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Exciting Times

By: Marie Force
Yesterday a box landed with a thud on my front porch. Since I work from home and get deliveries all the time (which usually require me to DO something), I finished lunch, read the paper, and then finally wandered out to see what the UPS man had left. I let out a squeal when I realized it was my box of Love at First Flight author copies! Ten years after an eavesdropped conversation in an airport inspired the story and just over three years after I finished writing it, I held the printed copy in my hands. The cover is even more gorgeous than I expected it to be with its raised, embossed type and rich colors. On the thrill-o-meter, this moment ranked pretty darn high! Amazon is now listing it as "in stock," so those of you who pre-ordered it should be getting your copies soon!

Seconds after I opened the box and returned to earth, I got an email from our lovely publicist, Danielle, with the latest review, which said, in part,

I read this book in less than a twenty-four hour period. I can’t remember the last time a story held me as mesmerized as Love at First Flight; I couldn’t get enough and wanted more. . . . It’s a great story that knits together friendship and new-found love around bitter and sweet emotions, fear and sacrifice, and heartache and joy.

While the threats were real and seemingly around every corner, I appreciated how Ms. Force kept control of the situation, or perhaps it was just that her characters were mature, had their heads on straight. Michael and Juliana (most especially, which I was really thankful for) were always smart when it came to the threats, there were no impulsive actions, no stupid decisions. Finally, a heroine I could truly enjoy reading about.

Ms. Force pens so much more than a simple romance, her voice has that "certain something" which captivates the reader from first word to the last. She creates a story and characters the reader can embrace and cheer on whole-heartedly with a smile and a lump in the throat.


Thank you to Connie at Once Upon a Romance for that lovely review. This week I was talking to my friend April, who "loaned" me her former home in Baltimore to use as Michael's home in L@FF. (Check back here on July 1 to see pictures of the rowhouse that inspired Michael's ultra cool home.) April read and loved the advance review copy while on vacation last week. We had a great chat about something Juliana does in the book (NO, I can't tell you what!) that I know readers will either totally get or totally hate. When you reach that moment (I'm STILL not going to tell you what it is...) you will know it, and you may experience a brief but intense moment of panic. You may say HOW COULD SHE? There may be wailing, flailing and possibly even shrieking on your part as the reader. As the writer, I want you to know in advance that any of these reactions will please me. I want to make you feel good, but I want to make you sad, anxious, moved, and aroused. And if I also make you mad? Well, that's just fine, too. If I make you feel, I've done my job.

Want to let me know what you think about this moment-that-I'm-not-going-to-tell-you-about as well as many others that occur during the story? Join me on July 20 at 7 p.m. EDT on my blog for a Love at First Flight Book Club Meeting where I will get the conversation started and then we'll air it all out in the comments section. E-mail me at marie@marieforce.com to RSVP and get more information about the meeting. I'll be giving away signed copies of Love at First Flight and Line of Scrimmage as well as B&N gift cards to the most vocal participants! From July 1-7 on my website, I'll post a different question about the book every day. Send me your answers to be entered into a drawing for a Love at First Flight gift basket. You can also email me if you'd like me to send you a signed book plate to affix to your copy.

The other day I was with my dad, who read Love at First Flight while he was staying with me this past winter. As I said then, it's one thing to have him reading my books when he's in Florida and I'm in Rhode Island. It was another thing altogether to have him sitting five feet from me while he was reading my sexy book. Since we're talking about reviews and endorsements, I thought you might like to know what he told a woman we were talking to: "You need asbestos gloves to even hold it." LOL! Does it get any better than that for a romance writer?

I look forward to sharing the excitement of the July 1 launch with my Casa sisters and all our friends here on the blog!

Comments

  1. Marie,
    What a wonderful review! Congratulations and best wishes as the book nears its release date!

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  2. I'm impressed that you let your dad read your book while you were right there! That is guts.

    Congrats on the box o' books! There is no better feeling.

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  3. Thanks, Libby!! It's just as exciting the second time around!

    Donna, I don't know if it was guts or stupidity, but he really enjoyed the book! He's read just about all of my books--published and unpublished.

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  4. Super, Marie! My dad was reading the first book I was writing and telling everyone everywhere I'd be a published author soon. He died before I could get published, but I loved that he enjoyed my story and through his encouragement I wrote and published HIS story first in the EX-POW magazine...about his 13th Mission over Germany, where he was captured and taken as a POW for 16 months. :) My mother told me that while I was reading a scene from my latest book to her over the phone, the handset was melting. :)

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  5. Marie,

    Congratulations on the fabulous review, and getting your author copies. It's always like an extreme Christmas present when mine land on my doorstep.

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  6. I think you've already launched the "Flight" quite successfully, Marie! Neither of my parents lived to read any of my books, so I know how much your father's opinion means to you. Congratulations! I know you're thrilled!

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  7. Morning Terry,
    I love that you wrote your dad's story and that your mom lived to see you achieve your dream of being a published author. My mother was a huge reader and instilled a love of reading in me. I know she's love my books. My father, who has never read more than the paper and his boating/aviation magazines, surprised me with his desire to read all my stuff. I think he surprised himself by enjoying the books! I'm thrilled that he's taken such an interest in my work.

    Hi Robin,
    Yes it was just as much a thrill the second time as it was the first! What was funny is that my family jumped around with me the first time (we had just gotten home from vacation). This time I got a Hey, COOL, what's for dinner? They are so over me! LOL

    Hi Cheryl,
    I like to think my mother's up there making all this happen for me since all my writing success has come since she passed away. Maybe your parents are doing the same for you. They know. I have no doubt about that.

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  8. Marie, I am so happy for you! This book not only sounds very good to me as a reader, but I am doubly thrilled that it is your special triumph. What a tremendous joy!

    My dad read my book, although I begged him not to. But I wasn't there while he did it. He said he loved it and that it was very good. I left it at that! No way was I brave enough to inquire as to what he thought of the romantic scenes! LOL! I'll let him keep that secret locked inside, thank you very much. :)

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  9. LOL Sharon. Some things are just better left unsaid, huh? He kept making little comments to me during the reading of the book and I had my hands over my ears, LALALALALA. Can't hear you! LOL

    Thanks for all your help and support, Danielle! We have to be the luckiest authors in the romance business with such a wonderful publicist.

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  10. Marie,
    Awesome Review.
    I just got word my copy will be here June 26th.
    I'm really excited.
    And you are such a tease.
    You'll be hearing me Scream. i hope to get in on that Discussion.

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  11. Yay, Donna, glad you can come to the "meeting." I just thought it would be fun since there is a lot of stuff in this book that readers may want to challenge me on! Bring it on!

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  12. Oh wow! I love your Dad's comments. And what a great review! Congratulations!

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  13. I love the idea of a group discussion. I may have to steal that one! Looking forward to it, Marie.

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  14. Marie,
    The thrills are just beginning! And it sounds as if you will have many more to come! Enjoy them all!

    And what a wonderful story about your dad. They are so special. And Terry, thanks for the snapshot of your dad as well.

    Amelia

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  15. Hey Evil Twin,
    CONGRATS on being MULTI-PUBLISHED!!! And on the FANTASTIC review!

    GREAT idea about the discussion on your blog. I may borrow that one too, because there's one scene in TToV that 2 of my CPs nearly had kittens the first time they read it. Can't wait to see what the critics and other readers think!

    I'm quite sure my mother would have enjoyed my books too. My sister has read TWS and so have my nieces. However, my sister-in-law has not. She told my niece (her daughter) she just couldn't read "those scenes" knowing I had written them! LOL!

    AC

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  16. Marie, that is an awesome review! And how exciting to have copies in your hand. Will you by chance be at Nationals signing copies?

    Renee

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  17. Hi Sheila,
    Thanks for coming by! Dads are funny when their daughters write romance. Like I did with LOS, I signed the first one out of the box to him.

    Hi Amelia,
    I hope the thrills are just beginning. The stories keep on coming, so let's hope for more thrills. Thanks for coming by today!

    EVIL ONE,
    Multi-published... Looking over my shoulder... You talking to me?? SQUEAL!!!!!!! YES! It feels so good. The book is yummy scrumptious looking. Can't wait until all my sisters see it in all its loveliness!

    Renee,
    I'll be signing L@FF only at the literacy signing, so please come by and get a copy. Make sure you tell me you're our pal from the blog. See you there!

    All girls,
    Please come by the book chat on July 20 and let's see how it works. It was just an idea I had because there are some controversial things in this book, and I wanted to give readers a way to talk it over with me. Feel free to rip off the idea!

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  18. Yesterday hardly left me time to breathe, so I've just read your post, Marie!

    That's a terrific review, and I love the energy with which you approach your launch plans.

    Looking forward to L@FF

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