Jenn McKinlay's News #44
June 17, 2021
Hello, Readers! Summer is upon us and I thought what a great time to giveaway my romantic comedy, THE GOOD ONES, set during summer in a bookstore in North Carolina! A rescue kitten, an old Victorian house, a bookstore, and a cowboy architect...what's not to love? See below for all the ways to enter!
Book News: We are a mere EIGHT weeks away from the release of WAIT FOR IT my rom-com set in the city I love...Phoenix!
Pre-orders are the backbone of success for a book launch so if you'd be so kind as to pre-order it from your local bookstore or nudge your library to buy it for you, I'd be soooo incredibly grateful! Also, if you send your pre-order info to jennmckinlaypromotions@gmail.com we have an exclusive desert wishes bracelet for you!
If you belong to a book club, check out the Book Club Kit that has been posted on my website. This novel unboxes A LOT as our hero and heroine have to break their self-limiting patterns of a lifetime to reach out and grab the sparkling romance right in front of them! Come for the laughs and stay for the heartwarming story of Annabelle and Nick, two of my favorite characters!
I'm equally thrilled to have KILLER RESEARCH coming to you on November 2nd! Ms. Cole is running for mayor, ya'll. Briar Creek will never be the same! Pre-order TODAY!!!
Giveaway: On Friday, June 25th, the monthly giveaway winners will be announced. As mentioned above, the prizes are a signed copy of THE GOOD ONES, an exclusive Jenn McKinlay koozie, and a cat in a teacup charm!
How do you enter the random drawing? Well, if you subscribe to my newsletter -- and you probably have if you're reading this -- you're all set. Other randomly picked winners will be chosen from my Instagram followers, and two different Facebook groups -- the McKinlay's Mavens and the indie group Fans of Jenn McKinlay. Click the highlighted names to follow or join for extra chances to win! Good Luck!
Events: August is really heating up (see what I did there?) with virtual events in anticipation of the release of WAIT FOR IT. I'll be at The Ripped Bodice on August 10th, The Poisoned Pen on August 11th, and the Murder on the Beach bookstore on August 18th and that's just to start! Seriously, you'll be soooo sick of me by the end of the month. LOL. See my events page on my website for details!
What's On My Mind: Well, if you follow me on social media, you know we lost our dear sweet Annie, our rescue dog, to kidney disease last week. She had just been to the vet for her annual a few weeks prior and she was good to go, so to say this was a shock is a vast understatement.
Annie's story was the foundation of my book ABOUT A DOG as I found Annie abandoned in an alley one hot August morning eleven years ago. We already had a dog and I wasn't really up for another but she wiggled and waggled her way into our hearts in a matter of minutes, becoming instant best friends with our schnauzer Otto. She was quite simply meant to be ours and we loved her goofy face, silly antics, and fierce protectiveness every single day of her life.
It was a crushing blow to lose her and my poor heart is wrecked, but I've also done a lot of thinking about her and the many things she taught me while I was lucky enough to have her by my side, so I thought I'd share with you.
1. Always show the people you love how happy you are to see them. Wag freely and joyfully.
2. A best friend, a soul mate, a bosom buddy is a rare and beautiful thing. Appreciate them by sharing your toys and your dog bed.
3. When giving kisses, always aim for the mouth. LOL.
4. When you need to wake your people, use your head to nudge them like a cannonball. It will do the trick.
5. A fierce bark protects a fragile heart.
6. Live in the moment. Take time to sniff the breeze because that particular scent will only go by once.
7. Make time for joy. Play every day.
8. You're stronger than you realize. Be brave.
9. Your pack is the most important thing in the world, the rest is details.
10. Just because someone threw you away, doesn't mean you don't have value. Your people are out there and they will find you.
During Annie's last night, as we slept on the living room floor together, all of our pets -- the cats, Loretta, Patsy, and George, and her dog pal Otto -- joined us, sleeping on the floor around her. I think they knew it was her time and they wanted to be near. It was devastating and beautiful.
The next day, I carried her into the dog hospital just like I carried her into our yard 11 years ago. Annie passed away with all of her people around her. We are crushed but so very grateful for the love of such a beautiful soul.
Goodbye, my sweet girl, our Cannonball Annie. I will miss you forever. ?
Thank you for letting me share my girl's wisdom.
Happy reading, my friends! I hope you have a wonderful summer!
XO,
Jenn