Cover Reveal: The Ties That Bind

It's cover reveal day over here for my next contemporary romance, THE TIES THAT BIND. Please join me in welcoming Xander and Arabella to the family.

An eye for an eye. A heart for a heart.
My name is Xander St. John and I have two jobs: protect my brother Jayce - with my life, if necessary - and take out the family's enemies before they can strike first. It's a job I excel at too, until Jayce gave me the one directive I could never carry out: murder Arabella Wilson, the only woman I've ever loved, the one who destroyed me years ago. But that wasn't all. If I defied him, Jayce would have me killed too. Since I'm not about to let that happen, I have a difficult choice to make. Both of them are my enemy, yet each one such a part of me that losing either would feel like a part of me died with them. Who lives ... and who dies? My twin or my lover? My darkness or my light?

Pre-order now for just $0.99 at Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

How to read books digitally when you don't own a Kindle

In a recent survey of my newsletter subscribers, I asked how they consumed digital novels. An overwhelming majority indicated they bought e-books through Amazon, with only a handful accounting for iBooks and Nook. Not surprisingly, Kobo was a very small margin. What I found most interesting about this is that I know several authors who eschew Amazon's Kindle Unlimited service in favor of having their books published wide, with the intent being that people who don't necessarily use a Kindle will be able to read your books. I get that, I do, but even when I read exclusively on my iPad, I *still* used my Kindle app to read books purchased via Amazon.

Fast forward to the other day when I announced the winner of a giveaway I hosted for five free digital copies of Trying Sophie. When I contacted one of the winners by email who was chosen at random, she indicated she didn't have any digital devices that she could read the book on. I pointed her in the direction of the Kindle app, letting her know it's how I used to read before I got a Kindle, but I'm not sure I was entirely clear in my instructions because she wrote back again saying she didn't have a Kindle.

So that we're clear here: YOU DO NOT NEED A KINDLE TO READ BOOKS PURCHASED VIA AMAZON'S KINDLE STORE. All you need is a device where an app can be downloaded and read through. This doesn't have to be an iPhone, or an iPad - it can be any device, including a computer. In fact, the Kindle app on my laptop is how I read through all of my books before they're published. 

Unlike some authors I know, I didn't have great luck distributing my books wide, so I pulled them from those vendors and enrolled them back in the Kindle Unlimited program. Which of course is the exact same day a fan separate from the woman I mention above wrote to me to tell me she doesn't have a Kindle and she's very disappointed not to be able to read my books anymore. Never fear folks. If you have a device, you can always read from Amazon. Learn more here: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp. 

A Look Ahead to What's Coming in 2017

In 2016, I released two full length novels that each clocked in at over 120,000 words (Lucky Star and Trying Sophie), plus I re-wrote and re-released A Time Apart. If you can believe it, my plans for 2017 are even more ambitious than that.

First, I intend to release a short novella that is a tie-in to Lucky Star (The Ties That Bind) in January. Then, I'll re-issue an updated version of Keeper of My Soul sometime thereafter. In late spring/early summer, I plan to release two additional books: Ruck Me (Dublin Rugby #2) and In Plain Sight (which will also be part of a box set I'm working on with several other steamy contemporary romance authors). Hopefully at some point during this period, American Hero also gets to see the light of day. The goal is to have an additional Dublin Rugby book available for you in late-summer, and then an Eagle Harbour novella for you toward the end of fall. If all that hasn't completely worn me out, I'd like to also put out a short Christmas novella that is also part of the Lucky Star universe. We'll see how that goes.

Obviously, I reserve the right to change this schedule pending how life treats me in the coming year, but I'm really excited to get these books in your hot little hands. Three are well on their way, with the others generally plotted out. I'm curious to hear from you all which book you're most looking forward to. Reply in the comments and let me know!