5 years later ...

As I sit here just days before my 5 year publishing anniversary, I realize how far things have come, how much I've learned, and how much my writing has changed and grown. As much a I write for you, my readers, I write mostly for me.

I write because I can't ... not.

I write because it's part of who I am.

I've watched the publishing industry change over the last few years and I'm so glad to be a part of it.

Once upon a time, Tears in the Rubble was a couple hundred words, a story about a boy and a girl and a barn that held meaning for both of them. 

My bestie, Kate Roth (if you haven't checked out her books you should), and I used to get together every Tues. We'd watch Gossip Girl and TrueBlood and drink wine. We'd talk about our writing and eventually we decided we wanted to challenge ourselves a bit. Get out of the box so to speak. We came up with these writing exercises for each other. They were random and short.

I'm not even sure what the exercise was now but that's where the idea for Tears in the Rubble came from. It's a sweet story about two childhood friends who love each other. Since then I've written angst, sexy, emotional, and funny. I think I even have a paranormal up my sleeve.

For now though you can grab my first book for just 99 cents!

Layla Swanson is terrified of getting stuck in her small town, Hollow Oaks.  So, she’s made a plan.  Graduate her tiny high school, go to college away from home, and get her dream job.  She’s studied hard and devoted her high school career to reaching her goal. 

Graduation is just around the corner, and Layla is faced with the only person who could ever throw a wrench in her plan, Taylor Scott.  He’s her childhood best friend and despite the years since they’ve been close he knows her better than anyone else.  A chance meeting leads them down a road Layla never imagined. 

Now, Layla has to choose between her longtime plan to get away from Hollow Oaks and the one who’s captured her heart.

  Amazon

iBooks

Nook

Kobo

Who knows what's coming next? I have a whole bunch of stories just sitting on my laptop waiting to see the light of day. For now, I just want to thank you all. Thank you for letting me live my dream.

Don't forget to wish Tears in the Rubble a happy birthday on the 17th!!

Valentine's Day in Hollow Oaks

Layla Swanson is terrified of getting stuck in her small town, Hollow Oaks.  So, she’s made a plan.  Graduate her tiny high school, go to college away from home, and get her dream job.  She’s studied hard and devoted her high school career to reaching her goal. 

Graduation is just around the corner, and Layla is faced with the only person who could ever throw a wrench in her plan, Taylor Scott.  He’s her childhood best friend and despite the years since they’ve been close he knows her better than anyone else.  A chance meeting leads them down a road Layla never imagined. 

Now, Layla has to choose between her longtime plan to get away from Hollow Oaks and the one who’s captured her heart.  

Tears in the Rubble is available to read for free on kindle unlimited.

Now for a little note from Taylor to Layla.

Cover Reveal: Tears in the Rubble

Re-Releasing on December 16th.  Tears in the Rubble will now include the follow up novella, From the Rubble.  I'm so excited to share the new covers with you!!

Layla Swanson is terrified of getting stuck in her small town, Hollow Oaks.  So, she’s made a plan.  Graduate her tiny high school, go to college away from home, and get her dream job.  She’s studied hard and devoted her high school career to reaching her goal. 

Graduation is just around the corner, and Layla is faced with the only person who could ever throw a wrench in her plan, Taylor Scott.  He’s her childhood best friend and despite the years since they’ve been close he knows her better than anyone else.  A chance meeting leads them down a road Layla never imagined. 

Now, Layla has to choose between her longtime plan to get away from Hollow Oaks and the one who’s captured her heart.  

Summer Lovin' Blog Hop with Rebel Ink Press

Rebel Ink Press is turning 3 and we're celebrating.  Some of Rebel's author's are sharing their summer love stories, there are titles on sale, and prizes to be won.

I never really had a summer love or even a summer crush.  Lame, I know.  I'm not sure what I was doing when I was younger but apparently is wasn't being recklessly in love.  My characters in Tears in the Rubble did have a summer love though...

Layla Swanson grew up in the lazy, small town of Hollow Oaks and can’t wait to get out.  She has big dreams and big plans in the big city.  Layla has worked hard and her senior year is nearly at its end.  She can’t wait to go away to college.  And she’s one step closer to getting what she wants. Layla isn’t letting anyone get in her way. 

Taylor Scott may not be your typical country boy, but he doesn’t mind Hollow Oaks.  His dreams may not be marked on paper and set in stone, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them. 

A chance meeting between the two childhood friends may have Layla second guessing her longtime plan. Their rekindled friendship is leading them down a path neither one could have foreseen.  But with Layla leaving for college, many challenges face them, especially when she so stubbornly sticks to her solo plan.

Is Taylor’s love enough to convince Layla to let him in?  Or when everything falls apart, will Layla run away?    

Excerpt:
Layla flopped back onto her blanket and closed her eyes the corner of her mouth curling as she replayed Taylor swimming away. The look in his eyes as he had watched her smooth sun screen into her skin caused a tingle in her toes and a quiver in her stomach. Drifting off a bit, Layla thought about how much she'd actually miss her country summer days.
A wet finger trailed its way slowly across Layla’s warm stomach, leaving a trail of water droplets behind. She shivered but didn’t move. The finger continued its journey, going up her side now, tickling as it went.
"Layla," Taylor said finally, his voice quiet but deep, need lingering in the way he said her name.
She rolled to her side on the narrow dock and found Taylor perched on the ladder beside her, his eyes level with hers.
"What?" She asked sleepy voice, contentedness rolling through her body.
Taylor gripped her thin hip in his hand, a few of his fingers slipping beneath the fabric of her bikini bottoms. The pressure of his fingertips was light but the feeling seared its way to her bones. Electric goose bumps spread across her skin and Layla felt the need to cause the same reaction in Taylor. It was a compulsion she couldn’t ignore. Layla reached out her hand, placing it on his neck. From behind her sunglasses she watched him, propping her head on her
hand and scooting closer to him. The corner of his mouth twitched and her heart picked up speed at his subtle reaction to her touch. Layla ran her tongue slowly across her bottom lip and watched his brown eyes follow the motion. His fingers flexed on her hip. A thrill rushed through her knowing she held this small power over him. Feeling sexy for the first time in her eighteen years, she decided dive further into that world.
Layla pulled her sunglasses off and ran a hand through her blonde waves, letting them fall over her shoulder, a few pieces tickling her chest as she breathed deep. She smiled at Taylor and ran her hand up his damp arm, leaning into him slowly. Watching him watch her. Layla’s heart thumped as she brushed her lips against his. Barely, a whisper of a touch. Taylor sucked in a shuddering breath through his teeth and tried to press his lips to hers. Fighting the urge to give in, she parted her lips slightly and brushed against him again. His lips were warm and soft and Layla couldn’t stand it anymore. Her eyes drooped half-closed and she let him lean in, closing the distance between them. Her head spun as Taylor’s hand found its way further under her bathing suit, the tips of his strong fingers digging in as he parted her lips with his own.

Tears in the Rubble is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ARe.

Enter below to win some great prizes then head on back to Rebel Reasoning to find out what the other authors have to offer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anniversary Teaser #2...

I'm back today with another teaser from Tears in the Rubble...



Taylor reached across the cab of his brother’s truck and hit the horn again. Jackson glared at him and sighed.
"What's taking her so long? We’re going to be late," Taylor whined impatiently.
"Girls always take a long time," Jackson said as he rolled his eyes and leaned his head back against the headrest.
"Layla’s not a girl," he shot back. Next to him Jackson snorted. "What? She’s just--Layla."
Through narrowed eyes, Taylor glared at his brother until movement on the porch caught his attention. He looked just in time to see Layla bounding down the wooden steps. Taylor swallowed thickly and from the corner of his eye he saw Jackson’s head jerk to the left. Both boys watched as her green cotton sundress moved around her legs, her pale blond hair streaming behind her, her pink lips split into a grin.
"Oh… shit," Taylor said under his breath. Layla Swanson is hot was Taylor’s first thought. His second thought was when had that happened?
They'd been best friends for most of their lives. Taylor wasn’t sure how he had missed the transformation from bossy tomboy to whatever it was Layla had become. He'd seen her yesterday and yet he could swear she looked different. Beside him his brother was nodding in agreement. Taylor shot him another glare which only earned him another snort from Jackson.
"Layla Swanson’s all grown up," Jackson whispered, drawing out the words just as she pulled the passenger side door open, ducking the swat at the back of his head.
"Morning boys," she called cheerfully, ignoring their fighting. When Taylor didn’t respond because he was too busy staring, she pushed on his shoulder playfully. "What, do I look bad?"
She glanced down at her dress and ran a hand over her hair before biting down on her full, glossy bottom lip and looking back up at him. He continued to stare helplessly as her lip slowly popped out from between her white teeth. Shaking himself, Taylor cleared his throat trying to think of a response, something to smooth over the awkward moment. Maybe she hadn’t noticed he was staring. He hoped so anyway.
"No," he trailed off. Really smooth, Taylor cursed himself silently.
He climbed out of the truck and let her slide into the middle seat before he got back in. Over her shoulder, Jackson caught Taylor’s eye and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

2 more days to get Tears in the Rubble and From the Rubble for .99 on Amazon...

Happy Anniversary To Me...

It's been one year since my first novel, Tears in the Rubble, was released.  I'm still so excited it's a bit ridiculous.  I couldn't have done any of this without my publisher, Rebel Ink Press,  and my editor.  So I want to say thank you to then once again.

So to celebrate I'm going to give you all a little teaser from Tears in the Rubble for the next three days.  Both of my titles, Tears in the Rubble and it's follow up From the Rubble will be on sale for .99 on Amazon...

Teaser #1

Layla pulled her sunglasses off and ran a hand through her blonde waves, letting them fall over her shoulder, a few pieces tickling her chest as she breathed deep. She smiled at Taylor and ran her hand up his damp arm, leaning into him slowly. Watching him watch her. Layla’s heart thumped as she brushed her lips against his. Barely, a whisper of a touch. Taylor sucked in a shuddering breath through his teeth and tried to press his lips to hers. Fighting the urge to give in, she parted her lips slightly and brushed against him again. His lips were warm and soft and Layla couldn’t stand it anymore. Her eyes drooped half-closed and she let him lean in, closing the distance between them. Her head spun as Taylor’s hand found its way further under her bathing suit, the tips of his strong fingers digging in as he parted her lips with his own.

Both Tears in the Rubble and From the Rubble are available on Amazon for .99 for the next 3 days!!

Hitting Send...

I finally decided it was time...

I let you all know the other day that I had finished writing From the Rubble.  Well, finishing it definitely doesn't make it a finished product or even a submittable product.  My writing process is all over the place.  When I'm done it's kind of like playing connect the dots, so I always have to go back through and make sure it all adds up.  Not to mention grammar, spelling, typos, any number of things...

After going through From the Rubble twice on my own I decided to hit send this morning.  It has officially been submitted to my publisher.  Now comes the fun part.  The waiting.  Waiting to see what they think, waiting to see how well I really edited myself, and waiting to see how soon it will be released.

I take pride in learning from my editor, and trying to improve.  There are so many things that I don't know, things I could improve on, or just plain get lazy about, so I owe a lot to the person who is willing to take the time to teach me those things.  A huge thanks goes out to my amazing editor.  You're the best!

So, today I'm off to a kiddie Tae Kwon Do cookout where I will be obsessively checking my email on my phone.  Yes, I know I won't get it back that fast, but I will still do it.

Big News...

Today is an exciting day!  I just finished writing the last scene for From the Rubble, the follow up to Tears in the Rubble.  I can't believe it's done.  In a few minutes, I'm going to start going through and editing a bit before I send it off to my publisher.  I couldn't be more excited!

So now I will edit and submit, and wait impatiently (shhh) for my cover and release date.  I'm so excited to share this second novel with you.

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement!  It really means the world to me.  I hope everyone enjoys the second one as much as the first.

And don't forget to tell people to hurry up and read Tears in the Rubble :)

Tears in the Rubble: Did you know?

Here are some interesting things you probably don’t know about Tears in the Rubble…

The bar Ophelia’s is named after one of Shakespeare’s characters.

The scene for Taylor and Layla’s “first date” was a pizza place originally called Crust Lover’s (because at the time I couldn't come up with anything else).

For about 3 years Tears in the Rubble was lovingly referred to as “The Barn Story”.

The story was originally a love triangle between Taylor, Layla, and Ben, but they just wouldn’t have it.

Taylor’s last name at one point was Daniels then I realized his last name was Scott and his middle name was Daniel.

I started writing this as a young adult piece.

There were two different beginning to Tears in the Rubble

It had a prologue at one point, but I decided to use the prologue in chapter one as a flashback instead.

There you have it a few fun facts about my little world.  Don't forget the rest of Taylor and Layla's story is coming soon!

Rebel Ink Press: New Release Blog Hop

Just wanted to say hi and thanks for stopping by!  Take a peek at my recent release. And stay tuned for part two...coming soon!


Blurb:

Layla Swanson grew up in the lazy, small town of Hollow Oaks and can’t wait to get out.  She has big dreams and big plans in the big city.  Layla has worked hard and her senior year is nearly at its end.  She can’t wait to go away to college.  And she’s one step closer to getting what she wants. Layla isn’t letting anyone get in her way. 

Taylor Scott may not be your typical country boy, but he doesn’t mind Hollow Oaks.  His dreams may not be marked on paper and set in stone, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them. 

A chance meeting between the two childhood friends may have Layla second guessing her longtime plan. Their rekindled friendship is leading them down a path neither one could have foreseen.  But with Layla leaving for college, many challenges face them, especially when she so stubbornly sticks to her solo plan.

Is Taylor’s love enough to convince Layla to let him in?  Or when everything falls apart, will Layla run away?    

Here's a sneak peek...

Excerpt:

…Taylor glared at his brother until movement on the porch caught his attention. He looked just in time to see Layla bounding down the wooden steps. Taylor swallowed thickly and from the corner of his eye he saw Jackson’s head jerk to the left. Both boys watched as her green cotton sundress moved around her legs, her pale blond hair streaming behind her, her pink lips split into a grin. 
"Oh… shit," Taylor said under his breath. Layla Swanson is hot was Taylor’s first thought. His second thought was when had that happened? They'd been best friends for most of their lives. Taylor wasn’t sure how he had missed the transformation from bossy tomboy to whatever it was Layla had become. He'd seen her yesterday and yet he could swear she looked different. Beside him his brother was nodding in agreement. Taylor shot him another glare which only earned him another snort from Jackson. 
"Layla Swanson’s all grown up," Jackson whispered, drawing out the words just as she pulled the passenger side door open, ducking the swat at the back of his head. 
"Morning boys," she called cheerfully, ignoring their fighting. When Taylor didn’t respond because he was too busy staring, she pushed on his shoulder playfully. "What, do I look bad?" 
She glanced down at her dress and ran a hand over her hair before biting down on her full, glossy bottom lip and looking back up at him. He continued to stare helplessly as her lip slowly popped out from between her white teeth. Shaking himself, Taylor cleared his throat trying to think of a response, something to smooth over the awkward moment. Maybe she hadn’t noticed he was staring. He hoped so anyway. 
"No," he trailed off. Really smooth, Taylor cursed himself silently. 
He climbed out of the truck and let her slide into the middle seat before he got back in. Over her shoulder, Jackson caught Taylor’s eye and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Taylor shrugged lightly and closed the door. 
They rode in silence for a while. A very uncomfortable silence if anyone were to ask Taylor. Normally, they would have teased each other and talked while Jackson ignored them, but today they just sat. Layla stared straight ahead and Taylor looked out the side window watching the fields blur by. It was awkward and easy to feel the tension in the truck. It felt to Taylor that it was almost a living, breathing thing. 
"Are you sure I look okay?" Layla’s voice broke through the silence. Taylor could hear the nervousness there and he wanted to say something to make her feel better. Still at a loss for words, he turned his head and met her hazel eyes. Taylor opened his mouth to speak but before anything came out, Jackson spoke up. 
"You look great, Layla." The compliment was smooth and simple delivered in a lazy way, and it made Taylor mad. 
She turned away from Taylor and to his horror, he watched his brother reach up and tug on 
her hair playfully before he let his arm rest on the back of the seat behind her... 


You can buy Tears in the Rubble at: Amazon, ARe, Barnes & Noble, and BookStrand.



Thanks again for stopping by!  To keep updated stop back by or find me on Facebook.

Don't forget to head back to Rebel Reasoning to check out more from Rebel's great authors.

Coming Soon: From the Rubble

Alright everyone!  Here it is!  An official announcement about From the Rubble (the sequel to Tears in the Rubble).  I know I've hinted at it but it really is happening.

When I first finished Tears in the Rubble I wasn't thinking about  a sequel.  Maybe that's because I've never been one for tying a pretty bow on everything.  Maybe it was because I knew in my head the next steps for my characters.  But really there's so much more to tell, and I want to share it with you all.

I don't have a date yet.  When I do I'll share.  In the mean time, if you haven't read Tears in the Rubble you should get started.  Head here to see all the place you can get it http://britnihillwriter.blogspot.com/p/tears-in-rubble.html.


From the Rubble blurb:


In the wake of a terrible betrayal, Taylor and Layla bury their feelings for the other, good and bad, just to get by day to day.  Forced together because of their daughter, Taylor struggles to forgive Layla so he falls into the role of fatherhood, naturally striving to be the best father he can be.

Layla’s guilt overwhelms her as she fights herself over her feelings for Taylor.  After all, she doesn’t believe she deserves another chance.  She’s already had too many.

Making a family out of a broken relationship won’t be easy, but with both Taylor and Layla pushing forward, will they ever find a new normal?  Will they ever confront their feelings for one another?


Stay tuned for more news and spread the word!

D. Renee Bagby's

First chapter of Tears in the Rubble is up to read over at D. Renee Bagby's.  If you don't have your copy yet head on over and get a sneak peek.

Tears in the Rubble is now available in ebook format and paperback.

And the Excitement Continues...

Last week was incredibly crazy for me.  I seriously can't describe the feeling of knowing that people are sitting in there homes, at work, or wherever they please and reading Tears in the Rubble.  I barely slept the night before it came out because the anticipation was too great.  Now after a week things are winding down and I'm getting some feedback.  I love knowing that people liked my story and loved my characters.  Well, Taylor at least.  This experience has been amazing!

So thanks again for supporting me and reading my novel or planning to read it.  It means a lot.

Now, I need to get to work on some new stories.


One last thing....just because I'm so excited about it.  And you should be too...

5 things you should know about Layla Swanson...

She's hard to like and a bit quirky...

1. Layla's favorite food is lasagna.
2. She never hits snooze. Ever.
3. Her favorite movie is Forrest Gump
4. She's never had a pet. Unless you count her goldfish from the county fair that only lived for 2 days.
5. Layla loves hot tea with honey.

5 Things you should know about Taylor Scott...

Taylor Scott is pretty amazing and I think everyone should get to know him....

                                   
1. Taylor's favorite color is blue.
2. He loves 80's rock.  Think hair bands.
3. He loves sour candy.  It really doesn't matter what kind.
4. His middle name is Daniel. He hates it.
5. Taylor is tone deaf.  Can't sing a bit, but that doesn't stop him.

It's release day!!

Wow!  Where do I start?  I can't even begin to express how I feel right now.  This has been a crazy ride so far and I'm so excited.  I want to thank everyone that has supported me and everyone that had been excited for me.  I hope everyone enjoys my little story!

Here's where you can buy it!

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
BookStrand
ARe

Tears in the Rubble Playlist

          In celebration of tomorrow I've decided to share my playlist for Tears in the Rubble with you.  Every movie has a soundtrack so why shouldn't my book?  


          These are songs that influenced me while writing this story and songs that remind me of my characters.  Enjoy!

1.     Layla by Eric Clapton  

2.     Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

3.     Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum

4.     Amazing by Aerosmith

5.     Everybody Talks by Neon Trees

6.     Changing by The Airborne Toxic Event

7.     Have you ever seen the rain? by Creedance Clearwater Revival

8.     Leave the Pieces by The Wreckers

9.     Lonely Boy by The Black Keys

10.   Chances Are by Garrett Hedlund

11.   Brown Eyes by Lady Gaga

12.   Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons

13.   Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye

14.   If this was a Movie by Taylor Swift

Happy Easter...

9 days and counting until the release of Tears in the Rubble!!  Working on some new ideas and relaxing today.  Hope everyone has a great day with their loved ones!  Happy Easter!

Let the Games Begin...

            It’s roughly 7 am on Wednesday morning and I’m sleepily getting ready for work.  I’m not a morning person at all.  Morning is my nemesis.  Alarm, no alarm, early morning, late morning, it doesn’t matter, if it’s before 11 am. I’d rather not be moving around.  I do it however because I have to.  With that said….in the past few months I’ve been obsessively checking my email waiting for any information about my book.  So naturally the first thing I do when I wake up is check my email.  Usually it’s nothing.  Well, today I got something.  My first edits!  I can’t even describe the mix of excitement and nervousness.  I’m one step closer.  I’m also pretty critical of my own work so this process should be interesting.  I’m off to get started.  Wish me luck!!

A Cover is Born...

When I started writing Tears in the Rubble, I'll be honest, I didn't have a title.  I didn't have any cover ideas.  I didn't really have any idea where the story was even going.  I just had people living in my head.  Yes, I realize that sounds kind of crazy but it's the truth.  Sometimes there are just characters that start talking to me and I can't ignore them.  They won't let me.  A friend of mine challenged me to write a short story using these characters and it just kept growing.  In about a month it will be available for anyone to read, and I can't believe it.

Now, I have a cover to show everyone thanks to Rebel Ink Press and their cover artist.  I couldn't be happier and I pretty excited to share it today.  I hope everyone else loves it as much as I do.