Teaser Tuesday: SKIN Sequel

I've been typing away at SKIN #2, tentatively called SWIM, and it's going surprisingly well. This sequel thing is not my forté, but I hope to keep picking away at it to get the sequel out this year. 

We'll see. 

Ocean and Sam are back, but there's all sorts of trouble in selkie-land, A.K.A. Prince Edward Island. Starting with Ocean's mom. Here's a sneak peek: 

“What is the problem tonight?”

He’s beautiful sitting there in the dim porch light, freckles barely showing. 

“You,” I say.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. It seems she’s having second thoughts about my ‘involvement’ with a nasty Black.”

His grin stays, but the corners of his eyes shift. He doesn’t like to be associated with his father. 

“Well, that is a problem.” He faces the water, the lilt in his voice coming out more because he’s upset. Like Irish music playing to the tune of his emotions.

“I told her I wasn’t an ‘involvement’,” I say.

This catches him, and he turns back to face me again. “No?”

I try not to smile. 

“No. Involvement is too businesslike. I told her it was lust.” 

If only life could stay that simple, huh? Don't worry, things don't stay fun and simple for long. I'm 165 pages in, and Ocean and Sam are in a lovely mess. Unfortunately you'll have to wait to find out what that means. 

Enjoy your day!

Brenda

Teaser Tuesday: SKIN

Ahhhh. Coffee by my side, warm golden retriever at my feet, kids at school, hubby at work and a whole day of writing and organizing things ahead of me. Nice.

Step one is to get some blog posts up and running. I spent most of the pre-Christmas build up getting Dependent's 2nd Edition back up and online, so I thought I'd give my new release some love today. 

Here in Virginia it's cold and snowy and as much as it's nice to see the snow, I'm missing warm days on the beach. I love my golden retriever foot-warmer, but hot sand is so wonderful! And a nice cold lemony drink....sigh. I'm also working on the sequel to Skin...and the northern Atlantic beaches aren't so warm in October and November. Brrr! No wonder I need that coffee.

PEI in summertime...

To fortify you on the cold, dark days of winter, here's a little beachy teaser from Chapter 1 of Skin:

...When I get to the edge, Declan’s puny frame is already knee deep in one of the pools, and all I can think about is how good the water will feel on my toes. Wet sand is not satisfying at all. I want the real thing.

Then, like it’s some big event that I’ve been waiting my whole life for, I step in. 

The water reacts. 

It’s like a brain slap. A sense of recognition hits me, and a roll of emotion I’m not ready for swells up from under my feet, shocking me right to my chest. I gasp and step back, almost tripping over my own feet in my haste. 

Hmmm...what's happening there? If you want to read more, and haven't already purchased my latest YA, you can find Skin on Amazon HERE. Don't forget to review it when you've finished!

Happy Tuesday!

Brenda

Coming soon: SKIN Giveaway!

It's almost time for another GIVEAWAY! 

Summer is here and starting Monday I'll be hosting a giveaway for THREE books through Goodreads to celebrate!

Enter between June 27th and July 27th. And yes, Goodreads patrons in both CANADA and the U.S. can apply!

It's easy...just click on the links to enter. Don't forget to add SKIN to your to-be-read shelf. Share with your friends! Good Luck!

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

       

       Skin by Brenda Corey Dunne
       
Giveaway ends July 27, 2016. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

    Enter Giveaway

IT'S HERE!

LAUNCH DAY IS HERE! 

Today is the big day! SKIN is live on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca in both paperback and ebook form! You can also find it at Barnes and Nobel and on Smashwords, on Chapters.ca (only in ebook format so far) or...go into your local bookstore and ask them to stock it! Also go to Vicki Weavil's blog and show her some love for being today's blog tour host!

Today the BIG EVENT will be held at Laughing Oyster Bookshop in Courtenay BC. More info HERE. 

R to L: Tina, Yelena Casale and that's me in the green scarf!
Hope to repeat this adventure again soon!

SKIN had a long and rocky road to publication, but it will always hold a special place in my heart, because it is the story that helped me find my wonderful agents at Literary Counsel. I had basically given up on the agent idea, when my wonderful Twitter friend and crit partner, Tina Moss, suggested I submit to her agent. Less than a month later, I had a signed contract in my hand. 

The decision to submit that last time was a true turning point in my literary career. Since then I've published DEPENDENT, written two other full length YA manuscripts, and have made writing a part-time career. I'm still learning, but I hope to continue doing this for a long time to come.

So, you've ordered you amazing copy of SKIN online, or bought it at your bookstore, what do you do next? (Other than reading it, of course!)

*TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT YOUR BOOK! I really would love to hear how you purchased your copy. Post on my Facebook page to let me know. Or tag me on Instagram or Twitter. 

*WRITE A REVIEW! I cannot tell you how important reviews are in the indie publishing world. Even just an 'I liked it' or an 'It really sucked' makes a HUGE difference in an author's ability to market her books to a wider audience. Go back to your online store and click on the review button and review away.  Go to my Goodreads Page and pop another review on there. Go to a different online seller and see if you can review it there. PLEASE, tell me what you think. Even if you hated it. (Which I hope you didn't!)

*RECOMMEND IT TO A FRIEND! Or a colleague, or the grocery store clerk, or your sister, or your fitness instructor or the creepy guy you sat beside on the bus. Tell someone about it on Facebook. Pinterest/Instagram/Twitter. Please, please share.

*SUPPORT MY BLOG TOUR PARTICIPANTS! If you haven't already, click on the links to blog tour posts (like Vicki Weavil's mentioned above) and have a peek around. They are all authors, and have been kind enough to help me make this launch a success. They all have great work. Buy their books. Spread the love. <3 p="">

Thank you to all who have supported my adventures in writing so far. I hope you enjoy reading SKIN.

Brenda

ONE MORE DAY!

Seriously exciting things going on today! Only ONE DAY UNTIL LAUNCH! I can't believe it's here already. It's been four years of writing, editing, planning, submitting, stressing, ups and downs, and now I get to see my book baby launch into the world! I'm all over the place today in the blogosphere, and can't wait for you to check it out. Venue is perfect, books are there, and there's one beautiful smoked salmon platter ordered. Oh yeah. 

So here's what you need to do:

1. Go to Yelena Casale's Blog HERE and find out a little more background of how SKIN came into being, as well as my advice for aspiring authors. 

2. Go to AnnMarie Meyers Blog HERE read about out how being a military spouse affects my writing, my other passions, and what a perfect day looks like for me.

3. Enter my giveaway for a free copy of SKIN HERE. (US residents only)

4. GET READY! Tomorrow is the big day! More information HERE (Lindsay Chung's article from the Comox Valley Record) and HERE. 

Brenda  

Last day of May! 

TWO DAYS 'TIL LAUNCH!!!

Go on over to my writing friend and agent-mate Jody Holford's blog ...

And when you're done...buy one of her books! 

An excerpt!

Today feels like a beach day, doesn't it? 

So here's a beachy excerpt!

News, news, news!

Guess what? 

SKIN PAPERBACKS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!

It takes some time to get these things to trickle out to where they need be, but today when I checked, I was ecstatic to see that SKIN is already available in paperback form at the following places...

Amazon.com (for my lovely American friends)

Amazon.ca (for the Canadian Crowd) and

Barnes and Noble

So what are you waiting for? GO! Get your copy! Tell a friend! Share the news!

And if your an ebook person, it's only a few more days 'til you can download it. Don't forget, American readers can click HERE to enter to win their copy of SKIN for free!

Blog Party Begins!

Today is the first day!

So excited to share SKIN with you! Pop on over to Danielle DeVor's book blog, and take a look at what she had to say about SKIN!

http://ddevor.weebly.com

Don't forget to pre-order your copy! (click on the pic on the right)----------------------------------->

Brenda

SKIN COVER REVEAL!

Happy Day-After-Valentine's Day!

I have the absolute best friends, family, followers and fans, so today I bring you love in a different form...the cover release for SKIN!

Scheduled to publish via Fortunate Frog Fiction (my wee froggie personal publishing company) in May of 2016, SKIN is a Young Adult Paranormal Romance set in one of my favourite places on earth, Prince Edward Island. Think red sand beaches and windswept dunes. Think lighthouses and wild roses. Starfish, seagulls and...Selkies! 

Here's a bit about it:

With a name like Ocean, you’d think moving to Prince Edward Island would be simple. But since she crossed that huge bridge to the land of red sand, Ocean’s life has been far from normal—it’s been downright dangerous. Trouble seems to follow her, and she’s got the bruises to prove it. 

And then there’s her mysterious neighbour, Sam...who seems to know more about her history than she does herself. 

When Ocean finally steps into the salty waves with Sam, she realizes that her life has been based on a lie, and that she is missing something...something she never knew existed. 

Her skin.

Ready to see it? 

And now...

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The first peek of my new novel, SKIN...

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You're almost there...

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Ta Da!!!

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Isn't it pretty? Glendon at Streetlight Graphics has done an amazing job of taking my musings and turning them into a beautiful design. Thank you to my family, friends and even my agent, Fran, for putting up with the back and forth of fine tuning it. I can't wait to share more of SKIN with you in the next few months, and bring another book baby into the world in May. Please let me know what you think in the Comments!

Happy Day-after-Valentine's Day!

Want to find out more about SKIN? Interested in participating in my release party,  reviewing an ARC or highlighting SKIN on your Blog? Comment below or message me on Facebook or Twitter! Don't forget to follow me!

Brenda

Thoughts on a New Year... And an Announcement!

Another Christmas (or holiday, if it's your preference) season has come and gone.

Ski season is here!
Enjoying the view from Mount Washington.

It was a bit of a wacky one in the Dunne household, what with my day job, hubby's work, kids performances, parties and the like, but it was so good to at least have a few hours to sit on my tushie and think. A few quiet moments in the insanity to reflect on the ups and downs of 2015, and make some plans (or at least attempt to make plans...more on that later) for 2016.

So. 2015. Was it a good year for you? It was for me. Looking back over my year, the word that comes to mind is BUSY.  I finished a manuscript. I got my power sailing license. I started a choir (and we sang for 23,000 people in November!) I worked, I wrote, I sailed, I sang, I skied, I sold a few books and I spent a whole lot of time moving forward. It was a great year, all in all. But, wow. I hardly stopped.

After a year like that, you can see why sitting on my tushie for a few hours was a good thing. I was ready for a break. Ready to sit and reflect and make plans (and eat...there was lots of eating...).

As I look ahead at 2016, it's difficult to make any real plan for one reason--it's a posting year for us. That's right, once again the Dunne clan will be packing up shop and moving forward, to some yet-unknown destination. In all likelihood we have another cross-continental move ahead of us. It makes me cringe a teeny tiny bit inside, thinking of another summer of boxes and fast-food meals, but it's also exciting. We have a pretty good idea where we will end up...but I can't share it with you until we have that marvellous piece of paper in hand that tells us for sure. Let's just say it will be a big change for us, but one that will be amazing in many ways. :)

But a new home is not the only thing that will be happening for me this year. I have a surprise for you all! Something pretty darn exciting. Something I've been considering, thinking on, mulling over and pulling my hair out about. But finally I've come up with a plan, and today you get to hear it!

So...

In late May, 2016, I will be publishing a NEW BOOK! 

Time to charge up the presses!

Yes! After much thought, and lots of soul-searching, I've decided to warm up the Fortunate Frog Fiction printing presses, and self-publish (yes, SELF publish) my third novel. It's a new story (sorry, TREASURE fans...still working on my sequel, but more on that another time), which I've hinted at before, a modern-day YA fantasy set on the beautiful shores of Prince Edward Island. I can't wait to share more about it in the next few weeks! 

It's called SKIN. 

So there you go. 2016 is going to be a GREAT YEAR. It's so good to be back at the self-pub table, getting ready to move forward. January and February will involve some work with graphic designers and editors, some final edits and I hope to have a cover reveal by the end of February. 

I'll leave you with this photo...a scene for warmer days, and wondrous possibilities...one you might just see in SKIN...

The beautiful dunes of Prince Edward Island.

Stay tuned!

Brenda

Military Monday: Vacations

A week and a half of bliss.



Rose bushes by our PEI cottage

For twelve days my family have enjoyed one another's company while driving almost 4000km (close to 2500 miles), visiting three provincial capitals, touring historical buildings, national treasures, and one absolutely beautiful beach. We've eaten a plethora of just-off-the-boat shellfish (OH, the LOBSTER!), fresh croissants, rabbit pie and even a home cooked and very delicious gluten-free birthday cake. We've body-surfed and had (slightly rude) late-night Scrabble games. We've biked, toasted marshmallows, read more than twenty-five books collectively, and watched shooting stars from a red-sand beach.

Pure heaven.

I've been quiet in social media circles for a week or so, but if you caught my tweet/facebook post a few weeks ago, you will know that this is the first true and un-blemished vacation our military family has had in years.

What do I mean by un-blemished? I mean a vacation that is neither tacked on to, nor involves any of the following:

*a house-hunting trip
*a move from post to post
*a family emergency
*the beginning/middle/end of a deployment
*a major holiday (ie Christmas/Easter/Thanksgiving...or any other religious holiday which generally involves semi-mandatory family get-togethers)
*a work/military conference or trip

If you are a service family of any sort, or have had to move away from family as a result of your/your spouse's job (RCMP families? Oil-rig workers?), you will understand what I'm getting at. Sometimes a vacation can be just being together in your own house for a week, with no demands on your time other than what game you're going to play or what park you are going to walk to.

It's hard to be away from your parents, grandparents and siblings. And vacation time with them is precious. Incredibly precious. So every vacation has to be planned and plotted and judiciously organized to maximize this family time. It's even more complicated if your respective parents live in two separate parts of the country...as is the case in our family (almost 1400km apart). Just going 'home for the holidays' is a delicate balancing act, not to mention an expensive and potentially stress-filled prospect. Even worse when your posting has plunked you in a completely different part of the country or the world.

Don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining. Sometimes the military lifestyle works to our advantage, and little bonuses come our way. Like this past January, when I got to tag along on my hubby's New York City visit (I blogged about it here...). Or when the kids and I flew over to Italy to meet up with my hubby during his two-week mid-deployment break (see A Vacation in the Clouds here).  I have one friend who has just completed a cross-continent family adventure as part of their move from Florida to Alaska (loved reading her Facebook updates!). Another went to Hawaii with her hubby when he was tasked there for a month. Military families are great opportunity maximizers, and can turn a stressful situation (a 10 day drive to a new post) into a once in a lifetime trip (a family adventure to see the coast of Maine and the Rocky Mountains all in one tour).



Thunder Cove Beach, PEI

But these military 'facilitated' vacations are few and far between and sometimes bitter-sweet. I have to say, one of the hardest good-byes I've ever experienced was our Venice adieu, watching Daddy as he left on his plane to head back to the Middle East while we waited for ours to take us back to a very quiet and Daddy-less home. The magic of our two-week vacation ended with the close of a door.

When we were plotting our precious yearly vacation time waaaaaaaay back in the winter, we decided on Prince Edward Island for many reasons, but the military had no part of this decision. We went there because we wanted to  and not because we had to. A rare occurrence in our family existence.

And the extended family visits on the way? Well, they were just a bonus.

Brenda



Got a family vacation story you'd like to share? A move that turned into an unexpected adventure? Drop me a line in the comments below!

Happy Saturday!

Spring is trying it's darndest to make an appearance in Eastern Ontario, but this morning's snow/ice pellet squall was a little reminder that it's not summer yet! Research for the sequel I'm working on has taken me online to lonely beaches and rocky shores all over the Atlantic Coast and I'm ready for summer.

Well hullo! Whatcha doin in there?

But the good news is that with the melting snow and the warmer (ie ABOVE freezing) temperatures, the snow has almost melted here. Cue outdoor riding, gardening, running (*hack, gasp*) and reading. Yay! Thought you would all like this pic of my DD's horse greeting me in my car. She was riding on the field by our driveway when I came home from the day job this week. I tweeted it, but I thought I'd repost. He's a cutie.


Is it warm where you are? What spring rituals are you working on this weekend?

Brenda

Wednesday Word-tease.

Was reading over my completed manuscript, SKIN, and this little bit asked me to share it with you....so here you go.

The sun has now set behind us but in front of us, beyond the beach, a huge orange moon is erupting from the waves. It slowly peeks over the horizon and then explodes above the ocean like an atomic balloon, up and up until it frees itself from the world and floats alone. I’m mesmerized.

I flick my eyes over to Sam to see if he is seeing this but he’s not looking through the window. He’s looking at me.

“You don’t see a lot of moonrises in the city,” he says.

“No, not like this.”

He’s studying my face. I’m too shy to study him back, so I fiddle with the hem on my skirt.

“I…I never thought to look,” I finally say to fill the silence.

“You should. The moon is important, it orchestrates the tides.”

Ah...but why would the moon be important? Why would Sam care about the tides? And that, my friends, you will have to find out another time.

Happy Hump Day!

Brenda

 

Meanwhile, back at the Ranch

Sir Baas-a-lot says hello.

Although the preps for TREASURE IN THE FLAME's self pub are in full swing, life has not stopped at the Dunne writing ranch. In the works is another YA manuscript-this time an urban fantasy set in contemporary PEI.

I loooooooove PEI. It's one of my favourite places in the world. Miles and miles of red sand beaches, lobster, rolling hills, lobster, friendly people...It's a wondeful place. (Did I mention lobster?)

I also love fantasy. When I read, I like to escape. I like to go somewhere that doesn't involve my day to day reality. But I also like real-lifeish fantasy. You know, stories that you know would never happen, but feel so real when your in them. White, mysterious unicorns instead of pink shiny unicorns farting rainbows. That sort of stuff.

So when I was thinking about what I should write for NaNoWriMo last year, I tossed the idea around of a contemporary fantasy on PEI soil.

Thirty days later, I had 50k words of what was then titled Red Sand Selkie. I've spent the last 8 months or so editing and perfecting it and voila! My newest completed manuscript SKIN is born.

Red sand, secrets...and selkies.

When Ocean O'Malley's family moves to the shores of PEI, she finds more than just beaches and a hot neighbour named Sam. Something is missing. Something she didn't even know existed. And only when she slips beneath the salty waves with Sam does she find out what that something is.

(*cue mysterious music*)

It's a fun story and it makes me want to go back to the Island and plunk myself down on a windswept red sand beach. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Stay tuned.

Brenda