I'm participating on NaNoWriMo this year!
Sunday, November 1, 2015
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Guess what, my lovelies?
I decided that I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year.
I am officially insane.
Why? Because I just finished my current WIP, Can't Stay Away... like JUST finished it on October 31st. And I'm going to start a new story today... and write the whole thing... 50,000 words... in 30 days...
*sigh*
Anyways! I wanted to let you guys know I'll be hiding away in the writing cave for most of the month, but don't worry, I'll be posting updates on Twitter constantly to let you know what's going on. Plus, there will be a recap of the month in early December when I've dug myself out of the "I just wrote 50,000 words in 30 days" haze. ;)
If you're a writer and you're looking for writing buddies, add me here! I'm always looking for more!
Trick-or-Treat Reads Book Blog Hop #TrickOrTreatReads 2015
Saturday, October 31, 2015
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Hello all!
I'm participating in the Trick-or-Treat Book Blog Hop hosted by Patricia Lynne! The point of the hop is to go around to different blogs and get free books from authors--so it's like book candy. Isn't that super awesome?!
I'm offering two books: Resist or More Than Words. You can download them for FREE via Smashwords with a coupon code (located underneath the cover above the Goodreads link). This code will be good for TODAY ONLY.
Be sure to check out the rest of the blogs on this hop and pick up your bookish candy treats!
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| Newsletter | Lilly's Lovelies | Patreon |
Can't Stay Away Cover Reveal!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
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Hello lovelies!!!
In the midst of writing Can't Stay Away, I found myself browsing stock photo sites. Two of them had credits that were about to expire, so I decided I'd look for some photos for book covers and teasers. I already had one picture in mind for CSA, but then I came across another that was absolutely perfect. So perfect, even my cover artist, Marie Landry, wanted to steal it from me. She (ever so reluctantly) made the cover for me, and it is so gorgeous. Just so GORGEOUS. Since I'm insanely biased, I'll let you guys be the judge of that...
HERE IT IS!
Release date: February 29th 2016
Piper Winchester is fresh out of college. With only three weeks until her father remarries and five weeks until her first business venture launches, she's got her hands full. She certainly doesn't need any distractions to get in the way of building the future her father's always wanted for her. But when a familiar boy with bright green eyes walks back into her life, she's thrown for a loop.
Four years ago, Chase MacKenzie left for college without looking back. He didn't mean to disturb the peace then, and he definitely doesn't want to do that now. Once he lays his eyes on Piper again, there's no way he can leave without fixing what went wrong in the past. Although she's more determined than ever to push him away, he still manages to get under her skin. Regardless of what happens between them, there's one thing that will always be standing in their way...
He's about to become her stepbrother.
Since this is a super early cover reveal, the book blitz sign-ups probably won't be available for a little while, but I'll definitely link everyone to it once it's available!
In the meantime, feel free to join my reader group on Facebook, Lilly's Lovelies, and/or sign up for my newsletter (I promise not to spam you). There are perks to being part of the reader group/subscribing to the newsletter--perks of the ARC and giveaway nature. Not to mention several exclusive teasers for upcoming books.
Let me know what you think of the cover in the comments!
High hopes and the actualities of being an indie author
Monday, August 17, 2015
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Then I published my first book, Here All Along. It was a short story, but several people fell for Adrian and Hazel and wanted more of them. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to continue their story. It was my intent to make Here We Are (the sequel) my next project, but when the characters weren't speaking to me, I had to move on.
That's when I wrote Resist. I knew when I started the story that it would end on a cliffhanger and require a full-length sequel. When I wrote the sequel, Longing, I thought it would end there. Somehow the idea for Forever (Resist #3) came to me since I didn't want to let go of Allegra and Devlin just yet. Also, while I was writing Longing, a companion novel for Sonya became necessary.
After I started writing Longing, an idea that had been in the back of my head began talking to me. I started writing it because I needed to get it all out before the inspiration went away. In 12 days, I had finished a novella called More Than Words. I thought that the story was complete, until I was driving home from work one night and a continuation for Dana and Landon struck me, and now there will be More Than Anything, book #2.
I had set Unexpected aside more than a year ago to write Resist since something wasn't working for Ryan and Alina's story. I picked it up again and started telling it in dual POV and the gears began turning again. Along the way, we meet Willa, a girl who becomes a friend of Alina's. When I finished Unexpected, I knew that the story was complete. But Willa? She wants me to tell her story now, too.
So... now I have a sequel to write for both Here All Along and More Than Words, plus the third book in the Resist series, plus a companion novel to the Resist series, and very likely a companion novel to Unexpected.
Did I have any idea this would happen?
No. Not even slightly.
I want to write these stories. I really do. They're always on my mind, sitting there in my subconscious, spinning around and being thought about off and on. Not only that, but there are several other stories I haven't told you about bouncing around in there with them.
I'm sure some of you are getting curious. Wondering if you'll ever hear what happens next for Adrian, Hazel, Allegra, Devlin, Dana, Landon, Sonya, and Willa. Am I going to just tease you with the possibility of it forever while writing a bunch of new stories with new characters? Let me be the first to assure you that I have every intention to write them.
I just honestly have no idea when.
I keep having high hopes that I'll be able to get to one of them soon, but then something prevents it. Sometimes it's that the inspiration isn't happening. Sometimes it's a plot conflict that isn't resolving itself. But sometimes? It's life.
As an indie author, I have to do the majority of the work myself. This includes investing the money and contacting reviewers. Some of us pay people to help with covers and formatting (like me). Others make their own covers and do their own formatting. Plus, a lot of us work outside the home and some have responsibilities and/or health issues to contend with. All the above adds up to limited time and resources to getting our books out there.
Frankly, it sucks. Not being an indie author, because I love being an indie author. It's the obstacles that get in the way of writing. If I could hide away in a cabin in the woods with a limitless supply of caffeine, chocolate, and rum, I could write these books in no time! But alas, that's not the case. And it's frustrating to say the least when all I want to do is give you all these books so you can see where all the characters end up. Hell, even I want to know!
I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that even though I have all these books I want to write, I've had to become more reasonable in what I expect of myself. I kind of jumped the gun by adding both Here We Are and More Than Anything to Goodreads when I wasn't even started on them. Now they're up there and people are anxiously awaiting the sequels. Plus, I wrote a post on this blog regarding my 2015 book plans...and honestly, with the exception of Unexpected, the majority of that post isn't coming true. I'm currently working on a story that didn't even exist in my head back then.
So, from now on, I'm going to do things a little differently around here. First off, I won't be telling anyone about the title of a book or adding it to Goodreads until I'm at least 10,000 words in. That way I won't be teasing you with books I'm unable to write right away.
Secondly, the books mentioned in this post that haven't been written will slowly get written. I would like to spend the next couple years working on them and getting as many out as I possibly can. I don't want to be one of those people who makes promises they can't keep. I don't want to let you down or get your hopes up.
As of this minute, I'm working on a new book called Can't Stay Away. I put it up on Goodreads after I reached the 10,000 word mark (and am currently at 20,000 words). It will be my next published book that I am hoping to have out by the end of 2015 (fingers crossed). After I finish this book, I'm unsure of which one is next. One of the above sequels/companions is definitely high on the list of "next book" after the current one.
When it comes to these stories? They all will get written. That, my dear friends, is the one thing I can promise you.
It's release day for UNEXPECTED!
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
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Unexpected is finally here!
| Add to your shelf on Goodreads |
| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Smashwords |
| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Smashwords |
Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.
An unlikely bond with her former best friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing. Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what's on the other side?
Only one way to find out.
~~~~~
Advanced Praise:
"This was the first novel that I had read from Lilly Avalon, and it was phenomenal. I loved her writing style, and the storyline and characters she created were extraordinary." ~Julia from The Perks of Being a Bibliophile (read full review here)
"Sweet, passionate and endearing, I was more than happy to let Ryan be my book boyfriend for the evening." ~Heather at Obsessed with Myshelf (read full review here)
"I found Ms. Avalon’s writing to be refreshing, humorous, entertaining, and thoughtful, with just enough delightfully sensual teases and steamy scenes sprinkled throughout to keep my heart and respiration rates up." ~Empress DJ at Books and Bindings (read full review here)
"Fans of friends to lovers stories will love this as much as I did. Not only do we get the story of friends becoming more, we get to see the characters becoming friends in the first place. It made for a fantastic book!" ~Sabrina at Escaping Into Books (read full review here)
~~~~~
~~~~~
First Chapter Reveal for UNEXPECTED
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
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Hello lovelies!
I've decided to do something special for everyone and share the first chapter of Unexpected. You know, because I'm a huge tease. *wink wink* Anyway, I hope you enjoy your first look at Unexpected!
~~~~~*~~~~~
– Alina –
It's been one of those days.
You know the kind—the one where you want to rename Murphy's Law after yourself. No matter how hard you try to make it better, it just gets worse. All you want to do is go home, crawl under the covers, and sleep through the rest of the day. That's right. Now it's known as Alina's Law.
The last twenty-four hours of my life have been hell. It started yesterday afternoon when I met up with my boyfriend, Drew, for coffee. When he told me to meet him at the Mocha Shack, he made it sound important. I thought maybe he got a raise or possibly promoted at work. Turns out, he asked me if we could put our relationship “on hold” for a little bit. His explanation—if you could call it that—was that he's too stressed with his job and doesn't want to upset me if he can't meet his boyfriend obligations.
This, unfortunately, isn't the first time he's done this to me. Before I left, I told him this is the last time I'm allowing him to play this card. Next time he asks for a break, it's going to be a break up. He reluctantly agreed.
While I drove home, my irritation over Drew turned into outright anger. His previous “relationship breaks” happened not long after we started dating. We reached the six-month mark a couple weeks back and had even been discussing moving in together. Now he wanted to take a break? Again? As soon as I got home, I sent him a text message telling him he'll have to grovel for me to take him back.
Once I got out of my car, I was stomping as I walked to my apartment door. That's when I accidentally dropped my cell phone on the sidewalk, cracking the screen. It was a brand spanking new phone, too—only a week old. Practically straight out of the box. Since it was already too late in the day to get a replacement, I had to survive without it the rest of the night.
I couldn't find the obligatory pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in the freezer, so I settled on the chocolate chip cookies I made Friday night. I poured a glass of milk and watched a cheesy B-movie on cable. I tried to stay up to talk about what happened with my best friend and roommate, Victoria, but she must have stayed late at the sports bar where she’s currently working part time. I ended up going to bed before midnight to get enough sleep for my early shift at Geoffrey's Diner.
I barely got any sleep—I kept tossing and turning since I couldn't stop thinking. Then this morning when I went out to my car, my back right tire was flat. I had to wake up Warren, the neighbor from across the hall, to help me fix it. As if I wasn't late enough already, I was stuck for an extra five minutes at a train crossing once I got on the road.
Upon arriving to work, I discover my Monday shift had been given away to someone else. My jerk of a boss—The Geoffrey of Geoffrey's Diner—told me I had no excuse and I should have called. I showed him my damaged cell phone, but he just shrugged and told me, “Sorry.” And what do I do in response? I quit my job on the spot. I stormed out the front door, and I may have flipped Geoffrey off as I was walking away.
It's now three o'clock on June first and we're approaching the twenty-four hour mark of the start of Alina's Law. Everything is hitting me all at once as I sit on my bed, replacement phone in my lap, the only good thing about today. What happened? And what am I supposed to do about it? It's too bad Victoria is still sleeping. I could use someone to talk to about this.
Leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, I weave my fingers into my hair. I wince at how greasy it feels. I took a shower this morning, but apparently changing the tire reversed the effects. I sigh and walk to the bathroom to take a second shower. When I flip on the lights, one of the three bulbs burns out with a spark that causes me to jump. “Really?” I say out loud to the universe, rubbing my hand over my forehead. I turn to go find a new one, but throw up my hands. I'm not in the mood to change it now. I'll take care of it later.
After stripping off all my clothes and throwing them into the hamper, I climb under the hot spray of the shower. I let the water wash over me, warming my body and rinsing the last twenty-four hours off my skin. God, this feels good.
When I'm done showering, I'm going to change into pajamas and relax on the couch with a good book. I have a few romance novels to catch up on anyway. Who wouldn't want the distraction from life if they went through what I just dealt with? I've met my quota of bad things for the day. It's probably best for me to avoid leaving the house at this point. Today can't get any worse if I do that, can it?
Out of the corner of my eye, the bathroom door opens. Despite the lack of light, I can make out Drew's silhouette through the shower curtain. Looks like someone's already changed his mind. He better be prepared to grovel, I think, smiling. I expect him to say something, but instead he steps inside the shower behind me. My jaw drops. Drew usually saves the sexual stuff for the bedroom. Anytime I suggest something outside the box, he either refuses or makes excuses. Him coming in here with me? Now that's how to grovel.
He touches my shoulders, tracing his fingers down my back to my waist. He steps forward, pressing his front into my back. The sudden feel of our naked bodies touching causes me to shiver. Both of his hands come around under my arms and up to my breasts. He caresses them, his thumbs teasing my nipples in slow circles as he kisses along my shoulder.
I'm entranced by his touch; I've never felt anything like it before. Melting into him, I reach behind me, grabbing his ass to pull him closer. His hard length presses against my backside, making him growl. Still holding on to me, he pushes me up against the side of the shower wall. My breasts touch the cold tile as the hot water slides over my back between our bodies
Damn, this is sexy.
One of his hands descends from my stomach, going lower. A finger slips between my legs and I open immediately to the invasion. He strokes my flesh as I let out a shivering breath. His finger slides inside me once...twice...three times...then slides out. I bite my lips when his expert fingers rub over my clit with featherlight touches. He doesn't increase the pressure; he knows what he's doing. I can feel the smile against my skin when he kisses my shoulder blade. His other hand comes up to stroke the edge of my breast. Such a light touch, and yet it's like lightning zipping through me.
Is it possible to feel too good? Because this almost is. It's almost as though one of my romance novels has been brought to life to balance out the universe. I consider it a victory. Screw you, Alina's Law!
I want—no, need—to have him inside me. Reaching back between us, I wrap a hand around his length, slowly moving up and down. He growls again, making me feel like a naughty girl. It's the first time I've felt like one with him, the first time he's allowed me to feel like one. Removing my hand, he spreads my legs apart a little, sliding himself between my folds. My mouth falls open as he rubs against my center, then directly on my clit. A low groan vibrates from his throat and I want to swallow the sound as I taste his lips.
He's never reacted like this, so wildly primal. It turns me on in a brand new way. In fact, ever since he set foot in the shower, everything has been a thousand times better than any other time we've fooled around. How can that be? I'm coming alive with every touch. I'm a butterfly discovering her wings after emerging from the cocoon. It's like he's a different person. I'm so close; I can feel the pleasure increasing, building to greater heights. It usually takes much longer for me to reach an orgasm. Yet I know the instant he thrusts into me, I'm going to explode.
It's obvious based on how roughly he pushes against me that he's losing a battle with his self-control. His breath is erratic and hot against my ear, turning me on all the more. When his teeth graze my ear and tug on my earlobe, a tiny cry comes from my throat before I can stop it.
“You're so goddamn hot,” he whispers, his hands sliding up my sides.
That's when I tense against him. That voice...it's not Drew. I gasp when the voice finally registers in my brain. “Ryan?”
He stops moving entirely, loosening his grip on my hands. “Alina?”
Turns out I was wrong before. Today could totally get worse.
~~~~~*~~~~~
Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.
An unlikely bond with her former best friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing. Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what's on the other side?
Only one way to find out.
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Smashwords |
More Than Words is available for FREE for a limited time!
Friday, June 5, 2015
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Hello lovelies!
More Than Words is free for a limited time! It'll only be for a few days and I don't know the exact moment it'll go back to 99 cents, so you'd better download now before it's too late. *wink, wink*
All of her friends know her as Dana Darling, the clean romance writer. She's never written a steamy novel, not even in her head, but now her publisher needs her to write one. It doesn't appear too difficult at first, but then Dana's lack of sexual knowledge creates writer's block.
That's where her friend Landon comes in. She needs pointers on positions and dirty talk, and he owes her a favor. They agree that it's strictly business and clothes are mandatory, but once they get to work, it's another story entirely... one that's being written between the sheets and not on paper.
*More Than Words is a 12,000 word erotica novella*
*muah*
Unexpected Cover Reveal!
Hello lovelies!!!
I cannot express how excited I am to share the cover to my next novel, Unexpected. The cover was originally going to have a different picture used for it, but right when I was going to have Marie make it, another author shared their latest book... featuring aforementioned picture. I immediately freaked out and went on an extensive search for a new picture. I found this pretty and, well, I think I'm happier with this instead! I'm so happy with it, it's my favorite. <3
The book blitz sign ups should be up soon and I'll be sure to link you to that right away!
In the meantime, feel free to join my reader group on Facebook, Lilly's Lovelies, and/or sign up for my newsletter (I promise not to spam you). There are perks to being part of the reader group/subscribing to the newsletter--perks of the ARC and giveaway nature. Not to mention several exclusive teasers for upcoming books.
I've also created a Thunderclap campaign for release day and would love it if you could offer your support via Facebook, Twitter, and/or Tumblr.
I cannot express how excited I am to share the cover to my next novel, Unexpected. The cover was originally going to have a different picture used for it, but right when I was going to have Marie make it, another author shared their latest book... featuring aforementioned picture. I immediately freaked out and went on an extensive search for a new picture. I found this pretty and, well, I think I'm happier with this instead! I'm so happy with it, it's my favorite. <3
HERE IT IS!
Release date: July 21st 2015
Ever had one of those days? Alina Lyons is having one. Everything keeps falling apart and going wrong. Just when she thinks it couldn't get worse, it does. After a case of mistaken identity and a broken heart, she finds herself questioning the things she thought she knew. She wonders who she can turn to or trust anymore.
An unlikely bond with her former best friend's ex, Ryan Wilcox, sends her life in a new direction. He offers her a place to stay while she gets her life back on track. His friendship is exactly what she's been missing—what she's been needing. Alina's never felt this alive. As time goes by, the dynamic of their relationship becomes more than either of them expected. A few innocent kisses could lead them in a new direction, but are they prepared for what's on the other side?
Only one way to find out.
*Unexpected is a standalone new adult novel*
The book blitz sign ups should be up soon and I'll be sure to link you to that right away!
In the meantime, feel free to join my reader group on Facebook, Lilly's Lovelies, and/or sign up for my newsletter (I promise not to spam you). There are perks to being part of the reader group/subscribing to the newsletter--perks of the ARC and giveaway nature. Not to mention several exclusive teasers for upcoming books.
I've also created a Thunderclap campaign for release day and would love it if you could offer your support via Facebook, Twitter, and/or Tumblr.
Let me know what you think of the cover in the comments!
Unexpected Cover Reveal Sign Ups
Friday, May 29, 2015
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Hello lovelies!
Sign ups for the cover reveal for Unexpected, my upcoming NA novel, are finally up! The reveal is scheduled for June 5th, which is next Friday. If you're interested in sharing the cover (which I strongly suggest because it. is. gorgeous.), here's the link to the sign up post:
Thank you!!
Sign ups for the cover reveal for Unexpected, my upcoming NA novel, are finally up! The reveal is scheduled for June 5th, which is next Friday. If you're interested in sharing the cover (which I strongly suggest because it. is. gorgeous.), here's the link to the sign up post:
Thank you!!
Irresistibly Yours: a collection of erotica short stories available exclusively on Wattpad
Monday, May 25, 2015
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Hello my lovelies!
After reading an article about an author posting stories on Wattpad, I became intrigued at the idea. I've tossed around the possibility of publishing a short story anthology someday. It was just one of those side projects I hadn't put much effort into since I was so focused on finishing Unexpected. In the middle of the first draft of Unexpected, I wrote a short story. It was something I whipped up over the course of a few days because it demanded to be written (as most stories tend to do). I set it aside and kept going on Unexpected thinking I'd get back to it eventually.
Then the idea of posting on Wattpad came on my radar and I thought, "You know, I might as well scratch the idea of waiting around to publish the anthology and just start sharing it." So I signed up, made a cover on my own, and posted the first part of my short story, Taking the Risk! There are two more parts, one I just hit publish on today, and the last to be posted in the next few weeks (the story is a little over 5,000 words altogether). Short story #2, titled Breaking the Rules, is coming not long after that. I'm in the middle of writing it right now in between Unexpected revisions.
I'm not sure how many stories will be in this anthology altogether, but I'm having fun with it so far! I love writing short stories. I think it's because they're sweet and simple and fun. Maybe someday I'll publish them all in one large collection, but for now, this is enough for me. I want to share it with you for the absolute fun of it because you deserve it.
So, here's all the details and links for
Irresistibly Yours: A Collection of Erotica Short Stories...
| Irresistibly Yours on Wattpad |
1. Taking the Risk
2. Breaking the Rules -- (Coming Soon)
[Synopsis to come]
| Part One | Part Two | Part Three (Coming Soon) |After spending the last year pining for her boss, Sara has decided it's time to move on. What's the point of waiting around for Brandon when it's considered inappropriate work behavior to date? A night on the town should be just the thing she needs to get her mind off him—that is, until Brandon shows up.
2. Breaking the Rules -- (Coming Soon)
[Synopsis to come]
PS: I'm hoping to have links to the Unexpected cover reveal soon! *squeals* Can't wait for you to see this beauty of a cover. <3
Unexpected + The Works In Progress + The Authorteers + Where I've Been + The Latest News + more
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
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Hello lovelies!
It's been a while, hasn't it? That's partly due to the fact that there hasn't been much going on... no new book published or on it's way around the corner, no other news of any sort. But... there are things in development, and I thought that it would be a good idea to tell everyone about them all in one post.
Unexpected
I finished the first draft of Unexpected! *cue high fives*I've done a quick spelling/grammar check on it AND went through all the parts I marked to go back on (certain paragraphs that needed adjustment, scenes that needed expanding, etc). I also wrote a short list of scenes to add on that I missed and took care of those as well. Now I need to dive into revisions. I'm hoping I can get through the revisions within the next couple weeks so that I can send it off to betas and stay on track with my self-imposed deadlines.
My amazing cover artist, Marie Landry, is currently working on the cover for me. My original cover photo ended up getting used by another author right before I was going to use it, so I had to scrap that idea and start fresh with a new photo. The cover reveal should happen early June, along with the official release date! Get excited! I know I am.
The works in progress...
I had originally been hoping to have the third book in the Resist series (titled Forever) out sometime this summer. Unfortunately, Unexpected took me longer to write than originally anticipated. I do, however, have the book pretty much completely plotted out. It's just a matter of sitting down to write it now.I have about, I don't know, five or six other story ideas brewing in my head right about now. One is sticking out more than the others, so I started writing the first chapter last night. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that I can focus on either this one (currently untitled) or Forever so that I can have another novel published in the fall. Then (fingers crossed again) I can have enough time to write my winter novella, Warm Me Up, and publish that in winter.
Cross your fingers with me, folks! I want to get at least one more book published by the end of 2015.
The awesomeness of The Authorteers...
Have you had a chance to check out the author blog I joined? It's called The Authorteers and I've joined forces with authors Molli Moran, Marie Landry, and Jessica Sankiewicz. We'll be sharing all sorts of fun teasers and news about our books, plus discussing lots of different writing topics.
You should check out The Authorteers Reader Group on Facebook! We share and talk about fun things--reading and writing and more. Plus, we'll be sharing some stuff on there related to our upcoming books before we share it elsewhere. So, you don't want to miss that!
Where I've been around the internet...
I've taken part in eight posts on The Authorteers so far:- My official author interview
- Discussion post on Plotting Vs. Pantsing
- Top Ten Tuesday -- see three of my favorite books
- Why I wrote 3 short stories before my first novel
- Discussion post on how I come up with my book titles
- Dream Cast for the Resist Series picked by me
- My three most anticipated spring & summer reads
- Discussion post on writing outside your comfort zone (the untitled book from above is one of the story ideas mentioned in this discussion post *wink wink*)
I was also on a couple blogs recently:
- Guest post on Romances and the Happily Ever After on Ramblings From This Chick
- Excerpt from one of my favorite scenes in Longing and why on A Soul Unsung
- Five minutes with me on Karen's Book Haven
The latest news...
Here All Along is now available for FREE everywhere! So if you haven't had the chance to read my first published story, you have no excuse not to now. ;)
| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords |
Also... I'll be attending the Glass City Author Event on October 8th 2016! It's about a year and a half away, but I'm super excited. I'm really hoping to get several of my books made into paperback (Resist and Longing for starters, and any other book 20,000 words or longer that I publish between now and then) and a bunch of really awesome swag (including magnets and bookmarks) to put out on the table.
Tickets will go on sale in June, so I'll be sure to post a link to that in case anyone is interested in going. I can't wait to meet everyone!!
Tickets will go on sale in June, so I'll be sure to post a link to that in case anyone is interested in going. I can't wait to meet everyone!!
Don't forget about my newsletter and Facebook group...
As you may or may not know, I have a newsletter and a Facebook group. The newsletters aren't frequent (I'm pretty sure the last one I sent was when Longing was published in January), and most likely will only be sent when there's something important to say regarding an upcoming release or another newsworthy item needs to be shared. With regard to the Facebook group, it was originally a street team, but I decided I'd rather make it more laid back. So I changed it to a reader/fan group instead. It'll still be basically the same thing, only you aren't expected help with promo. All I want is to share some teasers, news, and maybe have some fun giveaways.
That's all for now, I hope you all have a lovely week!
It's release day for LONGING!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
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Longing is finally here!
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It's been two months since Allegra walked out of Devlin's hotel room. Well, two months and five days, but she's not counting. She needs to move on, but before she can, Devlin shows up again...as her new coworker.
Seeing him at work every day is enough to make her lose her mind. Allegra tries to stay away from Devlin, knowing the effect he has on her, but she can't. The more she's around him, the more she's tempted to have something more with him. After everything that's happened in the past, it's a slippery slope that may land her in a place she never wants to revisit. Something is happening to her heart, though. A longing is building up that isn't one-sided...and doesn't feel temporary.
He wants her. She wants a forever. Is it possible to have it all?
~~~~~
Advanced praise for Longing...
"Sexy, funny, romantic, and emotional, Longing is another winner from Lilly Avalon!" ~Marie Landry, author of The Game Changer
"I never fail to feel so many emotions after I'm through with a Lilly Avalon book." ~Heather
"Lilly is the queen of feels." ~Karen's Book Haven
"This is the perfect low-angst, swoony-worthy read to pair with a glass of wine and your favorite bubble bath." ~Molli Moran, author of One Song Away
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For a limited time (until the end of release week), you can get both Resist AND Longing for the low price of 99 cents! After that, the prices will go up to $1.99 and $2.99 respectively. Get your copy today before the prices increase!
~Buy Resist on~
~Buy Longing on~
~~~~~
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you everyone and I hope you enjoy the continuation of Devlin and Allegra's story! <3
First Chapter Reveal for LONGING
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
1 comment
Hello lovelies!
I just finished edits on Longing! And as a treat to you, I'm revealing the entire first chapter for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
~~~~~*~~~~~
Chapter
One
People
in love make me sick.
Not
just people in love, but the general idea of love and all it entails
for the mortals who decide to get married. All the frilly dresses,
all the red roses, and all the I's dotted with tiny hearts? They can
all go to hell.
I've
purposely been avoiding eye contact with Sonya and Rodney ever since
we walked into David's Bridal. They've been making googly eyes from
the minute they picked me up. As they nuzzle their noses together and
kiss sweetly on the lips, I have to turn away to squelch the nausea.
God, they're perfect for each other. So perfect it’s
disgusting.
“Can
you believe we're getting married in five months?” Sonya says.
I'm
sure she's talking to Rodney, but I can't
help myself from butting in. “I wish it were sooner so you could
stop the countdown.”
“You
do realize I'd just start counting how many days we've been married
instead.”
I
bury my face in my hands. “It's only gonna get worse and worse.”
Sonya
sighs heavily and peels my hands away from my face. Her
chocolate-brown eyes peer into mine as she raises her eyebrows at me.
“You never used to be this averse to lovey dovey stuff a couple
months ago.”
“Don't,”
I warn her.
She
ignores me. “In fact, you've been a changed woman since a certain
one-night stand with a gentleman—”
“I
wouldn't call him a gentleman.”
“—you've
decided should remain nameless.”
I
shudder at the thought of speaking his name again. It brings back too
many memories of our night together. Our glorious night together...
“I'm not averse to it. I just...become physically ill at the
thought of it.”
She
picks a dress off the rack, glancing at it. “Like I said, you never
used to be like that. You may not have enjoyed it, but you weren't
this disgusted with love.” She holds the dress up to herself. “What
do you think, Rod?”
“It's
nice,” he says as he touches the dress, then her chin. “I like
you in lace.” Rodney gives her the
I'm-imagining-myself-peeling-this-dress-off-you-already look.
I
throw my hands in the air and start walking away. “That's it. I'm
leaving before you climb under one of those puffy skirts and do
inappropriate public displays of affection.” Not only that, but all
this white is starting to get to me. As if any of the women in this
store right now are pure. Especially me. It's almost like holy water
for the eyes, burning through my retinas.
“Allegra,
get back over here,” Sonya calls. “You need to help me narrow it
down.”
I
turn around to face her. “Then pick out some damn dresses to try on
and I'll tell you which ones make you look fat.”
She
rolls her eyes. “Stop pretending to act like such a bitch.
You're not mad at me, you're mad about him.”
“Not
listening.” I cover my ears. “Just try on the dresses.”
“Fine.”
At this point, she's piled three of them in Rodney's arms. She comes
over, spinning me and pushing me toward the bridesmaid dresses.
“You're going to try a few of these on for me today.”
I
groan loudly. “But I don't wanna,” I whine.
She
picks out a few different dresses—all in red, but different styles.
“Too bad. You have to because you're with us and we're your ride
home.”
“I
knew I should have driven myself,” I grumble as I take the dresses
from her. “Isn't red too sexy?”
“There's
no winning with you, is there?”
“I'm
not trying to be snarky. I thought the bride is supposed to outshine
her bridesmaids.”
She
shrugs. “I don't want my bridesmaids to look like they fell out of
a cotton candy machine...or the '80s.”
“Well,
at least there's a silver lining in all this,” I admit, admiring
the sheen of the fabric.
“What?
How about me getting married? I thought that was the silver
lining.”
“For
you, yes.” I smile.
She
grins. “Thank you.” She drags me over to the fitting rooms. “Come
on, Rodney. We're going to need your opinion, too.”
“Aren't
you worried about bad luck?” Rodney asks as he slowly follows us,
arms heavy with white poofiness.
“Not
with you,” she says, blowing him a kiss.
I
reluctantly step into one of the dressing rooms and put on the first
dress. If it weren't for the fact that it comes to my knees, the
plunging neckline would make it far sluttier. I look at the dress
from different angles in the mirror and make a face. There's
something not quite right...but what is it?
I
step out in the open and walk barefoot to the mirrors. “Hey, Sonya.
Can you tell me what it is about this dress that's weirding me out?”
She
comes out of her dressing room. “Why would it weird you—” She
stops dead. “Holy shit, Allegra.”
When
I get the full view of her dress, I gape at her. “Sonya, that
dress...”
She
bursts into the biggest smile. “I know.”
She's
tried the lace one on first. It's classy with a v-line, baring her
shoulders, the skirt pooling at her feet. Her dark brown hair falls
over her shoulders in waves, setting off her beauty even more.
Gathering the skirt of the dress, she climbs onto the platform in
front of the mirrors. She reaches out for my hand and pulls me up
next to her. I look at the two of us in the mirror. We look amazing.
No, amazing is an understatement. We look astounding.
“Oh
my God...” Sonya squeezes my hand, biting her lip as she turns to
me. “I can't keep looking, otherwise I'm gonna just start crying.”
“You're
supposed to save that for your wedding night.”
She
smacks my arm, but laughs. “Stop it.” She turns to Rodney. “What
do you think?”
He
stares up at her from his chair, blue eyes sparkling. “I'm
speechless, babe. Just speechless.”
She
beams and bites her lip again. “Not gonna cry, not gonna cry,”
she repeats while blinking her eyes. She heaves a heavy sigh, and
then looks down at the dress I'm wearing. “Again, Allegra, holy
shit.”
I
glance down at it. “Isn't there something weird about it?”
“What
the hell is weird about it? You look...wow.”
“It's
not too sexy for a bridesmaid?”
She
shakes her head. “God, I wish he could see you in this,” she
mumbles.
I
glare at her. “What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
“You're
bringing him up again.”
She
lets go of my hand and puts her hand on her hip. “Oh, come on,
Allegra! Can you blame me? I want to see you happy.”
“I
know, but he—”
“Makes
you happy.” She narrows her eyes at me when I shoot her a look.
“You've lost weight since you came back.”
My
nostrils flare and I point a finger at her. “You take that back.”
Rodney
stands, coming over to us. “I thought women liked to hear that.”
Sonya
leans on Rodney, running her fingers through his short black hair.
“Not Allegra. When she loses weight, it's a telltale sign.”
“Of what?” he asks.
“That she's in love,” she answers.
“I am not in love,” I snap. “And I didn't lose weight.” I look at myself in the mirror again. Have I lost weight? I peek at the tag and my eyes widen. “Oh my God, I did lose weight. You purposely picked one size smaller!”
She
laughs. “I had a point to make! You gotta admit, it was ingenious.”
She puts her hand gently on my arm. “You like him.”
“I
barely know the man.” I'm clearly incapable of making a good
argument based on how I sputter the words out.
“You
guys had sex four and a half times in one night. I'm pretty sure you
know him.”
“Four and a half times?” Rodney asks loudly, his voice echoing in the small room, eyes widening like saucers.
I smack his arm and shush him. “Keep it down.”
He turns to me with a quizzical expression. “Wait a second. How do you have sex half a time?”
I shrug. “It's complicated.”
Sonya butts in. “They almost had sex in the elevator.”
“Oh geez, Sonya.” He claps his hands over his ears, scrunching his eyes shut. “I don't need to hear about Allegra's sex life.” His phone rings and he drops his hands to pull the phone out of his pocket. He glances at the screen. “I gotta take this. It's the office.”
“The TV show?” I ask.
He
ignores me, shaking his head. “I'll be right back, babe.” He
gives Sonya a quick kiss on the cheek before opening his phone and
walking off.
“Does
the office call him on weekends often?” I ask when Rodney's out of
earshot.
“Sometimes.
Don't change the subject. Why couldn't you have just exchanged
numbers? I'm not going to let you stand there pretending you didn't
feel something from that night because you obviously did. You
clearly—”
“What?
I clearly liked him? Yes, I did. I liked Devlin.” It annoys me how
true it is. It annoys me even more that Sonya got me to admit it out
loud for the first time. I don't know why I thought I could fool my
best friend. “But we wouldn't have worked out. He made it clear
where he stands.” Part of me wishes I did have his number, but the
rest of me knows he's not husband material. He made it clear he isn't
ready for a committed relationship, and that's what I'm looking for.
“That
doesn't matter. Something changed in you since then, and you're
trying to fight it. Maybe it's a sign that you shouldn't fight
it.”
“He
could have tried contacting me, too.” In fact, it would've been
pretty fucking easy for him. If he were interested, he would've made
the effort. But he didn't. “It's like the book says: he's just not
that into me.”
“He was. Based on what you told me, I don't see how he couldn't be.”
“Then why didn't he try?”
“Probably because you ran out on him and he figured you'd kick his ass if he did.”
“Point
taken.” I close my eyes and shake my head. “I'm not going to open
my heart up to something like love again unless I know the other
person reciprocates. It hurts too much if I do.” I press my lips
together and give her a sidelong glance.
Her
face softens and she takes my hand in both of hers. “Well, you've
gotta do something. Reach out for other possibilities. You can't stay
hung up on Devlin forever. You might as well move on.”
Even the idea of that kind of hurts, but I’ll never own up to it. It's hard to ignore feelings as powerful as the ones I felt for Devlin. I used to be more open to those kinds of emotions. I believed in them, believed in love. Now the feelings scare me to the point where I'm not willing to let anyone in for fear of losing again. Especially Devlin. It doesn't matter what I felt or could be inclined to feel eventually, he isn't ready for commitment. I won't let my heart be crushed. Not again. Never again. Soon there will be no love left in me to give, and I won't believe anyone who truly does love me.
“Hey,”
she says, touching the side of my face. “Don't drown in your
sorrows all over again. You've come so far; don't go back to that
place.”
I
let out a long breath. “You're right. About that and moving
on.” I smooth the skirt down. “Who knows? Maybe I'll meet my
dashing prince tomorrow.”
“That's
the spirit!” She gives me a high five. “Now, let's finish trying
these dresses on.”
~~~~~*~~~~~
It's been two months since Allegra walked out of Devlin's hotel room. Well, two months and five days, but she's not counting. She needs to move on, but before she can, Devlin shows up again...as her new coworker.
Seeing him at work every day is enough to make her lose her mind. Allegra tries to stay away from Devlin, knowing the effect he has on her, but she can't. The more she's around him, the more she's tempted to have something more with him. After everything that's happened in the past, it's a slippery slope that may land her in a place she never wants to revisit. Something is happening to her heart, though. A longing is building up that isn't one-sided...and doesn't feel temporary.
He wants her. She wants a forever. Is it possible to have it all?
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