Sasha Summers’ Cover Reveal of HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAY, Interview and Giveaway!

 One of the things I love about being part of an anthology is that you get to meet some really great writers who are involved in the same project.  This is how I met Sasha Summers, whose adventure-filled sci-fi romance novella, GALILEO’S HOLIDAY, will be a part of Carina Press’s sci-fi holiday anthology, A GALACTIC HOLIDAY, releasing December 3rd.  But in addition to all that excitement, she has another book coming out in December as well, and today we’re unveiling its fabulous cover!  Ladies and gents, feast your eyes on…A HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAY!

 

Isn’t it spectacular?  What’s more, I’ve also got the blurb to go along with it! (Woo, score!)

All she wants for Christmas is for Hollywood to love her again. But once she meets him, her Christmas list changes.

Jen’s only Christmas wish: Hollywood falling back in love with her. Meeting ex-Marine Gunner was a bonus. She likes that he isn’t impressed by celebrities or the movie biz. She likes that he’s funny and sweet … and drop-dead gorgeous. And she loves that he has no idea who her alter-ego is: Jen Fleming, Hollywood bad-girl and paparazzi target number one. Why ruin an amazing affair when he’s leaving after the new year?

 

But the closer they get, the harder she falls, and the more she wants to tell Gunner everything. Especially once he shares his secret with her.

 

Her new Christmas wish: Gunner accepts and loves her for who she really is.

 

*****

Now that you’ve gotten to know a little bit about HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAY, it’s time to get to know the brains behind this beauty of a book.  Let’s play 20 Questions, shall we? (Except, erm, it’s only ten questions.  Twenty just seemed nosy. :P)

 

SG: Hollywood!  The very name sparks images of glamorous movie stars, beautiful wannabe-movie stars, and Rodeo Drive where Julia Roberts couldn’t go shopping.  Have you ever been there?

Sasha Summers: No, not in person. I do read a lot of tabloids and watch way too many entertainment shows though… I’d love to go. Someday… It’s on my list. J

SG: I think just about every kid on the planet dreamed of one day moving out to California to become a big movie star.  Did you?  If so, who was your personal Hollywood idol while growing up? Did you ever have a leading man in mind?

Sasha Summers: No way!!! I’m perfectly content to watch the big screen, but I have NO desire to be on it! Honestly, I was (and still am) a huge Meryl Streep fan. She’s amazing. And for my leading man… well, I did have a rather massive crush on Mel Gibson when I was younger. Now he’s kind of scary but he was ‘it’ in his Year of Living Dangerously, the Bounty, and Mad Max days. Yum!

SG: This past July you released the first book in your “Hollywood” series, HOLLYWOOD EVER AFTER.  Will we see Claire and Josh again?

Sasha Summers:  Yes. Claire and Josh play an important role in Jen and Gunner’s story.

SG: When you’re deciding what to wear for the day, do you decide to glam it up like a super-chic Hollywood socialite, or are you like me and pray that no one will notice the sweatpants you’re wearing look slept in for a reason?

Sasha Summers: Hm… there are days when I forget to put on a bra until it’s time to pick up my kids from school. I am SO glamorous. Not! I wish I could be super-chic. But that’s not me. I’m the anti-chic *giggle*

SG: When you think about the legendary “author brand”, how would your categorize yourself?  A romance writer?  A contemporary romance writer?  A fantasy-contemporary romance writer?  A sci-fi-fantasy-contemporary romance writer?  Also, have you considered the possibility you might have a split personality? :P

Sasha Summers: Yes, split personality. Seriously, the genre hopping keeps my ideas going. I get downright twitchy when I’m pigeon-holed into a genre. Now I’m adding Young Adult to my repertoire so… yea, split personality…

SG: You have two book releases this December that are holiday-themed.  When you think of the holidays, what do they mean to you?

Sasha Summers: Family time… baking, decorating, A Christmas Story, and lots of cuddling. I love Christmas. Elf is one of my favorite movies – I think I was a Christmas elf in a past life.

SG: What was the weirdest Christmas gift you’ve ever received? (Don’t say socks.  Everyone gets socks, so that means a gift of socks isn’t weird.  It's just sad.)

Sasha Summers: Huh, I don’t think I’ve received a weird present. Does a 50lb. bag of corn count? I guess that would work.

SG: I know you just got some squee-worthy news on your latest projects.  Would you like to share this amazingly busy publishing schedule?  Are any of these projects part of your “Hollywood” series?

Sasha Summers: Yes! I am crazed. Sleep will be optional for the next… oh, 8 months or so… Book 3 of the Red Carpet Series (Hollywood Homecoming) will be out in June 2013. And The New Girl, my first Young Adult novel, will be out in November of 2013.  Oh, oh, and For the Love of Hades (Book 2 in the Loves of Olympus Series) kicks off 2013 with a January release… J

SG:  If there is ONE THING you’d like to share with the world about HOLLY WOOD HOLIDAY, what would that be?

Sasha Summers:  I’d like to think that the Hollywood books combine the familiar (love, family, struggles) with a taste of celebrity and movie fun.  It’s a very fun world to visit and stay—hence, the sequels. J

SG: Have we figured out what the heck we’re getting for our editor yet for Christmas?  I can’t remember… *blank stare*

Sasha Summers: Well… since I’ve never received anything really weird, I think we should get each other something completely hilarious and bizarre! Thoughts? (ßI got nothin’. :P)

*****

There you have it! And, since HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAY is a sequel, I asked Sasha if we could have a glimpse of the book that kicked off all this glam goodness.  Not only did she offer up the blurb and cover art, she’s doing a giveaway for an autographed copy of HOLLYWOOD EVER AFTER, as well as a holiday ornament!  Good luck to those participating in the giveaway, and to Sasha--congrats on HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAY'S outstanding cover reveal! *throws confetti*

 

 

GIVEAWAY SWAG GIFT:



 

 

She wasn’t meant for movie stars, Hollywood, or happy endings. And then she met him.

Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?









 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



 
 

 

About The Author:

Sasha is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sasha-Summers/213036208773108

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sashawrites

Webpage: www.sashasummers.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5759214.Sasha_Summers

Spotted in the Wild: 3 Covers for A GALACTIC HOLIDAY Anthology!

Anna Hackett, Sasha Summers and I are so jazzed, y'all.  All three covers for Carina Press's sci-fi holiday anthology, A GALACTIC HOLIDAY are officially here!  First up--Sasha Summers' stunning cover for GALILEO'S HOLIDAY:

SQUEEEE!  Isn't it GORGEOUS? <3

Here's the blurb, straight from Sasha's website:

Galileo’s Holiday Blurb:
Ice miner Riley works alone in the depths of space, and that’s the way she likes it. She’s proud of her independence, and when her ship gets destroyed by raiders on the icy surface of Galileo, she’s not sure she wants to rely on rakish trader Leo and the kindness of a band of settlers to survive.
Despite her attempts to keep her distance, it’s not long before Riley warms to the family atmosphere of the settlers’ station. As Galileo’s Holiday approaches and she develops feelings for the handsome, charming Leo, she questions whether she really wants to remain alone.
But Leo is hiding cargo the raiders want, and when they come back for it, everyone on the small station is in danger. Riley will risk anything to protect her new friends—because if the raiders succeed, the choice between Leo and a life alone won’t be Riley’s to make.



(Don't forget, Galileo's Holiday releases December 3rd.  Mark your calendars!)








Next up--Anna Hackett's cover for WINTER FUSION!

 

I love this cover so much.  The terrain looks icy, but the passion looks HOT!

I was able to find the brief summary of this romantic sci-fi novella from the A GALACTIC HOLIDAY anthology's back-cover copy:

 two hard-headed negotiators put their differences aside to evade an assassin and save their planets. 


Sounds highly intriguing, yes?  Can't wait to read it as soon as it comes out on December 3rd!







And last but not least, my cover for HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS, which you've already seen, so this is no biggie. :P

Official HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS blurb:

Reina Vedette chose principle over position when the Chicago police department ordered her to accept performance-enhancing body modifications or lose her rank. Demoted to a level one detective, Reina’s stuck chasing a bizarre, Grinch-in-reverse break-in case with fiery bod-mod enthusiast and level five top detective Edison Wicke.

Wicke has had his eye on Reina for ages, and as the two of them hunt down the benevolent burglar, they take turns warming each other with body heat in the subzero Chicago winter. Despite professional friction and their opposing views on bod-modding, Reina soon has to admit that she and Wicke are perfect for each other.

 But when they track down their philanthropic quarry on Christmas Day, an unexpected glitch in a homemade android brings out Reina’s emotional side, and she and Wicke must decide whether love between a Neo-Luddite and a "walking toaster" is a gift that either of them can give.

(TRUEFAX: This novella, 34K in length, gushed out in 18 days.  Crazy, huh?)



One last note -- we're still missing the anthology cover itself, so there's one more unveiling to go.  I just couldn't wait. At last, all three covers have now been offically seen in the wild!  The only thing that could top this epicness is a picture of Sasquatch. :D

OUTED!

On September 13^th (last Thursday), I was bouncing all over Facebook and Twitter with happiness, announcing to the world that I, erm, couldn’t make an announcement. Heh.  Yeah.  I’m like that.  Irritating as hell, right?  That’s how happiness works sometimes, though.  You’re just so happy you can’t hold it all in.  Well, you could, but then you’d explode and that would just be icky. :P

 

The reason I was so happy?  At the beginning of August, I’d sent a submission to one of my fabulous editors at Carina Press, Andrea Kerr.  This sub was the 3^rd installment in the 4-part Earth Angels series, WOUNDED ANGEL.  I'll admit, I was worried about this submission. For starters, just because the first 2 books have been accepted in a series doesn’t mean anything else will be accepted.  Trust me, getting a rejection after you’ve been published occurs far more often than you might think (I’ve been rejected 3 times since being published).  So naturally, I was biting my nails.

 

 

 

 

The other reason I was worried about the WOUNDED ANGEL sub—it’s the darkest story I’ve ever written. My heroine, Ella Little, is the survivor of a serial killer’s nightmarish attack.  What’s more, Ella did something EXTREMELY RARE for a romantic heroine—she killed her attacker in order to survive.  Man, I waffled a lot on this plot point, mainly because I didn’t want to turn off the editors reviewing this ms.  But seriously, I couldn’t reasonably have it go any other way.  I also didn’t want to be apologetic about it.  I’d like to think that in a situation where civility is yanked away by a rabid predator, I would be strong enough to do whatever it took to survive.  So, when it came to producing Ella’s character portrait, that was the bottom line I kept coming up with.

 

Thankfully, Andrea not only understood, she APPROVED. (Have I mentioned how much I love Andrea?  ‘Cause I do!)  WOUNDED ANGEL was accepted by Carina Press (no publication date yet), and I couldn’t wait to share this wonderful news with the world.  But I had to.  I know it’s silly superstition on my part, but it’s not REAL until I have confirmation that a contract is on its way, so I wasn’t going to let a peep out about it. 

 

 

 

Then, yesterday, Executive Editor of Carina Press and the editor for my steampunk and sci-fi projects, Angela James, did her famous #editreport on Twitter (for more info on what #editreport is, look here ).  Imagine my surprise and delight when WOUNDED ANGEL showed up in the “Acquisition” section of #editreport!

 

From Angela’s Twitter feed (3 posts in all):

"Acq: 1/3 "Author is a strong writer who creates interesting & believable characters, even the ones w/super-powers" #editreport @Stacy_Gail_ "

"2/3 "There is snappy dialogue, a heroine who refuses to be a victim and a hero who believes in her strength" #editreport @Stacy_Gail_ "

"3/3 Acquired: Wounded Angel by @Stacy_Gail_. Stacy's fantastic holiday scifi, How the Glitch Saved Christmas, releases in Dec"  (*Personal note: I totally SQUEE’D over Angela calling HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS “fantastic”.  Heehee!)

 

So, there it is!  The news I was sitting on was revealed for all to see.  I have to admit, this unveiling was waaaaaaay cooler than anything I had planned, so thanks Andrea and Angela for making this dream come true.  I can’t wait to share it with everyone!

 

Here’s the unoffical blurb for WOUNDED ANGEL, found on my Latest Projects page:

There was a time when former police detective Nate da Luca could do no wrong. As the descendant of the Angel of Vengeance Nathanael, Nate was born with the uncanny ability to find all that's hidden.  While it might be the weakest talent produced in his bloodline, it still made his job a breeze and as he used it without a qualm, it never occurred to him there might be consequences.  But there are reasons some things are kept hidden, and when his locating skills lead to an entire family’s demise, both his powers and the belief in himself vanish.

The vicious struggle between life and death is something Ella Little understands all too well. After surviving the worst sort of horrors at the hands of a serial killer whom she eventually destroyed, all Ella wants out of life now is to exist in quiet anonymity. Then Nate pushes his way through her protective layers to show her there can be excitement and joy in life if she would just reach for it. But even as she does, strange occurrences begin to crop up. History has a nasty way of repeating itself, but this time she’s more than ready to stand her ground.

 

Once again Nate has been used as a stalking horse to shatter the lives of innocent people. Furious and vowing vengeance on the evil behind the madness, his powers return with a new twist, and just in time. With the strength of vengeance fueling his new abilities, he now sees there is something far more sinister at work than mere human depravity. A demon is playing for keeps in the world of humans, and with Ella being used as bait, will Nate’s reawakened abilities be enough to save them both?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

WOUNDED ANGEL'S storyboard is posted on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacygailauthor/building-a-book-wounded-angel/

No Spin Zone

Calls from dawn to dusk, from phone numbers I don’t recognize.  Commercials telling me how much better things are, or how much worse they’ve become.  Radio blaring outraged voices that invite me to be outraged right along with them.  Pamphlets.  Yard signs.  Posters.  Spam email.

 

 

 

 

 

Must be political season. Urg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm grateful I live in such a free and democratic society.  I cherish the freedoms we enjoy in the US.  What's more, I encourage everyone to vote this November and take part in this beautiful, democratic system.

 

But I refuse to hammer anyone over the head with my political ideaology.

 

I’d like to make a campaign promise right here, right now, and it is this: beyond this single blog post, I will never post anything of a political nature.  Not a picture.  Not a meme.  Not even a Meow Mix-worthy comment on what the candidates’ wives are wearing.  Why?  It’s simple.  While I’m an American who thankfully has every right to discuss what I feel about our political process--and I'll fight for your right to say and think whatever you want as well--I’m the kind of gal who is a staunch believer in the cocktail-conversation Golden Rule:

 

Never discuss religion or politics in

public.

 

Instead, I’d like to share with you the dance that I’ve almost mastered:  Gangnam-style! (Thanks to Angela James and Reesa Herberth for getting this started on Twitter :P )

 

 

If only everyone would dedicate themselves to enjoying life rather than wanting to prove how right their side is and how wrong the "others" are, the world would be a better place.  Enjoy! J

COVER REVEAL FOR "HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS"!

Cover reveal time! I’m thrilled to share the new cover art for my December 3rd release, Sci-Fi holiday novella, HOW THE GLITCH SAVED CHRISTMAS, coming from Carina Press!

 

 

This novella is part of Carina Press's December Anthology, A GALACTIC HOLIDAY (artwork to come).  I CAN'T WAIT!!! *spazzes*

~~~~~~~

Since I don’t yet have an OFFICIAL back cover blurb to share, here’s the one I wrote for my art fact sheet:

Detective REINA VEDETTE’S career in the Chicago PD has plummeted after disobeying a directive to have cybernetic body modifications—or bod-mods—implanted. Her rival EDISON WICKE, on the other hand, was the first to get bod-mods.  Because of this, she would like nothing better than to avoid Edison, but when a strange Grinch-in-reverse case appears, the two must work together to solve this mystery. 

Level five detective EDISON WICKE knows quality when he sees it, and all he can see is Reina.  The biggest mystery in his mind isn’t the Grinch-in-reverse case, but whether or not Reina will accept that he's a hot-blooded man and not some walking appliance.  Ultimately, as they close in on a Christmas-loving perp that can't possibly exist, Edison at last convinces Reina life doesn't have just one narrow-minded definition, and the greatest miracle of all is that love can be found in the most unlikely of places.

~~~~~~~

I’m so proud of this novella, and it’s the just the beginning of Reina’s and Edison’s story.  In the next year I have plans to plunge these two into the most agonizing sort of save-the-world-at-all-cost trouble (MWAHAHAHAHA!), but that’ll make their final HEA all the sweeter.  It's going to be an amazing year! :D

PINTEREST!!!

Hi.  My name is Stacy, and I have a problem.  A Pinterest problem, to be precise (<--ooh, nice alliteration! :D)  It's a problem I don't really want to get rid of.

My addiction began innocently enough, the way all addictions do.  One of my editors had a Pinterest account and she’d post pics of her favorite shoes, or recipes she was thinking about trying out.  It looked like fun, so I signed up.  Where’s the harm? I thought.  I like shoes and recipes.  No doubt I’ll play with this for a while and then forget all about it.

Then I discovered how useful this new social media platform is.  Let me ‘splain.

I’m an uber visual person.  Ever since Teh Interwebz began, I’ve collected various web sites and graphics/photos as research for my books.  I’d then place these bits of information/inspiration in a file marked “writing”.  But in the time before the mighty online cloud existed, this catch-all "writing" file was repeatedly wiped out whenever I’d have a computer die or have it replaced.  I became so desperate to hold onto these resources that I fell to emailing myself these important bits and pieces so I wouldn’t forget them.  But they’d be so scattered in my mailbox that they were lost anyway.  There had to be a better way.

Then Pinterest came along.  Suddenly, holding onto tiny scraps of information was a BREEZE.

 

I just completed another Art Fact Sheet from one of my publishers, Carina Press, for one of the four books I have contracted with them.  This fact sheet is really comprehensive.  It's a document made in Microsoft Word, and created for the fleet of cover artists CP employs to do their artwork.  These artists are very busy; they don’t have time to read the book that goes with the cover they’ve been assigned to work on.  But they still need to know what the hell the book’s about in order to create a cover that matches the story.  So, when doing an Art Fact Sheet, it’s up to the author to help their artist correctly depict the story/characters/theme of the book.

With me so far?  Excellent.  Let’s press on. :P

 

Settings and descriptions of the Hero/Heroine are incredibly easy now with Pinterest to help me.  For instance, NOBODY’S ANGEL (the first book in my Earth Angels series, releasing in January 2013) takes place in San Francisco.  Easy-peasy!  I just typed that city into the seach box and found thousands of pictures to choose from. 

For the description of my masked, black-winged hero—a 21^st-century descendant of the legendary Nephilim—all I had to do was send off a couple images I'd already collected on my Pinterest "NOBODY'S ANGEL" storyboard to show the artist what was in my head:

To San Francisco, he's known only as The Guardian Angel
To my heroine, Kendall Glynn, he reluctantly reveals himself to be Zeke Reece

 

The Guardian Angel (aka Zeke Reece) hides his identity from both people
and Heaven itself

 

 

The heroine wasn’t nearly so complicated, but I still had a definite idea of what she looked like.  And I was able to find both her and the bizarre lights in the eyes of the possessed people she was seeing:

My heroine, investigative journalist Kendall Glynn
Just psychic enough to see things she shouldn't

It's the white veil in the eyes of the possessed that
Kendall sees. It is this veil that will bring about her death,
unless she can find the answer to what's causing it

 

 

Just like that, filling out an Art Fact Sheet (a task that usually took DAYS), became a joy to do.  Better still, all those bits and pieces of ideas for books—those crazy fragments needed for plotlines that only made sense to me—are now pinned onto various boards so I know where they are.  I’m now organized, with all the resources I need literally at my fingertips, and it’s all because of Pinterest.

Though I admit, I still look at shoes and recipes far more than I should.

Come and see what my latest releases are all about on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacygailauthor/