Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Addie and Emmett's Story Has Arrived!

As some readers have guessed, Emmett and Addie from Mail Order Runaway were destined to have their own romance.  Now their story, Mail Order Neglect is ready and waiting on Amazon.com!

You may remember Emmett--whose handsome smile and charming ways could melt the heart of any woman--as a confirmed bachelor.  But his new sister-in-law Elinor has been working on him, and once he got a gander at just how happy his brother Gideon was as a married man, it got him to thinking...maybe a cozy home and a good wife was better than a cold cabin up at his mining claim.

But Elinor didn't stop there.  She was also working on her best friend by letter, selling Addie on all of Emmett's best qualities, not the least of which was his love of reading.  Before long, with Madeline Porter's help, she had set the wheels in motion for her childhood friend to take a train out to Montana to become Emmett's new bride.

There's just one problem--there are a few things about her two favorite people that Elinor may not have predicted!  Things like Addie's shyness blossoming into a complete feeling of inadequacy in the face of her devastatingly handsome beau, and confident Emmett's deepest fear that his new wife was a heap smarter than he is, a lot prettier than he expected, and just too good for him in general!

If that isn't enough for a betrothed couple to face, it only gets worse when a shadow from Emmett's checkered past shows up, throwing his future into jeopardy.

Can Emmett shake off his past long enough to build a future with Addie?  Or will his old habits die hard?

Click here to purchase Mail Order Neglect, Book 5 in the Montana Mail Order Brides series, available (at least for now) exclusively on Amazon.com!  (Also available to borrow through Kindle Unlimited, for those who are members.)

Sunday, February 15, 2015

New book, The Brahmin Ball, available now on Amazon!

I've just released The Brahmin Ball. the first book in a new novella series called Brahmin Brides.  It is a prequel to Mail Order Regrets, but it's a standalone book, with no spoilers, so it can be read now, whether or not you've read the books in my Montana Mail Order Brides series.

If you loved Madeline's spunky, entitled attitude in the beginning of Mail Order Regrets, you'll see more of that, plus her fondness and admiration for her softhearted sister, Grace.  You'll also see the world Madeline came from, which will give you a greater understanding of the culture shock she experienced when she traveled to Montana. You may even want to re-read Mail Order Regrets after reading The Brahmin Ball, just to see if it gives you a new take on Madeline's character!

This is the first book I've put into the Amazon Select program, which means that it will be available exclusively on Amazon, and readers who are Kindle Unlimited members will be able to borrow it for free! And don't forget, if you use a device other than a Kindle, you can download a free app from Amazon, so that you can read Kindle books on almost any device.  I didn't think Kindle Unlimited would be worth joining at first, but I was wrong--my kids take out new books every day, and I found a surprisingly good array of non-fiction books lately...and the first month is free!

Read on for a description and blurb of The Brahmin Ball.

For a Boston socialite in 1886, reputation is everything…

Miriam Barstow's command is clear: her daughters must find a husband without delay!  If the rest of the Brahmin elite discover their family secret, the girls' reputation could be in tatters.  But Grace, Madeline, and Clara have been in mourning for a year after their father's death.  Enticing the attention of a bachelor after a long absence from society is no easy task.


At the Winter Ball, Grace meets Garrett Gladstone, a man who knows the pain of her loss.  For the first time, she is ready to open her heart again. But when the disastrous truth about the Barstow family is revealed, will it ruin the reputation of the three girls, and alter their futures forever?


Excerpt of The Brahmin Ball:


“Everyone heard. They’re looking at us!” hissed Madeline.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Grace soothed.
But there were unmistakable whispers and glances in their direction as they made their way through the crowded edges of the ballroom. Eliza’s display hadn’t been that loud, which could only mean the unthinkable.
The rumors had already spread.
Clara vibrated with anger. “That stupid Eliza. She’s so vulgar! I would never have been so cruel.” Tears sparkled in Clara’s eyes.
“Don’t let them see you cry,” Grace whispered. “We’re Barstows. The behavior of others doesn’t affect us. Let them gossip. We will hold our heads up high.”
“What’s the matter?” Miriam appeared before them. “Clara looks distressed.”
Clara blinked away the tears and morphed her lips into a strained, pleasant expression. “I’m fine, Mother.”
“She’s not fine,” Madeline muttered. “Nothing will ever be fine again. They know.”
“Oh, Madeline, stop with your paranoia…” Miriam sighed.
“She’s not paranoid this time,” Grace whispered. “She’s right. Everyone knows. Look around you.”
Their mother’s eyes flitted about the room. Though most people were still engaged in lively conversation or dancing, there were, sprinkled throughout the room, several people who were staring in their direction, speaking in hushed tones.

***

As mentioned in a previous post, book 5 in the Montana Mail Order Brides series will be out soon, and should make avid readers of the series very happy.  Why?  I'll give you a hint:  it features two characters you have "met" before!  ;-)

Also, be sure to watch this blog in the future.  I'll be adding pictures that help illustrate the environments my books are set in, from Helena in the 1880s, to the homes of Boston's former elite on Beacon Street, to the public gardens and Boston Common, where Madeline, Grace, and Clara stroll in The Brahmin Ball.  If you've wondered what fashions were like in the 1880s or if the streets were paved or if telephones and electricity really did exist in Helena in 1888, then tune in!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Surprise Announcement!

Hey there, loyal readers, I'm back!  No, I'm not dead, I was just out of commission for a while. Fortunately, I have some great news. Three items of great news, actually.

First, I have a surprise for you. AmazonCrossing, the foreign language publishing imprint for Amazon, has acquired the German rights for Mail Order Regrets. The translation is finished, and the book is slated for release on March 10th. However, it is available for pre-order now, for those of you who are eligible to purchase books from Amazon DE.

 Here is the link: http://www.amazon.de/Braut-postwendend-Julianna-Blake-ebook/dp/B00SC2GIYU/ 

Are you curious about the cover? So was I! Here it is:



What do you think?

For anyone who wants the German translation, but lives in the US, here is the link to get the book at Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/1477830944/  If you have German-speaking friends or family, I would very much appreciate it if you would let them know about the release date Mail Order Regrets/Braut Postwendend.  

And for those who speak French or have French-speaking friends or family, I'm happy to tell you that AmazonCrossing has recently acquired the French rights to Mail Order Regrets as well, and that is tentatively scheduled for release on May 26th of this year.

My other two announcements are regarding upcoming books.  I am currently writing book five in the Montana Mail Order Brides series, and due out in March.  

I also just finished edits for a novella for a new series, which is a spinoff of the MMOB series.  It is also a prequel to Mail Order Regrets, and takes place in Boston in 1886, featuring Madeline and her sisters (Clara and Grace--the sister that Madeline later named her daughter after), during the time that their terrible family secret is revealed.  The story is Grace's story, and takes place in a completely different environment--instead of the small town of Helena Montana and its rough and rugged surroundings, it takes place in the elegant Back Bay mansions of Boston's elite.  This story is a stand-alone story, and can be read either before or after you've read the MMOB series.  There won't be any spoilers in it.

The new novella, The Brahmin Ball is available now, so please spread the word!  Also, for the first time, the novella is in Kindle Unlimited, so KU customers can read it for free.  (Free!  Wooo hooooo!)

Thank you for being so patient with me.  I have a wonderful group of loyal readers, and without you, I would have never been offered a contract with AmazonCrossing in the first place.  I owe it all to you!  And now that things are more settled, I have a lot more books planned for you the coming year.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Mail Order Devastation: Book 4, available NOW!

Mail Order Devastation, Book 4 of the Montana Mail Order Bride series, is live on Amazon!  

(Should be live on Nook and iTunes any time now, with Smashwords to follow in the next day or so.)

Check out the cover, and the description for this story about the latest bride to be welcomed to Helena by Madeline:







One weak moment in her otherwise moral life left Mollie Quinn in a terrible predicament--but she has chosen to face the consequences of her actions, and raise her newborn daughter on her own. But her troubles have only begun.  

When she must endure every mother’s worst nightmare, Mollie is forced to do whatever it takes to find her child again--even if it means moving all the way to Montana to marry a man she’s never met.










This book was really hard to write--for some reason I found it hard to do justice to Mollie's plight.  I wanted to handle it right, because it's an emotional subject to tackle.  I will warn the readers, though, that while this book definitely has a satisfying "happily ever after"--which readers are looking for with any romance--there are a couple of emotional scenes in the book that could conceivably be difficult to read for a woman who has given up a child for adoption, lost a child, or has had difficulty conceiving a child.  For some women, this could be a cathartic reading experience, while for others, it could be uncomfortable.  If you think you might fall in the latter group, I'd recommend either skimming over those parts, or perhaps skipping this book and waiting for Book 5.

It's important for me to be completely honest about my novels' contents, so that my readers always know what to expect, and whether or not a particular book is one that they might enjoy.  Happy readers is what it's all about!  That is why I am very upfront with my word count, and content warnings (not that there's much to warn about, LOL).  Since many of my readers are Christians, I always let readers know that my books are not Christian in nature, even though some characters may hold Christian beliefs (of varying degrees of devoutness).  However, since my characters are imperfect people, they sometimes make mistakes--which makes them more real, in my opinion, and a character that readers can relate to.  

Based on the reviews, it seems that most readers agree with me. Which is awesome, because I have no intention of ever writing fluffy, boring books with predictable plots!  My goal is to write books that are an easy read, but are complex: with "dark and twisty" moments, tender moments, light moments, tense moments, and deliriously happy moments.  

If you enjoy all those things rolled into one full-length novel, then hang on to your hats, and enjoy the ride!  ;-)


Be sure to follow my blog and my Twitter, because I have some really interesting things planned!  I'm about to start up a newsletter for my fans, with special bonuses for those who join, as well as a heads-up for subscribers as to when I'm about to upload a new book, or put a book on sale, etc.  

Also, there will be some special posts in the near future, for those who can't get enough of my 1890s world in Helena, Montana.  If you really enjoy the details and the history in the Montana Mail Order Brides series, you won't want to miss them!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Book 4, coming soon!

I just wanted to update you all and let you know that book 4 in the Montana Mail Order Brides series is coming soon.  I'm pounding away on my little laptop, and I expect it should be out by mid-March (a little later than I intended, but I'm working like crazy to shorten that time if possible).

You can follow my twitter or blog to find out when it's released, or go to my Julianna Blake Amazon Author page, and in the upper right hand corner you'll see a heading titled "Stay Up To Date".  If you click the link below that, Amazon will contact you through your Amazon account  to notify you when I release my next book.

Thanks to all the readers who have taken the time to leave reviews on all my books.  I've read some very lovely reviews lately, and it means so much to me when a reader enjoys my work.  If I'm able to create a world that gives my readers a welcome respite from their daily duties, or make them forget their troubles for a short time, then I feel like I've accomplished something truly worthwhile!  When I hear from you wonderful readers that I've achieved that goal, it means so much to me.  :-)

Monday, January 6, 2014

MAIL ORDER RUNAWAY, New Release!! Book 3 of Montana Mail Order Bride series

The third installment in the Montana Mail Order Bride series is now available!

[Edit:  It is, indeed, book 3...apparently I originally titled this post as announcing book 4.  That was a typo.  Runaway i definitely book 3.  Thanks so much to the reader who brought this to my attention!]

Mail Order Runaway is live at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and should be going live over the next few days at Apple, Kobo, Smashwords, Sony, Diesel, and other retailers.

Whoooeeeee!  This book was a bear to edit.  But after weeks of work, plus a run of 12-hour caffeine-and-chocolate-fueled days to get it finished up, it's finally here!  I hope you love reading about Elinor's adventure as much as I loved writing it.

If you enjoy Mail Order Runaway, please consider leaving a review for it.  Reviews go a long way toward helping a book grow in popularity and it raises the book up higher in search results.  This is especially true at Amazon.

Thank you to all the readers who have left reviews of my first two novels, especially those who are avid fans.  The time you took to share your thoughts means a lot to me.




Engaged to the Wrong Man…

Hoping to escape her mothers control and a fiancĂ© she doesnt love, Elinor Travers switches places with her best friend, Addie, who is having second thoughts about marrying her own fiancĂ©—a Montana hay farmer named Gideon, who offers the life that Elinor has always dreamed of.

Abandoned as a Boy…

Gideon Cartwright spent years denying his own dreams so he could raise his younger siblings after his father abandoned them.  At last, he can concentrate on his farm, and settle down with a wife of his own.  But will his mail order bride’s charade remind him too much of the father he resents, and cost Elinor her one chance at true happiness?



Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Book 3 on it's way! Start the New Year with Montana Mail Order Brides Book 3

Since some of you have been wondering, I thought you'd like to know that Book 3 of the Montana Mail Order Brides series will be coming out by January 1!  Mark your calendars, and keep checking back, because it may go live sooner.  And as always, if you follow my blog and my twitter, you'll receive an announcement when the new book goes live.



I'm sorry it wasn't out on December 1st like I had planned--that's what happens when author optimism meets pre-Christmas chaos!  But I'm quite proud of getting out a full-length novel in only just over two months, during the holiday season!  :-)  Thank you for your patience.

Wondering what this one is about?  I've kept it under wraps, but here's a little teaser:

If her ambitious parents have their way, Elinor Travers will endure a life married to a dull man who believes that love is a mere fairy tale.  To make matters worse, she'll be losing her best friend Addie, who is leaving Massachusetts for the ultimate adventure--traveling to the Far West, as a mail order bride.  Addie's husband-to-be is a Montana hay farmer named Gideon, whose alfalfa farm with its little flock of sheep is exactly the idyllic setting which Elinor--not Addie--has always dreamed of.

Gideon Cartwright has spent the last few years working hard and raising his younger siblings following the deaths of his no-account father, then his heartbroken mother.  After years of putting his own desires aside for the welfare of his family, he can finally focus on his own dreams:  improving his farm, expanding his sheep flock, and finally having a loving wife to start a family with.

When both Addie and Elinor get cold feet, Addie suggests a radical change that may bring Elinor the life she's always dreamed of.  But will the behavior of Gideon's new wife remind him too much of the runaway father who abdicated all responsibility for his family?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to all my dear readers, who have made this such a special year for me and my family!  I hope this Christmas finds you all well, and that you were able to spend it with loved ones, or doing something really special, or just getting to spend a little "you" time!




Saturday, October 26, 2013

It's Here! Mail Order Promises Has Arrived!

It has finally arrived!  Mail Order Promises is live on Amazon!  It's also uploaded to all the other retailers, though it may be a day or so for it to be live at some retailers.

Everyone has been writing, asking about it, and now it's here!  I am SO thrilled with this book.  Even my husband is loving it, and he's a big, burly dude!  There's extra action, a sweet heroine with a dark secret, and a burly, handsome blacksmith that just wants an honest woman to love!

Aaaaaannnd here's the cover...


Ta daaaa!

I ended up holding back on the cover reveal, because even though I loved the cover, I felt the girl was all wrong for "Lilly".  And I was right--this girl looks almost exactly as I envisioned Lilly.  So after a little more fuss (a.k.a. five more hours of photo editing!) I love this version even more!  The picture of the other girl was wonderfully sweet, though, and will adorn a future cover--I already have a character in mind.

And here's a little teaser for you:


 
The unspeakable happened, and her family shunned her…


When her world is turned upside down, Lilly Watkins escapes to Montana to become a mail order bride.  She longs to find a peaceful, safe haven in the arms of the blacksmith Jake Morgan, and never again speak of the outrage committed against her.

Jake has lived a bitter and lonely life for years, afraid to trust his broken heart to another woman.  Now that he's ready to give love one last try, the only thing he wants is an honest woman he can trustand lovely, sweet Lilly seems to be the perfect fit.  But someone is watching Lilly, and her secret isn't the only thing that could destroy them…



Dun, dun, dun!

Yep, there's a little bit of intrigue mixed in with your sweet historical romance this time around, along with more action, more bad guys, and more of your favorite characters from Mail Order Regrets!  I hope you love it as much as my husband does.

For those who anxiously awaited the arrival of Mail Order Promises, you'll be happy to know that I have already sketched out the plots of the next three novels, plus a related short story, and I hope to be able to release a new book every month from now on--barring any crazy, unforeseen circumstance.  :-D

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Reader Survey: Too Prudish, or Not Prudish Enough?

I've received some reviews lately criticizing my book for being overloaded with "sexual behavior"...

[Insert stunned emoticon here.]

Sex?!  In my book?  Are we reading the same book?  Because if you've read Mail Order Regrets, you already know there is not a single bit of sex in my book.  None.  Nada.  Not even the wedding night.

Now, what is in my book are two kissing scenes.  One that is  mildly passionate (only kissing, nothing more) that takes place around mid-book, and one that is pretty darn chaste, toward the end.  Throughout the book there are light references to the hero and heroine feeling attraction (yes, sexual attraction--GASP) for each other.  Basically, mild sexual tension. 

I was really confused as to some of the descriptions that these reviewers claim are in my book.  I can only imagine that either they accidentally got my book mixed up in their heads with another book they recently read, or else they consider that feeling attraction to another person or kissing another person to be the equivalent of "sexual behavior".  I don't.  I think most people--even conservative people--don't, either.  But everyone is different, and to each his own, as they say.

To avoid future confusion, I've included a content warning in my book description, now, to help buyers make a more informed choice. 


So here's my question:  how do you feel about the content of the book?  Do you feel it's too prudish, just right, or not prudish enough?  I know that often, it's the loudest people that get heard (the reviewers who say things in the harshest possible way), so this is your chance to speak up and let me know how you feel... 

Just contact me by email, using the email address at the end of Mail Order Regrets, if you want to share your opinion.  That way, you can remain anonymous, and we won't have to worry about "comment wars" between readers here on the blog.  ;-)  Also, feel free to let me know what you'd like to see more of in the future.  I may not be able to respond to every email, if I get a lot at once, but I will definitely read them all. 

I can't make every reader happy--no author can--but I will always take my readers' opinions very seriously, and I appreciate the time readers take to leave me a comment, whether it's a one-star review or a five-star. 


UPDATE:  Some readers have written (and thanks so much for writing!) and asked when Mail Order Promises will be out.  I'm in edits now, and if all goes well, it should be out before the end of this month.  (I updated Mail Order Regrets by changing the notification at the end, saying it would be out by late November.  That was a mistake, it was supposed to say late October.  I've since changed it again.)  I can't wait to release this book--I'm really exited about it!  And you'll get a glimpse into Clay and Madeline's life from time to time throughout the series, as well as other characters.

"I See the 'Sweet', But Where's the Faith?"

A few readers have complained that Mail Order Regrets had no "moral" to it, or that there was no religious subtext to the book.  I figured other readers might be curious, wondering the same thing.

First, as I mention both in the book description and in the very beginning of the book, Mail Order Regrets is NOT an inspirational book.  I'd say a majority of my readers are Christians of some type (whether conservative or more liberal, I couldn't say--but I suspect it runs the gamut), so because of Amazon's algorithms, it frequently ends up in the "also bought" recommendations on the book "buy" pages for many inspirational authors, as well as ending up in the bestseller and Hot New Releases lists for inspirationals.  But that doesn't change the fact that it's not inspirational--it's just a plain old sweet romance, and I try to make that clear in my description, so readers can make a well-informed buying decision.

Unfortunately, some people don't read the whole blurb before buying.  Or the warning at the front of the book, which can be clearly seen in the "look inside" preview.  :-(   Oh well.  I try.

So as I said, there is no religion in the book.  There may be a passing mention of God or prayer--as it may pertain to a particular character's general belief system--but religion, God, and spirituality are not the focus nor the theme of the book.

Why?

1.  I don't want it to.  I want to write whatever comes to mind, without having to be restricted by the unwritten "rules" of inspirationals (i.e. no gambling, drinking, dancing, etc).  While I try not to portray excessive gambling or drinking in a positive light, I want the choice of having such things happen in the book, when it feels right for the situation.  My personal belief is that dancing isn't a sin, nor is a glass of wine or buying a raffle ticket.  I understand some people disagree, and that's fine--that's why I don't write inspirationals, so we can avoid the debate.  :-)

2.  There is a dearth of historical books that don't have sex and are not inspirational.  It seems the big thing nowadays is to either have erotic/spicy historical romance, or inspirational historical romance.  Not a lot of "in between."  So I'm here to fill the "in between."  I read inspirationals all the time, but sometimes you just want a plain ol' romance, without a "moral" to the story, you know?  No conversion, no momentous life decisions about religion--just regular old romance and life problems.  Just for a change of pace.  Also, there are a lot of readers who enjoy a "sweet" romance (no sex), but either they aren't Christian, or don't make their Christianity a large part of their life.  So my books are a good fit for anyone who wants a sweet romance, but doesn't want (or wants a break from, or doesn't require) Christian themes.  If you must have a religious theme, I recommend any Bethany House author...they are wonderful.

3.  I like being able to include descriptions of the full range of emotions/feelings that a person in my character's place would be feeling.  I like characters that are more realistic, so for me to pretend that people never felt attraction back in the "old days" just seems...hollow.  I mean, just because society tells you not to give in to certain feelings doesn't mean you don't feel them, right?  People may have controlled their behavior and emotions, but they still had them!

So I slip in just enough attraction/sexual tension to give a hint of realism, without it being "too much"...at least, not too much for the average reader, I think.  That way, you get a well-rounded view into what the character is actually experiencing--the rush of hormones, the flush of excitement you get when you meet someone new, the embarrassment of feeling things that society says you shouldn't feel, and how it feels to be around someone you admire and are falling in love with, and not be able to just kiss them whenever you darn well feel like it!

And that's why I don't write inspirational romance!  Even though I love reading it.   :-)

Sunday, September 15, 2013

September Update

UPDATE to the update:  I had some major writer's block for a while, and it was sloooooow getting the first draft done.  :-(  But as soon as the edits are done, Mail Order Promises will be out--we're almost there! (I'd estimate October 17th...sometime before the end of October.  Edits were more complex this time around, but I'm almost done with them.  Really.  I promise!). The next four books are already plotted, and now that I've got things settled down at home and my writing routine down, my goal is to have one novel out per month, and also add a few related short stories as well.





Original Post:

Just wanted to let my readers know...the next book IS coming!


I'm sorry for the delay.  Wow!  It's been crazy-busy, and when I'm this tired, it's hard think, let alone write.  My deepest apologies. There was a lot of stuff this summer that needed my time and attention, and I do other writing as well, but I'm still working on Mail Order Promises, and it will be out this month, even if it kills me!

Now that things have slowed down, I plan to get all the books in the Montana Mail Order Brides series out much quicker--hopefully one each month.  If I wrote novellas, as seems to be the trend nowadays, I could pump them out quicker, but a 76,000 word novel, as Mail Order Regrets was, takes more time than a 40,000 word novella.  (Not that novellas are bad--they're great!  I just prefer longer stories and more complex plots, which my next book, Mail Order Promises, definitely has!)

I've also taken to heart a lot of the comments that readers have made in the reviews they've left, and I'm keeping them in mind while I put extra effort into this book.  My goal is to make each book better than the last, and if it takes extra time, it's worth it.  But as I said, now that my schedule is clear, I'll hopefully be able to continue that improved quality, while still putting out my books in a timely fashion. ;-)

In the meantime, thank you all so much for making Mail Order Regrets such a big success!  I couldn't have done it without you.  It has maintained front-page status in several genre bestseller lists on Amazon, including Romance/ Western, Romance/Historical, and Romance,/Inspirational (it's not an Inspirational, but because it's a "clean cut" romance, it's been a hit with the Inspirational readers).  It has also stayed in the top 1000 in the whole Kindle store almost the entire time since its release, spending most of its time hovering in the 500-600 range, and it has twice risen to the top 200s!

There are many more adventures for Madeline's brides in the near future, so stay tuned!

Want a teaser of the cover?  Here it is:



Okay, it's not much, but it's a hint, and you'll see the full cover reveal very soon!  :-D


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Paperback is Out!

Okay, so I've been a very bad girl!  (Well, a very very busy girl, too.)  I did promise I'd have the paperback of Mail Order Regrets out last month, but there were some formatting issues that needed fixing first, and I never seemed to have the time to figure them out.  Of course, it turns out that all those problems were really just one problem, which I fixed.  I also had to redesign the cover to adjust for the formatting changes, but it's ready now!

Here's the link to buy it on Amazon.   It's not linked to the kindle version just yet, but it should be soon.  I wish I could have priced it lower, but Amazon/Createspace charges so much for printing, that I had to list it at that price to make the same amount as I make on the kindle version.  Sorry about that.  :-(   If it was up to me, it would be five bucks!  But then I'd owe Amazon around three buck per book every time one sold.  ;-) 

Want a sneak peek at the full paperback cover?  I knew you would! 



I can't wait to hold it in my hot little hands!!

If anyone wants to buy it on createspace, here's the link to that.   I don't expect many people will buy through createspace, since it doesn't appear to have the very slight discount Amazon gave it.  There's no benefit for anyone (except for me...I make a lot more, because Createspace pays a higher royalty than Amazon).  But it's there for you if you like buying on CS.  :-D

At the moment, you can't order it through a bookstore, because I think there's a fee I have to pay before Amazon will allow bookstores to order in the paperback.  I'm not sure if it's worth doing that, but I may do that in the future.  I assume most people will want to order it through Amazon, since it's cheaper.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Check it out!  Mail Order Regrets is available for only 99 cents for a limited time!

I plan to run this special for one day, but if it goes well, I may leave it up for a little longer, to make sure that everyone who wants to get it is able to.  Then the price will go back up to the usual $2.99.

You've all been so wonderful, helping to get me to the top 20 of the Historical Romance Hot New Releases, the top 20 of Western Romance Bestsellers, and all the way to #2 for a while on the Inspirational Romance lists (even though it's a sweet romance, not an inspirational--Amazon's algorithms are weird that way).  At one point, I even got to the mid-600s for the whole Kindle store!

I figured the least I could do to thank you is lower the price for a short while, so that any friends or relatives you may have recommended my book to are able to buy a copy more easily.

This is the perfect time to buy a bunch of gift copies, and give them to your friends!  I know from experience how hard it can be to find a nice, sweet romance, especially if you're not in the mood for a religious-themed story on that particular day.  Mail Order Regrets is "safe" enough that I would let my daughters read it, if they were teenagers already.  (I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than 14, because while it is a sweet romance, there are mild allusions to the characters feeling sexual attraction.)

Thank you to all my readers, especially those kind enough to leave such wonderful reviews for me.  Every one of them is very special, and so very much appreciated!

I'm working hard on Mail Order Promises, Book 2 in the Montana Mail Order Brides series, and hope to have a sneak peek for you soon.  Sign up to follow this blog, or follow me on Twitter @JuliannaBlake77, to get updates on the cover reveal and the release date, which should be sometime this month!


Friday, May 24, 2013

New Edition Uploaded for Mail Order Regrets: Download Now! (and a "thank you")

There is a new version of Mail Order Regrets available to download on Amazon.  (The new version should be available on the other major retailers by May 25th.)

There were some corrections that needed to be made, most of which were small, but there was one major change that you might enjoy!

I won't give away details, but I will say that instead of just hearing about the character of Dalton Ashby, we actually get to meet him!  But don't worry, the ending of the book is the same. 

If you would like to download the new edition to your kindle, unfortunately with Amazon you can't just delete it and re-download it.  According to Amazon policy, you must contact Amazon and request that you be allowed to have the new edition--otherwise you'll just get the old version again.  I wish I could make it easier for you, but I can't.  They do it to make sure no one accidentally deletes their old version-which they wanted--and can't get it back.  [Edit:  Amazon has a new "automatic update" feature, which I assume means when an author loads a new version, you'll get the new version downloaded to your kindle.  However, I signed up for it, and I still have the old version on my kindle, so either I'm doing something wrong, or it doesn't work.]

For those who purchase from other retailers, you should be able to just delete it and re-download the newer version--but don't quote me on that!  Check with your retailer, because I'm not sure.

When  you download the new version, you'll know it's the right one if you look at the blurb, which should be the first thing when you open the document--the new edition says at the bottom of the blurb that the book is 76,344 words long.  If the word count is smaller, that's the old edition.  (Sometimes the kindle opens the book to page one, so you may have to backtrack to the beginning of the book.)

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you, my readers, soooo much for your support.  You have all been incredible!  I broke the 1,000 rank barrier yesterday--meaning Mail Order Regrets is one of the top 1,000 books sold in the entire Kindle store!  I've also made it to the "front" page of several genre bestseller lists and Hot New Releases genre lists.  I am thrilled and humbled that my book has found a place in so many people's hearts.  I couldn't have done it without all of you.

For those of you with friends or relatives who don't have e-readers, you'll be happy to know that the print version of Mail Order Regrets is coming very soon.  I'll make an announcement here on my blog when it is available to order through Amazon.  And I'm still working on Mail Order Promises, which I hope to have out very soon--stay tuned for the cover reveal!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Dressing (and Undressing!) the Historical Romance Heroine

Have you ever wondered what it would really be like to be a romance heroine, stealing off for moments alone with your hero?  The heavy breathing, the kisses, the touching?  It's enough to make a reader swoon!

Except...

Silk corset, circa 1891, from a collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

It probably didn't happen quite the way you think.  There probably wouldn't have been much petting on regions anywhere on the torso--and if there was, the heroine probably didn't feel much of it under a corset and multiple layers of clothing.  Don't believe me?  Check out this article on How to Undress a Victorian Lady in Your Next Historical Romance.

Author Deanne Gist gave a detailed demonstration at the RWA conference back in 2011, and a reporter was there to capture the experience.  The article goes into detail, with the addition of a video and a slideshow gallery, on how a lady of that era would dress, and the difficulty of doing so even with a lady's maid.

Gist also dispelled myths on various situations commonly used in romance novels for the hero and heroine to get intimate, such as a brief encounter in a carriage.  There would be no disrobing, as it would have been far too difficult and time-consuming just for the lady to undress, much less the hero.  More likely, it involved the tossing up of skirts--assuming she wasn't wearing a hobble skirt or similar slim-lined skirt.  (We'll leave out the details for my more modest readers--I do usually write sweet romances, after all!)

It was a very interesting and informative article, and I hope someday to be able to see Gist's lecture and demonstration in person.  I highly encourage anyone who is writing historical fiction to learn more about fashion, particularly when it comes to romantic scenes where articles of clothing may or may not be removed.

*wink*

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Hello!  I'm historical romance author, Julianna Blake.  Welcome to my blog!

I am so excited to announce the publication of my novel, Mail Order Regrets, the first novel in the Montana Mail Order Brides series!


It is now live on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple/iTunes, Smashwords, Kobo, and All Romance Ebooks. It will be delivered to Diesel, Sony, and other smaller retailers through Smashwords, which could take up to two weeks.



Traveling from Boston, mail order bride Madeline Barstow hopes that Samuel Croft will provide a comfortable, respectable life, far from the prying eyes of her gossiping socialite peers. But when she steps off the train in Helena, Montana, she is appalled to find a stranger waiting for her instead of her husband-to-be.

Widower Clay Porter is tired of everyone trying to match him up. He wants only to be left alone, spending his days off making deliveries and earning money to someday buy the butcher shop he works in. When he is hired to transport a woman to Croft Ranch, he realizes she is completely in the dark about her fiancĂ©'s character.  Is Clay willing to risk his own dreams—and even his life—to persuade Madeline that she's making a mistake?

Note:  Mail Order Regrets is a sweet historical romance novel of 75,739 words, but is not a Christian/inspirational romance.  


I hope you enjoy Mail Order Regrets, and the other upcoming books in the Montana Mail Order Bride series!  If you like it, I would be very grateful if you could spare the time to leave a good review for me.  Good reviews are helpful on any ebook retailer or book review website , but especially on Amazon, where good reviews can really boost sales.  Thank you so much, my wonderful readers!


~Julianna Blake