Winter news & two book giveaways
WINTER GREETINGS
This is my first Hannah Mary McKinnon (thrillers) / Holly Cassidy (romantic-comedies) newsletter combo. I'm excited to share writing info and give away two books.
Stay warm,
Hannah Mary / Holly x
*Image by @jillwellingtonphotography_
Hannah Mary McKinnon & Holly Cassidy
What’s with the different names?
Writing suspense and romance under two different names makes it less confusing for my audience. We wouldn’t want you picking up a Hannah Mary McKinnon book expecting sweetness and light and instead finding murder and darkness between the pages – or vice-versa. While Hannah Mary McKinnon = darker stuff, pick up a Holly Cassidy novel and you’re guaranteed a happy ending. I promise!
Why Holly Cassidy?
There’s a story (of course there is)! “Holly” because I write holiday romantic comedies and it’s the epitome of festive. “Cassidy” because it means curly-haired (look at my photo and you’ll see how it fits), and “HC” stands for Happy Christmas. We thought it was cute and hope you do, too.
Discover my thrillers here. Check out my rom-com here (and read on for more details on both).
Upcoming THE REVENGE LIST Goodreads giveaway!
Make a note to enter this giveaway on Goodreads for a chance to win 1 of 15 copies of my latest twisty thriller! Runs March 24 - April 15, 2023.
What's The Revenge List about?
As a therapy exercise, Frankie Morgan writes a list of people she could work to forgive, and thinks nothing of it when she loses it in an Uber...until one by one the people on the list become victims of freak accidents. Coincidence, or is something more sinister at play?
The novel publishes on May 23, 2023. I can't wait for you to meet Frankie and find out why she included her own name on what was supposed to be a forgiveness list.
Giveaway is open to US & Canada. Good luck!
PS. You can also pre-order here.
THE CHRISTMAS WAGER has a cover and a release day - and Holly Cassidy has a website!
I'm thrilled to share the cover of my upcoming holiday romantic-comedy The Christmas Wager, which publishes on September 26, 2023 under the pen name Holly Cassidy.
It was so much fun writing a love story - there's no murder, I promise - and Christmas is my favorite of holidays. It was such a treat crafting this small-town rivals-to-lovers story set in fictional Maple Falls, which was inspired by my years of living in Switzerland.
Here's the official description:
One rivalry. Eight days until Christmas. Let the holiday games begin.
When LA-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy, mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner's stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison.
Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They'll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse's icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It'll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there's a spark, but what if it's just another game?
I hope you like the sound of it! You can already pre-order here.
Check out Holly Cassidy's brand new website here. Big thanks to Bruce Walden and his team for the designs!
MEET THE NARRATORS
I'm a huge audiobook fan and can often be spotted listening to them as I walk around my neighborhood. They've helped me become a better author, something I wrote about here. I've had the pleasure of working with a number of narrators, and I'm delighted to introduce you to two of them:
Lauren Ezzo is a Chicago based, Audie-nominated audiobook narrator and commercial voice talent. She has narrated hundreds of titles for major industry publishers, and her accolades include Audiofile, SLJ, & Paste Magazine “Best of Year” lists, several YALSA nominations, and several Earphones Awards. She specializes in YA, Romance & Thriller titles.
Lauren narrated Sister Dear, Maya's chapters in You Will Remember Me, and will narrate The Revenge List. I can't wait to hear her bring my cast to life.
Alex Wyndham is an Oxford University and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art graduate. He has narrated many audiobooks across the genres, performed in numerous BBC radio plays and lent his voice to various video game franchises and animated features. Alex has also starred in Emmy-winning TV shows for HBO and the BBC, critically acclaimed series for Showtime and ITV, and appeared in various films. If you're a fan of the show Yellowjackets, Alex plays Kevyn, the detective.
Alex is my go-to narrator for male characters. He read Nate's chapters in The Neighbors, "the man from the beach" in You Will Remember Me, plus Her Secret Son and Never Coming Home in their entirety. I interviewed him on his craft a few years ago. Read the article here.
BRILLIANT BOOK, BRILLIANT AUTHOR
"Behind every successful man is a ruthless wife who made it all happen, or so they say."
So begins The Widow, the latest riveting novel about marriage, privilege, and lies by Kaira Rouda, the USA Today bestselling author of The Next Wife. I discovered Kaira via her first thriller, Best Day Ever, which I gobbled up in no time. Protagonist Paul is one of my all-time favorite "love to loathe" characters. Her books are dark, devious, and hilarious. You'll have a hard time putting them down.
The Widow is out now. Click here for more, and listen to the opening pages on First Chapter Fun here.
But wait, there's more! By sharing this link on social media and inviting people to subscribe to my newsletter (tag @hannahmarymckinnon on Facebook & Instagram, and @hannahmmckinnon on Twitter), you'll be entered to win a copy of The Widow! Giveaway is open internationally and closes on March 10, 2023. Good luck!
AND...BREATHE!
For the first time in my life, I celebrated Christmas on the beach. We took a family trip to the Dominican Republic and it was glorious. We stayed at the Dreams Macao Beach in Punta Cana. Pure heaven. We spent time at the beach, in the waterpark (lazy river, anyone?), swam with stingrays and nurse sharks, drove powerboats, and sped down ziplines. We hadn't taken a beach holiday since 2015 and this was such a treat. It filled my creativity tank right up.
Are you planning a trip anywhere soon? Next up for us is a spring visit to Switzerland to see family. I can't wait to hug my dad and will share pictures of the Swiss Alps (my ultimate happy place) in my next newsletter.
DISCOVER NEW BOOKS
First Chapter Fun is the place where my partner in fictional crime, the amazing Hank Phillippi Ryan and I read the first chapter of a different book every Tuesday at12.30pm ET on Facebook (request to join) and Instagram. We have book giveaways almost every week and the featured authors interact with viewers in the comments during the shows. Have you tuned in yet?