RWA 2016

Hi everyone!

The annual conference of my favorite writers associations, Romance Writers of America, is happening this weekend in beautiful San Diego. I’m so jealous of everyone who’s over there!  I can’t be there this year, but my books are featured in the Carina Press room. Stop by and chat with my fellow Carina authors or say hi to Carina’s Senior Editor, the amazing Kerri Buckley, who knows my novels better than anyone else. She’s my editor at Carina Press. Also around is Angela James, Carina Press’s Editorial Director. And don’t miss Carina Press 30% off sale, now through July 31! Use coupon code RWA3016

Enjoy!

A.

Carina Invite RWA16

 

Book covers for RWA16

 

Playlist for The Asset

Hi there!

I’m been so busy with the edits for The Stranger and putting the final touches on The Game Warden, that I haven’t had a minute to post here. But today, right after  I turned in the copy edits for The Stranger, I decided it was time to come up for a breath of fresh air.

A kind reader who loved The Asset emailed me. She wanted to know what kind of pop music I associated with The Asset. I love listening to music. For me, lyrics are important and a powerful song makes a statement. I like to listen to oldies, newbies and everything in between. So when I put together a Playlist for The Asset, I came up with exactly that sort of a mix.

In The Asset we meet Ash Hunter, a Navy SEAL wounded in Afghanistan who’s struggling to overcome his injuries when he finds himself staring down the barrel of Lia Stuart’s shotgun. Lia is a fugitive, hiding, desperately trying to escape her terrifying past. She may not be a SEAL and she’s definitively keeping secrets, but Ash recognizes her for who she really is: a fighter and a survivor, the kind, caring, passionate woman he could love, if only she wasn’t so afraid to let him. When she risks her cover to help him, Ash commits to a new mission. He will lay down his life to save hers.

The songs below make me think about Lia and Ash and what happens as they face their demons, challenge their enemies and fall in love.

Enjoy!

He: Dead or Alive

By John Bon Jovi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRvCvsRp5ho

 

She: Some Nights

By Fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQkBeOisNM0

 

He: Princes of the Universe

By Queen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEJ8lpCQbyw

 

She: I’m going to love you like I’m going to lose you.

By Meghan Trainor and John Legend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-MBfn8XjIU

 

They: Stand By You

Rachel Platten

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwB9EMpW8eY

 

They: Home

By Philipps Philipps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoRkntoHkIE

 

At the Brink is a Top Pick for The Romance Review

I’m so excited to share this awesome review of At the Brink with you guys!

Cheers,  A.

5 stars and Top Pick!

Book Reviewed by Delta (reviewer)

[ Review Posted: May 18, 2016 ] – See all my reviews

Hey ladies, this is one book boyfriend you’ll wanna get your hands on STAT!

Lily Boswell can’t believe her loser husband offered her up to billionaire Josh Lane for an influx of money into his failing company. Except that she can, she totally can believe it. It’s a good thing then that Josh is WAY easy on the eyes and makes her heart stutter in her chest when he touches her.

Josh doesn’t have to pay women to be in his bed, but he’d give his fortune away for one night with Lily. Fortunately that doesn’t have to be the case, since her husband virtually gives her away, even if she doesn’t really want to be his lover. The two of them have a once in a lifetime chemistry, and he’s willing to find out what could be between them. Josh completely corrupts the demure Lily, taking her to dizzying sensual heights and showing her things she never dreamed about. But Josh has a lot of secrets, secrets that Lily has no way of uncovering. And with forces conspiring to break them apart, she may not ever have the chance.

AT THE BRINK is the first novel in the new At The Brink series by Ms. del Mar, and it’s AWESOME! Josh and Lily had some seriously insane chemistry, and their sex scenes absolutely made me drool! But beyond the hot hot hot sexy sex, their banter and adoration of each other was epic. This is one book couple that will stay with me for a while!

Lily was a sweet, lovely woman. With a shithead husband who made her life hell and a negative balance in her banking account, she makes the best of a craptastic situation. Josh sweeps her off her feet and she’s helpless to resist his domineering persona. Former Navy SEAL Josh needed control over all aspects of his life, and while Lily was a good bedroom submissive, she wasn’t one to be tamed in life. Together the couple formed a brilliant love affair that captivated and enthralled me from the first page. I’m super excited to work my way through her books featuring some phenomenal veterans.

Bottom Line: I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend picking up AT THE BRINK and enjoying Ms. del Mar’s fabulous writing style!

– See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=21583#sthash.6SEiSLH7.dpuf

 

At-The-Brink-Cover-Anatomy-DRAFT

 

It’s Launch Day And At the Brink Is Now Available!

Champagne bottle

I’m so excited to announce the release of my new novel At the Brink from Carina Press, my first erotic romance, now available on Amazon, Carina Press, or your favorite online book seller. If you follow this blog then you know that for me, the celebration of a new book launch is all about saying thanks. Publishing a novel is a team sport and lots of talented folks poured their efforts—and their hearts—into the project that eventually became At the Brink.

So I want to thank the amazing folks who made the publication of this novel possible, beginning with Nancy Cassidy from The Red Pen Coach, who first edited the manuscript that would eventually become At the Brink and encouraged me to seek publication. Thanks Nancy!

I also want to thank the folks of Carina Press for choosing to publish my books. I know there’s a lot of awesome authors out there and I sure appreciate the opportunity. Huge thanks to the incredible Kerri Buckley, my amazing editor at Carina. Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe Kerri. I feel so lucky I get to work with her. Gratitude also goes to the team at Carina Press for their hard work and support. Kerri, Angela James, Heather Goldberg, Stephanie Doig and the rest of the team do an amazing job at supporting Carina’s authors. Their efforts are very much appreciated.

Special thanks to the wonderful people who’ve helped with the launch and the promotion of my novels, including Danny at Kismet Book Touring, the absolute best virtual book promoter in the market, and my online publicist Aileen Aroma, who, along with her wonderful team, works tirelessly to help get the word out. Thanks guys!

Readers of The Asset have written to ask if At the Brink is the sequel to The Asset. The answer is no, The Asset is followed by The Stranger, coming August, 2016. The Asset and At the Brink share commonalities in that they are both romantic suspense and feature wounded warrior heroes as protagonists. They are also both all about the romance. But At the Brink belongs firmly in the realm of erotic romance. As such, it packs a higher level of heat than The Asset. At the Brink is a gritty, complex, kinky, explicit erotic romance about dark lust and sexual obsession that leads to redemption and, yes, sweet, life-transforming, true love. So—and I’m smiling—you’ve been warned!

At-The-Brink-countdown-images-available-now

Interview with BloggerNews.net

Hi everybody!

Here it is, my interview with BloggerNews.net.

A.

Sunset behind the Sawatch Range

When did you decide you wanted to become an author?

I was three, I think. It’s one of my earliest memories. I was trudging through the pages of a picture book and I thought: “Hey, I could do this. I could tell stories to other kids!” Ever since then, I’ve been telling stories in my head.

 Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

 I’m really excited to celebrate the release of The Asset, my debut romance, the first book of my Wounded Warrior series. The series features strong, self-reliant heroines struggling to overcome their inner demons to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, military heroes who challenge their limits to protect the women they love.

The Asset is a gritty and suspenseful contemporary romance about a woman, fleeing from her sinister past, who must defy her fears and risk her life to care for a wounded warrior, a SEAL, running away from his uncertain future. I was inspired to write both the novel and the series by the amazing people I met while my husband was in the Navy. I wish that everybody in the world got to meet these brave souls. More specifically, my heroes and heroines are inspired by the wounded warriors coming back from the wars abroad and the incredible resilience they show every day.

 What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?

What an interesting question. I’m going to say that I’m both. I’m very experiential in my approach to writing. I want to know how my characters feel in a certain setting and I actively look for opportunities to make that happen. I love to incorporate the details of places I’ve visited and experiences I’ve had. Just to give you an example, The Asset is set in Colorado, where I spend a lot of time. I love the Rocky Mountains and the diverse people that make their home among those rugged peaks. I think the experiential writer has the advantage of insight, because she or he has a greater appreciation for how it feels to stand in the character’s shoes.

Having said that, my writing brain is process oriented. I ruminate my stories both consciously and unconsciously. The stories do feel like dreams and fantasies sometimes. And yet this processing has a very practical application, because when the rumination and the dreaming are over, the story is pretty much ready to go.

Agatha Christie got her best ideas while eating green apples in the bathtub. Steven Spielberg says he gets his best ideas while driving on the highway. When do you get your best ideas and why do you think this is?

 The shower, definitively the shower. Nothing like a hot, long shower to get the brain going.

 From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

 About two years. I wrote The Asset on a whim. It poured out. It sort of wrote itself in about three, maybe four months. Then came the editing. I was working on other projects, so I worked on it on and off for another three months. Encouraged by my editor, I fired three or four queries to test the waters. I was lucky. The queries generated some interest, including Carina Press, which was top of my list. The process slowed down while Carina considered my submission. They put a lot of time and work into their decisions, something I appreciate. Then it was done. Since the moment they accepted the manuscript for publication, the entire team has been working feverishly to get The Asset to market.

As a writer, what scares you the most?

The idea that for some terrible reason, I couldn’t write.

 When writing, what themes do you feel passionate about?

 The themes of the Wounded Warrior series, which also permeate The Asset, are very dear to me. I’m writing about some amazingly determined heroes and heroines. The series is not really about physical injury. It’s about the wounds we all carry deep inside, the pain we all experience as we grow, change and develop. Perhaps most importantly, the series is about the courage that it takes to face and overcome the challenges that life throws at us. Above all, the series is about hope, the resilience of true heroes, the joy that comes from the journey and love’s extraordinary healing power.

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

 I belong to the night. The writer in me falls squarely into the night owl category.

 As an author, what is your greatest reward?

A satisfied reader.

 Do you have another book on the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

 I have four new releases this year and I’m thrilled to share the good news. The second novel of the Wounded Warrior series is coming out in August 2016, also from Carina Press. In the vein of The Asset, The Stranger is a fun, hot, sexy contemporary romance that takes place against the background of majestic Alaska. I traveled to Alaska several times in order to get this one right. I can’t wait to share The Stranger with my readers.

In addition, I have another series coming out this year, which combines the themes of the Wounded Warrior series with a higher level of heat that’s sure to please readers of erotic romance. I’m calling this one my naughty series especially written for my naughty readers. The first book of the series, At The Brink is coming from Carina Press on May 2016, followed quickly by the second novel of the series, out in November. So as you can see, I’ve got a busy year ahead.

Do you have a website/blog where readers may learn more about you and your work?

Of course! My website is www.annadelmar.com. For direct access to my blog, you can go to http://www.annadelmar.com/blog/. Feel free to subscribe to it for the latest news and information. Also, The Asset’s first chapter is posted at http://www.annadelmar.com/pages/excerpt.html. If you like a smart, suspenseful, sexy romance, The Asset is for you.

A Warm Welcome to Bloggers, Reviewers, Readers and New Friends And A Big Thank You

Thank you image

Release week is over and, after a fantastic first few days, it’s still pretty hectic over here. However, I want to take a moment to welcome all the wonderful bloggers, reviewers, readers and new friends I’ve made in the past couple of weeks.

 

In particular, I want to thank the bloggers from Kismet Book Tours, Bewitched Book Tours and Pump Up Your Book. You guys rock! For a girl who’s a bit of an introvert and didn’t even have a Facebook and Twitter account last year, I’ve gotten to know a lot of you over social media, email and by visiting your blogs and reading your posts.

 
And you know what? I love it! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all you avid readers, book fanatics, hardworking promoters and fiercely opinionated story lovers.

 
I’m in awe of all of the work that these folks put into their reading passion. Not only do they devote their valuable time and energy to reading our novels, featuring our books and putting together their reviews. They also work hard to get the word out and to share with friends and like-minded readers. It takes a lot of time, care and expertise to do all of that!

 
So I want to personally thank all of you who have featured The Asset in your blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter and other outlets. I’m especially grateful to all of you who have written reviews and super thankful for every review posted on Amazon. Good reviews open doors for new authors and lift up our novels in the complex Amazon marketing ecosystem. They’re so very important to the success of a new author.

 
I also want you to know that I try very hard to reach every one of you and leave comments on your blogs/sites. Every so often, I might miss someone, especially if I don’t know where to find you. So don’t hesitate to give me a nudge if you haven’t heard from me. I’d love to connect with you and I’m thankful for every mention, feature, review, comment and personal recommendation.

 
So to all of you who have read The Asset, loved it, promoted it, featured it, reviewed it, a huge ginormous THANK YOU!

Today is The Day!

Champagne bottle

The Asset is now live on Amazon. What a wonderful milestone in this awesome adventure. For me, celebrations are all about being thankful. So I want to celebrate the launch of The Asset by thanking everyone who’s been a vital part of this journey.

From beginning to end publishing a novel is a team sport and I’ve got some of the best players ever in my corner. I’m greatly indebted to my personal editor, the amazing Nancy Cassidy, who read through the first drafts of this novel and led me with great wisdom and incredible generosity all the way to Carina’s doors.

At Carina Press, I had the enormous good fortune of landing on the desk of Kerri Buckley, editor extraordinaire, multitasking queen of the writing universe and precision surgeon of the story. Without Kerri, I’d be going in circles. I’m also thankful to Heather Goldberg, Stephanie Doig and all the folks at Carina whose talents and contributions I sincerely appreciate. Angela James, Kerri Buckley and the team at Carina Press represent everything that’s right, fun and inspiring about writing and the publishing industry. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and enthusiasm.

I also want to thank my online publicist, Aileen Aroma and her team of dedicated promoters for helping me navigate the world of Facebook, Twitter and online promotion. Thanks guys! You are all awesome. Special thanks to my amazing website designer, Chris Bowyer, who managed the setup despite my technological disabilities. Thanks for your patience, Chris!

My gratitude also to all the bloggers and avid readers who read or are currently reading The Asset’s galleys. Special thanks for all those great early reviews you guys posted on Goodreads and Amazon. Early reviews make a huge difference to a new author and give a new novel a push. Thank you so much for giving me a chance.

I’d be remiss not to gush about the usual suspects: my parents, who gifted me with the joy of reading; my sisters, who bring laughter to my life; my friends, whose support means so much to me; my children, who are the inspiration for everything I do; and my husband, who is always willing to grab the helm and steer the ship to port when I go MIA. I’m blessed with their love.

And now…if you haven’t done so yet, go get The Asset!

The_Asset_High ResNow Available on Amazon

What I love best about the Wounded Warrior Series and The Asset

My romances are inspired by real people, the men and women I met while I was a Navy wife. Many of characters are influenced by my friends, neighbors and peers, the silent heroes and heroines I was so fortunate to meet when I was part of the military community.

More specifically, my Wounded Warrior series draws inspiration from the military heroes who have given so much for our country. The series is about strong, self-reliant heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, skilled, sexy military heroes who challenge their limits to protect the women they love.

The Asset is about Lia Stuart, a woman desperate to escape her dangerous past and Ash Hunter, the Navy SEAL who would lay down his life to save her. Ash is also on the run, from his superiors, but worse, from his uncertain future. When we meet him, he has just bolted from the hospital, suffering from a crippling infection and PTSD. Along with his trained service dog, he flees to his hometown to the isolated lakeside cottage where he confronts Lia’s shotgun and the limits of his broken body.

But when Lia risks her life to care for Ash, he discovers that he’s not the only one suffering from PTSD. Together, Ash and Lia have to defeat the evil that threatens to destroy their lives as they struggle to heal, not only Ash’s broken body but Lia’s shattered soul.

What I love most about The Asset is that it is a story about hope, courage, resilience, redemption and love’s extraordinary healing power. I’m really awed by the wounded warriors returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think these men and women and the families that support them are amazing. Their strength in the face of adversity, their determination to reclaim their lives and their resilience are extraordinary. I hope that in The Asset, Lia and Ash honor their stories.