And the winners are . . .

Thanks for everyone that participated in the GoodReads Giveaway. We had over 1,242 entries! I'm so excited to have new readers and even more excited to have everyone read Van Gogh Gone (Remembrandt #2) when it comes out in November.

The LAST Remembrandt Giveaway

In celebration for the completion of Van Gogh Gone (Remembrandt #2), we are doing another giveaway through GoodReads! Even if you've already read Remembrandt, enter the giveaway as gifts for friends and family (all copies will be signed by the author). Van Gogh Gone will be released this fall so if you haven't read the first book, this gives you the perfect opportunity to find out all about Alexandra and what's really in the basement of Brown University. I can't wait for you to read it.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Remembrandt

by Robin King

Giveaway ends August 25, 2015

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

ENTER GIVEAWAY

If you are one of those readers who likes to put a face to a name, check out my top picks for who should play who in the Remembrandt cast.

Because Daly likes to read about himself.
(Photo by Summer Nicole Photography)

Remembrandt Book Launch Photo Journal

It's been four weeks since the launch of Remembrandt, my young adult suspense novel. I feel like this month has been whirlwind of successes and lessons learned. Overall, I feel very positive about all the feedback I have been given and I am loving my young adult and adult fan base that I hope continues to grow and grow! Since I know there were a lot of you who really wanted to be at the book launch, but couldn't, I am happy to share with you the events of the night and smattering of photos galore (taken by the budding photographer Kelly Dearth of Delicious Reads & my father-in-law).

Chatting with my own James Bond (aka, my hubby) beforehand! This awesome man was also my wingman/cameraman for my recent "spy experience" video at Deseret Book. 

My marketing director, Garry Mitchell from Walnut Springs Press, and I making plans!

I'm literally in love with my cover poster (printed from none other than good 'ol Costco).

My introduction of Remembrandt and the back story on why I wrote the book (more to come on that in future posts). Whitney from The King's English, the best little bookshop in all of UTAH, introduced me to the group before this, but somehow we didn't get a picture of it.

My first time ever reading the first printing of Remembrandt out loud. I got to share the part of the book where the main character, Alexandra, somehow finds herself at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. This is the first time she realizes that maybe her Russian professor has a secret and that Brown University isn't the place she thought it was.

I tried to make jokes as I answered questions at the Q&A portion of the launch. I never said I was a comedian.

Two members of my writing group, Riveting Writers, Brooke Hargett & Amy Beals. These gals are going to be BIG!

Singing the song I wrote for Remembrandt after the Q&A. I will post a link to it soon (and I still owe all those that attended a free download of the song as well.). The lyrics are at the back of the book :). A huge shout out go to Larry Banks (the music arranger and man-behind-the-guitar) and my brother, Aaron LuBean, who took my lyrics and melody and helped turn it into something special. It may never be heard on the radio (or by anyone who doesn't know me), but Alexandra's voice couldn't be quieted in my head.

Because I love giveaways I had to do one of my own!

These BEAUTIES on either side of me - Kelly & Kellie - have been some of my biggest supporters and continually let me indulge in all things book related! You'll often find us stalking other authors or stuck with our faces in the pages of a book.

I really love this FAMILY of mine. They put up with so much and it makes me so HAPPY knowing that no matter what, they will always be by my side. My oldest, Henry, knew I was a little stressed on the drive up to SLC to the book launch because we stuck in a traffic jam. I told them all to say a prayer. We did one together. About ten minutes later, the traffic started to ease up and I heard him make a huge sigh of relief. When I asked what was up, he said, "I've said eighteen prayers for you. I'm so glad He heard me." Yeah, my family is kinda awesome.

FYI, my boys hate dressing up with a passion, but they all sported their bow ties without complaint. We could never figure out how to tie Jeff's correctly, so he was going for the "relaxed" spy look.

Trevor was so excited to be one of the winners of the drawing. He told me I had to post this picture. And, no, it is not wine. Anyone who has read the book knows that Mr. Daly only drinks sparkling cider - so that's what I gave away, along with a copy of my book. 

Yeah, I know you all want your very own book cover pillow. My cute writing group got this gift for me to open at the book launch. It's still sitting on my night stand. I think it will have to go with me to all of my book signings!

The night ended with me signing lots of books and chatting with family, friends, and a few people I didn't know. I have a feeling, that most of my book signings in the future won't be quite as fun as this first one, but I really had a blast debuting my novel and can't wait for the book to get in more people's hands.

Thank you to everyone that came to the book launch or wanted to be there, but couldn't. I never realized how much love a girl could feel!

FYI, thanks to everyone who nominated me for the Whitney Award. I am an official "nominee." I won't find out until February 9th if I am a finalist, but I already feel like I've won because of the great support I've felt so far.

If you still haven't gotten a copy of Remembrandt for yourself, stop by The King's English (1511 S 1500 E, SLC). I know many of the Deseret Books in town were sold out earlier this week, but The King's English still has copies (even a few signed ones)! Or make it easier for yourself and order a copy online at Amazon.com or DeseretBook.com.

Happy Holidays everyone! Now sit back, put your feet up, and read!

XoXo,

Robin

P.S. If you've already read Remembrandt or are going to read it, please add your star rating or reviews to Amazon.com, DeseretBook.com, or GoodReads.com (just use these links). Let me know if you add a review (You can do it anonymously and you don't have to write a ton - just a sentence or two or even just a star rating would make me over-the-top happy. You can copy and paste the same review to each site). Those that post a review before I release my single of "Remembrandt Song," will get a free download of the song :).

My mini-me! For weeks before and after the book launch, the four year old of mine walked around singing my song. She still begs for me to play the demo in my car. It cracks me up because she requests it by saying, "Mom, I want to listen to that 'like a Rembrandt painting' song." Everyone that's heard the song will know how catchy the chorus is.
This girl warms my heart. 

NaNoWriMo Winner 2014

I conquered NaNoWriMo!

I almost didn't make it. I had 8,000 words to go and only 2.5 days to do it, BUT I locked myself away in my office and got it done with only a few hours to spare. If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, you can check out my article "NaNoWriMo Makes New York Times Best Sellers" on Delicious Reads. Authors like Marissa Meyer (Cinder) and Erin Morgenstern (The Night Circus) have participated in NaNoWriMo too!

It all comes down to this: you have to write 50,000 words of a new novel in the month of November. To give you an idea of how much that is, my recently released novel, Remembrandt, ended up having 65,700 words. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle has 49,965, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has 77,508. So in essence, 50K is the bulk of a young adult novel.

What did I write this year? I debated for a long time what I wanted to work on for 2014 because I have a contemporary fantasy series that I love and can't wait to write the 3rd book. I also have an idea for a stand alone realistic fiction novel that I want to write too. In the end, I decided to work on the 2nd book in the Remembrandt series because 1.) I already have a publisher for it 2.) I'd already written a summary for it and 3.) Alexandra is so fun to write!

This is my 3rd year in a row doing NaNoWriMo and being a "winner." You'd think it would get easier, but it was so hard this year! With my book launch, book marketing, a trip to Washington State to fulfill my duties as Capsule Keeper, and, oh, taking care of five kiddos, including an 18 month old who won't let me sit at a computer, let's just say I spent many days typing late into the night.

Whew! Now I'm going to hibernate through the rest of the winter . . . except now that I have 50,138 words done of Remembrandt #2, I'm itching to complete the novel. Hold on Alex and Golkov and William and Daly - your story will continue soon enough. I just need a little sleep . . .

NaNoWriMo Winner! Now I get to have a break, right?

A Little Wisdom from Sensei Itosu

One of my favorite characters from Remembrandt is Sensei Itosu. He gives Alexanadra some bits of wisdom in the book. Since she has trouble getting her eidetic memory from constantly replaying her memories, Itosu teaches her meditation and his words help her to conquer some of the memories that plague her mind.

This quote taken from the book, is so true:

Remembrandt by Robin King: A New Young Adult Suspense

Title: Remembrandt
Author: Robin King
Publisher: Walnut Springs Press
Date: October 2014
Pages: 240
Genre: Young Adult Suspense

Summary: Alexandra Stewart doesn't just walk down memory lane, she lives on it.  Her eidetic memory records her experiences and plays them back, DVD style.  It's great when she wants to ace a test, but not so great when she topples over a cute boy in the hallway and the humiliation plays back over and over and over . . . Brown University seems like the perfect place for the seventeen-year-old to forget her past.  Hope for a normal life comes in the form of a handsome new running partner who makes her heart race and body perspire even before she laces up her shoes.   

When her Russian professor gives her a puzzle that seems impossible to solve, Alex discovers that he has a secret—one that will catapult her into a world of cryptic codes and covert missions.   As she tries to find a balance between the two different worlds vying for her attention, she wonders if she can have relationships with the ones she cares about while hiding a clandestine life, uncovering the truths of an underground enemy.

One thing is for certain, whatever happens will be forever etched into her memory.  And some things are better left forgotten.

__________________________________________________________

You can now preorder it on DeseretBook.com! 
It will be released the end of this month and ship soon after. 

Here's the summary Deseret Book put out (I wrote it, but they shortened it a bit):

Alexandra Stewart doesn’t just walk down memory lane, she lives on it. Her eidetic memory records and plays back her experiences, DVD style. It’s great when she aces a test, but not so great when she topples over a cute guy.

After her Russian professor at the university gives her an impossible puzzle, Alex discovers he has a secret—one that will catapult her into a life of cryptic codes and covert missions. Of course, running secret ops would be easier if she weren’t trying to impress her handsome new running partner. As if love weren’t hard enough already, now she’s trying to find it while dodging bullets and going undercover. One thing is for certain, whatever happens will be forever etched into her memory.

Book Cover Reveal: Remembrandt

It's here, people! It's cover reveal time. Remembrandt will be coming to a store near you Fall 2014. Since you are my loyal friends, you get to see the cover first before it hits the shelves.

Drum roll, please . . . 

Stay tuned next week for an in depth look at how the cover came to be, all the mock-up covers we came up with, and why the publisher finally decided upon this one. 

Remembrandt Cover Reveal . . . A Sneak Peek

Here's a partial glimpse at the cover of my book, Remembrandt, which will be coming out this fall:

Yeah, I bet you were hoping for something more. Sorry. I have to keep you all guessing.

Stay tuned because the OFFICIAL cover reveal for Remembrandt with be August 8th! Put it in your calendars and shout it on the rooftops because I am so excited for you to see what the publisher and I have come up with! See you next week.

XoXo, Robin