________________________

So what did you think? If you liked it, don't forget to add Broken at Love on Goodreads, like me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter! More to come!!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

On Sex and Shame


I’m going to say something that might be controversial, but that I wish someone had said to me when I was a teenager: sex is not inherently immoral, even outside marriage.

I’m not going to address anyone’s religious reasons for wanting to wait until they are married to have sex, or have the desire to only share their body with one person. Beliefs are personal; I’m not sharing mine and I’m certainly not discounting yours.

I am going to say that the reason that ancient texts (including religious texts) insist that women save themselves for marriage have a very specific reason for doing so—in the ancient world, inheritance was a monumental concern. Nothing was more important than ensuring that property was passed down to legal heirs, and the only way to do that was to ensure that a woman never had sex with anyone who was not their husband.

So, sex was confined to marriage mainly to ensure property inheritance stayed within a family.

Nowadays, we have a nifty little thing called genetic testing, which negates previous (legitimate) inheritance concerns with multiple sex partners.

Now, there are still significant mental and physical health concerns when it comes to who and how many people you share your body with, and I would argue that the best way to stay healthy (as a female), mind and body, is to choose those partners wisely.

But if you have sex with someone you love but are not married to, and you’re smart about it, you are not dirty, disgusting, slutty, or any other pejorative name that comes into your mind. The act of sex is not, in itself, wrong or evil or immoral. It’s human. It’s biology. It’s genetics.

It’s sad that we’ve spent centuries telling women that something is wrong with them because they have the desire for sex. Shaming young girls—scaring them into not having sex for by using the wrong argument—can stall healthy sexual development and give them a complex, even after a marriage, that a normal sex drive should make them ashamed.

No, I’m not a psychologist, I don’t have a degree on the wall or hours of research under my belt.

But it happened to me.

So, if you have a daughter or teenage girls that respect your opinion, please consider using reasons other than shame to talk to them about choosing sexual partners wisely. If they give in to their natural desires before you think they should, you’ll be risking their self-image, self-worth, and ability to form healthy attachments if you don’t. If you are a teenage girl struggling to make the decision about when to have sex, my advice is to consider carefully. Think about whether or not you want to do it before you get into the situation where your body can convince you otherwise.

Consider the consequences, but do not, in those considerations, wonder if having sex makes you a bad person.

If you read Broken at Love, you’ll hopefully see a portrait of a confident, strong young woman who knows exactly what she wants. Emilie isn’t ashamed of her attraction to Quinn, and she doesn’t feel shame after sleeping with him, even though she’s aware their relationship might be short-lived.

Part of me wrote Emilie because I wish I could have been more like her. And if I can show one single girl that being like her is totally acceptable and healthy, then the book is worth it.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Want a Taste of BROKEN AT LOVE?

I can hardly believe it, but Broken at Love will be in your hands in less than a month! Time is flying, but every time I read through this manuscript to revise or input edits, I get more excited about sharing it with you on March 12.

I hope that, in the weeks to come, I'll be able to share my excitement with you in the form of playlists and excepts, and any other fun stuff I can think of, but today, I've got something special!

THE FIRST 3 CHAPTERS OF BROKEN AT LOVE ARE UP ON GOODREADS!! Here's the link; I'd sure love to hear your thoughts and reactions if you check it out!

Oh, and for your pleasure, I've got a couple of inspiration photos for Quinn and Emilie, my leads in the book.

Here's Emilie:


And here's my lovely Quinn ;) :


Happy reading, lovelies! I'll be back soon, I promise...

Monday, January 7, 2013

Love THE BACHELOR? Join the Tweet Up!

Hey everyone! I pretty much assume that no one is reading these posts, since I'm brand new to blogging. In some ways it makes this so much easier, since I expect no one's watching. I could just be doing something like this and like 5 people in entire world would even know:

At any rate, whether or not I am doing the Carlton at this very moment is not the point of this post. The point is, a few other New Adult authors and I (all of whom have sexy, romantic, contemporary love stories scheduled to drop THIS YEAR) are going to live tweet this season of The Bachelor. It starts tonight on ABC at 8/7c.

Which I guess means if you live on the west coast, sorry? I mean, you get the sunshine and the movie stars and all of the hipsters and Napa Valley and stuff, so...win?

The reason we're doing this is that a) who doesn't love The Bachelor (don't LIE), b) who doesn't love to SNARK about The Bachelor, and c) as NA writers, The Bachelor totally falls within our area of interest and expertise. It's like, RESEARCH.

It gives me the chance to practice this face:


Which says OH MY GOD ALL OF THESE GIRLS IN ONE HOUSE KILL ME WITH DRAMA.

And also this face, which comes in handy when the inevitable lying backstabbing fakest girl in the house continues to get a rose every week. I want to pull the bachelor aside and give him this:


Which means HAHAHAHAHA no. You are a moron. Do not give her a rose.

If any of this intrigues you (especially if you write or read New Adult!) please join me (@Lyla_Payne), Lexi Monroe (@LexiMonroe_), and Alessandra Thomas (@AuthorAless) on #NAlove and #TheBachelor tomorrow night!!

See you there and enjoy the fun!