BODY & SOUL: Happy e-book Birthday!

My very first published novel, BODY & SOUL, originally released in paperback in 1999, is available starting today in ebook format from Samhain Retro Romance!

Be careful what you wish for…

Stressed-out wife and mother Lisa O’Conner wants:

a. The carefree life of the young college girl who works in her husband’s law office

b. That same girl’s flawless face and head-turning body

c. A little “me” time

d. All of the above

All it takes is a fortune cookie and a simple wish to grant Lisa her heart’s desire. Switching bodies with the beautiful, vibrant, and young Tory Beecham, Lisa assumes the situation is only temporary, so she sets out to enjoy her break from reality while she can. Soon she’s dodging the advances of one gorgeous young man after another…and falling in love with her husband all over again. But is it her soul Michael’s drawn to, or Tory’s youth and beauty?

This book was previously published by Dorchester Love Spell in September 1999.

Check out BODY & SOUL here for your Amazon Kindle ($3.19) or here for your Nook ($3.51) or buy directly from Samhain Publishing here

Happy Birthday to BODY & SOUL!!

A New e-book Release & a Two-For-One Contest!

Samhain Retro Romance is releasing my very first novel BODY AND SOUL (originally published by Dorchester LoveSpell in 1999) as an ebook on May 22. I love the new older woman/younger woman cover! In fact, I think I like it more than the original, and I'll admit that I cried with joy when I saw that fortune cookie 13 years ago! (See original print version cover below). The tears were due in part to the fact that it was my very first book, but also because I'd always imagined the cover with a fortune cookie on it.

If you didn't read the original print version, here's what BODY AND SOUL is all about:




Be careful what you wish for…
Stressed-out wife and mother Lisa O’Conner wants:
a. The carefree life of the young college girl who works in her husband’s law office
b. That same girl’s flawless face and head-turning body
c. A little “me” time
d. All of the above
All it takes is a fortune cookie and a simple wish to grant Lisa her heart’s desire. Switching bodies with the beautiful, vibrant, and young Tory Beecham, Lisa assumes the situation is only temporary, so she sets out to enjoy her break from reality while she can. Soon she’s dodging the advances of one gorgeous young man after another…and falling in love with her husband all over again. But is it her soul Michael’s drawn to, or Tory’s youth and beauty?

To celebrate the new ebook release, I'll give an ebook copy of my romantic comedy ONCE UPON A DREAM to the first 9 people that pre-order BODY AND SOUL before midnight on Sunday, May 20. I only have 9 free copies of ONCE UPON A DREAM left, so pre-order BODY AND SOUL quickly if you want to snatch one up! Pre-order here then leave a comment after this post to let me know!

A Workshop: Penning the Pitch-Perfect Proposal

Writers in and around Lubbock, Texas: Do you have a book that you're ready to start shopping to publishers? Or have you already been sending it out but your collection of rejection letters is growing while your confidence shrinks? Come to my workshop on Saturday the 21st (day after tomorrow!!) and raise your chances of selling your book! Here are the details... (and p.s.-- I promise to try not to make the face I'm making in the photo below!) :) 

Writer Workshop in Lubbock with author Jennifer Archer
Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 9:00 to 3:00
Room 209, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
(email Alisa texpeso@aol.com for directions)

PENNING THE PITCH-PERFECT PROPOSAL

Are you tired of sending your book proposal out to agents and editors and hearing, “Thanks, but no thanks?”

In this 6 hour workshop, you’ll learn:

• What a synopsis/query should be, as opposed to what you probably think it is

• The # 1 thing agents and editors look for in your proposal

• How to write a query and synopsis that will make agents/editors want MORE

• The importance of structure in a proposal

• How to find your hook – or the “hot premise”

• The importance of conveying the tone of your book in your query/synopsis

• How to use turning points to structure your synopsis

• AND MORE….!

Bring your current query and synopsis if you have one . . . or just your story idea. Bring paper and something to write with. Bring an open mind and a willingness to learn! Archer will use as examples the proposals that sold her books THROUGH HER EYES (currently available in hardback and ebook) and ONCE UPON A DREAM (currently available in ebook at Amazon for Kindle and barnesandnoble.com for Nook), & THE ME I USED TO BE. It will be helpful, although not mandatory, if you have read at least one of these books prior to the workshop.

Jennifer Archer has written eleven novels and three novellas, as well as numerous non-fiction works. She has been a finalist twice for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award, and in 2006 was a finalist for the prestigious Rita Award and a nominee for a Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award. Her debut Young Adult novel, THROUGH HER EYES, was an April, 2011 release from Harper Collins & her next novel, THE SHADOW GIRL, will be published by Harper Collins in 2013. Archer has taught creative writing and has presented numerous talks and workshops for educators, students, writers' organizations and bookstores. Visit her website at www.jenniferarcher.net

$25.00 per person (mail check or money order to below address) Alisa Dollar, PO Box 98376, Lubbock, Texas 79499

texpeso@aol.com 806-283-1031

SIMPLICITY Cover Reveal!

My friend Valia Lind's book SIMPLICITY has undergone a makeover! I'm honored to be one of several blogs revealing her new cover today. Isn't it beautiful? Here's what SIMPLICITY is all about:

Driven, beautiful Alexis Sinclair lives her life to the fullest, following her dreams of running a big company. But when her world is torn apart by a storm, everything she has ever known disappears. Now, marooned on an island with a group of men, Alexis must learn to live in a world made up of simple things. Letting go of every known convenience, she realizes how insignificant her life has become. Filled with unrequited love for her rescuer, she must battle the demons buried deep inside and she must look within herself and to her faith to find the strength needed to survive. 

Strong and influential, Jacob Peterson, has done all he can to survive. When fate turned its tables on him, he learned to cope with the inevitable. Plagued by his past and secrets buried there, Jacob exerts a rigid control, refusing to succumb to the joys and torturous pain of strong emotions. Without considering love-a gift he may never receive, he believes--he chooses to live by a strict set of rules. But when a strange beautiful woman washes up on his beach, the walls that he has put up long ago begin to crumble. Is she a punishment sent from God to torment his weary soul? Or is she a gift, sent from above to teach him how to trust? Who is this woman? And how will he stop himself from losing his heart? Will he learn to forgive the past in order to save the woman he loves?

You can learn more about Valia and her book at any of these places: 

http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/ValiaLind

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067029.Valia_Lind

http://acupofsplendid.tumblr.com/

Old Photographs, Birds as Symbols & More Free Stuff!

My bi-weekly post is up at ADR3NALIN3! It's about the allure of old photographs and how they influenced the story in THROUGH HER EYES.

I'm also guest posting at the awesome Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile blog about the role of birds in literature, mythology, folklore and religion. If you're into symbolism, like I am, this post is for you, so check it out! Interesting stuff! They're also hosting a spectacular giveaway. It's easy to enter and one lucky person will win 3 prizes: An autographed copy of Mari Mancusi's NIGHT SCHOOL, an autographed copy of THROUGH HER EYES, and a bookmark. What are you waiting for? Go sign up!

A Hardback & a Bookmark--Only $6.23!

It's hard to believe that next month THROUGH HER EYES will officially be one year old! It's been a whirlwind year! And here's a birthday surprise: With hardback books going for as much as twenty-something dollars these days, getting one for only $6.23 is quite a deal, and that's how much Amazon is currently charging (for a limited time) for THROUGH HER EYES!! If you haven't read it yet and have been wanting to give it a try, now's the time. And you get the bonus of the beautiful cover -- as gorgeous as it is in the picture, it's even more so in person. ( I can brag about that because I had absolutely nothing to do with it! Harper Teen's art department did a fabulous job.)

Here's a bonus from me to you -- if you'd like a bookmark to go along with your copy, let me know and I'll send you one. Just email me your name and address at books@jenniferarcher.com and put "Bookmark" in the subject line.

You can read all about THROUGH HER EYES on my website, but here's what a few readers had to say:

“This was one deliciously creepy read.” – Young Adult Bookworm

“ ...intense and suspenseful . . . “ – Can’t Find a Bookmark

“With beautiful poetic writing, a mysteriously haunted house, and (a) completely unique and creepy storyline that you don't see much in the Young Adult world, Through Her Eyes is definitely one you'll want to add to your TBR pile!” – Reading Teen

“Jennifer Archer’s Through Her Eyes is a spine-chilling book sure to put you on edge. Tansy’s own uncertainties about her mental health will keep you guessing whether this is a ghost story or a tale of an outsider slowly losing her grip on reality. The beauty of this book can often be found in its minutia, including the charming side characters, realistic setting, and recurring symbols that inhabit the pages. Above all, though, it is the plotting and pacing that made this book hard for me to put down, and even harder for me to keep reading on a (truly) dark and stormy night.” – Reclusive Bibliophile

“A tantalizing mystery, a blossoming romance, and an eerie ghost story, THROUGH HER EYES is well worth curling up with.” -  BookSwarm

“ . . . a very haunting and beautiful read . . . Rapt with deeper nuances and meaning, and rich in character motivation and development . . . ” - A Good Addiction

“I couldn’t give more praise for Through Her Eyes . . . beautifully woven together with its realistic characters and a mesmerizing ghost story. I wish there was a sequel!” - Ramblings of a Teenaged Bookworm 

“Through Her Eyes has now become one of my absolute favorite YA books. A stunning mix of contemporary realism and ghost story, this book is hauntingly beautiful. . . I fell so in love with this book that I can't give it any less than my highest recommendation. Expertly written characters, seamless plot writing and a gorgeously isolated setting make this book something special.”  - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

“This book actually sent shivers down my spine and had me anxiously wondering what was going to happen. ” – The Book Scout

“A beautiful and haunting tale of friendship, love and mistakes from the past, Through Her Eyes is a unique and wonderful YA debut.” –YA Book Queen

“… a wonderful YA debut. This is a spooky book and gets very creepy as the story goes on.” – Book Chic

“Through Her Eyes is not your average ghost story. Its unique plot is carried by the poetic writing style of the author. Archer is a talented story teller . . . The supernatural elements are so perfectly placed alongside the contemporary storyline that it's easy to blur the lines while reading.”- YA Addict

Happy Reading! 

Love Triangles...& The Top 10 Reasons to Think Twice About Dating a Ghost

Love triangles in fiction.... Love them? Hate them? Come on over to CAN'T FIND A BOOKMARK and let's discuss!

Oh, and just in case you've been thinking about ditching your real guy for a ghost, while you're there you might also want to read my Top 10 Reasons a Girl Should Think Carefully Before Choosing a Ghost Guy Over a Real Guy.