Enter to WIN the Girly Books Blog Hop GRAND PRIZE HERE!

Hello, my little blog hoppers!

I hope you've all been hopping around to the various blogs participating in this hop because there are some truly terrific prizes to be claimed, not to mention some fun and fascinating blog posts to read!

Now hold onto your hats because here's what you'll get if you win the Girly Books Grand Prize:

• A copy of Around the World in 80 Dates (your choice of format) and a $20 Starbucks card courtesy of Christa Banister
• Three e-books from Natalie-Nicole Bates for her books: Change of Address, Back to You and See Me
• An e-book copy of Sign of the Times from Susan Buchanan
• An e-book copy of The Curious Bookshop and some bookmarks courtesy of Jennifer Chambers
• A $15 B&N gift certificate from Laura Chapman
• A PDF of The Cinderella Substitute from Nell Dixon
• A $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of Carmen Falcone, author of A Vengeful Affair
• An e-book copy of Fourteen Days Later from Sibel Hodge
• An autographed copy of Grace Unexpected from Gale Martin
• An autographed copy of Binding Arbitration and some bookmarks from Elizabeth Marx
• Some fun Fashioning a Romance swag (bookmarks, magnets, etc.) from yours truly, Libby Mercer
• A $10 Kobo gift certificate from Nash Nordon
• Some delicious German chocolates from Savannah Page, author of When Girlfriends Make Choices
• An e-book copy of Forever & Ever, Amen from Liv Rancourt
• An e-book copy of Always & Forever by Chantel Rhondeau
• An e-book copy of Winter of the Passion Flower courtesy of Annie Seaton
• And last, but certainly not least, a $15 Amazon gift card courtesy of Julie Valerie

Not too shabby, huh? I only wish I could enter the giveaway! Here's a peek at the covers of all the books in the Grand Prize kitty:

Good luck, everyone! I'm afraid that only US residents will be able to win the grand prize this time around. Next time I'll make sure we've got a couple of different options so we don't have to exclude anyone. Thanks for hopping and be sure to check out all the posts on the Linky list. There are prizes galore and loads of truly terrific posts too!

Love,

Libby

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Just Checking In

Hello my little starlings!

I know, I've been abandoning my blog something awful as of late. I've just been so busy guest posting on other blogs that I'm afraid this one hasn't gotten the attention it's deserved. But never fear. This is about to change. In less than one week's time, the second Girly Book Blog Hop will be live and it's going to be pretty mega, I think. We're doing a Grand Prize this time. Loads and loads of fabulous stuff to give away! So be sure to check back. It officially starts on Thursday at 12am, PST. Hope to see you then.

Love,
Libby

Batteries Recharging

Hello my little pumpkin seeds!

Sorry about the radio silence for the past couple of weeks. After the adrenaline-fueled insanity of the last minute pre-release chaos, I decided to "take" the holiday. I've been chilling out on the sofa, watching all sorts of movies and eating too many sweets. But after my nice little time out, I'm revved up and ready to go, so I will be guest blogging once again. Hope you get a chance to stop by a few of the blogs while I'm on tour!

I hope you've all enjoyed your holidays and that there are wonderful things in store for you in 2013. Happy New Year, everyone!

Love,
Libby

Psst. Maya is Live!

Hello my little bumblebees!

Well, I definitely got it wrong with that whole "four days to go" thing. Unmasking Maya coasted right through the Amazon uploading process and went live yesterday! The official publication date on the site says December 11th, but I like the idea that it got published on the day that it actually got published: 12/12/12. Pretty cool, huh?

I'm still sticking to December 15th as my official launch day because I've got loads of things planned for that day. But I thought I'd give you the heads up.

If you would like to check it out, here are a couple of links:
Maya on Amazon US
Maya on Amazon UK

I'm super excited and yet strangely relaxed. Suddenly sleepy earlier today, I thought I'd lie down for a few minutes and I ended up taking a 3 hour nap! It was kind of awesome.

Until later.

Love,
Libby

Four Days 'til the World Meets Maya

Hello my little sugarplums!

Well it's nearly time to unleash Unmasking Maya on the world. It's almost surreal. I've been doing pre-release promo stuff for such a long time. Hard to believe release day is just around the corner. Naturally I'm facing some complications at the 11th hour. The cover thing has been a bit nerve-wracking, but hopefully I've got it all sorted out now.

Maya's been getting some fab reviews. If you're curious what the early buzz is like, you can click on one of my links just to the right on this page. Or check out my Goodreads page. Just saw a new 5-star review went up in the last few hours. Woo hoo!

Not a whole lot more to report. I'll be keeping busy in the next few days, hopping around to a few different blogs (click here to see my list of stops) and then Saturday is going to be a whopper! Two guest spots, eight reviews plus drinks with the gals that night. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly with the Amazon upload and that my cover withstands the compression. Seriously. Fingers crossed.

I hope you'll pop by one (or more) of the guest blogs I'll be on over the next month or so. And I really hope you like Unmasking Maya!

Love,
Libby

On the Eve of the Blow Out Book Tour Bonanza...

Hi everyone!

I am so excited about going "on tour" for my new book! I can't get that John Denver song, "Leaving on a Jet Plane" out of my head. A bit silly, really, since I most likely won't be even leaving my apartment much in the next five weeks. But what can ya do? Here is my list of stops:

I'll link the list below as each of my interviews/guest posts go live:

Thursday, Nov. 29 – Lauren’s Crammed Bookshelf – guest post

Friday, Nov. 30 – Carmen Falcone – guest post

Monday, Dec. 3 – The Romance Bookie – guest post

Wednesday, Dec. 5 – The Daily Quirk – interview

Thursday, Dec. 6 – Lost in Literature – guest post

Friday, Dec. 7 – I Heart Books – interview

Wednesday, Dec. 12 – Julie’s Chick Lit – guest post

Thursday, Dec. 13 – Debra’s Book Café – interview
Friday, Dec. 14 - Annie Seaton Romance - guest post

Friday, Dec. 14 – Tifferz Book Review – guest post

Saturday, Dec. 15 – Chick Lit Goddess – guest post & interview

Saturday, Dec. 15 – Chick Lit Bee – guest post & giveaway

Saturday, Dec. 15 – Minding Spot – giveaway

Sunday, Dec. 16 – Book Briefs – guest post & giveaway

Sunday, Dec. 16 – Nicky Wells, CentreStage – guest post

Sunday, Dec. 16 – The Book Bag – guest post

Tuesday, Dec. 18 – Best Chick Lit – guest post

Wednesday, Dec. 19 – Books Etc. – guest post

Wednesday, Dec. 19 – Lilac Wolf – guest post

Thursday, Dec. 20 – That Artsy Reader Girl – guest post

Thursday, Dec. 20 – Chick Lit Plus – guest post

Sunday, Dec. 23 - Lindy Dale - interview
Friday, Dec. 28 - Books by Banister - guest post
Tuesday, Jan. 1 - Novel Girl - guest post

Thursday, Jan. 3 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – guest post
Thursday, Jan. 3 - Lori's Book Blog - guest post

Friday, Jan. 4 – JeanzBookReadNReview – author spotlight
Monday, Jan. 7 - Tina's Book Reviews - guest post

Monday, Jan. 7 – Maria’s Book Blog – guest post

Wednesday, Jan. 9 – The Book Tart – guest post
Thursday, Jan. 10 - Mrs. Mommy Booknerd - showcase
Thursday, Jan. 10 - ST Bende - guest post

Friday, Jan. 11 - Change the Word - guest post

Hope to see you while I'm on tour!!

Love,
Libby

More Fabulous Mentions!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share the latest buzz about my books. First, there's a lovely little blurb about Unmasking Maya on I'd So Rather Be Reading's Weekly Wrap-up. Check it out here. It's the very first mention of my as-yet-unreleased second novel, so I'm very excited!!

And second, there's a hella fabulous review of Fashioning a Romance on Romancing the Book, which you will find here. So super happy and thankful that people are enjoying my books! Squee!!

Holy smokes! Edited to add two more wonderful reviews of Unmasking Maya I've only just discovered. The first one was written by the lovely Rosie of Rosie Review which you can find here. And the other one was written by Brianna, the wonderful Goodreads blogger. Check it out here.

So exciting!!!!

Love,
Libby

Back by Popular Demand: The Girly Book Blog Hop

Hello, hello!

I had such a fabulous time organizing the first Girly Book Blog Hop, and I'm very excited about this second one. Hope you all will be able to join me again. And now for the info:

Oh, the places you'll go! 

Losing yourself in a brand new story is like traveling to a brand new world. Whether you're transported to a pulsating metropolis, an exotic island, a quaint little mountain village or even a township that existed three hundred years ago, you can visit an unlimited number of locations through your beloved books. No passport required.

Let's blog about locations. Tell us about the setting of your latest book or rave about the incredible backdrop of another novel you love. No need to limit yourself to the city/town either. If your book takes place on a film set, let that be your location. If it takes place in a brothel... well, you'll have an awesome blog post then. If it takes place in several locations, you can either pick one or take your readers on a journey within your post. Anything goes.

Everyone is welcome to participate - authors (both published and not-yet-published) and reviewers too. Anyone who loves books, has a blog and has something to say about locations, I'd love to have you!

If you'd like to participate, please be prepared to offer a prize to one lucky guest hopper. Aside from that, you can do whatever you want regarding the giveaway (have your guests answer a particular question, follow your blog or what have you).

To get started, please sign up on the linky list below. Any questions? Please post them here. I'll be sending out more detailed instructions once the sign up link is closed.

Hope to see you at the hop!

Love,
Libby

My Next Big Thing

Hello all! The fantabulous Cari Kamm asked me to share all the details about my next big thing in this exciting pay-it-forward author event, and of course I jumped at the chance to dish about my upcoming release, Unmasking Maya, scheduled to release on December 15th.

I'm so stoked to read Cari's upcoming release, For Internal Use Only. And I absolutely love her cover! Check it out:

My cover isn't ready yet, but I'm ready to reveal a few tidbits about Unmasking Maya here. And away we go!

Where did the idea come from for the book?

From the misconception that Silicon Valley would be a great place to meet men! There’s a funny little phrase people say in the San Francisco Bay Area about the uneven ratio between men and women in Silicon Valley. “The odds are good, but the goods are odd.” It’s a generalization, of course, but a lot of these tech guys are odd in the sense that they’re super left-brained and insanely intelligent. Thus it can be hard for them to relate to more “normal” people. I thought this kind of guy would make an um… interesting love interest. And that’s what sparked the story.

What genre does your book fall under?

Chick Lit/Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I think Michelle Williams would be perfect to play the part of Maya Kirkwood. She’s even got a similar hairdo!

Oh, Jesse Metcalfe could so totally pull off the role of Derek Whitley. Course we’d have to nerd him up a bit first.

It would be fabulous to see Zhang Ziyi (of Crouching Tiger and Memoirs of a Geisha fame) take on the role as quirky IT girl, Lin.

And sassy Sofia Vergara would be superb as Maya’s stylish agent.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Fallen fashionista meets cold, unfeeling tech whiz in this quirky, fish-out-of-water love story that incorporates humor alongside emotional trauma with lots of secrets to be revealed.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m self-publishing this one. Wish me luck!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Actually I wrote this one in about three months, which is a record for me. I blazed through the story, working on it at least eight hours a day. Well… probably more like twelve hours. I should point out that it’s only about 50,000 words long – the size of a category romance.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Parts of it are similar to Swept Off Her Stilettos by Fiona Harper, I think, because it’s a romantic story told in the first person. But it’s definitely more chick-litty than it is straight-up romance. I’ve had people compare my previous work to Sophie Kinsella’s and while mine aren’t nearly as humorous, I can kind of see the similarity.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I’ve been living in the San Francisco Bay Area for about a year now (about six months from when I started writing this book) and I wanted to write a story set in the Bay Area that was very ingrained in the setting. It really is a fabulous place to live.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Hm. I think the fact that Maya and Derek both have some pretty major secrets might spark a bit of curiosity…

And now I would like to present the amazing author, Aretha C. Smith!

Aretha will be following up her beautiful romance novel, Hearts of Time, with The Enchanted Fate Series - four interracial romances, scheduled to release early in 2013 under the name of Ava Jared. Check out the cover for Hearts of Time. Isn't it to die for?

Be on a lookout for  book one, Karma's Kiss, which is scheduled for release in January, and book two, His for Keeps, which will be hitting the virtual shelves in late January. And in the meantime, check out the fabulous covers:

Unmasking Maya - The Blurb

Hiya folks!

I thought it was high time that I unveiled the blurb for my December release, Unmasking Maya. So excited about this one. Only 40 days to go! And now for the blurb:

Defamed, Disgraced and Displaced...

 

Fresh from a career-killing scandal, New York fashion girl, Maya Kirkwood, arrives in San Francisco to reinvent herself as a fine artist. She's offered the opportunity to create an installation at the Silicon Valley headquarters of a hot new tech company. Fabulous, right?

 

Not so much.

 

She can't stand Derek Whitley - wunderkind software genius and CEO of the company. Hot as he may be on the outside, inside the man is a cold, unemotional, robotic type. Way too left-brained for her right-brained self.

 

As Maya and Derek get to know each other, however, their facades begin to crack. She catches her first glimpse of the man behind the superhuman tech prodigy, and he starts to see her as the woman she used to be. But is this a good thing? Once that last secret is revealed, will it bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

Bouncing Around the Blogosphere

Hello, my darlings!

I've been very busy lately, coordinating a blog tour to coincide with the release of Unmasking Maya, out on December 15th. While the tour hasn't officially kicked off yet, I have been flitting about on the net a bit this week.

First, I found a fabulously fascinating review of Fashioning (I do love alliteration) on my most favorite thought-provoking blog, The Misfortune of Knowing. I did not know there would be a review on here, and it was such a wonderful surprise. You can read the review here: A Light Read for a Gloomy Day.

Also, the lovely lady behind Every Free Chance Book Reviews invited me on her blog today for a Spotlight event. My guest post is about the role of fashion in my fiction. In addition to the post, we're holding a giveaway (winner gets a copy of Fashioning a Romance) and I'm also sharing the blurb for Unmasking Maya with the world for the very first time! You'll find all of this fabulousness here: Giveaway!! Spotlight: Fashioning a Romance.

Hope you are all well. And safe - thinking about those of you on the East Coast.

Love,
Libby