Feeling Flush

Whew! It seems like it’s been an eternity from last Monday to this Monday when in reality, it’s only been a week. Yet in that week, a lot has gone on.

First, Long Simmering Spring released on May 13! If you’ve read it, thank you! I’ve been thrilled by the response it has gotten. Folks have been saying some very nice things, indeed! Guilty Pleasures gave it five stars and had this to say:

Long Simmering Spring will keep you off balance while completely drawing you in to an irresistible romance you can’t help but love.

And Kindles & Wine gave it an A- and said:

Long Simmering Spring is another great installment in the Star Harbor series from Elisabeth Barrett! The romance is perfectly paired with action and subplots. If you enjoy some contemporary romance with a few twists and turns along the way, you’ll enjoy this one. If you haven’t started reading this series yet, what are you waiting for?! Do it!

To celebrate my release, I’ve been doing some blog appearances. Today, I’m visiting Harlequin Junkie with a post called “Missing your Home Town,” and I also did an Interview at with Ruthie Knox at Ruthie’s Reality. I’d love it if you stopped by and showed me some love. Plus, I’m giving away a copy of Long Simmering Spring at HJ, and Ruthie is giving away one of each of the Star Harbor books on her blog, so it’s definitely worth the (virtual) trip.

If you missed my earlier blog posts, here are the others:

Romance Junkies, “What His Car Says About Him”

Romance @ Random, “Believing the Truth” and USA Today’s HEA, “Small Town Spring and Summer”

Kindles & Wine, “World Building in the Real World”

Guilty Pleasures, “Small Town Living”

So yes, there have been some serious goings-on at the Barrett house!

I’m also feeling flush today because things are cooking over here in writing land. You know about the release, but what you might not know is that I finished up additional edits on Slow Summer Burn (release date August 12) and finally completed my Tahoe manuscript, about which I’m just pleased as punch. It went off to my fabulous agent this morning, and now I just have to wait to see if she likes it!

To celebrate all this good stuff, I’m doing another giveaway: Emily March’s Reflection Point, a book I recommended in my USA Today post. In the comments section, let me know something interesting that happened last week in your life, and I’ll choose one random commenter to win! Please don’t forget to leave your email address – I’ve had a bit of trouble contacting people lately, and I don’t want you to miss out!

 

Release Day for Long Simmering Spring!

I’m thrilled to announce that Long Simmering Spring, the third Star Harbor book, is available today!

Cole Grayson, featuring his abs.

Here’s the official copy:

Spring comes to Star Harbor, bringing unexpected passion for a sexy sheriff, as the next Grayson brother finds love with the town’s beautiful doctor.

Julie Kensington grew up in the same small town as the Grayson brothers and remembers when the boys were nothing but trouble. As teenagers, Cole’s rugged sex appeal set Julie’s heart ablaze, but she did her best to ignore it. Now a grown woman with a medical degree, Julie still can’t resist her searing attraction to the roughest, toughest Grayson. He’s ex-military, tormented, and sexier than ever, but are his wounds too deep to be healed by her loving, gentle touch?

Even back in high school, straight-arrow Julie had a way of making Cole think twice about his bad-boy lifestyle. When Julie decides she’s finally ready to embrace her wild side, Cole knows he is just the man to show her the way, unleashing years of pent-up desire. Neither of them counted on falling in love, but when Cole’s demons threaten to derail their relationship, it’s up to Julie to show him that together, they can overcome the past . . . and build a future.

Also, if you haven’t read the super sexy excerpt posted on Scribd, you can read it here.

For those of you who’ve pre-ordered the book, thank you! If you haven’t yet picked up your copy, you can buy the book everywhere e-books are sold!

Here are some links:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Google | Other Places

And if you’d like to follow along on my blog tour for the book, I’d love to see you. Today I’m at Romance @ Random and USA Today, but you can check out the other stops on my tour here.

Oh, happy day! Thanks for celebrating with me!

Happy Friday!

My blog tour for Long Simmering Spring kicks off today at Romance Junkies, where I’m talking about the Grayson men of Star Harbor and their cars. Join me for some fun and a giveaway!

Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday for release day!

 

The Calm Before the Storm

Last week was very work and writing-heavy for me, and it was a good, productive week. I worked through the final round of line edits on Slow Summer Burn, and I finished the first draft of my Tahoe book, which ended up close to 50,000 words – short for me, but a heck of a lot of fun to write. We’ll see what my beta readers have to say about it. Over the weekend, it’s virtually impossible for me to work, except at night when I’m so bone-tired, I can’t really contemplate working unless I actually have to. Still, that doesn’t mean I didn’t *do* anything. Here are the highlights. This weekend, I:

*Marched in a big parade with my three children in ninety-degree weather

*Went to a birthday party with one of my children and played in the sandbox

*Did five loads of laundry (and it wasn’t even laundry day)

*Swam with my children and Mr. B in a lovely, warm pool

*Made homemade guacamole and orzo salad to go along with my grilled chicken and corn-on-the-cob for our Sunday night dinner (not very Cinco de Mayo of me, but the fam loved it anyway)

So, yes, I did a lot. In other news, later this summer, I will be heading to the big RWA national conference. What this means is that I really need to clear the decks of swag from last year’s conference to make room for the inevitable swag I will get from this year’s. So one lucky commenter will receive one audiobook of your choice from my stash (I’ll give you a choice). Just let me know what you did this weekend! Also, I know Friday seems to be the giveaway day of choice for most folks, but Monday works for me for a bunch of different reasons so I’m thinking I’ll keep the giveaways going on Mondays, at least for a while.

Finally, in just one short week, my third book, Long Simmering Spring will be released! So far, people have been saying some very nice things about the book (thank you, thank you!) and my blog tour for Long Simmering Spring starts this Friday. I hope you’ll join me for giveaways and fun over the next few weeks to celebrate! I also have a little excerpt for you to whet your appetite. Just to give you a bit of set-up, Cole and Julie are on their first date and the past starts to bleed into the present.

“After what I’ve done, I can guarantee I’m not the same guy I used to be.” He shook his head. “Maybe not all my change is for the better, but it’s no surprise you’ve turned out to be someone incredible.”

It seemed that it was confession time. “There was another reason I slapped you.”

“Yeah?” he asked, his gaze steady, as if readying himself to take whatever she dished out. “What’s that?”

“I thought if I gave you the chance—if I let you in, even for a second—you’d break my heart. And I couldn’t let that happen. Not then. Definitely not now.”

A terrible look of sadness flashed across his face for just a moment, before he composed himself. “That isn’t me and that isn’t you. Not anymore.”

Long Simmering Spring (c) 2013 Elisabeth Barrett

Like it? Order it!

The Final Countdown!

There are only two weeks left until Long Simmering Spring hits the (virtual) shelves on May 13th, and I realize that I haven’t been doing my part to whet your appetite. Because it’s a crazy, crazy week for me, I’m just going to get to the good stuff (i.e. an excerpt) and leave it at that. I will give you a little set-up, though. Our hero, Cole Grayson, has a past which colors the way others perceive him, and most definitely colors the way he perceives himself. Here’s Cole, thinking about Julie Kensington, a high-school acquaintence who’s now the local doctor:

Forget about who he was now; all she probably remembered was the guy he used to be. Bad. There was no other way to put it. He and his brothers had raised some serious hell in high school, and he’d been the worst of them all. The pranks, the drinking, the girls—God, it was embarrassing to even think about. Yet he’d come so far. He might still be one of Star Harbor’s notorious Grayson brothers, but instead of a cocksure hellion, he was a decorated military hero who worked every day to improve his community.

Maybe Julie didn’t care. They’d run in totally different circles—he with the bad boys and she with the good girls. He’d done nothing to distinguish himself to her back then until he’d confronted her—and himself—the afternoon he’d run into her behind the track at the high school. He’d made a play, and she’d turned him down, taking him apart with a few choice words. And then, bonehead that he was, he’d gone in for the kiss anyway. He’d gotten what he deserved that day—a slap so hard it had rattled his teeth, and a lecture on making something of himself.

Words he hadn’t heeded until years later.

Long Simmering Spring (c) 2013 Elisabeth Barrett

I s’pose I should put up the buy links. Here they are: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Other

And just because you’re awesome, I’m doing a giveaway! In honor of my release, give me your best spring memory, and I’ll send you one lucky commenter will win a copy of Fatal Justice by the excellent Marie Force (U.S. only, please). Stay tuned for another excerpt and giveaway next Monday!

Read Long Simmering Spring Before Everyone Else (Birthday Edition)!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. If you haven’t received an email from me, please check your junk/spam folders and email me at ejbarrett15 (at) gmail (dot) com with your full name, NetGalley username, and NetGalley email.

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Today is my birthday, and in honor of this special day, I’m giving away free preview copies to the first 50 people to fill out and submit this form. I’m also well aware that it’s tax day, so hopefully this should ease the pain a little bit.

So sign up . . . you know you want to!

I’ll close the form when I get 50 entries, so if you can see the form, the giveaway is still open and you will get your book! Once I get all the entries, I’ll send out an e-mail with details (so watch for it and check your junk mail folder if you don’t get anything).

A Little Something to Whet Your Appetite

Oh, my, my, my. The good folks at Random House posted an excerpt from Long Simmering Spring on Scribd, and you should go read it. Right now. Unless you are at work.* Because it is verrrah dirty. Ahem.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Okay, I was shooting for sexy and emotional, but I’m okay with dirty.

Go. Go now. Unless you are at work.*

Also, I want to give you a heads-up that you should check this space on Tax Day, aka April 15, aka Monday, aka my birthday because I’ll be doing something very special and you will want to be here. Trust me on this one.

*At an office. If you work at home, do whatever you want.