THE END.

Changed Beauty is finally finished … for now.

It is waiting to be edited, and while I hate the editing process, I know that this book definitely needs it. Changed Beauty right now is 675 pages. SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE PAGES!

And now you know why it took me so long to complete Aiden and Allie’s story, and why I had to push the release from Spring to Summer!

It also explains why I haven’t kept up my blog post, posted on Facebook, and why I haven’t started to release the teaser tweets and posts like I promised. Aiden and Allie took every spare minute that I had, and really, they deserved all of my time and attention.

And they definitely aren’t done with it yet. I know I need to cut down severely on the amount of pages that I’ve written. I’ve already started going over some areas that I know I can cut down on, certain things I can delete, but I know it is going to be a struggle. It always is. But the book is currently in the hands of someone I trust to tell me what works, what doesn’t, and then I’ll go from there.

But for now, I am taking a bit of a breather. I NEED it. So much went on while trying to write Allie and Aiden’s story. So many tears, so much hair-pulling, so many times I wanted to give up and change what I was writing for so many different reasons … I think I need to regroup and get myself together. It really drained me emotionally. I had so much fun writing Sam and Liam’s story, and if you’ve read anything I’ve ever written about Connor … you know I loved writing his and Riley’s story, and while I absolutely LOVE Aiden and Allie … it wasn’t easy. I struggled. A lot. But now, I know that it was worth it. They were worth everything.

But I definitely need some “me” time now. I wrote three books in less than a year – close to 1700 pages … I am definitely drained! (And yet even as I typed that I just had a thought about Ryan … Figures!)

During that “me” time though I will be working on the teasers finally. I have quite a few of them lined up, I just need to get them looking pretty and post them. Also I am thinking that since you’ve all had to wait so long for me to finish this book, or to even tease about anything Allie and Aiden maybe I will give you a chapter or two before the release of the book.

So starting next week – on Teaser Tuesday – I will be posting a teaser from book 3! And I will continue to do so every week until the book releases. How about that?

I think I can manage that … even while editing!

Anyway – I am going to go have some “me” time now … which means I am going to go pick up the new Nora Roberts that has been sitting and waiting for me to start it!

Until next time … When I post more about Allie and Aiden’s story and some of the things you can look forward to … Happy Reading!

xoxo

Hi Everyone!

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted last … but I have been busy! I have the first two hundred pages of Book 3 written so far, and let me tell you – it hasn’t been easy! Not even close! I’ve written, edited, re-edited, and re-edited some more! The first two hundred pages have been changed more than any other book I have written up to this point … and lets not forget … book 1 had whole chapters edited out of it from start to finish!

I ended up changing the whole core of my story … and with that … I also ended up changing the name of book 3. Book 3 will no longer be Loud Beauty … I loved that title, but it is no longer fitting of Allie and Aiden’s story. Their new book title will be Changed Beauty. It is so very fitting for them and where I am taking them as characters. Loud Beauty would be more so Ryan’s story and what I already have planned for him, and let me tell you, writing Aiden and Allie’s story is setting me up beautifully for writing the final book in this series. Even before I started book 3 I had plenty of material for the fourth book, but now … I am coming up with new stuff for that book almost daily! Probably because both book three and four are the most connected and because … well I can’t tell you now! Sorry! Can’t go giving the secrets of the books away!

So enough about book 4 for now!

Back to book 3!

If you follow me on Twitter you know that I have recently completed a very detailed outline for every single “Chapter” left in book 3… and I said it in my post – I don’t know whether to be excited or scared about that! I really still am unsure! I know what’s coming up in the book … and wow! My emotions were off the chart just planning certain things … I could only imagine what I am going to be feeling writing all of the scenes I have planned. I really need to prepare myself, which is why for the next few weeks I will be locking myself away in my writing room! Starting Monday I will be writing pretty much from start to finish … first thing in the morning to night, and then back at it the next day… I have to be if I am going to be meeting my deadlines! I’ve been a little on and off with this book so far, and I think a lot of it had to do with all the changes I made in between writing. I had to make the changes though … I knew things were off with the book, things weren’t making sense, my two characters weren’t as connected as I needed and wanted them to be … and ever since changing certain things I do think it’s much better, so I can’t wait to hit the ground running in a few more days.

Hopefully before you know it I can post that I am done, and that the hell of super-editing will commence! I can’t believe I am looking forward to that (editing really does suck), but I am because then that means that Allie and Aiden’s story will be complete!

Anyway, I don’t have much else to share with you right now … though I will say I am working on some teasers already for book 3! I have some things already written down that I think all of you will enjoy especially if you are Aiden fans … and speaking of fans – if any of you Connor fans out there are looking for more of him … Haha, you are in for a treat with book 3! He definitely makes his presence known … He has a way about him doesn’t he? Always making things about him! Always has something to say. Yes, he definitely is more than present in this book … as is Liam (yes, he definitely makes himself known too, especially because it’s Aiden’s book … and well Aiden and Sam sort of started everything off didn’t they? Even if book 1 wasn’t truly about them, Aiden had such a stranglehold on book 1 for the longest time!) and Sam and Riley and Elizabeth and Ryan!

So check out Twitter now and then to see some teasers … and on my Facebook page! I’ll be updating that periodically too when I get a chance … I know I have been slacking on there as well!

But I have been writing … so I think you guys will cut me a little slack! RIGHT???

Okay, okay … I am going now!

Hope all of you are well!

& seriously check me out on Twitter … and if you have any questions about anything email me, facebook message me, or tweet at me! I’d love to hear from you! Even if it’s about Connor and some of the things he does! Hahaha I NEVER get bored talking about him!

Until next time … Happy Reading!

xoxo

******DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK TWO – CHAOTIC BEAUTY … SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! IT WILL RUIN IT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will say it again! Do not read if you have not read Chaotic Beauty! This post contains SPOILERS!!!! Or you can read it if you want to, I guess. If you are like me, you wouldn’t care. I think I have mentioned it before – I am sure that I probably have – but I am the type that will read the end of the story after I’ve read only a few chapters of a book. Sometimes I will even read the ending first. I always go back and re-read everything leading up to the ending … but I MUST know what I am in store for! But that’s just me. And like I said, this post has the potential to ruin the whole entire book for you if you are not like me. So if you don’t want anything ruined and you haven’t read book 2 (hell, if you haven’t read book 1 there are most likely spoilers for that book as well), stop reading this post and wait until the next one!

Okay, so those of you still with me … This is where I will be talking about some things that happened in book two, and things that will be happening in book 3! Sooooo here it goes:

The Epilogue for Chaotic Beauty … How did you like it? I always intended on adding something “special” in there, the same way I did for Unexpected Beauty where I completely changed POVs. That whole book was Samantha, Samantha, and more Samantha, and then wham … Liam had the Epilogue. I wanted to do something along those lines for book two … but what? I mean the book was written in both Riley’s and Connor’s POV’s. I needed something … and then entered Aiden. Once I thought about it I knew that Aiden would get the last word. Or would he? I completed my book, but as I edited, and as I edited some more, as I received the final proof in my hand I still had doubts … did I REALLY want him to end the story? The book wasn’t about him. He shouldn’t have the last words. Sure, it worked. It set up from an outsider’s perspective the love that he was seeing around him. Sam and Liam’s love. Riley and Connor’s love. Even Ryan and Allie’s bond. It wasn’t just Sam and Liam telling you. Or Riley and Connor. It was seen and known by someone else. But Riley’s epilogue ended perfectly for me. Her last line … it encompassed EVERYTHING. I went over, and over, and over it. In the end, you know I kept Aiden’s addition in there. For the reasons I stated before. He was the outsider looking in and telling you they had it all – or they are heading that way. And he wants it too. It was the perfect segue into his story. And from the sneak peek … you know parts of what you are in for if you want to continue along on this journey with me, and with Aiden … and Sam and Liam, Riley and Connor, Allie and Ryan, and Elizabeth.

Another thing about the Epilogue was Connor’s portion. I changed the beginning of Connor’s portion literally almost at the last minute! I already had the proof. I already edited numerous times. But it wasn’t until I read the Advanced Reader Copy of it … and I have no idea why I read it again by the way … the book was edited beyond belief by then … but I did, and something bothered me! Like bothered-bothered. Like 3 a.m., middle of the night, waking up because one section bothered me to a point I can’t really put into words and I am a writer. Think about that! It was something that you guys would have never been bothered about most likely. It’s something you wouldn’t probably even care about or remember. Only I would know. But Jesus … there I was, after everything was done – it was already uploaded to Amazon for pre-order, it was already in print version, it was already at Barnes & Noble … and there I was editing, and adding, and coming up with an idea because of one scene that I needed to have. I left loose ends with Rebecca and Brian – that I will address briefly in Loud Beauty so if its bugging you I will get to it at some point … I left a wide open issue of Kyle Ross which does come back around (I THINK … I mean he has to right? RIGHT?!) but it wasn’t any of that. The celebratory dinner. That’s what woke me up. That’s what had me sitting at my computer long after the story was done, finished, shouldn’t have even been a thought for a long while for me anymore. HOURS. It took me hours to change what I had to in order to add those few sentences. It took HOURS for me to write those few sentences because I liked what I already had written for Connor – like I said … I WAS DONE! But I managed to get what I wanted in there and still have everything else. You might ask WHY I did it. Why even bother? Who cares? I did! Remember, Riley was so happy to be sharing a meal using one of her mother’s recipes with Connor. She wanted to share her memories with him. She wanted to include him. She wanted to have a foundation with him and build new memories and include something special. She was preparing for all of that. And then the chaos ensued. And that was the end of it. But I didn’t want it to be the end of it and never get addressed because it was her attachment to her mom, like the earrings. Like Liam’s pitcher vase and his mom quirkiness and how that was such an important thing and moment in his story. When Liam opened up to Sam about the vase it was a turning point in a way …  I needed something like that for Riley and Connor … So … We know that by her cooking dinner for him and him addressing it in the Epilogue that she did get her chance to share with him, build with him, etc. It wasn’t a turning point because by that time obviously they are together, you know that their future is going to be happily-ever-after (it will be happily-ever-after because I am just that type of author and reader!) …. But I needed it in there.  Like I said it might not seem big, but for me it was. I needed a Riley & her mom moment. A special moment. More than the birthdays that they shared when Riley and Liam were younger. Something personal she could share with Connor like Liam did with Sam.

So … yeah, that’s that.

And like I said in another post, you definitely get more Aiden and more Ryan in this book which was done on purpose. During book 1 you only get a few sides of what other people believe to be Aiden and Ryan. You don’t really get to know them. During book 2 I would say you get to know them a lot more … but still, you do not know them yet. Not even close. Nor do you know the women they are going to fall in love with yet. There are so many layers to the remaining couples … Jesus. Only right now am I starting to figure them out. And the surprises are constant. So if I am surprised … I can’t wait until you all read these two remaining books of the series!

Anyway … I am currently writing bits and pieces for book 3. I know that I said in another post that the book might be delayed. I honestly don’t know about that. But I would rather say something sooner rather than later. I’ve started compiling quite a bit of scenes that I intend on using in the book, and I am coming up with more and more ideas every day. I think I might be sitting and writing Loud Beauty start to finish before I know it. So we will see how it goes. Right now I am shooting for Summer 2016 …and YES I know that leaves me with a broad date … but as I know with more certainty so will you! Check back here often … or most likely check on Twitter often to see how things are going! I am normally posting on Twitter every day!

Anyway …………. Back to Book 2!

There are probably a few other things I can talk about that happens in book 2 – like Connor and Riley and what they did when they were apart before she comes back to town … I know some of you might not like what they were up to after the fight. Trust me, I know. There are certain things I HATE reading about in books, and right at the very top of my list is the main characters “hooking-up” with other people and then having to hear about it. Actually, in both of my books I have touched upon a LOT of things that normally drive me crazy when I am reading books … and wow I ended up doing it to other people. When I started thinking about Connor and Riley’s story, I didn’t know that that is where I was heading with Riley coming back. I knew they got into a huge fight. I knew she had to go back to school. I didn’t know what would bring her back home to stay though. I partly knew that Connor would revert back to his old ways and I knew I needed to figure out why, how that would affect anything, would it even affect anything … I didn’t know how it would all end up being until it was actually pouring out of me and onto the pages. I also didn’t know I was going to have that scene after the prologue comes back around towards the end of the book and Riley’s at the hospital. I had NOTHING written down for that specific scene and I am a person who has notes and whole scenes and outlines galore everywhere. I mean I have whole scenes written for Book 4 (scenes that I am in LOVE with by the way) and I haven’t even truly started in depth on book 3!! Connor was only supposed to get shot in the arm or the shoulder. Nothing overly bad was supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to leave my laptop keyboard wet from the tears I was shedding as I wrote and re-read and edited certain things. UGH!!!!!! How about that though? Connor stole my heart long ago in Unexpected Beauty (yes, he definitely did and I know some of you don’t understand why he’s my favorite but that’s okay!), and he kept my heart firmly in his grasp even when I felt like kneeing him something fierce at times (Heather and Riley’s birthday springs to mind) … but what he’s thinking before that whole scene when he makes up his mind to protect Riley …. Jesus. I will always have a special place in my heart for Connor. Wow. I think I need to go back and re-read that whole section. I truly do love me some Connor!

But now it is time for Connor to step a smidge to the side to allow room for Aiden.

I am not quite sold on Aiden yet but I am getting there (and it’s not as awful as it seems! I like a man of mystery, I like a complex man with layers, I fully plan to enjoy getting to know Aiden!). And once I am fully and truly there I will begin to write him in earnest. He deserves it. You deserve it. And so do I, considering I’ve lived in this world with them rattling around in my head for well over a year!

Soooo … I feel like I’ve jumped back and forth on you guys a lot with this post. I feel like I started out wanting to say a lot about book 2 and yet I don’t feel like I touched upon nearly half of what I wanted to say, but time for me has run out because I have other things to do right now! SOOOOOOOOO if you would like to know something specific I didn’t talk about, ask me … my contact info is on the contact page of this website. Email me. Tweet me. FB me. I’d love to answer your questions! Though beware … I’ve been told I write a lot! Ha!

Until next time everyone! I hope all is well!

xoxo

Happy Holidays everyone! For those of you that do not know me personally, you should know that Christmas is my favorite time of year! I wait for Christmas all year long. I count the days! I wait impatiently for the moment when it’s acceptable to put up the Christmas tree, (acceptable by my standards that is … which is a bit before Thanksgiving, but to each their own) to decorate outside, to set up my Christmas village, to blast Christmas music, to bring out the awesome collection of holiday coffee mugs that I have, to put out my growing Nutcracker collection … you get the picture.  This year however we moved into our new house (our FIRST house) December 1^st. That meant no decorations until after the move. Until after the unpacking. Until after everything was out of the way and where it should be. It meant weeks of not having the Christmas tree up, the village all set, the Nutcrackers out, the decorations in every room up … It meant I was weeks behind on everything.

BUT …

I do have the house of my dreams – right by the water with water views from almost every single window, especially my writing room … and yes there is a special room where I can now write, I have custom-built floor to ceiling bookshelves, I have pretty much everything I had ever hoped for … so I really can’t (shouldn’t) complain.

BUT …

It has been a lot of hard work though getting everything settled. And during the holidays. And when my second book only came out days before the move. I’ve been slacking on promoting my book. I have been severely behind on the reading list I compiled for myself while writing books 1 & 2 that I planned on getting to the whole month of December, I have been awful at keeping everyone informed on what’s been going on in the world of Liam and Sam, Connor and Riley, Aiden, Elizabeth, Allie and Ryan … me.

I have yet to find a balance in regards to the personal and the professional. I am trying. But I haven’t quite figured it all out yet!

That’s mainly why I am writing this … besides to wish you all a happy holidays.

BOOK THREE.

I started book three as most of you know if you follow me on Twitter, or if you read book 2 and saw the sneak peek.  I wrote a bit more of the book that what you were able to preview. I also wrote quite a few scenes for the middle and the end … and I also wrote a bit for book four because some of book three correlates strongly to book 4… but book 3 is still pretty much in development. I had hoped to start early January with the release being late Spring. And I am still hoping for a release of late Spring … BUT I do not know if I am starting book three in early January. I think I need more of a mental break that I have had. I haven’t had time to really breathe yet since this move, and I haven’t even really had time to process that book two is complete and out in the world.

Connor and Riley are actually out in the world!!!

Plus, I really don’t know Aiden’s full story yet …

I knew Sam’s journey, and even Liam’s with her.

I also knew Riley’s journey, and Connor’s journey rather quickly. I knew where they were heading.

I know bits and pieces of Aiden … I know his major problems. I know his feelings … but I don’t know enough yet. I don’t have an outline. And I am someone who needs a coherent outline.

And I am not rushing it just to keep on a schedule.

Aiden deserves more than that … and so do you!!!!!

I will start in January. At some point. Once I re-read over every page I already wrote, every scribble I wrote hastily while writing books 1 & 2 … and who knows maybe after re-reading it will happen like the first two books where it takes off and then in a few weeks I will be done and complaining about editing.

But we will see. And I will definitely let you know and keep you informed!!!!

Lets all just hope that it isn’t like Book 1 where I wrote numerous chapters and then got rid of them … that was awful! But it really was the smart thing to do in the end.

Anyway … I think I have babbled enough. I just wanted to let you all know that my release date might be pushed back by a few weeks … and I wanted to let you all know NOW … instead of giving a set release date and then realizing I can’t do it. That would just be downright cruel!

But like I said we will see, and I will keep all of you posted.  Most likely on Twitter, especially if I am writing!!!!! I tend to post a lot on Twitter when I am writing!

Okay sooooo I am going to go do more stuff around this house, and maybe, just MAYBE I can get some reading in tonight! I swear reading always gets me motivated to write. So who knows?

Hope all of you are well and enjoying the holidays!

And I hope more than anything you enjoyed or are enjoying Connor and Riley!

I LOVE THOSE TWO!!!!!!

XOXO

Tara

Sooooo here it is! The cover of Book Two of the Beauty Series – Chaotic Beauty!  I am in love with this cover! For those who read Unexpected Beauty you know that Connor is a firefighter … Which explains all the chaotic swirls of fire and smoke … And it also explains the tattoo on Connor’s back. There is a specific scene that I wrote explaining the tattoo that you can see on the cover … I actually wrote that particular scene into the book after the book was done because it took me a really long time to find the perfect tattoo. I knew that I wanted something that encompassed Connor – who he is professionally (a firefighter) and all the things that make him who he is on a personal level (his loyalty, bravery, strength, courage, dedication, determination, fearlessness, passion, and a few other really awesome things as well). When I came across the tattoo I knew it was “the one.” The flaming dragon hell-bent on destruction, and at its base a firefighter in full gear taking on anything thrown its way … It’s definitely an apt description of both Connor professionally & personally … And it’s very fitting because Connor has to take on a lot in this book!

Also we have the woman (Riley) with her hair a certain way and her physical features (what you can see anyway) are spot on for my vision of her as is Connor. I know you can’t see Connor’s face – and that was my intention. I wanted you to see his back and his hair, and for you to imagine his stormy blue eyes, his face, the rest of him. When you read the book you should know exactly why I went with this cover and why I had my cover artist design and add to it in such a way. I’m thinking if you don’t like it now, you will at least appreciate it after you read the book … trust me!

Enough about that though, because if I point out everything I’ll be giving things in the book away and I really want you to discover why the cover is perfect for both Riley & Connor on your own.

But now that the cover is finally done, I can share with you that this upcoming week the book will be available for Pre-Order and it will definitely be released November 24th. I still cannot believe that in about a month my second book will be available for people to read! I still haven’t even fully grasped that I have one book out … and now two … TWO!

I don’t know what to say …

Anyway … Sooooo I am thinking … since the Pre-Order link will be out soon, and because you took the time to visit my page … I am going to give you all a little something early! How about the “blurb” to Chaotic Beauty?? That way you can  know a little bit about what you are in for????  I will be posting it underneath this post and also in my books tab … So I hope you enjoy!

I think that’s it from me right now. This upcoming week my book will be available for preorder on Amazon, and we will be working on it for BNN as well … My book will be going to the printers for all of you that want it in paperback so I should be getting proofs of that soon too, so that way I can make that available… AND I am also working on some teasers for all of you that I will be posting on here like I did on the side of the homepage with Unexpected Beauty, and also I’ll be posting them on my Authors Facebook page and also on Twitter … So get ready for that!

I have quite a few passages and one-liners that I want to use, but I may need to narrow them down a bit because some of them are a little “spoilery” and we don’t want that & some are just a bit “interesting” in the best possible and blush-worthy way … And I’m not sure about those either!!! But definitely this upcoming week I’ll be posting some on all of my sites. So check it out!
Okay, okay … I’ll stop talking so you can go read the description of Book 2 …
Like I said I hope it gets you ready for book 2!
Until next time!

XOXO

. . .

. . .

. . .

Book 2 – CHAOTIC BEAUTY

“I messed up so much in the past. At least I knew it, and owned it. Now it was time for me to fix it …”

But don’t they always say it’s easier said than done?

Or something about good intentions?

Connor Brennan knew from the moment he first met Riley Sullivan that he wanted her and that he would have her. It wasn’t the first moment he laid eyes on her that he knew. It was the first time she spoke and put him in his place. He didn’t believe in one woman, love always, or together forever until the moment he met her and she changed everything. He thought that she was the one. He thought he was falling for her and they were happy. But then the unexpected happened and she left him. He tried to move on from her. He tried to forget her. He went back to his wicked ways and old habits. He fooled himself into believing she was almost out of his system, and his life. Then she came back and all bets were off. He knew he wanted her again right from the moment she walked through the door. He knew he would stop at nothing to have her back in his life, and in his bed. He knew it was only a matter of time before she was his for good. But he was wrong. Because she was different. Her warm summer-blue eyes were now as cold as steel. Her attitude that once screamed confident, carefree, and loving, was now shut-down, evasive, and distant. Where there was once laughter, fun, love, and the future, now there’s nothing but misunderstandings, hurt, pain, and destruction. He wanted to fix them more than anything, but all she brought back with her was a brick wall, another man, and chaos.

Riley Sullivan believed in the one, true love, and happily-ever-after’s, she just didn’t think she’d ever find it. She definitely didn’t think she’d find it in the cocky, overbearing, hotheaded, obnoxious, annoyingly handsome, driven, and intelligent thorn in her brother’s side. But she did. She thought Connor Brennan was the one. She thought she met her match. She thought she had found her equal. She thought that they had the promise of a future together. She thought there might be forever. Without a doubt she knew that she was falling hard and falling fast. Then the unexpected happened, and they both said and did things that she couldn’t get past and that sent her running. But that wasn’t the end of it. Because she is still paying for what she did. In the worst possible ways.

What sent her running is nothing compared to what brings her back …

And when she comes back through the door and into Connor’s life again, she’s not alone, and she’s not prepared.

Riley’s not the same girl she was when she left. Everyone can see it. Everyone wants to know what’s wrong with her … but she can’t tell. The only person she wants to lean on is the very last person she wants to know her secrets. The person she wants more than anything is the person she pushes away the most. The one she realizes she loves more than anything is also the one she hurts over and over again.

What happens when she pushes him too far and hurts him too much?

Connor knows that he wants Riley more than anything. But she’s leaning on someone else. She trusts someone else. She wants someone else. What’s he supposed to do when she only tells him lies? When she hides and evades? When she won’t trust? When she runs to another? When she changes even more?

Cut his losses? Shatter his own heart? Lose his soul?

Or wade into the chaos and accept everything that’s changed? Even if by doing so he shatters and loses himself and her once and for all?

Will she finally trust him enough to tell him everything, even though by doing so she may lose him forever? Will she continue to protect him from the threats, the violence, the pain and destruction? Or will she bring him into the chaos and danger with her? And if she does – will he fight with her, for her, for them? Will they realize in enough time that together they just might escape the chaos and survive?

Or will everything be realized too late and everything they love and value the most – including their lives – be destroyed?