Ara Grigorian's Blog

When I was your age...
Okay, maybe I sound like a grandpa, but it's true. Times have changed... for writers and readers that is.

In the past, a book would come out with enthusiasm and hit the shelves. Maybe it would do well, maybe not so well, but eventually the book would disappear from the bookstore. And unless you were a big name, the book would be lost only to be found in a discount bin at a used book store.
Now, fans can find you at any time. You can play with promotion strategies and get the book back in front of people. 
Today, we started a price promotion around the US Open, tennis's fourth Grand Slam of the year. 
99 cents for 5 years of work... seems fair!Last night, on Amazon's overall ranking, the book was sitting at 600,000. Within hours of running the promotion, the book was ranking at 15,000 overall. At one point, GAME OF LOVE was back in the top 500 in the Sports fiction category. 
Here's the thing: almost 18 months after GAME OF LOVE came out, we can still get the book in front of new readers and sell well. It is a great time to be a writer and a reader. Books no longer disappear. They remain, they have lasting power because the story is a good one.

Wouldn't it be nice if a good book could hit the top 100 list for years and years to come by merely promoting it? A novel concept... no pun intended :)
Thank you for supporting this little novel that didn't have enough sex for the big publishers. 
Thank you for supporting this author who was too much of a risk for the other publishers. 
Thank you for reviewing it on Amazon and Goodreads because readers who would not know me otherwise continue to find this little book. 
And thank you for sending me notes and emails about how much you enjoyed it. You are the fuel I need to keep at it.
Fight the good fight!

Winner Announcement!
...and Rafflecopter Giveaway!

I am elated to announce that my novel, GAME OF LOVE, is the winner of Outstanding “Romance” in the 2016 IAN Book of the Year awards .
It took five years to publish this novel. Five years of doubt, rewrites, rejections, edits, giving up, giving in, and finally finding the team that put Gemma and Andre's story out into the world. 
Since then, the book has won multiple awards. I am honored and humbled. Thank you for the support and encouragement. Thank you for spreading the word. It seems that you've been right to believe in this book. You are in good company :)
Fight the good fight!



To celebrate, I'm giving away (5) Free Kindle copies of the novel. Please spread the word!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Beautiful Story
Today I have the pleasure of reviewing Amanda Hager's debut novel WITHOUT BORDERS. There are books that are meant to rile you up; books that take you on an emotional rollercoaster; and then there are books that as you read through the pages you hope no one will bother you. You hope they'll just leave you alone. You want to find your favorite sofa, have hot coffee supplied to you on a perpetual basis, and if possible, a bit of rain outside would bring the whole experience together. You just want alone time with the book. That is how I felt when I read WITHOUT BORDERS by Amanda Hager.

The book is a beautiful love story that avoids clichés and typical bad boy (or good boy) meets bad girl (or good girl) trope. It defies what the "market" wants and it does something radical -- this book tells a great story.

But it has more than just that: you'll laugh (trust me, Annie's "Anal Problem" will make you choke on your coffee) and you'll be at the edge of your seat (Day Ten -- pregnancy -- nuff' said!).

I highly recommend this story if you love good stories. If not, then you probably found my site by accident :)

Excerpt (from "Day Ten"...)

The girl strained and cried out, and it took everything Annie had to keep her upright. Felipe and the midwife swapped positions with every contraction, taking turns at easing the infant into the world. But with every push, Felipe’s face darkened and the midwife’s voice grew shriller as she half cried, half encouraged her daughter. 
Annie had no idea how long it had been since they’d arrived in this dim hut, but every second that passed with those arms and legs dangling outside the womb made her heart ache.
In a rare moment between contractions, Felipe and the midwife began arguing. They pointed and stomped and shook their hands as the words flew between them.
Angela sagged in Annie’s arms, pale and sweaty.
“What’s going on?” Annie asked.
For a moment, the arguing stopped and they both stared silently at Annie.
The girl’s mother pointed and nodded at her, shrieking in Spanish, but Annie didn’t understand a word of it.
Felipe held up a hand. “We are having some trouble delivering the baby’s head.”
The midwife yelled and pointed again, and before Annie could ask what she was saying, the woman stood and nudged her out of the way with her rotund mid-section. She looped her arms through Angela’s and took the girl’s weight. 
Annie stumbled, her muscles too tired to change position. She squeaked to something that resembled standing, but her back refused to straighten. Felipe looked at her, eyes flashing with fear.
“We need you to deliver the baby,” he said.

###I'm telling you, this scene will stay with you for a long time! Don't eat Nutella when you're on this chapter! Just a fair warning :)

The Blurb:

For Annie London, a month in a Central American rainforest means handing out mosquito nets, giving medical aid, and teaching children about the birds and the bees. With any luck, it will also land her application in the “accepted” pile at a top tier medical school. But as soon as she steps off the plane, Annie realizes her bug spray, feeble Spanish, and medical supplies won’t help her deal with her new feelings for Felipe—her best friend's older brother, who's much hotter than she remembers, and who also happens to be the doctor in charge of the trip.

Gawking “volun-tourists” may keep his family’s medical clinic afloat, but Dr. Felipe Gutierrez doesn’t have to like them. Or the way they make snap judgments about his practice and the people he cares for. But when his old crush, Annie, shows up to volunteer, her killer curves and kind smile fan the embers of a flame Felipe didn’t realize he’d been carrying. A flame that makes him question all his preconceived notions.

As ideas and cultures clash, Annie and Felipe must decide how far outside their comfort zones they are willing to go—both for their work and for one another.

Buy Links:    

Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

Amanda Heger is a writer, attorney, and bookworm. She lives in the Midwest with three unruly rescue dogs and a husband who encourages her delusions of grandeur.

Her debut romance, Without Borders, is forthcoming from Diversion Books. The story was inspired by the summer Amanda spent in rural Nicaragua, eating gallo pinto, speaking mangled Spanish, and showing high school students how to slide condoms onto over-sized plantains.
Her stories are represented by Jessica Watterson of the Dijkstra Literary Agency.

Author Links:  Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  | GoodReads 

My Review
Rafflecopter Giveaway (5 ebook copies of WITHOUT BORDERS)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's better than a cover reveal? Two cover reveals!
Today's the day for a dual cover reveal: OF SCIONS AND MEN by Courtney Sloan and GYRE by Jessica Gunn! Both books are in the New Adult category and are being published by Curiosity Quills Press.
Here's a bit about each book:
OF SCIONS AND MEN by Courtney Sloan (February 22nd, 2016)
Geopolitical babysitting while arresting preternatural killers, it’s just the daily grind for Scion Rowan Brady. Brash and sarcastic, Rowan has sold her life, her career and her very blood to the controlling paranormal ruling class of America, all to make sure her kid brother can eat. Now she uses her powers as a scion to kick the ass of any preternatural creature idiotic enough to break the rules and prey upon humanity without a license. All it costs her is her freedom and a pint or two per week to her new Master.
But juggling her job and duties becomes even tougher when she is tasked with keeping a contingency of diplomats from Canada from getting gnawed on. However, negotiations for an International Blood Exchange are interrupted when bodies start showing up. Now Rowan must rely on her talent and wit to defend the society she despises to save the lives she’s sworn to protect. But as she stumbles into the truth, she chances becoming a target of not only these killers, but of her own government. With shifters, ghosts, vampires and psychics all watching her, can she stop the killings before she is silenced?

ADD OF SCIONS AND MEN TO GOODREADS HERE
***
GYRE by Jessica Gunn (February 1st, 2016)
Trevor couldn’t believe his eyes when Chelsea teleported onto SeaSatellite5. The miracle is Trevor’s absolute worst nightmare. Chelsea is Atlantean, which would be fine if Trevor’s family weren’t Lemurian—enemies of Atlantis. Then SeaSatellite5 uncovers Atlantean ruins and stumbles into the crosshairs of an ancient war. The Lemurians want the artifacts inside the ruins, and Trevor’s the only one onboard who recognizes the relics for what they really are: Link Pieces, tools used by ancient civilizations to wage their time-travel war. Chelsea and Trevor must brave the gyre of lies surrounding them. If they can’t, Atlantis will be destroyed forever.

ADD GYRE TO GOODREADS HERE
***
And here are the covers?*Here we go!**** PRE-ORDER GYRE HERE!PRE-ORDER OF SCIONS AND MEN HERE!***ABOUT COURTNEY SLOAN A New Orleans native, Courtney Sloan relocated to the hills of Central Maryland after Hurricane Katrina. There she lives with her husband and fellow author, J.P. Sloan, their son and their crazy German Shepherd pup. Adding to her writing life, Courtney is also a professor at the local college and enjoys learning a world of new ideas from her students as she teaches them about writing and communicating. Courtney’s New Orleans upbringing has left her with a love for the macabre and a flare for the next to normal. She writes speculative fiction with a variety of horror and sass mixed in for flavor.She loves taking the world of politics that haunts us now, and adding the supernatural to create a gumbo of thrills to keep you up at night. A self-proclaimed lover of way too many fandoms, Courtney also loves crafting. From blankets to jams to stories, it’s always better homemade.
Author Links: Twitter | WebsiteABOUT JESSICA GUNN Jessica Gunn is a New Adult author and avid science-fiction and fantasy fan. Her favorite stories are those that transport the reader to other, more exciting worlds. When not working or writing, she can be found binge-watching Firefly and Stargate, or feeding her fascination of the ancient world’s many mysteries. Jessica also holds a degree in Anthropology.Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Website

Thankful for our Veterans
I was going to write a long post, explaining why I want to contribute. I wrote multiple drafts, but in the end I deleted all of them. I realized I was trying to justify and explain and hopefully convince others that this was a good thing to do. In the end, I'm doing this because veterans matter. As you know, I write stories of second chances and I believe that our veterans deserve a second chance.

I will donate every penny I earn from the book royalties in the month of November to four veterans' charities. 
http://bobwoodrufffoundation.org/www.woundedwarriorproject.comhttps://www.fisherhouse.org/https://www.fallenheroesfund.org/
I don't know how else to thank these brave women and men. So I'll start with this small gesture. And to make sure I get the most out of November for this cause, thanks to my publisher, Curiosity Quills Press, I'm piggybacking on their special promotion from Black Friday (Nov 27th 2015) through Cyber Monday (Nov 30th 2015) to get maximum exposure.


In fact, if you know of a veteran who may like a story of love and second chances, message me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/araTHEwriter) or leave a comment here and I will gift them a Kindle copy of Game of Love direct from Amazon.com.

Spread the word if you feel inclined to do so. Or just wish these brave warriors your best.

Fight the good fight!

Four years ago today... I was printing out copies of a fledgeling manuscript that at the time was named "Aces."

I was about to share pages from my first complete novel.

I was preparing my luggage.

I was rechecking my hotel reservations at the Newport Beach Hyatt.

I was nervous.

I wanted to cancel my registration.

I was about to attend my very first writers' conference.

I questioned my sanity.

I wanted to be a writer.

I had promised my wife and kids that I can achieve my dream.


Today...I am double checking the presentation slides for the two workshops I plan to give.

I am preparing for my speech on Sunday as the Special Guest Speaker.

I am packing my luggage.

I am rechecking my hotel reservations.

I am excited.

I am grateful for all the writing community and book lovers have done for my career and my novel.

I question my sanity.

I am an award-winning author.

I have a bestselling book.

I am invited regularly to speak at author events.

I want to always improve and evolve as a writer.

I want to make my wife and kids proud.

I am the luckiest person alive.


Tomorrow...Is full of possibility and magic.


Fight the good fight!

Cover RevealInconceivable!
I am honored to be part of this exciting Cover Reveal for debut novelist, Tegan Wren. Her novel, INCONCEIVABLE! is scheduled for released on November 16th, 2015.

I read about this novel months ago and instantly knew this is the type of novel that I'd plow through. But I'm getting ahead of myself: First the Cover! But be sure to come back because I hope to land an advanced copy and review the book before release!

INCONCEIVABLE! Cover


I love this cover!

INCONCEIVABLE! blurb
A popular, young royal couple can't produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them.

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”
You can Pre-Oder Now!  Amazon US     Amazon UK     GoodReads
Advance praise for INCONCEIVABLE!
·      "As someone who has experienced infertility, I empathize with Hatty's struggles. Wren beautifully illuminates the joy, grief, and adventure of creating a family against all odds in this heart warming and impactful story."  America Olivo Campbell, actress: DeGrassi: The Next Generation, Chicago PD, Mission Impossible 5. Spokesperson for Baby Quest Foundation
·      "I found the insights into infertility invaluable and sensitive." -Marnie Neve, Board Member, Baby Quest Foundation
·      "Not only was this a very well written and entertaining story (I flew through it), but I feel it's also a very important story." -Meredith Tate, author of Missing Pieces
·      "Tegan Wren’s debut novel is by turn funny, heartbreaking and ultimately inspiring." JDC, author and journalist

·      "I loved reading a romantic story about royals that didn't end at the wedding, showing us that there's more to love than falling in it. There's also staying in it, even when troubles come. For better and for worse." -Samantha Bryant, author of Going Through the Change
Tegan Wren bio
The best compliment Tegan Wren ever received came from her sixth grade teacher: “You always have a book in your hand!”
Guided by her love of the creative process, Tegan grew up acting in theatre productions and writing poetry, short stories, and plays. She turned her eye to writing about real life when she worked as a journalist, producing reports for various radio and television stations in medium and large markets in the Midwest and also filing some stories for a major national news network.  Wren has both a Bachelor’s of Journalism and a Master of Arts in Communications. After completing her graduate degree, Tegan had the opportunity to teach journalism courses at a major state university. She absolutely loved training the next generation of journalists.
Tegan’s thankful that she’s had the opportunity to travel overseas, and uses those adventures to inform her writing. She also draws inspiration from her own struggles, joys, and life experiences. Tegan and her husband, Patrick, experienced infertility for five years before becoming parents through adoption.

Best Way to Stalk Tegan :) Blog    Twitter    Facebook    Instagram

Body Check!
There are no penalties in this debut novel by Sophia Henry. This fun, fantastic book came out on September 1st, 2015. I've been patiently waiting my turn to review and promote a great book in a new series!

The Blurb
She closed her heart long ago. He just wants to open her mind. For fans of Toni Aleo and Sawyer Bennett, the debut of Sophia Henry’s red-hot Detroit Pilots series introduces a hockey team full of complicated men who fight for love.
Auden Berezin is used to losing people: her father, her Equal parts muscle and scar tissue, Aleksandr Varenkov knows about trauma. Maybe that’s what draws him to Auden. He also lost his family too young, and he channeled the pain into his passions: first hockey, then vodka and women. But all that seems to just melt away the instant he kisses Auden and feels a jolt of desire as sudden and surprising as a hard check on the ice.
After everything she’s been through, Auden can’t bring herself to trust any man, let alone a hot-headed puck jockey with a bad reputation. Aleksandr just hopes she’ll give him a chance—long enough to prove he’s finally met the one who makes him want to change.
My Review
I have a soft spot for sports fiction. But I’m often hesitant because sometimes the sport aspect takes center stage — that becomes the plot of the story and not the relationship. No need to worry about that with Delayed Penalty. In fact, don’t worry if you don’t know much about hockey, because the focus of this story is on two flawed, but very redeemable people who you want to see make it. 

Auden is a college student whose just trying to make it in life. Enter Aleksandr, the Russian hockey player that is the stereotypical alpha male… only that he is not. He comes across that way initially, which is why Auden could care less for him. She is his translator…and that’s it. Until he becomes more than that. As she gets to know him, the dynamic chemistry between them unveils a relationship that i both sweet and searing.

Sophia Henry renders her characters with a sculptor’s touch. She gives just enough detail, allowing the reader to fill in the rest—making the characters that much more relatable. Their budding romance is refreshing. The story isn’t about the intimacy — it’s not about a play by play — it’s about learning something about human nature and how people who are damaged—flawed--can find completion from the most improbable partner.

As a side note, I loved the little details of the Russian culture. I learned things and in some cases recognized them as traditions that were assimilated into my culture. The authenticity of these details added color to the world Henry created.

Highly recommended. Looking forward to more from this author.


Buy Links:    Amazon  |  B & N  |  iTunes  |  Kobo
Author Info


Sophia Henry, a proud Detroit native, fell in love with reading, writing, and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with an English degree from Central Michigan University, she moved to North Carolina, where she spends her time writing books featuring hockey-playing heroes, chasing her two high-energy sons, watching her beloved Detroit Red Wings, and rocking out at concerts with her husband.
Author Links: Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Select Loveswept Ebook Bundle)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Power of Music

I've blogged about this before: music is an important element of my writing.

When a new concept is developing, one of the first things I do is build the playlist for the book. As the name suggests, I go through songs in my library that evoke the right image and mood. The song may influence a scene, a chapter, a line of dialogue... sometimes an entire scene.

This is how it starts and by the time I'm about a quarter of the way into writing the book, I have a complete play list of songs. I will share my playlist in a later post. For now, I want to focus on one song that helped set the right tone of loss. In the excerpt below, Gemma has been with Andre's friends at Zuma Beach, near Point Dume. Here is the scene from GAME OF LOVE


###
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (Excerpt)
“Love all, but trust a few.”

~William Shakespeare
Gemma allowed herself to relax as more songs came from Dan’s guitar. A sense of melancholy had joined the tent, though. Maybe it was the selection of songs. She doubted it. She leaned over to Andre. “This isn’t just a regular day at the beach, is it?” He shook his head. “We’re here to remember a friend who passed away just over a year ago. He was Linda’s fiancé.”Gemma’s face froze, and a combination of grief and shame overwhelmed her. She did not belong here. She needed to say something to Linda, to apologize. Instead Andre spoke. “Dan, play ‘Empty Space’.” Silence draped the canopy. Andre held Gemma’s hand. They focused on Dan, who after a moment’s hesitation played an airy guitar intro, transporting her somewhere in the heavens. Then he sang: Can we walk away, pretending not to see the empty space?We don’t give reasons why, the gleaming tears flow gently from our eyes.Miss you so, dear friend―fly, to your cloud, dear friend.Lamenting what’s too late, we never talk about the tears we cried.It comes to us all, we’re bound by the time that keeps us here for a while.And I miss you so, dear friend―fly, to your cloud, dear friend.When the song ended, Gemma came out of her trance and saw everyone hugging Linda. Red swollen eyes and wet cheeks reshaped the faces of the clan. She wiped her own tears. Maybe she didn’t belong, but she wanted to.
###
These were the lyrics of Empty Space written by my brother, Armen Grigorian, nearly 20 years ago. The lyrics are raw and honest. And the melody, haunting.

For the first time, you get to hear the actual song as written and performed by my brother, nearly two decades ago.



It pays off to have creative people in your life ;)

Fight the good fight!

When "Thank You" Just Doesn't Cut It
It has been three weeks today, since my debut novel GAME OF LOVE was officially released. So much has happened since then that it feels like it's been months not weeks.

Let's recap what has happened so far:

The book was granted the 5-Star Review by Readers' Favorite which is why the book now carries their emblem 31 reviews on Amazon with an average score of 4.8/5.047 ratings/reviews on Goodreads with an average score of 4.83/5.00More than twenty bloggers reviewed the bookMore than thirty other bloggers either announced the release of the book, or shared an excerpt, or interviewed meThe New York Time bestselling greats Susan Mallery and Jay Crownover even jumped into the mix and announced my book on release day to their tens of thousands of followersHundreds upon hundreds of Facebook posts, comments, shares AND Twitter posts, comments, and retweets have been splashed across all social mediaI've had people rave about it from Sweden to Ireland to India to Mexico, across the United States and back to the UK
When nearly six years ago my wife told me to chase the dream, the idea that I could actually complete a novel was the dream. But once it was done and my wife told me she loved it and that I should try to see if I can get it published, a whole new realm of terror entered my life. That started a 4+ year journey of editing, revising, querying, getting rejected, more editing, more rejections, more studying, then an agent bites, then publishers are interested, then the book is published and now anyone across the globe can read my book...

More than a week ago I had my first book signing event at the Burbank Barnes & Noble. The manager was stunned by the turnout, calling it the largest author event they've ever had. They sold out of the books and even bought some of my personal copies to resell.

Over the last few weeks I've been saying thank you to hundreds of people. I've written it, spoken it, tweeted it, you name it. But those two words don't seem to cut it. It feels like that's not enough. But I don't know what other phrase can do justice to how I feel.

In the end I know that everyone is busy. We all have hundreds of thousands of other book options at our disposal. We can watch TV, go to the movies, spend time with family and friends. Yet, all these people decided spending time with my novel was the option of choice.

So here I am grateful. Thankful, of course, but also profoundly humbled at the generosity of those who've decided to take a chance on my story.

So here it comes... the phrase that isn't strong enough to adequately show what I feel. Are you ready? Good.

Thank you! I can't do this without you. I do this for you. Thank you for your support and generosity.

Fight the good fight!
Mine has just begun.