Susan Sands: We Have a Trilogy!

Forever, Alabama is out at long last!! My third in the Alabama trilogy released March 20th.

Forever, Alabama

Ben and Sabine's story was such a labor of love and I've been a little nervous about its reception with readers because of the story's slight change in feel. My books thus far have included mostly women's fiction and romance elements with a goodly dose of humor mixed in. This one began with more a feel of general fiction. Both my hero and heroine had some complex, soul-deep backstory they brought to the table that prevented the lighter coming together as a romantic couple. Their "together" takes a little longer to really take hold, but there's a lot of interesting story that occurs between them before they become an item. So far, the response has been fantastic!

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fun, family, and small town shenanigans here to keep the lover of small town romance tickled pink. Ben and Sabine have fantastic chemistry. Some books are, by nature, more difficult to write, and don't fit within the genre as perfectly as others.

I attending a wonderful writer's conference over the weekend and sat on several panels. I think the discussions on story, plot, and setting were more helpful to me than to the attendees. Sometimes in hashing things out with other writers, the proverbial light bulb flickers on.

Many many thanks to the Tule Publishing team for all their support and guidance in getting this book baby out into the world! And a huge thanks to Lee Hyat for her help in wrangling this fantastic cover! I greatly respect those who do the things so well that I know would challenge me far beyond my humble writing skills.

I love to connect with my readers! You can find me at the following places:

snsands@gmail.com



Susan Sands

Susan Sands: Cover Reveal

Dear Friends,

I'm so excited to share the new cover and blurb for my upcoming novel, Forever, Alabama! This

Forever, Alabama

book has been a tough one, I have to say. I've written it through busy and emotional times, so it's a victory just seeing it come to fruition.

I believe the story reflects some of the angst I've lived while writing it, so if it's slightly different, that might be the reason. Personal struggle shows up in an author's work, no matter how we try to maintain continuity. There's a little more independent character development, both with the hero and heroine. They've both got some stuff going on separate from the other. But they come together to help one another with the other's struggles and find something special together. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Be there for each other? I hope you'll give Forever, Alabama a try. 

Oh, and isn't the cover fantastic? Lee Hyat, my cover designer did a fantastic job, as did the rest of the Tule team. I can't thank them enough for the time and effort they put into helping my work out into the world.

Blurb:

Everybody loves local attorney and favorite son, Ben Laroux.  Well, at least everybody of the female persuasion–until he meets Sabine O'Connor. She loathes him and makes no secret of her feelings, even when he pours on his famous charm hoping to thank her for helping his family. Ben has never been told no, and if there's one thing he's never walked away from, it's a challenge.    Sabine hopes she’s finally found peace and safety in the small town of Ministry. She’s changed her name to escape her painful past and her shameful family secrets. Ben Laroux is a gorgeous and sexy complication she can’t afford, but also can't resist. However, when her past threatens to derail her present and future, Ben might be the only man she can trust.

I would love to connect!!

Susan

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Susan Sands: Birthing a New Book

It's all beginning again! The exciting process of birthing a bright, new, shiny book baby is still a pretty new one for me and I wonder if other authors still get as starry-eyed as I'm feeling right now. I signed the contract, turned in the manuscript, and I've just received the cover art fact sheet asking all the questions about my setting, story, and characters. I love that my input and opinion really matters to my publisher, and thus far, they've knocked it out of the park when it comes to creativity and beautiful cover art.

Now, I wait for my fabulous editor to read the book and get back to me with her thoughts and suggestions. That's the hard part, isn't it? The waiting. And hoping. Hoping she will connect with my story the way I've written it. Hoping once again I've done my characters justice and didn't let it get too far off the rails. Will this one be too suspenseful? Sexy enough? Too sexy? So, I wait...

The self-doubt creeps in every time the book leaves my hands and goes across the net into someone else's court. (I just lost a tennis match today in three sets, so tennis is my analogy for the moment).

I can't wait to see the mock-ups for the new cover. It's like waiting for Christmas! Oh, wait, it's really almost Christmas too! I love the big reveal on social media to my friends and readers. I think I love almost everything about the steps in the process. When one works as hard and for as long as I did to realize this dream, I don't see how I could ever not appreciate all of it. Yes, it's hard most of the time, but this is the fun of it--seeing the fruits of your labors come to life.

Thanks so much to the team at the Tule Publishing Group, Lee Hyatt, who publishes this blog and has designed my covers, and to Sinclair Sawhney, my lovely editor, who took a chance on me. I'm just all full of giddy today as I await the next steps toward book #3!!

Hopefully, I'll have a title and cover to reveal next month!

Have a safe and very happy holiday season!!

Susan Sands