insecure writers support group

#IWSG Taking Risks in Writing

Happy spring, northern hemisphere writers! Join us for a monthly venting of our hopes and fears at the IWSG, Alex Cavanaugh’s brainchild.

Thanks to our helpfulco-hosts this month: PK Hrezo, Pat Garcia, SE White, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diane Burton.

April 7th’s question: Are you a risk-taker when writing? Do you try something radically different in style/POV/etc. or add controversial topics to your work?

Sometimes anxiety prevents me from being brave in my personal life, but I have taken some risks in writing. My March release, sports romance Rivals, was the first time I wrote a novel in present tense. I like it! It’s fun! And another risk with Rivals (especially financially, eek) was the creation of my first audiobook. I’ll share more about the wonderful world of audiobooks in May.

As a psychologist, I need to broach uncomfortable topics to be effective, and another way I take risks is to incorporate squirmy themes into my stories. Twin Sacrifice dives into recovering from childhood sexual abuse, and the Blocked trilogy explores falling in love across the political aisle.

One big motivator to take risks: the support of fellow writers! Thank you to Nicki Elson, Ellen Jacobson, Shannon Lawrence, Pat Garcia, Valerie Ullmer, Sheri Hollister, Natalie Aguirre, Alex Cavanaugh, and Diane Wolf (I hope I’m not missing anyone) for your great support.

What risks have YOU taken?

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Oh The Places You’ll Go #Giveaway Hop

Thanks to The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island for hosting.

How do you feel about school time approaching? I work at a university where my workload is lighter in the summer, so I have some trepidation about the school year starting, but it’s also exciting for fall sports to begin.

I’m giving away a $10 gift card as well as two ebooks of Blocked, featuring a romance between two volleyball rivals as they start college.


Enter on the Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Hop over to these oh so great places to enter to win their prizes!

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Christmas in July #NewAdult #Book #Sale #SportsRomance #.99

Welcome to the New Adult Christmas in July Promo! This week you’ll find all these wonderful New Adult titles for $2.99 or less out on Amazon. (My book, BLOCKED, is only $.99!) Be sure to read up on each title and check them out. 

Death Island

Author: Kelsey Ketch Her family name tainted by her great-grandfather’s crimes of piracy, Meriden Cummings is far from the typical 18th century woman. A social outcast, she works in a carpentry shop in a small village, where the people barely tolerate unconventional behavior. However, her life takes a turn after a gang of pirates attack her village and her blood reveals an ancient map adorned with Mayan glyphs leading to Death Island. An island legends say is ruled by the Mayan god of the underworld, Ah Puch. Her great-grandfather had sought after the island before he vanished without a trace. Now, Meriden is about to journey across the sea to understand her family history. There are only a few problems: her growing feelings toward a mysterious stranger linked to her great-grandfather’s past; a greedy band of pirates after her great-grandfather’s legendary treasure; and a contract she has unwittingly signed in blood with Ah Puch himself.

Amazon

Blocked

Author: Jennifer Lane Blocked is a New Adult sports romance. College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her. Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President. When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

Amazon

Olympian Passion

Author: Andrya Bailey Olympian Passion is the first book in the Olympian trilogy, by romance author Andrya Bailey. It is the recipient of Readers’ Favorite 5-star seal and 2016 New Apple Literary Medalist Winner in Contemporary Romance. Sabrina loves everything about Greek mythology and can’t believe when she’s accepted for an internship at the Fine Arts Museum in Houston. There, she meets the handsome Greek archaeologist Nikos Soulis, who will spend two months at the museum, and she falls head over heels for him. But the sexy professor seems too busy and already spoken for… so why does he insist on helping her with her project? Can Sabrina avoid heartbreak when she is seduced by the hot Olympian-looking god of her dreams? “A great romance that does justice to the mythological theme.”

Amazon

Tin Man’s Dance

Author: MK Schiller The one time Lilly Franklin rewards herself with a front-row concert ticket is turning into an epic fail. Not to mention the tall, cocky boy who claims her front-row seat is all wicked smiles, long legs and tug-worthy hair. Well, he’s messing with the wrong girl. But as the night wears on, Lily starts to see a softer side of former marine, James “Hutch” Hutchinson. A side that makes her shed her loner inhibitions along with her clothes. There is a difference between trouble and troubled. In Hutch, she has found both. Hutch lost more than a leg in the Iraqi desert. Returning to school on the GI Bill wasn’t exactly in the plans…but plans change. Now he only wants to meet the mysterious dancer, but he’s forgotten how to talk to women, especially one as graceful as Lilly. So armed with a plan that even a twelve-year-old would laugh at, he steals Lilly’s seat. Only fair since she stole his heart first. But Lilly has plans, too. As if Hutch’s life wasn’t already a sh*t storm of sacrifice. How can he give up the one thing that’s made him feel real?

Amazon

If We Had No Winter

Author: D.L. Pitchford Does a father who abandoned his family deserve a second chance? Can an unwanted daughter restore her faith in men? Or has Billie already sabotaged her chance at first love? After her parents’ divorce, introverted Billie Dixon buries herself in her studies. Her plan? To stay out of sight, out of mind, and out of trouble. But that plan fails when she starts at Bradford College. While hopeful to renew her relationship with her estranged father, she struggles to resist the advances of her persuasive tutoring student. But no one gets under her skin like her best friend’s playboy roommate, whose snarky smirk drives her up a wall…and into his bed. But is Billie too broken to open her heart again? If she can’t find closure with her father, she’ll close the door on love. But a huge fight with her father threatens to ruin any hope of healing her past and securing her future. If you enjoyed Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or Looking for Alaska by John Green, you’re sure to love IF WE HAD NO WINTER.

Amazon


His Dark Magic

  Author: Pat Esden Its power is legendary. It can fulfill every impossible magical desire. But for one young witch seeking redemption, the Northern Circle coven will challenge her skills—and her heart—beyond measure. One tragic impulsive mistake made Chloe Winslow an outcast to her influential magic family. As a medical student, she wants to combine science with sorcery to heal those she hurt and right her wrongs. But brilliant, charismatic Devlin Marsh re-routes her plans with a once-in-eternity offer: membership in the exclusive Northern Circle, a mysterious Vermont coven known for pushing the limits. Enthralled by Devlin and their mesmerizing mutual attraction, Chloe makes a dangerous sacrifice to help the Circle’s high priestess awaken Merlin himself—and learn his timeless cures. But a foreshadowing soon causes Chloe to doubt the Circle’s real motives, as well as Devlin’s . . . Now Merlin’s demonic shade is loose in the human world, while Chloe and Devlin’s uneasy alliance will pit them against ancient enemies, malevolent illusions, and shattering betrayal. And with the fate of two realms in the balance, Chloe must risk her untried power against a force she can’t defeat—and a passion that could destroy her.

Amazon

House of Goths

Author: Maria Bernard House of Goths – Not Your Average Fraternity House Becky Sparks is a sweet, average girl who refuses to spend her college years in a lonely, soul destroying dorm, surrounded by people who don’t care enough to ask her name. Bassist Kelley Keele is a Goth with a dark past. He resides at what he and his equally eccentric bandmates, Crispin, and Dorian, like to refer to as the House of Goths. On the first day of class, these two polar opposites literally crash into each other. Mesmerized by his overwhelming persona, Becky forms an instant bond with the scary Goth with red streaks in his hair. So much so that when she spies him putting up an ad for a fourth housemate, Becky jumps at the chance to move in, away from her dreary life at the unfriendly dorm. The problem is, well, she’s a girl and a mundane one at that.

Amazon

Reckless Treasure

Author: Cecily Wolfe When her mother is sleeping with the man she loves, what’s a girl to do? Francesca is weeks away from high school graduation and the hope of escaping her self-centered, grasping family – her trashy mother and hustling twin brother. While her crush on their older neighbor holds her attention, she is blind to what everyone else can clearly see, the love her best friend Mitch carries in his heart for her. When her dead grandmother’s high school boyfriend returns to town for his class reunion, his immediate attraction to Francesca is a game changer. Can Mr. Long – and his wealth – open up undreamed of opportunities for Francesca’s future, and at what price?

Amazon

Calling California

Author: J.P. Grider A modern day story about pride and prejudice… Cali Parker is poor. She has a lot on her plate – her father is dying, she’s working to help pay the rent, and she’s two-years behind in college. Griffin Brooks is rich. He has not a care in the world – he’s acing his engineering courses, his hobby is restoring his fifty-thousand dollar classic car, and he has a different girl on his arm every week. When Cali sees Griffin on her first day of class, she’s immediately smitten and thinks she’s found the perfect guy. When Griffin sees Cali at the bank, he immediately forgets the blonde he was with that morning. Then they meet, and their worlds collide. Cali doesn’t belong in Griffin’s world, and he doesn’t understand hers. But just when Griffin convinces Cali that their two different worlds can blend, a secret is revealed that tears them apart. Is their love strong enough to bring them back together, or will their worlds drift further apart?

Amazon

Just One Summer

Author: Lynn Stevens One summer, no regrets Carly Reynolds does not want to work at her father’s Branson theater over the summer, but she has no choice. After wrecking his prized Mercedes on Prom night, she’s got to pay him back somehow before she leaves for college. Now she’s stuck working as the personal assistant to twenty-year-old Gracin Ford, former member of one-hit-wonder boy band Accentuate. Gracin is demanding, condescending, and an all-around jerk. Carly would rather eat glass than deal with a male diva who’s more famous for his stint in rehab than his music. Until she realizes that Gracin’s lonely. Once she welcomes him into her life, she starts to let him into her heart. Even though she knows it will end when she leaves for school, Carly doesn’t want to look back on her life and wonder what if. Even if it means a broken heart.

Amazon

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Cover Reveal SPIKED (Blocked #3) by @JenLaneBooks #NA #Sports #Romance

✯✯SPIKED by Jennifer Lane✯✯

Cover Reveal
The cover for book 3 in Jennifer Lane´s Blocked Series!

jennifer lane spiked cover

Spiked Blurb

They say
University is the time
To find yourself
But I don’t need to find myself
Just want to find you

After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.

Hey, chica! Come conmigo
And baby, why don’t we go
Down under the bridge to the water
With you it can only get hotter

Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.

Trust
Is a hard-to-earn thing
Just
Try to keep listening
Swallow
Down all of the unjust
Hollow
My chest, my heart will bust

College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.

Pre-Order your copy today: https://goo.gl/CTKw7g

Join the Online Release Party: https://www.facebook.com/events/823926984404510/
jennifer lane banner
Check out the Blocked series on Amazon and catch up before Spiked releases!
Also FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Pre-Order Spiked today on Amazon US: https://goo.gl/CTKw7g


Blocked:

Aced:

 


Jennifer Lane on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenLaneBooks/

Cover Reveal Hosted by Raven Publicity:

 

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BLOCKED is on SALE #NA #College #Sports #Romance only $.99

New Adult Volleyball Romance BLOCKED is on sale December 15-20.




(The dates for the Amazon UK sale are Dec 17-23)

“Lucia hopes her scholarship will bring her closer to gorgeous athlete Dane. But there’s something major in the way of their romance — their parents are facing each other in the US presidential race! Will opposites attract in this fun, sexy read?”



Don’t miss the last days of the ACED (Blocked #2) Review Tour

Readers have fallen in love with Aced’s Alejandro:

“Lord forgive me for I have sinned and lusted over the hottie known as ALEJANDRO. Yup, dibs he’s all mine, chicas.”
~Nelly from Romance Bytes



And enter the $20 Gift Card Giveaway

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Beside Your Heart by @WordyMary #Review #Interview #Giveaway


It’s time to celebrate The Heart Series by Mary Whitney! I loved book one (Beside Your Heart) as you can see in my review. Stick around for the interview and generous giveaway.

Beside Your Heart (Beside Your Heart, #1)Beside Your Heart by Mary Whitney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Beginning of Across-the-Pond Romance

I’ve had my eye on this series for some time and I’m glad I finally read book one.

When political operative Nicki Johnson googles her high school love Adam Kincaid, she finds out he’s dating an English aristocrat named Muff.

I gaped at the photo. I’d never seen Adam dressed so well. He wore a dark gray morning coat with tails, a vest, tie, and striped trousers. Next to him, Mary or Muff or Twat — whatever her name was — wore a pale pink coat dress.

The discovery fuels a sense of longing as well as many memories of the past. Beside Your Heart explores how Nicki and Adam meet in high school. I seem to enjoy New Adult more than Young Adult these days, so I think I’ll enjoy the next two novels about their adult romance better.

Nicki’s younger sister died in a harrowing car accident, and she is mired in grief throughout the story. Coupled with what happens to the relationship between Nicki and Adam, a sad tone pervades the novel. But Adam is lovely in how he helps her through her grief.

Her grandmother explains grief well:

“At times, your grandfather’s passing is as hard for me today as it was the day he died, but the pain isn’t as constant anymore. I can go days and even weeks of going along in my life with nothing. The it can hit me out of the blue, and I feel the grief all over again. Other times, you know when a bad patch of pain is coming…birthdays, holidays.”

I loved all the Englishisms, like shagging, snogging, and spotted dick, hehe.

Overall this is a well-written story about first love.

View all my reviews

And now for the interview with Mary Whitney…


Jennifer Lane (JL): Welcome to the blog, Mary! As you can see, I truly enjoyed Beside Your Heart. What were some inspirations for this story?

Mary Whitney (MW): Well, thank you! You’re a doll.

It was triggered by an old memory. I’m old enough to remember when ecstasy was legal back in the 80s, and I remembered going to a party the night before it was made a controlled substance. The funny thing was that no one was on X. They were all drinking. I was telling the story to a friend one day which sort of mentally sent me back to high school. My mom had also recently died, so I’d been wanting to write something to explore grief. Beside Your Heart isn’t autobiographical at all, though. Sadly in my high school, the male exchange students from overseas were never good looking!

JL:
How does your law degree affect your writing?

MW: You can say people write about what we know. I’ve never wanted to write about laws, but I think people involved in law, law enforcement, and politics can be interesting – sometimes even in their boringness!

JL: I’m also drawn to writing about politics, especially romantic partners who spar over opposing beliefs. Tell us about your political romances and how politics might play out in books two and three of The Heart Series.

MW: I love a good debate, so romantic banter is just fun for me to read and write. With Nicki and Adam, their banter is driven by their differing cultures, though their political leanings are pretty similar. In my book, Compromising Positions, it’s a Republican and a Democrat, which makes for meaty, but playful conversation.

JL: I see in your bio you’ve lived all over the US! What’s been your favorite location?

MW: Honestly, I think there are great things and bad things about every place I’ve lived. Right now, I live in northern California which is pretty awesome, except for the drought and earthquakes.

JL: What are you working on now?

MW: I’m finishing up my next book, Attached. It’s true New Adult so it will be a departure for me. I’m also working on the audiobooks for No Ordinary Guy and Compromising Positions. David from Beside Your Heart is the main character in No Ordinary Guy. He’s Adam’s cheeky cousin, so the narrator is also a Brit. Compromising Positions is dual narration for both male and female POVs. Everything is out in June, so things are busy right now!

I can’t thank you enough for this interview. I’m always tickled when people want to chat! Thanks again!

JL: Thank you for stopping by, Mary, and good luck with your writing.


***GIVEAWAY***

Mary Whitney is giving away an ENTIRE EBOOK BOX SET of The Heart Series (Beside Your Heart, Disclosure of the Heart, and Forever Your Heart) to a lucky winner!

And another winner will receive an ebook of No Ordinary Guy

To win, comment on this post and leave your email address. If you don’t want to write your email address, contact me at jenniferlanebooks (at) gmail (dot) com.

Finally, I hope you had a Happy Easter for those who celebrate. I got my Pinterest on and made this Easter Bread Bunny–so fun!
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#IWSG Controversial Topics and First Draft Angst


Time for the Insecure Writers Support Group, when we vent our troubles and encourage each other in this crazy thing called writing. I appreciate Alex Cavanaugh for his brainchild! Please join us if you dare.


How’s your work-in-progress coming along? I started writing the sequel to my college volleyball romance Blocked. This one’s titled Aced, and features the romance between a 24-year-old Mexican American med student and a 22-year-old African-American volleyball star.

I’m rather conflict averse, but I find myself exploring some controversial topics in these novels. Blocked battles political differences, and Aced explores racial differences. Though I feel uncomfortable with conflict, discussing opposing points of view can be an enlightening experience in real life. I hope to offer a balanced take on touchy subjects in my writing.

Does your first draft feel like utter crap sometimes? I try to trudge through but writing can feel so difficult some days!

Congrats to my pub sister Debra Anastasia for the success of her crazy-ass comedy Fire Down Below! She has the wildest, dirtiest sense of whack ball humor!

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Twelve Days of #NA New Adult #Giveaway Hop


Happy December and thanks to Valerie from Stuck in Books for hosting!


I love New Adult romance so much I’ve written two of them:


Blocked is a New Adult sports romance.

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. ¡Híjole! Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?


Blocked is available HERE for $2.99

Streamline is available HERE for $2.99

But you can win them both on the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure to stop by participating blogs to win stuff:

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#Review Tour Wrap & #Giveaway of #NA #Sports #Romance BLOCKED


It’s been three weeks since the release of Blocked. Thank you to all who have spent some time with hero Dane and heroine Lucia!

Available at Amazon


I’ve LOVED the fun and insightful reviews from book bloggers and authors on the AToMR tour, and I want to share some of my favorites:

Reviewer Hazel from Musings of the Bookaholic Fairies made the banner above (so cute) and said, “This book reads like a movie.” It made her feel “happy, sad, and all gooey inside”.

Momina from Novelty Books said, “Filled with Sweet Romance, Pressure and Regrets, Blocked is a story of how two people with different beliefs put that aside and simply enjoy what they have.” In addition to my giveaway below, Mo hosts an ebook giveaway HERE.

Chanpreet from Confessions of a YA & NA Book Addict said, “I had no idea volleyball and politics could be so sexy!”

Patty from Bookish Wanderlove said, “Both characters were amazing” and “The ending. OMG, I loved it!”

I adore Leisha’s reviews from RoloPolo Book Blog. “Blocked is a solid, entertaining and, character-driven read. From the moment Dane and Lucia meet face-to-face it is oil and water, cats and dogs, Republicans and Democrats.”

Michelle from Hot Guys in Books said, “I devoured this book in one sitting! Dane is a HOTTIE. He was just an awesome hero who made me swoon.”

Summer’s Book Blog said, “The chemistry is so strong between these two. They play off each other very well. I love how they can help pick each other up after their weaknesses and secrets are revealed.”


I want to THANK YOU with a giveaway.

11/11 is the LAST day to enter to win a $15 gift card and other goodies HERE.


Stay tuned for the Gratitude Giveaway starting 11/15.

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Bloggers Talk Blocked: Review Tour and #Giveaway

The week since my college volleyball romance BLOCKED released has been fantastic.


We started off with a Facebook party–thank you to these hosts with the most:

Debra Anastasia (author of Poughkeepsie who alerted me to a key technological problem)

Nicki Elson (author of Divine Temptation)

Darcia Helle (author of No Justice)

Matthew Alan (author of What We Leave Behind)

Jennifer Locklear (co-author of Exposure)

Rumer Haven (author of Seven for a Secret which I’ve just started reading–great!)

Gwynn Evans Harrison (my bff who revealed all kinds of secrets about our time swimming and playing volleyball in college!)

Julie from AToMR Tours

(I just alerted the winners of the Release Giveaway … scroll down for the Review Tour Giveaway including a $15 gift card.)

~*~


Speaking of AToMR Tours, they’re hosting a Blocked Review Tour the next two weeks.

Check out this fun review from Bookaholic Fairies.

And I also loved this review from Momina at Novelty Books.

Thank you to all the wonderful friends and bloggers taking the time to promote, read, and review Blocked. I deeply “dig” you.

Come back next week for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group on 11/5 when I share what I learned about book marketing at the Queen City Indie Con!
a Rafflecopter giveaway