August 26, 2013
So THAT happened.
Here we are, at the end of a summer that sped by at warp ten.
(Remember way back at the beginning of summer, when the new Star Trek movie came out? Yeah, I loved it, too.
Can you guess how many ST references there are in DO OR DIE, my next book, which comes out on February 4, 2014?
Raise your hand if you said “Five.” You win.)
Okay. I know you’re busy, so let’s get right to the news:
1) Win a signed ARC (advance copy) of DO OR DIE, my next romantic suspense!
We’re giving one away over at the fabulous Read-A-Romance Month website, at http://www.readaromancemonth.com in celebration of a blog that I wrote, posted today, August 26th, about “Why Romance Matters.”
NOTE: You will find specific directions about the special win-an-ARC-of-DO-OR-DIE contest, at the end of my blog. Please read those contest directions carefully and follow the rules for a chance to win. This contest is set up a little bit differently than the other contests at the Read-A-Romance-Month website, because we wanted to make sure that this ARC was won by someone who really, REALLY wanted it. (I suspect that could be you!) Be sure to enter by the contest’s deadline, August 31, 2013! (And apologies! This particular contest is only for readers who live in the U.S. That ARC is a huge, heavy book and is going to be sent to the winner via domestic media mail.)
But before you surf away to enter the contest, let me tell you a little bit about both my blog and the fabulous month-long event over at the Read-A-Romance Month website!
See, a really cool romance writer and reader named Bobbi Dumas got so fed up with the disrespect that romance often gets as a genre that she decided to make August “Read-A-Romance Month.” She created a lovely, user-friendly website at http://www.readaromancemonth.com and she contacted a large group of authors and talked us into blogging about “Why Romance Matters.”
I was one of the authors she approached, and I loved the idea. Especially since August 2013 happens to be my twentieth anniversary as a romance author.
Yeah! That’s kinda crazy, isn’t it? (More about that below)
Anyway, Bobbi gave me the word-count for my blog, and I quickly blew past that, because…well, writing short has never been my forte. But Bobbi was gracious and kind, and she’s posting my entire (epically long) blog, in which I tell stories from my twenty-year career as a romance novelist, and explain why I believe the romance genre matters enormously. (As if you need to be convinced!)
Still, go check it out. And see above, about that a signed-ARC-of-DO-OR-DIE giveaway! (Tell your family! Tell your friends!)
Here’s the link to my blog: http://www.readaromancemonth.com/2013/08/day-26-suzanne-brockmann-embracing-the-other/
FYI, there are other contests over at the Read-A-Romance Month website, too — including signed copies of HARVARD’S EDUCATION (for both U.S. and non-U.S. readers!) and copies of a crazy-great debut romance called GLITTERLAND (more about that below), as well as the RARM website’s really awesome weekly contests. (This week, you can win a Kindle Paperwhite!) So be sure to go over there and surf the site!
Find the contest page at http://www.readaromancemonth.com/contests/
See the complete list of authors and contributors (most of whom have blogs already archived, because August is almost over!) at http://www.readaromancemonth.com/authors/
And here, again, is the direct link to my blog: http://www.readaromancemonth.com/2013/08/day-26-suzanne-brockmann-embracing-the-other/
Which brings me to…
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2) Holy honking hourglass, Batman, as of this month (August, 2013), I have been a published romance author for two! Whole! Decades! (And I thought the summer went by quickly!) (How weird is it that I still feel like an upstart?)
In similar news, on August 13th, I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary to the most patient man on the planet.
Go on over to my blog at http://www.readaromancemonth.com/2013/08/day-26-suzanne-brockmann-embracing-the-other/ to toss me a quick “Happy simultaneous 20th and 30th! How efficient of you!” (Thank you, thank you very much. But yes, I’ll be over at the blog on and off throughout the day, responding to comments and questions. Do drop by! Read my blog! Post comments, ask questions, say hi! See you there!)
And speaking of wedding anniversaries… (I can segue the crap out of anything, can’t I?)
3) THE PERFECT WEDDING, the rom-com, indie, holiday feature-length movie I co-wrote and co-produced finally has official release dates!
Look for it on-demand through your cable provider (full list of sources TBA), in early November. (I’ll send you an enewsletter reminder with more info, as I have it!)
THE PERFECT WEDDING will also be out on DVD and via streaming on December 3rd — all from Wolfe Releasing, our wonderful distributor.
Pre-orders for the DVD open mid-September, and delivery of pre-ordered DVDs will come via mail well in time for the holidays. (Again, I’ll send an e-newsletter reminder and a link when it goes live.)
Watch a trailer at http://www.theperfectweddingmovie.com to see what might happen if Buffy’s mom (Kristine Sutherland) and Carrie-from-HOMELAND’s dad (James Rebhorn) got married and had a family.
And yeah, I’m kidding.
But our two big-name stars were the amazing Jim and crazy-talented Kristine — and we gave them a very juicy subplot of their own in a story that centers around the romantic high-jinx of their adopted son and the man of his dreams, as well as the planning of their daughter’s big June wedding to the man of HER dreams.
Find out more about the movie at http://www.theperfectweddingmovie.com
And although there’s not an actual wedding in my next book, several weddings are certainly mentioned in DO OR DIE…
4) DO OR DIE will be out in hardcover and e-book from Ballantine, and in audiobook from AudioGo on February 4, 2014!
That’s almost tomorrow, considering the way time is zipping along these days. (Crap, it’ll be 2033 before you finish reading this long enewsletter, won’t it….?)
DO OR DIE also is epically long, and it’s the first installment in a new contemporary romantic suspense series called “Reluctant Heroes,” set in my Troubleshooters series world. “Reluctant Heroes” is a spin-off in that new readers (daunted by the idea of jumping into the middle of a 16-plus book series!) can pick it up and know that they’re at A beginning, if not THE beginning.
But for tried and true lovers of the TS books, I promise you’ll feel right at home.
There are plenty of cross-over characters. In fact, DO OR DIE is set in Sarasota, Florida, and features Martell Griffin from FORCE OF NATURE. Also, Jules Cassidy’s FBI underlings, Deb and Yashi, play important roles in the book. And the hero is a former Navy SEAL named Ian Dunn, a guy I kinda fell in love with along the way.
You can check out the truly gorgeous cover art and read an excerpt at my website, http://www.SuzanneBrockmann.com
I expect to be holding a virtual signing in February for the hardcover edition of DO OR DIE, as well as in-person signing events both in Florida and Massachusetts. (I’ll keep you posted about book tour news. I’m hoping to attend RT in NOLA in May, and RWA in San Antonio in July of this coming year…)
And yes, I realize that DO OR DIE’s February 4th release is months away, and I’m sure you’re looking for at least one really good book to read until then, which brings me to…
5) My absolute favorite romance novel of 2013 is a book called GLITTERLAND, by debut author Alexis Hall.
I laughed, I cried, I freaking loved this book.
And it’s out today (TODAY!) from Riptide Publishing in trade paperback and ebook.
GLITTERLAND is an m/m romance, but that’s not why I love it. In fact, I should probably say it’s a romance that merely happens to be m/m, and that I loved it because it’s gorgeously written, it’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s spicy, it’s heartbreaking, it’s brilliant.
If you loved Jules and Robin’s story arc throughout the Troubleshooters series, you will absolutely love this book. It’s a great place to start, too, if you’ve been shy about picking up another LGBT romance.
Find out more about GLITTERLAND, read an excerpt, download an ebook or order a print copy at www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/glitterland
You KNOW you’re looking for something really good to read. Look no further. And put Alexis Hall on your list of authors-to-watch.
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Okay gang, that’s all the news for now.
Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart, for all your support!
