Amazon Promotion

For the next 90 days, Dancing Hours is going to be sold exclusively at Amazon.com.  Even better, for the next handful of days, it is FREE for download.  Don't miss this chance to read the book.

I also love to hear rave reviews and constructive criticism.  The beauty of an e-book is that it can be a work in progress - at least until I find an editor and get in hammered out in final form.  Feel free to message or email  me with your thoughts.

Dancing Hours is Available!

Dancing Hours is out and I'm so excited.  You can read free samples from the book on Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/142337

and also purchase it on Apple and Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Hours-ebook/dp/B0082T99LC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1336949040&sr=8-2.  For some reason, it's not coming up on Barnes and Noble yet, but I'll work on that.

I will be looking into print on demand so those that want paper and ink can read it that way, but in the meantime I've been working on a new book, currently untitled.  It's a much darker story of survival in a future without the current overflow of information.  It's my new summer project.

Step Away From the Book

A couple of weeks ago a dramatic development at my regular day job (involving Amazonian sized bugs and fumigation) gave me a couple of unexpected hours to myself.  I had a printed copy of Dancing Hours with me, which I have never actually read from beginning to end because I wrote it in sections and put it together after the fact.  I would imagine many authors work this way... living with their characters and furiously writing when inspiration hits.

I was looking forward to spending time with the book and reading it as my readers would.  I went to one of my favorite coffee shops, got a drink and sat in a quiet corner with a pen and my pages. 

I must have been feeling ruthless that day - I was crossing out and rewriting and generally being critical of the entire thing.  My biggest complaint was the pace of the book.  It felt too fast, like I didn't spend enough time developing the scenes and exploring the characters.

Then, unexpectedly, another mom that I sort of know and sort of don't from my kids' school came in.  As she left I said a polite hello and she sat with me.  We chatted for a few minutes and she made some sort of vaguely racist remark about another school having 5 different ethnicities in attendance and I was left speechless.  The few short minutes after that, I wasn't sure what to say.  I was pretty sure I would be avoiding future conversations with her, though.

When she left I turned back to my book.  It looked abused.  I had not treated it with the care and love that I'd written it with.  I realized that the pace of the book seemed out of sync because I have almost memorized the book I've read and reread so many times.  So I decided to put it down, back away slowly and let my mind drift to other things - the next book, perhaps, which has been pushing its way into my head since I wrapped up this one.

I hope that when I come back to Dancing Hours, I can respect it for what it is.  It is my first novel... much like a first crush.  I hope that I don't put it out there and have my hopes dashed against the rocks, but I have to remember that criticism is a gift.  Maybe it will be like the weird Christmas sweater my mom gave me one year, but it's the thought that counts. 

Please say hello to the winning e-book cover.  Book edits are almost complete and I still plan to roll out the book in March.  This cover won for a variety of reasons.  I liked it's simplicity and felt that it captured the spirit of the main character and her grandmother, who are both important women in the book.  Many thanks to designer Dexter Fry and the DesignCrowd website for helping this cover come together.

Dancing Hours

Small town girl Andrea Taylor has a comfortable life in the kind of southern town where neighbors are friends and everyone knows your business.  To Andrea, though, that kind of life is like living under a microscope and she dreams of traveling the world and living in the kind of place where you might never seen the same people twice.  Her life is on the verge of something wonderful, but it's not what she thinks.  The arrival of two handsome brothers in town makes things more interesting, but Andy is determined to follow her dreams.  She comes to realize that everyone has secrets they want to keep to themselves, but an exciting life may not be the right one for her.

Read the full text of Dancing Hours by Jennifer Browning on e-book due in March, 2012.