Monday, June 3, 2013

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program...

I have a friend.

This girl:


She's pretty awesome.

Maybe you've met her online. Her name is Amber Stokes and she runs a rockin' blog: Seasons of Humility. That's not all she does though. 

She also has an English degree and freelances edits. And writes. Oh yeah, she also writes. ;-) 

And guess what?? She is debuting a novel!

Yep, you heard it here first. (okay, maybe not first, but pretty close to it!).

Today is the debut release of Amber's debut novel's cover. Oh goodness. It's sooo pretty! The book will become available later this summer and I can't wait to finally read what I'm sure is going to be one awesome story by an avid lover of story. 

Are you ready?

Check this out...


Gasp!

I. LOVE. It!!!

There is just something about an awesome cover and something about the character's expression...I could look at this cover all day. Don't you love it?

My favorite part? My friend's name on the bottom right hand corner. SUPER proud of her as she takes this big first step. 

To celebrate the release of her novel cover, she's throwing a little party and what's a party without prizes? Be sure and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and check out the prizes:






Click to enter!!

Five bleeding hearts. One profound journey.

Summer 1886

Sally Clay’s livelihood has been snatched away, but in its place arises an opportunity to escape from her sordid past and an unrelenting, unwanted suitor. Boarding a train with a heartsick rancher and an enigmatic miner, she leaves Virginia City behind and heads to Northern California, waiting for the chance to make right what went wrong three long years before.

But the road to revenge is far from smooth. Sally soon learns that the jagged pieces of a broken heart can far too easily wound the hearts of others – and hers isn’t the only heart that’s broken. Tragedy and fear dog her steps as she flees from the redwood forests to the high desert and back again. Will her bleeding heart ever find a way and a place to heal?

A desperate soiled dove. Three men who come to care for her. One man determined to claim her.

All on a journey that will show them what true love really involves.

Inspirational Historical Romance

The Book’s Blog
In conjunction with the cover reveal, Amber’s doing a “blog reveal,” as well! You can find all the latest news about Bleeding Heart, along with book extras, at the Bleeding Heart blog

AND! Amber is including a teaser...check it out!!

Prologue

Breaking hearts should be considered a crime. That would make Elizabeth Lawson an outlaw and Joe Clifton the victim. And that wasn’t a far stretch in Joe’s mind. She had rounded up his heart, branded her name across it when it should never have belonged to her, and then left him high and dry. Still, he was getting sick of hanging around the scene of the crime. He just didn’t know where else to go.
Lake Tahoe had once been his favorite get-away destination, a place where he could go to just sit back and enjoy the view of water as clear as a shined-up mirror. Now those crystal depths and the unmoving boulders along the water’s edge taunted him, bringing back memories of a happy proposal and a less-than-happy scene where his heart was handed back to him on a silver platter – bruised, broken, and bleeding.

He didn’t want to make any more memories like that. So he made a promise to himself: He would never let anyone break his heart again.


31 comments:

  1. Wow! What a beautiful cover! Congratulations, Amber. So excited for you!

    Cheers,
    Sue

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  2. Casey!!! You are so sweet - touched and blessed by your supportive words!! :) I'm so happy you like the cover! I thought Lena did a terrific job. And I, too, could look at the cover all day... In fact, I think I've pretty much been doing that ever since it's been finalized, LOL. ;)

    Thank you so much for everything, dear friend! And that was so sweet of you to put together this post today, despite the fact that you had another post going up. :) ((Hugs))

    ~Amber

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    1. I LOVE the cover! Self pubbed covers are just getting better and better. I'd pick that cover off the shelf and not just for the name on the cover. ;-)

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    2. Well, that is just the most awesome compliment! Thank you! :) Lena gets the credit for that - she is so talented, not only at cover design, but also at writing and everything about the industry, really. She has been a great mentor to me as I've navigated the self-pubbing waters for a client, and as I've geared up to do the same for Bleeding Heart. :)

      Thank you for all of the encouragement, my friend!!

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  3. What a lovely cover, Amber! I'm sending you all my warmest wishes for your debut novel. To get one 'out there' is no easy task. Congratulations!

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    1. That is so sweet!! Thrilled by your encouragement - and congratulations to you on your recent sophomore release! :)

      ~Amber

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  4. Love the cover. It looks hauntingly beautiful. :)

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    1. Oh, I'm so glad it comes across that way! That definitely describes how I want it to appear. :) Lena did an awesome job of conveying the tone of the story through the coloring and everything!

      ~Amber

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  5. I checked out the bleeding heart blog--love it! The cover definitely draws my eye, and the blurb cinches my interest. I can't wait to read more! Congrats!

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    1. Oh, awesome! Thank you so much! :) And I'm thrilled the blurb intrigues you, too! I appreciate your interest in Bleeding Heart. :)

      ~Amber

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  6. The cover is beautiful. I want to get a bleeding heart plant for my garden. thanks definitely one I'd love to win thanks for the chance

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    1. So happy you think so! Bleeding hearts are lovely, interesting flowers, aren't they? Someday I should plant a garden with the different flowers from the titles of my books. So far I've got Forget Me Not (as-yet-unpublished prequel) and Bleeding Heart. We'll see what comes next! ;)

      I don't have any books to give away yet, as I'm still editing Bleeding Heart, but I should be doing book giveaways closer to release date! In the meantime, this giveaway is for bleeding heart note cards and teardrop earrings. :)

      ~Amber

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  7. Wow! I love the cover! And can't wait for the story to come out! I want it now!! The blurb and the beautiful prologue did that to me!

    Congratulations Amber!

    Tell the World

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    1. Aw, I'm humbled by your enthusiasm - thank you so much!! :) It hopefully shouldn't be a super long wait until the book is available! I hope it blesses you. :)

      ~Amber

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  8. Congratulations, Amber! Wow, this is a GORGEOUS cover!!! I'm so excited for you!!! Can't wait to read it!

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    1. Awwww, I'm so glad you love it, and I appreciate your encouragement! :) So good to hear from you here - it's been too long since I've talked with you! Miss you, my friend!

      ~Amber

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  9. Congrats, Amber!! I love the cover - the dress is beautiful & the model's expression is brooding but still open in a way. Love it!

    Thanks for the cool giveaway!

    Beth

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    1. Oh, I love that description of her expression: "brooding but still open." That describes Sally perfectly! :)

      You're quite welcome - thank you for the support!

      ~Amber

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  10. Congrats, Amber!! I have never seen a prettier cover!!! Can't wait to read it!
    I have followed you since a I got online and started reading blogs (5 yrs. ago); I am old enough to be your grandma, but have learned so much from you!
    Keep up the great writing and I pray many blessings on you~~~~

    Thanks for the giveaway, Casey!
    jackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]net

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    1. Oh, Jackie... You brought me close to tears with this comment! I'm touched by your words and your kindness. Thank you so much for the encouragement and continued support and the prayers!! *Hugs*

      ~Amber

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  11. Casey, your presentation of Amber was cool. Loved it. And I love Amber's cover. She and Lena did a great job with it. I can hardly wait to read the book.

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    1. Isn't Casey so sweet?? :) And thank you so much for all the kind words and support! I'm honored you took the time to visit all the participating blogs!

      ~Amber

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  12. I love how you celebrate others -- and yes, that's a lovely cover, Amber!

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    1. Agreed! Casey is wonderful about that. :) And thank you!

      ~Amber

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  13. I always like it when the "soiled doves" get a second chance on life and find true love. Can't wait to read it!

    Doreen
    priviesandprims at yahoo dot com

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    1. Doreen,

      Me, too. :) Like Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers - and the Bible book that inspired it, Hosea. Such a beautiful and heartbreaking picture of our own poor choices and a God who can love us through them and in spite of them, giving us second chance after second chance. Truly amazing! <3

      ~Amber

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  14. Congrats on your new book! It sounds wonderful and I just LOVE the cover. I hope you have great success!

    Blessings,
    Wanda Barefoot
    flghtlss1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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Thank you so much for stopping by, I love to hear from those who traffic my blog! Have a wonderful day. :)