Double RITA Finalist Darcy Woods Visits with the Crew!

I'm thrilled to have my friend, Darcy Woods, joining the Crew today. She's a double 2017 RITA finalist for BEST FIRST BOOK and YOUNG ADULT Romance. Congratulations Darcy! Prosecco pouring for you. If you looking for her previous visit - click HERE.

Before we get to the juicy details-I want to make sure you know that Darcy is giving away one e-book for the International crowd and one paperback for a US only giveaway. :-)  

  Please make sure you comment and leave your email address for a chance to win.

MEET DARCY WOODS 

DARCY WOODS has held an eclectic mix of professions—from refueling helicopters for the U.S. Army to recharging bodies and spirits at a spa—but her most beloved career is being an author. She is addicted to happily-ever-after endings and finds all things metaphysical endlessly fascinating. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two tuxedo cats (who overdress for everything). SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS is her double RITA®-nominated debut young adult novel.

THE STORY BLURB

Fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Jenny Han will fall in love with this heartfelt and humor-laced debut following one girl’s race to find the guy of her cosmic dreams.

When zodiac-obsessed teen Wilamena Carlisle discovers a planetary alignment that won’t repeat for a decade, she’s forced to tackle her greatest astrological fear: The Fifth House—relationships and love.

But when Wil falls for a sensitive guitar player hailing from the wrong side of the astrology chart, she must decide whether a cosmically doomed love is worth rejecting her dead mother’s legacy and the very system she’s faithfully followed through a lifetime of unfailing belief. 

Nan: I loved the book!  5 STARS!! And look at that pretty RITA emblem.

READ A LITTLE 

Here is a link to the sample chapter. AMAZON

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon |Barnes & Noble |IndieBound |Powell’s

Also, SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS e-book is currently on sale (at an $8.00 savings!) for $1.99. Here is the Amazon link, but the sale applies to ALL e-tailers!  ‪AMAZON

A LIGHTING ROUND OF Q&A WITH DARCEY WOODS

NAN: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?

DARCY: When I hear from you my heart sings arias. When I hear from you and my story has resonated in some way, my heart sings arias worthy of the La Scala opera house in Italy! Because without you, my stories would have no home. No ears to hear them or eyes to read them. And without you, I’m not sure I’d have the courage to continue putting one word in front of the other—again and again. So THANK YOU for helping me live my dream! 

Here’s a sampling of some fan art, including a German teen’s incredible collage of the City of Carlisle where the book takes place, a US reviewer’s beautiful graphic drawing with quote, and an Italian book and fashion blogger’s gorgeous constellation-themed nails. See? This is why I’m a bottomless well of gratitude!  

Nan: That is so much fun. I am envious!

NAN:  Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
DARCY:  I do! Or…I did at least in the early days of my debut release. Then I read a couple of especially awful ones—the kind that go from being a snarky review of your work, to a personal attack. So around the time I could taste the ash on my tongue from my eviscerated soul, I decided I was done. The price just became too high on my productivity. I mean, I could read a dozen wonderful five-star reviews, but that one nasty bugger seemed to have the ability to erase them all. And I refuse to give one person that kind of power! 
Nan: Way to go!

NAN: What has been your most rewarding publishing moment?
DARCY: Oh gosh, there have been so many, but I’ll narrow it down to two. The first biggie was when my ARCs went out and I received my first review. It was forwarded to me by a bookseller who runs a special program where teens get to read advance copies, and in turn, write reviews of them. Her name was Sophia. And I will never forget the last line of this thirteen year-old's review: “I laughed, I cried, and I never wanted the story to end!” Dear Lord I was reduced to an emotional mush ball!!! 
The second was something I was almost too afraid to hope to achieve—getting the RITA call. It was so surreal! I immediately began jumping on the couch while shrieking, giggling, and blubbering—simultaneously because I’m a multitasker. The RWA board member (Renee, I think?) sweetly interrupted me and said, “Darcy, I’m not done yet. I have more good news.” She then proceeded to tell me I was a double finalist. To say that I was inconsolably happy is a supreme understatement! My smile was roughly the size of Texas. 

Nan: Love the picture. And you deserve this honor!

NAN: What has surprised you the most about being published?! 
DARCY: How difficult it can be to find your readers! Are you guys nodding? If you’re not nodding, please email me every one of your secrets. 
Nan: Nodding here. Hoping you pick up a few new readers just from this post!

NAN'S GOTTA ASK: Which already filmed movie represents your writing style?

DARCY'S GOTTA ANSWER:  Bridget Jones's Diary! While there is humor, witty banter, and absurdity abound, at the core of the story (or movie, as it were) is a very real and accessible slice of humanity. Like that moment Bridget is heartbroken, sitting in the bathtub while crying and peeling off her false eyelashes from the night before? THAT. I seek the same balance of hilarity and heart in my own writing. 

FIND DARCY WOODS: 

Contact: woodswrite@gmail.com

Blogs: http://sweetheartsofya.com

Author Links:

Website|Twitter|Goodreads|Instagram|Facebook

Book Links:

Goodreads|Pinterest

DARCY WOODS WANTS TO KNOW: I LOVE book recommendations! What was the last book you read that made you laugh and feel all the feels?   

Comment and leave you email address for a chance to win one e-book for the International crowd and one paperback for a US only giveaway

Nan:  Thank you for hanging with the crew today, Darcy!  

Darcy's drawing will be open through Sunday - so please comment for a chance to win.

WE'RE CELEBRATING A NEW RELEASE FROM RITA FINALIST--SARAH ANDRE

I'm excited to welcome back Sarah Andre one of my Golden Heart sisters.  Thanks for joining the crew today and celebrating the release of - CAPTURING THE QUEEN--Book 2 in the Damaged Heroes series.  This is another great title, Sarah. 
And one more congratulations on the awesome honor of being a 2017 RITA Finalist for Book 1 in the series -- TALL, DARK and DAMAGED. And you talked about it here on the GLIAS Blog. 

Don't forget to comment below.  Sarah is giving away a digital or signed paperback copy of Capturing the Queen.

MEET SARAH ANDRE

Sarah Andre is a 2017 RITA® finalist, which is Romance Writers of America highest award of distinction. Sarah’s novels include: Capturing the Queen (2017), Tall, Dark and Damaged (2016) Locked, Loaded and Lying (2015), plus a short story in an anthology, From Florida with Love (2016.) She lives in serene Southwest FL with her husband and two naughty Pomeranians. When she’s not writing, Sarah is either reading romance or suspense novels, exercising to rude alternative rock music or coloring. Yes, you heard right. She’s all over those coloring books for adults.

Let's hear a little bit about CAPTURING THE QUEEN.

THE STORY BLURB 

Restoration artist Sean Quinn is perfectly content spending his downtime devouring classical literature, while keeping his OCD and fourth-degree black belt under wraps. But when his FBI agent brother coerces him into investigating stolen artifacts, Sean becomes the target of a ruthless smuggling ring that funds terrorists.  

Gretch Allen, a beautiful man-magnet, hides a world of hurt under her icy exterior. When Sean rescues her from a stalker, she discovers her co-worker has an alpha-hot fire burning beneath his geeky exterior. As barriers between them begin crumbling, however, she accidentally places herself in much more extremist danger. 

Unable to stop the unraveling events from turning deadly, Sean must conjure his inner hero to save his city and capture the heart of the queen.

Nan: Love the trailer.

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

Gretch kicked her leg around and sat up. Her heel struck the pavement with a sharp click. “Why were you at Teeny’s Martinis last night?”

Sean lowered the mug to the table, turning it in microscopic increments until the café logo faced him squarely. “I overheard you tell Hannah where you were going.” He traced the logo with his thumbnail. “Thought I’d check it out. Buy you a drink.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

He paused, because he’d braced for: “I’d have to be awfully drunk to accept a drink from you.” No way would he tell her he’d lost his nerve, bumped into the other woman slinking his way out the backdoor, and ended up agreeing to her lewd proposition. “Turns out I’m not into that scene.” Any of it. But because Gretch hadn’t battered him with the sentence he’d expected, he added, “So…would you’ve had a drink with me?”

She didn’t answer. Sean glanced at the patrons, the bustling square, the long shadows easing toward their table, while she cocked her head and examined her nails. He retraced the logo, jiggling his knee. Her silence strained every muscle in him, stretched him like some medieval torture rack. Five more seconds and he’d beg for mercy.

“You’re a nice guy,” Gretch finally said in that awful kind tone his brothers’ girlfriends used. He braced for The Adjectives. Weird. Strange. Peculiar… She rested her arms halfway across the table, fingers splayed, still looking at them instead of him. “I was so sure I couldn’t tolerate any man this afternoon without going ballistic, but you’re…different.”

Hope rose. Different wasn’t bad! “Maybe we can—”

A faint smile appeared on her face, and his vocal chords seized. Hope swan-dived off Kilimanjaro, the free fall stealing his oxygen.

“You’d never survive me, Sean.”

The nerd panicking within wholeheartedly believed her. The fourth-degree black belt took exception. “You hardly know me.”

“I date a certain kind of guy for a certain kind of reason.” She reached over and twisted the mug in his hands so the logo slanted at an unacceptable sixty-two degree angle. Immediately his skin crawled with the need to right it, but she stuck her chin in her hand and waited, like a cat watching a cornered mouse.

He folded his arms. “What insurmountable feat does it take to be that guy?” His jiggling knee made the table quake.

Gretch laughed, and the throaty sound washed over him, almost capturing his attention from the mug that needed turning. Desperately.

“It’d take a miracle.” She rose gracefully. “See you at work.”

Sean multi-tasked dragging the cup into position, watching the smooth sway of her hips, and thinking up a miracle. He inhaled until his lungs hurt. Amid the dominant aromas of coffee and gas fumes, he could still catch her peppery scent.

She’d called him different. That was huge. His smile hurt his cheeks.

Nan:  What a great excerpt. Thanks for sharing!

ORDER THE BOOK

Amazon

A LIGHTING ROUND OF Q&A WITH SARAH ANDRE

NAN: How often do you get lost in a story?

SARAH:  If I had a dime for every book I got lost in, I’d be as rich as JK Rowling! Reading is my crack. I would prefer it over any other form of entertainment. Unfortunately, since I’ve become a writer I rarely have guiltless opportunities to sit for long periods of time and indulge in my addiction.

Nan: Oh I would love to get paid to read!!

NAN:   Cast your book using fairy tale and/or cartoon characters.

SARAH:  The premise is Beauty and the Geek. Sean and Gretch are co-workers; he’s an introvert, lover of classical music and literature, and has annoying OCD tendencies. She’s got a supermodel bod, an ex-personal trainer energy and a short temper. The snark is off the charts between the two. They had bit parts in Tall, Dark and Damaged and jumped off the page whenever they were together. I had to see where it would go. I’m really pleased with the result. 
Nan: What a great premise. Can't wait to read it.

NAN: What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?

SARAH: Easy! My four-year-old Pomeranians, Bo and Taz, aka The Boyz. 

I told the breeder I didn’t want males, but due to a mix up she only had two littermate brothers left. I even considered taking the one I was holding (Bo) and coming back another month (a 4-hour drive) for a girl, when the other little pup skidded around the corner. One look at his naughty face and I turned to my sister and said with love and loathing: “Oh, God, I have two boys.”  

Nan:  LOL!

NAN:   What’s the last show you binge watched?

SARAH: My husband and I just finished watching a British cop series called Happy Valley. Intense plots, amazing dialogue- I highly recommend it! We have two more episodes (still to air) of Better Call Saul, which is the prequel to Breaking Bad (which I haven’t seen.) We store a few episodes up at a time, because in true binge form, one hour isn’t enough. I think it’s the best show on television.

NAN: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?

SARAH: Oh, Benedict- that moody, broody, lion’s face and those glinting blue eyes? (Fanning myself!) Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t kick Chris Pine off my island, but when a beta’s personality is so massive he becomes drool-worthy, that’s a deeper attraction for me than a pretty face/hot bod combo.

Nan: I just watched Dr. Strange. Okay - I'm a fan. But I still love Chris Pine.

NAN'S GOTTA ASK: What would you say is your most interesting quirk?

SARAH'S GOTTA ANSWER: The split personality that emerges when I exercise. 😦

Any other time I’m a fun, kind, considerate daydreamer. But the only way I can push myself at the gym or on a running path is to turn into a snarling beast who listens to deafeningly rude alternative rock and mouths all the swear words.

I’m quite horrified, and would like to issue a blanket apology to anyone who’s seen that other me.

Nan: That is so funny -- and I can relate.

UP NEXT

A Savage Trick, Damaged Heroes, Book Three, hopefully June, 2018

Nan: Another great title.

PREVIOUS RELEASES

Tall, Dark and Damaged, Damaged Heroes, Book One (2017 RWA RITA® finalist)

From Florida with Love: An Anthology by SWFL Romance Writers

Locked, Loaded and Lying

FIND SARAH ANDRE:

Contact: Sarah@SarahAndre.com  

Website: SarahAndre.com 

Facebook: Author Page 

Twitter: __@SarahRSWriter

Goodreads: GR Page

Blogs: Kiss and Thrill 

SARAH WANTS TO KNOW:  Everyone’s got a little OCD in them. (Confession: I only eat one food item on my plate at a time. All my potatoes before I can eat meat…) What’s your odd quirk? 

Sarah is giving away a digital or signed paperback copy of Capturing the Queen to one lucky commenter.iNG Make sure you leave your email address