The Permanent Book Sale

Hey friends!

Just dropping a quick note to say I have decided to lower the prices on both of my little books to $2.99…permanently! So happy summer reading to you from your indie author pal, Britt.

Everything's Not Bigger Cover

In the heartland of oil money, Jaye Davis spends her whirlwind existence trapped in the battle fields of high fashion. Surrounded by sparkling ambition and plastic perfection, she reluctantly masquerades as a sales drone at Lyman’s, a luxury store in Dallas. After escaping a turbulent past and leaving everything behind, Jaye struggles to find her place in the world. Armed with a quiet determination, she embarks on a solitary quest, searching for certainty in an uncertain future.

But Jaye Davis isn’t her real name–only a byproduct of the witness protection program. Once her fabricated identity is thrown into jeopardy, she flees to the haunting allure of Prague. Unearthing her roots in an important step toward self-discovery, she learns to surrender to the life she truly deserves.

Watch the Inside Look

Buy on Amazon

Beneath the Satin Gloves Cover

A modern day woman, torn by her illusive dreams, awakens to a strange life in 1943, hurdled against the throes of destruction in wartime Berlin. Following a haphazard trail of clues, she discovers her new identity as Alina Feuer, code-named Sparrow, a famous entertainer, seducing a high-ranking SS officer to gather vital information for the Allies.

But, Alina is an amateur in these incessant spy games, relying solely on her wit and instinct to make her next move while frantically hiding her erratic behavior from the watchful eyes of her suspicious liaison/love interest and her pestering socialite gal pal along the way. A reluctant heroine, she must use charismatic glamour as her weapon of choice to fulfill her deadly mission before the week is through.

Watch the Inside Look

Buy on Amazon

The Big Character Name Reveal (drum roll, please)

1950s woman in front of window

I know…the suspense is killing you, right?!

Before I reveal the names of two of my main characters, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you out there for voting and helping out little ole me for my next book endeavor.

I hope you had as much fun with this as I did!

In case you’re just joining the character naming action, I’ve had a poll going all month long for my new project, The Bra Game. You can catch up here.

Without further ado, the winners are…

Character #1

In a Nutshell: Feisty Italian-American Tomboy
Classic Movie Star Twin: Audrey Hepburn
Baseball Position: Catcher, Bunter-Stealer
Occupation: Photographer

…will be named FRAN!!!

Character #2

In a Nutshell: Busty Polish-American Sex Kitten
Classic Movie Star Twin: Marilyn Monroe
Baseball Position: Left Fielder, Left-handed Batter
Occupation: Housewife/Socialite

…will be named EVIE!!!

As there are three main characters, I suppose now is a good time to fill you in on my other character, who I named myself because her name was destined to be.

Character #3

In a Nutshell: Clever All-American Beauty
Classic Movie Star Twin: Grace Kelly
Baseball Position: Pitcher, Home Run Hitter
Occupation: Executive Secretary

…will be named NOLA!!!

Alright back to writing that book! Again, thank you all for your super amazing support and being part of the creation of the little indie book that could.

**A friendly reminder that today is the LAST DAY for you to snatch up both of my books for $1 off on Smashwords before the regular price kicks back in**

All the details are right here.

Goodreads…damn, it’s good!

baby britt
Hmm, I wonder which book I’m going to check out today…

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite places to hang out was the library. To be surrounded by words, bound together by musty covers and food-stained pages, is a joy like no other.

As a child, the library seemed even more magnificent because I happened to be much shorter back then. Books hovered high above me, suspended in the air and out of my reach, teasing me with unattainable stories and characters I would never get to know.

Despite my lifelong love affair with books, I never got into the book club thing. Reading has honestly always been a private activity for me, just like writing.

Until I started this blog that is.

So, I heard about Goodreads a while ago, but was hesitant to join. Because I decided to pursue this indie author thing, all of my marketing/social media research kept pointing me in that direction.

Makes sense…it’s where all the bookworms hang out!

But, this isn’t a story about a desperate, unknown author skulking around Goodreads, forcing free books upon everyone and killing a potential career by lashing out after a bad review.

This is a story about how Goodreads helped me rediscover my love for reading. It is a gorgeous community of thousands of others doing just the same.

And, damn….it’s good!

For a lengthy period of time, I found I wasn’t reading as much as I wanted to. Reading right before bed just wasn’t working for me anymore because I kept falling asleep! I felt so disrespectful to my book. But, when you’re a hard-working “adult” that comfy mattress sucks you right in.  Seriously, my mattress is like laying on a blanket of clouds.

Since then, I’ve changed my reading schedule and stick to sitting up. Problem solved!

Another thing that turned me off from books was writing them myself. During my second book I realized when the issue reared its ugly head….during the dreaded editing stage. The second-guessing myself accompanied by picking apart sentence structure drove me mad.

I’ll just stick to meditation, music, and movies next time. Another problem solved!

I could gush about Goodreads forever, but I’m sure most of you already enjoy the ability to organize your reading wish lists, and if you’re the self-competitive type like me, you’re probably loving the satisfaction that comes with tracking your book goals with the yearly reading challenge.

Another thing I find useful are the reviews.

I’ve written a smattering of reviews if you feel so inclined…

thehelp

Even today, our world scrambles to unite…to be kind, to be color blind. Yet even so, we have changed and I believe we will continue to change as long as we keep on trying. Read more…

atonement

Ian’s words mimic those of a relentless poet, driving emotions deep into the bottomless layers of the imagination, making the reader vulnerable and sympathetic–even those who are not prone to such sensitivity. Read more…

thegirlwiththedragontattoo

These books inspired me to write honestly, to emphasize a brash idea to make a point, to never fear the taboo or uncomfortable. Stieg had a reckless cowboy quality, a rarity in the world of words. He didn’t write to sell…he told for the sake of telling. Read more…

Just like when I was a kid in the library, I like to stop by Goodreads often…to marvel, to cherish, and to be in good company.

Hey, are we friends on Goodreads? If not, get your little butt over here!

goodreadslogo

ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT FOR YOU TO…

1950s woman with ray bans

Vote for two of my characters’ names (it’s fun!)

CHARACTER #1

In a Nutshell: Feisty Italian-American Tomboy
Classic Movie Star Twin: Audrey Hepburn
Baseball Position: Catcher, Bunter-Stealer
Occupation: Photographer

CHARACTER #2

In a Nutshell: Busty Polish-American Sex Kitten
Classic Movie Star Twin: Marilyn Monroe
Baseball Position: Left Fielder, Left-handed Batter
Occupation: Housewife/Socialite

*Stay tuned for the big character reveal this Thursday…see if your names win!

AND…

Score $1 off both of my books on Smashwords! (Ends Thursday)

 

When Things Were Swell

By golly, do I love research!

History, culture, fashion – I just want to roll around in them all the livelong day. But, then I wouldn’t get a thing done, now would I?

Last week I mentioned that I started my third book, The Bra Game. I’ve got a super fun poll going all month long where you can vote on two of my characters’ names. You can visit the original post for lots of details or if you’re the ants-in-your-pants type like I am, you can just vote right here…

1950s woman in front of window

CHARACTER #1

In a Nutshell: Feisty Italian-American Tomboy
Classic Movie Star Twin: Audrey Hepburn
Baseball Position: Catcher, Bunter-Stealer
Occupation: Photographer

CHARACTER #2

In a Nutshell: Busty Polish-American Sex Kitten
Classic Movie Star Twin: Marilyn Monroe
Baseball Position: Left Fielder, Left-handed Batter
Occupation: Housewife/Socialite

*The big character name reveal will take place on the 28th, so be sure to stop by to see if your names win!

Truthfully, researching the fifties is a blast: hot cars, milkshakes, Elvis and his pelvis, drive-ins, roller skates, McCarthy’s communist witch hunt, and of course…baseball.

I feel pretty solid on my pre-1950’s research needed for this project. Between my WWII junkie background and this fabulous book I picked up, which covers the women in baseball tangent I’m including throughout, I’m set.

whenwomenplayedhardball

The Bra Game takes place in 1954 Chicago.

I would love to hear any book or film recommendations you may have which paint a portrait of 1950’s American culture. I’m open to any of your suggestions.

Documentaries and non-fiction are great, but classic movies and fiction are perfect, too.

Also, I’m a big fan of writing historical fiction with era-appropriate music to set the mood. So, anything you think might be good…I’m all ears.

Ready, steady, go!

High Fashion, Suburban Swingers, Narcotics Detectives, and Gypsies

Haha…made you look! You’re probably thinking…what is that crazy Britt up to now?

But this fun bouquet of words is actually from a reader, a snippet from an outstanding review my little book, Everything’s Not Bigger, received last night.

If you’re interested in the randomness this title exudes, then you’ll probably want to scoop up a copy of Everything’s Not Bigger while it’s $1 off on Smashwords (ends February 28th.)

Also, my first book Beneath the Satin Gloves is a buck off as well. It’s kooky in a different way. Think WWII, spying lounge singer, sex and lies, and a little time travel element to keep you scratching your head.

And for you Valentine’s Day enthusiasts out there, I promise there are some mega romantic moments in each story that will make your heart go pitter-patter.

I’m totally interested in a buck off your books, Britt!

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Well, cheers to that and click here for all the deets…

Here’s the full review from Amazon…

ENB_sidebar_cover“What do Dallas high fashion retail salespeople, basset hounds, suburban swingers, Czech cuisine, narcotics detectives, Romani (Gypsies), gay trust fund debauchees, and witness protection all have in common? Answer: Jaye Davis.



So move over Sophie Kinsella and Tom Robbins and make room for one of the most thoroughly modern female protagonists ever created. And, as a delightful bonus, find that all of Britt Skrabanek’s other characters in this novel are not bigger than life; they each ring true with the feel of a fact-is-stranger-than-fiction cast of players. No, these are not your typical quirky oddballs populating the television sitcoms but characters whose lives intersect so effortlessly with Jaye Davis. I ask myself whether Everything’s Not Bigger is a roman à clef or most definitely the very imaginative product of a keen observer of human nature. This novel is suspenseful, romantic, peppered with history, and salted with satirical social commentary.



As with Britt Skrabanek’s first novel, Beneath The Satin Gloves, this offering is sprinkled with clever and tender comic relief. Two particular scenes, one involving a grumpy Czech grandmother (not Jaye’s), and the other depicting her platonic non-date stroll over a landmark Prague bridge, are sure to entertain. However, don’t be misled; this is a serious story about conflicting contemporary values. How do we overcome bad decisions, and do we have the determination to shape the life we really want to live.