Cozy Countdown to A PLACE WITH BRIAR: Only 8 Days Left....

I had to take a moment today to post some “happees.” In other words, just a few squee-worthy pics I took over the weekend to kick off the Cozy Countdown to A Place With Briar’s April 1st book launch!
 

I should start out by saying that Friday night I went back to the Books-a-Million where I worked several years ago. I went there for two reasons, really.

One: I wanted to scope out the Harlequin Superromance section to get an idea of where A Place With Briar will be shelved in seven days’ time.

 

Two: To buy every copy of the April issue of RT Book Reviews magazine in which A Place With Briar is reviewed. Not only is this my first RT review (so exciting!), reviewer Alexandra Kay gave the book 4 stars! Oh my gee! Really? It didn’t hit me until I peeled back the pages of the April issue for myself to find the Series Romance section where the review is printed - in the middle column, bottom of the page. (Warning: the full review pictured below includes what could be considered spoilers. If you’d like to read a less revealing review snippet before reading Cole and Briar’s story, I’ve copied it below the image.)

 

 

Review Snippet: Great description and engaging characters make this story an entertaining read. Cole is nicely developed and his despair over losing his son and Briar’s worry over the potential loss of her inn are both well drawn. The secondary characters, such as Briar’s tenants, are also quite fun and nicely crafted.

Readers, there’s only a few days left to preorder Briar and Cole’s story at Amazon and Harlequin.com! (A quick shout-out to those who have sent me messages and emails to say that you bought your copy of A Place With Briar ahead of time! Y'all are amazing! Thank you so much!)  Oh, and be sure to check back here at the ol’ blog tomorrow to help me choose a new author headshot photo for my website…..

 

One last note: March is quickly coming to an end! Don’t forget to enter the Fool for Romance contest if you haven’t already before the month is up. There’s still a $100 Amazon Gift Card up for grabs as well as three awesome book bundles. If you haven’t entered, click here for details on how to win these and more great prizes!  

Scavenger Hunt Winner!!!

The Way Back Home Scavenger Hunt has come to a close and the winner is Tara Woods! Congrats, Tara! You've won a $25 Victoria's Secret Gift Card, a $25 Books-a-Million Gift Card, and a $25 Panera Bread Gift Card!

Thanks to all our participants! We hope you enjoyed the excerpts and stay tuned for future contests leading up to Bluest Heart's January 6, 2010 release!

What Happens When Amber Drinks Too Much Caffeine???

The true nature of this post is to discuss my latest infatuation. I am now officially a coffee drinker. Oh, woe, Amber! How did this happen? Dunno. One minute I was an innocent, no-coffee-thank-you-sweet-tea-for-me-cuz-I'm-a-little-lady-from-the-South, the next I'm bringing home my mommy's back-up 4-cup coffeemaker (nothing bigger needed since my smart hubby refuses to drink the stuff), coffee filters, and a bag full of pumpkin spice flavored coffee grounds I purchased at my favorite bookstore, Books-a-Million (if you like flavored coffee, TRY IT!!!!)

I'm convinced this all started the week of Thanksgiving when my mother, my sister, and I went to do a little pre-holiday shopping at the new Kohl's store. Somehow my sister and I ended up fixated on a display of Christmas-y ceramic and travel mugs. My sister wanted the travel mug that said "Dear Santa, Let me explain..." because she wanted it for hot cocoa on the way to school, leaving me with no choice but to get my version of that in ceramic: "Dear Santa, Let me tell you the whole story..." I get home with my new mug and...what do I do with it? It's too cute to leave in the cabinet for the once in the blue moon when I fix hot cocoa. What's a girl to do?

Drink coffee, apparently.

But coffee-drinking is not my latest infatuation. No, my very-latest-to-the-minute infationation is coffee mugs. The "Dear Santa" thing started it all. Soon I see cute coffee mugs floating around everywhere! One for each holiday. One for each day of the week. One for each day of the year!!! Ha,ha! One for each person on your you-must-buy-them-a-Christmas-present-or-perish-from-the-earth list!

These are the super-cute ones I came across while perusing my local BaM:

One for your boss: "Are You Talking To Me Before I've Had My Coffee This Morning?"

One for your single friend: "Men Are Like Chocolate: Better Rich"

One for your married friend: "Mom's Taxi"

One for your hubby (and my personal favorite): "Does Not Ask For Directions"

The Mighty Nora is into it, too. At her Turn the Page Bookstore site (http://www.ttpbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTPB&Category_Code=TNS) you can buy the "Coffee, coffee will keep me sane" Eve Dallas quote travel mug. (*ahem* Can I have one with Roarke's face on it?)

Even my publisher has caught the must-have-coffee-mugs craze! You can get the TWRP logo mug in small or large. Look how pweetty: (http://www.cafepress.com/TWRP.57407757)

There's a mug for every personality on earth!!! But, no, I only bought one mug this holiday season, my perfect mug soulmate which features a blond (my fickle muse, Tink, whom if you've read my blog before, you probably know just by the sneer I'm currently wearing) lounging in a chair in her bathing suit on a sunny beach with a phone to her ear (that's me on the other line calling her home so I can stop this potentially-helpful-to-someone-other-than-me procrastination and reach my daily word count). The mug's overhead caption reads, "I'm in a meeting!"

SO, still don't know what to get that whoever in your life for Christmas? Have you not been listening to me, you insane-last-minute-shopper you!

Coffee mugs!

*incessant ramble ending now*

Stay tuned for more caffeine-induced, holiday-flavored storytime!