Thanks so much to Kelly and Books-n-Kisses for inviting me to stop by the blog today!
If you are a reader who follows writer’s blogs, you’ve probably heard writers talk about “the book of their heart”. This term is tossed around all the time, and doesn’t mean much unless you’re a writer. For me, every book I write is “the book of my heart” otherwise I wouldn’t write it. If I don’t love the characters enough to want to tell their story, my interest won’t last long enough to write the book. But for every writer there is one book that stands out above all the rest. Sometimes it’s the first book they wrote. Sometimes it’s the book they waited to write until they knew they were a better writer. For other authors—like me—it’s the book they wrote, then come back to over and over and over again, even years later.
My most recent release, WAIT FOR ME, is this book. Chronologically, it’s the second book I wrote, but that really means nothing because it’s been revised more times than I can count. My first book sucked big green donkey whompers. Seriously, it was so bad it will never see the light of day. But when I finished—and even though I knew it was awful—I was proud of it. Because I learned a lot in the process of writing that book. And when I was done I knew I could tackle the book I’d wanted to write from the start—WAIT FOR ME.
WAIT FOR ME is the story that got me writing. It’s the one that’s been in my head the longest. When I finished it, I knew the writing still wasn’t that good, but I didn’t shove it in a box and forget about it like I did my first book. Yes, I put it away, but every time I learned something new or discovered a better way to write, I went back to WAIT FOR ME, pulled it out and revised.
The final version of WAIT FOR ME bears no resemblance to that early manuscript. The location is different, the suspense is different, the scenes are totally different. But one element remains: the love story. The love story in this book is what kept drawing me back. It’s that element that I couldn’t let go of. It’s the part that makes this book THE book of my heart.
Putting this book out into the world for readers was not an easy task. Like I said before, I didn’t want to release it until I knew I could do it justice. After eight published novels, plus two more that are done and waiting to be released, I finally felt ready to revise WAIT FOR ME one last time and let it go. It’s crazy to say that after ten books I’m still totally nervous as to how readers will react to my story and writing, but I am. Especially with this book because it has such a special place in my heart. Thankfully, readers have been enjoying it, and I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. When a book has been with an author as long as this one has been with me, there is no other feeling in the world than hearing from readers how much they love it and that they think it’s my best book yet. In a silly, author-neurotic way, it makes the “wait” totally worth it.
Is there something in your life you waited for that you’re happy you postponed until you were ready? I’m giving away an ebook copy of WAIT FOR ME, a second chance story with a twist, to one lucky commenter today!
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A woman without a past…
After a tragic accident left her with no memory, Kate Alexander struggled to fit in with a husband and world that didn’t feel right. She’s had no reason to question what friends and family have told her, not until her husband is suddenly killed and she finds a photo of a young girl in his office. A girl who can’t be anyone but a daughter Kate didn’t know she had.
A man desperate for a reason to live…
Ryan Harrison lost his wife in a plane crash five years ago. To cope with the pain of her loss, he dedicated himself to his job and to raising their daughter. Now a successful pharmaceutical executive, Ryan has everything a man could want—money, fame and power—but he’d give it all up in a heartbeat for just one more day with the woman he still loves.
Two lives about to converge.
As Kate begins to dig into a past she doesn’t remember, evidence leads her to San Francisco and puts her on the path toward Ryan, a man who sees in her the woman he loved and lost. Kate feels a draw to Ryan, one she can’t explain, but is that feeling enough to convince her this is where she’s supposed to be? As Ryan and Kate search for answers, they uncover lies long buried, a passion hotter than either expected and a danger that threatens…even now…when the second chance they’ve both been searching for is finally within reach.
“Full of twists and turns, lies and deception, and the ultimate revenge, WAIT FOR ME is a great romantic suspense read.”
—Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick
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A former junior high science teacher, Elisabeth Naughton traded in her red pen and test tube set for a laptop and research books. She now writes sexy romantic adventure and paranormal novels full time from her home in western Oregon where she lives with her husband and three children. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards including the prestigious RITA® awards by Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, The Golden Leaf and the Golden Heart. When not writing, Elisabeth can be found running, hanging out at the ballpark or dreaming up new and exciting adventures. Visit her at www.elisabethnaughton.com to learn more about her and her books.
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