Y'all, shit's about to get real.
nine months til launch/chosen winner/introductions
Ever heard of the term “book baby”?
It’s often used to describe the long, arduous road writers take from the genesis of the idea to a fully written, revised, book. Book babies often take way longer than nine months to develop all their squishy little toes and chubby chins. For my debut adult romantic comedy Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair, we’re already going on twenty months. By the time it’s published on February 13, 2024, this book baby will have been cooking for a full two and a half years.
Try pushing that out of your body.
1. Introductions
First, let me thank all of you for subscribing to my newsletter! I promise I won’t abuse this profound level of power you all have entrusted me with <cue villainous cackle>. For those of you who don’t know me from real life or the writing community at large, I’m Laura Piper Lee, and until two years ago, I exclusively wrote children’s fantasy novels. Then one day, my amazing literary agent told me it was time to try something new, to put my immature sense of humor to a higher calling—the adult romantic comedy. Five months after that conversation, I had a book deal for my debut adult rom-com, Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair.
This is why I listen to everything my agent says.
2. About my book
Here’s the jacket copy that I drafted for the cover. It was, of course, not used. :D
Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair
A new mom finds just the renovation her life needs in this hilarious rom com that sparkles with intelligence, wit, and compassion. [author note: for the record, this part I didn’t write. :D]
Hannah Tate isn’t good at adult stuff, like using tax software or eating bagged salad before it turns into horror-goo. It’s not surprising given what a bad role model her wild, reckless mama was. After Hannah’s own surprise! baby Bowie came along, Hannah vowed to give him the stable family home she never had. Only, that’s impossible since Bowie’s father proposed “conscious co-parenting” instead of marriage, and Hannah’s sexist boss just fired her.
Jobless, homeless, and heart-broken, Hannah’s left with only one option: leave Atlanta and move in with her mama and redneck step-daddy Darryl in their latest rash decision—a fixer-upper cabin in the mountains of Blue Ridge. Hannah needs help with the baby, and Mama needs help converting the former taxidermy shop/current nightmare downstairs into an inviting Airbnb. The rental has to succeed, or Mama and Darryl will go broke. Again. But can they really help her for once? Sounds fake.
Blue Ridge surprises Hannah. Mama and Darryl reinvent themselves as Bowie’s loving G-ma and Big Daddy, Bowie’s dad tries actually being his dad for once, and then there’s River Aronson, the hot, hippie carpenter living in the tree-house next door. Not only does River respect Hannah’s budding business acumen, he looks at her like no man ever has. Long days working beside River on the cabin turn into long, incredible nights in his arms, and her dream of building the perfect nest for her and Bowie resurfaces, now starring River. He doesn’t seem like the responsible partner Hannah’s always craved, but can River come down from his tree-house and help her fix her broken dreams?
Sounds pretty good, right? RIGHT?
3. What can you expect here?
This newsletter will be primarily used to share important author updates, like pre-order links, my COVER REVEAL!!!, first dibs on giveaways, and other musings I have on writing, romance, publishing, and life. There will be a few posts this month because as I mentioned before, shit’s about to get real. My cover reveal is happening in a week or two, my book is going to be featured in Publishers Weekly, and pre-order links will go live! After that, you can expect a monthly newsletter, as my overlords {read: my child, puppy, law job} allow. I’m planning on doing monthly giveaways leading up to the launch of my debut book baby, and being that we’re nine months out and my book heavily features a new mom balancing finding her purpose and happiness alongside motherhood, it felt like an auspicious time to begin.
4. WINNER TIIIIIME
For my very first giveaway, anyone who subscribed to this sparkly new newsletter got a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to www.bookshop.org. I used a very cute random winner picker thingy I found online, and the winner of a $20 gift certificate to www.bookshop.org is….
Catie Hall! At least, I’m guessing that’s your name based on your email address. Look for an email for more details! If you don’t claim it in like, 2 days? 3 days? I’ll draw again!
5. Until We Meet Again!
My next newsletter will include the long-awaited, very titillating reveal of the beautiful cover done for Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair! I truly can’t wait to share it and let this book-shaped thing out of the proverbial bag.
Until then, folks. Thank you so much for joining me.