Posts Categorized: sheralyn pratt

King of the Friend Zone Release Day Blitz and Giveaway

31 Aug, 2016 by in giveaway, king of the friend zone, sheralyn pratt Leave a comment

King of the Friend Zone

The King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt

Esme Taylor has an amazing fiancé, a lifelong best friend, and a problem.

The problem stems from the fact that her best friend is named Hunter and, well. . .he’s kind of (totally) hot. It’s hate at first sight when her fiancé, Jon, and Hunter meet. Jon’s convinced that Hunter is in love with Esme, and that Hunter must be out of the picture if their upcoming marriage is to succeed.

Esme thinks Jon is paranoid.

The truth is, Jon’s not that far off. Hunter is in love with his best friend and always has been. What Jon has wrong, however, is that Hunter never had any plans of ruining Esme’s happily ever after. Hunter wants what’s best for Esme, even if that’s not him.

When Jon pushes hard to end Esme and Hunter’s friendship, opposition comes from the most unlikely of places. It’s an eccentric lady with a cookie cart who suggests a different solution to Esme’s problem: Hunter and Esme should give each other a chance.

They’ve both thought of the possibility over the years—of course they have. But with a ring already on Esme’s finger and a heap of hurt feelings and broken trust in the mix, there hasn’t been a worse time to explore the depths of their feelings for each other.

Both Esme and Hunter think it’s time to move on and leave childhood crushes in the past. The question is: Can one woman and the taste of one cookie change their minds?

Amazon * Goodreads

 

SheralynAbout the Author

Sheralyn Pratt

Some describe Sheralyn as a girl who’s been around the block and worked at every shop. This isn’t far from the truth. Writing is what she loves most, however. There’s a magical power in stepping into new perspectives time and again, and seeing the world through different eyes. Few things increase empathy more than walking in another’s shoes for 100,000 words or so. At least that seems to be the trend so far.

Some random things to know about Sheralyn:

* She’s a wanderer (geographically)

* She can write a novel, but doesn’t have the attention span for one page in a journal

* She vehemently disagrees with Stephen King’s stance that authors should not watch TV

* She is pretty much incapable of sleeping before midnight

The Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 9/23/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Authorpalooza Winter 2013 Event Photos and Swag Giveaway

05 Mar, 2013 by in Heather Gardner Photography, sheralyn pratt, tyler whitesides 7 comments

 

Every year Barnes and Noble bookstores put on these amazing events with multiple authors we fondly call Authorpalooza. This year there were two rows of writers smooshed into the Sandy, Utah store to sign.
Among those authors signing were: Sheralynn Pratt, Elana Johnson, Heather Ostler, Melissa Lemon, Mette Ivie Harrison, James Dashner, Carla Kelly, Tyler Whitesides, Jessica Day George, Jennifer A. Nielsen, Cindy C Bennett, Duane Keown, Paul Rimmasch, L. Vaughn Curtis, A.E. Cannon, Michelle Snow, McKenzie Walker, Sherri Mills, Betsy Schow, Jeff Olsen, Howie Garber, David J. Ridges, Karla Turner, Michele Ashman Bell, Courtney King Walker, Heather Frost, Tres Hatch, Camron Wright, Lisa Rumsey Harris, Salvador Jimenez, Bobbie Pyron, Craig Farmer, Gale Sears, Ken Baker, Judy Byington
Sydney Cline, Kristyn Decker, B.K.Bostick, Christy Monson, Shannen Crane Camp, and Frank Cole.
Did I miss anyone?
There were so many people all in one place… not to mention bloggers Mindy from Min Reads and Reviews as well as Cathy from A Book A Day.
Heather managed to pick up some awesome swag with author signed bookmarks for our blog readers.
To enter to win: Comment below with which author you would like to meet or which title sounds most interesting of those pictured.
To see the author names click on over to Heather Gardner’s Photography page on facebook.  See the photos on black at her gallery on SmugMug.
If you were there this year, let us know! We love to meet new authors.

Kay’sVille Release Party & Giveaway

15 Dec, 2010 by in rhea jensen series, sheralyn pratt 9 comments

Last night I attended the release party for Sherlayn Pratt’s Kay’sville, book number four in the Rhea Jensen Series. She invited me to bring my jewelry and photography to sell and we were treated to some yummy home cooked Southern cuisine in honor of main character Kay.

The cupcake queen, author Wendy Paul was on hand with some delicious cupcake bites plus her new books and calenders for 2011.


Sheralyn was an amazing hostess and the home she found as a signing spot was incredibly gorgeous. Special thanks to all of her friends and family who introduced themselves plus supported our Etsy store. Fire and Ice congratulates Sheralyn on her book release! Here’s to many more in the future!

Check out her website at http://www.sheralynpratt.com/ to learn more about Sheralyn. And read our reviews of her books on Goodreads. They made our Best of 2010! See our full photo album of the event on Facebook.

In honor of the new launch, we are giving away a copy of book one in the Rhea Jensen series, City of Angels to our readers. Here’s your chance to experience her non-stop action packed writing.

To enter to win simply fill out this form. Contest ends January 15, 2011 and is open internationally.

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News and Contest Winners

08 Dec, 2010 by in Michael Knudsen, sheralyn pratt Leave a comment

Special thanks to authors Sheralyn Pratt and Michael Knudsen who featured Fire and Ice on their sites this week. Michael’s book The Rogue Shop came out today. HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! I gave it five stars! See his blog post and more about the book here

Sheralyn Pratt’s book 4 in the Rhea Jensen Series: Kay’sville just recently hit the shelves and she is throwing a shindig for her fans on the 14th of December to celebrate. Catch details on her blog at http://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/ We will be there selling book related jewelry.

Congratulations to Michelle Nell who won a copy of Pingo by Brandon Mull! This week you will have a TON of opportunities to score books as a part of the BIR2010 giveaways running until December 15th. Stay tuned to our site and the BIR site for more information. And please let us know if you have experienced any problems or questions.

Review and Author Interview – Kay’sville

26 Oct, 2010 by in rhea jensen series, sheralyn pratt 2 comments

Kay’sVille
By Sheralyn Pratt
Rhea Jensen Series #4
Paperback, 224 pages
To Be Published December 7th, 2010
by Bonneville Books
ISBN 1599554259

First of all thanks so much to Sheralyn for sending me a sneak peek of book #4 in her Rhea Jensen series. Kay’sVille felt like a companion novel as it takes a completely different point of view than the rest of the Rhea Jensen series. It is told by Rhea’s best friend Kay and fills in the details of how they met and why they are who they are. Readers may be scratching their heads after book three wondering why Kay ditched her high powered reporting job in L.A. to follow Rhea to Utah. Kay’sville fills in those gaps. Kay is a strong willed, in your face type of girl with fashion sense and an attitude… but she hasn’t always been that way. I’ve always liked Kay and now I like her more. In Book 4 we learn what her roots are, and I think you’ll be surprised as I was. Her flashbacks of pre-college life were some of my favorite parts of the book. Dahl is her sidekick cop who helps her in reporting a story and solving a mystery. He is my other favorite part of Kay’sville. My favorite scene: I loved and laughed at Kay’s description of dating in Utah.

On the flipside Kay’s ville was really hard for me to read at Chapter 11 only because of a serious hazing which was committed and the details used to describe it. It was a little bit too much information and dark for me in spots. Sheralyn does a great job exploring realistically how the crime could alter the victim for life. She has reached out to readers on her blog to let them know that starting at book 4 the Rhea Jensen series is taking on heavier issues. Here’s what she had to say about the book in our interview.

Tell us how Kay’sville is different from the rest of the Rhea Jensen series? I guess the most obvious difference is Rhea’s not telling the story in this book. We’re hearing from her best friend, who is filling us in what Rhea chooses not to share. Also, this book is way more character driven. If there’s any “mystery” at all in this book, it’s solving the mystery of why Rhea and Kay are such good friends. There are other real mysteries/news stories, but we don’t see Rhea’s side of the process in this book, only what Kay deals with and why she’s so quick to crack the whip on Rhea.

What do you most want readers to learn about Rhea and Kay’s relationship? How would you describe their friendship? The term that comes to mind is “enmeshed.” If you step back an look, Rhea has exactly one female friend and only a few male friends. Rhea’s VERY slow to trust and let people into her life, and yet there Kay is, front and center. Rhea would die for Kay without blinking in hesitation. Kay would play human shield any day for Rhea, yet Rhea hasn’t really focused on their friendship as she’s told her side of the story, starting in Book 1. In “City of Angels” Rhea introduces Kay in such a casual way that it may not even seem like they’re actually friends. In book 2, you start to get that they have a history. By the time you read “City Limits” you’ve seen enough of Kay to start sensing that the history she and Rhea share isn’t all easy-breezy, which brings up to book 4, where Kay takes the metaphorical pen away from Rhea to write her own installment–thereby forcing Rhea to stop “protecting” her.

As for what I want people to learn… Hmmm, really this book is about how pivotal the right friends can be in our lives. There are times when the people around us profoundly impact our futures. Rhea would not be who she is without Kay, and vice versa–and they honor that about each other. I guess the power of that is one thing I wanted to share with readers.

What surprises do you think followers and fans are in for with Kay’sville? Surprises? Well, I think there are a few, some fun and some on the opposite end of the spectrum. I think one surprise will be how immensely human Kay is and learning where she started from, what her dreams were, and how hard she fought to get where she is. Telling Kay’s version of things was an intense process on my side. There were many times when I wanted to step in and change Kay’s story for her, but each time I was shut down. Kay’s a reporter. Getting the facts right is important to her. And the whole purpose of her stepping in to tell this part of the story is to make sure readers have the facts they need to understand what Rhea’s about to do in future books.

Describe how Kay came to you and what her character is like. Wow. That answer could go on for a while. The thing about Kay’s character that separated her from other characters I’ve “met” is how dissimilar we are. Straight out of the gate Kay did not like talking to me because we had nothing in common. It was like hanging out with a muse who had the attitude of, “I don’t see the point of talking to her. She doesn’t have a clue what I’m talking about.” And truthfully, she was right. When it came to everything Kay values, I had a zero IQ in the beginning. It was only when I started caring about what Kay cares about and putting in an effort to understand her world that Kay got a bit more chatty. I think that says a lot about her character. If you give Kay an inch, she’ll give you a mile. At least that how she’s been with both me and Rhea. When you show you care, she can’t help but bend over backwards for you. Until then, though, she might just shoot you the middle finger to see if she can scare you away.

Are there life lessons you hoped to portray in this book? Another loaded question. If there was one lesson this book illustrated deeply for me, it was the importance of not making snap judgments about others and their choices. Though it is a human tendency to be quick to judge and condemn, we really have no idea what people have been through and why they make the choices they do. We think we know better; we think we are smarter or more righteous, when really we’re all just doing the best that we can. Kay is. Rhea is. I am. You are. A lot of living is making things up as we go along, but the one consistent fact is that we’re all trying. No matter what our methods and their outcomes. We’re all giving it our best, and we only hurt each other and retard healing and growth when we judge and alienate others.

What do you have planned for the rest of the series? Well, the next 2 books are very much about how Rhea gets out of the “contract” she never knew she signed with The Fours. It’s not going to be an easy ride for Rhea, which is one of the reasons Kay stepped in on Book 4 to drop a few secrets. Also, Kay kind of does double-duty is raising the intensity bar for future books. There’s a lot of action and hard decisions coming up. If you like Book 4, you’ll love 5 & 6. If you find 4 a bit heavy for your taste, it might be a good cue that Rhea’s upcoming gauntlet may be a bit intense or your tastes as well.

How will the future books differ from the beginning of the series? Readers may notice that with each book, Rhea starts trusting readers with more and more information. She starts hiding less, the more time you spend with her. In the future of the series, readers can expect Rhea to take the metaphorical gloves off and be a straight shooter. After Kay spills the beans in Book 4 on a couple of things, there’s less for Rhea to dance around as far as keeping secrets. She’ll be able to reference things she tip-toed around before. That’s the number one way the books will differ in the future. At first Rhea wanted to keep things really light. She still wants to keep them as light as possible, but there will be times when it will be impossible. The pressure cooker around Rhea is about to develop a vice grip that will force Rhea to choose who she will be. She’ll have to make choices no one wants to make and live with the consequences. The days of simple little cases for rich clients are gone. From now on it’s not about money. It’s about who Rhea will become once she takes her life into her own hands and takes on her deepest fears… I just hope I’m up for the challenge telling the story right.

Thanks so much Sheralyn for the interview! To learn more about Sheralyn Pratt and her Rhea Jensen series, visit her website at http://www.sheralynpratt.com/

See our past related posts here:
City Of Angels review
Author Interview
Welcome To Stalk Lake City Review
Teaser From Idle Playgrounds

In My Mailbox #18

11 Oct, 2010 by in m stohl, rachael renee anderson, Shannon Hale, sheralyn pratt 6 comments


In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by the Story Siren. Got some really yummy goodies these last two weeks!!
  • Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and M Stohl– ARC, borrowed from my friend Laura, currently reading
  • Penitence by Jennifer Laurens- bought from The Books Depository for review
  • Forest Born by Shannon Hale- bought from local Indie bookstore Fire Petal Books
  • Divinely Designed by Rachael Renee Anderson- bought from Half.com- for review
  • City Limits by Sheralyn Pratt- new release, author signed copy- bought at Deseret Book ladies night book signing
  • Blink of An Eye by Gregg Luke-received from author, signed copy-for giveaway and interview, currently reading
  • The Silence Of God– bought for author interview and review, met author at Ladies Night
  • Mistwood– bought from Fire Petal books, already read, 4 stars

Teaser Tuesday-Idle Playgrounds

10 Aug, 2010 by in sheralyn pratt, spectrum 6 comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
4) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Idle Playgrounds (Rhea Jensen, #3)
by Sheralyn Pratt

“The back patio chair at the Epson’s was absolute heaven. It had no legs, but was held form the underside of their balcony with strong cords that allowed the hammock-chair to sway like a pendulum. It was much better than sitting in my car and it gave me straight shot of the top secret meeting going on inside…”p. 81

Book Review- Welcome To Stalk Lake City

30 Jul, 2010 by in book review, sheralyn pratt, welcome to stalk lake city 4 comments

Welcome to Stalk Lake City

The Rhea Jensen Series #2

by Sheralyn Pratt

published August 15th 2004 by Spectrum (first published 2004)

details Paperback, 285 pages

isbn 0974333182

4.5 stars

Synopsis from Back Cover “Deciding to go “off grid” for a while, Rhea Jensen can think of no better place to disappear than Utah. She settles into a quiet Mormon lifestyle-unless you count skydiving, race car driving, mountain climbing, and overly obsessive workouts. But when her best friends, Kay, tips her odd to a stalking case, Rhea takes the job out of shear boredom. Only then does she realize two things–first being good is hard; and second, she know way too much to get out of the PI game.

So, I have to admit that when I finished book one on the Rhea Jensen series I really couldn’t wait for the mailman to come with my sequel. I was out thrift shopping and lo and behold, stumbled across the old 2004 released book (which was well used by it’s previous owner.) This started the debate in my mind…”Should I? Should I not…?”

Give in to temptation, I did… I took it home and started reading, knowing full well the new book would be different. Luckily, I only got a few hours into it when ta da…just like magic, the fresh new package showed up. Have to say, it was worth reading both versions of the book, repeated plot and all. One just can’t get enough to Sheralyn Pratt’s characters!

In this installment, Rhea Jensen has relocated from her home of Los Angeles to Utah and has found a boyfriend Chad to keep her on the straight and narrow. She is convinced it’s time for a fresh start without her shady private investigator antics. Too bad her old friend Kay has a different idea. She’s bound and determined to show her the spicy side of life over the ordinary “tomato soup.” Rhea takes on a new case and the plot revs up a notch with her hot new next door neighbor Ty in the passenger seat. Buckle up for a fast paced ride, because book two does not disappoint! Sherlaynn Pratt pushes readers to think outside the box while remaining inspiring and fun at the same time. I have a new found love and am hoping book #3 is hot off the press and in my fingers soon. Here’s what other readers had to say about the books…

“Clever, witty, sassy… This fast-paced book will keep you reading into the night and leaving you craving for –Rachael Renee Anderson, author of Luck of the Draw

“Meaningful, fun and addictive! Once I pick up one of Pratt’s books, I can’t set it down. The Rhea Jensen novels have mystery, suspense and brilliant plots, with characters that are complicated and real.” –Cherie Call, singer/songwriter

To Enter To Win a Rhea Jensen Series postcard/bookmark: leave your name and email address in the comments below

+1 for each retweet @FireIcePhotos

+1 for commenting on our Sheralyn Pratt posts http://fireandicereads.com/2010/07/city-of-angels-by-sheralyn-pratt.html

+1 for adding her books on your to be read on Goodreads

+1 for becoming a fan of Sherlyn on Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1182413.Sheralyn_Pratt

Contest ends August 13, 2010 and is open internationally

If you are interested in joining our book/ARC tour, email us at fireandice.heather@gmail.com to be added to our list of reviewers.

Author Interview With Sheralyn Pratt

30 Jul, 2010 by in rhea jensen series, sheralyn pratt, stalk lake scavenger hunt 6 comments

photo by Heather Zahn Gardner
What are your favorite setting and hang out spots?
Ha. At first I wasn’t sure if you were talking about me or Rhea. My favorite hangouts are outdoors on sunny days in an area where my dog can be off leash and the ground isn’t pokey. I can’t wait until they make a writer’s laptop that isn’t backlit (like e-readers) so I can write outside. That will be a beautiful, beautiful day.

When did you start writing and what was your first book? I’ve always written, I think, sort of in the way most people doodle. I was 18 when I finished my first book from beginning to end. It’s called “the Jade Prophecy.” One day I’ll revisit it, I’m sure.

What are your all time favorite books?
Is that question even possible to answer? I just never know what to say when asked that question, but I did read an ARC of a first-time author named Rebecca Maizel called “Infinite Days” that I really liked recently. I think she’s an upcoming author to watch out for.

How did you get the idea for the Rhea Jensen series and which character do you most relate to? Interesting question. Rhea came to me pretty fully formed. I’m not a writer who brainstorms and maps things out. I just see scenes in my head and write them. Sometimes I don’t even know that some of scenes go together in the same story until later. It’s hard to describe, but suffice it to say that Rhea is a pretty immutable character. She shows me a bit, waits until I do the research to write it right, then she shows me more. It’s a fun growing pattern for me. As for which character I relate to the most… if I am yin, then Rhea’s best friend, Kay, is yang. She and I are so polarized that we barely communicate. I don’t how it’s possible that I could relate to her the most, but she is the character who has the strongest grip on my heart. You may see why in Book 4.
Do any of your characters have real life people they remind you of? Stars who would play them…If so, who and attach a photo That’s a fun game! Physically, Rhea is based on Nelly Fertado, but I would love to audition Jill Wagner, Evangeline Lilly, and Missy Peregrym for the role. For Kay, I wish Kristen Bell was like a foot taller, because I would beg her to play the part. Still probably would. There’s just that perfect balance of sass, anger and vulnerability an actor would have to portray to steal all focus the second she walks into a scene. Kristen could do that. She could be “bad” while still making it very clear that she is good to her core. It would be fun to audition Maggie Lawson for the part as well, though, but she just seems waaay too sweet for Kay.

Good options for the men are: Hugh Dancy for Ben—>
Ryan Kwanten for Ty, and Michael Westen for Dahl. They’re good for a mental image, if nothing else.

What do you do for a day job and in your free time? I’m a publicist by day, and at the moment I don’t have any free time, but I always make time for walks/hiking with my dog. There’s no way getting around exercising a border collie. That’s the reason I got her—to get me out of the house. The poor thing is bored the other 22 hours of the day, though.

Advice for young writers? Let it flow. Don’t judge your writing as it comes out. Unless you are a freak of nature, it’s going to suck at first. That’s okay. The key is to create until your tapped dry. Then you put your creation to the side and go and read a bunch of authors you love and admire for a couple of weeks before returning to your work. Looking at it with fresh eyes, your goal is to then make your story as fun to read as the books you love. That’s my advice. Repeat this process until you forget you are reading your own work and just want to keep reading your own story for fun.

Do you have a playlist for your books and do you listen to music while you write? Yes, yes, and yes. Music keeps the theme of my book on track and keeps me from going off point of onto tangents. It can take a while to find the right songs for a character or story. Sometimes I only find one song and just listen to it over and over until it’s white noise. I’ve listened to the same song over 1,000 times in a row over a week while writing before. It achieves its purpose, though.

Any upcoming books or events? Oh, my. Yes. Many. And they’ll all be fun. Book 2, Welcome to Stalk Lake City (read first 5 chapters here) technically releases on August 6, which is why we’re having the Stalk Lake Scavenger Hunt on August 7th where one non-profit will win $1,000 in an Amazing Race type of event in downtown Salt Lake. It will be fun, and everyone is welcome to participate by joining a team. See a list of competing teams here. There will be more to come, though, so feel free to keep in touch at http://www.sheralynpratt.com/.

What is the overall message you hope to get across to your readers? Hmm, in a nutshell? I might have to channel Mufasa for that one and say, “Simba, you are more than what you have become.” If I don’t write a story that inspires the reader to contemplate stepping out of his/her comfort zone, grow in some way personally, or become more self aware, tolerant, confident, or empathic, then there’s really no reason for me to be writing at all.

Describe the process of re-writing the books and why?
Well, to start off with, they were dated from their original incarnation. Things (technology, especially) have changed a lot in the past eight years. That, added to the fact that the publisher wanted to change the titles made me feel morally obligated to change and update the books, since someone might end up buying City of Angels who already had Spies, Lies and a Pair of Ties. It’s disingenuous—and should be illegal—to take the same book and package it with a different title and cover without changing it. In some ways I just wanted to start all the way over and change everything, but that would have been even more confusing to people: (“Wait, is this book 5? No? It’s book 1, but everything’s different? So this book pretends that your 3 previous books never happened? What about the ebook? So I should just forget them?…”) It would have been a disaster, so I simply updated them and added new scenes, twists, and endings. Book 1 is fairly similar, but I changed the rest of the series significantly. They’re new rides, and I hope readers of the original versions like these new ones too. *crosses fingers*

Favorite writing snacks? Writing and eating? Hmmm. I think I mostly just drink while writing. Water. How absolutely boring is that? I’m too reactive to food to introduce it into my system while I’m writing. Sugar, caffeine, and carbs put me to sleep and protein makes me want to go run around. It’s best if I don’t eat within a few hours of sitting down to write, so water it is!

Do you have a writing group or peers who beta your work? “Beta.” I just learned that lingo last week, so I’m all in the know now. I just joined a writing group (last week). Yay! We don’t work on Rhea books, though, but the other stuff I write (YA Fantasy). With the Rhea books, it’s actually just been me and my editor because of the tight deadlines.

Favorite scene to write and why? Specifically, or in general? Generally speaking, I like to write action and chemistry. I always say that I don’t write romance, I write chemistry. If it happens to be romantic, then fine, but that push-pull in all relationships can take many shapes, and all of them are equally fun for me to write. Rhea taking down a guy in an alley, two people meeting for the first time, or two colleagues who hate each other can be just as fun to write as a first kiss.

Thank you so much to Sheralyn for taking time to do an interview. To learn more about her amazing books visit her website at http://www.sheralynpratt.com/