If you’ve hung around this blog before, you know I love me some cover reveals. In fact, I’ve spotlighted a ton over the past few weeks, and they’ve all been absolutely gorgeous and freaking cool, and I’ve been uber privileged to be a part of their reveals. But I must say, today’s reveal has me really really stoked.
Why, might you ask? Well, because today so happens to be the reveal for my debut!
***cue the jazz hands***
YAY! So, here it is…the cover for my upcoming YA debut, MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY, and two sneak peeks into Cat’s magical world:
MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY
September 11, 2012, Entangled Teen
On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.
Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.
Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?
I swear, next to being able to hold my book in my hands, this may be the coolest moment in my publishing journey. It feels real now. My name is written in official looking letters on the top of a very pretty cover. Cat is wearing a pair of sunglasses that look suspiciously like my own, giving a fun hint at the time travel aspect of the book. That and the fancy manicure. And y’all, if it’s possible for a font and color choice to somehow represent a person visually, the title above does it. Purple (my signature color) and fun letters. That’s me…and, I hope, that’s my story.
Yep, I’m a very happy girl.
BUT that’s not all! Below please find not one but TWO excerpts, each giving you a different taste of what SUPER SWEET is all about. The first occurs when our main girl Cat steps out of the mysterious gypsy tent and discovers that perhaps something’s not quite right in her world…..
I hear their muffled whispers and understand every Italian word. Every witty comment made at my expense.
It’s like my brain is automatically translating.
I bunch the soft fabric of the dress in my hand and then reach up to feel the ribbon in my hair. I lightly skim my fingers over my chin and feel my lack of zit. I take in the costumes of the crowd, the stench of the animals, and the Italian I can now speak and understand. And suddenly it hits me.
Reyna must have pulled some kind of gypsy mojo.
Maybe this is one of those nifty “change your life” magic scenarios like in the movies. I mean, mostly I’m still expecting to blink and be right back in the midst of overpriced, gaudy tourism, but for now, the gypsy-time-warp explanation is infinitely better than thinking I’ve lost my mind. As I decide to go with that option, I feel my frantic tension melt away.
The growing crowd seems to notice my change in demeanor and begins shooting one another amused looks, but I don’t care anymore. A smile stretches across my face. Evidently, I was wrong earlier; Reyna is a psychic mind reader, because if this is her special brand of bibbity-bobbity-boo, then she made my exact daydream from earlier in the courtyard come to life.
The long red gown, the braided hair, the Italian merchant’s daughter, the time period. I am in Renaissance Florence.
I stare dumbly at the ground, the words and reality sinking in.
I’m in Renaissance Florence!
AND the second, the “Meet Cute” with Cat and Renaissance hottie Lorenzo. Here’s a (hopefully) swoony glimpse into their first meeting….
Alessandra jerks back like I just suggested she prance around the square naked or something. “No! I believe I understand your meaning, and Lorenzo is certainly not my suitor. He is like a brother to me—the three of us grew up together.”
She resumes walking and I fall in step beside her, understanding there has to be more to the story. And as we near the end of the row I finally ask, “If you’re not into the guy, then what’s the problem?”
At that same moment, a rich, deep chuckle hits my ears. My stomach involuntarily clenches and my gaze sharpens on the back of this mysterious Lorenzo.
Alessandra sighs. “That is the problem.” She places her hand on my arm and solemnly looks me in the eyes. “You must be careful. Lorenzo is beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a girl to walk away from meeting him with a piece of her heart left behind. But he is just eighteen, and not yet ready for marriage.”
I roll my eyes and laugh, then realize she’s serious. “Yeah, I assure you, there’s no danger on my end. I’m not exactly looking for marriage myself.” Because that would be crazy-town.
Alessandra wrinkles her nose as if she doesn’t believe me, but she removes her hand. We close the distance and Cipriano flashes me an open, honest to goodness, lighthearted smile.
“Lorenzo, this is the cousin I was telling you about.”
Slowly the guy turns and I fall head first into the richest chocolate-brown eyes I’ve ever seen. He blinks and long, luscious lashes feather across his bronzed cheeks. I can feel myself gawking, but I physically can’t drag my eyes away. Lorenzo doesn’t smirk or act all conceited, either. He simply stares back, his eyes casually skimming over me, causing my skin to warm and break out in a whole body tingle.
Time seems to stop, and the sounds of the market mute. Alessandra was right. This boy is beautiful.
And he’s looking at me.
A HUGE thank you to all of the rock star friends and bloggers out there helping me with the reveal today! All of you are made of awesome and I appreciate your support more than you know 🙂
If you like what you’ve read you may want to head over to Barnes and Noble…For a limited time you can pre-order MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY for ONLY $5.70!! Eventually it will go up to full price of $9.99, so if you plan on buying it, I’d take advantage of the sale price. And of course, it’s also available at Amazon. Please let me know if you preorder a copy so I can send you a signed bookplate to put inside 🙂
And finally, if you’re on Goodreads, I’d love for you to add MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY to your to-read shelf. Also come friend me so we can chat about books and exchange recommendations. I love sharing my book obsession with others, and my husband appreciates it, too (ha!)
So, tell me…what do YOU think of my cover?
