Posts in the New Adult genre

Guest Post

Guest Post: “Reinvent and Rebuild” by A.J. Pine

Sometimes I write with a theme in mind, and sometimes the theme emerges from the story while I’m writing. In the case of One Night and One Life (my Only You series), I didn’t have a theme at the outset. It just kind of came about as I wrote, and now that both books are complete, I’m really thrilled at how both books dealt with some important issues; how they have resonated with readers; and how there’s a steady thread of rebuilding from grief through both novels. But don’t worry, folks. These books are romances (stand-alone companions) too. So you’ll get your HEA, but my characters are definitely going to make you work for it—maybe by shedding a few tears along the way.

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Q&A

Jay Crownover Announces Surprise Novella LEVELED and Answers our Questions!

In a surprise announcement, Jay Crownover is releasing a novella, Leveled, to kick off her Saints of Denver series, which is a spin-off of her Marked Men! In Leveled, fan favorite Lando gets the HEA he so richly deserves! This is also Jay’s first M/M book!

Leveled releases on November 2nd, and if you pre-order today you can get your copy for $1.99 (normally $2.99)! There will also be an excerpt of the first Saints of Denver novel, Built in the back of Leveled!

We all need a hero…let the Saints of Denver begin.

Orlando Frederick knows what it is to be leveled by pain. Instead of focusing on his own, he’s made it his mission to help others: sports stars, wounded war vets, survivors of all kinds. But when Dom, a rugged, damaged, sinfully attractive cop makes his way into Lando’s physical therapy practice, he might be the biggest challenge yet. Lando loved one stubborn man before and barely survived the fallout. He’s not sure if he can do it again.

Dominic Voss is a protector. The police badge he wears is not only his job, it’s his identity, so when he’s sidelined because of an injury, the only thing he cares about is getting back on the force. He expects Lando to mend his body, he just doesn’t realize the trainer will also have him working towards a hell of a lot more. As attraction simmers and flares, Dom sees that Lando needs repair of his own…if only the man will let him close enough to mend what’s broken.

FIVE BOOKS

If you could only read five books for the rest of your life, what five books would they be, and why?

  1. Catcher in the Rye: Because it’s the best book ever
  2. 1984: Because it makes me feel smart
  3. Lord of the Flies: Because I don’t ever want to be ‘That Guy’
  4. Ritual Sins: Because it’s my favorite book and has the best anti-hero ever in it.
  5. Motorcycle Man: Because Kristen Ashley is queen and she should be on any and all lists

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Guest Post

Amy Jo Cousins’s Bend or Break Series

Amy Jo Cousins’s first book in her Bend or Break series

What I’m most passionate about in my reading of romance now is diversity. I actively search stories that highlight and reflect the diversity in the world — ethnic, social, sexual, physical, etc. And one of the romance series that explores this diversity in a most profound and engaging manner is the Bend or Break series by Amy Jo Cousins.

This is a series of four novels so far, with another full-length novel and a sequel novella coming out soon. They are mostly m/m romances, although the third book, The Girl Next Door, features a m/f couple though the woman is actually bisexual (and there is a super hot m/f/m threesome as well) , so the series can be summed up as diverse queer romance.

It all begins with Tom and Reese in Off Campus — a New Adult college romance that explores serious social issues. Tom’s dad is in prison after committing a Ponzi scheme, so Tom’s is a fall-from-grace situation, and now he’s struggling to stay in college. This story also explores the consequences of being a victim of sexual assault (Reese) and how it affects and changes a person. At the same time it’s a story of self-discovery (Tom is coming to understand that he actually likes both girls and guys) and coming out. One of the main strengths of the series is the way Amy Jo portrays so realistically young, college-age people, with all the confusion and urgency and exuberance of youth. The characters make mistakes, there is miscommunication and some wrong and hasty assumptions made, yet I find them fitting to the young age of the boys and part of their journey into adulthood.

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Aural Pleasures

Aural Pleasures: ACTS OF CREATION by Elisabeth Staab

Today we have Elisabeth Staab answering our questions on how music is part of her creative process and she’s sharing her playlist for her newest New Adult release, Acts of Creation!

He’s living a lie.

Dante Ramos: Champion. Ladies’ man. Party animal. Women want him, and men either want to be him or put his lights out for sleeping with their girlfriends. It’s all an act. Inside, he’s so full of self-loathing he’s on a fast-track to self-destruction.

She’s living in the shadows.

Meeting Michelle at a support group for assault survivors shows Dante a new world of possibilities. Finally, someone in his life might understand him, and she creates in him a fierce need to protect. Trouble is, Dante lives his life in the spotlight, and the only thing Michelle wants is a place to hide.

How do you make your playlists for your books?

I usually start with a song for the couple, one that for me fits the tone of them and their story, and then I build the reset from there. In Acts of Creation it was “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran. After that, everything on the playlist is chosen because it either reminds me of one of the main characters, or the two of them together, or there’s something about the tone of the music that fits the book to me.

Do you use the entire playlist for the whole book or specific parts for certain sections or types of scenes?

Usually I build the playlist for the book as a whole, although sometimes a song evokes feelings for a special scene. In Acts of Creation, I played Springsteen’s “Human Touch” a lot when I was writing the big love scene between Dante and Michelle.

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Guest Post

Guest Post: Brighton Walsh on Pitch Wars & Mentoring Fellow Writers

Today we have author Brighton Walsh, sharing about her experiences as a Pitch Wars mentor. Take it away Brighton!

For many, this time of the year marks new beginnings. Even *mumbles incoherently* years after graduating, I still think in terms of the school year. It’s a chance to start fresh, work in that schedule you slacked on all summer, and (pardon my French), get shit done.

For writers, it’s much the same. Since 2011, Pitch Wars has provided that opportunity. If you’re not aware of the awesomeness that is Pitch Wars, allow me to school (heh) you real quick. The goal is to pair a seasoned writer with a brand-spankin’ new one to show them the ropes. Brenda Drake, creator of this contest and all around amazing cheerleader for authors, gathers published and/or agented writers and/or editors to be mentors. And then she opens the floodgates. Those mentors post their wishlists on their blogs and hopefuls (unagented authors) sift through to find ones who best fit them (much like querying). Then they send off their baby to up to (this year) five mentors. And then they wait. Once the selections have been made, mentor and mentee spend the next two months shining that manuscript to its highest potential in preparation for the agent round.

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Exclusive Excerpt

Exclusive Excerpt: WHAT LOLA WANTS by Calista Fox

Calista Fox’s What Lola Wants brings together old friends who find something new is sparking between them-making for some deliciously hot friends-to-lovers action. And we’ve got an exclusive excerpt from What Lola Wants, which includes a “bad-boy smirk.” Swoon! Thanks, Calista!

Lola knows what she wants…

Lola Vonn isn’t sure exactly when it happened, but sometime between ages seven and twentysomething, her best friend, Alex, got hot.Really hot. He’s hotter than the blazing Arizona sun-and definitely hotter than the nerdy-cute mathlete she grew up with. And, when she needs to crash at his apartment while looking for a place of her own, Alex becomes a temptation she can’t resist. But while unbuttoning Alex’s buttoned-up self is scorchingly fun, wild child Lola fears risking the best friend she’s ever had on a fling.

He knows what she needs…

Alex Reed has wanted Lola since they were teenagers and now that she’s parading around his condo in sexy stilettos and short nighties, he can’t stop the more-than-just-friends fantasies he has every time he looks at his new curvy blonde roommate. Luckily he’s no longer the painfully dorky teenager he once was-and it’s high time he showed Lola that he’s the man for her.

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Aural Pleasures

Aural Pleasures: Tessa Bailey

The characters in Tessa Bailey’s Broke & Beautiful series might not always have a lot of cash, but they always have plenty of heat-especially for one another. And beauty. And tattoos. And did we mention heat? Yeah. Lots and lots of heat. Tessa is here sharing the playlist for her series. Thanks for joining us, Tessa!

How do you make your playlists for your books?

It’s going to sound crazy, but when I’m writing a book, the songs that fit the story seem to find me somehow. It could also be that I’m attracted to certain music when a story has me in a specific mood, but I like to think it’s more of a cosmic coincidence. I was writing a book recently about a man meeting his niece for the first time—and this beautiful song, “Cecilia and the Satellite” showed up on my radar. It was perfect and definitely enhanced the writing process.

Do you use the entire playlist for the whole book or specific parts for certain sections or types of scenes?

Recently, I made one playlist for a whole three-book series. I wanted each book in the series to have the same theme of early, twenty-something struggle, but with a positive, upbeat spin. So I went back through my old mix CDs from my first year in New York as an eighteen year old, pulled a bunch of songs from those and had my playlist.

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Exclusive Excerpt, Giveaway

Exclusive Excerpt: Lia Riley’s INTO MY ARMS

Lia Riley writes smokin’ hot New Adult romance and is best known for her Off the Map series. Now she’s back with Into My Arms, a new Off the Map novella, and she’s shared an exclusive excerpt with us. (After you read scroll down to enter our giveaway; we’re giving away three sets of the original Off the Map trilogy, Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out.)

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