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Launch Party for The Wild Irish Sea!

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy

YIPEE!!!

The big day is finally here! Today is the "official" release date for The Wild Irish Sea!

I'll be pursuing happiness by checking out the romance shelves in all my local bookstores, hoping for a sighting! I'm actually a bit surprised I haven't seen a copy out there yet, because Amazon started shipping them over a week ago. Yes, I admit, I order my own book from Amazon... to see how fast I get it. Yes, that's it! Gotta to make sure my readers aren't getting slow service...

This is my third book to make it into print and I have to confess that the thrill of seeing it on the shelf hasn't diminished a bit. As a matter of fact, my wonder and excitement of the entire process hasn't grown any less this third time around.

Each of my books has proven to be a unique experience. With The Wild Irish Sea, I started with a request from my editor for another book set in Ireland, decided my paranormal 'element' would be mental telepathy, and mixed in a movie with a setting and legends I'd always loved. I stirred all these ingredients around in my imagination for awhile to see what would emerge.

I had no clue where this wild and crazy journey from "What if..." to "The End" would take me. But it was a twisty, turny path to lots of places I thought I'd never go!

When I sat down to begin the first draft, I had a very clear image in my mind of a man in a rowboat in a rainstorm. Problem was, I knew the man wasn't my hero, and I knew one of the 'rules' of writing is: Don't start a book with a secondary character. I was actually okay with breaking that one, but one of my own personal 'rules' was: If you need a prologue, you're starting the story in the wrong place. Except this time I knew in my gut that the guy in the rowboat was the right place to start, so I wrote the scene and made it a prologue!

And the surprises didn't end there.

Turns out that guy in the boat was the heroine's twin brother, and he proceeded to steal every scene he was in with his snarky, smart-aleck remarks (just like my real-life brothers)! And speaking of scene stealers...

Like W.C. Fields, I don't like working with children or animals. In fact, I avoid most books with children in them because I find young 'uns annoying! Imagine my surprise when in the middle of Chapter 2, a mouthy 15 year old boy popped up and had a massive crush-at-first-sight on the heroine?! Plus, it gets worse, the murder victim in my prologue has two young children who are now orphans, and they won't stay out of the story either! And don't even get me started on THE ANIMALS!

Then to make matters even more difficult, my hero and heroine, who were both supposed to be damaged, lost souls couldn't keep their hands off each other! I mean, honestly, they were worse than a couple of randy teenagers when they really should've known better. (heavy sigh)

What's a poor author to do?

Hang on tight and go along for the ride! WHEEEE!

And quite a ride it's been. Somehow all the eccentric characters and the unexpected plot twists worked themselves out into a lovely Happily Ever After! WHEW! (Aunty wipes sweat from her brow.) Now the story is out there for everyone to enjoy, and the reviewers and my readers really seem to like it.

That is what makes the journey worthwhile: READERS!

So please join me in my celebration today! Have you seen a copy of The Wild Irish Sea anywhere? PLEASE share the news! And if you haven't seen a copy yet, never fear! I'll be giving one away today to one lucky commenter.

Aunty would also like to know if you ever started a journey (either real or metaphorical) and you wound up taking some twists and turns and ended in a place you really didn't expect? Would you like to? Who would you take with you and where would you go?

Comments

  1. Hi Aunty Cindy,
    (waving madly)
    Happy Release Day. I don't have any exciting journeys to share, but I would love to go on a real journey to Egypt and see the archaeological sites. Maybe Eric Bana can be my traveling companion.

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  2. Good luck with The Wild Irish Sea! Prologues can be terrific! I did the same with Legend of the White Wolf, opened with a prologue in a secondary's pov. It had to be done! :) Have fun with your blog tour, Cindy!

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  3. Congratulations on the launch party Loucinda. THE WILD IRISH SEA is a great read and probably won't last long on the shelves once customers read the blurb. Wishing you all the best.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  4. Congrats on another great release, AC! I hope to see Parker's story one day; the readers are begging for his novel :)

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  5. Cindy,
    Congratulations! Remember, three's a charm!

    I've broken every rule you mentioned more than once! And I have written myself into corners that I knew I could never get out of but somehow managed.

    Keep the wild Irish stories coming!

    Amelia

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  6. CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY LAUNCH DAY!!!!!

    Celebrating the "official" day is wonderful, no matter when the novel actually shows up on shelves. And you are right that it does not get old or boring no matter how many times an author goes through it.

    SO happy for you, Cindy, and I can't wait to read it. I ordered mine on Kindle and there it is! Waiting for me! I think I better start in before Emily figures out I got it ;-)

    Best of luck, have a blast at the party, and KEEP WRITING! We need more Loucinda McGary novels with hunky Irishman acting like randy teenagers!

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  8. It's already showing up on the Barnes & Noble website and has 2 - 5 star reviews.

    I would love to go on an incredible journey to either Ireland or Camargue, France. I would probably go by myself since none of my friends have this desire. But what a journey that would be.

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  10. I had to peep out of the writing cave, Cindy to say WHOOOOOPPPPPEEEEE on the release of TWIS. I was lucky enough to read this is draft and it's a great ride.

    And, hey, when ARE we going to get Parker's story?

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  11. Happy Launch Day, AC! I've already ordered my copy. Should be here any day now!

    A journey with unexpected twists, you say? Hmmm, must be the publishing journey. You just never know what will happen next!

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  12. Congrats on the release! I've been admiring your cover for weeks.

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  13. Congratulations, Aunty! Here's to many, many sales!

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  14. Blogger is acting very strangely today. My comments are disappearing!

    Congrats on the new release, AC! My copy is on the way from Amazon too!

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  16. Congrats on the new release, AC! Can't wait to read it!

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  17. Hi Everyone!
    My goodness, Blogger IS going wonky today. Sharon, I'm sure you didn't mean to post like 4 times, so I went in and removed a couple. :-P

    Here's hoping the "issue" is resolved soon!

    AC

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  18. Hi Jane!
    (Aunty waves madly to her most loyal fan!) If you are going ANYWHERE with Eric B. then you KNOW I must come along with you! Share & Share alike! And there's plenty of that long, tall drink o' water to go around. ;-)

    AC

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  19. Hi Terry,

    Yup, I'm reformed and now a firm believer in Prologues. ;-)

    AC

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  20. AWWW! Thank you for the kudos, Mason! I appreciate your support and will "see" you on your lovely blog on the 15th! ;-)

    AC

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  21. Thanx Danielle!

    Yes, I've had quite a few people asking me about Parker's story. We need to pass the word along to a certain editor. AHEM! ;-)

    AC

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  22. Hi Amelia!

    I hope you're right about 3 being a charm. :-) And it's nice to know that a wonderful writer like you is also a "rule breaker!"

    AC

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  23. Sharon, luv!

    Can't thank you and Emily enough for being such big fans of my work. How KEWL that you have TWIS on Kindle?!? Please let me know how you liked it once you're finished reading.

    AC

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  24. Kara,
    BIG THANX for stopping by and for letting me know about the B&N website. I've already heard from two friends this morning that 2 different B&Ns in my area have TWIS on their shelves! YAY!

    Carmague, France? Is there a special reason for this destination? I've never been there (even though I've been to France several times) so I'll GLADLY go with you. :-)

    AC

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  25. Hey Jo!

    I've said it before and will KEEP saying it: This book would have NEVER made it to its final form without YOUR insightful comments and criqitues! Can't thank you enough.

    As for Parker's story... That's really not entirely up to me, now is it?!?!

    AC

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  26. Woo hoo AC!

    The joy for each book will never stop as long as you allow it.

    Have an awesome launch!

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  27. Hey Cheryl,

    Looks like Blogger has 'resolved' its problems... I HOPE!

    Hope you enjoy TWIS, and you are sooo right about the journey to publication. You NEVER know where that one is going to wind up!

    AC

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  28. Hey, AC! YAY, release day! My whole life has been full of unexpected twists and turns, so I guess that's my journey:-) As for the prologue, you gotta start where you gotta start, and I am a prologue JUNKIE, so I totally understand! Congrats on another fabulous release...I can tell just from this post that you enjoyed the heck out of these characters!

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  29. Hi Shana!

    Thanx for dropping by, and your cover is HAWT too! Don't you LURVE Sourcebooks Art Dept?!?!

    AC

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  30. HUGS! Thanx bunches, Marie!

    Same to you! ;-)

    AC

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  31. Hey Linda,
    You would be the one to know, Wise Owl, about many many releases! Thanx for helping make my release day special.

    AC

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  32. Hi Kendra!

    Thanx for dropping by and for admitting to your love of prologues. I've warmed to them considerably... ;-)

    The twisty turny journeys are definitely what keeps life interesting! And so do characters who will NOT behave the way you want them to.

    AC

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  33. Wooooooooo!! Happy release day, AC!!! I have to say that in general, I quite enjoy prologues! I know I'll enjoy yours :) Happy official release day--we've been anxiously awaiting this day for what feels like eons! Guess that ol' impatience isn't a bad thing in this case!

    As for journeys, I know I've taken some um... detours in our real-life travels and also just in life, period :) I'm not good about remembering that it's about the journey, not just the destination!

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  34. Thanks Cindy. No, I did not mean to post so many times! It was so weird this morning and my posts were getting "lost" so I thought. Oh well, all is great now. The Kindle has The Wild Irish Sea on it and I will be starting it ASAP! Very excited :)

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  35. Happy happy release day, AC!!! Congrats!

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  36. Happy Release Day! Your book sounds fabulous. I loved the excerpt I read the other day and need to get a copy to find out what happens to the guy who is dodging bullets in a rowboat!

    I, for one, love it when my characters go off in directions I never anticipated. Of course, when you're writing about five rock stars, it's sort of like herding cats. Sometimes I have to run the figurative can opener to get them to pay attention to the task at hand - my story. It makes the journey of writing fun. Most of the time...

    I hope to see The Wild Irish Sea on a shelf soon. Mine.

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  37. Congrats on the release, Aunty Cindy! I can't wait to check my local stores for a copy and get started!
    My most unexpected journey was when our rental car broke down on the Isle of Skye and we wound up taking a tow-truck tour of Scotland. I'd do it again - the driver was a sweetheart (with a great accent) and Scrape & I finally stopped mourning the car and the inconvenience and had a great time!
    Congrats again on the book!

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  38. Hi Fedora!

    Glad you could make it to my launch party here at Casa.

    Yes, it really is about the journey, isn't it? Sometimes I just get waay too focused on the destination. I think that's what I love most about cruising. It doesn't really matter where you are going because getting there is so much fun!

    AC

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  39. Sharon, I can't wait to hear what you think of Kevin and Amber's story.

    Thanx again to you and Emily for all your support,
    AC

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  40. Thanx Judi!

    I appreciate you popping in for my Launch Party. :-)

    AC

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  41. ROFLOL Olivia, on calling 5 rock stars cats and having to run your virtual can opener to get their attention! That sounds like my dogs when I take the lip off their "Cookie" jar. :-)

    Hope you enjoy TWIS!

    AC

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  42. LOL Joanne!
    Your tow-truck tour of Scotland sounds like a TON O FUN! Those are exactly the kinds of journeys I love. Roll with the punches and have a GREAT TIME!

    Thanks for popping in and sharing your story.

    AC

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  43. OOPS! That should have been LID... when I take the LID off the cookie jar...

    Pass me some more cyber-bubbly! ;-)

    AC

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  44. Whoo Hoo happy release day Aunty Cindy this is an awesome book it had me enthralled from start to finish, I asolutley loved everyone of the characters in this book (and I gotta say I would love to see Parker have his own story one day)
    I would love to go on a trip to Ireland now and visit the Donegal Coast after your descriptions and I wonder whether or not those animals would help me with a tour LOL

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  45. Happy Launch Day, Cindy!! Over the weekend, I stopped at two B&N and saw TWIS at both--displayed quite prominently on the shelf.

    Major congrats!
    Tracey

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  46. Happy release day!

    I was just at my Bend, OR Barnes & Noble today and didn't see it (though I did spot a few other Sourcebooks titles). I'll keep an eye out next time I'm in there.

    Congrats!

    Tawna

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  47. Helen,
    Score another vote for Parker's story! ;-)

    I hope you make it to Ireland in the not too distant future. The scenery is beautiful, but honestly the people are the nicest anywhere! Even the ones NOT related to me. LOL!

    AC

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  48. Tracy,
    GREAT NEWS that you found TWIS at your local store. I was in one of the B&Ns close to my house and... THERE IT WAS! My baby, face out! My heart went pitter patter as soon as I saw it. :-)

    I was sooo proud!

    AC

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  49. Thanks for the congrats, Tawna!

    DARN! No copies yet in Bend? (Aunty pouts) I hope they are just in the back room waiting for someone to put them out. :-)

    Thanks again to everyone who dropped by today and made my launch day special!

    AC

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