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Cover Reveal

ALL PLAYED OUT Cover Reveal + Behind the Scenes!!

First of all, welcome to the first blog on my SHINY NEW WEBSITE!! We’ve been working on this for awhile, and I’m super pleased with how it turned out. Feel free to click around, and be sure to check back often. We’re a work in progress, but we’ve got some fun plans for this place. 

Now let’s get down to business….TO DEFEAT THE HUNS!

(Anyone? Just me? Anyway….)

Today, I’m REALLY FREAKING EXCITED about ALL PLAYED OUT!!

ALL PLAYED OUT is the third book in the Rusk University series. It’s a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel published by William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins) and it’s scheduled to release on May 12, 2015.

ALL PLAYED OUT
by Cora Carmack

Available May 12, 2015

First person in her family to go to college? CHECK.
Straight A’s? CHECK.
On track to graduate early? CHECK.
Social life? …..yeah, about that….

With just a few weeks until she graduates, Antonella DeLuca’s beginning to worry that maybe she hasn’t had the full college experience. (Okay… Scratch that. She knows she hasn’t had the full college experience).

So Nell does a smart, dedicated girl like herself does best. She makes a “to do” list of normal college activities.

Item #1? Hook up with a jock.

Rusk University wide receiver Mateo Torres practically wrote the playbook for normal college living. When he’s not on the field, he excels at partying, girls, and more partying. As long as he keeps things light and easy, it’s impossible to get hurt… again. But something about the quiet, shy, sexy-as-hell Nell gets under his skin, and when he learns about her list, he makes it his mission to help her complete it.

Torres is the definition of confident (And sexy. And wild), and he opens up a side of Nell that she’s never known.  But as they begin to check off each crazy, exciting, *normal* item, Nell finds that her frivolous list leads to something more serious than she bargained for. And while Torres is used to taking risks on the field, he has to decide if he’s willing to take the chance when it’s more than just a game.

Together they will have to decide if what they have is just part of the experiment or a chance at something real.

Pre-order ALL PLAYED OUT on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iBooks. Plus you can add it on Goodreads!

Now, I know what you’re thinking…. You want it noooow1

And I totally get it! I want to share Nell and Torres’ story with you guys SOOOOOOOOO badly – but unfortunately, I can’t quite yet. But I have the next best thing – the cover!!

But first… a behind the scenes look!

For the first time in NINE books (holy crap! NINE!), I got to do something special with APO. My publisher organized a cover shoot, and not only did I get to pick the models, but I got to GO!

Our photographer was the incredible Kelsey Kukal-Keeton of K Keeton Designs, and we did the shoot near where she lives in Springfield, MO. She managed to get us some time inside a fraternity loft from a local university (apparently, they can’t party in their house in campus, so they needed a party apartment downtown. Lolforever).
Did I mention that the shoot was the day after Halloween? YEAHHH. And that we arranged for them to just leave the apartment how it had been after the party because we wanted that authentic post-frat party feel?  Yeaaaaah. I might have spotted a little vomit on the couch, and then didn’t sit down for the rest of the time I was there.

But anyway… we arrived at around 10 AM and one of the fraternity guys came downstairs to let us in. From the moment we got into the stairwell, it smelled overwhelmingly of beer and poor life choices. In fact, there were several empty beer cans on the ground as we climbed a few flights of stairs up to where we’d be shooting.

It was decorated like you might expect a fraternity loft to be. Beer signs. A huge beer pong table hung by chains from the ceiling. And a giant ass American flag. #MERICA. There were half-full beer cans on a few surfaces. A nearly empty keg in the corner. And those massive gray outdoor trashcans. Three of them. Full of empty cans. They even had a fog machine, guys. This was serious.

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Enter our models: Autumn and Isaiah.

They were both gorgeous. And so SUPER nice. And also made uncomfortable by our surroundings.

Autumn and Isaiah

So, left alone to our own devices, I did some snooping in an attempt to find some cleaning supplies to make the area we’d be shooting a little more… hospitable. Unfortunately, the only cleaning supply they had on hand was WINDEX.

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There was one point while we were setting up that a half naked dude came out of the back hallway in search of a phone he’d lost the night before.  We all helped him search. Well… everyone else helped while I tried not to laugh and took terrible, blurry, surreptitious photos.

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Later, a door opened in the back hallway and 2 dude and like 5 girls made the walk of shame. I was too slow to get pictures of that.

*curses the heavens*

But finally, we got down to business.

Kelsey was great, as was her husband who assisted her. And the models totally rocked it. I am not even exaggerating when I say that I would have been happy to have 95% of the pictures as my cover. They did sweet and sexy and SEXIER.

Here’s a few awesome outtakes that were some of our favorites, but we didn’t use in the end.

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*fans self*

But then there was a point toward the end of the shoot where we started taking photos that might be good for the teaser graphics we’re all so fond of. And since Torres is freaking hilarious (Gah, I love him so much), I figured we’d have at least one teaser with a funny one liner. So, we tried for some shots where they were smiling and laughing together. It took a little bit to get a decent shot. (IT’S REALLY HARD TO LAUGH ON COMMAND AND NOT LOOK LIKE A DOUCHE). But eventually we all started laughing about how bad they were at laughing, and Kelsey snapped this shot that was just so genuine and cute. It was only supposed to be for a teaser graphic.

But when I saw it I fell in love. This shot IS Torres and Nell.

We could have gone with any one of the gorgeous pictures above and had a super hot, sexy cover. And it would have been great. Because Torres is pretty freaking sexy (There’s this scene in a library, and another scene in his truck, and another– I digress).

But the smexy is not what sets this book apart. It’s the characters. They’re hilarious. And vibrant. And awkward.

And this cover is all of those things.

So without further ado… I present to you, the cover for All Played Out!

Pre-order ALL PLAYED OUT on AmazonBarnes & Noble, or iBooks. Plus you can add it on Goodreads!

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And just in case this cover wasn’t exciting enough, check out this other tidbit of Rusk University news….

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Your eyes are NOT deceiving you! ALL LINED UP and ALL BROKE DOWN are on sale for only 99 CENTS EACH!! That’s crazy town! So it’s a great time to start the series if you haven’t, or to share it with a friend!

All Lined Up: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks
All Broke Down: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks

AND… AND… AND…

You might be aware of a new book I released in December. A sexy NA paranormal called INSPIRE.

And it, too, is on sale for $.99 for a limited time only!

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Amazon| B&N | iBooks

Even if you’ve not read paranormal before, I hope you’ll give it a shot. At it’s core, it’s still very much so an NA romance. In fact, there are whole sections of the book that don’t feel even remotely paranormal. It’s got all the angst and real life struggle of NA with a little extra oomph. And Wilder gives Silas Moore a run for his money in the sexy book boyfriend department. 😉

And that’s the last of my announcements. I want to give one final gigantic thanks to Kelsey of K Keeton Designs and the Harper design team for being the absolute best.

And for sticking around, have a little more Torres. 🙂

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The One with the All Lined Up Reveal!

Hello my lovelies!!!
I am bursting with excitement to introduce you all the first book in my new Rusk University series! ALL LINED UP is a New Adult Contemporary Romance novel published by William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins). It is due to be released on May 13, 2014!!
 
AHHHHHHH! How crazy awesome was that?
Go ahead. Watch it again. I’ll wait. 🙂
 
I love this video, and I love the cover, and I love the book, and I cannot WAIT for you guys to read it. Here’s a little more info:


ABOUT ALL LINED UP:

In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both.

 

Dallas Cole loathes football. That’s what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.
But life doesn’t always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.
Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It’s obliterated.
Dallas doesn’t know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn’t know that Dallas is his new coach’s daughter.
And neither of them knows how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
“Laughter + heartache + hot sexual tension = the perfect Cora Carmack book.”
—Monica Murphy
 
Praise for All Lined Up:
“Feisty, sparkly, and sexy, feel the rush of falling in love all over again with Carson and Dallas! Confession: Cora Carmack’s new series is my brand new addiction!” (Katy Evans, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author)
 

“Football and falling in love are two of the greatest things ever. It would take Cora Carmack to make them even better…ALL LINED UP is a touchdown!” (Jay Crownover, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author)

“Cora Carmack’s done it again! ALL LINED UP is a fantastically sweet and sexy new adult love story.” (Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author)

“Cora’s best book yet!” (Jennifer L. Armentrout, # 1 New York Times Bestselling author)

 

Pre-Order Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble iTunes
Links: Website Twitter Facebook Author Goodreads ALL LINED UP Goodreads

 

P.S. You can already read an excerpt here!

 

The One with the Seeking Her Cover

MY LOVES!!!

It’s time for a new cover reveal!
FINDING IT has been out just over a month and some of you might be feeling a little bit like this…
The good news for you for you Jackson Hunt fans is that you haven’t seen the last of him! On January 28th, there is a novella releasing from his point of view!
It’s a sort of prequel. It starts a few weeks before the opening of Finding It, and then overlaps with the beginning of that book. So you’ll get both new content and a few Finding It scenes from his pov.
WARNING: DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T READ FINDING IT. SPOILER ALERT.
SERIOUSLY. THERE ARE SPOILERS.
PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Here’s the official copy:
SEEKING HER by Cora Carmack
A few months after being honorably discharged from the military, Jackson Hunt is still struggling to adjust back to the real world. He needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he’s going to keep his own demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Bodyguard (and baby-sitter) to spoiled-rich-girl Kelsey Summers isn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, but it’s a chance to travel, to get away from the home that has felt stifling ever since his return. It would be a pretty sweet gig if it weren’t for the fact that Kelsey’s father doesn’t want Kelsey to know she’s being followed. Hunt feels guilty (and a little bit creepy) as he watches her from afar. She’s vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When he sees her falling into the same patterns that he suffered years ago, he decides it’s time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know her is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.

AND NOW FOR THE COVER…

ISN’T IT SO PRETTY? I love the colors and Kelsey, and everything about it.

 

The One with the Reveal

Guys… I cannot even begin to express how much I love you all, and how exciting you guys have made… well, my life.

The U.S. Paperback of LOSING IT releases in two weeks and one day. In two weeks and one day, I will find my book in a bookstore. WARNING: My twitter feed that week might consist of pictures of me with the book in every bookstore I can find. If you enjoyed LOSING IT, I would be honored if you would buy a print copy for your book collection. You can pre-order it now.

You can also enter my LOVE LETTERS contest for the chance to win a signed copy (open internationally).

And now, on to thing you really want. The cover of Cade’s book FAKING IT. I’ve been very secretive about this book. I didn’t let anyone read it before I sent it in to my editor, and I’ve told you all next to nothing about it. But the secrets stop now!

So firstly, you might be wondering what this book is about? Well… here goes:

 

FAKING IT by Cora Carmack
releases 06/04/2013 from William Morrow Paperbacks
Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.
SQUEEEE!!! So now that you know what it’s about, check out this AWESOMEPANTS cover!

 

Sometimes I just catch myself staring at it. 
It’s just so pretty. *pets the pretty*
It’s okay… you can pet it, too.
BTW… this book comes out on my BIRTHDAY! Can you say BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER.

Want to read LOSING IT early? AKA… The One with the Challenge

Hellooooo friends!

So many amazing things have been happening that I’ve had a little trouble keeping up and have neglected my sad little blog. I think it’s time to change that! So… I have some news and a challenge for you all!

The news is… LOSING IT has a cover!!!! The cover reveal (organized by the YA Sisterhood) was a phenomenal success!!! Over 30 blogs participated, and the reaction was FANTASTIC! Sadly, since the cover reveal, I had to make a slight change to the font on the cover so that it would be more readable as a thumbnail for when it goes up for sale. So here is the latest version for your viewing pleasure!

*Fans self* 
The guy is pretty cute, huh? Trust me… the rest of the picture that I cut out is even better! It will be released along one stop of the blog tour! 
Now that that’s done, are you guys ready for my challenge? It’s a big one! Well, actually it’s a multi-part challenge! 
If LOSING IT hits 1000 “to read” adds on Goodreads, I’ll host a giveaway for one advanced copy of LOSING IT! These are rare folks, and I hadn’t planned to give any more out, but I think 1000 adds deserves celebrating! Here’s where we currently stand on Goodreads: 
Not that far to go, right? That giveaway is within your grasp! 
UPDATE: Challenge met! See the next post for the giveaway! 

Losing It

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! 

If LOSING IT hits 1500 “to read” adds, I’ll do something crazy! I’ll bump the release date up by at least one full day (the current release date is October 16th). I’ll do the same at 2000 and 2500 too, which means LOSING IT could be released by as many as three days early! 
UPDATE: WE’VE HIT 1350! Not much more to go before the 1500 challenge! October 15th is looking pretty good for the release date!  
Everyone I’ve interacted with so far has been so enthusiastic and encouraging and amazing. 

I BELIEVE IN REWARDING THAT KIND OF AWESOME. 

And I like coming up with rewards! So, who knows? Maybe if you guys continue to impress and awe me, I’ll come up with even more rewards! 
Love, love, love you all! 
In awkward <3, 
Cora
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