Marie Landry, Author

Surprise Upcoming Release: Mistletoe Kiss

2017-11-07T10:21:00.002-05:00

Surprise! I have a new book coming out next Thursday, November 16th!

Today I'm revealing the cover, synopsis, preorder links, ARC sign-ups, and the first ever teaser from the book. Ready?

Bridget Higgins hasn't allowed herself to think too much about fairytales or the magic of Christmas since her dad died. Her life has been dedicated to work, her mom, her best friend Ivy, and little else. But when her kind and gorgeous boss, who she's secretly harbored a crush on for the last three years, offers her a night of fun on top of an unexpected Christmas bonus from work, Bridget starts to remember what it feels like to believe in magic and fairytales once more.

Mistletoe Kiss is a 20,000-word contemporary romance.

The book is available for preorder for just 99 cents, which means if you order now it'll arrive on your ereader at midnight next Thursday, November 16th! Wondering how preorders help authors? Every release day sale goes toward an author’s ranking; the higher their ranking, the more visible their book is to other buyers. I’ve talked before about how this is the first book I’m publishing in two years and I’m worried people have forgotten about me, so it would mean everything to me to have an amazing release day as my comeback to the publishing world. I’d be eternally grateful to anyone willing to preorder. There’s not much you can buy for only 99 cents these days! ;-)

Preorder now:

I also have eARCs available for anyone who’d like to read the book early. If you’d like to receive a copy of Mistletoe Kiss in exchange for an honest review, you can sign up here.

If you'd like to be kept up to date about Mistletoe Kiss (giveaways, a fun photo contest I'm planning, and more!), plus my other releases, be sure to sign up for my newsletter.

A long overdue update

2017-07-19T00:34:00.000-04:00

Well hey there! Remember me?

This blog has been so neglected the last couple of years. 2016 was a rotten year for me, and this year hasn’t been much better in many ways. My writing (along with my mental health) really took a hit last year, and I’m still struggling to get back on track. I’ve been working hard at my current WIP - a romantic comedy - which I’m having a lot of fun with, even though it’s slow going.

So, why am I posting now? Recently, there was an issue with Photobucket where they changed their Terms & Conditions with no warning and expected people who were using their site for third party hosting (which was probably most people) to pay $400 to continue using the site that way. Since I don’t have $400 and wouldn’t pay that much even if I did, that means this site and my main blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer, looked like a hot mess because all the pictures (hundreds, if not thousands of them), look like this:

I didn’t know what to do. I’ve been blogging at Ramblings of a Daydreamer for almost seven years. I was tempted to just say ‘screw it’ and stop blogging, leave the blog as is, and walk away. I just can’t do that, though. So, I decided to fix up this blog and turn it into a landing page of sorts. I really wanted to buy a domain name and set up a proper site, but I don't currently have the money or the know-how. So this blog will have all my book info, plus updates, but I'll be directing people to Ramblings of a Daydreamer for regular content. I made an announcement today on Ramblings of a Daydreamer that I’ll be transitioning the blog from a book blog into more of an ‘everything’ blog. You can expect occasional reviews, updates on my writing, teasers, writing tips, and real life stuff. I know ‘niche’ blogs are supposedly the way to success, but I want to write about what I want to write about, whatever that may be.

I hope you’ll be interested in checking out Ramblings of a Daydreamer. I have options there to follow via email or on Bloglovin. You can also sign up for my newsletter to keep up to date with my writing, and sign up for email updates from this blog (right sidebar) so you'll be informed when I post updates.

AFTER THE STORM Cover Reveal

2014-02-10T16:46:00.000-05:00

Today I'm really excited to share the cover of my 5th book, After the Storm, with all of you. For those of you who don't know, After the Storm is a companion novel to Waiting for the Storm. WFTS was told from Charlotte's perspective, and ATS is told from her sister Ella's perspective, and picks up a couple weeks after where Charlotte's story ends.

This was one of the hardest covers I've designed. I had a fairly specific idea in mind, but I couldn't find the right image. Initially I was looking for couple photos, and while I found a few I loved (and hope to use for future covers), either the guy or girl or both weren't right (skin colour was a big thing - River is Aboriginal, and it seemed impossible to find a guy who would represent that). I designed three different covers, showed them to my two most trusted friends, and one of them suggested I search for pictures of girls alone so the cover would match Charlotte's. After that, it didn't take long to find the image I ended up using. It just spoke to me, and I knew I'd finally found the one. So, without further ado, here is Ella and her cover...

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For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.

When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.

Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought…

*Expected publication: April 2014*

~EXCERPT~

“Everything Chris said about me is true.” My voice is a choked whisper. I swallow hard, praying the tears that are building in the backs of my eyes won’t fall. “He was around all summer and saw me go from one guy to another, so he couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t sleep with him. He treated me like crap, but I didn’t think I deserved any better, so I let him do it. Who would want to be with a girl like that?”

“I do, Ella. None of the things Chris said were true, and even if they were, you’re not the same person now.”

I’m shivering again, even harder than before. “I feel so dirty when I think of all the things I did.” I’ve never said this out loud before, even though I’ve thought it a million times in the last couple months. “I don’t know how you can even look at me or touch me, knowing the person I used to be. All the guys I was with…”

His brows draw together, and his eyes fill with what I think at first is pity, which makes me feel even worse. But then I realize it’s more sadness than pity. “I’m sorry you feel that way. But I don’t. I don’t know what you think I should see when I look at you, but I see a beautiful girl with a big heart that’s been broken. She’s a little lost at times, and she gets this haunted look in her eyes that tells you everything she won’t say out loud, but she’s trying her best to heal the cracks, and help heal the people around her. That’s what I see. That’s the girl I’m crazy about.”

He closes the distance between us, enveloping me in his arms. The voices in the distance fade into the background, and I forget about everything except the feel of River’s warm breath on my neck, the weight of his arms around me, the smell of his clothes and hair and body—that familiar, comforting scent I’ve grown to love, mixed with the underlying smell of bonfire and beach.

“And if you can’t see all that,” he murmurs against my neck a few minutes later, “I’ll try my hardest to show you until you do see it.” He pulls back so he can look me in the eye. “Especially the ‘crazy about you’ part.”

Want to be part of the Angel Island Street Team? Street Team members help spread the word about Waiting for the Storm and After the Storm, and will be the first to get information about the third book in this companion series. In exchange, members will get swag, entries into exclusive giveaways, ARCs, and other goodies. Learn more here.

{Amazon US/CAN/UK || Kobo || B&N || Smashwords}

Even though After the Storm is a standalone companion, it would likely help to read Waiting for the Storm first so you're familiar with Ella, Charlotte, and the rest of the Angel Island group. To celebrate the After the Storm cover reveal, I've reduced the price of Waiting for the Storm to just 99 cents from February 10th-15th. If you haven't read Waiting for the Storm yet (or if you have, loved it, and want to get a copy for a friend/family member), now's a great time to give it a try!

One person will win a $10 Amazon gift card or $10 PayPal cash. Open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to these bloggers for participating in the cover reveal:

Jessica from Thoughts at One in the Morning

Molli from Books and Whimsy

Patricia Lynne, Independent YA Author

Suz from A Soul Unsung

Michelle from Much Loved Books

Rachelia from Bookish Comforts

Jaimie from Be The Spark

Ashley from Book Labyrinth

Margie from Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

JaimeKristal from Tales of a Book Lover

MaryBeth from Keystrokes and Word Counts

Alexia from Adventures in Reading

Kymber C Hawke, Author

Monica from A Southern Girl's Bookshelf

Alexandra from Little Bookling

Jasmyn from Hot Off the Shelves

AJ from So Paranormal

*If you'd like to read more excerpts from After the Storm, be sure to check out the cover reveal participants' posts throughout the week*

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THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR Launch Day!

2013-11-05T00:22:00.003-05:00

Today's the day! THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR is officially out in the world! *happy dances in pretend snow while secretly glad there's no actual snow yet*

So here's the deal: as many of you know I usually celebrate my release days with a giveaway. I'm not doing that today. Why? Well, for several reasons, one of them being that I simply can't afford it. Nothing like being honest, right? I hope you guys will still love me anyway...I know you're not in this for the free stuff, but I love being able to give you stuff, I just can't right now. However...I've got a book blitz coming up the first week of December and I will have a giveaway for that (the sign-ups haven't gone up yet, but if you'd like to participate be sure to keep an eye on YA Bound Book Tours). I figured instead of doing a measly giveaway now, I'd save up and do a big one for the blitz. Also, Kimberly from Caffeinated Book Reviewer will be giving away three copies of the book next week as part of her Ho Ho Ho Holiday Read-a-Thon. I'll also have a few small giveaways in the next few weeks, so be sure to follow/subscribe to the blog to stay up to date!

Annnnd, the best/most exciting part (at least for me) is the fact that one of my best friends, Jessica Sankiewicz, is hosting a really cool giveaway in honour of the release. Talk about an amazing friend, right? I seriously cried when she offered. So, if you'd like to win a super awesome wintery gift pack, head on over to Jessica's blog and enter. Also, be sure to check out Jess's brand new debut novel, If Only We (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords).

Now I bet you're wondering about the actual book, right? Maybe? Hopefully? ;-)

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, right? At least that’s what twenty-year-old Ginny Bailey’s grandmother always told her, and Ginny believed it until Grama died. She even put on a brave face the following two Christmases, carrying on Grama’s traditions and decorating her house and café with Grama’s favorite decorations.

But Ginny can’t pretend any longer. When she finds out she’s going to be alone for the holidays this year, her Christmas spirit goes out the window, along with her luck. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ginny just wants to spend the holidays hiding under the covers...until Dean Riley comes back into her life. With a shared past, old feelings begin to resurface almost immediately, and Ginny thinks Dean might just be the Christmas miracle she’s been waiting for to help her remember why Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

BUY THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

{Amazon US || Amazon CAN || Amazon UK || Kobo || Barnes & Noble || Apple || Smashwords}

*Be sure to grab it now for just 99 cents because the price goes up on November 12th!*

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Deciding Whether to Write YA, NA, or Adult Books

2013-10-23T00:01:00.000-04:00

*I use Grammarly's plagiarism checker because ‘imitation is the best form of flattery’ is not always true! Don’t be a copycat!*

Someone recently mentioned to me that they noticed I’ve written books for young adults, new adults, and adults, and asked how I decide which age range to write for.

It wasn’t easy to come up with an answer, because I don’t really choose the characters’ ages - they kind of tell me how old they are, and I just go with it.

When I wrote my debut novel, Blue Sky Days, it was adult romance. The characters were in their twenties, and it seemed right at the time. When I dug the book out years later and decided to publish it, I’d recently become a book blogger and had discovered the amazing world of young adult books, so when I was rewriting Blue Sky Days, I changed the characters’ ages to make them in their late teens and early twenties. I considered it YA because Emma, my main character, is 19. New adult hadn’t become the phenomenon it is now, so I categorized it as ‘upper YA’.

When I wrote my second novel, The Game Changer, the subject matter worked better with older characters, so I made my main character, Melody, the same age I was at the time I wrote it - 28. After writing Blue Sky Days, I thought I’d stick with young adult for the rest of my career, but then I realized part of the beauty of being self-published is that I can write whatever I want, so when the idea for The Game Changer came to me I ran with it. Even though I consider it women’s fiction, I’ve seen a lot of reviewers categorize it as new adult, which I suppose it could be since Melody is going through huge changes in her life and learning a lot about herself, which is one of the greatest things about new adult books, in my opinion.

For my third novel, Waiting for the Storm, I knew Charlotte, my main character, would be a teenager. She came into my mind fully-formed as a seventeen-year-old girl who had just finished high school. It’s another book that falls somewhere in between YA and NA with reviewers, because Charlotte’s a teen, but she’s finished high school and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. I couldn’t have imagined her any other age, though, and I don’t think the story would have worked if she’d been younger or older.

And finally, for my upcoming holiday novella, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, my main character, Ginny, is twenty. Why? To a non-writer it probably sounds ridiculous for me to say ‘because she told me so’ but that’s basically how it went. I knew she’d been seventeen when her Grama died and that was three years ago, so that made her twenty at the time of the story. This one falls into the category of new adult, but I think it will appeal to fans of YA and women’s fiction, too. Ginny’s had to grow up fast in the last three years to get ready to take over her Grama’s business, but over the course of the story she learns to have fun in a way she hasn’t since her Grama died, and I think - and hope - that will appeal to people of all ages, especially when you throw in the magical Christmastime feeling that permeates the whole book.

As you can see, there’s no real rhyme or reason to how I choose my characters’ ages. I go with what feels right for each story, whether that makes the main character a young teen, an upper teen, a twenty-something, or older. I have story ideas in mind with characters who range in age from sixteen to thirty. I love having a wide age range of characters - it keeps me on my toes!

If you're a writer, how do you decide on your characters’ ages? As a reader, do you only read about certain age groups?

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Preorder THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

2013-10-16T11:50:00.000-04:00

As of this week, Kobo, Nook, and Apple users can preorder my holiday novella, THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, for just 99 cents! Because Amazon doesn't offer the option of preorders for self-published authors, I'm going to leave the price at 99 cents for a week after its official release (November 5th) before raising the price to $1.99. Be sure to grab it at the promotional price while you can!

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, right? At least that’s what twenty-year-old Ginny Bailey’s grandmother always told her, and Ginny believed it until Grama died. She even put on a brave face the following two Christmases, carrying on Grama’s traditions and decorating her house and café with Grama’s favorite decorations.

But Ginny can’t pretend any longer. When she finds out she’s going to be alone for the holidays this year, her Christmas spirit goes out the window, along with her luck. Everything that can go wrong does, and Ginny just wants to spend the holidays hiding under the covers...until Dean Riley comes back into her life. With a shared past, old feelings begin to resurface almost immediately, and Ginny thinks Dean might just be the Christmas miracle she’s been waiting for to help her remember why Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

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Waiting for the Storm Blog Tour

2013-05-09T18:05:00.000-04:00

I debated for awhile whether to have a blog tour for WAITING FOR THE STORM. When my debut novel BLUE SKY DAYS came out, I organized a month-long blog tour myself. It was a lot of work, and it was fairly tiring and stressful, but at the same time it was really rewarding and I was glad I had the control. This time around, I knew if I was going to have a tour, I'd leave the details to someone else. And once I decided to go ahead with a tour, I knew that someone else was Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours.

The WAITING FOR THE STORM Book Tour is a reviews-only tour that will run from July 29th to August 3rd. I decided against a tour with guest posts and interviews because it's a lot of extra work and I've been procrastinating big-time on starting my next novel, so having to write guest posts and answer interview questions would just be another distraction.

That being said, if there's anyone interested in having me do a guest post, interview, spotlight, giveaway, etc., outside the tour (I'm open for anything, anytime), feel free to contact me and we can work something out. My email address is irishstar_83(at)hotmail(dot)com

If you'd like to sign up to be part of the tour, you can visit Xpresso Book Tours and fill out the form there.

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Happy birthday, WAITING FOR THE STORM!

2013-04-09T00:41:00.000-04:00

Today's the day! WAITING FOR THE STORM is now officially out in the world. *happy dances while popping open champagne and handing out cupcakes*

I'd like to tell you all a bit about this book. As some of you know, it's my third novel, and a return to contemporary YA after a little side trip into chick lit with my last book. I wrote WAITING FOR THE STORM last summer. Little bits and pieces of it had been floating around in my mind, and all of a sudden it came together with perfect clarity, and when I sat down, the words poured out of me. It took me exactly three weeks to write the first draft of this book. It was the easiest - and the hardest - book I'd ever written. It left me emotionally drained, but also satisfied, because I knew it was the best thing I had written yet.

My beloved Grama died a little less than a year before I wrote this book, and the grief was almost crippling. I'd experienced grief before - if you've read BLUE SKY DAYS, you might know that my dad died of leukemia when I was ten - but this...this was all-consuming. My Grama was one of my best friends, and losing her was like losing a part of myself. She was my biggest fan and biggest supporter, so I took that grief and turned it into something positive: a story that I poured my heart and soul into, and that I hoped would touch other people.

I love this book, and I am so proud of it. I sincerely hope that there will be many people who are willing to open their hearts to Charlotte's story and to feel her sorrow and her fears, but also her hopes, dreams, and triumphs.

Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her beloved mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved.

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen?

{Smashwords || Amazon.com || Amazon.ca || Amazon UK || Kobo || Barnes & Noble - coming soon!}

To celebrate the official release of WAITING FOR THE STORM, I'm having a giveaway. I had originally intended to do two small-ish giveaways - one for reviewers, and another for everyone else - but decided to combine them and make it one big giveaway. I’ll be doing more in the coming weeks and months, so if you don’t win this time keep an eye out for another giveaway!

Prize pack includes:

WAITING FOR THE STORM tote bag

2 signed WAITING FOR THE STORM postcards

WAITING FOR THE STORM sticker

WAITING FOR THE STORM notebook

Charlotte’s heart necklace

A better view of Charlotte's necklace

*Open internationally
*There are a ton of ways to enter - you can do as many or as few of the entries as you like
*Must be 16 years old or have parental permission to enter
*Winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen
*Please note, if you’re writing a review, they do not need to be positive to qualify for the giveaway. Naturally I hope you enjoy the book, but I understand that everyone is different, and we’re all entitled to our opinions, whatever they may be. I want honest reviews, whether you loved it or hated it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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WAITING FOR THE STORM Playlist: Talking to the Moon

2013-04-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

Early on in WAITING FOR THE STORM, Charlotte's sitting on the beach feeling really lonely and wishing she has someone to talk to. She remembers her mother telling her that when she was younger and used to visit Angel Island, she talked to the moon when she was in need of company. Charlotte gives it a try...

I listened to this song a lot while writing WAITING FOR THE STORM, and found it really inspirational.

*There's no official video for Talking to the Moon but this is a fan made video with lyrics*

"At night when the stars light up my room

I sit by myself

Talking to the moon

Tryin' to get to you

In hopes you're on the other side

Talking to me too

Or am I a fool

Who sits alone talking to the moon?"

~Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars~

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Very first review of WAITING FOR THE STORM!

2013-04-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

For the last couple weeks I've been sending out ARCs of WAITING FOR THE STORM to reviewers. With the official release date being April 9th, I knew I was pushing it close, but I hoped there would be at least a few pre-release reviews. Well, today the very first review was published, and I'm so excited!

This review was done by Jen @ Before Midnight, who gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. Here are a few little snippets from it that made me really happy:

"Guys guys guys!!! I cannot gush enough about this book!

It is so rare for me to find a contemporary read that I love this much. Seriously.

The book read so quickly for me that before I realized, I was done. Landry’s writing flows well, and smoothly...

Like contemporary? BUY THIS BOOK. Like romance? BUY THIS BOOK. Like YA/new adult in general? BUY THIS BOOK. I can’t recommend this book enough, which makes me squee with happiness because it’s so rare that I find a book like this."

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WAITING FOR THE STORM Excerpt

2013-03-31T20:59:00.001-04:00

His mouth turned up slightly, but his eyes were sad. “I told you I understood better than you could imagine.”

“Two peas in a pod,” I murmured. What had happened in Ezra’s life to bring that haunted look into his eyes? He worked so hard that sometimes I thought he tried to stay busy not just for the money, but also to keep his mind occupied. There were times when I’d watched him work and he’d be intent on the job at hand, but his eyes would be distant, his jaw tight.

“A pair of tortured souls,” he joked lightly, squeezing my hand. I expected him to release it then, but he didn’t, and we sat like that until the sun was long gone and the sand underneath us began to cool.

When his phone beeped, he tensed beside me, and I knew my reaction mirrored his. He cast me a rueful glance as he pulled out his phone and checked it briefly before stuffing it back in his pocket. “I’m really sorry…”

I waved him off. “Don’t be. I’m used to it by now.”

He looked almost hurt by my words. “I hate to leave you, especially tonight. I…I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to tell me about your mom’s death.”

He was right; it wasn’t. He was the only person I’d told. Even Dad thought I’d just been waiting for him to return home. He didn’t seem to think it was strange that I was waiting outside in the middle of a raging storm, but then he’d had more important things on his mind at that moment.

“I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to.” Ezra’s eyes were pleading, as if begging me to understand that he didn’t want to leave, he had to. Even though he wouldn’t tell me why.

“It’s okay, Ezra,” I sighed. “Honestly. Go.”

He nodded slowly. He gave my hand another squeeze before releasing it and getting to his feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Maybe we could go to Angelo’s and grab a slice of pizza for lunch.”

“Sure,” I said, forcing a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

He headed off across the sand, and as I watched him go, something in me shifted. I was tired of whatever secret he was keeping. I was tired of spending the entire night wondering where Ezra went and what he did. If he was into something bad, I needed to know sooner than later.

Plus I couldn’t stand the idea of another night by the bonfire with strangers, then going back to my room and sitting there for hours with no company other than a book and the moon. Not after exposing such a raw wound to him. “Ezra,” I called, jumping to my feet. When he looked over his shoulder, I blurted, “Take me with you.”

He stood frozen for a few seconds, then took a step back toward me. “Charlotte…” He stared at me for a long moment, his expression conflicted. Finally he let out a long sigh. “I don’t know if it’s something I want you to be around.”

My stomach dropped. He really was a drug dealer. Before cell phones had become so popular that almost everyone had one, my dad used to joke that they were only for doctors and drug dealers. Ezra never bothered with his phone during the day, but the minute it went off at night, he jumped up and took off.

“Take me with you,” I repeated. I glanced up at my window, imagining myself sitting there for the next few hours, unable to sleep, my mind racing.

He followed my gaze and sighed again as if reading my thoughts. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

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I'm in the Spotlight!

2013-02-17T12:35:00.002-05:00

Hi loves!

Sorry I haven't been doing my regular weekly updates. I hurt my back a couple weeks ago and then found out I have a bulging disc, which is causing all kinds of pain all through my back and legs. It's been hard to sit at the computer for long periods of time, so I'm getting really behind on everything - emails, blogging, editing, you name it.

I just wanted to post quickly today to let you guys know I'm still here and to tell you about the Saturday Spotlight feature on Tina's Book Reviews where she spotlighted me and THE GAME CHANGER! I wrote a guest post defending the awesomeness that is well-written chick lit, and you can even win an ebook of THE GAME CHANGER. I'd love for you to check it out!

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Better Than Chocolate Books for a Buck Hop

2013-02-07T23:59:00.000-05:00

Bestsellers * Award Winners * Hot New Releases

30 authors offering 35 titles at an amazing 99¢ price (limited time offers)

Are you single this Valentine's Day and looking to spend it with a swoonworthy boy? Or maybe you're in a relationship and like a little guilt free book-boy-lusting? Or perhaps you just enjoy a good love story every once in awhile (or all the time, if you're anything like me!). Either way, I have two swoonworthy boys for you: Nicholas from Blue Sky Days and Julian from The Game Changer. Both books are on sale for 99 cents today and tomorrow only, so be sure to grab your copies, plus check out the amazing line-up of authors who are offering their books for 99 cents too!

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Don't have a Kindle but want to take advantage of the sale? You still can! Simply go to Smashwords and check out with the coupon code ZL25E and you can download the book for 99 cents in the format of your choice

A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life.

Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time.

When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of guy she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.

Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her newfound strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.

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Don't have a Kindle but want to take advantage of the sale? You still can! Simply go to Smashwords and check out with the coupon code DU38G and you can download the book for 99 cents in the format of your choice

Melody Cartwright has never had a problem with change, but for the first time in her life the changes are beyond her control—she suddenly has a niece she never knew, but has to prove herself to; her best friend is making huge life changes of her own; and she has to deal with her ex and his crazy new girlfriend who has stalker tendencies. When Melody meets confident, sexy Julian, she’s not interested in a relationship. He tells her it’s possible for a man and a woman to just be friends, and despite his ultra-charming ways there’s something about him that makes Melody believe he could be right. During a time of change and turmoil, it doesn’t take long for Julian to become everything Melody never knew she needed in her life. But is it possible for them to remain ‘just friends’ or will Melody be a game changer for Julian the playboy?

Savor the Savings

Titles by Category:

Young Adult

Defy the Stars by Stephanie Parent (romance/verse)

Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton (paranormal)

Seen by Heather Sutherlin (fantasy)

Sally Singletary's Curiosity by JM Cataffo (fantasy/mystery)

Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry (contemporary)

Duplicity (Spellbound #2) * 1st book NOW FREE! * by Nikki Jefford

Contemporary Romance and Chick Lit

The Reunion by Elizabeth Aloe

The Game Changer by Marie Landry

Broken and Mending by J.B. McGee

New Adult/Upper Teen: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Treason (Grimoire Saga #2) * 1st book NOW FREE! * by S. M. Boyce

The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear by M. Pax

ReVamped by Ada Adams

Troll Or Derby, a Fairy Wicked Tale by Red Tash

Neverlove by Angela Brown

Flight (The Crescent Chronicles, #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Vaempires: Revolution and Vaempires: Zombie Rising by Thomas Winship

What Kills Me by Wynne Channing

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford

New Adult/Upper Teen: Contemporary Romance

Preservation (Preservation, #1) by Rachael Wade

The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder

Make It Last by Bethany Lopez

My Paper Heart by Magan Vernon

Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Horror

Day of Sacrifice Omnibus by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Fall for Me by K. A. Last

The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton

Reunion by Jeff Bennington

Red Fox (Experiment in Terror #2) * 1st book FREE! * by Karina Halle

Guardian Of Fate by L.J. Kentowski

Ember's Curse by Gena D. Lutz

FEARLESS by Tawdra Kandle

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion

To Ride a Puca by Heather McCorkle

See full hop list with book covers at Shop the Hop.

**A huge thank-you to Nikki Jefford for putting this hop together!**

Now what are you waiting for? Go treat yourself to some new books! ;-)

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WAITING FOR THE STORM Cover Reveal

2013-02-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today's a really exciting day for me, because I get to reveal the cover of WAITING FOR THE STORM to you guys! With the cover going out into the world, it feels so much more real. I know this isn't my first time doing this, but it doesn't stop me from feeling anxious. This book means so much to me, and it's crazy to think that in just a few months it's going to be out there for everyone to read. Until then, though, here's something to hopefully get you excited about this book - the cover!

Charlotte O’Dell knows this summer is going to suck. Her beloved mother just died, her sister hates her, and her dad has completely checked out. Fulfilling her mother’s final wish, the family heads to Angel Island for the summer to stay in a beach house her mother once loved.

After a year of being shut away taking care of her mother, Charlotte is numb and practically afraid of her own shadow; she hopes going to the island will give her the time and space she needs to begin healing, and an opportunity to bring her family back together. When she meets her mysterious neighbor, Ezra, it doesn’t take long for Charlotte to confess the issues she’s developed. Ezra begins giving Charlotte assignments to get over her fears, and although she accepts his tasks, all she really wants is to be with him. When she’s with Ezra, she’s able to forget the hollow ache in her heart and the fact that her family is falling apart. But Ezra has secrets…

Can Charlotte pull what’s left of her family together, mend her broken heart, and allow herself to fall for Ezra? Or is it all just a storm waiting to happen?

Some of my wonderful blogger friends have agreed to help me with the cover reveal over the next three days, but I'd be really grateful to anyone willing to share the cover on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, etc. Thank you!

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Weekly Writing Update #5

2013-02-01T11:19:00.000-05:00

So, because I don't have an actual writing update to share with you guys today, I'm going to do something a little different (and a lot random). But first, I want to tell you that five of my beta readers have finished with WAITING FOR THE STORM. FIVE! I'm in shock. I just sent the book out a week ago, and over half my readers are done, plus they've all really enjoyed the story. I'm really excited!

Ok, so the randomness in lieu of an actual update is a conversation I had via Facebook email with my good friend and beta reader, Ray. He caught a mistake early on, I was feeling punchy, and the conversation spiraled from there...

Ray: "I heard a card door slam and an engine roar to life." On mine it's page 27, but I converted it to epub so I could read on the Nook so not sure if the pages still sync up. It's the bonfire gathering scene where our male lead is kinda sorta introduced, or first appears anyway. That's his car(d) door slamming, I think.

Me: Bahaha...uh yeah, car...unless I change his entire character to be some flunky for the queen of hearts in Alice in Wonderland

Ray: Haven't read him yet, but that could be interesting. Then off with Ella's head.
*Note: Ella is the main character's nasty sister*

Me: It would be totally unexpected right? You think you're reading contemp YA and then bam! It's actually fantasy.

Ray: Or we find out Charlotte is trippin' on drugs and it's actually really dark YA. Mhm.

Me: Hmmm, maybe if people tell me the book sucks I should go in that direction.

Ray: That's not going to happen.

And this is why I love Ray. Well, one of the reasons anyway. Ever since I decided to publish BLUE SKY DAYS a year and a half ago (and he was part of that decision...I started writing something new, wasn't feeling it, and was unsure whether to carry on or pull out BSD, which I'd written several years before, and he encouraged me to pull out BSD), he's been there (and by 'there' I mean 850-ish miles away because I'm in Ontario and he's in Tennessee) to provide comic relief and make me feel better about my writing abilities when I'm having moments of doubt.

This coming Monday is the cover reveal for WAITING FOR THE STORM. I can't wait to see what you guys think! I'm in the process of redoing the header of the blog and my Facebook header to include the new cover. Hopefully next week I'll have some teasers or maybe even an excerpt from the book for you guys.

Have a great weekend!

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Weekly Writing Update #4

2013-01-25T10:51:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Not much to report this week. I haven’t done any actual writing, just the second round of revisions on Waiting for the Storm. I’m sending it out to beta readers today, which is exciting and nerve-wracking. I love this story so much, I just hope other people will love it too.

As I’ve mentioned, the cover reveal for Waiting for the Storm will be February 4th-6th. If you want to participate, email me at irishstar_83@hotmail.com and I’ll add you to the list!

If you want to know more about what I've been up to in the last week, check out my book blog (new reviews, a bookish discussion, plus some giveaways!), and my personal blog (photography, my take on U23D, and some fun facts about me).

Have a great weekend!

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Writing Update #3

2013-01-18T00:22:00.000-05:00

How is it Friday again already?? I hope you've all had a great week!

Last week I talked about doing the first round of revisions for my third novel, Waiting for the Storm. I finished, had my alpha reader do her first read-through (she finished in a matter of hours - I'd say that's a good sign!), and she was going to do her second read-through where she made some changes, but things got a little crazy early in the week, and she wasn't able to get to it right away. In the meantime, I kept thinking of changes I wanted to make, and had thought I might wait until after my beta readers had read it, but then I decided I wanted to send the best possible version to my beta readers. I'm sure there will still be mistakes and things to work on, but I'd feel better knowing I did my best before anyone else reads it. I'm working on eliminating overused words and unnecessary words/sentences, and I feel like I'm doing a good job. I've learned so much between the time I wrote Blue Sky Days and now, and I really credit my editor, along with my beta readers for that. That feeling of constantly learning, changing, and growing, is amazing.

So that's what I've been up to. Edit, revise, repeat. My alpha reader will start again tomorrow on what I've done so far and I'm aiming to send the book out to beta readers next week. It's earlier than I anticipated, but that just gives people extra time, which is always good.

If you haven't been to my book blog this week, I just want to update you on a few things: first, I'm planning the cover reveal of Waiting for the Storm from February 4th-6th. If you'd like to participate in the reveal, please email me at irishstar_83@hotmail.com or leave a comment below with your email address and I'll email you the cover and synopsis on February 3rd. Also, this week was the one-year publication anniversary of Blue Sky Days, and I celebrated on the blog with 4 days of giveaways. They're all still running, so be sure to hop on over there and enter!

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Music Monday - Blue Sky Days Playlist

2013-01-14T11:09:00.001-05:00

Music Monday is a meme I started on my book blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer. I was finding that I didn't have time to post it every week and since I have a backlog of reviews to post, I thought I would move the meme over here and do it whenever I had time or whenever a song was particularly inspiring to my writing. If you’d like to join in, feel free to use the graphic (please save rather than copying and pasting - and please link back to this blog) and leave a comment with a link to your post in the comments and I'll come visit you in return.

Since Blue Sky Days is turning one this week (my baby's almost a whole year old!), today's Music Monday post is dedicated to the playlist/soundtrack I made for the book last year.

BLUE SKY DAYS PLAYLIST

Miracle Drug - U2

Just a Kiss - Lady Antebellum

As the World Falls Down - David Bowie

Beautiful Day - U2

Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield

All I Want is You - U2

Lifeline - Angels and Airwaves

Adore You - Nikki Hassman

Stuck in a Moment - U2

Forever Love - Anna Nalick

Jump Jive an' Wail - Brian Setzer Orchestra

When Your Eyes Say It - Britney Spears

Lullaby - Dixie Chicks

Stolen - Dashboard Confessional

True Love - Angels and Airwaves

Feel - Robbie Williams

"All the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you"

~All I Want is You - U2~

Be sure to drop by my book blog this week because I'm celebrating the one-year anniversary of Blue Sky Days with 4 days of giveaways (today's is a book of the winner's choice up to $12), plus the ebook is just 99 cents on Amazon!

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Writing Update #2

2013-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, guys!

Last week I talked about the Christmas novella I was working on and how I was almost finished...well, I'm done! Final word count was 29,317 words. I'm tentatively calling it 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year' because it ties in with the story, but I'm not sure if I'm 100% happy with the title. Luckily I have several months to decide on a final title. I figure I'll set it aside until summer before getting it back out to edit, send to betas, and work on the cover. I'm going to aim for an early November publication - maybe November 5th, 2013? We'll see.

I started revisions for book #3 on Wednesday. I wrote the book in July and haven't touched it since except to read the first page before sending it for a critique. After I wrote the book, I remember thinking it was the best thing I'd ever written. The story came so easily, it was unbelievable. I had fun with it, I loved the characters, and I knew I'd grown a lot as a writer after writing my first two books. At the time of writing this, I've edited seven chapters, and I'm so incredibly in love with this story. I think it's amazing, and I don't often say that about my own writing. I really, really hope you guys will think it's amazing too!

Speaking of which, yesterday before I started editing I put out a call on Facebook for beta readers and got a great response. It's something that's been stressing me out, so I was incredibly relieved to have so many people interested. Eight people offered to read the book, plus I have my alpha reader who always gets to read my work first and last, along with an amazing permanent beta reader, and I have a couple other people who mentioned a few months ago that they'd like to beta read. I'm glad to have so many because I've always had at least one or two people not finish beta reading on time and then I'm left scrambling, so I figure if even half the people who offered come through, I'll be good to go.

So that's what I've been up to since last Friday writing-wise. I'm not going to rush revisions on book #3, but I'd love to have it done quickly so I can have other people start to read it. I love it so much that I sort of want to know if it's just me or if other people like it too! Maybe next week I'll share a little snippet from the book...and I might have news about the cover. Stay tuned! ;-)

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Music Monday - A Man and a Woman

2013-01-07T00:35:00.001-05:00

If you know me at all, you'll know I love U2. I listen to them all the time, and while I was writing my second novel, The Game Changer, I played this song a lot. It always made me think of the relationship between Melody and Julian...it's basically a song about the 'mysterious distance between a man and a woman' and it seemed fitting for their friendship and the possibilities of something more that they both did their best to deny.

Melody Cartwright has never had a problem with change, but for the first time in her life the changes are beyond her control—she suddenly has a niece she never knew, but has to prove herself to; her best friend is making huge life changes of her own; and she has to deal with her ex and his crazy new girlfriend who has stalker tendencies. When Melody meets confident, sexy Julian, she’s not interested in a relationship. He tells her it’s possible for a man and a woman to just be friends, and despite his ultra-charming ways there’s something about him that makes Melody believe he could be right. During a time of change and turmoil, it doesn’t take long for Julian to become everything Melody never knew she needed in her life. But is it possible for them to remain ‘just friends’ or will Melody be a game changer for Julian the playboy?

**There's no actual video for this song, so this is just audio**

"You can run from love
And if it's really love it will find you
Catch you by the heel
But you can't be numb for love
The only pain is to feel nothing at all
How can I hurt when I'm holding you?"

~A Man and a Woman by U2~

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Weekly Update #1

2013-01-04T11:00:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my first writing update of the new year! Anyone who's been following along will know that I'm terrible at keeping this blog updated, so I thought I would do weekly writing updates, hopefully on Thursdays or Fridays.

My current project is a Christmas novella that I started last month. I was supposed to be taking December off from writing since I worked non-stop all 2012, but I just couldn't help myself. The idea struck and I had to run with it.

I should have finished writing the novella yesterday, but then something happened that's one of the worst nightmares a writer can experience: I lost the last two chapters I'd written the day before. I accidentally overwrote the file with the previous day's and I couldn't fix it. I had a serious meltdown - it was not pretty. I'd worked so hard on those two chapters, and there was one scene that was a pivotal point in the book and it was all lost. I wanted to just throw up my hands, say 'screw it', and walk away, but I didn't. I (painstakingly) rewrote those two chapters. Luckily it was still fresh in my mind, even though I know some of it ended up different than the original.

Now I just have another chapter or two to go and I'm hoping I'll be able to finish today. I felt so emotionally drained yesterday when I was finished (it took me most of the day just to rewrite those two chapters). I guess that's a lesson to be careful with your files. I always back up my files, so I never think something like that, or losing a file altogether, could happen to me, but I guess that's proof that accidents happen and you should be careful. Learn from my stupid mistakes, people! ;-)

Have a great weekend!

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Naughty New Year's Blog Hop

2013-01-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

The Naughty New Year's Blog Hop is hosted by Skye Warren. There are over 200 participants in this hop, so prepare yourself for some sexy reading in the new year!

I'll be honest...I like books with sexytimes. It's one of the reasons authors like Nora Roberts and Heather Graham have been among my favourites for years. Those ladies know how to write a steamy love scene mixed with a great story. I haven't read much straight-up erotica, but I do like a good hot-and-heavy sex scene. I remember when people used to say 'If it makes you blush, you shouldn't write it'. I thought 'Well, I'm screwed then', because I'm shy and it was hard for me to imagine ever writing an intimate encounter. Then I realized those make-you-pant scenes that are so hot they nearly scorch the pages were some of my favourites in the books I read, so why shouldn't I write them too? So I did.

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For those who like their love stories hot and steamy, Undressed consists of five short romantic stories with an erotic twist. Discover stories about lovers, strangers, friends, the slow burn of romance, and the sizzling heat of chance encounters. Find out what happens when friends become lovers, when lovers return after an extended absence, and when fantasies come true.

UNDRESSED is a collection of short stories that combine sexytimes and romance - two of my favourite things to read about. If you'd like to win an ebook of UNDRESSED, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Everyone who comments on this post will be entered to win one of two grand prizes, provided by our host, Skye Warren.

Grand Prize #1: A $100 Gift Card to sexy fun online shop EdenFantasys

Grand Prize #2: An Erotic Bundle – 10 New Releases from Hot Authors

How to enter:

*Simply follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter form. The only mandatory entry is to leave a comment, all other entries are optional (meaning you don't have to do them to enter the giveaway, but if you want extra chances to win, do them!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wishing you all a happy, sexy new year! Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

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Goodbye 2012, Hello...Newsletter?

2012-12-31T13:42:00.001-05:00

2013 is almost upon us, and like many of you, I’ve been spending the last few days reflecting on 2012. It’s been a whirlwind year - I fulfilled my lifelong dream of becoming a published author when I published my debut novel, Blue Sky Days, on January 17th. Eight months later, I published a collection of short erotic romance stories, Undressed, and two months after that, I published my second full-length novel, The Game Changer.*phew*

I’ve bounced around from contemporary YA to erotic romance to women’s fiction/chick lit. I love having the freedom to write whatever I want without having to stick with a specific genre. Next year, I’ll be returning to contemporary YA with book #3, which I’m hoping will be ready for publication in April. I have a few other projects on the go (one that's also contemporary YA, plus a new adult holiday novella for next Christmas), which I’ll be talking about here on the blog (I promise to do a better job of keeping this blog updated in the new year), and my newsletter subscribers will get all the highlights (along with exclusive content and special announcements before anyone else!).

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown so much support and encouragement over the last year. I hope to continue entertaining you in 2013, and I hope our friendships grow.

*A little sneak peek at what’s coming in 2013: newsletter subscribers will be among the first to hear about my next cover reveal (which will be coming early next year), and I’ll be asking if anyone is interested in being beta readers, so stay tuned for that!*

You can also subscribe to get all my blog posts in your inbox

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Bestseller for a day

2012-12-29T18:15:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago, I reached a milestone I thought I would never accomplish: I made it onto a bestseller list. It was just after midnight on December 16th, my 29th birthday, and I checked my sales and Amazon rankings for THE GAME CHANGER (which I tend to do obsessively-compulsively multiple times a day). My sales for the book have been beyond my wildest dreams, and I was maintaining a ranking within the top 4,000 or so, dipping as long as the 2,000s.

I'd always wondered why none of my books showed the ranking within their genre, but that night I realized the reason: you have to be within the top 100 for your book to show up. And how did I find that out? Because THE GAME CHANGER was #97 on the women's fiction list! I was so excited I could have burst. It took me ages to get to sleep that night, and I felt like I did when I was a little girl and would get excited because it was my birthday. This year it wasn't necessarily the excitement of turning 29, but the fact that I'd hit such a huge milestone.

I watched the list as much as I could that day (we had family over most of the day), and the lowest I saw the book drop was #92. By midnight, it was out of the top 100, but it seemed oddly fitting that for 24 hours, on my birthday, I'd be a bestseller.

Now let's see if I can do it again...maybe next time, I'll make it even lower on a list. ;-)

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The Game Changer comes out TODAY!

2012-11-13T10:35:00.000-05:00

Today’s the day! The day I unleash…I mean release…The Game Changer into the world! It feels like it’s been a really long time coming, even though the whole process from the time I wrote the first word until today was only ten months. It’s been a LONG ten months though. I’m really, really proud of The Game Changer. I feel like I learned a lot while writing and editing Blue Sky Days, and then in the months following the release. I think I became a better writer - no, I know I became a better writer - and I’m proud of that.

If you’re a book blogger or you review on Amazon/GoodReads/Chapters/Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, etc, and you’d like a copy of The Game Changer for review, let me know and I’ll send you one in the e-format of your choice. Don’t forget to enter my Spread the Word giveaway to win a book of your choice valued up to $15 CAN.

Thank you for all your support, and I hope you enjoy reading The Game Changer as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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When Melody meets confident, sexy Julian, she’s not interested in a relationship. He tells her it’s possible for a man and a woman to just be friends, and despite his ultra-charming ways there’s something about him that makes Melody believe he could be right.

During a time of change and turmoil, it doesn’t take long for Julian to become everything Melody never knew she needed in her life. But is it possible for them to remain ‘just friends’ or will Melody be a game changer for Julian the playboy?

What pre-release reviewers are saying:

"The Game Changer is a book you won’t soon forget. Full of life and love and change and friendship. It’s one of those books that makes you rethink your own life and want to get out there and do something more. Marie Landry kept me glued to the page for hours. I would sit down with the intention of reading one chapter and ended up reading five. I had to force myself to step away and go to bed. That is how good this story is. And my bottom line: Get your hands on this book now. You will love it." ~ Jessica, GoodReads

"From the minute I began reading The Game Changer I was instantly drawn into Melody's world...I love how her best friend moves and comes back to live with Melody, its one of the most inspiring display of real and true friendship I have ever read about... I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Game Changer, and anyone looking for a quick read with some romance, friendship and some cute boys, this is the perfect book." ~ Michelle, GoodReads

"I thought I'd like this one, I was wrong. Coz I loved it." ~ Cams, GoodReads

And now I will leave you with a little more awesomeness in the form of Ryan Gosling. You're welcome. ;-)

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