Join me in welcoming Alessandra Thomas, my fellow Inkslinger and all around bad ass, guys! Today is PICTURE PERFECT’s release day!!!! First we’ll have Alessandra’s adorable guest post about the five things a debut author should know then we’ll finish off with a little sneak peak into PICTURE PERFECT!

Welcome, Alessandra!

Five Things Debut Authors Should Know

by Alessandra Thomas

Congratulations, you hotshot writer you! You have attained what is perhaps most coveted by caffeine-laced, half-crazed, long-toiling inkslingers everywhere – a publication date! Woooohoooo! Go you! Pour yourself some champagne! Do a little dance!

Now, have you gotten that out of your system? Good. Pull up a chair, pour yourself another cup of coffee, and listen up. Here are five things you, my cute cute debut author, need to know.

1. Yes, baby! You are “kind of a big deal!” But only on debut day (or NYT Bestsellers Day, if you get that lucky.) After that, you’ll be out of the limelight and it’ll be up to you to act like someone people don’t want to strangle, so that your book keeps selling decently.  Speaking of which…
2. The two most used words in your vocabulary should be “Thank” and “you.” Exercise those sweet lips and tongue, sweetheart, because they’re going to be getting a workout saying these words over and over and over and over and over again. Any time someone buys your book? “Thank you.” Any time someone doesn’t buy your book, but passes their copy to a friend? “Thank you.” When you get a review, even if it’s three stars? “Thank you.” Someone mentions your book on Twitter? “Thank you.” Any time someone asks you a question about your book, says the concept is cool, or gives you a compliment on your cover? “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”  When someone asks you what else you’ve written? “Thank you.” And on that topic….
3. The most important thing you can do for your career as a writer is to keep writing. Your job is to make readers happy, and when readers are happy, they want to read more. When readers want to read more from you, well then you are a Princess among us, sweetheart, because they want to buy more of your books. But they can only buy more of your books if those books exist. So get your ass in that chair, and write me more fabulous things to read. Yes, even during debut week. In that vein….
4. You get out what you put in. This business requires so much concentrated energy in so many areas, it’s insane. Drafting! Honing your craft! Reading for others! Reading for Pleasure! Marketing! Social Media!  Conferences! Watch TV (‘Gossip Girl’ counts as research!) File! Organize! Make New Relationships! Nurture Old Relationships!

OMG PASS THE ICE CREAM AND LEAVE ME ALONE.

But.  But but but. I guarantee you that when you strategically pour your energy into these things, you will reap the rewards.

1. It is all worth it. Right. I know. You haven’t slept more than four hours a night for seven months, you haven’t cooked or grocery shopped in weeks, yet you can’t afford takeout because you spent all your extra cash on all those gorgeous bookmarks. Your kids sound surprised when you show up for bedtime and your significant other has a deeper relationship with your characters than with you. But you know what? You’ve been working this hard to achieve a dream, it was temporary insanity, and now you did it! YOUDID IT.

Congratulations, you gorgeous individual, you. You’re a published author. Take a moment to bask in it. Then tell me “thank you” in the comments and go write another book. Chop chop. Day’s a-wastin’.

Picture Perfect by Alessandra Thomas

Fashion design major Cat Mitchell has a closet full of gorgeous clothes – and not a single thing fits. After two years of runway modeling for easy cash, an accident shattered her lower leg bone and her self-esteem in just one swift fall. Ten months of no exercise, prescription steroids, comfort eating and yoga pants meant returning to campus as a size twelve instead of her former size two. When her gorgeous long-time friend with benefits sees her for the first time after her accident and snubs her in front of all her friends, Cat’s self-image hits rock bottom. Her sorority sisters all insist that she looks gorgeous, but all Cat sees is the roll of her stomach when she sits down, or the dimpling at the back of her thighs that wasn’t there last year. Cat’s therapist prescribes something radical to stop the downward spiral – nude modeling for a nearby college’s human form drawing classes. When Cat faces her fears and bares it all for the class, she realizes that she’s posing naked in front the most gorgeous, buffest guy she’s ever seen in her life. He asks her out after the class, and after one steamy night together, Cat’s absolutely smitten.

Nate’s pretty close to perfect – he takes Cat rock climbing when he discovers that it makes her feel strong and becomes a great chef after he learns that the perfect pesto sauce makes her swoon. Cat starts to feel like her old self again – confident and beautiful – as long as Nate’s around. Even when he discourages her from entering the Real Woman Project, a design competition for plus-sized apparel, she reasons that he’s just trying to prevent old body image wounds from splitting wide open again. But when Cat goes home with Nate for Thanksgiving, she discovers something shocking from his recent past that proves that he hasn’t always been so encouraging of women of all shapes and sizes. Cat has no idea what to think, but she does know one thing – this might destroy their relationship before it’s even had a chance to get off the ground.

Before Cat can figure out whether the real Nate is the sensitive, adoring guy she fell in love with, or an undercover asshole, she’ll have to finally feel comfortable in her own skin – even if it means leaving him forever.

About Alessandra

Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since she’s not, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and
girls falling in love and really living life for the first time. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.

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Thank you so much for joining me, Alessandra! It was such a pleasure to have you!!

-Fisher Amelie