Spring's almost here! Depending on where you are in the US, it's been a SUPER cold winter. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for BEACH READING season. Today is March 11th, which means it's time for another Seven 11 blog hop! It's been really fun this last year sharing snippets from my new novel, The Commitment Test. Now, I'll be taking a little break from The Marin Test Series to write a completely fresh story. I can't share much about it now, but I'll reveal more as time goes on :) Enjoy!
“We were playing
Truth or Dare before you got here.” Regina smiles, redirecting my mood. That
was our thing when we were broke; drinking wine in the living room and playing
Truth or Dare. It may sound juvenile, but it entertains us for hours.
“Okay, Frankie,
truth or dare?” I ask.
“Dare.”
“I dare you to keep my glass filled with wine.”
IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 7 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 7 stories!
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Yes! I'm so excited to announce that The Commitment Test is finally out!
Find out what happens to couples therapist Marin Johns in the second installment of The Marin Test Series.
The Commitment Test (The Marin Test Series: Book Two) By: Amanda Aksel Release Date: February 4th, 2015 Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t come with an engagement ring, Marin Johns begins to wonder if she and James will ever get married. As her closest friends begin to move forward with their lives, she refuses to be left behind.
Hope is restored as she devises a plan to get James down on one knee by becoming the ideal mate. Everything seems to fall into place until her college boyfriend resurfaces after a decade with his own ideas about their future. Will Marin be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the diamond ring she’s always dreamed of? Get your copy today at your favorite online retailers Kindle iBook Kobo Nook
Don't forget to stop by these awesome blogs and read their thoughts on The Commitment Test. February 4th Little's Books
Haven't had a chance to read book one of The Marin Test Series? You're in luck! The Man Test is available now for only $.99 for a limited time.
Marin Johns is San Francisco’s Pollyanna couples therapist. She’s months away from wedded bliss when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair. After nursing her broken heart with Kleenex and break-up songs, she adopts a new brand of thinking when she uncovers a tell-all book that proves all men are liars and cheaters who will do and say anything so they’re not found out. No exceptions.
In an attempt to convince her friends of her newfound truth, she begins a fictitious relationship with James, a do-gooder from Montana. Marin seeks any means necessary to catch him cheating from hiring a PI to enlisting the help of a fidelity tester. Will her new "boyfriend" beat the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?
When I started this book back in April, it felt like I would NEVER finish it. What a relief it was when I finally sent it off to my editor. Truth be told, it didn't feel real until I saw this . . .
Get your copy of The Commitment Test on February 4th!
The Commitment Test by Amanda Aksel
Release Date: February 4th, 2015
Publisher: Elephantine Publishing
Cover Design by Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
When a Valentine’s Day proposal doesn’t come with an engagement ring, Marin Johns begins to wonder if she and James will ever get married. As her closest friends begin to move forward with their lives, she refuses to be left behind.
Hope is restored as she devises a plan to get James down on one knee by becoming the ideal mate. Everything seems to fall into place until her college boyfriend resurfaces after a decade with his own ideas about their future. Will Marin be forced to choose between the man of her dreams and the diamond ring she’s always dreamed of?
My designer and dear friend, Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman created this beautiful cover design to match the first book in The Marin Test Series, The Man Test.
Last year, I worked with Jessica on the very challenging martini glass shoot. This year, we both thought shooting an engagement ring would be simple. Wrong! But with the right lighting and her brother working as her assistant, she pulled it off seamlessly.
Here's a behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for The Commitment Test.
THANK YOU JESSICA for delivering another incredible cover design. You're amazing!
More on the Cover Artist: Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman
Jessica is a Panamanian native born in Australia who now calls Virginia Beach, VA home and is bilingual in Spanish and English. She believes that a well-executed idea has the power to change the world and is passionate about using design to mobilize change.
As a solution seeker, idea junkie and creative machine, her innovative mojo always runs parallel to market research and results. Jessica is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she earned dual degrees in visual design and communication.
Email Jessica Rose Goldner-Bowman at JGoldner@rosehaus.com
If you haven't had a chance to read The Man Test, click the cover below
Do you like The Commitment Test cover. Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
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Sunday, January 11, 2015
Happy New Year!! Did you enjoy the holidays? Got your resolutions set in stone? You can read more about mine here. Today is January 11th, which means it's my husband's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday, Joe! And it's Seven 11 Blog hop day! I'm super excited to announce that my upcoming novel, The Commitment Test, will be out on February 4th! It's a love story just in time for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!
“The one that got away,” I said.
There’s a tendency to romanticize past relationships because they feel so unfinished. Sometimes we want to believe there’s more to the story. Maybe sometimes there is or maybe it would eventually lead to the same heartbreaking end. We never know. That’s what makes it romantic. The possibility of it all. IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 8 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 8 stories!
Did you like this post? Share it with your friends using the links below and leave a comment. For updates on the Marin Test Series be sure to sign up for my Reading is for Lovers newsletter!
Happy New Year Everyone!! I was super excited to ring in the new year this week. My husband and I had plans to leave town and party like rockstars with our friends. I even bought a super sexy sequined miniskirt for the occasion. But then I got the flu . . . The kind of flu that's so bad, you fee like you'll never live a normal, healthy life again. It wasn't at all how I wanted to start off the year. The good news about starting at the bottom is there's no where to go but up. So in a weird way, I'm grateful for my flu. 2014 was an important year for me. I released my first novel, The Man Test, started a publishing company, and transitioned out of my new career as a financial adviser. It was a year of transformation. A year that I could reveal a truer me. Like new skin. From now on, when I hear the words blood, sweat, and tears, I'm going to think about 2014. Why? Because I gave it everything, absolutely everything! Sometimes, when you give everything, it's still not enough. Or maybe it's a matter of giving everything of the right thing. What I mean is that when I look back, some of my hard work was well spent, and some of it wasn't. So I've learned the valuable lesson of working smarter, not just harder. That's why I'm so excited about 2015. It's an opportunity to do things better and settle into my new skin. This is also a big year for me because I'll be celebrating my 30th birthday this July. I can't freakin' believe it! When I was young, I thought that by the time I was 30, I'd be settled in my career, with a husband, and a fancy house. I believed I would have made it, that I could coast until I died and walk off into the sunset. And while I do have a wonderful life and incredible people to share it with, including my husband, I certainly haven't "made it." In fact, I learned this past year that there is no such thing as making it. There is no walking off into the sunset. Sorry to break it to you. It sounds cliche, but it's true. It's about the journey, which is kind of a relief. What matters is that you're on your way, you're heading somewhere. Hopefully it's somewhere that brings you joy, friends, wisdom, and most importantly brings you closer to a truer you. Years ago, my husband inspired me to stop making superficial resolutions, but instead vow to become better by working on one thing about myself. I think he did this without knowing. Last year, I resolved to be more authentic and I can honestly say that it was the most authentic year of my life. I hope to continue that journey. This year, my resolution is to create BALANCE! Tipping the scales has not been successful this past year. I know many of you tend to spread yourselves too thin. I have a PhD in overextending myself. And I've noticed that when it happens, everything suffers. . . especially me. For me, creating balance means taking time to exercise, read, play, and not take everything so seriously! It also means that I likely won't get to where I'm going as quickly, which is the hardest part. But like I said, it's about the journey anyway. And I'll be damned if I don't enjoy my own journey. So tell me, what did you take away from 2014 and what's your resolution for 2015? If you've made it to the end of this blog . . . you're AWESOME! If not, you're still awesome only you don't know it because you didn't wait until the end for me to tell you. Then again, I shouldn't have to tell you you're amazing. You should already know. Have an incredible year, and I look forward to hearing from you! XXO- Amanda Did you like this post? Share it with your friends using the links below and leave a comment. For more insights and updates be sure to sign up for my Reading is for Lovers newsletter!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Here we are, December 11th an the last Seven 11 Blog Hop of the year. I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season and that this seven line blog hop brings a little extra cheer.
Here's seven lines from my upcoming novel, The Commitment Test, the sequel to The Man Test. Coming February 2015! Enjoy! Katie cracked a half smile. “You really are a romantic, Marin. It’s one of your strengths in this profession, but it’s also one of your weaknesses.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Sometimes you can’t wrap everything up in a neat bow. Sometimes, you’re just disappointed.”
When I left her office, I was just that—disappointed. I thought about all the events and conversations I’d had since my birthday. It was as if the universe purposefully put these obstacles in my way, hoping that I would give up. IT'S BONUS TIME! Here are the links to 5 other AMAZING authors who have agreed to share seven lines from their upcoming books. Get a behind the scenes glimpse of 5 stories!
Justine Winter is giving away a paperback copy of Nature's Destiny on goodreads. Click here to enter!
Did you like this post? Share it with your friends using the links below and leave a comment. For updates on the Marin Test Series be sure to sign up for my Reading is for Lovers newsletter!
Monday, December 8, 2014
99 CENTS FOR A LIMITED TIME!
ONLY AVAILABLE FOR TWO WEEKS!
16 New Adult Stories from 16 of your favorite New Adult Authors
Find your next book boyfriend here.
Featuring MY UNEXPECTED FOREVER by USA and NYT Bestselling Author Heidi McLaughlin
They say you should expect the unexpected, I didn't realize my unexpected would be the forever kind. FOR EVERLY by Raine Thomas
The last thing physical therapy student Everly Wallace wants is a relationship, but when she’s roped into working with sexy Major League pitcher Cole Parker, she’ll discover that it just might be the one thing she needs.
INDELIBLE by Bethany Lopez
Sam's a single mom, working her way through college while raising her toddler. Judd's a college baseball player, who on the outside, looks like he doesn't have a care in the world. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together? TATTOOED DOTS by Kimberly Knight
Brooke and Easton learn that people are brought into their lives for many reasons. Over time, they find out what those reasons are. Some are to be a temporary acquaintance while others are there for life. MANGLED HEARTS by Felicia Tatum
Can two loves find their way back to each other despite an addiction and a hardened heart, allowing their love to overcome it all? Can these mangled hearts be mended? BREAKDOWN by Amanda Lance
After Charlotte Ferro's suicide attempt is ruined by a handsome do-gooder he introduces her to a world of fast cars and cool criminals. But can their newfound friendship survive the secrets of their past? MAVERICK by Anna Cruise
International surf sensation Kellen Handler has it all – fame and fortune and more women than he can count – but he's riding his own personal wave toward disaster. Can PR genius Gina Bellori rescue his reputation...and his heart?
DO ANYTHING by Wendy Owens
A broken heart is only the beginning for her. He thinks he has his life figured out. Will they risk their hearts on a new chance at love? RESIST ME by A.O. Peart
Ethan, a former-Marine-turned-firefighter, has never really cared for any woman, while living his life to the fullest and enjoying the bad boy stigma. Until the street-smart Lisbeth comes along, and instantly turns Ethan’s world upside down, making him want to protect her, no matter the consequences. THE MAN TEST by Amanda Aksel
Couple therapist Marin Johns tries to prove that all men are liars and cheaters by beginning a fictitious relationship. Will her new "boyfriend" be the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right? A RISK WORTH TAKING by Heather Hildenbrand
For college grad, Summer Stafford, watching her parents’ divorce has taught her that, above all, love is a risk. For a drifter like Ford O’Neal, love isn’t just a risk, it isn’t even on the table. But attraction quickly leads to something more and they are both forced to realize they’re risking a whole lot for a summer fling. UNINTENTIONAL VIRGIN by A.J. Bennett
Nineteen-year-old Karma points is cursed. Cursed with a ridiculous name, self-esteem issues and the inability to lose her virginity. That is until Jax, the tattooed bouncer, comes into the picture. THE FALL OF SKY (PART ONE) by Alexia Purdy
Singing duo Audrey and Liv Westing hope to be discovered as the next big thing. While fumbling through their turbulent existences, they attract the eye of a deadly but powerful Cartel family. A FIREFIGHTER'S FLAME by Dani Hart
If you dig into the deepest parts of your soul, what would you find? Happiness,pain, love, regret, peace, sorrow?
Follow Lennox's journey of rediscovery, falling in love, and searching for her own fairy-tale ending. STEALING PROMISES by Brina Courtney
One moment can change your life forever.
One moment to find love.
One moment to lose it. FIRESIDE SERIES by Morgan Black
A cowboy with a mysterious past. A ranch princess with an eye for the one she can’t have. What happens when their two world collides one weekend in a snowstorm?
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