Books for Donation Receipts

It's been an overwhelming week of news. 

Following the lead of others, particularly R. M. Virtues, I would like to offer folks books in exchange for donation receipts. Or a query review, if that is a thing that you are into.

With so many things calling for attention at the moment, I am not going to be super picky about where you donated. 

With recent legal news in Florida and Texas, Lambda Legal might be a great option. There's also romance folks raising money for the Transgender Education Network of Texas here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/heafortranskids-tent

Food is always a concern in troubling times, so Feeding America or World Central Kitchen are options.

I know I have readers in Japan, if there are places that are more open to donations for you, I'm going to trust that. 

Some fine print.

This will be for ebooks. I don't have capacity to be shipping at the moment.

Send me your receipt either using the contact form or emailing tara+contest @ tarakennedy dot com.  

My preference is to route you through Book Funnel for the freebie. If you hate that, let me know in the email, along with your preferred format (mobi, epub) and I'll send it to you. 

$5 - donation - 1 novel or 2 novellas

/shorts

$10 donation - 2 novels or 1 novel and 2 novellas/shorts

$15 - 2 novels and 2 novellas/shorts or 4 novellas/shorts

$20 - Query Critique or 2 novels and 3 novellas/shorts or 5 novellas/shorts

$25 - 7 titles of your choice, or query critique plus 1 title

$30 - 8 titles of your choice, or query critique plus 2 titles

$35 - All 9 titles or query critique plus three titles

Novellas/Shorts are: Bait Girl, Aloha to You, Repeated Burn, Bored By the Billionaire, and Cocker on the Porch, which is currently not for sale anywhere.

Also Let's Talk About Fictional Sex is novella length.

Novels are: Undercover Bridesmaid and Hot Bartender.

Query Critique means I will review and make suggestions/revisions on your query for up to 3 rounds or 60 days, whichever comes first.

I will update this post when the offer is closed. 

Undercover Bridesmaid - Now Available in Print

Undercover Bridesmaid - first novel length, but second in the City Complication series is now available in print.  The book can be read as a standalone, though there are brief appearances by Seth - who is a protagonist in Aloha to You, so ymmv on that. 

Rafe has been using charm both in and out of work.  Finding himself the only groomsman at a weather interrupted bachelor party isn't going to stop him from having fun.

Felicia has made a living for herself helping out brides by posing as one of their bridesmaids. She's used to handling all sorts of unexpected hitches, but a solo groomsman who keeps showing up at all the bachelorette events is a new one for her.  It doesn't matter if he's hot, Felicia's there to make the bride happy not herself.  Not even if the bride decides a little matchmaking might make her happy.

The book was also my not so secret love letter to pet rescues, and Felicia meets many rescue dogs in between her wedding planning.  And because of the nature of their meeting and Felicia's job, there is travel, a secret identity, and some long distance stuff for them to figure out.  

Available at multiple etailers - universal book link: https://books2read.com/u/bwd8BY
And in print:https://bookshop.org/books/undercover-bridesmaid/9781386003878

Aloha to You - Now Available in Print

Exciting news, my paper peeps. Aloha to You, the starting novella in my City Complications series is now available in print.  Novellas can get a little pricey in print format, but I know there are folks who for a variety of reasons prefer paper, so that is now available.  I am going to get the others available in print, but it takes time, and it's getting juggled with other publishing priorities, so be patient with me.  

The blurb and link to the original post which includes content info is here; 

Aloha to You - A City Complications Novella Seth is an aspiring journalist stuck in a day job he hates. When he interviews a DC-based lei maker he finds himself drawn to Adriana's non-traditional approach to following her dreams. But will his doubts about her approach ultimately be their undoing? Adriana's already learned the dangers of living a life partially on line. She has set up boundaries and routines to keep herself safe. But it turns out routine can get a little, well, routine. Will Seth be the perfect addition to her life, or further proof that trusting others always ends in tears? Some people have to find their dreams, Some people make them. 

Content notes here. 

Available at multiple etailers - universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XZnd6  

Also available in print: universal ling: https://books2read.com/u/m2Ml9O

New Release - Hot Bartender

I have a new story out today, it's Hot Bartender. 

Louise's fast fingers and social media savvy have her spreading the story of a first date gone weird on social media.  But every story needs a good ending.  And Louise just told the world that she's dating the bartender now.
Except Louise doesn't really remember doing that. Oops. But he is nice. And hot.

Zane has been watching Louise have a series of first dates that all end with her chatting with him at the bar. Can he convince her he's just the change of pace she needs? 

-Buy links: 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3hUneDR

Amazon: https://amzn.to/33TurPc

Apple - https://apple.co/3mJEZJG

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/4AKVMJ

-This story operates as a standalone, but Seth, Adriana, Rafe, and Felicia all make appearances (from Aloha to You, and Undercover Bridesmaid respectively.)
-It also includes, not necessarily in order, found friends, a this is of course temporary dating situation (spoiler, they might  be wrong about that), nosy parents, a pushy sister, and quite a bit of food discussion.    
-The opening chapter of this story was loosely inspired by actual events that took place in a bar in DC. The real life dude planned six dates.  I tried to do the math on that and found it odd, so I let truth be even stranger than fiction.  
-Hospitality is a huge industry in DC, and of course in current conditions it is being hammered.  It didn't seem like fantasy to write about a thriving bar scene when I first wrote it, and of course, we'll get back there.  In the interim, shout out to the folks trying to pivot in this new world and keep in contact with their customers.
-I did not intend to put two list making heroines back to back, but well, some people need lists for their jobs, and some people pretend lists make them organized.  Louise is a little more of the latter.    
-I had separately been researching Maryland's history as the Gretna Green of the mid-Atlantic.  I discovered that Maryland has now added a twenty four hour waiting period.  (Although there are still some B&B's on the border that invite you to just make it a special trip.)  And then I discovered the proxy filing process in DC and well, the writer brain was inspired.  

 
 

Undercover Bridesmaid

 I have a new book out today - sort of.  It's releasing on Kobo today, so if epub and/or Kobo is your jam, you can pick it up now. It releases at the rest of the sites next week so you can go hit preorder.  

Rafe has been using charm both in and out of work. Finding himself the only groomsman at a weather interrupted bachelor party isn't going to stop him from having fun. Felicia has made a living for herself helping out brides by posing as one of their bridesmaids. She's used to handling all sorts of unexpected hitches, but a solo groomsman who keeps showing up at all the bachelorette events is a new one for her. It doesn't matter if he's hot, Felicia's there to make the bride happy not herself. Not even if the bride decides a little matchmaking might make her happy.

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3d7y2ft

Zon: https://amzn.to/3hvsped

Apple books: https://apple.co/2YJyxa6

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/bwd8BY 

1. This book is written to stand alone, but it is part of the City Complications series, so if you have read Aloha to You you will already know who Rafe's friend Seth is.  In fact, you will have met Rafe too.  

2. I don't always know exactly what inspired my stories, because my writer brain is often like a sticky ball, gathering up bits of things until it coalesces into something.  For this one I know.  I was listening to NPR's "Ask Me Another" and on that same show they had a woman who was for some time a professional bridesmaid, and a gentleman who had garnered internet fame for being the only member of his bachelor party. And I thought what if I stuck them together? 

3. It is a particularly odd thing to have a book that involves travel to three different cities, and a number of non-socially distant gatherings amid a moment where essentially none of these things are really possible.  I have friends trying to figure out if they should even get married right now. 

4. I have watched a lot of TV shows about animal rescue.  I myself have a cat from a shelter.  The people who dedicate some or all of their time to animal rescue, are wonderful people who do a lot of work, and see a lot.  This book contains many fictional dogs, who all survive and are happy.  Let's not tell my cat that I have now written more fictional dogs than cats, mmkay?

5. This book starts in New Orleans, a city that called to me so much the first time I visited.  I've been lucky enough to visit it several times since. With groups and on my own. 

6.  This book, in addition to DC and it's suburbs (because of course) also spends some time in New York City.  New York City and New Orleans have been hard hit by both the COVID 19 pandemic, and police brutality.  (DC also.)  Here's hoping the world that we build going forward is better on all fronts. 

7. There is a teeny Broadway reference in here.  Let me know if you spot it.  

Oh also, if you are playing Ripped Bodice Bingo, this works for I'm on a Boat and Secret Identity.

7 Things About Aloha to You

Hey, so, in case you haven't heard, my novella Aloha to You is now available at an etailer near you:  https://books2read.com/u/4XZnd6

1. Seth is an aspiring journalist stuck in a job he doesn't like.  So he accepts the chance to do a fluffy interview with a woman who had a decent social media following.  Adriana is a DC-based lei maker who has crafted a life both on and off social media.  They have very different appoarches to life.  And they can't stop thinking about each other.  

2. The novella kicks off my City Complications series, but each story will feature it's own couple, so while their may be easter eggs that are more amusing to those who have read everything, feel free to start anywhere.  (Once the others are out.  Right now there's just one, so easy peasy.)

3. Content note:  This story contains a character dealing on page with anxiety and somewhat controlled panic attacks.  As always, it will not be the best story for everyone to read right now.  Also this one does contain on page sex.  

4. I have been accused of being contrary, which seems unfair and incorrect.  But the germ of an idea for this story did come to me as I was thinking how I would probably never write a royalty story because I'm not that interested in contemporary monarchies and then I realized I could write about someone who was self-declared princess on social media.  

5.  Another thing that will not surprise long time readers is that I really thing the world needs more stories about the people who live in DC who are not politicians.  So here you are, two folks, living in DC, making plans based on metro, and neither one of them is a politician.  

6.  I have a love/hate relationship with instagram myself.  But in thinking about what kind of people would really love Instagram or similar sites, and why they would find it a great and useful tool, I won't tell you I learned to love Instagram, but I appreciated why it's so popular with so many. 

7.  Also, if your brain is subject to hearing titles in song, and you hear Aloha to You to the tune of Michelle Branch's "Goodbye to You", well you are not alone.  If you don't, well, that's fine too.

Also, some of the folks I followed on Instagram for flower inspiration include @hakumaui, @helemelehi, @hawaiianleicompany, and @floraforager

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