Monday, December 29, 2014

New Release & Giveaway!

Just a quick reminder about my new holiday short story, Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe: A Short Story and the Giveaway! Ends soon, so enter now. :)

Available now on Kindle for $0.99
(Free with Kindle Unlimited)

What's a wife to do when her Christmas plans fall apart?

Join Becky and Isaac from [book:The Unexpected Bride|23110302] in a romantic short story complete with sleigh bells, mistletoe, and sweet holiday surprises.

It's Christmas Eve, and smoke isn't just rising from the chimney--it's pouring from the stove due to yet another batch of burnt biscuits. Becky wants everything to be perfect for her family, but a ruined meal spells disaster for all her high hopes. Will the night end in despair...or with a happy Christmas dream?

Reconnect with your favorite characters from Book 1 of "The Brides" series and learn more about Jem (the hero of Book 2) in Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe. Includes an excerpt from Book 2, The Bartered Bride.

A SHORT STORY in The Brides Series
Sweet Historical Romance

Giveaway


Deck the halls and bring on the books! One winner will receive mistletoe earrings from the LuvlyMint Etsy shop, as well as a signed paperback copy of The Unexpected Bride, Book 1 in “The Brides” series. This prize is only available to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Three runners-up (can be international) will receive one e-copy each of Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Happy New Year!


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

SLEIGH BELLS & MISTLETOE: New Release, Cover Reveal, and #Giveaway!

The Brides Series Continues!



SLEIGH BELLS & MISTLETOE
A SHORT STORY in The Brides Series

What's a wife to do when her Christmas plans fall apart?

Join Becky and Isaac from The Unexpected Bride in a romantic short story complete with sleigh bells, mistletoe, and sweet holiday surprises.

It's Christmas Eve, and smoke isn't just rising from the chimney--it's pouring from the stove due to yet another batch of burnt biscuits. Becky wants everything to be perfect for her family, but a ruined meal spells disaster for all her high hopes. Will the night end in despair...or with a happy Christmas dream?

Reconnect with your favorite characters from Book 1 of "The Brides" series and learn more about Jem (the hero of Book 2) in Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe. Includes an excerpt from Book 2, The Bartered Bride.

SLEIGH BELLS & MISTLETOE: A Short Story (The Brides Series 1.5)
Sweet Historical Western Romance A Mail-Order Bride Short Story

A Kindle Exclusive
Get copy of Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe: A Short Story (The Brides Series 1.5) for only $0.99!

Giveaway


Deck the halls and bring on the books! One winner will receive mistletoe earrings from the LuvlyMint Etsy shop, as well as a signed paperback copy of The Unexpected Bride, Book 1 in “The Brides” series. This prize is only available to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Three runners-up (can be international) will receive one e-copy each of Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


There's also a mini tour for this story going on today -- an announcement of the short story and…a cover reveal for Book 2 in the series!!! -- so please visit all the awesome bloggers who are participating:
    Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot 
    Blooming with Books
    Buzzing About Books
    Inklings and Notions
    My Favorite Pastime 
    The Curried Nut
    The Wonderings of One Person
    Thilly Little Nothings 
    To Be A Person 
    Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections

    Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


    Friday, October 10, 2014

    HAUNTING JOY Now Available in Audiobook!

    Here's a little news for young adult fans...

    HAUNTING JOY

    Now Available in Audiobook!
    Narrated by the amazing Stephanie Ballard

    So excited! Squee!!!!!!!!

    Check out the new audiobook cover, with a smerge/mash-up of Haunting Joy and Chain Reaction covers. What do you think? I kind of love it...

    Haunting Joy Audiobook Cover

    Joy's new dress has a secret - one with a little supernatural history, one that's a little more than she expected.

    It all starts one ordinary afternoon, as 17-year-old Joy tries on some thrift-store clothes her grandmother gave her. The little white dress fits perfectly. Trouble is, now it won't leave her alone. Soon Joy is swept up in an extraordinary journey to help a ghost complete some unfinished business.

    If only that didn't involve Joy driving through dangerous intersections... Or calling up her high-school crush Nick... Or getting stuck at a cemetery after dark.

    Will Joy accept this ghostly challenge to be "more"? And just how far will she go to uncover the truth?

    "I never believed in ghosts... Until it happened to me."


    Now Available on Amazon | Audible | iTunes
    Learn how to get this Free (Audible Free Trial)

    Reviews


    "Lena Goldfinch has penned a sweet, creative,
    mystical journey of self-discovery…"
    ~MARLEY GIBSON, bestselling author of the
    Ghost Huntress series

    "A sweet and charming ghost story
    that completely won me over." 
    ~LENA COAKLEY, Witchlanders

    "A touchingly high-spirited and
    thoroughly entertaining journey
    of discovering who we really are…"
    ~The Wonderings of One Person



    Monday, September 15, 2014

    How to Deal with Pre-Release Jitters 101

    My perspective on writing and pre-publication jitters.
    Or how I cope with publication anxiety.
    (Photo copyright Meg Gichka | Can Stock Photo)

    I have a confession… I'm dealing with pre-publication jitters. It's not the first time I've felt a twinge of anxiety (ha, twinge) before a book release. With this new launch, however, I feel like I'm back to square one--er--book one. It's curious. I've published a bunch of books... So why now? Maybe it's because I'm writing in a new genre (actually an "old" genre, since I started out writing sweet historical romance). So in a sense I'm starting from scratch, because these books aren't YA.

    Whatever the reason, I've been feeling a tad stressed lately. I'm moving forward, making my deadlines, doing what needs doing, but I'm having to work through these feelings. Praying. Breathing. Trying to get perspective.
    And since I'm a very visual person, I came up with this mental image the other day of what publishing is like:

    I'm like this girl (above). I'm really just making paper flowers and setting them out in the water. Maybe it's a lake, maybe it's a river…but I'm picturing waterlilies. People (readers) find my flowers out there on the water. That's my hope anyway. Whether they like them or not is really out of my control. Well, mostly. I do my best to create the best stories I can. I try to make sure my paper flower is "pretty" -- i.e. it's a story that hangs together, beginning to end, with characters I love. I care about quality. I care about editing and proofreading. I care about professional presentation, etc..

    In the end, it's a book. I made it. I like it. ;)

    But not everyone sees things the same way, right?

    To "my reader" -- aka the people who "get" me -- my book is a flower. They like it. They thinks it's pretty. Maybe.They enjoy it and maybe start looking around in the water for more flowers. Awesome. Perfect.

    But then there are these other people who frown and say, "That's not a flower. Besides, what I really wanted was a hamburger." Or a basketball. Or whatever. :)

    Those just aren't my readers.

    It's fine, really. Honestly. I get it. I don't like everything I read either.

    I don't know how many readers I have out there. (Helllooooo, readers! How are you?) I hope you find my paper flower floating in the water and you think it's "pretty." Entertaining. Moving. Heartwarming. Whatever it is you're looking for in a book. And I hope it didn't get too soggy in the water. :)

    For those who don't like it (shrugs), it's okay. I hope you find your hamburger. I really do.

    Image © Michael J. Bennett | Wikimedia Commons
    Q:
    So, help me out here -- how do you cope with the jitters and stress?

    Thanks!
    Lena

    Friday, September 12, 2014

    Freebie and Upcoming New Release!

    Freebie Alert!

    Get Chain Reaction for the low price of free! Grab your ebook copy now for your Kindle, Nook, or favorite e-reader device if you don't have it already. Did I mention it's free?? :)

    Why free? Giving away free books is simply one tool in an author's toolkit to find new readers. And what better way than to give them a free short story? I can't think of any.

    If you haven't yet tried Haunting Joy, download the free short story prequel Chain Reaction to get a little sneak peek into Joy's world. If you like it, please consider picking up a copy of Haunting Joy. (And tell ten friends, which will bring you good luck--and good looks. ha ;))

    Scroll down to see excerpt below!

    Upcoming New Release

    Haunting Joy Coming Soon on Audiobook!

     +  =


    New audiobook cover for Haunting Joy!

    For those of you who prefer to listen to audiobooks--say on a long car ride or in short bursts on your bus ride to school--stay tuned for the release of Haunting Joy in audiobook format. Narrator Stephanie Ballard is a joy to listen to--and I mean it! She really brought the character to Joy to life. (So thrilling as an author to experience that, I tell you. :)) And she is also just soooo very easy to listen to. I love her voice.

    (Yay! So excited!!!)

    It should be available verrrrry soon on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. I'll let you know as soon as I know!

    Chain ReactionA Short Story (Prequel to Haunting Joy)



    When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle--possibly with the help from her first haunting. A short, lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adults.

    Excerpt 

    I was just getting the hang of high school, when a chain letter revealing my secret crush fell into the wrong hands.

    Before the haunting, I guess there were a few things the old me should have picked up on that weren’t quite right.

    I remember this one day way back in ninth grade, rushing to class, trying to beat the bell. It was February, and by then I could get to all my classes without getting lost. I knew all the halls and the side halls, and the stairs, and which water fountains had the coldest water—all that stuff. It was a big school too, with two floors, laid out in a big square donut. I knew when I had time to swing by my locker, and to be honest, I was finally starting to feel like I wasn’t about to die any second. That day, as I flew past the open double doors leading to the caf, I knew immediately we were having pizza for lunch, because it had that Italian, oregano-y smell in the air. Their pizza was pretty good too, so I was looking forward to lunch.

    I was steps from the door to my Freshman Chemistry class when Sarah Lenard bumped me hard and shoved a folded paper into my hand.

    Joy,” she hissed in my ear. I don’t know why she bothered to whisper my name. It wasn’t like she didn’t have my full attention after that body slam.

    “Hey! What are you doing?” I rubbed my side.

    “Before lunch,” she warned.

    “Before lunch, what?” I asked, spooked by her super-secret whispery voice.

    Maybe she didn’t hear, because she slipped into the mob of students, ninja style.

    I hustled into class, still rubbing my side, and took my seat.

    After checking to make sure no one was watching me, I unfolded the note and read the heading:

    SECRET SWEETHEART
    CHAIN LETTER

    A chain letter.

    Ugh. I loved and hated chain letters. I thought they were fun sometimes, but mostly they were just plain annoying. And sometimes—on rare occasions, and you never knew when—they were downright dangerous. The crazy stuff they made you confess. I mean, really. And you had to give copies to like ten of your friends, and then they had to give copies of theirs to ten of their friends. Or else. Or else something terrible would happen to you. And your future children. Or your dog. Or something.

    Not that I believed in bad luck.

    Much.

    <<< End Excerpt >>>

    Where to Find My Books

    Amazon US | Amazon UK
    Barnes & Noble
    iTunes /iBooks
    Kobo US | Kobo Canada
    Google Play


    Excerpt of Chain Reaction © Lena Goldfinch, 2014, All rights reserved.

    Monday, September 8, 2014

    New Release, New Genre! (And Excerpt for The Unexpected Bride)

    My very first efforts at writing books were historical romances, sweet romantic stories of love and hope. My first efforts were even finalists in such contests as the RWA Golden Heart and the ACFW Genesis Contest, among others, which was a huge honor. So before there was ever a fantasy book like AIRE or SONGSTONE, or a YA romance like HAUNTING JOY, there were these sweet historical stories of love and hope.

    I'm returning to these stories and writing some new ones as part of a new series called The Brides, named this because they all feature, er, brides ;) and have "Bride" in the title.  The stories are loosely connected (i.e. can be read in any order) and will feature mail-orders brides, marriage of conveniences, one Beauty and the Beast inspired tale (yes, I'm a Beauty and the Beast nut!), and at least one runaway bride. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

    The first of these stories, The Unexpected Bride is coming out this October 6th, and the ebook is now available for pre-order. A Goodreads Giveaway for the paperback edition is also now running , so be sure to enter for that and put it on your To-read shelf. :)

    Meanwhile, the blog will be going through some changes, so please be patient with me as I work those out? There's only one of me as, alas, cloning has not proved effective. (Multiplicity, anyone?? ;))

    ~Lena

    Available for Pre-order for KindleiTunes, and Kobo! (Nook and Google Play are still pending--so stay tuned on that.)
    See Excerpt below for a sneak peek at The Unexpected Bride and enter to win a free paperback on Goodreads!

    THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE


    What's a man to do when his father orders him a bride?

    Rebecca Sullivan has been "Becky" all her life, a real hoyden. Her childhood sweetheart taught her to ride bareback and shoot a rifle, but then he chose a "perfect lady" for a wife--a real Southern belle, who's now expecting a baby. Heartbroken, Becky signs up to be a mail-order bride to a Seattle man, sight unseen. She resolves to squelch her hoydenish ways and become a "perfect lady" for her future husband.

    If logging-operation owner Isaac Jessup had wanted a bride, he'd have chosen a sturdy frontier woman, not some fragile lady from back East. Ready to explain the mistake, honorable Isaac takes one look into Rebecca's vulnerable eyes...and knows he'll marry her, even though this delicate waif is obviously unsuited for wild Seattle.

    Can an unexpected marriage ever be a match made in heaven?

    Book One in The Brides Series
    GENRE: Sweet Historical Western Romance / A Mail-Order Bride Novel

    Available for Pre-order for KindleiTunes, and Kobo! (Nook and Google Play are still pending--so stay tuned on that.)

    See Excerpt below for a sneak peek at The Unexpected Bride and enter to win a free paperback on Goodreads:





    Goodreads Book Giveaway

    The Unexpected Bride by Lena Goldfinch

    The Unexpected Bride

    by Lena Goldfinch

    Giveaway ends October 06, 2014.


    See the giveaway details
    at Goodreads.
    Enter to win



    Excerpt

    The lean-to was chilly and not for the first time, Isaac considered boarding it up proper and calling it a barn. He sat on the stool and began milking the goat, all the while mentally preparing for the worship service they planned to go to later that morning. The Scriptures he'd read first thing that morning were fresh in his mind, and his prayers kept returning to the problem of Rebecca. One inner voice urged him to send her back home, but another voice spoke of commitment. He'd said vows before God to love and keep her till death do them part. Those weren't words he was willing to dismiss lightly.

    "What's her name?" Her voice was suddenly in his ear, quite close.

    Isaac jumped. The goat bleated at him.

    "Sorry, girl." He patted her side and resumed milking her with slow, careful hands. He glanced over his shoulder toward the subject of his thoughts.

    Rebecca stood watching him, leaning over the rail and peering in at them with curious eyes. He was surprised to see her out this early. She usually left him to his morning chores, and most times he'd get back inside the cabin and find her already up preparing breakfast.

    "What's her name?" she repeated.

    "Name? The goat?" He looked at the goat dumbly. It was a goat. He'd never gotten much further than that. She gave them a daily supply of milk, but other than that she was generally a nuisance. She liked to butt down the stall door. And whenever she got loose, she'd eat what few vegetables he was able to grow in the summer. She also liked to nip at his shirts and underthings when he hung them out on the line--if he was lucky. Most times she'd tug the whole line down and drag it through the mud.

    "Yes, the goat," Rebecca said, a pleasant-sounding smile in her voice. "Don't tell me she hasn't got a name?"

    There was something nice about hearing a woman's voice in the morning. It reminded him a little of when he was young, and his mother had chatted with him in soft tones while they ate breakfast. As if speaking too loud would jar them too quickly out of whatever dreams they'd had the night before.

    Rebecca's soft voice put him much in mind of those times.

    "All right. I won't." Isaac focused on his milking.

    "She doesn't have a name?" Rebecca pressed. "How can you have an animal that doesn't have a name?"

    "Never gave it much thought. She's good for milk, but other than that she's nothing but trouble, always munching on the laundry."

    "Well, then I think your choice is clear. Either you call her Milky or you call her Trouble." Her teasing tone brought a reluctant smile to his lips.

    "Well, then, if I have to choose, then I guess she's Trouble."

    The real Trouble was standing behind him, her elbow propped against the top of the rail, her chin cupped in one dainty hand.

    *** 

     Pre-Order Now


    Wednesday, July 16, 2014

    Chain Reaction - Short Story Release! (Prequel to Haunting Joy)

    Chain Reaction: A Short Story (Prequel to Haunting Joy)


    When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle--possibly with the help from her first haunting. A short, lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adults.


    Now available in ebook on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.
    Coming soon on iTunes and Google Play Books.

    Prequel to Haunting Joy:

    Monday, June 23, 2014

    AIRE Now Available in Audiobook format!

    AIRE just came out in audiobook, and I couldn't be more thrilled!



    Special thanks to Dan and the crew at Midnight Treehouse Productions, LLC and to the lovely Tara Millette, the narrator who brought AIRE to life! Tara's voice is just totally delicious, guys -- she's oh-so-easy-to-listen-to! -- and I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with her and Dan Barton, Midnight Treehouse's amazing sound guru (aka Director of Music and Audio Production), on this production.

    Midnight Treehouse Productions, LLC

    Dan sent over these pics of Tara in the recording booth, just to give me a sneak peek at their process.

    Special props to both of them for tackling the Italian phrases and fantasy words in AIRE! You proved to be the perfect team to get it right. Dan has a background in classical singing (you know, the kind where you actually sing in Italian at times ;-)), and Tara is a native French speaker, so between the two of them, they pulled off the impossible. At least to my mind!


    Thanks so much, guys!! :)

    Tara Millette, narrator, in the sound booth.

    So, Tara's not working on my book here,
    but I can just imagine her in a similar pose
    while she recorded over ten hours of audio for AIRE.
    So, Dan tells me that Tara's not working on my book here, but I can just imagine her in a similar pose while she was recording over ten hours of audio for AIRE. That's not just ten hours of talking, people, because there's all the hours that went into practice and any rerecording.

    Someone give that woman a cold glass of water...and a tray of cupcakes! :)
    I'll say "you're welcome" in advance to all audiobook lovers out there for not narrating the book myself. (Ha!) No one would have wanted to listen to it, I swear. And I'm good with that. I much prefer listening to Tara!

    Where to Get Your Copy of AIRE (audio)

    Amazon
    Audible
    iTunes

    Monday, March 17, 2014

    Paperback Release!


    Take a Picture 

    (Plus Bonus Short Story : Chain Reaction, Prequel to Haunting Joy)

    A young (temp) paparazzi photographer falls for a teen pop star...

    Troy Alexander chases fame as a lead singer in New York City, but finds nothing but heartbreak. So he takes a job as a paparazzi to earn enough money to go back home. His assignment lands him in the path of Ashlyn Sunshine, teen pop star. They end up spending one memorable summer afternoon together, but could someone as amazing as Ashlyn ever like a guy like him -- or is he headed for another heartbreak?

    Bonus Short Story:
    CHAIN REACTION (Prequel to HAUNTING JOY)
    When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle.

    A lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adults.
    Novelette & Short Story




    Now available in Trade Paperback!
    Order a copy on Amazon.com.

    Also available in ebook (KindleNookiTunesKobo, & Google Play).

    Also available in paperback:

    Haunting Joy
    (Pink & Purple Edition)
    Haunting Joy
    (Black & White Edition)

    Aire

    Songstone

    The Language of Souls



    Print Cover


    Wednesday, March 5, 2014

    Sweet YA Reads Blog Tour and Giveaway

    Sweet Reads Blog Tour and Giveaway!
    Join the fun and enter to win a signed paperback & candy (for your sweet tooth!)
    or a free ebook copy of my new release, Take a Picture!
    Click the image to learn more and see the schedule...


    New Release!
    Take a Picture (a Novelette)
    +Bonus Short Story:
    Chain Reaction (Prequel to Haunting Joy)

    TAKE A PICTURE (A Novelette)
    A young (temp) paparazzi photographer falls for a teen pop star...

    This lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adults points its lens at Troy Alexander (19), an aspiring singer turned temp paparazzi photographer, and teen pop diva, Ashlyn Sunshine (19 going on 25).

    Troy Alexander is detoured on his road to fame as a lead singer, so he takes a job as a temp paparazzi to earn enough money to get home from his gap year in New York City. His assignment lands him in the path of Ashlyn Sunshine, pop music diva and former child actress. They end up spending one memorable summer afternoon together...

    Hey, Haunting Joy fans!
    Check it out:
    My new release contains
    a bonus short story
    Chain Reaction
    -- a prequel to Haunting Joy!
    +Bonus Short Story:
    CHAIN REACTION (a Prequel to HAUNTING JOY)
    When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle.


    Where to Buy My Books

    Amazon US | Amazon UK