Today marks the release of my second book, A STROKE OF MAGIC! Strangely, I’m even more excited than I was when my first novel, A TASTE OF MAGIC, released just a few months ago. I think because I’m over those “first time” jitters, so this release is a wonderful mix of the aforementioned excitement and simple, flat-out happiness.

I’ve said before that writing Alice’s story was just as much fun as writing Elizabeth’s, but what I haven’t mentioned is that it was also a heck of a lot more terrifying. Yes, I said terrifying! Because when I wrote A TASTE OF MAGIC, I was trying something new…with no preconceptions of what would happen once I finished telling the story.

But with A STROKE OF MAGIC, I had an agent and an editor waiting to read it, a gorgeous cover had already been designed, and well–it was a product before it was even written. And frankly, that concept scared the you-know-what out of me. So much so, that I second-guessed every word written, went over each and every passage in the story a dozen times, and spent way too much time obsessing over things that really didn’t matter.

I relied heavily on my friends and critique partners during the writing of Alice’s story, and they helped keep my blind fear at bay, so I could focus on the story itself and not the black hole of “OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE” terror that wanted to suck me away. Because seriously…writing a book that was already sold was not only a new experience for me, but it is THE most nerve-wracking experience I’ve faced thus far in my writing life.

Which isn’t to say it wasn’t also tremendously wonderful, because it was. And now that this book is available for others to read, my excitement is so HUGE, I can hardly stand it.

A STROKE OF MAGIC is also a story I feel very attached to. It’s a story of unconditional love with some magical fun and hijinks along the way, but it’s also a story of learning to trust and believe in what your heart tells you, and to take a chance at the future that beckons.

Emily Becher at Dreaming on the Job has a new review of A STROKE OF MAGIC on her site, and she says:

“Ms. Madison and characterization go together like chocolate and strawberries.”

I so love that quote! She also said a bunch of other great things about the book! You can read the rest of her review HERE. 

Don’t Forget!

My Virtual Signing at Night Owl Romance is running from now until July 5th! Check out all the details HERE and then bop on over to my guest blog HERE!

Round one of my Scavenger Hunt Contest continues until tomorrow! What do you have to do to win a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC? Simply answer this question:

What reviewer (or review site) stated that “Tracy Madison dishes up a masterpiece in A TASTE OF MAGIC”?

And email the answer to me at Tracy@TracyMadison.com. Then, check in tomorrow to see who won!

It’s release week over at The Novel Girls! Stop in each day this week and enter our daily contest!

We’re on THE FINAL ROUND of the Scavenger Hunt Contest! Go HERE for details!

A STROKE OF MAGIC releases tomorrow! YAY! And seeing as today is my birthday, I have lots to celebrate. So, from now throughout July, we’re going to do just that. First, though, check out my release week post over at The Novel Girls:

What would it be like to discover your boyfriend had been lying to you, stealing from you, and was actually married the entire time you dated? Yuck, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Alice Raymond in A TASTE OF MAGIC. Now, Alice gets her own story in A STROKE OF MAGIC, and wow—does she have a journey in front of her.

You can read the rest of the post by going HERE.

So, how am I planning on celebrating my release? With contests, of course! Though, I’ll warn you all that I’ve decided to alter the prizes I initially said I’d be giving away. I’m going to save The Sims 3 giveaway for an event I have planned in the future…sometime in early 2010, so stay tuned later in the year for that.

But, I’m still giving away some great stuff. What’s up for grabs?

1. 7 signed copies of A TASTE OF MAGIC
2. 7 goodie bags that include: lip shaped lip gloss, a bookmark, and a sticky pad
3. 3 custom coffee mugs that showcase the covers of A TASTE OF MAGIC and A STROKE OF MAGIC
4. Any FOUR books from Dorchester Publishing (the winner gets to choose!)

The prizes are going to breakdown like this:

• FOUR winners will each receive one signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC
• FOUR winners will each receive one goodie bag
• TWO winners will each receive a copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC, a goodie bag, AND a custom coffee mug.
• ONE winner will receive a copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC, a goodie bag, a custom coffee mug, AND four books of their choosing from Dorchester’s website.

Which means, if people play along, I’ll have eleven different winners. But you have to play to win, and it seems I have lots of folks who pop in everyday, but don’t make themselves known…so for the prizes to be won, I need at least 6 players in whichever round we’re on. Make sense?

How do these contests work? To start, be sure to check in on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to see what’s up for grabs and what that day and/or week’s contest is.

Ready to play? Good!

Today’s contest is for ONE signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC.  I’m going to ask a question that can be found somewhere on the web, and I need the answers EMAILED to me at tracy@tracymadison.com. Any answers put into the comments will be deleted and disqualified, but you can certainly leave normal non-answer comments if you’d like to say hi. THIS ROUND IS OVER! Check the top of this post for a link to the current contest!!!!

Here’s the question:

What reviewer (or review site) stated that “Tracy Madison dishes up a masterpiece in A TASTE OF MAGIC”?

Assuming I receive at least SIX emails with answers (they don’t even have to be correct!) by Wednesday morning, I’ll announce the winner in Wednesday’s post…so check back then to see who won, and to see what the next contest entails.

See you all Wednesday! I’m going to celebrate my birthday!

Don’t Forget!

It’s release week over at The Novel Girls! Check in each day this week and enter our daily contest!

I have a Virtual Signing coming up TOMORROW at Night Owl Romance! Everyone who participates gets a goodie bag from me, including one signed item!

There’s still time to win a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC! Head on over to Dreaming on the Job, read my interview, and then answer my question to be entered to win. This contest ends later today, so go enter!

You know how Oprah has those shows where she shares what some of her favorite items are? I thought it would be fun to share what some of my favorite items are, and hopefully, gain a few new favorites by learning what YOUR favorite items are.

So, in no particular order, here are a few things I am happy to spend my money on:

HEMPZ – Pure Herbal Extracts, Herbal Moisturizer. This is probably my newest favorite. Why do I love this moisturizer so much? I’ve shared before how I suffered from a severe allergic reaction after taking an antibiotic, but I don’t think I’ve talked about the after-effects of having SJS. My skin is soooo dry, and there are still areas of scar tissue from where my skin burned. I’ve been on a search ever since for a lotion that would really make a difference, and just two weeks ago–I found it. Seriously, folks, this moisturizer rocks! An added bonus is it has an awesome, fruity/floral scent that’s barely there.

MetroMint - Mint-flavored bottled water. I found Metromint completely by accident one day about a year ago. It was hot outside, and we were running around dealing with one errand after another, and one of the stores we popped into had a display of mint-flavored bottled waters. While they have interesting flavors (such as lemon mint and chocolate mint), I’ve only tried their standard peppermint…and I love it! At first, I worried it would taste like toothpaste water, but it doesn’t. Rather, it’s a refreshing light mint flavor that is perfect when ice cold. It’s my bottled water of choice–when I can find it.

L’Oréal Luminescent Silk Foundation – I don’t tend to wear a lot of cosmetics. In fact, most days I don’t wear any, save a swipe of some lip gloss as I’m headed out the door. But, as a woman, there are times (naturally) that I feel I must have my best face on. <G>. It’s taken me a while to find a foundation that works well with my skin tone (really, really pale), and that doesn’t feel as if I’m wearing a two-inch mask around on my face all day. This one works for me, and it works well, so it’s definitely one of my favorites!

Caribou Coffee Beans – Reindeer Blend – C’mon, you seriously didn’t think I’d get through a sampling of my favorite things without mentioning coffee even once, did you? Of all the coffee I love, Caribou Coffee’s Reindeer Blend is by far my favorite. It’s a fairly dark coffee with hints of caramel and spice, and wow–I wish I could have a cup right now. But I can’t, because this specific blend is only available during the Christmas season (hence the name “Reindeer Blend”). If you have a coffee lover in your list of gift-givers, you shold definitely consider buying them this coffee next Christmas!

Pentel R.S.V.P Pens – Medium Point – Okay, these are by far my favorite pens. I’m particularly in love with the purple ink, but any of the darker colors are fine by me too. I’m oddly picky about pens. Too fine of a point drives me nuts, and if the point is too wide–well, I don’t like that either. These pens fit well in my hands and the medium point creates a stroke at just the thickness I like. Lucky for me I didn’t fall in love with crazy expensive pens!

There you have it–five of my favorite, must have, absolutely love items. What about you? What are your must buys for whatever? I’d love to hear!

Don’t Forget!

I have a Virtual Signing coming up on June 30th at Night Owl Romance! Everyone who participates gets a goody bag from me, including one signed item!

There’s still time to win a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC! Head on over to Dreaming on the Job, read my interview, and then answer my question to be entered to win. This contest ends on June 29th, so go–go now!

Also, be sure to check back here on June 29th for all the info on A STROKE OF MAGIC release month contests!

So, I’ve been trying to focus on my current project, but I have all these other ideas bopping around in my head. And because these ideas are new, they’re also *sparkly* and *pretty* and, therefore, way-too-enticing. I finally had to stop working, just so I could jot a few of these thoughts down and get them out of my head.

One of them is particularly exciting to me, as it’s completely different than my current type of writing, so I think I’m going to have to find some time to flesh the idea out a little more. Maybe even begin writing the first chapter…but geesh, I really don’t have the time! There are deadlines to think of, and a new series idea I’m already really excited about that I’m committed to pushing a partial out for.

But I’m not complaining, because without new ideas, I’d be miserable. Without new ideas, I wouldn’t have any stories to tell. And I love telling stories, so even though right now I’m fighting for time, I’m still really pleased that I have so many ideas for so many other stories.

Have a great Wednesday!

Don’t Forget!

I have a Virtual Signing coming up on June 30th at Night Owl Romance! Everyone who participates gets a goody bag from me, including one signed item!

There’s still time to win a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC! Head on over to Dreaming on the Job, read my interview, and then answer my question to be entered to win.

Over at The Novel Girls this week, we’re talking about Graduation. Seeing as my daughter graduated from high school this year, this topic is a little more emotional for me than one might think.

Graduation Season

Until this year, I hadn’t thought a lot about graduation in a long time. But this year marks the year my eldest, my daughter Katie, graduated from high school, and let me tell you, I never expected to be as emotional as I was at her graduation ceremony. So, while this post is about graduation–sort of–it’s mostly about my daughter.

She was poised, beautiful, and confident as she made her walk across stage. I remembered the day she was born, and how terrifying the prospect of taking her home was. After all, at home I didn’t have nurses who knew what they heck they were doing, and every bit of her care was up to me and my husband.

You can read the rest of this post at The Novel Girls!

If you head on over to The Novel Girls, you’ll also see a YouTube video embedded in my post. The video is a slideshow that my daughter had to create as one of her final exams before graduation. Because I’m soooo proud of her, and because this video bring back all those high school feelings, I’m also going to share it here.

And yes, I realize because I’m the mom, I’m likely way more emotional than anyone else watching it, but I still wanted to share it! Also, if any of you remember the post I did at The Novel Girls last month about my daughter’s prom day, there’s a couple great photos of her and her boyfriend on prom night later in the slideshow…after the “My Senior Year” heading. One of them is the very last shot of the video.

Okay, moving on before I start crying yet again…

This past week has been insane with good news! I received my author copies of A STROKE OF MAGIC, and wow, it’s a gorgeous book. I can say that because I’m referring to the beautiful and striking cover that Dorchester gave the book.

Also, I’m beginning to hear from readers who have received A STROKE OF MAGIC early through the Dorchester book club. So far, I’ve only had wonderful comments, which thrills me to no end. I love when readers contact me. Writing is such a solitary experience, that sometimes I forget that my stories are actually going to be read by other people. People I don’t know. So yeah, when I hear from them, it makes the whole process that much more fulfilling.

I was also invited last week to attend this year’s Writers on the River, which is hosted by the Monroe County Library System in Michigan. That link takes you to last year’s page, but as soon as this year’s is up I’ll post it. I’m excited to have been asked, and can’t wait to participate!

Okay, that’s it for this Monday. I’m way behind because it took forever to get going this morning…and now it’s 2:30 PM and I can’t believe how much more I have to do today. Ack!

See everyone on Wednesday!

Don’t Forget!

I have a Virtual Signing coming up on June 30th at Night Owl Romance! Everyone who participates gets a goody bag from me, including one signed item!

There’s still time to win a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC! Head on over to Dreaming on the Job, read my interview, and then answer my question to be entered to win.

Finally, it’s Friday! Even though I don’t work outside of the house, I’m still a TGIF gal. Honestly, I’m not sure why, because I work whenever I need to work, and lots of times that means pounding away at the keyboard over the weekend. My TGIF excitement is likely nothing more than left over energy from the past, from when I worked a Monday through Friday job, and couldn’t wait for the weekend to sleep in.

I’m also excited on this particular Friday because Amazon, B&N, and likely a few other online stores are already shipping A STROKE OF MAGIC out. I’m so proud of this book, and I fell so in love with Alice’s story, that I can’t wait to hear what readers think. In fact, I’m so thrilled, I’m going to share a sneak peek from the book.

A little information first: Alice has just found out about her heritage of gypsy magic, and has already had a few intense experiences with the family ghost, her great-great-great grandmother Miranda. The know-it-all ghost has warned Alice that in order to protect her and her unborn child, she has to find her soul mate before her baby is born. This excerpt takes place in Chapter Five, at the tail end of Alice’s attempt at using magic to draw a picture of her as-of-yet unknown soul mate. Also on scene is her sister Elizabeth, her Grandma Verda, and her best friend Chloe:

—

When I heard Chloe gasp, I realized I was finally drawing the form of a man. My attention switched to him, and I waited with baited breath as my hand continued to move, continued to shade, continued to draw. All my prior arguments flew out the window. Because, guess what? I wanted to see his face.

If this man was truly my soul mate, then hell yes, I wanted to see his face. My hand moved faster, so fast that my arm began to cramp. My fingers gripped the pencil tighter, sending another spasm through my arm. Ignoring the ache, I waited for the image to be finished.

And then, finally, it was. I dropped the pencil on the table. It landed with a soft clack before rolling off, soundlessly hitting the floor below.

“Oh, no,” Chloe whispered.

“What?” Grandma Verda stood and then walked over to us. “Well, that’s not good.”

“It can’t be that bad.” Elizabeth followed in Grandma Verda’s footsteps, stopping on the other side of me. She bent forward, the movement causing her hair to cover her eyes. Pushing it away, she sighed. “All right, that sucks.”

Disappointment I hadn’t expected brushed against me, drowning out my anticipation. I ran my fingers over the drawing I’d just completed, and let out a sigh of my own. Maybe this man in front of me, put on paper by my own hands, really was my soul mate, but…

—

Yep, I’m stopping there. I know, mean, huh? The great news is you can get the book now from the online stores I mentioned earlier, or if you prefer brick & mortar stores, A STROKE OF MAGIC should be on the shelves on June 30th. And remember–if you’re planning on buying the book, you should definitely take part in my virtual signing on June 30th! Not only will you get a free goody pack from me, but you’ll be entered to win A TASTE OF MAGIC OR A $10 Amazon Gift Card. Check out all the details at Night Owl Romance!

And for a contest that’s happening right this second, go to Dreaming on the Job, author and reviewer Emily Becher’s blog. Emily reviewed A TASTE OF MAGIC, and has already read the ARC of A STROKE OF MAGIC, and will be posting that review soon. Emily asked if I’d be willing to do an interview, and I jumped at the chance. So, if you want to learn a little more about me and have the chance at winning a signed copy of A TASTE OF MAGIC, jump on over to her site now! The contest ends next week.

Also, coming up soon: a fun contest I’m having with Fresh Fiction (check for the actual contest link on June 29th), guest blogs at various sites, and my month long contest running right here (beginning June 29th).

Here’s hoping everyone has a fantastic weekend! I’ll be writing, setting up my Twitter account (hopefully), and trying to become a heck of a lot more organized than I’ve been lately.

See you all on Monday!

Again, I’m a little behind in posting my May books seeing we’re already in the middle of June, but here are the books I read in May:

1. The Face of Deception by Iris Johansen
2. The Killing Game by Iris Johansen
3. Lightning by Dean Koontz
4. Lover Avenged by JR Ward
5. Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery
6. Sweet Spot by Susan Mallery
7. Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallery

May was a great month for reading! And as you can see, I’ve been on a suspense kick, but then took a break from the scary to read Susan Mallery’s Bakery Sisters trilogy, which I adored.

What abou you? Have you read any great books lately?

See you all on Friday!!!