Everything But... Audiobooks!

I wrote a series of short, sweet, fluffy romances for Avalon Books, a small publisher that mainly sold books to libraries.  The books got a new life when Montlake Romance bought Avalon's backlist.  Montlake published them as ebooks.  And now, they're coming out as audiobooks!  Yes, a bossy Hungarian grandmother who cursed her family to bad weddings is still moving!

The first three Everything But... audiobooks are available now on Amazon.  They'll be released on other sites over the next month.  Here are the dates and links!  You can preorder them now.

Everything but a Groom - 5/2/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

Everything but a Bride - 5/9/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

Everything but a Wedding - 5/16/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

Everything but a Christmas Eve - 5/23/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

Everything but a Mother - 5/30/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

Everything but a Dog - 6/6/2017

Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes

And while you're shopping don't forget my newest releases:

Confessions of a Party Crasher

I Waxed My Legs for This?

Able to Love Again

Not Precisely Pregnant

The Book

Same Time Next Summer

Can't Find NoBODY

My Award Winning Words of the Heart series 

Carry Her Heart

These Three Words

Hold Her Heart

When you're done reading (or listening) to a book, I'd so appreciate it if you'd leave a review!  As always, thanks so much!!  Keep an eye out...new Views of My Garden videos are in the works!

Holly

I've got a Confession...Confessions of a Party Crasher is out today!

I've got a Confession...a new book is out and there are more subscriber treats! Open the newsletter to find out more... Happy Spring, everyone!! If you hang out with me on social media, you'll know I've already been out in the garden and working out at camp! I love this time of year!!  Especially when I have good news. Are you ready?   Confessions of a Party Crasher is out today!! ...and I have a confession, the party is just getting started! Morgan Miller is out of work and out of luck. She’s moved back home to Pittsburgh to try and put her life back in order. When she agrees to attend wedding reception with her mom for she's appalled to learn her mother’s invitation is far from legitimate. Her mom has turned her into an inadvertent party crasher. When her friends agree that party crashing is a great way to meet men, Morgan's life goes from crazy to completely crazy. Wedding photographer Conner Danning keeps shooting her swoon-worthy glances and Morgan's ex is trying to de-ex himself. Coming home and falling in love might just be the one party Morgan doesn’t want to miss as she discovers that sometimes what you think you want isn't what you want at all!   Reviews: "...a funny tale of falling in love when you least expect it, best friends, and off-beat mothers..." We Write Romance "...a sweet, entertaining romance..." ~RT Bookclub "Hilarious situations, deep emotions, and lots of love make this one party you won't want to miss." ~Cat Cody, Romance Junkies "Confession of a Party Crasher is an entertaining frolic. I know whenever I see Holly Jacobs name on a book I can be guarantee that I am are going to have one laugh after another..." Writers Unlimited "Confessions of a Party Crasher is a book about relationships and life. As always, Holly Jacobs uses plenty of zany humor to enhance the story and make it dazzle." ~© Kelley A. Hartsell All rights reserved. "CONFESSIONS OF A PARTY CRASHER is a charming romantic story, where love is made even more special with laughter." Cataromance.com  Buy Confessions of a Party Crasher!! Last newsletter, subscribers were given a free short story, The Book.  It's up now for sale. If you missed it, or enjoyed and want to pass it on and/or review it, you can find it at: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kJfWWx Nook: http://bit.ly/2kwL3nv Kobo: http://bit.ly/2l7sk3K (Yes, I listened to you all and I'm trying to publish more books for other platforms!) BIG NEWS!! By Popular Demand, the entire Everything But... series is being published in audio! Here are their release dates. They're all available for preorder now! Everything but a Groom - 5/2/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Everything but a Bride - 5/9/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Everything but a Wedding - 5/16/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Everything but a Christmas Eve - 5/23/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Everything but a Mother - 5/30/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Everything but a Dog - 6/6/2017 Amazon, Audible, BN and iTunes Here's a treat for all of you! My friend, Susan Gable, has a free book out now as she relaunches her Hawkin's Family series!  You can pick it up here.   That's it for now!  There are more books coming out this year, so you'll hear from me shortly!  Thanks as always for all your support! I hope you enjoy Confessions of a Party Crasher and that you pick up the Everything But series...on audio! Holly PS. You can get my newsletters directly by signing up at http://eepurl.com/4OPQL. Not only will you never miss a new release, you'll be eligible for all the subscriber giveaways and specials!

My Novel Freshman Experience—Part 1

I am a Novelist?  No, that sounds pretentious.  A Romance Novelist?  No, not really accurate since I sometimes kill people, too.  (Don't gasp...I'm talking cozy mysteries, though I've killed people in romances, too. Bwah ha ha.) Author? Still pretentious.

I am a Writer.

Yes.  That's probably an accurate description.  I've written a lot of books and those books have gone to more than twenty-five countries now.  I've written short stories, novellas and novels.  I've written articles and poems even.  Yes.  I'm a writer.

Add to that, I am a lifelong learner.  I know little bits about lots of things.  And most of those bits find their way into my books.  Let's see, I'm a closet science geek who celebrates Pi Day every year.  I am a basketweaver.  I've worked with breastfeeding moms and taught about it (remind me to tell you the story about a certain Monday when I was guest-speaking in a college freshman psych class about the psychological benefits of breastfeeding...uh, I'm pretty sure the football team was in the front row. SIGH.)  I'm a baker, a gardener and according to my kids, a hippie.  (Geesh, put in a rain barrel, compost pile, a dual flush toilet and an organic garden and you get labeled.)  I know how to fingerspell and a bit of ASL and braille.  I'd say I know French, but mainly I can ask if you have a friend in French class and ask for a cheese omelet, so I'm not sure that counts.  I am a sci fi/fantasy nerd.  Oh, and I loooooovvvve Broadway (just saw Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen...totally awesome)!!  Sometimes I'm a public speaker.  I'm always an advocate for my city (Erie, PA...it rocks!).  And last, but honestly at the center of all of that, I'm devoted to my family. My family has always been at the heart of everything I do. 

Thursday, April 13th that list is expanding...today, I'm a college freshman!! (I know...I buried the lead on this one!)  Well, I'm a college freshman on paper at least.  I don't start classes until fall.  And to be honest, I'm only taking one class.  

Why just one?  Because honestly, I don't have time for even one, but here's a basic truth I learned a long time ago...no one has enough time.  When you want something, sometimes you just have to stretch time to make it accommodate it.  Einstein said that time was relative.  (He said it much more technically however.)  I hang onto that thought when I'm trying to fit one more thing into an ever-jam-packed calendar.  Time stretches. So yes, I'm starting back to school after years away.  

I put my application in last month.  After some run-around with the transcript (my theory was the high school had transcripts that old in the sub-sub-subbasement) my paperwork was done and I was in.  I went up today and signed up for that first class.

What class you asked??

Drumroll please...

Ceramics.

I wanted pottery but there wasn't a class scheduled for fall.  I keep telling Himself I want a degree in pottery.  He says I can have an art degree, but probably not pottery.  SIGH. He's so logical.  LOL  Seriously, I have no idea what my eventual diploma will say, but I feel like a kid in the candy store.  So many classes to try.  So many new ideas to discover.  I'm so utterly jazzed!

I met with adult admissions today.  He was very nice as he talked about orientation this summer, web access, and my student ID. As we looked through the fall schedule, I realized that this is going to be such a fun adventure.

I've never stopped learning. You all remember my recent beer adventures?? (I'm moving my second batch of beer to the other carboy Sunday.) What I learn doesn't get graded. But to be honest, I'm not worried about grades in my new classes either.  If I learn something, I win no matter what grade a teacher gives me.

Maybe that is a huge advantage to coming back to the classroom later in life (not that I'm late in life...I'm decidedly middle in life, thank you very much).  I realize that how a professor weighs and measures my success in a class really doesn't matter. (To all my teaching friends, I apologize...I love and adore you and I hope that all my professors consider me a delight and success in their class!)  But what really matters is what I get out of a class. That's what has mattered in every class I've taken and every lecture and workshop I've attended over the  years.  It's what has mattered in every book I've read (and there have been a lot) or written (a lot of those, too).  Coming into college as an adult student gives me a unique perspective.  I have a career that I love.  I don't need a degree for that work to continue.  More than a career I love, I have a family I love and adore.  I'm coming at these classes just for me.  Just because I love to learn new things and skills.  So what I walk away with at the end of a class...that's how I'll weigh and measure my success.

And yes, I'm starting with ceramics.  I have this idea for something I want to make.  I've been spending time at the Erie Art Museum the last few months and this idea has been nagging at me.  So stay tuned.  I thought I'd keep a running section in my blog about My Novel Freshman Experience.  Get it..novel??  LOL 

Oh, man, I hope I can avoid that Freshman Fifteen!  LOL

Holly . . . who's not sure the University is fully prepared for this experience with me!
PS. Keep an eye out for some of my books (now that I'm a poor college student it's even more important LOL) and if you've read one recently, please take a moment to review it!

Just One Thing

Words of the Heart Series

Confessions of a Party Crasher

Carry Her Heart
These Three Words
Hold Her Heart

Everything But...series
(audiobooks next month!)

Same Time Next Summer
Not Precisely Pregnant
I Waxed My Legs for This?

And if you're looking for those people I killed, try:
Can't Find NoBODY
Maid in LA Mysteries

Something that shows short stories don't lack emotion...
The Book (check out my science geekiness in it!)
13 Weeks

My Erie...

Last night, I went to a launch for a new book on Erie Mayor's...

Erie, Pennsylvania Mayors

150 Years of Political History

by Dr. William Garvey.

It was published by Jefferson Educational Society, a wonderful Erie asset that offers a full spectrum of classes and talks.  From the history of Erie to the history of beer class I took last month.

Back to last night. Dr. Garvey was a professor at Mercyhurst then the president.  He's spent his career studying my favorite town and this book was the culmination of that work. I can't wait to dig in!

I'll confess, as I looked at the crowd and saw educators, reporters, government officials all talking about their love of our town, I was struck by the realization I am a part of that.  No, I've never held a government position or worked as a reporter (though I've written Erie reporters in Not Precisely Pregnant), but I have brought my love of Erie to readers around the world.  Carry Her Heart has been on Turkey's bestseller list recently.  I have introduced readers in that country to our city and all it has to offer.  I've often had that pinch-me moment as that realization sinks in...in addition to readers here in the state, readers in more than twenty-five countries have 'visited' our town.  

So last night, I felt a sense of connection as I listened to former Mayor Joyce Savvocchio, "We believe this is a marvelous city."  I am one of those "we" she spoke of.  I do believe in Erie.

And Dr. William Garvey, spoke about the book and how he came to write it.  He said, "Erie needs to know who it is."  Then followed with, "If you don't know who you are, you don't know who you could be."

I had one of those deje vu moments.  Here was my instagram post from earlier that day..
 hollyjacobsauthor I found a copy of a letter from Geo. Washington to one of my ancestors last night as I worked on my family tree! It's so easy to get lost in the past. I like to think all the people who came before me are part of every book I write. Just One Thing is set at our camp, which is close to an ancestor's homestead.

Some times I'm just on the right wavelength.  LOL

It was a lovely evening, listening to people honor Dr. Garvey's life's work and praise this city that I've used as a setting in so many of my books.  I love Erie.  I love to share that love with millions readers around the world.

So congratulations Dr. Garvey and everyone who worked on this book.  Before you leave, check out this new video talking about all the reasons I love this town!

Holly