Two Days Until Another First - And Unique Giveaway

While I'm busy working on my next Superromance trilogy - just finished the first few chapters of the first of the three Stanwood Trilogy books coming out mid-2012 - my husband, Tim Barney, and I are on tour for our new book, It Happened On Maple Street. It Happened On Maple Street is a marriage of both parts of me - the author, Tara Taylor Quinn, crafts the love story of her life - really. It Happened On Maple Street is our own true love story. It's also a domestic violence recovery story.

There have been a lot of firsts for us since we've taken on this project. This is the first book I've ever done as a collaboration. I've taken part in continuity projects with Harlequin, where I had to work with other authors regarding continuing plot lines in a series, but my books, while part of the series, were always fully my own. I've been included in novella anthologies - but again, while there were themes assigned to fit the anthology, my story was my own. Not so with Maple Street. The story isn't mine alone. And I didn't write the book alone, either. I wasn't sure how I'd do, sharing my writing process, but I should have known. I wasn't sharing my process with just anyone, I was sharing it with Tim. So, of course, it worked. I enjoyed the experience immensely and hope that we'll be able to repeat it.

But most of the firsts in this process were Tim's. He'd never even written a short story before, let alone a book. More, he'd never even consider the idea that he ever would write - anything. Tim isn't even much of a reader - not books, not magazines - not even instruction manuals. He's an engineer - a man who designs - and can fix - just about anything. Now he is also a writer.

He's had his first book signing. His first fan letters. His first blogs. He's on his first tour. And this week, he has his first television appearance. We're guests on a morning Fox news show later this week - the interview will be live, not pre-recorded. And, as with everything else he approaches, Tim is taking the upcoming interview in stride. And rather than planning how he can best present himself for this experience, Tim is focused on what matters most. Getting our message out to viewers.

He's had his finger on the pulse of what we're doing here from the very beginning. The book business, promotion, marketing - that's all fine and good, but all that really matters is the message. He keeps coming back to it again and again. Before anything we do on tour, before every book signing or appearance, he brings us back to the message. The fact that there IS life and joy after abuse - through the healing power of love.

This morning Tim and I heard that he is going to have another first. It Happened On Maple Street is being released on audio book. He's going to have his first copyright of a taped work. Out of my fifty-six novels, this is only my fourth audio book.

We were talking about the book - about what makes it what it is. Based on the responses we've been getting, everyone who reads this book seems to be deeply effected by it. It's reaching out to people. Speaking to them. And Tim and I were asking each other about why that would be. I think it's the raw truth that is speaking to people. This book doesn't pretty up life. It's life as it happens. the good and the bad. But it's not just the plot or the things that happened that are true. I think the real power of the book is the truth of authentic love. We here at SuperRomance, write about love. We fictionalize our message, but the message is, and always has been true. Love exists. And it is stronger than pain, than evil. Love is the strongest force in the universe. It is strong enough to heal the deepest, most atrocious hurts.

It Happened On Maple Street is a true story about Love.

GIVEAWAY: Because we're eager to get our message into as many hands as possible - to reach as many women as possible who have suffered or are suffering from domestic violence, Tim and I are going to give away the entire The Chapman Files Series to the first twenty entrants who send us proof of purchase of It Happened On Maple Street. As forms of proof we will accept a copy of the receipt of purchase.

This post is brought to you as part of the It Happened On Maple Street International Blog Tour. For a complete tour schedule visit www.tarataylorquinn.com. All blog commenters are added to the weekly basket list. One Unique Gift Basket is given each week to one randomly drawn name on the list.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, or if you suspect someone is, please contact www.thehotline.org, or call, toll free, 24/7, 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY). The call can be anonymous and is always confidential. There is not one second of life that is worth wasting.

Next tour stop: Wednesday, May 18, Petit Fours and Hot Tamales:
http://petitfoursandhottamales.com/
To get your copy of It Happened On Maple Street, visit your favorite bookseller, or www.maplestreetbook.com.

Don’t miss The Chapman Files! Still available at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Tara+Taylor+Quinn.

It Happened On Maple Street is available on Kindle and Nook, too! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0757315682/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d2_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0SKJ9D86BB5XG2BPT4MV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846; http://search.barnesandnoble.com/It-Happened-on-Maple-Street/Tara-Taylor-Quinn/e/9780757315688/?itm=15&USRI=tara+taylor+quinn.