Cover Reveal: Plotting to Win by Tara Chevrestt

Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why OH why I'm hosting so many cover reveals? Well, it's simple. I have some amazing writer friends who have some amazing books coming out SOON! Which is why I was so happy to host Tara today! Look how pretty that cover is! Love it!

Cover Art Reveal!

Coming June 1st from Escape Publishing - Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd, is Plotting to Win, a new reality TV show romance by Tara Chevrestt.

Dancers have a show. Bachelors have a show. Singers have a show.

Now authors do too. It’s called The Next Bestseller.

In NYC, seven authors compete for a hundred grand, a publishing contract with Bright House, and the title of the next bestseller. One is Felicity James. One is Victor Guzman.

Despite their attraction for each other, only one can win.

Drama, plagiarism, and trash talk ensue as all seven contestants compete against each other in challenges ranging from writing queries to working with editors. One-by-one, they’re eliminated.

Meanwhile, Victor and Felicity start a showmance that could cost them.

Though only one can walk away with the title, they can both get a chance at love…if they open themselves up to it.

Mark Plotting to Win to read on Goodreads.

What writing challenges do you think they will face?

Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.

Her theme is Strong is Sexy. She shares a blog with her naughty pen name http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/ and they have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Chevrestt-Sonia-Hightower/218383211513877.

Cover Reveal with Tara Chevrestt AND a Giveaway!!

Please welcome Tara Chevrestt as she shares her interesting journey with cover art for her novella Maiden Behind the Mask, as well as her new cover art for this fantastic read. (I , myself, have read this terrific story and I highly recommend it!)

Take it away Tara!

You know you’ve done something right in the cover art department when you see not one, but two just like it show up on your Facebook or Amazon feed. Only different titles and author names.


*sigh*


When Maiden Behind the Mask was first published, it had a home with a publisher. Now, the image I wanted and put on the art form was declared too expensive. If you’re an author, you’ve been there. With much grumbling and sighing, I searched for stock art images that looked like a Spanish woman in 1800s Los Angeles (then a part of Mexico) dressed as Zorro.


That saying “looking for a needle in a haystack...”


Yea.


I found a blonde, I found an Asian with way-too-modern bangs, I found lace masks, beaded masks, feathered, masks, women half naked wearing weird masks, pointy-nosed masks, but no women Zorros.

We got as close as we could.

Three weeks later the publisher crashed and people told me I should get new art anyway. The art wasn’t working for them. (If they only knew how very hard it was making that cover...)


I had cover two for a while. It’s a great cover, but it began to irritate me. It would be perfect if my heroine was running around in a lace mask a dress with a pearl belt. Again, it was the closest we could find that was in the budget. The artist did a superb job.

Regardless, being the type of person who is just plain irritated by discrepancies in covers—they must match the story!—I made a third cover. It wasn’t a lady Zorro, but a Spanish senorita looking coyly over a fan. Because when Catalina Rodriguez isn’t saving damsels in distress, she’s a lovely senorita...with a lot of mischief up her sleeves...

Oh, I made such a good choice. Everyone loved it...and then I saw it twice more...the exact image with no changes made to it at all. Three identical book covers!


URGH!


But the good news is...that image the publisher said was too expensive? The image I originally wanted...is now my cover.


Who says dreams don’t come true? Perhaps this weird twist of fate was just a nudge toward getting what I originally wanted.


Behold...the new Maiden Behind the Mask artfully created by Christie A. C. Gucker!

Blurb:

When Catalina Rodriguez is attacked by a would-be rapist and rescued by the dashing Ricardo Garcia, she not only becomes more aware of the handsome man, but also vows that she'll never be a damsel in distress again. Using the timeless method of blackmail, she convinces her uncle to teach her to fight and becomes a masked crusader in the night, saving other damsels from robbers and rough handling.

However, scandalous rumors and dwindling funds force Ricardo and Catalina to marry. Not immune to each other's charms, their marriage starts fiery, but when one of Catalina's nightly escapades results in dire consequences, she is forced to spurn her husband's amorous advances…or reveal a secret that could turn him away from her forever.

Ricardo’s not a man to be cuckolded or left in the dark. Is his wife having an affair with El Capitan, the masked savior? If so…they will both pay.



Buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo



Thank you, everyone, for taking this cover art journey with me! DO leave me a comment *with your email address* and tell me which one you like best and why. One lucky commenter from each blog will be given a coupon code to download the book FREE on Smashwords! And yes, you can comment on more than one blog to increase your chances. I’ll be having my trusty canine sidekick choose names from her dog bowl Sunday night, the 31st.


***


Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.


Her theme is Strong is Sexy. She shares a website with her naughty pen name: http://tarachevrestt.weebly.com/index.html and they have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Chevrestt-Sonia-Hightower/218383211513877.

Review: Afterburn by Tara Chevrestt

Their love burns hot, but will it stay fueled?Crystal is an enlisted mechanic with a tragic past. Grant is an officer and a pilot with a broken heart. When faced with a difficult decision, will Crystal choose wisely or lose the best thing that ever happened to her?

The love between them burns hot, but their relationship won't stay fueled if they can't beat the obstacles that stand in their way. Besides breaking the fraternization rules, Grant and Crystal have the difference of race between them…but can they prove to the rest of the world, and to each other, that love is color blind?

Afterburn is about overcoming one's past, not judging others, learning to forgive, and what it's like to be a woman in a "man's world."

My review:

Afterburn is fun interesting read that packs a lot of emotion and heartbreaking situations that would be hard for anyone to face. I really liked both of the characters--Crystal and Grant. They have good chemistry and both have their own internal struggle that makes them each compelling and likable. I also really like the title. Fits perfect.

I am a fan of Ms. Chevrestt's work and while this isn't my most favorite one of her books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for  an entertaining romantic read.

I give Afterburn 4 stars!

I was given a free copy of Afterburn in exchange for an honest review. 

About the Author:

Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.

Tara also writes as Sonia Hightower. Sonia writes the racy stuff and argues that she was here first. She just wasn't allowed to be unleashed until the last year.

They both agree, however, that strong is sexy, and they don't write the average, simpering damsel. They write about women who see what they want and obtain it.

While Tara and Sonia continue to fight over the laptop and debate who writes the next book, you can find buy links, blurbs, and other fun bits on their website: http://tarachevrestt.weebly.com/index... or their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-C...

FLASH FICTION ANTHOLOGY CALL

Hello Everyone and Happy Sunday! I hope you are all having a wonderful day. I know I am. It's because the wonderful writer and editor Tara Chevrestt is offering the chance for authors to write a historical flash fiction piece, to be edited by her and published by Pagan Writer's Press. The announcement from Tara is below! If she get's enough flashes, the anthology will be released in print! 

Announcement:

Short stories/flash fiction for Women's History Month needed for an anthology to be published in March with Pagan Writer's Press. Each story needs to be historical, any era, time. No more than 3k words a piece. (If you go over, no big deal but that would be the goal) Flash fiction/shorties is a brief look into someone's life. The story can be about an ancestor of yours, a woman in history you find on Wiki and think did something awesome, a woman you make up. Perhaps she's standing up for herself, arguing an issue, rebelling against society. She can fight with a sword or her words or her silence. A woman's strength comes in many forms. She may be trying to improve her life or that of her children. She may be fighting for women's or civil rights. Romance is fine, but no sex scenes. Author bios will be at the end of each story. This will be published as an ebook and print if it reaches 50k. Royalties will be paid. Authors share 40% of print royalties, 50% of ebook royalties. I shall update information as I receive it, but get writing! I'd like to have all these stories no later than the first week of February as I will dedicate the month to editing and formatting. 

Send stories to tchevrestt(at)yahoo.com for consideration. Thank you. 

*Original work only, please. These are not to be excerpts from previously published or about to be published material.

For any additional questions you may have about this opportunity or about Tara please feel free to e-mail her at the address above and/or check out her blog and website! 

Please spread the word about this wonderful opportunity!