#ChickLIt May Book Boyfriend Blog Hop

NOTE: Today's blog post is brought to you by my newest hero, Ty Townsend, in honor of Book Boyfriend Blog Hop week. Read below about how you can make him the official book boyfriend. Take it away, Ty.

Hello and welcome, everyone! My name is Ty Townsend and I have a unique profession. I'm an Elvis impersonator! Everyone always told me I look like the legend himself, and since I love to sing, I chose a career where I could honor his legacy. I perform in Branson and Vegas and hope you'll attend one of my shows. Between gigs (like now) I chill on my favorite, secluded beach, Key Lime Island. In fact, I just got out of the water. Anyone have a towel?

Since I'm campaigning for Best Book Boyfriend, may I humbly suggest ten reasons why you should vote for me:

1) I have a sexy black leather costume just like Elvis. I'll wear it if you want. 
2) I'll sing any Elvis song you like. What's your favorite?
3) I love to play the guitar. Want a lesson?
4) My crazy pet is a parrot. Her name is Saylor and she curses a lot. "Vote for Ty, dammit." (Sorry, I can't control what comes out of her mouth. It can be embarrassing, especially in certain situations if you know what I mean.)
5) Key Lime Island is a private beach that's only accessible by boat or helicopter. In other words, it's very private. Want to go for a long walk on the beach?
6) Are you thirsty? I make a mean key lime martini? *heads to the kitchen*
7) Can you sing? We can perform a duet at The Tipsy Turtle. Come on. It'll be fun.
8) Maybe you'd prefer a boating adventure. I'll rent a speed boat from the Key Lime Marina. Let's go.
9) *Plucks a Hibiscus blossom* You need this behind your ear. Purple looks great on you.
10) Remember, please vote for TY TOWNSEND. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Vote by emailing traciebanister@gmail.com
Ty/Elvis has left the blog.

 After a deadly storm, Pepper is stranded on Key Lime Island with a rogue boyfriend, an Elvis impersonator, and his cursing parrot. Now what?

Available on Amazon (and FREE with KU) here: Beth Carter's Amazon Author Page
 
Don't forget to sign up for the big GIVEAWAY and visit the other talented authors on this blog hop. But, really, who can beat an Elvis impersonator?! Happy reading and voting.
 

Tracie Banister  http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/

Becky Monson  https://www.beckymonson.com/blog 

Hilary Grossman  www.feelingbeachie.com

Glynis Astie  http://www.glynisastie.com/blog

Jayne Denker  http://jaynedenker.com

Jennie Marts  http://www.jenniemarts.com/blog.html 

Barbara Valentin  https://barbaravalentin.com/blog/

Beth Labonte  www.secretary4life.com

Victoria Cooke  https://victoriacooke10.wordpress.com/

Holly Kerr  http://hollykerr.ca/my-blog/

Meredith Schorr  www.meredithschorr.com

Stacey Wiedower  www.staceywiedower.com/blog/

Laurie Baxter  http://lauriebaxter.com/blog/

Jennifer Farwell  http://jenniferfarwell.com/#blog

Natalina Reis  https://catarinadeobidos.wordpress.com/about/

Celia Kennedy  www.womanreinventsself.blogspot.com

Beth Carter  http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com/

Ellyn Oaksmith  http://ellynoaksmith.com/

BJ Knapp  http://bjknapp.com/blog

Lizzie Lamb  https://lizzielamb.co.uk/lizzies-scribbles/

Sylvia Ashby  http://sylvia-ashby.com/?cat=64

Karen M. Cox  http://karenmcox.merytonpress.com/blog/

Lindsay Detwiler  http://www.lindsaydetwiler.com/

Kirsty McManus  http://www.kirstymcmanus.com.au/category/blog-news/

Melissa Baldwin  http://www.authormelissabaldwin.com/news.html

Geralyn Corcillo  http://thingsthatmakemegommmrrh.blogspot.com

Cassandra O'Leary  www.cassandraolearyauthor.com/blog/

Cat Lavoie  http://www.catlavoie.com/blog

Kate O'Keeffe  http://kateokeeffe.com/blog

Monique McDonell  www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com/blog

 

COVER REVEAL for THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS!

Drum roll, please...It's finally time to share my cover with the world. Without further ado, here's the artwork for my debut women's fiction, THURSDAYS AT COCONUTS! It was created by Soul Mate Publishing artist Christy Caughie. A big thanks to her for a job well done.

It's amazing to see my name on the cover of a novel. Amazing. What a dream come true but don't pinch me! I've seen my name on the covers of my children's picture books (also thrilling) but this novel is something I've worked on since I penned the end in June 2009. I set it aside for nearly three years and turned to kidlit after a horrific family tragedy but got back to it last year. I'm so happy I resurrected it and pitched to Debby Gilbert, Senior Editor of Soul Mate Publishing, last spring. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me, Debby!

I'm really happy with the cover which represents the three women well. I'd love to hear your thoughts. My women's fiction features Suzy, Alexandra (Alex), and Hope who've known one another since high school and meet over drinks at Coconuts on Thursdays--get it?!--to cope with life's many mishaps and crises. My novel is also laced with plenty of romance, humor and suspense.

As the weeks go by, I'll be sharing behind-the-scenes info, hooks, excerpts, and progress toward a release date. I actually asked that my April release date be pushed back to summer. Horrors, I know. No author asks that. What was I thinking?! But we were in Florida in the middle of a remodeling project, had company for weeks, and most importantly, my daughter's upcoming May wedding. I knew there was no way I could appropriately edit nor market it, so Debby graciously agreed to push it back (even if she did think I was a bit off kilter!)

Here's the blurb, which I tweak constantly and will probably change tomorrow! Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
 

As the go-to wedding planner, Suzy cannot find her own wedded bliss. Her wedding day is a shocker, complete with family betrayals. She deftly coordinates weddings for neurotic brides and a racist, pretentious mother of the bride, while still pining for her high school sweetheart. Oh, and her son brings home a bombshell all the way from Europe. 

Alex, a marketer with a “touch” of OCD, falls for a bad-boy cop who's married and possibly stalking her--but he sure is sexy. She tries to stay at arm’s length after she puts her job—and life—on the line for the officer who isn’t always a gentleman. Will she be able to resist their chemistry and the danger that surrounds him?

Hope hates her name, looks and frizzy hair. As a high school counselor, she dishes out sage advice to students, yet can’t see she’s enabling her deadbeat, stuck-in-the-seventies hippie parents. After tragedy strikes, she reexamines their relationship and discovers a secret that almost went to the grave.

Friends since high school, the thirty-something women meet every Thursday at Coconuts for their own form of friendapy.

 

I Have An Author Page!

I now have an official author page on the Mirror Publishing (my publisher's) site at http://www.pagesofwonder.com/carter.html

Check it out. You'll see my picture, a bio (and will probably find out things you never knew), my picture book cover and the synopsis that will appear on the back cover.

So many things to do... I must get new business cards, my own fan page (that sounds weird) on FB, a website, handouts for kids, and much more. Also, I've already started lining up book signings and readings for October and November. Please let me know if you want me to read to your class or have a signing at a book store, coffee shop, boutique, fall festival or, well, anywhere.

Any recommendations for new authors and what is best to do first? I know. Put one foot in front of the other. Take a breath. It gets overwhelming but is seriously FUN.

Are You a Writer, Author or Novelist?

I've always loved writing and have considered myself a writer for decades since I've written non-fiction work-related articles, expository essays, television scripts, annual reports, short stories or my new love--novel writing. When I finished my novel this summer, my husband referred to me as a novelist. I stopped dead in my tracks. I really liked the sound of that. The delightful title had not occurred to me before he uttered that wonderful word. Novelist. Sigh. It sounds romantic and mysterious, doesn't it? And very artistic. Somehow that single word makes the two years of hard, solitary work worthwhile. Thanks, hubby. Happily, I wholeheartedly agree with him. When a writer finishes a big piece of work (i.e., over 300 pages) and there's a story full of compelling characters and plot twists with a true beginning, middle and end (woo hoo for the end), I believe they have become a novelist. As for author, though, I won't proclaim that title until I'm published. What do you think? Do you consider yourself a writer, novelist or author?