Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Commitment Test Cover Reveal!

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.

EXPERTISE:
Creative Thinking, Graphic Design, Marketing Strategy, Copywriting, Photography, Illustration & Printing.

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!

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Sunday, January 4, 2015

When I hear the words blood, sweat, and tears, I'm going to think about 2014

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 

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