Happy Book Birthday to Music Boxes!!!

It's release day for my debut novel!!!

via GIPHY

And it's time to celebrate!!!
For any of you who don't know what novel I'm speaking of
(and you really should considering how much I've been screaming it
out the world the last months...)

Here it is...

MUSIC BOXES
Middle Grade Magical Realism 
Modern Fairy Tale
For ages 9 to 12 
(But I think EVERYONE should read it because...well, I'm the author!)


“I only desire your talent...”


Twelve-year-old Lindsey McKay's biggest dream is to be a famous ballerina. But after moving to New York, she ends up at the Community Center with a teacher who’s a burly bear in tights.
When she meets Madame Destinée, the teacher of a top dance school who offers her classes for free, Lindsey can't believe her luck. In exchange, she must perform in the school’s exclusive midnight shows, ones sure to make her a star. But something’s not right...
One by one, the other dancers disappear. Each time they do, a music box with a figurine just like the missing ballerina joins Madame Destinée’s growing collection. If Lindsey doesn’t discover the truth about the dance school, she might end up a tiny figurine herself.

Every celebration needs...



via GIPHY

Since I can't provide cake...which is a real bummer... 
how about...


GOODIES!!!

Pre-order/order your book (ecopy or print) before midnight (EST) on Friday night, March 8th, send a copy of your proof of purchase to  tonjadrecker@gmail.com along with an US mailing address, and you will receive an envelope with exclusive swag (bookmark, sticker, bracelet etc). 


And BOOK BUZZ!!!

If I don't celebrate the wonderful reviews which have been coming in now, then when???
(There are many more, so head on over to Goodreads to find them!)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41452109

"Deliciously creepy with a side of sinister, Drecker weaves an enticing story of talent, jealousy, and dark magic." 
Dianne K. Salerni, author of The Eighth Day series

"An enchanting mystery young readers will enjoy."
Kids Bookshelf

"...an enduring tale of friendship, magic, and the power of love. Five stars!"
Tamara Grantham, award-winning author

"...Music Boxes will enchant you."
P.K. Hzero, author

"The magical parts are enchanting, the exciting parts heart-pounding, and the poignant moments completely wrenching."
Ilana Waters, USA Today bestselling author

"...will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last spin of the music box."
S.A. Larsen, International award-winning author

"A powerful story with a compelling, mystical tale of adventure."
Reader's Favorite, 5-star review

And let's not forget...
PRIZES!!!

The giveaway will run from midnight (EST) on the night of February 21st, 2019 until midnight (EST) on the night of March 15th,  2019. Entries will be made through the Rafflecopter. One winner will receive a music box (the one found in the book video:https://youtu.be/ww_RY4IVg3w) with the author’s golden signature on the bottom as well as swag (US addresses only). The second winner will receive an Amazon GC of $10 (US). The second winner must be in possession of a qualifying US Amazon account.

The contest is open to U.S. residents only, ages eighteen and over. No purchase is required for entry. All winners must claim their prize 48 hours after notification. Winners will be announced on www.tonjadrecker.blogspot.com on Saturday, March 16th 2019 by 10:00am (EST). All addresses and personal information will be used only for prize allocation. Sponsor, Tonja Drecker, assumes no responsibility or liability of any kind. Please email all questions to tonjadrecker@gmail.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


And one last video for fun!!!

Joining it?
Leave a comment below and party with me!

Special Giveaway

The winners of the giveaway for the ARC copies of 
Music Boxes are...

Rebecca Douglass
and Juneta Key!!!




This week...and this week alone... I'm running a giveaway! 

My amazing and super awesome publisher Dancing Lemur Press (and they really are amazing)

has informed me that there are only two ARC print copies left of Music Boxes!!!

And here's your chance to get one.  All you have to do is jump in on the Rafflecopter below. At midnight Sunday night (EST) on December 9th, I'll let it choose the two winners (US only). These two winners will be announced here on my blog, on my Facebook author page, as well as on Twitter (@TDrecker) on Monday. The winners will have 48 hours to respond with their email address either via DM (message) on Twitter, Message on Facebook, or here in the comment section of my blog.

The prize will be sent directly from Dancing Lemur Press as quickly as possible in hopes of having it out in time for Christmas.

Of course, I love...adore...would be extremely excited and appreciative if the winners would leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon (as of March 5th) or where ever else they might have the desire to place their thoughts. Even a short sentence would be fantastic!

Here's the book (so, you know what this is all about)...

MUSIC BOXES

by Tonja Drecker

Dancing Lemur Press

Middle Grade Fantasy / Modern Fairy Tale

ages 9 to 12

COMING...

MARCH 5th, 2018!!!

Twelve-year-old Lindsey McKay's biggest dream is to be a famous ballerina. But after moving to New York, she ends up at the Community Center with a teacher who’s a burly bear in tights.
When she meets Madame Destinée, the teacher of a top dance school who offers her classes for free, Lindsey can't believe her luck. In exchange, she must perform in the school’s exclusive midnight shows, ones sure to make her a star. But something’s not right...
One by one, the other dancers disappear. Each time they do, a music box with a figurine just like the missing ballerina joins Madame Destinée’s growing collection. If Lindsey doesn’t discover the truth about the dance school, she might end up a tiny figurine herself.

GIVEAWAY!!!

(US only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box.  The winner will be selected randomly through Rafflecopter. If no response is received within 48 hours, an alternative winner will be chosen. Open to all US addresses and entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will only be passed to the giveaway organizer in order to send out the prize. The prize will be sent off and handled by Dancing Lemur Press.

Crystal Collier and Creating Deep Characters

Welcome Crystal Collier here today to share her new book and some writing tips!

In 1771, Alexia had everything: the man of her dreams, reconciliation with her father, even a child on the way. But she was never meant to stay. It broke her heart, but Alexia heeded destiny and traveled five hundred years back to stop the Soulless from becoming.

In the thirteenth century, the Holy Roman Church has ordered the Knights Templar to exterminate the Passionate, her bloodline. As Alexia fights this new threat—along with an unfathomable evil and her own heart—the Soulless genesis nears. But none of her hard-won battles may matter if she dies in childbirth before completing her mission.

Can Alexia escape her own clock?

BUY: Amazon | B&N

5 Tools for Creating Deep Characters

Thank you Tonja for having me here today!

Do you have an epic story, but people aren't sold on your characters?

Characters are the music, and plot is what you see happening in a movie. Take a train wreck scene and put rock music behind it. Take the same scene and put a slow symphony underneath. We have the same action, but the mood is completely different.

The characters are the filter through which we see the story, and thus their view of the world is what establishes the reader's interpretation of what's happening.

So you've got your basic character. You know their name, appearance, history, place in the world, etc. But do you KNOW them?

To create intense characters, you have to be inside their heads. Deep inside. You have to walk the steps of their early childhood with them. You need to see what they fear. What they treasure. What makes them cry. When you know the answers to these, you know how they will react to different situations and why.

But sometimes you don't. Sometimes, although you've met a character, you can't quite understand what their deal is. They're still a mystery. In this case, you need to get to know them. How about some tools?

Source

1. One of my favorites is the scenario game. Take a random situation, like being mugged in the streets of New York, and imagine step by step how your character would respond to the situation. But go beyond that. Figure out the WHY. What in their past or psychology prompts them to react that way? Do this with a number of situations and you'll get to the heart of your character. I did this with Alexia while getting to know her. She was born in the mid 1700's, but I placed her in modern day America to see what she'd do.

2. The personal essay. Your character is applying to college (or some similar institution), and has to write a personal essay about their favorite possession, or pet, or a situation that changed them forever. Sit down and write this essay for them. The prologue of SOULLESS (MoT book 2) is a letter from Alexia to her missing aunt. It was a fun way to sum up everything that had happened in book one, but to see it completely from Alexia's eyes.

3. Figure out who this character is based on in your life. You'll be surprised the insights this gives you into their psyche. I was shocked to learn Kiren's character was based on my father. Beyond shocked. Let me explain. My father was a doctor and at work 90% of the time. He was distant and mysterious all my growing up, but the most compassionate person I knew. I struggled after realizing Kiren possessed so much of him (because let's face it, that's my dad!) until I accepted that it made the character stronger and helped me understand how he responded to situations. Kiren is totally a creature of my imagination, but he shares my father's core values.

4. What's their culture, and how does that change perspective? I'm not talking about JUST their ancestry. Have you moved around much? I have. Language varies from location to location, even while speaking the same English. Etymology (the study of language) shows us that any language will place emphasis on aspects that are important to the daily life of a region. For instance, a mountain village where they raise sheep may have twenty terms for types of sheep and their young. They may have fifteen terms for wool. Their metaphors and thinking would evolve around their way of life--the raising of sheep, the seasons, the harvest, the weather. It would jade EVERYTHING. To be true to a character, immerse yourself in their culture. This was the biggest trick in switching between time periods & social standings for my latest release, TIMELESS. I had learned the culture of an aristocrat and the working class in the 1770's for the previous two books, but I had to acquire an understanding of a lord in the mid 1200's, along with knights, clergy, and the poor for this book.

5. Speaking patterns. You gave the character a stutter or accent. Pat yourself on the back. This isn't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about speech patterns. You have a way of formulating sentences. It's different from everyone else's. In order to really create an individual, try listening to YouTube videos and seeing how people structure their sentences. It's pretty eye-opening how different we all are. Now formulate your character's own way of speaking, and see if you can make it different from your own.

In the end, you can spend as much or little time on characters as you like, but it's to your advantage to make them so real that they live off the page in people's heads.

What tools have you found helpful for forming deep characters?

Crystal Collier is an eclectic author who pens clean fantasy/sci-fi, historical, and romance stories with the occasional touch of humor, horror, or inspiration. She practices her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese.

Find her and her books online HERE.

(Email address is required for awarding prizes.)

Selene Castrovilla's Rough Romance Trilogy

MELT

Rough Romance Trilogy, Book 1

by Selene Castrovilla
Last Syllable Books
YA Contemporary Romance
278 pages

Based on true events, MELT is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. MELT will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

MELT is a brutal love story set against the metaphorical backdrop of The Wizard of Oz (not a retelling). When sixteen year old Dorothy moves to the small town of Highland Park, she meets, and falls for Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism?

Told in dual first person, Joey’s words are scattered on the page – reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason – until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

MELT: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

MY TIDBITS

This is a romance with so many sharp edges that it cuts, burns and won't let go even long after the last page has been read.

The story centers around Joey, a seventeen-year-old with alcohol, drug and jail burdens, and Dorothy, a sixteen-year-old with a wholesome life and family. It's told from both points of view, switching with chapters to make it easy to follow. But this isn't a normal story or romance. Joey's horrible family circumstances are presented raw and naked with no room for sugar coated. This is made clear in his voice--short, choppy phrases and words. Dorothy, on the other hand, has a more traditional story telling feel, but this too changes when circumstances throw her into direct conflict with Joey's world.

Warm, fuzzy feelings have nothing to do with this book. It's a literary look at how horrid life can be, the damage it does and the difficult but still hopeful process of healing. The words grip and bite, letting the pure emotions and thoughts come over--ones very fitting to teens in this circumstance. Love and romance are a wonder and beautiful, but life is not. This book does a marvelous job in bringing this message across in its purest and harshest form. In other words, it's a book teens will understand, feel and not easily forget.

SIGNS OF LIFE (Rough Romance #2) by Selene Castrovilla

Publisher: Last Syllable Books | Publication Date: June 21, 2016

The tables are turned with a vengeance in this tour de force love story. Nearly a year has gone by and now it’s Dorothy who is fragmented and lost, while Joey keeps the promise he had made her to better himself—even though she’s gone. Joey talks about what is happening in the present while Dorothy describes what happened before— in the moments and hours after the Glock dropped. This time the stakes are even higher, as Joey forces himself to move forward while Dorothy is frozen in place. But when he learns of a devastating decision, Joey races to find her before it is too late. Truth, consequence, repercussion and modern medicine collide as pieces converge in this psychological, thrilling story, which begs the question: Can love really conquer all?

Signs of Life: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here's Selene Castrovilla!

Selene Castrovilla is the award-winning author of multiple narrative nonfiction picture books and young adult novels. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons and too many cats. Visit her website: www.SeleneCastrovilla.com. 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Pinterest

Follow the tour. . .

June 20th - The Recipe Fairy

June 22nd - Dystopian Citzn

June 24th - Actin' Up with Books

June 27th - Kidbits

June 29th - A Book and a Latte

July 2nd - The Quirky Reader

July 4th - Rhea's Neon Journal

July 6th - Wandering Bark Books

July 8th - Worth Reading It?

Last but not least...

a...

GIVEAWAY!!!

One signed set of MELT and SIGN OF LIFE (US Only)

$50 Gift Card to Amazon or Book Depository (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tara Tyler Shares Simulation (and Password Wisdom)

Today, I'm handing over my blog to a super, awesome blogger friend who's celebrating something mega-super-huge- the release of her latest addition to the POP TRAVEL series....

Welcome, Tyra!!!

The Password Game - Lazy Housewife Style
I am so tired of signing up for things that need passwords - which is EVERYTHING!! And there are so many stipulations - you need a symbol, a capital letter, a lowercase letter, a number and an emoji! (that last was me being sarcastic)

But seriously! We need passwords for paying bills online, for shopping, for registering at the doctor, in schools, online anything needs all your info plus a good, strong password.

And after reading the rules of what NOT to do when creating passwords, I failed miserably. Here are some of the tips of what NOT to use for passwords:

1234 - duh!
pet names
street you live on
your kids' names
spouse name
maiden name
nothing someone can easily look up
and don't use the same password for everything

And with all the differing requirements, it's also recommended not to use the same password then include a symbol for a letter, or use a capital letter here or there... it makes them too hard to remember, because...

You also aren't supposed to write them down! like in a handy dandy little notebook.

Well, I am totally guilty of most of these DON'Ts! I can't remember a thing anymore if I don't write it down and how am I supposed to remember all these combinations!!

So here is the DO advice for passwords:
random words or phrases, like: downonthefarm or ratherbeatbeach or bluebanana with some numbers added at the end or something. I may pick a phrase to use, but I will have to tweak it for the requirements and I will probably still write them down!

Some funny passwords NOT to use! Reset, tryagain, password, idontknow

Do you have any password advice? Know any funny passwords?

Thanks for letting me ramble today, Tonja! The Lazy Housewife loves to vent!

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper takes a case to uncover an illegal clone android simulation operation. He hopes it will take his mind off his recent break up, but he winds up crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper.

As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more, distinct new characters. Come along for the ride.

Available Now!

Amazon ~~ Kindle

Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

tara tyler talks and tweets and facebooks

And don't forget the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Release Day (one day late)

And once again the world gets to see how unorganized I can be. . .but that doesn't mean I'm any less enthusiastic or excited to help fellow blogger announce the release of her second book in the POP TRAVEL series.

Congratulations, Tara!

And here it is. . .

After Pop Travel, Geri convinced Cooper to move back to Atlanta, but for familiar reasons, things didn't work out... In Simulation, Geri is fighting her way back to full-fledged, solo agent status, but first has to deal with one more annoying sidekick on an equally annoying case. Meanwhile, Cooper takes his mind off Geri leaving him by throwing himself into his work, investigating an illegal clone android simulation operation. Sparks fly when Cooper and Geri's cases lead them down the same path. Of course Hasan wants to help them with their cases, and connives a plan to get them back together in the niddle of all the chaos!

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more exciting new characters. Come along for the ride.

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they're creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper's latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn't frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who's looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn't her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

Available Now!

Amazon ~~ Barnes & Noble
Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up... hence, she's also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

tara tyler talks and tweets and facebooks

And don't forget the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Twisted by Holly Hook with Giveaway

TWISTED

Deathwind Trilogy, Book 1

by Holly Hook

YA Fantasy/Paranormal

213 pages

Sixteen-year-old Allie’s going on the vacation of her life: tornado chasing. What can possibly go wrong with that?

But a terrifying, magical experience leaves Allie shocked and confused, and she learns that she now bears an awful curse.

Every time there’s a storm, she turns into a tornado. Literally.

Allie has no choice but to flee her hometown–if she stays, her new powers could harm or even kill everyone she loves.

She must return to the plains and find those who made her this way. But this journey is only the beginning of her adventure.

Twisted is the first book of the Deathwind Trilogy, a new young adult and teen paranormal romance series. The second book, Torn, is also available. Book Three of the Deathwind Trilogy, Unleashed, will be released in Summer of 2015.

MY TIDBITS

Looking for a new twist in the world of paranormal? Well, this one has it and a nice amount of tension too.

Sixteen-year-old Allie is a girl with special interests--adventurous ones which her parents don't really understand. Despite the first impression (Allie convinces her uncle to help her book a trip for tornado chasing behind her parents' back), Allie is a fairly level-headed girl who deeply cares for her family and those around her. That she has a little rebel in her actually makes her even more sympathetic.

There's a nice cast of friends and family. Some support her, some don't--a level mixture on both sides. Even for Allie, it's sometimes hard to know which person will back her up and which not. This definitely adds to the tension and mystery, and in most cases, works well.

The plot is quick paced and there is never a dull moment. There are twists and turns, and lots of mystery with points that could never have been guessed or foreseen. I really enjoyed the introduction of the beings with this new special type of curse but did still see a lot of holes. There's several things not well explained and some smaller section simply don't make sense, but if these are over-looked, the story is definitely fun to read.

All in all, it's a nice adventure and a great read. Despite some character trust issues I didn't quite get and some more filling in on the logic behind the talents, this was a good story, and I'll definitely be looking into the next book in the series.


And here she is. . . 

HOLLY HOOK!!!

Holly Hook is the author of the Destroyers Series, which consists of five young adult books about teens who are walking disasters...literally. She is also the author of the Rita Morse series, a young adult fantasy series still in progress, and After These Messages, a short ya comedy. Currently she is writing Twisted, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series due out in December. When not writing, she enjoys reading books for teens, especially ya fantasy and paranormal series with a unique twist.

You can find her also. . .

https://hollyannehook.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HollyHookAuthor

https://twitter.com/hollyannehook

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4114641.Holly_Hook

You can follow the tour here:
http://xpressobooktours.com/2015/05/12/tour-sign-up-twisted-by-holly-hook/


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Elodie Nowodazkij's A Summer Like No Other

Yay! A great blogger buddy and very talented author, Elodie Nowodazkij, has released a new book. I'm so excited to be a part of her Blitz and help her flash the pretty thing around. Plus, she has a video of herself speaking about the book, a free excerpt and a giveaway!
All kinds of awesomeness going on today. . .

A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER

by Elodie Nowodazkij

A Broken Dreams Novella

YA Romance

118 pages

She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all.

They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.

Sixteen-year-old Emilia Moretti’s goal for the summer is simple: forget her brother’s best friend—Nick Grawsky—ever existed. It should be easy: He’s spending his summer in the Hamptons, adding girls in tiny bikinis to his list of broken hearts. Guarantee he won’t be telling them they’re like his little sisters. This summer, Emilia won’t stay awake at night thinking about him. She’ll need flawless ballet movements to have a shot at next year’s showcase, and she’s finally ready to search for her birth parents. But when Nick decides to stay in the city, Emilia’s resolve disappears in a pirouette. Maybe it’s the spin they needed to be together. As long as she doesn’t get stuck believing in happily ever after…

Nick is tired of pretending to be the happy, let’s-have-fun guy. His father wants him to change his career from professional dancer to…lawyer. He needs to put all of his focus on dancing to prove to Daddy Dearest he’s good enough to make it big. And he may have a case of the bluest balls in history courtesy of Emilia. She’s off-limits: The bro code with Roberto even forbids the dirty thoughts he has about her. Besides, he’s not boyfriend material. He only has time for flings, for girls who don’t expect much, for girls he doesn’t want to kiss goodnight. He knows he should resist her, but he’s not sure he wants to…

At least for this summer.

It’s going to be a summer like no other.

Buy it now :) (Special price of $0.99 ends on Sunday August 2nd)

Amazon around the world * B&N * Kobo * iTunes

And here's a wonderful excerpt to enjoy!

[Excerpt from Chapter 6 – Nick]

I’m so deep in thought I almost run into a gorgeous girl pushing a little boy.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

And she smiles. “It’s okay.” She’s got an accent. German, maybe? She must be a nanny—she’s with two other girls, and they continue their conversation as I walk past them. They’re bitching about the families they’re working for.

My nanny probably did the same while I was growing up. She probably told all the other nannies how awful I was. According to the psychologist we all saw as a family, I was only trying to get attention.

Maybe I should tell those nannies that the moment will pass. Kids only try to get attention from one source for so long before they get their fix somewhere else. My chosen method is pretty healthy:  no drugs, no drinking…only all eyes on me while I dance. And girls.

Girls, girls, girls.

Actually, Nanny One is pretty hot, especially with the accent. She has short light brown hair, and her big boobs are almost spilling out of her blouse.

She must feel me staring at her, because she turns around. But before I can work the charm I notice Em carrying a box into a moving truck, all by herself. The box is almost bigger than her and her face contorts under the effort. She’s going to trip and hurt herself. If she hurts herself, she won’t be able to dance. If she can’t dance, she’s going to be depressed. If she can’t dance, I won’t see her as often and I’ll be miserable.  

“Are you trying to prove something to someone?” I ask her as I relieve her of the heavy box.

She breathes heavily. “Are you trying to get it on with Katrin because Jen is out of town?”

“Katrin?” I slide the box on top of another one and turn back to her.

She points to the girls I was admiring a few seconds ago. “The nanny you were about to hit on.”

“Katrin. Is she American or…?” I waggle my eyebrows.

“She’s German.” She raises one finger at a time as she enunciates the rest super slowly. “She’s here for the summer. She loves going to Central Park and she doesn’t understand why she has to work fifteen hours a day while the mom is a stay-at-home mom. Oh, and she likes girls. So, nice try.”

“Did she hit on you? Oh please, tell me she did. I am getting the best girl-on-girl images in my mind. You. That girl, Katrin. A ballet studio. With all the mirrors. A kiss. Or two. Or more...”

She punches my shoulder. “You’re so dumb. No, she didn’t hit on me, I met her at Starbucks the other day and we started talking.”

“You’re talking to people now, not just hitting them?”

“And you’re losing your mojo. First, Jen who escapes to France before your hot date, and then you almost hit on poor Katrin, who doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

She’s kidding me. Me, losing my mojo? I don’t think so. I stare at Em, at her long legs, her full lips, and I gently tuck a strand of her wild brown hair behind her ear, my finger slowly caressing her cheek.

She sucks in a breath and I bend down, until my lips are at her ears. “Do you want to test that theory?”

“What theory?” She doesn’t move, and I’m not even sure she breathes. My entire body reacts to hers, and I can’t remember what I wanted to prove. I’m under her spell.

“Hey bro!” Roberto yells from the stairs. “Thanks for coming!”

Em retreats at her brother’s voice, muttering something I can’t hear, but the slouch of her shoulders is a tell that she’s disappointed. My hand automatically reaches for hers, wanting to comfort her, maybe even wanting to see if she’ll take the risk of her brother seeing us, wanting to test myself too. It’s nothing but a brief touch, a brief brush of our fingers, a brief hurricane of feelings.

And a special treat. . .

Elodie herself!!!

GIVEAWAY!!!

To celebrate the release of A Summer Like No Other, I have set up a giveaway with pretty special prizes

(including a leather bracelet from Chloe + Isabel)

You have mannnnny ways to enter and you have an entire month to do so!

Link to participate: http://smarturl.it/ASLNOgiveaway  Open internationally.

Thank you SO MUCH!!!

Other books by the author:

• One, Two, Three – available now (Amazon – B&N – iTunes – Kobo)
• One Dream Only – Free! (Amazon – B&N – iTunes – Kobo)
• Always Second Best – Available for pre-order (Amazon)

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master’s degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, their dog and their cat. She's also a serial smiley user.

Connect with the author

Facebook reader group (chat with the author, early excerpts, ARCs opportunities, giveaways…) – https://www.facebook.com/groups/954159761294820/

Newsletter (Exclusive bonus scenes, regular updates, videos, giveaways…) – http://elodienowodazkij.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4fe2ebb3f95df52e0954e0044&id=f404024751

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ENowodazkij

Instagram - https://instagram.com/enowodazkij/