Diva in the Dugout – Page 2

Hop on over …

February 3, 2014

by Arlene Hittle with One Comment Dave & Melinda Meg & Matt Musings

Last week, I shared the details of my writing process.

This week, if you hop on over to Susie Haught’s place, she’ll tell you about hers. It’s hard to believe we’ve only known each other for three years. She really is one of my biggest supporters, always ready with words of encouragement and willing to read for me.

I’ll be giving away some of Susie’s bookmarks at the Chocolate Affaire in Glendale, Ariz., next weekend. Did I mention I’m signing copies of DIVA IN THE DUGOUT Saturday? It’s my first book signing. If you live in the Valley, be sure to stop by and say “Hi.” I’ll be there from 2 to 10 p.m.

I ordered 15 print copies of DIVA, and would love to sell out so I have to order more for my next signing at Desert Dreams in April.

The book is gorgeous — trade paperback size, 198 pages.

When the box arrived on a Friday night, I took a dinner break from work just so I could run home and see it. (Give me a break — it was my first time seeing the print version. When I ordered copies for the RITA, I had them shipped directly to RWA HQ.)

It looks amazing!

When I go to the Chocolate Affaire, I’ll also be bringing a sign-up sheet for my newsletter, and some bookmarks for BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER. Its mid-March release date is getting closer. Only about six more weeks and BEAUTY will join DIVA on virtual shelves.

In fact, this happened last week:

I got the galley for BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, and spent several days combing through it — twice.

I’m a little scared that I missed something. Susie had a chance to read the galley of DIVA for me. Between us, we found quite a few things to change. This time, I went it alone.

Fingers crossed that I had my editor’s hat pulled low over my ears, firmly affixed to my blonde head. (You know, I think I saw a few strands of gray in there the other day … I’m so not ready for that.)

As I worked, I started making a list of some of my favorite lines. Not sure where or how they’ll pop up, but rest assured you’ll be seeing them somewhere.

Making my Fresh Fiction debut

January 29, 2014

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Guest Posts

Good morning! It is a very good morning, even if you’re waking to snow and subzero temperatures. If you are, please stay warm and dry.

It’s not exactly warm here in northern Arizona, either. I’m in the mountains, not the Valley of the Sun, where 60 degrees is considered “jacket weather.” Still, the ground is (for now) snow-free, and daytime temps have been reaching the high 40s and mid-50s.

Temperatures like that are enough to make you start thinking about baseball, right? Heh. Who am I kidding? I’m always thinking about baseball these days. That’s what happens when you write stories about men who play the game.

In fact, spring training is right around the corner. The Cactus League comes to Arizona in mid-February, and the D-backs report to training camp even earlier than that.

Because baseball season is almost upon us, I’m at Fresh Fiction today, blogging about my Boys of Summer, the men of the Arizona Condors. I had fun getting them to answer a bunch lightning-round questions.

This is my first visit to Fresh Fiction, but I hope it won’t be my last!

Stop by to learn some surprising fun facts about Dave, Matt and Greg, the heroes of DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER and SLIDING INTO HOME. (You can get there by clicking the link or the photo itself.)

Did I mention …

January 3, 2014

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Dave & Melinda Musings

I signed my first print autograph recently … and promptly spent the rest of the afternoon dancing in my seat. My coworkers probably thought I had ants in my pants.

One of my coworkers bought a copy of DIVA IN THE DUGOUT and brought it to the office for me to sign. Such a thrill!

It was the first time I’d seen the print version. I ordered copies for the RITA judges, but had them shipped directly to RWA HQ to beat the early deadline so I’d have a chance to win either an iPad or conference registration. I haven’t ordered my own print copies yet.

Soon, though. I’m headed to the Chocolate Affaire in Glendale in February, and am taking DIVA to sign.

It looks great, by the way. Can’t wait to get a copy for my keeper shelf!

Want one for your shelf? Click here.

Reviews are trickling in

December 27, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with One Comment Musings

I admit, I’ve been nervous about book reviews.

Who wouldn’t be after reading the horror stories about authors who refuse to read their reviews … authors devastated by one-star—or, worse, no-star—reviews …

Putting my books out there, in the world at large, wasn’t hard. I’ve wanted to be a writer, to tell my characters’ stories, since second grade.

Opening them up to strangers’ criticism was a different story. That scared me to death. I get that my voice won’t appeal to everyone. There are some authors I love and some that I struggle to read. But the fear that someone will dub one of my heroines “too stupid to live” or hate one of the heroes that I love? Those worries are the ones that keep me up at night.

I’ve been lucky so far, though. Not that I have a ton of reviews (yet), but the ones I’ve received have been positive.

My holiday novella, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, just received a lovely 5-star review from Brianna at Girl Seeks Place. Among her thoughts:

This was another novella that left me wanting more. I like novellas because I can read ‘em quickly, especially when I don’t have a ton of free time, but I also dislike the short length of novellas. Ms. Hittle’s story left me wanting more and I look forward to reading her other book in the future.

On Amazon, a 5-star review from Firefly Girl had this to say about HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS:

This little romp to Willow’s Grove is the perfect read for the holidays or any time. Short, sweet and punctuated with Ms. Hittle’s trademark wit, it’s the perfect length for a quick getaway when you can’t handle another minute of the holiday rush.

The reviews for DIVA IN THE DUGOUT are also good. From the book’s Amazon page:

I love baseball. I love romance. So what’s not to love about a baseball romance? I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Hittle created lovable characters who make mistakes, but find a way to rise above. I fell in love with Dave, whose life revolves around baseball’s seedier side until he’s given an ultimatum. In the end you will swoon with his maturity and love for his family that outweighs all else. Mel is spunky, cautious and will do anything to protect her daughter. Tara is smart and insightful and way too cute! Fun, easy, heartwarming read. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

(Firefly girl might well be my biggest fan!)

And from Patty:

I bought this book because I love romance. I finished the book because I believe in true love. A one night stand can b just that, one night or it can change your life. For Dave and Mel it was the one love that never was or was it? True love conquerors all and families are made with acceptance and of course love. I highly recommend this book and can not wait to read more by Arlene Hittle.

My stories are faring slightly less well on Goodreads. DIVA has an average rating of 3.5 (with a 2-star and 3-star factored in); HFTH is at 4.67.

I find that a bit odd, considering my roommate, who’s read both, said she enjoyed them both but liked DIVA a little bit more.

Thanks for reading, everyone. And for taking the time to leave a review. You’ve helped make my 2013 a year to remember. And for someone who until recently hated the number 13, that’s no easy feat.

I am thankful

November 28, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Musings

I have so many things to be thankful for in 2013, including discovering this cornucopia photo on Wikimedia Commons. I find old advertisements like this, described as a “propaganda poster to get immigrants to move to California” (circa 1876), fascinating. Did you note how California is “a climate for health and wealth, without CYCLONES or BLIZZARDS”?

Fun, eh? I love to pore through historic ads selling miracle cures or, more recently, claiming smoking is good for you.

Anyway, this is Thanksgiving Day, so I’m here to list the things for which I’m giving thanks. This is a special year for me, being newly published and all.

In no particular order:

— Thanks to the folks at Turquoise Morning Press for taking a chance on DIVA IN THE DUGOUT. It’s been amazing working with such a talented group, and I look forward to getting Books 2 (BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER) and 3 (still untitled) out next March and April, respectively.

— Thanks also to those who’ve helped me ready my first foray into indie publishing, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. (It’s not a terribly original title, by the way. There are about 100 pages of them on Amazon … I blame the Christmas carol, which is where I took inspiration for the title.) I couldn’t have done it without my talented cover designer, Rogenna Brewer; former coworker and editor Dani Crabtree; and Marie Force’s Formatting Fairies.

— Thanks to the Boyfriend for always believing in me, even when I have a tough time believing in myself. He’s more excited about my first royalty check than I am … I think he thinks I’ll suddenly be flush with cash, while I know better. I’m not going to disabuse him of the notion, though, because he gives me plenty of time to write.

— Thanks to the people who are buying DIVA and HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, reading them and leaving reviews. HFTH just got its first 5-star review on Amazon. Among the highlights:

Short, sweet and punctuated with Ms. Hittle’s trademark wit, it’s the perfect length for a quick getaway when you can’t handle another minute of the holiday rush.

And …

Grab a latte or a hot toddy and relax with Home for the Holidays. You won’t be disappointed.

I’ll take that high praise any day of the week (and twice on Sundays!).

— Thanks, too, to my fellow authors for their support and commiseration. I don’t know where I’d be without the gals from NARWA; my Golden Heart sisters, the Starcatchers; and the LaLaLas. They’re always around to bounce ideas off of, cheer me on and listen to me worry. They say writing is a solitary pursuit, and you need a strong support system. Thanks to these folks, I have one. They’re all a phone call, text or email away.

— Thanks to my coworkers, who listen to me squeal with excitement (or groan in disappointment) whenever I check DIVA’s Amazon sales ranking. Even if they don’t really care, they do a good job of faking interest.

— Thanks to my web designer, Larissa, who put together this beautiful website. It’s exactly what I wanted, but had no clue how to build for myself.

— Last, but certainly not least, thanks to Starbucks. Their drinks and pastries keep me going. Oh, the pastries … have you tried the new pecan tart yet? Mmmm …

Catching up

November 18, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Musings

… No, not “Catching Up with Depeche Mode,” although that disc had most of the essentials from DM’s early years.

I’m talking about catching up with my busy, busy author self.

The days—has it really already been a month?—since DIVA IN THE DUGOUT‘s release have been a whirlwind. That’s probably no surprise to anyone who’s been there, done that with their debut novel … or any new book, really.

Since I’m not making enough to quit the day job (yet), I’ve been juggling a 40-hour work week with:

Finishing the first draft of still untitled Book 3 in my All Is Fair in Love & Baseball series. (Finished Oct. 30 and am about to start self-editing.)
Prepping BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER for its March release. (Got edits from my TMP editor in late October and am about to shoot an updated MS back to her.)
Getting my holiday novella, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, ready for its indie debut on Nov. 25. Edits courtesy of my former Daily Sun coworker, now a freelance editor, Heather Danielle Crabtree, and formatting by Marie Force’s Formatting Fairies.
Being NARWA’s president, with all the fun and worries that entails.
Promoting DIVA in as many ways as I can.

I bought a Facebook Flash ad on TheCheapEBook.com, stuffed DIVA bookmarks into books from some of my favorite authors at Barnes & Noble and Bookmans stores in Phoenix and have been making the rounds with guest blog posts.

My call story and advice

October 30, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Dave & Melinda

DIVA and I are guest posting on Lynn Cahoon’s blog today. Stop by for the details of my call story and my advice for writers.

Interrupting our regularly scheduled My Sexy Saturday post …

October 19, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with 2 Comments Dave & Melinda

… For the news I’ve been waiting to share all week: My debut, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT is live.

It’s been a whirlwind from getting the call in July to seeing my first book available for sale. I keep pinching myself, expecting to wake up and find the last few months were all a dream.

But so far, it seems to be real. DIVA now exists in cyberspace. Type “Diva in the Dugout book” into Google and you get links to Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks and various blog posts I’ve written in the last few months.

Leave off the word “book” and the results aren’t quite as clear-cut, though. You get a Facebook page for someone called “The Dugout Diva” and the Sioux Falls, S.D., Canaries Dugout Divas. I suppose you can’t win ’em all.

The details:

Diva In The Dugout by Arlene Hittle

A Turquoise Morning Press VINTAGE CATEGORY ROMANCE #106 (and All Is Fair in Love and Baseball, #1)

Classic Romance, Heartfelt Happily Ever After

Can the Condors bad boy step up to the plate and knock out a home run for fatherhood? And if he does, will his daughter’s mamma be ready?

After a successful stint in drug rehab, Arizona Condors shortstop Dave Reynolds is still trying to outrun his bad boy reputation. When the team’s new owners tell him to shape up or be fired at season’s end, he vows to change. He doesn’t count on fatherhood playing a part in his transformation.

Melinda Cline makes a rash decision: take solace in the arms of a sexy-as-sin ballplayer whose name she tells herself she doesn’t want to know. Big mistake. Now, a single mom to a four-year-old, Mel strives to live as cleanly and quietly as possible. But fate intervenes and she comes face to face with the man who insists on being included in their daughter’s life. The attraction between them is still strong, but it may not survive Dave’s reputation or his attempts to do the right thing.

Release: October 18, 2013
Category: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary (Category-Vintage)
Rating/Heat Level: Sensual-Sizzle
Length: Novel, 51,000 words
ISBN: 978-1-62237-207-2

Ebook Price: $2.99
Digital Download – Available Formats – EPUB, PRC/MOBI, LIT, LRF, PDF

I started a mini blog tour Friday, chatting with J.M. Kelley about my book, where I do my best writing and the eternal debate: Print books or ebooks? Click through to see where I stand …

On Monday, I’ll be at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood, talking about my trouble with the (learning) curve of a debut author. (No, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but it’s on my list.) And on Wednesday, Oct. 30, I’m guest blogging with Lynn Cahoon. We’ll talk about DIVA and the best writing advice I’ve ever gotten.

Want to get your hands on a copy of DIVA IN THE DUGOUT?

Find it at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon. Smashwords will begin distributing to BN, Kobo, iTunes and other e-tailers within the week, my publisher says.

Check out these screen shots from the various websites:

If you want to add DIVA to Goodreads, you can do that here.

As for me, I’m so excited, I doubt I’ll be able to sleep tonight. Time to go down copious amounts of carbs in an effort to knock myself out, because I have to drive 3-ish hours to Payson bright and early in the morning.

My Sexy Saturday: DIVA’s big moment

October 12, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Dave & Melinda Excerpts

Can you feel the excitement? I sure can.

My debut romance, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, will be up for sale at Turquoise Morning Press this week. To celebrate, this week’s My Sexy Saturday seven are from that story. (Yes, this time I’m using a snippet from the actual book, not something I cut.)

This moment comes at the end of a long, emotionally charged day, the day Dave and his daughter meet for the first time, under mamma Melinda’s watchful—and slightly green—eye. Mel’s having trouble reconciling how enamored Tara is with all things “Daddy,” in part because she, too, is still attracted to the man.

When Tara demands that Dave be the one to put her to bed and read her a bedtime story, Mel can’t resist peeking in. Touched by the sight of father and daughter together at last, her emotions are churning when she sits down on the couch with Dave.

***

When he reached out to brush her hair off her face, Mel reared back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Dave’s grin flickered on in full force, and something else melted inside her. “Renewing our acquaintance.”

There had to be something wrong with that idea, but Mel suddenly couldn’t think what. She leaned into him, her lips parted, already begging for a kiss.

His lips settled over hers and his tongue swept into her mouth. Her senses swirled with the touch of his tongue until she barely noticed he was repositioning her onto his lap.

Mel’s body remembered. Her nipples puckered and her panties grew damp in response to the erection nudging through two layers of denim. Dave deepened the kiss. His hands settled on her hips, bringing the most intimate part of her more firmly in contact with him.

Caught up in old memories and new sensations, she didn’t object when he eased her back against the arm of the couch and started fumbling with the button on her shorts. She wasn’t thinking of Tara, just upstairs, or the fact that Luanne would arrive any minute.

She wanted—no, needed—this. Sex. With Muscles. She hadn’t had intimate relations with anyone since…since a disastrous reunion attempt with Bud when Tara was nine months old.

DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, out this week!

Big day for DIVA

October 9, 2013

by Arlene Hittle with No Comment Dave & Melinda Musings

My debut novel, DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, which comes out in less than a week, has its cover.

Isn’t it a beauty? No, wait. That’s book two, BEAUTY AND THE BALLPLAYER, which is coming out next March. (Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)

I love it! The stadium and baseball glove in the background … the models … MY name on the cover …

Of course, now that my boss pointed out Dave’s resemblance to Van Wilder, I have a hard time NOT seeing it. And that’s a shame because Greg, the hero of Untitled Book 3, is actually the one I visualized as Ryan Reynolds’ kid brother.

DIVA’s on TMP’s Coming Soon page now.

I can’t believe I have less than a week to go! Time sure does fly …

Phlox

Posts tagged: Diva in the Dugout