Finding Love's Wings 5 Star Review - That's Erotica

Finding Love's Wings by Zoey Derrick

Stop by and check out this Amazing Review from That's Erotica!

5 Stars

<3

A Week in Reviews - Literally...

When I started writing I never intended it to be a 5 Star Read. Okay, that sounds bad, so let me explain a little bit.

As an Author, publishing her first book, I expected to be met with a lot of criticism, a lot of people who wouldn't like my story, or that found it only average. I guess maybe this was my way of building up that overly tough skin you're required to have as an Author. If I thought it wouldn't be well received, and it wasn't, I'd already set myself up mentally to receive that criticism. 

I remember the very first time I send Finding Love's Wings to my Editor of Awesome - Sione, and shaking, literally, as I hit send on my manuscript. I waited very impatiently for feedback and was blown away by her response. She liked it and she saw some amazing ideas as to how we could work together to make it even better. 

After months of writing, editing, writing some more, and polishing off the finishing touches, I hit the big bad publish button on Amazon and waited, and waited, until around 11:30 that night when FLW started to pop up on the Foreign sites.. AmazonUK, AmazonCA, etc. Then Finally - Amazon. 

So now, it's LIVE and in living color for all the World to see. Sales picked up in those first couple of days, mainly from those that had followed my journey to publishing my debut novel. 

Finally on May 12th - 7 days after publishing came my VERY FIRST unsolicited review (aside from those I asked to please review my book) and it was from the LOVELY Michelle and it was 5 Stars and an amazing review & confidence booster. Read It Here. Michelle was also the first person to reach out to me via Facebook & this Blog to tell me how much she loved my story. 

For the first time since hitting that magic publish button I actually thought to myself that maybe this story doesn't suck after all. 

May 13th brought about 3 more reviews, 1 Four Star and 2 Five Star reviews. One of them, from Laura - Who is a Top Reviewer on AmazonUK - was thoughtful enough to post her review to US Amazon as well as UK. I learned a lot from Laura's review. She enjoyed the book and was critical enough to point out some of the flaws in formatting - most of which have since been changed.

Then came May 14th and FLW's one and only 1 Star Review. Read It Here. I'm not going to lie, it brought me down, way down, until I came to the full realization that my book is NOT for everyone. I haven't read this review since that first day. 

I choose to move past it, and find others to read my story and to hope for more reviews, which is ultimately the reason for this post. 

This week, the beautiful Vickie Ann of Innovative Online Tours organized a Review Tour for Finding Love's Wings that Kicked off on July 22, 2013 with a BANG! 

First Stop: MommaSez - The Beautiful Cindi at MommaSaz wrote an Amazing Review of Finding Love's Wings. Here's a blurb:

"I personally love New Adult novels because I can relive my youth. Tattoos, piercings, buying nice clothes and shoes (believe me, when you’re a Mom, most of that fun stuff goes right out the window, lol), having men hit on you in bars. It’s a peek back in time to when life was a bit naughty and definitely adventurous. And watching the characters find their own strengths in order to maintain healthy relationships is a positive in my book as well. Derrick writes a love story with a HOT side and she does it with style!"

Second Stop: T B R - Vickie Ann loved Finding Love's Wings so much, she posted her review a week ahead of schedule, <3 Here is a blurb:

"It is official I need to purchase a new kindle because Zoey Derrick set mine on fire!

Cami and Tristan are smokin hot and their love story is so enthralling. This book kept me up until 2 am 3 nights in a row, can you say exhausted with a silly grin."

Third Stop: The College Crawl - The Fabulous Claire over at The College Crawl posted her review. Here is a blurb: 

"Cami is a very interesting lady "wink wink" and is not at all like you would of pegged her to be as she certainly holds her own."

Forth Stop: Faerie Tale Books - Sam, man there are so many amazing things I could say about this review. When I find all the right words, I will let you know. Here is a blurb:

"When they discover the fierce connection that is between them, Tristan and Cami are thrown into a whirlwind affair that will leave them both breathless. Can they learn to trust again? Is their love strong enough to overcome their obstacles?"

Fifth Stop: Roxy Kade - Although Roxy wasn't overly thrilled with Finding Love's Wings, she does give it a pretty good review. Here's a blurb:

"I must admit that I did like Cami. I loved her feistiness and the fact that she was also vulnerable and a bit broken made her feel real."

Sixth Stop: RAWBooks - I met Mandy through Goodreads and a group called Some Like it Hot where I offered up a free copy in exchange for my review. Mandy was very quick to sign up for Vickie's Tour. Here's a blurb from her review: 

"Finding Love’s Wings was beautiful. The story, the characters, the emotions, the words; they were all beautiful. I sat down to read this and I really didn’t know what to expect. This is Zoey Derrick’s debut novel and I never read reviews of a book when provided with a copy and asked for an honest review. I don’t want to be influenced or jaded or have my review shadowed by other reviews in my head. So, I set out to read this book and at 28% I was texting Danielle:

“HOLY SHIT! THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! I’m only at 28% and I am addicted and panting! I can’t believe she asked us to review her book. Zoey Derrick is going to be huge!”

All in All this week I received the 6 tour stop reviews and 4 new Amazon Reviews. Currently Finding Love's Wings has 35 Reviews - 21 Five Star/13 Four Star/1 Three Star Review. 

So after all this is said and done, I'm beginning to finally believe that my book is honestly being read and enjoyed and for that I 

THANK YOU!!! 

Finding Love's Wings would not be what it is after nearly 90 days without all of you reading and your AMAZING Reviews.

Whether your review is 1 Star or 5 Stars - Please Please Support Me in what I do by Writing a REVIEW! 

That is ALL - For Now! 

Zoey

THANK YOU!!!

Dear Readers...

Tonight I was very indirectly reminded of a few things that I'd never forgotten but that had taken a back burner to all the madness that has been going on.

I was reminded of where this all started...

About a year ago, I returned home from a weekend getaway in Minneapolis - my forever and always home town - and upon returning from spending a great weekend with old friends I got this harebrained idea that I should write a book. So I did. I started writing out the things that came to mind.

Then in August I began this blog, joined Twitter - for the first time ever - and joined Facebook under my nom de plume of Zoey Derrick. I started off by liking and following the Authors that I'd discovered over the course of my own reading adventures. Eventually I started coming out of my shell and started to tell people that I was writing a book and in doing so I met some of the greatest people I could have ever hoped to meet.

First came the lovely and luscious Shoshanna Evers and gorgeous Jennifer Probst. (Seriously people, these are two of the most interactive Authors you will see on social media.) Shoshanna's muse and mine would disappear together - or at least that was the excuse I made when mine would go missing because he always seemed to come back naked. Jennifer inspired me with her personality and the little things, like sending my Grandma a book because she loved The Marriage Bargain.

The list I followed quickly grew to include the Beautiful Marata Eros (a.k.a. Tamara Rose Blodgett) who I fell in love with because of her Druid Breeders series. Marata always had something funny to say and through replies and faves and reTweets on Twitter I met the Girls that hold my heart together with their constant love and support. AussieGirl and CrystalRant.

If it had not been for Angie (a.k.a. AussieGirl's Book Lover Blog) and Crystal (Crystal's Random Thoughts) I would not have been able to accomplish the completion and publishing of Finding Love's Wings. 
Everyday they pushed me, inspired me, and drove me to write and write some more. When it came time to reveal Olivia's amazing cover for Finding Love's Wings - Crystal was there, ready and willing at practically a moments notice, to post it to all her followers. And my dearest Angie made me cry the same day, a couple of times.
The first time was while reading her heartfelt and amazing 4 Star Review of Finding Love's Wings. I was OVER THE MOON that day, and every time I re-read that review my eyes well up and I smile really big.

Without Angie and Crystal's urging and pushing me, THIS

Would not have happened!!! Do you see it? The Rank? That's right baby #4302 on the Amazon Rankings.

So you see, the moral of this post is this.... Though I might not always reply to posts or emails, I see and read everything EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS TO SAY! And your words of love for Tristan, for Cami, Tattoos, Piercings, me and my writing continues to push me further into my career as an Author.

So Please... Please.. Keep the reviews, the comments, the emails, the Posts and the Tweets coming.

THANK YOU!
XXOO!
Zoey


Now there is one other person I want to mention.. Michelle, before I started this post, I went back and read all my comments, and you, my dear, are AMAZING! Did you know that your words of adoration for Tristan and Cami has inspired a whole new realm of characters and stories. You were the very first person to read, review and completely SQWEE over my story? XXOO! Huge Hugs Girl, Thank you!

I know i've left a few people off of this post. Many of those that I owe deep thanks (including Angie and Crystal) were listed in the Acknowledgements of Finding Love's Wings.

To Everyone that has written a review of Finding Love's Wings, whether it was bad, so-so, good, best, or greatest I completely HEART every single one of you.

So Spread The Word.. Tell your friends!

AND.....

Awakening 2 Release Party

Hi Everyone, 

I've invited my friend and Author Jeanie Grey to guest post today, Release Day for Awakening 2 - Book 2 in the Lilly Frank Series. 

Without further adieu I present to you Lilly and Torren ........

My good friend Zoey Derrick has asked me to write character bios for her Awakening 2 Release Party post. I’ve never done something like this before, and it presents an interesting challenge because I’m so close to the characters that I don’t know what other people would want to know about them. It’s like trying to figure out what to tell people about myself.

Both Lilly and Torren are part of me; they are of me and in me, but also distinct from me. (Obviously I’m not a 500+ year-old male Italian vampire. Or at least I hope that’s obvious. The ‘male’ part, anyway.) I don’t yet know everything about their histories; they reveal things to me as I write. Nor do I understand everything they feel and do—just as I don’t understand everything I feel and do.

But I think I get them both, at the very least, on a basic level. I know why they’re attracted to each other and what causes their conflicts. I know what they’re learning from life and from each other in this story. (Or at least I think I know. They may end up surprising me in Book 3.) What can I tell you that will be of interest to you without giving too much away?

Do you want to know about their motivations? That his loneliness has driven Torren to do some things he’s not proud of? That her need for safety has driven Lilly to become a vampire, despite her aversion to the idea of drinking blood?

Because Lilly spent so many years avoiding being a pawn in her father’s political games, she’s highly sensitive to any behavior that might be considered manipulative or that might indicate that someone is “using” her to get what they need. Torren’s greatest fear is losing someone he loves again. Because Lilly is so independent and self-sufficient, and because she’s so wary of men in general, Torren feels anxious and jealous. He’s worried that she’ll leave him, even after everything he’s done for her.

Perhaps you want to know (to change the topic) how Lilly, despite her privileged upbringing, came to be so passionate about social justice. She had always valued fairness and compassion, but it was a teacher at her private high school—Mr. Thompson—who gave those values direction by introducing her to social justice issues and in particular to what he called “the evils of globalization.” Although Mr. Thompson later turned out to be something of a sleaze (as so many men in Lilly’s life seem to be), she nonetheless retained her interest in social justice. In college she studied anthropology and international affairs. After she graduated, she traveled for a year in Latin America and Asia with a couple of classmates, and then she enrolled in law school to study human rights. She’d almost finished her studies when her mother, Charlotte, was murdered.
Or maybe you want to know about Torren’s human life, about his love affair with Vittoria, about who made him a vampire and why. Perhaps you’d like to know how it’s possible for him to have forgotten so much of his past, when his memory of the past hundred or so years is crystal clear? Ahh, but these are things I can’t tell you yet; I wouldn’t want to give too much away. You’ll just have to wait until Awakening 3 comes out next summer. ;)


Jeanie Grey


http://jeaniegrey.blogspot.com/

****Jeanie's Bio****

Jeanie Grey is a feminist reader and writer of romance and erotica who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her short stories have been published on deadlyeverafter.com and thedarkerhalf.com. For more about her work and her views on writing romance and erotica, please visit her website at http://jeaniegrey.blogspot.com You can also connect with her on Twitter (@jeaniegrey) or email her at writejeaniegrey@gmail.com

**** Awakening 2 Synopsis ****

A newly made vampire requires a certain amount of time to get used to her new body and heightened senses. But Torren's worried that if Lilly doesn't hurry up, she'll be dead before she ever gets the chance to adjust to life as a vampire.

Word among vampires is that someone's hunting their kind, and it's not a quick death if you're caught. This killer likes to torture the victims first, and all signs indicate that he or she is circling ever-closer to Torren and Lilly.

Torren needs Lilly to stop fighting him and start trusting him. Maybe he shouldn't have deceived her...

**********

Thank you so much Jeanie for stopping by my blog, it was a real pleasure having you on and to learn more about Lilly and Torren and their story. 

For all my friends and fans, I hope that you too will enjoy Awakening 2. If you haven't had a chance to read Awakening (Lilly Frank Series) you can pick it up right now on Amazon for only $0.99. 

Jeanie, it was a pleasure and I hope you stop by again soon! 

XxoO, 

Zoey