Welcome to my Blog

I'm an Author. I love to write, I love to read and I just love books in general.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Kissing Steel releases April 16th!!! And a personal story

If I did this right... you should be able to click on the cover and go to the Ellorascave website to read the excerpt! I'm really excited to announce this book. This book was EXTRA fun to write because I made Rena, the female lead, aggressively go after Steel. LOL. Usually it's the other way around. There's just something incredibly sexy to me about the concept of a big, strong guy chained down to a bed... LOL... so I wrote it! That's enough said on my personal 'oh baby' moments. LOL! I'm adding on the book trailer at the end so please take a moment to watch it!
.
I truly feel blessed and I want to take a few moments to say that. A year ago this month I sat down with a new computer Mr. Laurann bought me and decided I was going to try to make my dreams come true. I had written for fun in my spare time since the early 1990's since I was at home with a baby. I always meant to send in that first book I wrote and I actually sent some queries to agents who rejected me right off. I don't blame them. I had a lot to learn and I'm STILL learning. After getting half a dozen rejection letters I decided I wasn't good enough yet and continued to write, thinking... it's just not time yet. So I wrote, amusing my friends with my many books I put together, life happened, things got hectic, I had more children, and while I kept writing in my spare time... I knew I didn't have the time or resources to make a real go at it.
.
Last year I realized something. I was about to hit the big 40 in 2010 (in June!) and my youngest child was going to start Kindergarten in Sept of 2009. He was in a special daycare since he was born prematurely from complications I had in my pregnancy (placenta previa - hemorrhaged at 32 weeks - we both nearly died - my son suffered a brain bleed which was the equivalence of a stroke that left him with only 10 percent mobility on his left side). He had years of physical therapy and I'm thrilled to say... he's at 100 percent now... going into school like every other child does... and I saw the opportunity to chase my dream since I was regularly going to have my mornings to myself with ALL of my kids in school from now on.
.
I opened up my Microsoft word program... and I wrote Ral's Woman. That was the first book I wrote on this computer with my luxury 24 inch wide screen monitor. LOL. I thought... well hell, while I'm going for the big dream... I may as well dream BIG. I have been a huge fan of ellorascave for years. I buy a lot of my ebooks from there and some of my favorite authors I love to read write for EC. I submitted to them. I never really thought I had a chance in hell, to be honest, but I was 'GOING FOR THE DREAM!' ... so yeah. I went for it. You can't imagine my shock when they didn't reject me but I got a revise and resubmit letter. So I did. BOY did I jump on that and I sent it back. Again thinking... there's no way... not me... but hoping. Oh, you can't imagine the kind of hope I had. It lingered in my mind every day. I was afraid to open my email every time I got mail thinking... it's going to crush me when they reject me after I had a dose of hope. Then I got the email. I swear I stared at it for... maybe 3 minutes before I clicked it open. I sat in my chair just... tense and biting my lip... shaking... and afraid to even really hope. I was mentally preparing myself for that 'sorry but no' statement. They offered me a contract! I had to read it over and over, tears blinded me, I think I screamed, and then I was shaking so badly I had to dial my husband's cell phone number like 3 times to get it right. He answered and I had to tell him twice because he couldn't understand me the first time. LOL. I was crying too hard and I don't cry much so he probably thought someone died when he first heard me.
.
So this is a special month for me all around. My child turned 11. I became a grandma. It's the anniversary of me moving in with Mr. Laurann... then 5 years and 3 days later marrying him. Writing and sending in Ral's Woman. Going after my dream. I feel so blessed. So... leveled and humble and just... thankful. And here I sit a year later announcing my 4th book is coming out in April. I just can't even express to you how much I'm crying right now like a baby. LOL! Joyful, blessed, happy tears. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. My friends, family, editors, everyone at EC, and the people who read my books. I'm living my dream! LOL.
.
Okay, I'll go grab tissues and leave you with the book trailer for Kissing Steel!

13 comments:

  1. My first book with Loose Id just came out a year ago January, so I know how you feel about the roller-coaster ride. And about feeling blessed. You had me puddling up with you.

    Hugs and many congratulations on the new release.
    Cherise

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely post! Revel in your success, hon -- you deserve it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cherise, congrats on the anniversary of your first book. I LOVE your books and thank you!

    Helen, thank you and I LOVE your books too!

    It's a happy 'using tons of tissues' day! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a touching wonderful post, Laurann! I loved it! You touched me when I read this and I'm so happy for you. Congrats to you on all your releases.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you, Kaye! It's been a really wonderful day! LOL. I just spoke to Mr. Laurann and we're having In n Out Burger for dinner to celebrate! Yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I loved this post, Laurann, as you know. :) Your journey is something so many writers can relate to...I know I do! You've had so many wonderful personal/professional milestones lately. Wishing you all the success in the world and hope you enjoyed In n Out Burger. :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cari, thank you. The burger was good. LOL. There is our version of celebrating... favorite fast food. I am blessed. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  8. wonderful post Laurann,
    I wish you huge success =)

    ReplyDelete
  9. ps- our books are very close in release dates!! (squee!!!) LOL

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Mel,

    Thank you! And I saw that. Like 4 days apart! Awesome. As soon as you get a release date on your other Ice Cold lover book... You MUST let me know so I know when I can buy it! LOL. I MUST read the rest of it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Awwww. I so KNOW this feeling. The fear of opening the email, the tears, the re-reading because it can't POSSIBLY be true.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Regina, it's an amazing thing. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I know exactly what you mean, Laurann! :) When Jaid read my stuff and offered me a contract, I went into hysterics! I screamed,jumped up and down, laughed and cried. :) And I live in an apartment so the people downstairs probably thought I was being murdered! :P *Victory Hugs*

    ReplyDelete