Cover Reveal: Romancing the Bookworm by Kate Evangelista

Today I am honored to be joined by the amazing Kate Evangelista to reveal the cover to her newest book Romancing the Bookworm. I'm always a huge fan of the covers that she gets and this one is no exception. I hope you enjoy it too.

Title: Romancing the Bookworm

Author: Kate Evangelista

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Genre: Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Expected release date: July 9, 2013

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Sometimes, even the best-laid plans can unravel.

It's spring break, and Tamara Winters would rather stay on campus and read romance novels than flaunt her size-fourteen body on a beach. But her best friend, Ronni, has other ideas. Against her wishes, Tamara is whisked away to picturesque Maverick Bay, where she's wrangled into waiting tables with Ronni at the Shore Shack for its busy week leading to Maverick's Surf Invitational. There she meets fellow schoolmate Xavier Solomon, the Invitational's organizer and campus womanizer by reputation. From the moment Tamara sees him emerging from the waves like a hero in of one of her romance novels, all she wants to do is run away from the feelings he inspires in her.

Little does she know Xavier has been watching her for weeks now. In fact, after failed attempts at asking her out on campus, he's concocted a crazy plan: fabricating romantic situations straight out of her favorite books. Xavier quickly realizes that if Tamara gets a whiff of his designs, he might as well spell CREEPER across his forehead. Yet as they grow closer, he's convinced it's a risk worth taking. What he hasn't planned on, of course, is his drug-addicted, alcoholic stepbrother, who decides to join the fun and put a wrench in Xavier’s scheme.

Spring break is proving hotter than Tamara expected. Will her romance novels be able to compete?

About the Author



When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she has four completed Young Adult novels.

Kate Evangelista | Twitter

RT Recap Pt. 2: American Writer Idol Competition

Originally this was going to be a guest post, but the universe conspired against me and the hosting blog, so it is here. I'm disappointed, but it may happen another time...universe willing.

I've been hinting and teasing that something awesome happened. Now that I have a moment, I'll tell you about it.

For those of you following my escapades, I attended the 2013 RT Convention and got to hang with Louis Fury for part of it. I also mentioned that I got to read entries at a competition. The competition in question was the American Idol Writing Competition. It started Thursday and ended on Friday.

But it gets better.

I was also an entrant. Now before you freak out. None of the slush-pile readers, nor the judges, knew anybody's name. Also, I wasn't a slush-pile reader. I read at the finals on Friday, out loud, to a room full of hopeful authors and a panel of judges.

To say it was an amazing experience is putting it lightly.

Let's rewind to Thursday. Thursday was the announcement of the twenty finalists (out of 80 entries). I assumed I didn't have a prayer. I was at a writing convention and I submitted the beginning of my novel. And there were 80 other people in the competition. Some of them were self-pubbed. Still, I sate with a couple good friends and tried not to have a heart attack as they read Title and Genre. (no author names...anonymous...remember?) of each of the 20 finalists. They tried to represent each genre present. YA, MG, Historical, Erotica, etc. Each one got a number. Then it happened.

"Hate Jacket, YA4"

I was stunned. Seriously. Stunned. I'd entered competitions before and never been selected. I couldn't believe it.

I was all

  

I went home that night, printed off ten copies of my novel to be read live at the finals. I tried to sleep. It didn't happen. The day was a blur. I tried to distract myself with various activities. I attended an award ceremony and ran into Gretchen McNeil while wearing my 3:59 t-shirt.

I attended a panel on fighting techniques for heroines, taught by a 4th degree black belt and her husband (also a 4th degree black belt). It was awesome. I attended Pitch-a-palooza and pitched (or attempted to pitch) to a couple people. I also cheered on a couple of my friends.

Anyway...Friday...5 pm. We all gather in a room. At the front we had the judges:
Alicia Condon, Kensington
Louise Fury, L. Perkins Agency
Sue Grimshaw, Ballantine/Loveswept
Leah Hultenschmidt, Sourcebooks
Liz Pelletier, Entangled
Lori Perkins, Riverdale Ave Books
Nicole Resciniti, The Seymour Agency
Whitney Ross, Tor
Tessa Woodward, Avon

The entries were read out loud (by me and others) one at a time and the judges commented verbally and scored each one. Sometimes one of the panelists would speak up and say "I want this".

There were some seriously awesome entries. I knew I didn't have a prayer of winning. I just hopped that one of the editors would want to read it. It took longer than anyone thought, reading all 20 entries, but eventually it would get done.

When mine was read (not by me, thankfully). Two of the judges surprised me by saying, "I want this." <insert Joey shocked face>

We took a short break and the scores were tallied...

I didn't win. That honor goes to a story titled "What the Fae". I wasn't upset. It was an awesome story. The judges and spectators loved it. Keep your eye out because that book will get published. I can feel it.

However, even though I didn't win, I did come in as a runner up (and yes, I was wearing my 3:59 t-shirt in the photos. If I ever get them, I'll post them).

So, here is what I "won". I won a mentorship with one of the amazing agents there (the winner got a mentorship with both!). I also walked away with three requests for my novel. I haven't sent it too the requesting editors yet because my mentor now has Hate Jacket and will hopefully love it as much as my betas and my CP have. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get published. We'll see. I'm in an amazing place right now and I couldn't be happier coming in as runner-up.

I'd also like to make a shout-out to my friend Karen Bynum. Her novel "Becoming" came in as the other runner-up. She got several requests and the other agent. There was another winner, but I can't remember the title. Hell, I can barely remember the evening.

So thank you to Louise and Nicole for setting up this wonderful opportunity and thank you to the judges who took time out of their schedule to sit and listen and critique.

'Till Next Time

Doubts, a Poem

It's been a while since I've written poetry, but sometimes it is easier to express things in that medium. It's a different medium for the words in my head.

Doubts 

Slithering fingers
Piercing my fragile brain
Worming past concrete barriers
Walls of hope and light
Offending digits
Leaving trails of disgust
Loathing and worry
I hack them off
Leaving bloody stumps
Wiggling obscenely
Reforming flesh and sinew
Flaying my soul anew.


No matter how hard we try to avoid it, there will be doubts. We doubt because we lay bare our souls for the world to judge. I paint with words as an artist does with colors. We both will doubt and fear that someone will find us wanting.

Despite that, I can't stop. The words won't let me. I stop, I cease to be. At least that part of me that revels in the flow of words. In the creating and shaping of worlds, lives, and stories. I've been there for too long. Years of my life wasted by being a slave to my doubts and fears.

Years ago, I met a man named Ed Brunt, police officer, Tae Kwon Do master, poet. He came to my Junior High and spoke to us. He told me something that has stayed with me for years.

All of you could gang up and beat me physically. But only I can defeat myself mentally.

At the time, I didn't understand what he was saying.

I do now.

Only I can stop me from succeeding. I am my doubts, my fears, my own worst enemy. If I chose, I can succumb to those feelings and stagnate or I can rise above it. I accept that I have doubt. I accept that I have fear. I accept that a part of me will think I am nothing.

But these things are only a part of me and not the whole of me. By accepting it, I make it less. By owning it, I make it my slave. By moving forward, I make it smaller.

'Till Next Time

Cover Reveal: Once Upon a Darkness by Aria Kane

Once Upon a Darkness by Aria Kane will be available from Entranced Publishing June 17!

Gretchen and her twin brother, Hank, were abandoned to a zombie horde when they were five years old. Intended to be a sacrifice by their zealot parents, they were instead rescued by The Company. Raised to become soldiers in the war against zombies, they now provide safe passage through danger zones, one contract at a time.

Clint's only skill is war, but he's weary of killing other men. When his contract with the Marines runs out, he takes a job on Gretchen's team, hoping that the search-and-rescue life will suit him better.

On Clint's second day, their four-man team is attacked, drugged, and taken to a prison full of frightened civilians. The only way in or out is by helicopter and, here, their enemies are human. One by one, the captives are culled from the holding area. Rumors say the facility director uses the prisoners as experimental subjects for the testing of a zombie cure.

When Hank is taken, Clint and Gretchen must put aside their personal feelings and find a way out of the prison, surrounded by thousands of starving zombies, before Hank becomes just one more disposable guinea pig in the hands of a twisted mad woman.

Add Once Upon a Darkness on Goodreads!

About the Author

Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. She lives in sunny Florida with a 60 lb mutt who thinks he's a Chihuahua. You can learn more about her at ariakane.com or on Twitter @aria_kane.

Giveaway

To celebrate the Once Upon a Darkness cover reveal, Aria is giving away a $20 giftcard and an ecopy of an Entranced book of the winner’s choice.


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