If you follow me on Facebook, you already know about this, but here’s a little background.
You may have noticed that I’ve been scarce this summer. So much has been happening behind the scenes! It all started when I went to Breckenridge with Christopher Robin in late May to have a long weekend for my birthday. It snowed. A lot. Which meant we didn’t do any hiking or kayaking as we’d planned, but read and napped and ate and rested. Also good.
On the second morning, the Girls woke me up at 4 am with a book idea. I told them to go away and turned over. They insisted I need to get up and write this down. Like, now. So I got up and made a cup of tea, and by the time CR woke up, I had an entire book outline. Characters, plot, story, romance. All of it.
Every now and then, I get a gift book. I don’t remember one coming to me so fully fleshed. Bemused, I set it aside and hung out with CR for breakfast. By afternoon, the book was bothering me again. I decided to take my notebook to the local Starbucks (which is so adorable and has amazing views). I realized halfway down the hill that I’d forgotten a pen. It’s not that easy to find something like that in Breckenridge and I really didn’t want to walk all the way back to the hotel. I was about to give up when the Girls said, “Oh, no you don’t. Go ask that boarder in the t-shirt shop if he has one you can borrow.” So I did. And he was like, “Sure, dude.” I said, “I’ll bring it back.” He waved me away. “No worries.”
I went to Starbucks. I ordered a coffee. An hour later, I had 67 scenes, in order. Basically, uh, the whole book.
I’m no idiot. A book shows up like that, I’m going to show up, too, and write. So write I did. The entire book over the summer. My fingers couldn’t keep up. I had no interest in doing anything but showing up for the book. It was like living in a movie for the summer. It is the most fun I’ve had writing in about 100 years, and you know me, I love writing!
The thing is, this is not my usual realm. It’s not even Young Adult, which I’ve been writing on the side for awhile. (More on that in a few weeks…yes, the OtherLands are finally going to be published.) This attack book is New Adult, a genre I’ve been reading but really had had no plans to write until this 19-year-old girl showed up. To keep the branding straight for those of you who want my women’s fiction–that’s still Barbara O’Neal. If you like the romances, that’s Barbara Samuel. If you want New Adult and Young Adult, come see me as Lark O’Neal.
Here is her first book. It will be out November 12, with book #2 to follow in the spring, 2014 and #3 in the summer, 2014. You can pre-order now at Amazon and Apple. Subscribe to Lark’s newsletter. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Check out the website.
Ta-da! Here is the cover and back cover blurb:
Life is random…
19-year-old Jess Donovan knows better than most that life is random. Her mom is dead, and she’s on her own, patching together a living as a waitress when a car crashes through the restaurant where she works. In two seconds, she loses her job, watches her best friend hauled away in an ambulance…and meets Tyler Smith, one of the hottest, most fascinating—and mysterious guys she’s ever met.
Both for the good and the bad…
Within days, Jess is swept up into the mesmerizing force that is Tyler. Their every touch sizzles, every kiss dissolves them both, and the sex is…fierce. But there’s more to Tyler than his hypnotic eyes. He’s adrift, too, and his body—and his soul—are covered with scars. How can she find herself with a guy who is lost himself?
Until you take charge….
Jess is determined to find her way, and make a life that is better than the one she was given. But how?
Pretty excited, I think you can tell. 🙂
Also, for those who are pursuing NaNoWriMo this year, come make me your buddy. I’m awriterafoot.