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Targeting Your Audience, Part 2

The best and worst advice I’ve heard for marketing books is to target your audience. It’s a great catch phrase, but what on earth does it mean? It’s good advice because it’s true, but it’s less than helpful to a marketing amateur like me.


By failing to target my audience with my first book, I learned a whole lot more about it than I would have otherwise. So I’m going to do my best to come up with some good questions for you so you don’t make the same mistakes I made.


First I want you to list 10 books you think your target audience loves to read. You need to read these books and study them. No, you are not going to be exactly like these books, but you need to understand what about them your readers love.


Interesting thing you will find is that you fit into your target audience. You should be writing for yourself. The 10 books you pick should be books you already love. Even if you are not the age of the character in your book.



#1. What age should your character be?

The character in your book is the same age as your target audience OR the age your target audience perceives / fantasizes themselves. The young at heart, no matter how old, still love YA books, and there are the young who love older books.

When you put an age on your character, the reader automatically makes certain assumptions. If you break these assumptions, the wrong readers will pick up your books, and you’ll end up with bad reviews.

Age 12 to 14 – Sweet and fun, crushes and adventure. Think Fablehaven by Brandon Mull or the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter.

Age 16 – First kisses and dating. Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent or Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill or City of Bones by Cassandra Clare would be some good examples.

Age 17 – Still in high school but thinking about college, preparing to become an adult, maybe having their first sexual experience. Like Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally or The Crimson Crown by Cinda Williams Chima.

Ages 18 to 23 – College aged, no longer thinking about dating but about settling down, career focused rather than school. This age bracket usually addresses more adult topics: sex, drugs, alcohol, violence. But it is also less explicit than an adult novel. Some authors in this group include Abbi Glines and Cambria Hebert and Airicka Phoenix.

Ages 25 to 35 – This age bracket can include anything from Romance to Erotica or Contemporary to Paranormal. You will have to decide on your genre before you decide where you want to fit your book.


#2. How many POVs should your book have?

One of my early mistakes was to have too many POVs. TEARS (my 1st book) had 4 POVs other than my main character, and one of the biggest complaints was that it had too many.

I should have known better. My biggest complaint about The Wheel of Time is that there were too many POV’s. It seemed like every two-bit character in the world got a chance to tell his side of the story, and the people I WANTED to read about barely got a chance to be seen.

I have since realized that for me and the audience I want to target, two POVs are best. One for the hero and one for the heroine. Best writing groove I’ve ever had.



#3. How much sex should your book have?

People are picky. Some want explicit sexual scenes; others don’t want any. You have to be careful to handle this carefully. Too much, too little, the wrong wording, and you’ll get the wrong audience. Be sure to match the level of sexuality you have with the cover, the blurb, and the age range of your character.

If you make your character 14 and you have too much sexuality, your readers will be upset. If you make your character 18 and don’t have enough sexuality, again your readers will likely not enjoy the book.



#4. How much complexity does your book have?

This is not necessarily a good question. Harry Potter and Fablehaven are written for a younger crowd, but they have enough complexity for an older audience. On the other hand, I’ve read several books for the New Adult crowd that have only a handful of characters and a very straightforward plot.

But what you need to learn from these 10 books is how they handle the complexity. People don’t want plot holes and missing character development. If you can’t handle 100 puppet strings, then don’t write that many puppets into your story.



#5. How should you craft your blurb?

Blurbs bring out important elements that will appeal to a specific crowd. Pay attention to how the blurbs of these 10 books you are studying are crafted to show what is important to that audience.

Example: I’ve seen a lot of blurbs for Romance stories where the first paragraph is about the girl, the second paragraph is about the guy, and the third paragraph is the two of them together.



#6. What elements of a book cover draw you in?

When a reader picks up a book to read the blurb, it’s the cover that drew them in, that made them want to pick up that book. A picture speaks a thousand words, they say, and the cover of your book needs to speak two things to your reader:

(1) I want to be this person for a short while
(2) I want to experience this story

And this is what you need to keep in mind when you design your book cover to target your audience.

Release Day Blitz: The Virgin Charmer by Rachel A Olson



Title: The Virgin Charmer (The Triple Goddess Trilogy: Book One)
Author: Rachel A Olson
Genre: Paranormal Romance


BLURB:

Hope Richards has only ever known the life of a big city girl. When her boss gives her an ultimatum, she decided to try out the country life during her forced vacation. After falling in love with a mysterious old mansion on the edge of a town that time forgot, Hope finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of someone else's crazy love obsession, and realizes in the middle of it all how lacking her own life is in that department. Hope is faced with a decision: return to the mundane life she thought was her passion, or find a way to experience something far stronger that she secretly yearns for.



 
YOUTUBE BOOK TRAILER:



Somewhere amidst her forty-hour job and playtime with her three-year-old, Rachel finds time to walk the streets of worlds only existing on manmade paper. She resides in small college town Northwestern Nebraska with her young son, just a few blocks from a city park, the public schools, and her parents. She enjoys socializing with adults, sipping strawberry wine, and head banging to music that doesn't carry a beat worth the effort of rock star hair slinging.

"The paranormal world is a much more desired realm. There's no limit to possibilities, no comparison to probabilities, no concept of actualities. There's no solid platform for racism, judgment, or hierarchy. It is exactly the manifestation you choose it to be, darkness and death included."

AUTHOR LINKS:




“I think we should get a drink before we start Q and A.” The sound of Abigail’s voice made Hope jump enough to bump her knees on the table. Her tone was ice cold, sending prickly chills down Hope’s spine. She only nodded, certain that questioning how Abigail could be so dead about something involving her own brother would be a bad idea.

Abigail snapped her fingers in the air two times, and the man behind the bar immediately jumped on command. The closer he got, the stronger the pull became that Hope had felt previously. He walked with his face downcast, most likely watching where he stepped in an attempt to avoid tripping on anything or anyone. When he finally reached their table, Hope was in the middle of scrambling away, utterly terrified by what she was feeling. As soon as she caught sight of his face, her chair tipped back with her still in it.

Hope found herself sprawled out on a grubby wooden floor that didn’t look like it’d been swept in several days. Her sweater had somehow tangled itself around and between her knees, making any attempt she made to stand look very similar to a fish out of water.

Hope stopped all futile attempts to stand independently when a very masculine hand jabbed itself in front of her nose. With large, crossed eyes, she gasped and managed to scoot away from the floating hand by a few measly inches. A deep, silky chuckle rolled across languid airwaves and nearly choked Hope with its thick perfume. Hope glanced up through half mast eyes at the blurred face hovering just beyond the floating hand, and smiled crookedly, one eyebrow popping up a hair higher than the other. Another bout of chuckling ensued just as something lifted Hope to her seat.

“...Bump her head?”

“I’m...sure.”

Hope was only grasping portions of surrounding conversation. Her head swam through an enervated, unknown substance, causing a reaction similar to that of narcotics. She tried to shake herself and clear her mind, but whatever it was, it insisted on clinging tightly to every inch of her, inside and out.

“Do you mind telling me what your nose is doing on my boyfriend?” Hope was ripped from her strange trance when a cold, bony little hand landed abruptly on her shoulder. Her eyes flew open, finding that her nose was indeed buried into the chest of a man.

No, not just any man. The man. The one that was causing the pull.

“Holy shit,” she muttered to herself, stuck in the glistening eyes of a man several years younger than herself. She was fully aware of the stares she was earning, as well as a perfectly annoyed Abigail behind her. She was also aware that, at that particular moment, she didn’t have the willpower to pull away from the younger man directly in front of her, or whatever it was that possessed her.

Slowly, Mr. Gloriously Addictive stepped away from her snout, swallowing loudly as he did. Hope could hear Abigail impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. The further he got from her, the stronger she felt. Finally, Hope managed to turn a bit to look at Abigail over her shoulder, knowing her cheeks would match the color of unfriendly fire. She opened her mouth to apologize, and the next thing she knew, she was falling face first toward the table. Abigail clumsily caught her full weight, gently lowering her into the nearest chair. Hope opened a single eye, finding the bartender entirely too close for comfort, and no doubt the cause of her sudden lack of leg control and balance.

He was frowning at her, probably just like Hope frowned at him. Abigail popped up out of nowhere next to him, the man that was yet to own a name, offering Hope a crystal clear glass of liquid heaven. She swallowed a mouthful, expecting it to slide down like the cool, refreshing water it should’ve been. Except it wasn’t water, and it ignited the very fires of hell in her throat and belly.

“Sorry,” Abigail winced as Hope coughed and sputtered. “I should’ve told you it was Vodka. Your weird dizzy spells and swooning had me convinced you were in desperate need of a hard drink.” Hope only offered a half smile, practically glaring up at the man still standing entirely too close to her. “Oh jeez, my manners ran away with my good mood. This is Garrett, my boyfriend.” Garrett offered a friendly hand to shake, but Hope just stared at it. She was more concerned about the close proximity of that hand, and why his very presence made her feel like her skeleton had decided to take a vacation without the rest of her.

“I think I need some fresh air,” Hope finally managed to announce.



~Release Day Blitz~ Dark Seraphine by KaSonndra Leigh

Title: Dark Seraphine
Author: KaSonndra Leigh
Genre: Young Adult Dark Fantasy
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours


Synopsis:
**The Re-launched Second Edition will be published on 10/27/13**

"Mom always says the angels walk among us. She forgot to tell me that sometimes they're not all fluffy and nice."

Seventeen-year-old Caleb Wood has seen people he calls the walkers since he was a baby. It didn't take long for him to realize something…no one can see these strangers but him. They never stuck around or tried to touch him. And they never said a word. That was until one day on the first day of class in his senior year when an incredibly gorgeous girl strolls into his life…and things are never the same again.

Soon Caleb realizes he has stepped into the middle of a growing conflict between two ancient groups. And his ability to see the invisible ones, the half-breeds that want to modify the human race, just might be the only hope both he and the mysterious, but infuriating, Gia, have of making it out alive.

 
I live in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. I write about people doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Sometimes they fall for each other and make sacrifices for their friends. Oh, and sometimes they love music and nature too. I live with my two sons,a guinea pig, a cat, and two dogs. Now that I have completed my MFA in creative writing, I find that I have a little extra time to play CLUE more often. I live in an L-shaped house dedicated to my grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

Links:
Author website: www.kasonndraleigh.com
Prelude's Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/alestasia/the-prelude/

Buy Links:

 



Targeting Your Audience, Part 1



My first full length novel was named TEARS, and I released it in the summer of 2011. However, when I wrote it, I was still discovering my style, still learning and developing as a writer. I also hadn’t yet come to understand what people wanted in a book.


So I thought I'd share with you what I learned from the experience.


Mistakes I made:


1. I thought I should be writing YA. WHY? I have no idea. I just made the assumption without really understanding myself or what I love to read.

2. Someone told me that the magical age for a YA character was 16. So I made Jadon 16 and her younger sister Lelea 14. But Lelea was really the main character, and my story was not suited for a 14-year-old audience.

3. I really should have been writing New Adult. My mind and my style suit it much better. Since I read YA, NA, and adult books, it makes sense that I should write NA as being the middle ground between YA and adult.

4. I hadn’t truly integrated myself into the online book community, so I was out of touch with all the wonderful people who love books and chat on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter about the awesome books that are coming out.


You know what? It’s okay to make mistakes. I learned so much by floundering for the first few years of my writing career. Now I not only know what to do right. I know what not to do too.


How to avoid those same mistakes:

1. To target your audience, you need to read and read and read and read and read and read and read and read!!! Then read some more. Read lots of different genres for lots of different age groups and find out what you like best.

2. Then you need to write and write and write and write and write and write and write. I suggest short stories in lots of different genres with lots of different age groups. Short stories give you a chance to try out something without giving it a long-term commitment. You’ll discover what you’re most comfortable with.

3. And while writing short stories, you’ll also learn how to craft all the elements in a story on a small scale. If you can perfect all the story elements into a short story, you’ll be really good at the longer stories. You’ll know you’re ready to write novels once your readers start saying “I WANT MORE!” rather than “THIS NEEDS WORK!”

4. Connect with all those book lovers on the internet! Read blogs. Make friends on Facebook. Join Goodreads. Best of all, become one of those BOOK LOVIN’ LADIES who can’t stop talking about the awesome books they’ve read!


Support Indie Authors!




Heather Van Fleet is an awesome author I recently discovered! I signed up for her book blitz, and unlike a lot of other authors, she took the time to stop by and thank me for being a part of her release day promotion. I really love it when an author does that. It makes me feel special inside, warming my heart.


In a month of daily posts promoting other authors, I’m LUCKY to get 5 authors who stop by to leave a comment on my blog. Which is really sad. So when an author bothers to do this, I always remember her.


Then I saw Heather Van Fleet again when her book Resisting Fate was mentioned on Young Adult & Teen Reviews on Facebook. On a whim, I went out and bought her book, which was on sale for only 99 cents. The book kept me up until 4 in the morning, and I’m planning on buying her next book as soon as payday rolls around.





I just totally love werewolf stories! Add a touch of romance and mystery and I am hooked! So I ate this book up like ice cream and chocolate.


By the way, I highly recommend you go get Resisting Fate while it is still on sale!


So after reading such a great book, I did what any fan would do: I stalked her and her books on the internet. I found her on Facebook and befriended her. I wrote reviews on Goodreads and Amazon and splashed it on all my Social Media accounts. And I read her other reviews on Goodreads and Amazon and was THRILLED to see so many people who loved her book Resisting Fate as much as I did. I read review after review of glowing praise, and my excitement for the next book in this series just grew.


Then I checked out her other series. But then I was totally shocked to find that on Goodreads, one of her books had a 1-star-average rating, and when I investigated deeper, I discovered it was only one person who gave such a poor rating to a book that HASN’T EVEN BEEN RELEASED YET!!!


Really? Why would anybody do that?!?!?


They didn’t bother to say WHY they gave a 1-star rating to a book they couldn’t have read yet, but I was flabbergasted.


What would make a person tear someone else down like that? Ratings should be on books, not on authors, and if someone hasn’t even read the book, they are just being cruel and vicious, trying to destroy someone’s career. I can’t imagine why someone would do that!


So I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. Doing my best to be polite to this person (who shall remain nameless since they have already taken down their rating), I simply asked how they could give such a rating to an author for a book they couldn’t have even read yet.


I’m thankful to say they removed the rating. Turns out it was only a GLITCH in Goodreads. Yay! When she added the book as to-read, Goodreads added the rating for some crazy reason.


But I wanted to take the time to raise awareness of what it is like to be an indie author.


Writing is a lot of work. And money. And time. And heartache!


When I write a book, I take away time from watching TV or reading a good book or spending with my family or doing the hundreds of things I love to do. I pour my heart into it and bleed my soul into every word.


And then I invest a lot of money for a cover, swag, promotion, etc. (See my post on what it costs to publish a book.) My books are currently priced at 99 cents, which means I only get 35 cents a copy (the online bookstore takes the rest). At that price, I’d have to sell about 20K books a month to make enough money to cover the cost of producing the book, taxes and insurance, and still provide for my family.


20,000 books a month just to make enough to live on!


We depend on readers for their support. The only way we can succeed is by YOUR word-of-mouth promotion. When you read a book you love, take the time to write a review and tell your friends about it!


By supporting the author whose books you love, you ensure the author will be able to continue writing and producing books.


So please do me a favor and go out and buy RESISTING FATE and then write her a review! Because I want this writer to keep on writing.


Oh, and while you’re at it, you can buy my novella PLAYING HOOKY too or the new short story FEATHER I released earlier this month, both priced at only 99 cents. I could really use your support. LOVE YOU!




So the moral of the story: Don’t feed the bears! Feed the starving writers!


Wait. No, that's not right. I don't recall saying anything about bears. *scratches head*


Whimsy 10.23.13






Welcome to my

Whimsical Writer's Wonderful WIP Wednesday!

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STATUS:

project: Breaking Angelina
series: Paranormal Investigation, #1.5
status: 50K!!! About 100% complete. We're on our last round of edits before it goes to the beta readers. I can't believe we're just weeks away from releasing this baby!








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EXCERPT:


THE SOUND OF a car honking wakes me up. I’m standing in the middle of the road—in my nightgown and bare feet, no less—and a car veers around me. Three lanes of busy traffic separate me from the sidewalk.

My heart in my throat, I dash across the road, and when a car slams on its breaks in front of me, I dive onto the sidewalk. My knee burns and aches where I land.

How did I get here?

Nothing answers me but the sound of the voices in my head cackling in delight.

Nauseated, scared, cold and hurting, I stare up at the morning sky. All this to punish me because the blue lady didn’t give them what they wanted.

They almost killed me.

“You okay, miss?” An old man helps me up.

“Yes, I just got a little lost.” In my pajamas on a busy street. Right. I need to learn to be a better liar.


{|{|{


HE TURNS TO leave, his shoulders stooped, and I can see the sorrow swallowing him up, a dark cloud raging around him. His pain digs into him, boring into his skin like ticks sucking him dry....

“Wait! Don’t go.” I grab his arm, and his pai...n races through me and settles around my heart, squeezing it with vicious claws. He turns to look at me, his amber gaze drilling into me. I blink back the sudden tears. “I’m sorry. I was rude. You were kind and I brushed you away. It’s just that …”

“What?” His voice is surprisingly gentle.

“Nobody can help me. Not you. Not all the money in the world can help.”

“No problem is ever that bad, angel.”


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Trailer Reveal: Few Are Angels by Inger Iverson



Title: Few Are Angels
Author: Inger Iverson         
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours


Synopsis:

After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale--a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past--reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.
 










Inger Iversen was born in 1982 to Anne and Kaii Iversen. She lives in Virginia Beach with her overweight lap cat, Max and her tree hugging boyfriend Joshua. She spends 90 percent of her time in Barnes and Noble and the other ten pretending not to want to be in Barnes and Noble.

Author links:




Buy Links:

Book Trailer


I’d had a hell of a time convincing Jace that I needed to know the truth about myself and where I was going, but I was getting better at convincing people. If only it had worked with Kale. To me, two days was more than enough time to calm down, but Kale seemed to need more time. That was one thing I didn’t have. He wasn’t answering his phone, and he wasn’t at the mausoleum when Jace, Mia, and I went to check. He and I both avoided answering Mia’s questions with the promise of a full explanation once we returned to the house. I had started to get worried, but Jace explained that Kale was tying up loose ends because I would be leaving and he would have no reason to stay in the area.  I wasn’t sure what loose ends he had, but I hoped I would get a chance to say ‘until we meet again’ because I was never going to say goodbye to him. It was better that we split up until Laurent was taken care of.
I had another reason to go with Jace to the Council. I had a favor to ask. In return, I would stay with them until Laurent was killed. Alex’s flight would be in at midnight and then there was the thirty minute drive to the house, and I had a while to explain everything to Mia.  Jace and I had discussed a plan to get Alex’s cooperation with helping me disappear. I hated saying it like that, but that’s what it was. It was Alex’s job to make sure his family knew I was appreciative of all they’d done, but I needed to leave. On the way to Mia’s from the cemetery, Mia was surprisingly easy to talk to. Her only demand was to be there when Alex arrived. I had told her about Kale believing that the tattooed man was in some way related to the killer and since her parents weren’t home that she shouldn’t stay there. Jace and I took her home to gather some things.
“I can’t believe this, Ella. I mean, I just can’t,” Mia said for the hundredth time. “Why would someone want to kidnap you?” She spoke without a bit of sarcasm. She was truly confused.
“Mia, it’s a long story that I only want to have to tell once, so you can stay with me tonight. When Alex gets here, I will tell you both everything.”
“Fine, but who is this guy?” She pointed at Jace.
He smiled in the rearview mirror as we drove into Elmwood City and reintroduced himself. “I’m Jace Vesco.”
Mia giggled and commenced flirting. “Beautiful accent. Where are you from?”
That was a good question. In fact, any personal question was a good one because I had never asked him about anything other than the Council.
“I’m from Belarus, but I have lived in so many different places that I believe my accent has evolved,” Jace joked, and Mia giggled again.
I could see why she was attracted to Jace. With his blue eyes and shockingly white-blond hair, he was incredibly handsome. His features were exotic and strong, but he didn't hold an air of mystery like Kale. At least not to me.
“My family is part Italian,” Mia said.
I peeked in the rearview mirror, taking in Mia’s blonde hair and pale skin, and was tempted to ask her about it. But hair dye and makeup could drastically change anyone’s looks. Instead of interrupting their banter, I sent Kale a text, but he didn't reply. Meanwhile, Jace and Mia continued to flirt back and forth, and I tried not to let my lousy mood interrupt them.
“It would be great to visit my roots in Italy,” I heard Mia say. “I hate living in a small town.  It sucks and most of the women never escape it. If they aren’t pregnant, they’re waitressing with nowhere to go,” she murmured. Shocked once again, I looked in the rearview mirror. Mia’s face was hidden as she looked out of the window. I felt bad for her, she seemed to feel trapped too, but the only problem was that she wasn’t doing anything about it.
 

The Triple Threat Tour & Giveaway








a Rafflecopter giveaway
 Find these amazing authors at any of the links below:


Cameo's Author Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CameoRenaeFanPage
Blog: http://cameorenae.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4794993.Cameo_Renae?from_search=true
Website: http://cameorenae.com
Twitter: @CameoRenae
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cameo-Renae/e/B004X2PEH0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1382031035&sr=8-2-ent

Madison's Author Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Madison.Daniel.Author
Blog: http://madisondaniel13.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5098993.Madison_Daniel?from_search=true
Twitter: @MadisonDaniel13
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Madison-Daniel/e/B005DMSAIO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1382031130&sr=1-2
Buy Links for Lucas Ryan Versus The Hive
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Ryan-Versus-Hive-ebook/dp/B00DLZPKQK/ref=la_B005DMSAIO_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382031160&sr=1-4

NELY’S AUTHOR LINKS:
Website:                     www.nelycab.com
FB Book Page:            www.facebook.com/Creatura.by.NelyCab
FB Author Page:        www.facebook.com/NelyCab
Twitter:                      www.twitter.com/nelycab
Goodreads:                 www.goodreads.com/nelycab
Blog:                            www.nelycab.blogspot.com
Google+:                     https://plus.google.com/115804598442656662617/posts
Email:                         info@nelycab.com
Amazon Page:    

~Cover Reveal~ Almost Matched by A.O. Peart

Title: Almost Matched (Almost Bad Boys #1)
Author: A. O. Peart  
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Expected Release Date: November 8th 2013
Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours


TAG LINE:
Would you take another shot at love? Or just settle on a friend with benefits?

TEASER LINE:
Their heart-rending past will move you. Their passion will make you blush. Their antics will make you laugh out loud.

BLURB:
Twenty-five-year-old Natalie Davenport lugs substantial baggage. One boyfriend after the next has been a total disaster, leaving Natalie distrustful toward the male population in general. So when Colin Hampton crosses her path, she’s cautious. Her heart (and some other body parts!) nudges her to go for it, while her head wants her to run for the hills.

Colin is one of those gorgeous guys who attract women, no matter the age or marital status. With a successful career at a popular Seattle radio station, hard body, and charming personality, he is the complete package. But something dark lurks in the corners of his soul; some murky experience that has changed him—maybe for the better, but maybe for the worse.

Will he steal her heart and stomp over it like other guys did?

Will she let him into her heavily fortified world despite herself?

Or will they settle somewhere in the middle—establishing the emotional boundaries to protect them from falling in love?


********************************************************

Disclaimer

This contemporary romantic comedy blends humor, sensuality, and angst, with zany characters and witty dialogue. You will laugh out loud while blushing in embarrassment.
**Warning: contains sexual situations (some quite vivid!), profanity, and a high dose of sarcasm. Oh, and there is a lot of appletini and beer drinking.
May not be appropriate for readers under 18 years old. Not intended for prudes and killjoys with no sense of humor**

A.O. Peart writes in multiple YA and NA genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy, contemporary, sci-fi, and short stories. Almost Matched, book one in the Almost Bad Boys series is her first New Adult contemporary novella. The action takes place in Seattle--the city which she came to call her home. She describes herself as European born, American by choice.

Author Links:
Website/blog: www.angelapeart.com
Newsletter signup: http://eepurl.com/o6syT
 

He shrugs a little and takes my hand in his. “I wanted to make this evening special.” Colin’s voice is low. Seductive?
Holy Mother of Sweet Jesus, I’m about to start hyperventilate. Heat stirs in my belly and lazily drenches down all the way to my underwear. These bright-blue eyes half-hooded under his lids tell me exactly what’s on his mind. My own mind eagerly nods her approval. I look at his lips and immediately imagine them on mine, on my neck, along my collarbone. Oh, no, that doesn’t help me keep control.
He’s so close to me, and then he stands up, pulling me to my feet. “Come.”
What’s going on? I obey, keeping my eyes on Colin. He smiles and blows out the candles. We walk to the living room, where upbeat salsa music comes out from the stereo.
“Do you dance salsa?” He stands in front of me, holding my both hands in his.
“Some.” I laugh and follow his lead.
Colin’s movements are fluid and sensual. He has an excellent sense of rhythm. I can’t stop beaming, while my eyes keep darting to his swaying to the beat hips. Wow, he can cook and he can dance.
He presses me to him and spins us around twice. I squeal and beseech my feet not to stumble. I’ve taken salsa lessons a few years ago, but I lack practice.
Colin turns us once again. He leads me to swirl on my own under his arm—once, twice, three times. I laugh and realize that it is not the wine that makes me happy and unconcerned. It is Colin.
The song ends, and he is enticingly close to me. He looks so endearing and sexy with his messy hair and twinkling with mischief eyes. Another song starts, but we are not dancing. Colin’s hand slides up to the back of my head, and then his lips are on mine. At first he kisses me softly, as if testing my reaction. But I’m not pulling away. I lean to him and return the kiss. His lips part, and I feel his tongue slide along my lower lip. It gently teases for a moment, and then my mouth is under his command, inviting and obeying. And I melt into him.
My body, lead by Queen V-Jay-Jay, decides to betray my anti-men tenacity. Treason in full display. I’m officially declared swooned over Colin. Crap, there goes my hope for staying unaffected. Ali’s fuck buddy advice goes out of the window in a jiffy. I knew it was going to be just like this.
“What am I going to do with you,” he sighs, resting his forehead against mine.
“What would you like to do?” I challenge. I know exactly what I’m willing him to do, and so does he.
He smiles against my lips.
I smile back, leaning away to look into those clear, blue eyes.
Colin takes my hand in his and pulls me toward the staircase. “Let me show you the upstairs then.”
“Is that your pick up line?” I feign suspicion.  
“I think we are past the pick up line stage.” He snorts, and then grins at me.
I can’t help it but laugh. He makes me feel carefree. I want to believe it’s a good thing.
We climb the stairs to his bedroom. The whole place is meticulous. I’ve never seen a guy’s house that would look as neat as Colin’s. Hell on wheels. The score list is growing rapidly: he can cook, dance, kiss, and keeps his place tidy. And I have a feeling he’s amazing in bed. Well, time to find out.