Happy release day!

IF I COULD STAY is officially out. Those who pre-ordered should have their ebooks waiting on their Kindles, anxious to be read.

If you haven’t picked up your copy, it’s available in ebook and paperback here.

Now, I thought I would share a couple fun facts about the details that I included in my book.

Locations

I needed a small town setting for a good portion of If I Could Stay. I chose Cameron, Missouri because I was familiar with it. I spent my High School years in St. Louis, and during that time, my cousin (who happened to be one of my best friends) was living in Cameron, which is on the other side of the state. I would go to stay with her several times a year and enjoyed the hospitality and quirkiness of that small town.

Flagstaff, Arizona is another location in the book, and it’s a city that holds a very special place in my heart. I lived there for eight years of my childhood, riding bikes, playing in the snow, and admiring the blue sky.

People

There is a side character in my book named Adeline. I won’t give anything away, but suffice it to say that she is based on a real person. All of the quirky details I included—totally real.

This is the first time that I’ve purposefully based a character on a real person. I don’t expect I’ll do it often, but for this character it was perfect.

Song

I always pick a theme song for my couple, but I don’t think I’ve ever found a song as perfectly suited for a couple as this one.

You Matter to Me, by Sarah Bareilles (sung with Jason Mraz) is not only a gorgeous song, but it applies—word for word—to my characters. Click this link to listen to it.

Or, you could watch this dance which was choreographed to a part of the song (though it doesn’t include the first verse which is the part that REALLY applies to Jack and Leila). When I saw this dance, it was the first time I had heard the song and (after watching it multiple times) I had to go find it on iTunes so I could buy it. Love, love, love.

I truly hope you all enjoy this book just as much as you’ve enjoyed my Dalthia series. Releasing a new book is always nerve wracking for me, but with the switch in genre, I really don’t know what to expect! So I’ll sit back and bite my nails (not really. I’m not a nail biter) and hope that sales are good and, reviews are good, and that I don’t end up crashing and burning.