Jenn McKinlay's News #38
December 15, 2020
Happy Holidays, Readers, and Happy Cover Reveal!!!
I am just thrilled, excited, and delighted to share with you the cover of WAIT FOR IT, my second women's fiction rom-com, coming Aug 10, 2021! (If for some reason the cover didn't pop up in your email, send me a message here jennmck at yahoo dot com, and I'll hook you up)!
If you've read PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA, then you know that Annabelle Martin is the sister of Chelsea Martin, the heroine. While writing about Chelsea's adventures, I got such a kick out of Annabelle that I knew she needed her own story, too, and now here it is!
Want to know more? Here's the back cover copy:
Stuck in a dreary Boston winter, surrounded by annoyingly happy couples, Annabelle Martin would like nothing more than to run away from her current life. She's not even thirty years old, twice-divorced, and has just dodged a marriage proposal… from her ex-husband. When an opportunity to start over arises, she jumps at it and flees to Arizona for a dream job as a graphic designer.
When she arrives in the Valley of the Sun, Annabelle moves into a pool house attached to a mansion with a mysterious owner. Having assumed her anonymous landlord, Nick Daire, to be some old, rich curmudgeon, Annabelle is shocked when she finally meets him and finds that he's not much older than her and is in a wheelchair. Nick suffered from a stroke a year ago, and while there's no physical reason for him not to recover, he is struggling to overcome the paralyzing fear that has kept him a prisoner in his own home.
Despite her promise to herself not to get involved, Annabelle finds herself irresistibly drawn to Nick. And soon she wonders if she and Nick might help each other find the courage to embrace life, happiness, and true love.
This book was so much fun to write! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
It's been a while since I've written one of my quarterly newsletters, so I am hoping this finds you well and managing this year to end all years. Personally, I have good days and bad days, but I find that reading helps, as does walking my dogs and, of course, a few bad breakfast choices here and there are quite the pick me up. I recommend cheesecake for breakfast -- if you throw some strawberries on it, it's practically health food!
Today's newsletter is going to deviate from the usual format. I know I usually list book news, events, and then share what's been on my mind, but honestly, the same stuff that was on my mind in March and April and May...well, you get the idea...is still on my mind! I can see you nodding. Yes, we're in this together.
So, with the flip of the calendar in 2021, I am planning to start thinking about other things. A new cozy series perhaps, or maybe another women's fiction, or possibly a trip back to the Notting Hill hat shop crew. Who knows? To give myself a little nudge, I'm going to put out a newsletter every month instead of quarterly, and I'm planning to include exclusive excerpts of the upcoming books, recipes and craft instructions as well as some rockin' giveaways and, of course, I'll share whatever is on my mind at the time!
With the world in a confusing state of flux, I'm hoping I can give you one constant in your inbox - a letter from a friend (that'd be me) and something short and fun to read that won't feel like a chore.
In the meantime, here 's a brief excerpt from WAIT FOR IT with some pre-order links (authors love pre-orders!) below:
I turned my head and grinned at Sophie, my best friend and now my employer. I felt lighter as if by coming to Phoenix and starting over, I'd buried my troubles in a snowbank in Boston and left them there and now I, Annabelle Martin, was going to have an adventure.
Soph's husband Miguel unloaded my bags out of the back of the SUV and hauled them up the wide concrete steps to the front entrance of my house. It had thick glass double doors done in a swirled pattern that made them opaque. Gorgeous. They were bookended by two square bronze metal planters that were overflowing with trailing asparagus ferns and spiky lavender stalks. Miguel turned and handed me the keys to the house.
"I'm going up to the main house to let Daire know you've arrived," he said.
"Shouldn't I come with you?" I asked.
He and Sophie exchanged a look. Then he shook his head. "Nick Daire is a bit reclusive. I'm sure you'll meet him eventually, but I'd wait for him to take the lead on that."
He walked down the steps and took a side path that cut through the olive trees and led to the front of the main house. I watched, taking in the very large house that perched behind my baby house like a mama hen hovering over its chick.
I turned to Sophie. "So, what's wrong with him?"
"Miguel? Nothing!"
I frowned. Why would she think I was asking about Miguel?
"No, Mr. Daire," I said. "What's wrong with him? Because reclusive seems like a code word for weird, odd, or possibly pervy."
She took the keys from my hand and unlocked the glass doors.
"Belly, I am shocked. Shocked that you think I would put you up with a pervert," she said.
For the record, she is the only person on earth allowed to call me "Belly".
"I'm just sayin'," I said. "Spill it. What's his damage?"
Soph opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked me right in the eye and said, "Listen, I think it's best if you steer clear of the main house. Nick Daire is fine, seriously, but you don't need to meet him, befriend him, or know him in any way other than to send him your rent check on the first of every month, okay?"
"Do you even know me?" I asked. I pointed to myself. "Extrovert. I like people. I like to be friendly."
"Yes, I know," she said. "And since I do know you better than most people do, for once, listen to me. Steer clear of your landlord and all will be well."
Clearly, she did not know me as well as she thought she did if that was her idea of keeping me away from my mysterious landlord. Rather, I was now positively consumed with curiosity to meet him. But how could I make it happen? Hmm.
Pre-order Here:
- IndieBound
- Barnes & Noble
- Books A Million
- Bookshop.Org
- Hudson Booksellers
- Powell's
- Target
- Walmart
- Amazon
THANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST READERS AN AUTHOR COULD EVER HAVE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! XOXO JENN