Wednesday, August 15, 2018

A Patchwork Summer and a Re-release by Alison Henderson

This summer has been a patchwork affair for me. Since Undercover Nanny released Memorial Day weekend, I haven't written a single new word. I have, however, flown to Chicago twice to help my daughter house-hunt and then work on her new place once she bought it. I stayed for a week, toting, scrubbing, buying, etc. before flying home. OG, bless him, stayed for a second week. He replaced all the outlets and switches, installed a new kitchen faucet and garbage disposal, rehabbed a gigantic pair of old bookcases, and painted, painted, painted. 

AND we're going back in a couple of months to try to finish everything he didn't manage to accomplish on the last visit. He may never be the same, but by golly, his baby is going to live in a palace!

I have spent a little time mulling over the first book in my next series, and made a few preliminary decisions, but most of my spare time has been devoted to re-editing and formatting my first three books in preparation for re-launching them.

I first started writing Harvest of Dreams and A Man Like That in the early 'nineties, when Western historical and prairie romance were going strong. The popularity of those genres has waned, but these stories remained close to my heart. The books had long since stopped selling with the original small press, but with what I've learned in five years as an indie author, I hoped I could bring them to a new set of readers. As I worked my way through the re-edits, I was thrilled to discover I love the characters and stories just as much as when I first wrote them.

I'm delighted to announce I re-released the first book, Harvest of Dreams, last Friday! As of Monday afternoon, I'd had two sales and four KU downloads with complete reads. That's more people reading this book than during the entire past couple of years, so I'm happy. This book is more serious, more emotional, more romantic, and sexier than anything I've written recently, but I hope it will strike a chord with readers who are looking for that type of read. 

Here's the blurb:


Alone on her farm in the middle of a blizzard, young widow Lisa McAllister labors to give birth to her first child.  Help arrives in the strong hands of a stranger wearing a six-gun.  Lisa has no reason to trust this man who makes a living by violence, even if he is on the right side of the law.  Men and their guns have already claimed the lives of her father, brother, and husband, and she’s determined to protect her son at any cost. 

Jared Tanner, a security agent for the stagecoach, has been on his own since he was twelve.  Against his better judgment, his feelings of protectiveness toward Lisa and her baby turn to something deeper, and he is tempted by the possibility of a family of his own. Can their tender new love survive when an act of ultimate violence threatens to tear them apart?

I'm half-way through the re-edits of A Man Like That, so if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I might be able to get it out there by the weekend. Wish me luck!

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com


15 comments:

Leah St. James said...

Alison, Sounds like a fantastic story. You sold me with "... more emotional, more romantic, and sexier...." :-) I just grabbed my copy, and I know I'll love it as much as I love your "less emotional..." stories. :-) Congrats on the re-release! (I wish your daughter much joy in her new home, and you and OG some well-deserved rest!)

Jannine Gallant said...

Maybe you haven't been writing, but it seems like you've been extremely productive! Best of luck finding those new readers. I read this one way back when and loved it!

Margo Hoornstra said...

Okay, now I need to get my copy. Congratulations on the re-release. As Jannine says, you have definitely been production, whether you've written 'new' words lately or not. Hope OG, and you, survive the re-do. Been there, done that ourselves. Love the cover BTW. Best of luck.

Brenda Whiteside said...

I'll echo Jannine. Productive. Love the blurb. It will be another of yours I have to read.

remullins said...

How our lives intertwine. Next week, I leave for Colorado to help my son move back here. He wants my finely honed Tetris skills loading the U-haul. Then I'll be helping him house hunt. My middle sis is coming down tomorrow so she can learn the feeding habits of my hummingbirds, two kittens, one dog, and one puppy menagerie.
Loved the excerpt and best of luck on the re-release.

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks so much, Leah. I hope you enjoy the book. All three of us will probably be recuperating for a while, but last night (while I WASN'T sleeping) I hatched a plan to reduce our stresses a bit. Now I just have to propose it to the two of them. LOL

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks, Jannine. I've certainly been busy and, I hope, productive. If I can get all three old titles back on the market by the end of the month, I'll have accomplished my goal.

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks, Margo. Right now, we're all three still in the midst of too much stress and not enough relief regarding our daughter's new place, but one of these days...

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks so much, Brenda. I think your summer has been even busier than mine!

Alison Henderson said...

Good luck moving your son, Robin. OG is the one in our family with mad Tetris skills. Ten years ago, he packed two full rooms of IKEA furniture for our daughter's first apartment in flat packs in the back of our Honda Pilot by figuring out the exact size of every box, devising a plan, and having the loading dock guys load them in the proper order. He even left himself a space to see out the rear view mirror. Hope your move goes smoothly!

Vonnie Davis said...

This was the first book I ever bought because I loved the cover. I was new to TWRP and discovering new authors. The story was fabulous. I hope many new readers enjoy it as much as I did. Good luck!

Alison Henderson said...

Vonnie, you're so sweet! I actually remember your review to that effect. Thank you.

Alicia Dean said...

Oh wow, it sounds fabulous! And I don't normally read historical romance. I'll have to check this one out!

Alison Henderson said...

Thanks, Alicia. I don't read historical romance anymore, but I really enjoyed re-reading this one.

Diane Burton said...

You have been busy, Alison. Wow! Hubs has done a lot of work for our daughter at her house. Good thing he only has to drive across town not across the country. I don't usually read historicals, but Harvest of Dreams sounds so intriguing. Can't wait to read it.