Some of you may have noticed that my contemporary romance novella, The Boyfriend Bylaws, has disappeared from sales channels. If you’re worried, fear not. It’s just going through a morph.

I discovered this news, myself, while typing out pages in Kristen’s story, Save the Date (Better Date than Never, Book #4). . . .

“I belong in the Better Date than Never series!” a voice called out.

My head whipped left, then right, wondering who had spoken—since I was alone in my office. Finally, my eyes came to rest on the cover of The Boyfriend Bylaws. “Did you say something?” I said.

“Yes.” Suddenly, through a force of its own will, the pink heart on the cover started shifting to red. “Please help me. I need to be with my friends.”

My eyes widened, but I knew what I had to do. Talking books are nothing to mess around with. “Don’t worry. I’m on it.”

Immediately, I turned my attention to my Save the Date manuscript, and my fingertips started tapping out a paragraph—Melanie Porter, from The Boyfriend Bylaws, had worked her way into Kristen’s story. Mel was teaching a Zumba class, no less.

The paperback next to me let out a heavenly sigh. “Thank you for bringing me home.”

As the last of the pink writing faded, the prior contemporary romance book disappeared, leaving a red and black title in its wake: A Twist of Date (Better Date than Never, #5). Coming August 1, 2013.

 ~ Susan

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Hello, awesome reader!! I’m super excited to show you my cover for Save the Date (Better Date than Never, Book #4) – coming July 1, 2013. Ta da!! 

As many of you know, Save the Date is Kristen’s story. If you’ve read, My Last Blind Date, you’ll be excited to know that Rachel and Noah make appearances in Save the Date, along with Ellen, Gina, and more – yay!

Here’s an excerpt from Save the Date to tide you over until it comes out:

I’d been a dirty mistress, and hadn’t even known it. I’d thought I was low maintenance, the kind of girlfriend who gave her guy space. But I’d been nothing but a snack to Jake. A candy bar. Turned out his meal was his wife. I found out when I’d seen them together at the Sacramento Community Theater—watching The Nutcracker wasn’t nearly as enjoyable with the back of my boyfriend and his wife’s heads in my view.

Normal people discovering their boyfriend was married would be all sorts of horrible, but as a family therapist who evaluates people for a living, Jake’s duplicity caused me an epic degree of humiliation. I mean, what kind of judgment could I really have if someone who I’d considered perfect—meaning he’d seemed kind, intelligent, left the toilet seat down, those kinds of things—had really been a two-timing troll?

That’s why I’ve taken a sabbatical from my career. Not because my failed relationship devastated me too much to make it to the office—a month of crying had cleansed that scuzzball from my system—but because, if I couldn’t evaluate well in my own life, who was I to try and figure out someone else’s?

Unfortunately, after two months off work, my savings account has taken a serious hit. I had to bring in an income again—pronto. As a homeowner, my bank kind of expected me to do things like pay the mortgage. Sigh.

I needed to find a job, but one that didn’t require using my personal judgment. Hmm. . . .

Hope you enjoyed the little peek into Kristen’s story. If you haven’t read the first three books in the Better Date than Never series, then get a move on so you’re up to date (pun intended):

Love at First Date (Better Date than Never, Book #1)
Truth or Date (Better Date than Never, Book #2)
My Last Blind Date (Better Date than Never, Book #3)

Remember, mark your calendars for July 1st cuz that’s when Save the Date will be released. Happy reading, everyone!!

~ Susan

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

I’m excited to announce that Truth or Date has just been released! It’s Book #2 in the bestselling Better Date than Never series.

You’ve met some of the characters in Love At First Date, now you can spend more time with them in Truth or Date. Here’s the summary:  

Gina Hall is done with men who won’t commit. Ten years waiting for her ex to propose wasted her time. Never again. When her friend Kristen starts a game of Truth or Dare, she dares Gina to go on a date with Ethan, who’s amazing and total marriage material.

As Gina plans the going away party for office playboy Chris Bradley, she spontaneously initiates a game of Truth or Dare with him. When his turn comes around, he dares Gina to pose as his girlfriend to help get a flirty colleague off his back. Gina finds playing couple with Chris way too much fun.

Even though Gina and Chris are pretending, their relationship begins to feel painfully real. Fearing she might be falling for another fly-by man, Gina must focus on Ethan so she doesn’t make the same dating mistakes all over again.

Truth or Date has just been released on Amazon. It will also be available on iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and in paperback shortly–definitely within the next few days. Hope you enjoy Gina’s story and happy reading!!

 Susan

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

Aloha, everyone! While starting to wrap up my island vacation (boo hoo), I pondered ten things I learned from writing in Kauai:

1. THE BEACH is distracting.
2. TROPICAL FLOWERS are distracting.
3. WHALE WATCHING is distracting.
4. GECKOS are distracting.
5. FROLICKING IN THE WAVES is distracting.
6. HUMID OCEAN BREEZE is distracting.
7. ISLAND BIRDS SINGING are distracting.
8. SCENIC DRIVES are distracting.
9. BOOGIE BOARDING is distracting.
10. PINA COLADAS are so deliciously disctracting.

My conclusion? Write in the morning. After that? Not going to happen.

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“Nobody ever said finding the right person was easy. But, nobody said it would be this hard, either.” – Gina Hall, Truth or Date …. coming May 1, 2013.

If you’ve read Love at First Date, get ready to spend more time with the girls in Truth or Date. Truth or Date is Gina’s story. What will happen? Can’t spoil the surprise! Don’t worry, you’ll find out super soon.

Oh, you’re wondering about the gorgeous red dress? Hmmm, I will say someone might be getting married and Gina just might be a bridesmaid.

Stop! No more clues. All will be revealed on May 1st, so mark it on your calendars!

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

When I left for my Girls Trip to Cabo, I’d received many warnings: Be careful of the strong ocean current. Don’t drink the tap water. Beware of the drug peddlers. Don’t venture off resort alone. Yada yada yada… But, nobody ever warned me of the danger I would actually face.

Our travels started fine and we arrived to Mexico in good spirits, blissfully unaware of the perils that awaited me. Like all good resort goers, we relaxed with pina coladas by the pool, cruised in a boat to admire the humpback whales up close, enjoyed group dinners at the restaurants, watched the after-dinner shows at night, swung our hips at the disctoteca until the wee hours, then started over again the next day. It all seemed glorious, typical, harmless . . .

Then HE flew into my life. While chilling out on a lounge chair by the infinity pool and discussing romance novels with Megan, HE attacked my calf without warning. The Yellow Mexican Horse-fly. Aka: my nemesis.

Had I provoked him? No. Had I been in his way? No. But he launched his assault mercilessly anyway. Searing pain ensued from the tiny hole he left in my Australian Gold SPF #30 coated skin. Redness enveloped and the girls raced to the nearby tiki bar for ice. Many pool-side tourists offered me comforting words as I held the freezing (and rather large) ice-pack to my leg. The foul names passing vacationers called the evil mexican bug didn’t lessen the burning sensation, but soothed me nonetheless. They sympathized with the damage his heartless raid had caused on this unsuspecting writer.

Now, I’m back home. My doctor prescribed me meds to get rid of this darn infection. While fighting not to itch my calf, I perused the internet and found this photo to share with you all. If you’re going to Cabo, don’t think you’re safe staying on the resort and hanging by the pool. Add this bee-looking creep to your watch-out list and maybe even wear some inspect spray. On a side note, while researching, I also learned that it’s the bloodsucking FEMALE that bites. What the . . . ? No, I’m gonna remain in denial on that one. I’d hate to think another girl would do this to me.

Our Cabo vacay zipped by way too quickly and I’m always going to remember whale watching in that gorgeous ocean, tasting the fruity rainbow drinks, and spending quality time with the girls. Even though the mexican bug drama lingers on (doctor estimates it’ll be gone within the week), you should know that HE will not have the last laugh. Oh, no. He may have wounded me in real life, then snickered as he flew to the planter-box with the pretty purple flowers, but when I write my book that takes place in Cabo . . . the yellow horse-fly will NOT get off so easy. That’s right. Payback in fiction. It’s a weapon we writers own and are willing to use.

How about you? Any crazy vacay stories you want to share? Or if you want to bag on the Yellow Mexican Horse-fly then that’s a rant that is welcome here, too.

~ Susan

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I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that Love At First Date has just been released on Amazon – yay! As most of you know, Love At First Date is a prequel to my international bestselling short story, My Last Blind Date. If you enjoyed My Last Blind Date’s side character, Ellen, then you’re gonna be excited because Ellen has her own story now. And, of course, Rachel makes appearances as well.

Here’s the summary of Love At First Date:

Ellen may not believe in storybook love, but it’s about to rewrite her life . . .

Ellen’s figured out that finding the right guy is all about compatibility. That’s why she signs up for Detailed Dating—the local online dating scene in Sacramento. They ask men the hard questions, compare their answers with hers, then she filters through the profiles of each provided “match.” After numerous email exchanges, she narrows it down to two promising candidates she’s excited to meet in person.

When Ellen’s best friend asks her for a favor, dog-sitting leads to disaster and Ellen ends up at the local vet where she meets a man she can’t get out of her mind. Henry isn’t a logical choice, but she finds herself paying for dog obedience class to spend more time with him.

Ellen knows that in order to have a lasting relationship, she should take the safe route and go for one of the pre-screened guys. But, how can she think with her head when her heart keeps begging her to give Henry a chance?

Love At First Date is currently exclusive with Kindle, but will also be available in paperback soon. I love reading reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, so hope to see yours there on Ellen’s story. Happy reading!

~ Susan

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

I’m super excited to announce that two of my books are now available in german! My Last Blind Date is Mein letztes Blind Date and was published on September 4, 2012. Here’s the german summary:

Es ist Valentinstag und Rachel Price hat die Wahl: Zuhause bleiben und mit ihrem liebenswerten Hund Fernseher zu schauen oder sich auf ein von ihrer besten Freundin Ellen arrangiertes Blind Date einzulassen. Was tun…

Ellen sagt dass der Kerl ein Traummann sei. Der letzte Mann den sie ihr vermittelte war jedoch eine Niete. In letzter Zeit hat Rachel mit ihrem Kollegen Noah Peterson geflirtet und sie hofft, dass er es bemerkt hat. Dann findet sie heraus, dass Noah große Pläne hat. Schlimmer noch, er rät Rachel zum Blind Date zu gehen!

Soll sie auf Nummer sicher gehen und den Feiertag der Grußkartenverkäufer mir ihrem treuen Hund Chester verbringen oder ein neues Kennenlerndisaster riskieren, indem sie es der Liebe wegen noch einmal versucht?

An Unexpected Date is Ein unerwartetes Rendezvous and was published on August 2, 2012.

Here’s the summary:

Holly liebt es in ihrer gemütlichen Bergstadt zu leben und all die Schönheit die sie umgibt tut ihrer Seele gut. Sie schätzt es Perlenschmuck für ihr eignes kleines Unternehmen zu fertigen während sie die Natur und ihre erstaunlichen Geschöpfe von ihrem Fenster aus beobachtet. Ihre Mutter fleht sie an zurück in die Stadt zu ziehen, damit sie einen Mann zum Heiraten findet. Holly will ihre Träume nicht aufgeben. Doch bedeutet dies, dass sie die Liebe aufgeben muss?

Currently, these two german books are available exclusively on Kindle, but the paperback version of Mein letztes Blind Date will be released soon. I hope to have more of my works translated into german in the near future!

In other international news, Debra’s Book Cafe in the United Kingdom reviewed My Last Blind Date and put up this cool video review on youtube.

Enjoy watching this fun book reviewer and, as always, happy reading to all!

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

I’m thrilled to tell you that three of my books are now available in spanish!! The spanish version of An Unexpected Date, Una Cita Inesperada, launched on June 9, 2012. On June 19th, I announced on my Facebook page that Una Cita Inesperada had become an international bestseller (sales rank in the top 100 Paid Kindle) on Amazon Espana. More specifically, it went to #60 for all Paid Kindle, #13 Romance, #1 for short stories. So exciting!

The spanish ebook version of My Last Blind Date, Mi Ultima Cita A Ciegas, published on June 9, 2012 and also hit the international bestsellers list on Amazon Espana, which is SO rewarding and thrilling. Mi Ultima Cita A Ciegas will be available soon in paperback.

I’m excited to announce that the spanish ebook version of The Boyfriend Bylaws, Las Condiciones para Conseguir un Novio has just been released. Las Condiciones para Conseguir un Novio will be available in paperback soon as well. TAKE NOTE: I will be giving away FREE Kindle copies of Las Condiciones para Conseguir un Novio on Amazon Saturday August 11th and Sunday August 12th, so just login to Amazon here to get your FREE copy for your Kindle, iPad, Phone, or PC!

So much work, heart, and time goes into writing my stories that it feels amazing to have them available in both english and spanish. I’m so appreciative of each and every person who reads my books, and love that my readership is able to expand through multiple languages. Happy reading to everyone all over the world!

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.

My contemporary romance short story, An Unexpected Date, is FREE on Amazon Kindle today, Saturday, and Sunday!! CLICK HERE to get your FREE copy for your phone, iPad, PC, or Kindle.

An Unexpected Date is a super short and sweet contemporary romance short story (6 pages, 1700 words).

“An Unexpected Date is a wonderful and perfect release to a stressful or crazy day.” — Cafè of Dreams Book Reviews

“It totally made me smile.” — Getting Your Read On

“Susan has a knack for light hearted dialogue and describing the zing in the connection between Holly and Dave….Be on the look out for this delightful morsel.” — Tifferz Book Review

Summary: Holly loves living in her cozy mountain town and all the surrounding beauty soothes her soul. She treasures beading jewelry for her own small business while watching nature and its amazing creatures outside her window. But, her mom begs her to move back to the city so she can find a man to marry. Holly doesn’t want to give up on her dreams, but does that mean she’ll have to give up on love?

Hope you enjoy your FREE copy of An Unexpected Date. I’m currently finishing up Love At First Date. It took some interesting turns that I didn’t expect…characters do that sometimes.

Thanks for reading!!

Susan

If you’d like to receive Susan Hatler’s blog updates directly to your email, just enter your email address into the feed on the right column of my website and be sure to confirm with the email you receive.