Heather Webb's Blog

Dear Readers,

It’s finally time to celebrate the release of our novel, Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution’s Women, releasing October 1. We’re thrilled to be hitting the road to share the book with so many of you in person. Between September 30 and November 21, all six authors will be making appearances across the country, sometimes all together, and sometimes in smaller groups or solo – and we’d love to see you along the way! See below for all the details – and if you haven’t grabbed your copy of the book yet, do it now!

Amazon | B&N | GooglePlay | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

THE RIBBONS OF SCARLET TOUR:

Note: All events are open to the public unless listed otherwise. Various authors will appear at events; please check each event’s description to see who will appear near you. Events listed as author or book events will include book signings. Please support our booksellers by purchasing books from them. We look forward to seeing you on the road!

~ The Scarlet Sisters

SEPTEMBER 30

1PM EST, FACEBOOK LIVE, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS
7PM, THE STRAND, NEW YORK CITY, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS

Offer available through September 30 – order a copy signed by all 6 authors
More information from The Strand

OCTOBER 1

TBD, RIVERSTONE BOOKS, PITTSBURGH, PA, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY AND ELIZA KNIGHT
12PM, LIVE AT YOUR LIBRARY SERIES, GASTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH PARK ROADS BOOKS, GASTON, NC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and join the Facebook event


3PM, BOOK REVIEW CLUB, GASTON, NC (PRIVATE EVENT)
6PM, FICTION ADDICTION BOOKSTORE, GREENVILLE, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and buy tickets: Facebook | Eventbrite

OCTOBER 2

TBD, AUTHOR TALK, COLLEGE OF WOOSTER, WOOSTER, OH, WITH SOPHIE PERINOT
11:30AM, HOLCOMB READING CLUB, SPARTANBURG, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE (PRIVATE EVENT)
12PM, MONDAY BOOK REVIEW CLUB, YOUNGSTOWN, OH, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY AND ELIZA KNIGHT (PRIVATE EVENT)
TBD, KEYNOTE ADDRESS, CONVERSE COLLEGE, SPARTANBURG, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE
7PM, AUTHOR TALK, CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, BRECKSVILLE, OH, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

More information from CCPL

OCTOBER 3

11:30AM, LEXINGTON FRIENDS BOOK TALK, COLUMBIA, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE
6PM, AUTHOR TALK, CHARLESTON LIBRARY SOCIETY, CHARLESTON, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and tickets


7PM, AUTHOR TALK, ST. LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY, ST. LOUIS, MO, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND SOPHIE PERINOT
7PM, HEATHER WEBB IN CONVERSATION WITH ALLISON PATAKI, BOOK CULTURE ON COLUMBUS (AT 82ND), NEW YORK CITY

More information from Book Culture

OCTOBER 4

11AM, MOVEABLE FEATURE LUNCHEON HOSTED BY LITCHFIELD BOOKS, PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and tickets from Litchfield Books


2PM, BOOKSIGNING, LITCHFIELD BOOKS, PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE
6:30PM MEET & GREET; 7PM MEET THE AUTHORS AT MACINTOSH BOOKS, SANIBEL, FL, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, HEATHER WEBB, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

OCTOBER 5

2PM, IN CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHORS OF RIBBONS OF SCARLET, SHANNON STAUB LIBRARY, NORTH PORT, FL, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS
6PM, BOOKS & WINE, COPPERFISH BOOKS, PUNTA GORDA, FL, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS

More information and tickets from Copperfish | Eventbrite

OCTOBER 6

4PM, CHAMPAGNE & BOOKS, BOOKMARK, NEPTUNE BEACH, FL, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS

OCTOBER 7

11:30AM, BOOKS & BITES, FERNANDINA BEACH LIBRARY WITH THE AMELIA ISLAND BOOK FESTIVAL AND THE BOOK LOFT, FERNANDINA BEACH, FL, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS
7PM, AUTHOR EVENT, THE LITERARY GUILD OF ST. SIMONS ISLAND, ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA, WITH ALL 6 AUTHORS

OCTOBER 8

1PM, AUTHOR TALK, MILTON PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH BOOKMISER BOOK STORE, MILTON, GA, WITH KATE QINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and tickets


6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, FOXTALE BOOK SHOPPE, WOODSTOCK, GA, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information from FoxTale | Join the Facebook event


6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, TWO SISTERS BOOKERY, WILMINGTON, NC, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, SOPHIE PERINOT, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND HEATHER WEBB

OCTOBER 9

11AM AUTHOR EVENT, PEACHTREE CITY LIBRARY WITH BOOKMISER BOOKS, PEACHTREE CITY, GA, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE
5PM, AUTHOR TALK, THE COUNTRY BOOKSHOP, SOUTHERN PINES, NC, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, SOPHIE PERINOT, AND ELIZA KNIGHT
7PM, AUTHOR TALK, MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE, ATLANTA, GA, WITH KATE QUINN AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and tickets

OCTOBER 10-11

TIME TBD, PANEL DISCUSSION, SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF THE BOOK, NASHVILLE, TN, WITH HEATHER WEBB

More information about the festival

OCTOBER 12

10AM – 2:30PM, BOOKS & BINGO, HOSTED BY THE WOMENS’ NATIONAL BOOK ASSOCIATION AND ADVENTURES BY THE BOOK, CORONA PUBLIC LIBRARY, CORONA, CA, FEATURING KATE QUINN, KEYNOTE SPEAKER

More information on Facebook | Get tickets on Eventbrite


11AM, AUTHOR TALK, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD DAR, CROWNSVILLE, MD, WITH LAURA KAMOIE (PRIVATE EVENT)
TBD, AUTHOR TALK, BARNES & NOBLE, ANNAPOLIS, MD, WITH LAURA KAMOIE

OCTOBER 13

1-5PM, BOOKS & BINGO, HOSTED BY SAN DIEGO CENTRAL LIBRARY AND ADVENTURES BY THE BOOK, FEATURING KATE QUINN, KEYNOTE SPEAKER

More information on Facebook | Get tickets on Eventbrite

OCTOBER 14

6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, ADAMS COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL WITH A LIKELY STORY, GETTYSBURG, PA WITH LAURA KAMOIE AND ELIZA KNIGHT

OCTOBER 15

4:30PM, SUSAN B. CLEMENTSON AUTHOR SERIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF APALACHICOLA MARGARET KEY LIBRARY, BOOKSELLER: DOWNTOWN BOOKS, APALACHICOLA, FL, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY
7PM, FICTION READING EVENT, STRING THEORY YARN SHOP WITH THE CUPBOARD MAKER BOOKS, LEYMOYNE, PA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE

More information on Facebook from Cupboard Maker Books | from String Theory Yarn Shop

OCTOBER 16

10AM – 4PM, FSU PANAMA CITY FRESHMAN READ EVENT, PANAMA CITY, FL, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY

10-11AM STUDENT PRESENTATION (PRIVATE EVENT)
11:30-1PM LUNCHEON WITH A TALK ON WRITING
2-3PM TEA WITH AN AUTHOR BOOKSIGNING WITH BOOKS UNLIMITED
3-4PM AUTHOR TALK


7PM, EVENING LECTURE, DICKINSON COLLEGE, STERN GREAT ROOM, CARLISLE, PA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE

OCTOBER 16-17

PANEL DISCUSSION, CARMEL CLAY PUBLIC LIBRARY FESTIVAL, CARMEL, IN, WITH SOPHIE PERINOT AND HEATHER WEBB

OCTOBER 17

7PM, AUTHOR TALK, WELLINGTON SQUARE BOOKSHOP CO-SPONSORED BY CHESTER COUNTY LIBRARY, HILTON GARDEN INN, EXTON, PA, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY AND LAURA KAMOIE

More information and get tickets on Facebook | Eventbrite

OCTOBER 18

6:30PM, AN EVENING WITH A WRITER, SPONSORED BY ESSEX COUNTY FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, AT THE ESSEX INN, TAPPAHANNOCK, VA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, HEATHER WEBB, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

More information about the inn

OCTOBER 19

TIME TBD, LADIES WHO LUNCH, SECCO RESTAURANT WITH FOUNTAIN BOOKSTORE, RICHMOND, VA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE AND SOPHIE PERINOT

OCTOBER 20

1PM, AUTHOR TALK, THE BOOK DRAGON, STAUNTON, VA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE

Join the Facebook event

OCTOBER 21

7:30PM, RIBBONS OF SCARLET AUTHORS IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHELLE CAMERON, WORDS BOOKSTORE, MAPLEWOOD, NJ, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, ELIZA KNIGHT, HEATHER WEBB, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

More information about Michelle Cameron

OCTOBER 22

11:30AM, AUTHOR LUNCHEON, CORONADO LIBRARY, CORONADO, CA, WITH KATE QUINN
6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, AVON LIBRARY, AVON, CT, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, SOPHIE PERINOT, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND HEATHER WEBB
7PM, AUTHOR TALK, WARWICK’S BOOKSTORE, SAN DIEGO, CA, WITH KATE QUINN

OCTOBER 23

CHAMPAGNE AUTHOR TALK, BANK SQUARE BOOKS, MYSTIC, CT, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, SOPHIE PERINOT, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND HEATHER WEBB

OCTOBER 26

2PM, JOINT AUTHOR PANEL AT RANCH SANTA FE LIBRARY, SAN DIEGO, CA, WITH KATE QUINN
2-4PM, BOOKSIGNING, BROWSEABOUT BOOKS, REHOBOTH BEACH, DE, WITH LAURA KAMOIE

OCTOBER 28

6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH A LIKELY STORY, MT. AIRY, MD, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, STEPHANIE DRAY, AND ELIZA KNIGHT

NOVEMBER 2

1PM, BOOK TALK ON RIBBONS OF SCARLET, BALTIMORE BOOK FESTIVAL, LITERARY SALON STAGE, BALTIMORE, MD, WITH 5 OF THE 6 AUTHORS (ALL BUT KATE)
3PM, WRITING COLLABORATIVELY PANEL, BALTIMORE BOOK FESTIVAL, MARYLAND ROMANCE WRITERS STAGE, BALTIMORE, MD, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, HEATHER WEBB, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

NOVEMBER 4

TIME TBD, FUNDRAISER EVENT, A LIKELY STORY, SYKESVILLE, MD, WITH STEPHANIE DRAY, LAURA KAMOIE, AND ELIZA KNIGHT

NOVEMBER 6

AUTHOR LUNCHEON, LAKE FOREST BOOK STORE AT DEER PATH INN, LAKE FOREST, IL, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, SOPHIE PERINOT, AND ELIZA KNIGHT

More information and to make reservations

NOVEMBER 7

BOOK TALK, THE BOOK CELLAR, CHICAGO, IL, WITH ELIZA KNIGHT, LAURA KAMOIE, AND SOPHIE PERINOT

More information from The Book Cellar

NOVEMBER 10

11:30AM, HIGH TEA EVENT, OTTAWA, CANADA, WITH KATE QUINN

NOVEMBER 11

TIME TBD, AUTHOR TALK, JEWISH PUBLIC LIBRARY, MONTREAL, CANADA, WITH KATE QUINN

NOVEMBER 17

2PM, AUTHOR TALK, MCINTYRE’S BOOKS, PITTSBORO, NC, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, HEATHER WEBB, AND ELIZA KNIGHT

NOVEMBER 18

6:30PM, AUTHOR TALK, PAGE 158 BOOKS, WAKE FOREST, NC, WITH ELIZA KNIGHT, HEATHER WEBB, AND LAURA KAMOIE

NOVEMBER 19

7PM, AUTHOR TALK, BOOKMARKS WINE EVENT, WINSTON SALEM, NC, WITH HEATHER WEBB, LAURA KAMOIE, AND ELIZA KNIGHT

NOVEMBER 20

7PM, AUTHOR TALK, MAIN STREET BOOKS, DAVIDSON, NC, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, ELIZA KNIGHT, AND HEATHER WEBB

NOVEMBER 21

5PM, LINGER LONGER LIVING SERIES AT REYNOLDS LAKE OCONEE, GREENSBORO, GA, WITH LAURA KAMOIE, HEATHER WEBB, AND ELIZA KNIGHT (PRIVATE EVENT)

DECEMBER 7

12PM, MULTI-AUTHOR SIGNING, NORA ROBERTS’S TURN THE PAGE BOOKSTORE, BOONSBORO, MD, WITH LAURA KAMOIE AND ELIZA KNIGHT

 

 

I’m so thrilled to share the cover for my new novel, The Phantom’s Apprentice, a retelling of beloved Phantom of the Opera told from Christine Daaé’s point of view. It releases February 6, 2018.

Add to your Goodreads list here:  http://bit.ly/2g96m1C

More about the book:

In this re-imagining of Phantom of the Opera, meet a Christine Daaé you’ve never seen before…

Christine Daaé sings with her violinist father in salons all over Paris, but she longs to practice her favorite pastime—illusions. When her beloved Papa dies during a conjurer’s show, she abandons her magic and surrenders to grief and guilt. Life as a female illusionist seems too dangerous, and she must honor her father’s memory.

Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix secures an audition for her at the Nouvel Opéra—the most illustrious stage in Europe. Yet Christine soon discovers the darker side of Paris opera. Rumors of murder float through the halls, and she is quickly trapped between a scheming diva and a mysterious phantom. The Angel of Music.

But is the Angel truly a spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine for mysterious reasons tangled in her past?

As Christine’s fears mount, she returns to her magical arts with the encouragement of her childhood friend, Raoul. Newfound hope and romance abounds…until one fateful night at the masquerade ball. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the Angel, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Now she must decide whom she trusts and which is her rightful path: singer or illusionist.

To succeed, she will risk her life in the grandest illusion of all.

 

I give you the cover:

 

To read more about my inspiration behind the book, publishing, and more, check out Spine Magazine HERE

I’ve been chomping at the bit, dying to share this delectable cover for Last Christmas in Paris, releasing this fall on October 3rd, but up for pre-order everywhere! I co-wrote the book with NYT bestseller Hazel Gaynor across an ocean, time zones, and continents for Hazel lives in Ireland. We had an absolute blast and look forward to sharing it with you all. Stay tuned for book tour dates this October.

Share this post on social media and tag me (@msheatherwebb on Twitter & Instagram, or Heather Webb, Author on FB), and be entered to win a $25 gift card to Amazon!

 

A little more about the book:

August 1914. England is at war. Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front. Evie believes, as everyone does, that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.

But as history tells us, it all happened so differently …

Evie grows frustrated by the restrictions of life as a privileged young lady, longing to play a more useful part in the conflict – but how? In France, Thomas struggles to adapt to the grim realities of war, while trouble erupts at his father’s newspaper business in London. The War Office is imposing strict regulations on how the war is reported back home, yet Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Through their letters, they share their hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?

Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him …

 Pre-order links:

Amazon

B&N

Indiebound

HarperCollins

NYT bestselling author Karen White says: 

“For fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society comes another terrific epistolary historical novel that is simply unputdownable.  In a crowded historical fiction market, Last Christmas in Paris  stands out not just for the beautiful prose, but also for the characters that literally shimmer on the page.  WWI comes to life in evocative letters from the Home Front of England and the trenches of the front line, leaving the reader breathless, white knuckled, and thoroughly engrossed.  It’s a novel of war and loss, but it’s also a story of friendship and love, and the connections of the heart made by solid strokes of pen on paper.  Kudos to Ms. Gaynor and Ms. Webb for a seamless transition between characters, and for this remarkable novel that will undoubtedly go on my keeper shelf.”

And now, TA DA!

 

 

I’m so delighted to share a top secret project I’ve been working on the last two years–a Gothic suspense tale set in Belle Époque Paris called THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE, based on the classic novel THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by Gaston Leroux!!! Release date is May 2017.

(Check out these photos I took of the STUNNING Palais Garnier while in Paris researching two summers ago.)

More about the book:

THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE is a fresh take on the beloved The Phantom of the Opera. This reimagining from Christine Daaé’s point of view unveils the secret lives of the opera’s players as they compete in the glamorous, yet sordid world of nineteenth century Paris opera. Entrenched in scandal and devoted to a lifestyle she doesn’t want, Christine must break free of her father’s expectations—and those who manipulate her—so she may strike out on her own to become a female illusionist. A tale of forbidden love and Gothic suspense, set in a lush historical setting, THE PHANTOM’S APPRENTICE will capture the hearts of established fans and new readers alike.

 

 

Paris, 1879

Christine Daaé performs with her brilliant violinist papa in salons all over Paris—to become a celebrated singer was all he ever wanted for her. She follows his lead, ever-obedient except in one matter. Illusions. Despite his protestations, Christine refuses to abandon her favorite pastime, learned from her beloved, deceased mother. When tragedy strikes and Papa dies in a theatre fire during a conjurer’s performance, Christine surrenders to grief and guilt. Magic has no place in her life.

Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix takes her under his wing. He knows everyone in Paris and secures an audition for Christine on the most illustrious stage in all of Europe—the Nouvel Opéra. Her role as understudy brings a new circle of friends with it, including childhood sweetheart, Vicomte Raoul de Chagny. She has never forgotten him, and long-held yearnings fill her heart.

 

But the world of Paris opera has a dark side, and Christine is caught off-guard by the jealousy that abounds among the players. More unexpected still, is the melodious but menacing voice that echoes within her dressing room walls. This opera ghost makes demands of her, just as her Papa did. To make matters worse, the opera’s most celebrated diva has it in for her, and Carlotta will stop at nothing to get her way.

Shadowed corridors, disappearing stage hands, and a string of murders fuel the rampant gossip. Is the phantom responsible, and is he a dark spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine inside the famed theatre?

As Christine realizes the opera stage may not be her destiny after all, she becomes increasingly enmeshed in scandal. One fateful night at the masquerade ball, her world implodes as the masks obscuring the secrets of the opera house fall away. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the phantom, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Everything she believes is an illusion. Now Christine must decide who she trusts and choose her rightful path—singer or conjurer. But to do so, she must risk her life in the grandest illusion of all.

In this reimagining of Gaston Leroux’s original novel twined with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage version, Webb weaves a fast-paced and harrowing, yet romantic tale of what it means to listen to your own voice and follow your dreams.

With more than one hundred forty million viewers worldwide, seventy major theater awards, and box-office returns garnering more revenue than any other production in history (including Avatar and Star Wars) The Phantom of the Opera—the longest running show in Broadway history—will celebrate its thirtieth year showing in 2018.

 

Are you a writer on your journey to publication? Spring “clean” your manuscript and receive publishing/marketing advice with my editing discount package.  Details below:

Developmental Reads on a full manuscript:  15% discount

Line Edit Reads on a full manuscript: 10% discount

**Any full read, I will throw in your query for no extra charge

WHO I AM

I’m a traditionally published author with Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, as well as a freelance editor, and blogger. I have four years of editing experience and have helped many clients sign with literary agents, several of whom have gone on to sell to Big Five publishers, as well as hit the USA Today Bestsellers’ list. In addition, I’ve worked with clients who have found success with indie presses, and/or become finalists in literary contests and awards. For more about me, see my Author Page.

WHAT I OFFER

I edit fiction (novels or short stories) of all genres with the exception of horror or picture books. I also edit query letters and synopses. At this time, I do not edit non-fiction or memoirs.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Contact me here with the number of pages you’d like reviewed and any questions you may have. We’ll discuss the type of edits you’re looking for, etc. In the event I’m not the editor that can help you with your project, I’ll be happy to make recommendations for other editors.

2. Sign a short contract to protect your work

3. Receive an invoice via PayPal (more info below)

4. Pay to reserve your spot in the queue, and receive a confirmation of payment

5. Send manuscript in a Microsoft Word document as an attachment with your name, the title of your work, the number of pages, & genre. Please submit pages in the standard industry format–  double-spaced in Times New Roman or Courier New font, 12 point.

6. Receive a confirmation that I have your pages, as well as an estimate of when the editing will be completed (also stated on the contract)

QUERIES: $25

This includes as many as three passes through your query.

SYNOPSES: $40

This includes the first two pages of a single-spaced synopsis. Each additional page is $3/page.

OPENER PACKAGE: $50

In-depth analysis of opening scenes and first chapter up to 10 pages
I’ll be looking for: grammar, syntax, paragraph structure, sentence flow, voice, & style, AND developmental editing —pacing, tension, themes, motivation, symbolism, characters, plot structure, and big TRUTHS.
Further discussion and plot development via email

***This package is my minimum fee, outside of queries or synopses which can be purchased on their own.

Otherwise I charge…

$2.50 per page for DEVELOPMENTAL EDITS

For this type of critique, I’m looking at the broad scope of the manuscript. Examples of things I’ll be looking for: Pacing, tension, themes, Goal-Motivation-Conflict, character arcs, plot structure, and big TRUTHS. Further discussion and plot development via email or phone.

$3.50 per page for LINE EDITS

For this type of critique, I zoom in to study each sentence. I focus on: Grammar, syntax, paragraph structure, sentence flow, voice, & style, AS WELL AS developmental issues listed above.
Further discussion and plot development via email or phone
I do not do final polish editing, otherwise known as copy editing. This means every typo, every comma or dangling participle, etc., before a book is published. That sort of hyper, fine-tuning is not my specialty. I can, however, make recommendations for this sort of editing once your manuscript is ready.

 

 

Happy day! I’m so thrilled to share the gorgeous cover for FALL OF POPPIES, the WWI anthology releasing from HarperCollins March 1, 2016. It’s also up for pre-order! (Follow the links below to reserve your copy.) I had so much fun writing my novella and working with the other authors. We hope you’ll enjoy the wide range of stories as much as we did writing them!

Stay tuned for advanced reader giveaways and a list of signing events in a region near you.

 

 

To celebrate the glorious coming of spring (at last), four authors who adore France offer you a giveaway of our latest novels. If you can’t get away to France on your own, let us take you there! All you need to do is enter the Rafflecopter link and share, pretty please:

Giveaway link:  adriainparis.blogspot.fr/2015/04/en

ABOUT THE BOOKS

French Coast by Anita Hughes

Serena has the job she’s always dreamed of and Chase, the man her heart never dared to. As a new editor at Vogue, she bags the biggest interview of the year with Yvette Renault, the infamous former editor of French Vogue, in The Carlton-InterContinental Hotel during the Cannes Film Festival. She eagerly jets off to France while Chase stays home, working with her father, a former senator, on his upcoming mayoral campaign. Everything feels unbelievably perfect … until it doesn’t. The hotel loses her reservation hours before her big interview. Serena fears that she’ll have to go home without her story, but then she meets Zoe, a quirky young woman staying in the suite below Yvette’s who invites Serena to stay with her. Serena is grateful for her mysterious roommate’s generosity, but it seems that there’s more to her story than meets the eye. To make matters worse, soon after arriving in Cannes, Serena learns a shocking secret about her parents’ marriage, and it isn’t long before she begins to question her own relationship. With her deadline looming and pressure mounting, Serena will have to use her investigative journalism skills, new friendships, and a little luck to get her life and love back on track. Fast-paced and impeccably written, French Coast  will draw readers in to the intoxicating world of the Cote D’Azur. Hughes’ beautiful prose and sense imagery bring the food, fashion, and feel of the ocean to life in this audacious new novel.

http://www.amazon.com/French-Coast-Novel-Anita-Hughes-ebook/dp/B00NKBEGHO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

Rodin’s Lover by Heather Webb

As a woman, aspiring sculptor Camille Claudel has plenty of critics, especially her ultra-traditional mother. But when Auguste Rodin makes Camille his apprentice—and his muse—their passion inspires groundbreaking works. Yet, Camille’s success is overshadowed by her lover’s rising star, and her obsessions cross the line into madness. Rodin’s Lover brings to life the volatile love affair between one of the era’s greatest artists and a woman entwined in a tragic dilemma she cannot escape.

http://www.amazon.com/Rodins-Lover-Novel-Heather-Webb/dp/0142181757/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425047270&sr=8-1&keywords=rodin%27s+lover

Paris, Rue des Martyrs by Adria Cimino

Some encounters make a difference.

Four strangers in Paris. Each one is on a quest: to uncover a family secret, to grasp a new chance at love, to repair mistakes of the past. Four stories entwine, four quests become one, as their paths cross amid the beauty, squalor, animation and desolation of a street in Paris, the rue des Martyrs. Rafael’s search for his birth mother leads him to love and grim family secrets. Cecile’s view of herself as an unsatisfied housewife is radically changed by the promise of a passionate liaison. Andre, an aging actor, troubled by the arrival of the son he abandoned years ago, must make a choice, to either lose his son forever or put aside pride and seek redemption. Mira travels to Paris to begin a new life and forget about love … or so she intends.

Four strangers, four stories, one riveting novel.

http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Rue-Martyrs-Adria-Cimino/dp/0692335072

Fugitive Colors by Lisa Barr

Hitler’s war begins with the ruthless destruction of the avant-garde, but there is one young painter who refuses to succumb. An idealistic American artist and accidental spy, Julian Klein leaves his religious upbringing for the artistic freedom of Paris in the early 1930s. Once he arrives in the City of Light he meets German artist Felix Von Bredow and French artist René Levi. The trio quickly becomes inseparable until two women and artistic jealousies tear them apart.

The characters play out their passions against the backdrop of the Nazis’ rise to power. Twists and turns, destruction and obsession, and loss and hope will keep you up at night as you journey from Chicago to Paris and Berlin to New York. With passionate strokes of captivating prose, Barr proves that while paintings have a canvas, passion has a face — and once exposed, the haunting images will linger long after you have closed the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Fugitive-Colors-Novel-Lisa-Barr/dp/1628725176/

Hi, friends! I’m returning from a whirlwind book tour and just in time! I have a very exciting event coming up next month in California. Betsy Franco (writer, actor, director, & mother of very talented sons James, Dave, & Tom Franco) and I both published novels about a beloved female artist–Camille Claudel–who struggled against a male-dominated art world so intensely, she was committed to an asylum. Camille’s toils inspired us to not only retell her story, but to find a way to give to our fellow female artists.

We are hosting a non-profit book and charity event to benefit WomenArts (http://www.womenarts.org/), a charity which supports female artists of all kinds–visual artists, musicians, writers, actors,  producers, dancers, and designers. We invite you to attend! Not only will RODIN’S LOVER & NAKED (our novels) be featured to honor Camille Claudel, but other women artists will be as well from photographers to musicians, film directors to fashion designers. Here are a few details about the event:

When: April 17, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Where: Hotel Monaco, 501 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102.  (415) 292-0100

Cost: Free, donations encouraged (no donation is too small). Open to the public–men and women!

Other Goodies:  books for sale, free swag and information available on featured artists, cocktails and inspiration abundant

Featured Artists:

Alison Brie: TV & Film Actor

Colleen Clark: Jazz Musician

Eleanor Coppola: (represented in her sculpture) Artist, Writer, Filmaker

Karen Joy Fowler: Bestselling author

Maya Christina Gonzalez: author, fine artist, illustrator

Kirsten Bahrs Janssen: Sculptor and Teacher

Camilla Olson: Startup Founder Turned Fashion Designer

Stefanie Seifer: Actor, Creator of dirtyandthirty.com

Michelle Schuster Hudgins: Photographer

Lisa Shiveley: Founder, Executive Director of Menlowe Ballet

giovanni singleton: Poet, Founding Editor of African Diaspora Journal

Jennifer Webb: Actor, Producer, Founder of Noggin

IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING. 

 

We’re aiming to raise $15,000. A small portion will cover the rental fee of the space and all other monies collected will be donated to WomenArts (http://www.womenarts.org/). Though we have set the total sum at $15,000, we would love to give more. We hope you will, too. If you would like to make a contribution, please follow the link below to our GoFundMe campaign here:

 http://www.gofundme.com/womeninartscharity

 

Thank you for your contribution from the bottom of our hearts!

 

 

 

The official countdown is on! In a little over one week, Rodin’s Lover, and my beloved Camille Claudel will make her way into the world. To celebrate the occasion, Tuesday, January 27th, I will be hosting a public Facebook release party, open to the public. We’ll discuss the Belle Époque era, sculpture, the art scene of the day, and of course the two lovers–Camille Claudel & Auguste Rodin. I’ll be giving away all kinds of prizes (Paris journal, gift cards, books, and other paraphernalia)! Two authors who also wrote about artists–their struggles, passions, and dreams–will join me:

 

Meet Betsy Franco, director, actor, and author of NAKED. She will join us at 12:30 p.m. EST to discuss her novel about Camille Claudel and give away two copies of her book. Come with your burning questions!

Find out more about Betsy here: http://www.betsyfranco.com/index.htm and on Twitter: @Francosmom

 

 

 

Meet Anne Girard, lady authoress of MADAME PICASSO. She will join us at 2:00 p.m. EST to share her thoughts on Picasso and his wife, his influences, etc., and will give away two copies of her novel. She looks forward to your questions!

Find out more about Anne here: http://www.annegirardauthor.com/ and on Twitter: @annegirard1

I hope to see you there!

 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…or something. My publisher is giving away copies of RODIN’S LOVER, which releases next month, Jan 27th, but you can get your copy early! Click the links and enter to win.  Offer ends Saturday, Dec 13th at midnight. Happy holidays, all!

 

GOODREADS

 

PENGUIN’S FIRST TO READ