Jessica Danow's Blog

Good morning and happy hump day to my loyal 5 followers 
I am so happy to bring you a couple of announcements, and these are big deals for me so I hope you're as excited as I am...

First big announcement...

I will be signing at Iowa Author Fest!
Saturday September 26, 2015
Brenton Skating Plaza
Des Moines, IA

There will be tons of local authors as well as some great local music and food... I hope you'll come by and say hi!

Second big announcement...

I have a new manuscript started that is a standalone. It will also be a Contemporary Romance. I am super excited about this storyline and these characters! I can't wait for you to meet them. That being said I will be looking for a couple of alpha readers for this project, please let me know if you're interested.

Final big announcement...

I will be signing at Richmond Reader Rehab
April 29th - May 1st 2016
Double Tree by Hilton
Richmond VA
https://www.facebook.com/RichmondReadersRehab?fref=ts

I can't wait to see you all there!

I know it's been a bit since I posted much of anything, and so I figured it was about time. I need to update you all on a lot of things.


It's been awhile since I've written much, and I feel you need to know why. I've essentially become a co-parent overnight, which has taken some adjusting; I've been doing a lot of reading (as you can see from my "What I'm Reading Now" tab), helping a brand spanky new author format her book, and my life has been in a general state of disarray.

I've been taking part in the PopSugar reading challenge and I've discovered some new authors and even new genres. Needless to say I've been busy, but I am happy to report that my nose is now back to the grindstone, and I am writing again.

Earlier this month my book Providence in the Fall was featured in a Goodreads group as a Read & Review book. To my dismay Providence in the Fall hasn't been receiving very stellar ratings. This has been hard for me to swallow. Even though the reviews haven't been rated very high the reviewers have done me a great service and pointed out areas where I need to improve as a writer. Many of the reviews claimed that the book "reads like a first draft", and I must fix this.

I have decided to have Providence in the Fall re-edited by my amazing new editor Amy Donnelly from Alchemy & Words. I will be pushing back the release of the second book in the Seasons Series - Spring of Darkness.

Providence in the Fall will re-release the first part of August 2015, and Spring of Darkness will follow in September 2015.

The key part of all of this that I can't help but stress enough is that I couldn't do any of this without each and every one of you. Without you my dream wouldn't be coming true. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support and loyalty.

Before I get into the fun of this blog and the fun of sharing my writing experiences with you, I thought we needed to get some of the formality out of the way. I say “we” because well, as much as I would like to think writing books is my journey, it’s actually “our” journey.  Every time I think about writing and the idea that hopefully in the next few months you will all have my second book in your hands just baffles me. Something my mind thought up, something I created. I’ve never been good at sports or science or music, and I can’t carry a tune in a bucket; but words, well, that’s a different story.

I’ve always wanted to write, just like my mom I would sit and practice my handwriting for hours trying to get it just right. Even at that young of age, I felt like I was grooming myself for something bigger. Needless to say since that time they’ve come out with computers and I don’t have to write everything out by hand, thank god. So as a child, I read. I don’t mean your typical Boxcar Children, Goosebumps, R.L. Stein or Judy Blume books – ya I did read those, but I read everything! I read the cereal box, the shampoo bottle, the newspaper (when I could find a story to hold my attention), even my dad’s car magazines.

The first books I remember my mom letting me pick out to read for myself weren’t the popular kids books, but the young adult classics books. I read The Three Musketeers, Great Expectations, Swiss Family Robinson, etc. My favorite book though that I ever owned was a BEAUTIFUL hard backed copy of Little Women which at the time cost my mom more than I think she’d care to admit. This book had a dust cover and the smoothest, most vibrant cover. The pages, I remember, felt like thick parchment paper, and the illustrations were so crisp and detailed. I was completely enamored by the sheer beauty of this book. A book is something that looks so simple, but as soon as you open the cover and turn the pages you can’t help but be in awe of the amount of sheer awesome that went into putting that book in your hands. Someone had to think up that story, then take their time to put it down on paper, and finally have the courage to share it with the world. I was instantly in love with the idea of being a writer.

I didn’t know how to just break into the writing world, so I thought about it for a long time and decided I would try my hand at blogging and see how that felt. Now, almost two years later, I realize it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Throughout my blogging career I’ve met some pretty amazing people. Kim Holden and Chelle Craze are the two people who inspired me to write my debut novel. These two beautifully amazing women have supported me when I wanted to throw my hands up and walk away, when I sent out my first couple of chapters thinking they were going to be complete crap, and every.single.time they beg for more of my book I gain another level of confidence in myself and my abilities.

So, I guess, the point of the post is to tell all five of you who are probably reading this; how I came to be where I am on our journey. Clearly, if I can do it, than I know YOU CAN TOO! In all honesty though, if you want to write, do it for you not for anyone else. Write what’s in your heart, and don’t expect every word, sentence, paragraph, or page to be perfect the first time through. Just write, you can edit later. Don’t over think, just allow your fingers to slide over the keys and create.

I’m back! I know you’ve all missed me right…hello…is this thing on? I know it seems like I’m very out of touch for an author who is trying to build a following, and you’re right! Life has been absolutely crazy, and I’ve been trying to get this book done so I can put it in your little hands. Well, I’ve made some strides since we last talked.

Let me bring you up to speed…The first draft is FINISHED. It’s getting ready to go to the editor (my good friend Mercedes Roth will be editing for me. – She’s PHENOMENAL). I have a cover ready to go (I’ll put it at the bottom of this post), and my beta readers have the book. I’m just waiting for feedback…I’m dying over here. I want to know what everyone thinks.

I have already diligently started writing book two in the Seasons Series. The second book will be about Honor and Sloan (you will have met them in the first book). Each book is going to be about a different couple. Characters from previous books will be in the following books but you don’t need to read them in order to know what is happening. That means each novel can be a standalone! If you want to read them in order you can. I love the idea of doing it this way because I have so many characters in my head that I want to share with you all. It just makes the most sense. :-)

The release…Well the official release date is going to be October 21st 2014 for Providence in the Fall. I will be having a fabulous release party on October 25, 2014. It’s going to be a blast you won’t want to miss it. I’m going to be giving away a couple kindle copies of my book, a couple amazon gift cards, and some other fun stuff I’m sure! There will be takeovers by other authors, and lots of fun to be had.