Friday, June 21, 2013

GIVING OUR READERS OPTIONS



It's a pleasure to welcome back romance author CH Admirand to Over Coffee. She has such a passion for life and I admire that. Since she loves to bake I've decided to put her yummy Black Raspberry/Rhubarb Pandowdy on the coffee bar for us to enjoy with our coffee.
Speaking of yummy, she has a new book ready to whisk you back to Apple Grove and drool over  meet, Jack Gannon, and a cute pup named Jameson. Both will steal your heart.

Good Morning, Sia. Thank you for inviting me to guest blog today with your readers, I’m delighted to be here. So many things are happening right now in my writing life—and in so many different directions! After turning in the copyedits for my 15th book, which will be the third book in my contemporary small town series: Welcome Back to Apple Grove (in stores December 2013), I had a chat with my editor at Sourcebooks and am so glad that I did. She asked what I’d be interested in writing next. The industry has many ups and downs and is always changing direction—as with all of the other aspects of my life, it seems—and keeping up with those changes while still being able to continue to write and publish your stories is definitely a challenge.

For instance, right now Sourcebooks and my editor is interested in seeing one of my favorite genres to write: Historical Western Romance!

I finally got the rights back to my Historical Irish Western Series, and after editing them to freshen them up a bit, and having new covers and a logo created for the series, I have released the first two books, with plans to release books 3 and 4 by summer’s end. They are doing really well as e-books, something that wasn't even available at the time my first book was published. Crazy thought, right? LOL!

But, what does my releasing my backlist have to do with the new idea I have for Sourcebooks? Everything.

Doesn't this mean that I’m in direct competition with my publisher? Not at all.

Let me explain. Readers who haven’t yet discovered my Irish Western Series will hopefully pick them up and realize that my stories are all connected. My Contemporary Cowboys for Sourcebooks are descendants of Marshal Justiss who first appeared in the 2nd book in my Historical Irish Western Series.

During the Sourcebooks Spotlight at RT in Kansas City, Editorial Manager Deb Werksman explained that authors self-publishing their backlist is good for their current releases because it can drive awareness and sales to their current titles. It is a win/win situation for authors and publishers.

If a reader enjoys an author’s voice, what could be better than giving our readers more options? Not a thing—IMHO. Although I’m a huge fan of Julie Garwood’s Medievals, I love her contemporary series. Whatever Nora Roberts writes, I’ll read! I am a first and always a rabid Romance fan. :-)

I am planning to have a link between my new Historical Western Romance idea for Sourcebooks that will connect both my contemporary cowboy series and my Irish Western Series that I’m re-releasing myself. Although, I’m not sure what that will be yet. But I’m working on it.

Did I mention that characters from that wisp of an idea were arguing in my head while I was rinsing the gorgeous blueberries and cherries I’d picked up at the grocery store?

CH ADMIRAND
Anyway…berries make me think of baking and making jam…which makes me think of the recipes my editor encouraged me to include in each book in my contemporary small town trilogy.

It seems that one of my characters is always baking something—or working out in the garden (aka playing in the dirt. LOL)! Anyway, I was delighted to include some of our favorite recipes for readers. I have pictures of them and I've been posting them on my blog, Facebook and Twitter.


CH ADMIRAND
So be sure to follow me and find out what I’m baking next…I recently posted pics of the Black Raspberry/Rhubarb Pandowdy I’d baked along with pics of the new recipe I’m trying to create for baked Doughnuts. Both are yummy. Just ask my guys. LOL!

Baking reminds me of the hub of gossip in my series the Apple Grove Diner which brings me back around to ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE. I loved writing this story and having the chance to include something I’m passionate about—respecting and helping our Veterans; and rescuing dogs from high-kill shelters into the plot of the story. I don’t batter the reader over the head with dos and don’ts, and I don’t get up on my soapbox and preach. The ideas just sorta worked their way into Cait and Jack’s story and I am glad they did.


  • Do you have something that you are passionate about—besides reading Romance?

So brew a cup of tea or put on a pot of coffee, and let me tell you about my latest…

                                                                                                                                                                                                              
         
BUY: Amazon B & NIndieBound Chapters/Indigo
ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE BY 
C.H. ADMIRAND – IN STORES JUNE 2013

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (pop. 597), a small town with a big heart.

Caitlin Mulcahy loves her family. She really does. But sometimes they can drive her to her last shred of sanity—from her dad ("I'm not meddling, I just want what's best for you") to her eight-months-pregnant older sister to her younger sister, who will do just about anything to avoid real work. Cait just needs to get away, even if for only an hour.

When she sees someone in need of help on the side of the road, of course she's going to pull over. She might even be able to fix his engine—after all, the Mulcahy family is a handy bunch. She's not expecting that former Navy medic Jack Gannon and a little black puppy named Jameson will be the ones who end up rescuing in her.


“The talented Admirand is able to write about these serious issues realistically but in a way that makes this book still feel light and fun.” ​—RT Book Reviews, 4½ Stars


                                                                                                                                                                                                         



C.H. Admirand was born in Aiken, South Carolina, but grew up in New Jersey. She has been delighting readers with her Secret Life of Cowboys Series, featuring three cowboy brothers with Irish charm, and is now working on the next book in her small town contemporary romance series, featuring the town and quirky characters of Apple Grove, OH. She lives with her husband, who is the inspiration for all of her heroes’ best traits, in New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.CHAdmirand.com.