IN THE MIRROR book release whirlwind of fun!

It's been such a blast watching IN THE MIRROR arrive in the world - and I'm so excited about the positive reviews the novel has been receiving! I thought I'd give you a little roundup of where you can find me this week, some cool contests you can enter to win a copy and a couple of reviews that made me smile! So here you have it...the week (almost) in review! And please, if you have read IN THE MIRROR, let me know! And if you liked/loved it, please leave a review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! It really means a lot, and helps other people find the novel!! Blog appearances and contests:

I had the honor of kicking off International Chick Lit Month with a post about a day in the Life of Me! You might find it fun to read! Over on Jane Porter's Blog, Jane is offering a big grand prize just for commenting on the post! Head there now! For a great Mother's Day brunch recipe and a special excerpt of IN THE MIRROR, visit Debra Salonen's blog! I'm so happy to be there!

Chick Lit Goddess gave IN THE MIRROR a glowing 5-star review! Thank you Isabella! While Jennifer Vido named IN THE MIRROR a Top 5 Book Club pick for May!

Visit Jera's Jamboree for a fun interview and a list of more of my blog tour stops in May! Connie at Random Book Muses wrote  a lovely review of IN THE MIRROR, even though it was a personally tough moment in her life with the loss of her father to cancer. Thinking of you, Connie.

Book Mama Blog's Marlene Engel welcomed me with an interview about the tough subject the novel deals with - a young mom with cancer - and wrote a fabulous review! She's hosting a giveaway right now!

Some of my very favorite reviews of IN THE MIRROR can be found at Barnes & Noble, and of course on Goodreads (sort by 5 stars - those are my favorite ;-)

The Midwest Review of Books' review is great! And I'm really excited to reveal the IndieReader review - but it isn't up yet! Stay tuned!

Thank you all for helping to make these past few days fabulous! To those of you who clapped my Thunderclap, thank you!! And if you are in the Southern California area, my first signing for IN THE MIRROR is this Thursday, May 8th, at Laguna Beach Books! 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. I'd love to see you there!

Anticipation.

It's that time of year. Anticipation is in the air. Some of us watch and marvel at the first buds of spring, anticipating the glorious flowers to appear.

Others, like my high school son, anxiously await spring break to arrive this Friday.

It's of course, the time for Easter and Passover.

And for many authors, it's the time when new books are released. Including mine. I was trying to explain the feeling I have inside, the anxiety surrounding a new release and it's hard to explain to someone who isn't in the creative field. But for those of us who are, you get it. It's unveiling the work of art for the first time, playing your new song in front of a live crowd for the first time, that butterfly inducing, fingernail biting feeling.  And sure, reviews are already appearing, so I'm already getting accustomed to the good - and the not so good - that my newest creation is attracting. All I can hope is that on May 1st, when IN THE MIRROR is officially released,  the good reviews outnumber the bad and that like a bright field of flowers, my words will touch some readers' hearts.

That makes the anticipation and the work, worth it!

PS: This helps, too. Check out what Kirkus, Foreword, and the US Review of Books have to say about my newest baby, IN THE MIRROR!

Real You: Cover reveal! IN THE MIRROR is coming out May 1st!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

In the Mirror

by Kaira Rouda

Giveaway ends April 30, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

And to celebrate, my publisher is hosting a Goodreads Book Giveaway! Enter to win by clicking the link, or simply hop over to Goodreads and search giveaways! I'd really appreciate it if you'd add the book to your To Read list! Soon, I'll have more information for pre-ordering - but in the meantime, here is your chance to enter to win a copy for free!

What's IN THE MIRROR all about, you ask? The novel revolves around a simple question: If you knew you might die soon, what choices would you make?

Jennifer Benson has it all: a successful career, a perfect husband, two kids and abundant friendships. The only problem is she may be dying. IN THE MIRROR is the realistic love story about a woman facing a deadly illness, and her loves past and present. It's a story that unfolds with a delightful blend of humor and poignancy, ringing true in the heart of anyone who has ignored a warning of her own.

And look at these fabulous reviews! "Kaira Rouda has created relatable characters you'll care deeply about. Emotionally gripping and heart-achingly beautiful, this novel will make you think about what is truly important." ~ New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves

"Balancing sadness and humor, the retrospective tone of this novel is both therapeutic and affecting. In the Mirror is an emotion-packed novel about a mother facing terminal cancer. It is a nostalgic tribute to the things that really matter: family and friends." ~ Foreword

"Jennifer's journey through cancer and her struggle to love her husband in the face of the return of her first love is something to cheer and rejoice in. A moving and uplifting novel about family and the struggles we all face to live every minute to the fullest." ~ Anita Hughes, author of Monarch Beach and Market Street

"I was completely absorbed by In the Mirror. This is a moving story from the unique perspective of a seriously ill patient who is a wife, sister, daughter and friend, examining all of those relationships with honesty and humor. This story will stay with you because of the questions it asks and the answers it offers." ~ Lian Dolan, bestselling author of Helen of Pasadena

Thank you for sharing in the excitement - and thank you, as always, for your support!

Real You: Exciting news to share!

My third novel, IN THE MIRROR, will be published on May 1st! I'm excited to share it with you and will be able to reveal the cover very soon. For those of you who have waited for this for a year - yes, 2013 was a transition year for me full of floods, and moves, and graduations, and more - thank you!I hope you'll find IN THE MIRROR to be worth the wait! As the publication date gets closer I will let you know about some fun contests and other events I have planned to celebrate with you. Here's what New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves says about IN THE MIRROR: "Emotionally gripping and heart-achingly beautiful, this novel will make you think about what's truly important."

I very much hope you'll agree! Thank you for reading my work! It means so much! Hopefully, you'll find room on your bookshelf for IN THE MIRROR!