Cover Reveal: Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren

I am so excited & feel very honored to be hosting the cover reveal for Sara Biren's next novel, Cold Day in the Sun. Her debut novel, The Last Thing You Said, was one of my favorite reads of 2017 & I absolutely LOVE how these two different book covers compliment each other. Cold Day in the Sun will be published on March 12, 2019, and you can see the beautiful cover right here!

About the book:
Holland Delviss wants to be known for her talent as a hockey player, not a hockey player who happens to be a girl. But when her school team is selected to be featured and televised as part of HockeyFest, her status as the only girl on the boys’ team makes her the lead story. Not everyone is thrilled with Holland’s new fame, but there’s one person who fiercely supports her, and it’s the last person she expects (and definitely the last person she should be falling for): her bossy team captain, Wes.

Add it to your goodreads || Pre-order from Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, Book Depository

Author Sara Biren is here to answer a few questions about the novel and her writing (fun fact: Sara and I are both Foo Fighter fans!!).

1. What inspired you to write this book?

COLD DAY began as a very different book, a book inspired by a spring break trip I took to the Florida Keys during college. I had wanted to write something light-hearted and fun after the heaviness of THE LAST THING YOU SAID, but it turned out to be pretty heavy in its own way. That book, working title KEYS, has been completely rewritten (twice) and looks nothing like the original version except for the two main characters.

The new story was inspired by my love for hockey and my years as the JV hockey team’s manager in high school. This was before the days of girls’ hockey, so managing was the closest I could get to the ice. I loved my time on the bench and made lifelong friends. I also wanted to write a story about a strong, talented girl playing on the boys’ team, the challenges she faces, and her journey to find her place in the world.

2. Name five things that you love about the book:

• The music: Holland loves grunge and glam metal. I had so much fun putting together the playlists in the book.
• The setting: COLD DAY takes place in Halcyon Lake, the same Minnesota resort town as THE LAST THING YOU SAID. This one is set during the winter, of course – hockey season.
• The title, which came to me in a moment of inspiration during a Foo Fighters concert on August 22, 2015, as Taylor sang “Cold Day in the Sun.” I heard those lyrics and knew. (Yes, I’ve been working on this book a very long time – I think I started it the summer of 2012 or 2013. It’s all a bit of a blur.) Like Holland, I love Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters so much, and, like Holland, Wasting Light is my favorite of their albums.
• Holland’s hockey playing brothers. They give her crap but are always supportive.
• The hockey scenes – the perfect excuse to go to local high school games and watch UMD Bulldogs and NHL games on TV. Our high school team went to the state tournament this year for the first time in school history – very exciting! Go Knights!

3. Who is your favorite hockey player?

Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings. I had his rookie card taped up in my locker in junior high. My brother gave me a signed, framed Yzerman jersey for my wedding.

4. What are you working on now?

My next YA is called IF YOU WERE HERE, my Minnesota autumn story: A rock star's son and the caretaker's daughter, a comeback and a scandal, facing the secrets of the past and learning to live in the present. I’m also working on a side project, an adult romance called I SAW YOU FIRST, which takes place in the mid-90s at an electronics store similar to the Best Buy of old (where I worked for many year).

5. What are you currently reading?

I’m officially on vacation for a week and a half. We’re headed first to northern Minnesota and then northern Wisconsin for some serious lake time, so I’ll have lots of reading time as well. I’m currently reading STARRY EYES by Jenn Bennett, which will be followed up with THE OTHER SIDE OF LOST by Jessi Kirby, THE KISS QUOTIENT by Helen Hoang, and YOU ARE A BADASS by Jen Sincero.

6. Five fast facts about you:

Aries, ENFP, Assistant Scoutmaster (Boy Scouts), Troop Leader (Girl Scouts), content & social media manager (day job).

Where to find Sara Biren:
Website: sarabiren.com
Instagram: @sarabiren
Twitter: @sbiren
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sbirenauthor/
Newsletter sign-up: https://www.sarabiren.com/p/contact.html

Want to win Sara's debut novel THE LAST THING YOU SAID + a pre-order of COLD DAY IN THE SUN? Well, here's your chance! Enter the rafflecopter below. This contest is open to U.S. residents only. Please see my policies page for further contest rules.

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Sweet Summertime Reads with Sara Biren + GIVEAWAY

Hey, my summertime reading friends! I'm excited to have a special guest on the blog today, sharing a bit more about one of MY favorite books I've read this year. It's the perfect dose of summery YA contemps that I love to devour -- full of emotion, tension, heartache, and that sweet, sweet first kind of romance.

THE LAST THING YOU SAID takes place on the lake in the beautiful state of Minnesota. The setting itself poses as its own character, in my opinion, so rich with emotion and vibrancy. I found myself escaping to this lakeside town every time I visited the pages of this beautiful story.

Please welcome author Sara Biren to the blog as she answers some of my own questions, plus shares some personal photos that inspired this unforgettable story. If you haven't yet heard of her book, I hope today's post puts it on your radar. It's a can't miss to read this summer!

About the book: Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief.

Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. They can’t change what happened the day they lost Trixie, but the summer might finally bring them closer to healing—and to each other.

Author Interview with Sara Biren

1. Describe your book in 140 characters, twitter style.
Ben and Lulu deal with their grief and their feelings for each other the summer after the death of Trixie, his sister and her best friend.

2. What was it like to see your first published book in a bookstore?
It was truly a dream come true, especially because this book is so close to my heart. The moment was made even more special because my daughter was with me and she was absolutely beside herself with pride and excitement.

3. What truly sparked the idea to write this story?
I wanted to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo in July, 2011. A local teen was battling cancer and I frequently read his mother’s CaringBridge updates. I started to think about his friends, the people who would ultimately be left behind when he lost that battle several months later. And I started to think back on my own experiences with grief. Grief takes its time, and everyone handles their pain in a way unique to them.

4. A writer wears many hats. What else occupies your time other than writing?
I work full-time as a copywriter for a marketing and advertising agency as well as a freelance editor and grant writer on the side. My two kids (14 and 10) keep me very busy. They’re involved in theater, music, dance, tennis, and Scouts. I am very active with my son’s Boy Scout Troop and am my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop Leader. I also volunteer with our church and various other community organizations.

5. It's 10 years from now within the setting of your book, can you share with us what your characters might be up to? (spoiler free, of course!)
I think it’s safe to say that Ben is out on the lake fishing and guiding. Perhaps Lulu went to culinary school and has taken over the pie and bakery responsibilities at the Full Loon Café. You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of pie they order. Mainly if they’re a**holes or not.

6. Is there something new you are currently working on that you can share with us?
If you loved the idyllic setting of Halcyon Lake, Minnesota in the summer, you’re really going to love it in the dead of winter. I’m currently working on a book about the only female hockey player on her high school’s boys’ hockey team, and what happens when she suddenly finds herself in the spotlight – and falling for her captain.

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Every summer when I was a kid, my dad’s extended family spent a week at a resort near Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, to celebrate my Uncle Bud’s birthday. It was always my favorite week of summer vacation – reading on the beach, going out on the boat, fishing, hanging out with my aunts and uncles and cousins. I was completely enamored with the area and with lake life.

Today, June 19, would have been my Uncle Bud’s 85th birthday. He passed away three weeks ago, on Memorial Day, after spending the weekend at the lake.

I’ve often said that everyone should have an Uncle Bud – always ready with a corny one-liner and a hug – and I’m grateful for him, our big family, and those halcyon days up at the lake. If it weren’t for Bud, his love of the lake and for his family, THE LAST THING YOU SAID would have been a very different book.

The famous and iconic Pequot Lakes bobber water tower

Fishing off the dock, 1988

A cabin at Sunset Knoll Resort

Sunset Knoll Resort

The Biren brothers (Bud, Ted, and Chris) sometime in the 80s. Sara's dad is in the middle.

Bertha Lake, Pequot Lakes, MN

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Thank you so much, Sara Biren, for sharing your inspirations, your personal connections, & these wonderful memories that all make up this beautiful story. I know it's made me love it even more!

Want to read this book sooner rather than later? Here's your chance to win a signed copy + other Minnesota goodies from Sara Biren. Contest is open to US residents only -- good luck!

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Coming Soon: Sweet Summertime Reads 2017!

Next week I'll be kicking off another season of Sweet Summertime Reads here at GReads! I'm really excited about the upcoming authors who will be participating this year. Here's a sneak peek of those who will be involved:

I'll be chatting them up on their newest releases, plus future projects in the works. There will be opportunities to win these books, plus other cool prizes.  I'm also excited to be featuring two of my favorite bloggers: Andi & Estelle, with their own summertime goodies.  Be sure to come back & visit all summer long, so that you don't miss out on these awesome posts I have planned.

Summer is almost here!!! Are you ready??!!

GIVEAWAY: The Last Thing You Said by Sara Biren

First and foremost, a very special HAPPY PUB DAY & congratulations goes out to author Sara Biren! I loved her debut novel so much that I wanted to celebrate the day by giving away a copy to a reader of my blog. To find out more about this book I adore so much, read below. Then enter the giveaway just after that. (This giveaway is open to US residents only) -- Good Luck!

The Last Thing You Said by Sara Biren
Published: April 4, 2017 by Amulet Books
About the book: Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief.

Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. They can’t change what happened the day they lost Trixie, but the summer might finally bring them closer to healing—and to each other. [goodreads]

[For more detailed thoughts on the book, check out my Such a Ginger Read post!]

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+Open to US residents only

+Must leave a blog comment for entry to count

+No giveaway twitter accounts allowed

+Please see my policies page for further contest rules

Such a Ginger Read: The Last Thing You Said

Where I read a book and then label it as "Such a Ginger Read" because, well, it is such a Ginger read. To see my first edition post of this new feature, please click here.

The Last Thing You Said by Sara Biren

Published: April 4, 2017 by Amulet Books

Source: Digital ARC from the publisher

About the book: Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief. Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. They can’t change what happened the day they lost Trixie, but the summer might finally bring them closer to healing—and to each other. [goodreads]

If there ever was a YA book written just for Ginger, this might very well be it. From the setting, to the characters, to the emotional roller coaster this story took me on -- every bit of it screams: Such a Ginger Read! I have a soft spot in my heart for summery YA contemps (*ahem* Sweet SummertimeReads *ahem*), so naturally I am pulled toward stories like this one. However, I'm placing this particular summery YA contemp in a category all its own. 

There's a distinct emotional heaviness throughout the novel, set against one of the most descriptive and captivating small towns nestled on a lake. I found myself wanting to hug these characters close, transferring the weight of their grief on to my very own shoulders. Their story was honest, aching, and something I'll reflect back on time and time again.

I think I just found my favorite new author of 2017 and the book I'll be recommending to every reader I know. Add this one to your to-be-read list, friends, and prepare yourself for the pure beauty of what makes this summery, emotional YA contemp Such a Ginger Read.