New Release & Cast of Characters

I'm thrilled to announce my new contemporary romance, SLEEPING WITH ELVIS, releases on August 10! My novel is a romance (of course!) and also has strong suspenseful scenes as well as plenty of comedy. I'm a genre straddler, what can I say?

Check out my cover reveal:

The cover captures the wonder my main character, Pepper, feels as she enjoys her first taste of an exciting beach vacation--a far cry from her shabby trailer in Arkansas. But she had better enjoy the serenity now because, well, you’ll just have to read it and find out!

An enticing novel plot isn’t anything without a diverse cast of characters to keep readers turning the  pages. It takes a while for characters to develop fully (maybe ten edits will do it!) After much work and a gazillion tweaks, I am in LOVE with my characters! Well, not Derek. He’s a jerk but we have to have a villain to cause mayhem, right? Plus, they're fun to create.

I’ve fallen for my main character, Ty, the Elvis impersonator, but also have a sweet spot for the elderly veteran, George. Ty makes me swoon and George makes me cry. And the cursing parrot? Come on. Now, I want to get one! Meet them:

Pepper – She lives with her crappy boyfriend in as shabby trailer in Nowhere, Arkansas. They saved all year for a fabulous vacation to Key Lime Island but she just lost her job as a daycare worker. She’s going anyway. Money problems, fears of flying, and boating be damned.

Derek – Pepper’s nasty, cheating, controlling boyfriend. Little does he know she plans to break up with him the second the vacation is over. But he doesn’t go away easily–Not. At. All.

Ty Townsend – A drop-dead gorgeous Elvis impersonator who has unplugged on Key Lime Island to escape social media trolls after he messed up the King’s lyrics (twice!) He rethinks his unique profession and enjoys downtime, until he discovers a woman lost in more ways than one.

Saylor – Ty’s cursing African Grey parrot who is entertaining, albeit with a serious potty mouth (thus, her name!)

Captain Dan – The leathered, tough-talking, big-bellied captain of their charter, Reel Time.

Mia – The captain’s efficient, lovely first mate for the excursion to Key Lime island.

Frank – Ty’s gold-chain-wearing, no-nonsense manager who wants his entertainer back on the stage.

George – A retired psychiatrist and Air Force Veteran who has sadness of his own but becomes Pepper’s hero.

Stephanie Silk – A porn star who creates havoc.

Of course, there are many more secondary characters who play interesting roles but the characters listed above are my main cast. When I write, I envision an actual play or movie in an effort to bring my characters to life.

Please follow my Amazon author page so you’ll know when SLEEPING WITH ELVIS goes live! http://www.amazon.com/author/bethcarter

For now, I’m deep into final edits. Stay tuned for a launch party in mid-August! Back to the hamster cage… Elvis has left the blog.

Where to Begin?

This is downright embarrassing. I haven't updated my blog since last fall. FALL. I'm surprised I remember how. What in the world have I been doing? A LOT.

Since I can't possibly write about every single item that has occurred, let me give you a quick rundown:

• My daughter and son-in-law had their first child--a boy--right before Thanksgiving. Joy!! This, of course, entailed many trips to L.A. beforehand and my throwing a baby shower. Maybe that's why I was so busy.
• My novelette, SANTA BABY, appeared in an eight-author Christmas anthology, SIZZLE IN THE SNOW.
• I went to Florida and had three book signings in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Sanibel. Great fun. I love Floridians. They're so welcoming and THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS is a great fit for the Sunshine State.
• I penned my newest novel, SLEEPING WITH ELVIS over the past several months. More about that in another post. I am a HUGE Elvis fan. I had an epiphany about a plot including an Elvis impersonator and my novel was born. I was busy all winter and spring writing this novel and will share details soon. I promise!
• I received "Best Debut Author" from BTS Books in April at TNEE (The Novel Experience Event) in Atlanta. I was bowled over. This was after six months receiving a 2015 RONE AWARD at the InD'Scribe Conference in Palm Springs. Sigh. Pinch me! Seriously, I could not be more humbled or happy to see my work recognized.
• I've been writing like crazy on my Coconuts sequel. I know. I know. I should have had it out by now. The good news is I have enough ideas for at least two more books! Yippee. More of Hope, Suzy, and Alex--as well as several new characters.
• We had a big family vacation the first week of June. There were 21 of us. Try getting a table for that size group every night for dinner! It's a challenge.
• Now, I'm FINALLY updating my website. I'm only three books behind. Good grief.

I'm sure there's more to add, but I have to get back to updating my site. I wish the summer would slow down but I"m looking at edits the entire month of July for SLEEPING WITH ELVIS before it releases on August 10! Stay tuned for details about a launch party, the cover, blurb, excerpts, swag, and more.

I hope you've had a wonderful time since we last chatted in October. I'll do better with my blogging. :)