Aloha to Juliana Stone and BOYS LIKE YOU

Young Adult (YA) has become a large segment of the RT Booklovers' Convention (link) ... and Juliana Stone will be a part of the buzz in New Orleans!    Juliana is celebrating the release of BOYS LIKE YOU:

IF
If I hadn't fallen asleep.
If I hadn't gotten behind the wheel.
If I hadn't made a mistake.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart—leaving her empty and broken. There's a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her grandma isn't going to change that...

Nathan Everets knows heartache firsthand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it's all his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn't going to change that...

There's No Going Back

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt—looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

Hawaiian grannies are called tutu 

I asked Juliana to name the Top Five Things to Do at Grandma's house ....

1. Eat lots of junk food and read books that you’re not supposed to read.

2. Take your grams into town for a manicure and pedicure.

3. Make a scrapbook with all the old pictures you find in boxes and laugh at how bad your parents hair and clothes looked when they were young.

4. Bake cupcakes together, lemon cupcakes and then eat them all.

5. Dance in the rain and sing as if no one is watching you.

USA Today Bestselling author Juliana Stone’s love of the written word and ‘80s rock have inspired her in more ways than one. She writes dark paranormal romance and contemporary romance and spends her days navigating a busy life that includes a husband, kids, and rock ‘n’ roll! Boys Like You is her debut YA novel. You can find more info at julianastone.com.

I am giving away a "bad boy" prize package to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Do you have a special memory about visiting Gram's house?

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 10, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 11.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

A truck at Gram's house? 

Aloha to Juliana Stone and THE DAY HE KISSED HER

Let's kick off the weekend with mutli-talented Juliana Stone. She is celebrating the release of THE DAY HE KISSED HER, Book 3 in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series.  From her bio,

Music and words have always been my passions. I sing in a band in which my husband plays guitar, and my son comes along for the ride as well. We’re total ’80s geeks, but sadly, the big hair, big shoulder pads, and neon colors are a thing of the past!

Kim:  Did you see the Radio Shack commercial from Superbowl, "The 80s are calling ..."?   What's your favorite part of the ad? Although I enjoyed all the 80s personalities, I appreciate the song by Loverboy, Working for the Weekend.

Juliana:  Wow, that was very cool to watch. I live in Canada so we don’t get all the hyped SuperBowl ads. That one however was pretty funny and I loved Twisted Sister, that guy never changes!

Kim:  What does your family think of your 80s geekness? Back to the present, what does your family think of you being a romance author?

Juliana:  Ah, geekness isn’t the way I’d describe the 80’s at all! For us it’s all about the music. I sang and toured in a rock band and it’s how I met my husband. Our kids are totally into retro music from the 70’s and on. They love the fact that they’re parents rocked!

They love the fact that their mom is now a writer! Of course they don’t read romance but with my debut young adult novel coming out in May, my daughter will finally be able to read some of my work!

Kim:  I look forward to meeting you at RT in New Orleans! Other than your own appearances, what else would you like to do in the Big Easy (at the convention or in town)?

Juliana:  I am so pumped for RT!  I’ve never been to NOLA, so we’re planning a swamp tour as well as the old cemeteries. I also want to hit a plantation so we’re going to do that as well.

Kim:  Did you model any of your heroes after 80s bad boys? What have learned about your writing process (and readers' expectations) throughout this series?

Juliana:  A little tidbit, the original titles for all three books were based on Bon Jovi songs. The Day He Kissed Her was originally entitled Lay Your Hands On Me! My first hero, Cain Black is a rocker (The Summer He Came Home) and he’s a total blend of Jon Bon Jovi and Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue. YUM!

Kim:  What's next for Juliana Stone?

Juliana:  A very busy spring and summer! In addition to the release this week of The Day He Kissed Her, I have a debut young adult novel, BOYS LIKE YOU, releasing May 6 from Sourcebooks Fire. I’m also working on JACK, which is book 2 in my The Family Simon series and that should be available in late June! So, busy writing but I love it. Life is good!

Mahalo, Juliana, for joining us at SOS Aloha!   I am giving away a print copy of THE DAY HE KISSED HER to one randomly selected commenter:

He can't wait to leave

Mac Draper finally has everything he's always wanted: An amazing career. A New York City apartment. He's this close to being free of his past forever. But a mind-blowing encounter with the sexy yet tough-as-nails Lily St. Clare has him delaying his plans to put Crystal Lake in his rearview mirror for good.

She's finally found a place to stay
For Lily St. Clare the charming small town of Crystal Lake is her haven—a place she can hide from her famous, back-stabbing family. It's as close to happy as she's ever been. Until an unforgettable night with tall, dark and tortured Mac Draper gives her a glimpse of what true happiness feels like.

Lily can't help but melt a little under the sizzling heat of Mac's touch. But Mac's scars run deep, and Lily's afraid she may be falling for the one man who can never return her feelings...

To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about the '80s ... do you have a favorite memory?  Speaking of Bon Jovi, "Living on a Prayer" topped MTV's Top Five at Five during my senior year of college.   My roomies and I gathered around the big console TV and danced with Jon, Richie, David, and Tico.   

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, April 5, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, April 7.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Juliana and her books, check out her website at julianastone.com.

Aloha to Juliana Stone and THE CHRISTMAS HE LOVED HER

Holiday Romance Week continues with Juliana Stone's THE CHRISTMAS HE LOVED HER:

All he wants this Christmas is her.

In the small town of Crystal Lake, Christmas is a time for sledding, hot chocolate, and cozying up to the fire with those you love. For Jake Edwards, it’s also time to come home and face his past. He thought there would never be anything harder than losing his brother. Turns out there is: falling in love with his brother’s widow, Raine.

Ever since they were little, Jesse was the Edwards brother who was always there for her, and Jake was the one who knew just how to push her buttons. Raine can’t imagine a life without them, which is why it was doubly decimating when Jake left town after his brother’s sudden death. Now he’s back and she doesn’t know whether to be mad or thrilled. Maybe both. Maybe it will be the perfect chance for both of them to finally find happiness again.

I am giving away a print copy of THE CHRISTMAS HE LOVE HER plus THE SUMMER HE CAME HOME:

Sometimes the best place to find love is right back where you started…

Falling asleep in a different bed every night has made it easy for Cain Black to forget his past. It’s been ten years since he packed his guitar and left Crystal Lake to chase his dreams. Now tragedy has forced him home again. And though Cain relishes the freedom of the road, one stolen moment with Maggie O’Rourke makes him wonder if he’s missing out on something bigger than fame.

For Maggie—single mother and newly settled in Crystal Lake—love is a luxury she just can’t afford. Sure, she appreciates the tall, dark and handsome looks of prodigal son Cain Black. But how long can she expect the notorious hellion to stay?

The last thing either of them wants is something complicated. But sometimes love has its own plans.

To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite season - spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 26, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 27.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Juliana and her books, check out her website at julianastone.com.

Check out more pictures from the NJRW Conference (with giveaway) at this link.