A release-week giveaway is live at Just Contemporary Romance! Comment to win a copy, or just hop on over to read an embarrassing story about my attempt to speak Afrikaans in the Netherlands.
Tag Archives: release week
shoes, ships, ceiling wax
Oh dear, I’ve taken my time updating this poor old blog, hey? Well, there’s plenty to discuss today, so let’s get on with it!
#ROSACon2014
This past weekend was the inaugural South African romance writers’ conference, nicknamed ROSACon, held over a day in a half in Johannesburg. I think all of the attendees would agree it was a complete success! (Full disclosure: I was on the organizing committee.)
We had about 30 delegates, and the activities ranged from Skype pitches to editors at Mills & Boon and Harper Impulse, to a first-page critique session by a panel of authors, to a fabulous talk on category romance writing from our local celebrity Joss Wood. Other than the massive highveld storm during Saturday night’s gala dinner, the weekend went without a hitch and it was a fantastic opportunity not only to meet so much of the South African romance writing community, but to be energized and enlightened by a variety of experts on a whole range of writing-related topics. On that note…
Having learned during Tristan Banha‘s social media talk at #ROSACon2014 that Facebook is the most popular and fastest-growing social media outlet in South Africa, I’ve created my very own Facebook fan page: facebook.com/rebeccacrowleywrites Will I be better at updating it than this blog? Doubtful! But in the meantime feel free to cruise on over and check out the gorgeous banner the Samhain marketing team made for my next release. Which brings me to…
The Homefront Trilogy
This set of military-themed novellas is steaming ahead! I’m currently working on edits for the third installation (Thunder Running) and have just posted the cover for the second book (Alive Day) on the Books page. Meanwhile, tomorrow is release day for Homefront #1, Boots on the Ground!
Sexy Sergeant Grady Reid and his erstwhile heroine Laurel Hayes are already garnering some lovely reviews, most notably from USA Today, Desere at Romance Book Haven and Nanee from Up All Night. If you haven’t already pre-ordered, you can one-click your copy tomorrow wherever ebooks are sold.
Last But Not Least
In case you didn’t spot my subtle announcement on Contemporary Romance Cafe (cleverly tucked in after the gratuitous photo of Jensen Ackles), the biggest news of all is that Baby Crowley will be having his or her own release day somewhere in between Alive Day and Thunder Running (March 3rd, to be precise). The good news is there’s no need to book a blog tour or organize a release-day blitz. The bad news, well… 😉
red-letter day
Okay, maybe more like pink.
My plan for today’s post was to share the two places you can find me and HERO’S HOMECOMING today – and I’ll still do that. But first I want to share the unbelievably exciting news that Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books not only reviewed HERO’S HOMECOMING, she didn’t hate it! I saw the review on Twitter and inevitably my crappy African internet service chose that moment to crash out, but after several tense minutes of refreshing and watching the little loading circle swirl around and around, the grade appeared in a big pink font:
B+!
So without further ado, let me direct you to the best B+ I have EVER gotten.
PHEW! Breathing, breathing, still breathing. If you’d like to read an excerpt from the B+-receiving novella, I’m sharing one over at the Contemporary Romance Cafe. And if you want to hear the story of the B+-receiving novella’s composition during last year’s NaNoWriMo, the fabulous PJ Schnyder has kindly hosted me at her blog.
Exciting times, faithful readers!
guest post and giveaway
I’m talking about holiday traditions over at RR@H Novel Thoughts today, and one commenter will win a free copy of Hero’s Homecoming!
http://rrahnovelthoughts.com/2013/11/22/heros-homecoming-by-rebecca-crowley-guest-blog-and-giveaway/
Release day went off without a hitch and I have a few more exciting guest posts on the way, plus I got some GREAT news yesterday, but I’ll hold off on sharing it for now – everyone loves a bit of a suspense, right?
more blog hopping
Release week for The Striker’s Chance is winding down, although being without power at our house for 30+ hours certainly kept things lively! Electricity workers are on strike here in Johannesburg and I had the uniquely South African experience of filling my house with lit candles and paraffin lanterns. In the words of Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond, “TIA.”
The lights are back on now and so is the blog hop, with a guest post on Delilah Devlin’s fabulous site. Check it out and happy Friday!
http://www.delilahdevlin.com/blog/2013/09/06/guest-blogger-rebecca-crowley/
guest post – Kathy Bosman
I’m so excited to welcome South African author Kathy Bosman to the blog today – and be sure not to miss her great giveaway at the bottom of the page!
Today is my first stop for my first ever proper blog tour. I’m giving away a $10 Amazon voucher and five swag bags for the whole tour. I’m going to be posting a different slant to my book every post so it’s not going to be boring. We’re going to have fun. If you want to enter the giveaway, go to the Rafflecoptertable at the bottom of the page.
Dragonfly Moments was published with Decadent Publishing in May this year. The book was first written in 2010 (then called Tessa’s Choice) and was so different to what it is now. By the time it reached publishing stage, I’d learned so much about writing after having worked with editors in my previous books and with the wonderful Decadent editor. I have a sludge pile on my computer of books I wrote but have never published. Of course I never will – shudder, shudder. You could call those my study courses because really every bit of writing is learning. Tessa’s Choice kept on calling me though. I couldn’t ignore the story of a love from long ago coming back into Tessa’s life so I rewrote the book.
Tessa had a serious crush on her best friend’s boyfriend when she was just out of school. They had a friendship but nothing more. She loved him so much that she sent him a letter after she moved to college professing her undying love for him.
Little does she realise how much that letter opens up feelings Ryan had ignored towards Tessa. He keeps the letter but only contacts her seven years later when she’s opened up her own art gallery in Nelson Mandela Square.
Ryan is disappointed to discover that Tessa is already in a serious relationship. He doesn’t know how obsessed she’s become in starting her own family. But her relationship starts to crumble and Ryan helps her with her art and business. He’s just the friend she needs at the moment but can she risk her life dreams to allow her heart to love him again?
—
“You’re making a mistake, Ryan. Coming in here and trying to bring up the past. It’s too late now. I’m committed to Mark and have found a life for myself. You never wanted me then. You loved Annie.”
“I didn’t love her. I loved you. And you promised forever….”
His voice was resigned, and then he winked at her as if to dispel the tension. It did no such thing.
The letter at the back of the sketch had promised she would love him forever, hadn’t it? She had believed she would never love anyone as much as Ryan and that he showed her what true love was.
“You never loved me.” She dropped her gaze onto her lap. “We were just good friends.”
Pushing up her chin to pretend that her heart wasn’t zinging with emotion, she started to walk toward the one wall to adjust a painting. He grabbed her hand. She tried to pull away, but he firmly pulled her close.
Heat and energy radiated off him and his manly scent encompassed her. Even his breath was a sweetness she wanted to drink in. She took in the shape of his face, his mouth which drooped slightly to the left, his skewed jaw line and the prominent cheek bones. His eyebrows were dark and perfectly shaped, and he had such long eyelashes. Yanking her burning hand away, she made sure her back was facing him.
“I was blind to the true treasure. All the time when I was going out with Annie, I really wanted you, but I couldn’t do that to her—dump her for her best friend. I’ve loved you for years, Tess. I’ve been trying to find you. No other woman has measured up, and I’ve had several relationships. And you’ve become so beautiful.”
She faced him, her mouth partially open, devoid of words. He’d loved her? Why didn’t he tell her then before it was too late?
His gaze followed her from head to foot, and heat branded her face while a spark ignited her body.
“But I wasn’t then. You thought I was ugly. You must have because Annie was so beautiful and you never looked at me.”
“I did. Besides the kohl and black clothes, you were adorable, especially in your pajamas.”
Tessa wasn’t usually one to blush easily, but fire lapped up her whole face and neck. “But the way you used to look at Annie. She had the most stunning legs. Long and muscular.”
Ryan smiled. “You have better legs than Annie.”
She pulled back. For a moment, he had her in a trance. Maybe she should leave Mark and pursue this. Jump right in. No, of course not. Who was Ryan now, anyway? She hardly knew him. He could disappear again. Mark cared for her and he was the perfect match to build a family. That’s all she needed.
—
Dragonfly Moments is available now from Decadent Publishing, Amazon, Amazon UK, ARe, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble.
Kathy loved reading and writing from early childhood, but her dream to write books was put aside until her kids were small, and she had little mental stimulation. The writing became a passion as well as her love for romance. She hasn’t looked back since writing her first romance novel in 2007. She homeschools her three children so in between deciphering algebraic problems for her teenage son (with little success), conducting science experiments, and tackling piles of laundry and dishes, she miraculously finds time to write books and read many others for fun.
Connect with Kathy Bosman online at her website, Facebook page or Twitter.
blog hopper
Release week excitement continues as I guest-post on a couple of fabulous blogs this week! I’m talking about reconciling romance and feminism at RR@H:
And I’m detailing my journey to publication at Carina Press:
http://carinapress.com/blog/2013/09/word-counts-and-wedding-bells/
I’m really proud of both these blog posts so take a look and leave a comment if the mood strikes, and be sure to come back to this lilttle ol’ blog tomorrow for a giveaway!