Love Bytes is delighed to be aible to host this exclusive cover reveal of E.J. Russell’ new upcoming Dreamspinner Press Release “Mystic Man”.
Thank you, Dani, for hosting the cover reveal for Mystic Man! I’ve been sitting on this cover (well, not literally, of course) since January, so I’m thrilled to be able to finally share it!
Mystic Man is a novella in Dreamspinner’s States of Love collection—in this case, Connecticut, and more specifically, the Mystic Seaport. Or at least that’s where our two main characters, Aaron and Cody, first encounter one another. Here’s a little excerpt from that first meeting:
“A smartass, eh?” Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Are all Connecticutters…. Connecticutians…. Hell, what do I call a Connecticut native?”
“Cody.”
“A Cody?” Aaron’s tentative smile faltered. “That doesn’t track very well to ‘Connecticut.’”
“It’s my name, doofus.” The man’s—no Cody’s—tone held a buried laugh.
“‘Doofus’? I knew you had to be young. I didn’t realize you were actually twelve.”
“For your information, I’m twenty-six, but I have a six-year-old niece. I have to scale back my language around her, so it’s easier not to backslide if I’m consistent all the time.” Cody brushed his wavy hair away from his face. “Let’s try this again, shall we?” He stuck out his hand. “Cody. Cody Brown.”
Aaron shook the offered hand, keeping his face perfectly straight. “Aaron Doofus.”
Cody’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”
“Of course not. Aaron Templeton.”
“Wow. Now that’s a serious name. You ought to be like a British MP or a reality star or a news anchor with a name like that.”
“That’s quite the range of possibilities, and not the obvious list for most people, especially those with young children.”
“Why—Oh.” Cody laughed, a bright, joyful noise that further soothed Aaron’s jangled nerves. “Got it. Charlotte’s Web. Don’t worry. You don’t look anything like a rat.”
“Thank you. Your… er… colorful name is interesting. I thought you looked—”
“Twelve. Yeah, I get it.”
“Yes, but besides that. Like Charlie White.”
“The figure skater?”
“Yes. It’s the hair.”
When I filled out the cover art request form for the book, I put Cody’s resemblance to Charlie White smack in the middle of it (along with links to pictures!). When I got the first cover drafts, I was pretty much speechless. Brooke Albrecht totally nailed it, first time out of the gate, and the first draft ended up being the final draft—I loved it so much I didn’t want anything about it to be changed!
I can’t wait for you all to meet Aaron, Cody—and Cody’s niece, Kaya—next month when Mystic Man releases!
Mystic Man
A States of Love novella
When a series of personal crises prompt risk-averse research librarian Aaron Templeton to apply for a job on the other side of the country, nobody is more surprised than he is. He nearly runs home before the final interview except for one little problem: he has no home anymore. He put his condo on the market before he left California and it’s already sold. Only an encounter with free-spirited Connecticut native Cody Brown at the Mystic Seaport Museum staves off Aaron’s incipient panic attack.
Cody loves nothing better than introducing newcomers to the great features of his beloved home state, and when the newbie in question is a rumpled professorial type with the saddest blue eyes on the planet? Score! The attraction between the two men deepens as they explore Cody’s favorite spots, but when difficulties arise and Aaron’s insecurities threaten to overwhelm him, will Cody’s love be enough to keep him in Mystic?
States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.
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E.J. Russell–grace, mother of three, recovering actor–writes romance in a rainbow of flavors. Count on high snark, low angst and happy endings.
Reality? Eh, not so much.
She’s married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, C.H. also loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and Satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.’s culinary skill set).
E.J. lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.
Website: http://ejrussell.com
Newsletter: http://ejrussell.com/newsletter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ej_russell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ej_russell_author/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/author/ej_russell
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/e-j-russell
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ej_russell
E.J brought with her a ecopy of one of her backlist titles for one winner!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Congratulations on the release, EJ. It sounds really good to me. And that cover… It is so cute! <3
Isn’t it? Brooke did an amazing job!
I’m not entering the drawing, just want to say the cover somehow reminds me of Dawson from Dawson’s Creek. Congrats on your upcoming book, EJ – it sounds lovely!
Thanks, Didi! I’ve never seen Dawson’s Creek–I need to go look up Dawson!
Congratulations on your upcoming book! It sounds fantastic. Thank you for the excerpt.
Thanks, Jen!
Congrats on the book. It sounds prefect for me.
So sweet contemporary is your jam, eh? Thanks, Debra!
Congrats and thanks for the cover reveal. It nicely depicts Mystic as I remember when first introduced to it many years ago in the movie Mystic Pizza. It will be fun to revisit.
It was a lot of fun for me to revisit while writing the book. I lived in Connecticut for three years, and my in-laws lived there until my father-in-law retired, so CH and I took our kids to the Seaport. too.
That is a gorgeous cover…not just the model…but the background! It reminds me of Nantucket!
It’s that New England coast! I really love the sort of “antique-y” look she got with the sky. It looks like a memory.
Looks fantastic. Congrats on the book =)
Thanks, H.B.!
Thanks so much to Dani and Love Bytes for hosting my cover reveal. I’m so excited to have Brooke’s fabulous work out in the world now! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to help me celebrate!
I love the tones, the fonts, and the sunkissed hair of the model!