Jessica Hawkins's Blog, page 16

I'm so excited to launch a Kickstarter campaign in an effort to help get The Cityscape Series off the ground. It's been really fun creating the book trailer for Kickstarter and detailing my entire process - it's almost like a summary of the last year of my life. Plus, it's the first time I've announced everything to many of my friends and family - most didn't even know that I had even started to write.

The Kickstarter campaign is a really neat thing, because it allows people to support the project at the ground level. Not only that, but backers get cool rewards like advance copies or a mention in the third book's acknowledgements section. Rewards start as low as $5, but you can contribute any amount - and I can't express enough gratitude for every dollar.

It's been both a creative and emotional journey the last few days. Thanks to all those who support me in any capacity. It is the reason I am able to continue this process!

If you are rich in friends but not in dollars, I gotcha. Please help out by sharing via your Twitter, Facebook and e-mail.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1737505093/the-cityscape-series?ref=home_location

I had the idea a while back to start a Kickstarter campaign for my series. In case you aren't familiar, Kickstarter helps realize creative projects through crowdfunding. In essence, anyone can back all types of different projects to help get them off the ground.

I have loved every minute of the self-publishing process so far, but keeping up with the big publishers is unrealistic without the proper funds. Enter Kickstarter. I will be asking for the support of my friends, fans and family in this new venture. Even if you can't contribute, just sharing the campaign with your Facebook, Twitter and real life buds will help a ton.

However if you do want to contribute, you can get awesome rewards ranging from a signed copy of the book to naming a character. What?! Yep, you read that right . . . I don't want to spoil all the rewards, so for now, I will leave you with that AND a little something I created for the campaign: The Cityscape Series official book trailer (below).

If you'd like to be notified of the campaign launch, you can keep checking back or sign up here:
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Subscribe to our mailing list

I had the idea a while back to start a Kickstarter campaign for my series. In case you aren't familiar, Kickstarter helps realize creative projects through crowdfunding. In essence, anyone can back all types of different projects to help get them off the ground.

I have loved every minute of the self-publishing process so far, but keeping up with the big publishers is unrealistic without the proper funds. Enter Kickstarter. I will be asking for the support of my friends, fans and family in this new venture. Even if you can't contribute, just sharing the campaign with your Facebook, Twitter and real life buds will help a ton.

However if you do want to contribute, you can get awesome rewards ranging from a signed copy of the book to naming a character. What?! Yep, you read that right . . . I don't want to spoil all the rewards, so for now, I will leave you with that AND a little something I created for the campaign: The Cityscape Series official book trailer (below).

If you'd like to be notified of the campaign launch, you can keep checking back or sign up here:
#mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. */ Subscribe to our mailing list PS Stay tuned for a Come Alive update.
PSS Alexander Maas, the composer, is brilliant. Here's his website: http://alexander-maas.com/

To celebrate the launch of my Facebook page AND the awesome new cover of Come Undone , I am hosting a giveaway!

To win a Kindle version* enter now!

For a synopsis of Come Undone, the first book in the series, click here.
*must have or sign up for a free NetGalley account. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo © iStockphoto.com/VikaValter Who doesn't enjoy a good makeover, right? Live on Amazon here.

I'm going cover crazy . . . .

With the pending release of Come Alive, I've been thinking in overdrive about covers. I had already mapped out the cover a while back - a variation of the cover of Come Undone  - but I changed my mind, as we women are apt to do. ;)

I am really excited to reveal a new cover for Come Undone! I originally chose the gold glitter for a few reasons, and I still like it - but since researching for Come Alive, I've decided to go a new direction. I think you guys will like it too!

Typically, romance fiction seems to have a specific type of cover - you know what I'm talking about. Personally, I don't like when the cover shows character's faces or too many details about them. One of my favorite parts about reading is envisioning the characters the way I want . . . which is probably why I get so heated about movie casting of my favorite books!

For instance, there's one book going around that everyone seems to love. As I read the preview, I kept picturing this guy on the cover, and he was no Henry Cavill (yum!). I don't like long hair or guys that are too ripped or have the wrong kinds of tattoos (the list goes on) - so I'm a little picky about my heroes.

Thoughts? Do you guys like to see faces on the covers? Do you like writhing naked bodies? Do you prefer to keep it neutral, like 50 Shades or Bared to You?

The new cover for Come Undone will be out really soon, and Come Alive not long after. I do love my gold glitter, but I think these are better suited. I hope you guys agree! More to come soon!

Stomping Divots @ the Empire Polo Fields Happy last week of March!

It's been a beautiful few days in southern California, and we've had a lot going on - the Indian Wells tennis tournament, polo matches at the Coachellafest polo fields, Palm Springs Fashion Week . . . I promise, I only attended each event once (got to see the qualifiers of the tennis tournament, but no big names) because I've been focusing on Book Two.


Come Alive is progressing nicely. That being said, it's not quite where I want to it to be. I'm looking at pushing the release date back about mid-late April. I want to make sure I do the story justice. And right now, it's not there yet. I'm back to it right after this post - and listening to The Best of Nina Simone as I work.

Thanks for your patience! Luckily, there's no shortage of great books out there to keep us occupied. I just finished Kaitlyn Cross's Fate Interrupted Series - great read and so funny! I was cracking up during some parts. Before that, I read The Fault in Our Stars - so touching and also funny in its own right. It's a unique book that can have you laughing through your tears. There were some beautiful lines in it that will stay with me for a long time.

I'll continue to post updates on Come Alive but in the meantime, don't forget to enter the Goodreads Giveaway for the first book in the series, Come Undone. There's only 1 week left to win a signed copy! I'll also be launching a Kickstarter campaign in the days to come, so keep an eye out for that if you want to watch my progress.

PS If you don't believe me about the caffeine, you can see photographic evidence on my Instagram here: .ig-b- { display: inline-block; } .ig-b- img { visibility: hidden; } .ig-b-:hover { background-position: 0 -60px; } .ig-b-:active { background-position: 0 -120px; } .ig-b-v-24 { width: 137px; height: 24px; background: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/ig...) no-repeat 0 0; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2 / 1), only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and (min-resolution: 2dppx) { .ig-b-v-24 { background-image: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/ig... background-size: 160px 178px; } } [image error]

I'm giving away TEN signed paperback copies of my new book, Come Undone . Just head on over to my Goodreads page, or hit 'Enter to Win' below! Winners will be selected on March 31st. Good luck! .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } Goodreads Book Giveaway Come Undone by Jessica Hawkins

Giveaway ends March 31, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I started writing Book Two the moment I finished  Come Undone . The story just sort of flowed from my brain to my fingertips, often without interruption for hours. At times, I couldn't type fast enough. When I hit my goal for Book Two, the story wasn't nearly over and I could not... stop... writing.

And thus, Book Three was born. I had never intended to write a third book, but I couldn't do the characters justice in only two books. The story is far more complex than I ever anticipated. 

(Side note: in case you haven't gathered, I do no write off of an outline. I did not know how the story would end when I started or even published the first book. Risky? Yes. I wanted it to be as organic as possible.)

But not to worry.

Book Two, entitled Come Alive, is due out early Spring 2013. Book Three will be out shortly after, maybe even as soon as a month. I want the story to flow for you as much as it has for me, which is why I am publishing the next two books within 3-4 months of the first.

Hiking Plitvice Lakes, Croatia As I said, welcome, welcome!

I'm Jessica, an author in my late twenties, who lived in fabulous New York City up until a few months ago (which is where I started my first book,  Come Undone ). I've recently moved back to California, where I grew up, but miss the east coast a great deal. Traveling is one of the things I partake in and I recently returned from a Spain/Croatia/Montenegro solo-ish adventure - loved!

Traveling influences me because it gives me at least two invaluable things: open-mindedness and a great, multi-cultural group of friends. Without these two things, I don't know if I could call myself a writer. People truly fascinate me and I aim to write stories about real people in real life situations. I like a little fantasy, sure, but I try to keep my characters' reactions and dialogue realistic, even if it means things get a little messy for them.

At the end of the day, my greatest inspiration comes from music, which pretty much dictates my mood. What I listen to has a huge impact on what I write - sometimes I have to go back rewrite a scene because I was too caught up in what I was listening to! Usually this is a good thing, but not all the time. If you want a sample of what I'm listening to as I write each book, check it out here.

I've been wanting to blog my progress for some time, but I have been giving all of my writing energy to Book Two in the Cityscape Series so that I can continue the story of Olivia Germaine. More on that soon.

If you haven't read my first book,  Come Undone , it can be purchased for Kindle here! Enjoy!