Guest Post: The Dreaming Beauty by Anneka R. Walker

Series: Standalone follow-up to The Masked Baron

Author: Anneka R. Walker

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Release Date: July 11, 2022

Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance / Historical / Regency / Fairy Tale

 Tansy White doesn’t want to end up alone like her three aunts who raised her, but when she is betrayed by her would-be betrothed, she fears she might never change her fate. At her aunts’ suggestion, she seizes the chance to visit Rose Cottage, the country home of her late mother. For years, dreams of the cottage have haunted Tansy, and she is convinced it holds the answer to her hidden past. But after getting caught in a terrible storm, she meets a man who is just as determined as she is to learn all her secrets.

Marcus Taylor, brother to the Duke of Westmorland, is also troubled by vivid dreams. On a sleepless night, as a tempest rages outside his brother’s estate, he makes a discovery far more mysterious than any dream: a young woman, cold as ice, lies unconscious in the library, and he is sure she is the key to solving his problems. When she wakes, what begins as a shared quest for information turns into an unexpected friendship. As they piece together the fragments of their pasts, they discover a tangled web of lies, and their feelings for each other become just as entwined. But is their love as strong as their dreams . . . or their fate?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

ALSO AVAILABLE

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anneka Walker is an award-winning author raised by a librarian and an English teacher turned judge. After being fed a steady diet of books, she decided to learn about writing. The result was a bachelor’s degree in English and history. When she isn’t dreaming up a happy ending for a story, she is busy living her own with her husband and adorable children.

Connect with Anneka by visiting annekawalker.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

---

Guest Post from Anneka Walker

The hardest part about publishing books and the best thing about publishing books

I love questions about publishing because the umbrella is so big and there is so much to talk about. Having traditionally published with a publisher tied to brick-and-mortar stores, a small-press publisher, self-publishing collaborations, and my own self-published projects, I have experienced several different avenues to bringing a book into print. And interestingly enough, my opinions are not the same as my friends. For me, actually writing the book is by far my favorite part of the publication process. 

For months, I plotted and planned The Dreaming Beauty in the back of my mind while I finished other projects, anxious for a chance to immerse myself in the story and discover all the twists and turns writing it would present. There is something so incredible about the creative process that keeps me writing books over and over again. Are there hard parts of drafting? Yes! Do I ever get stuck? Yes! But my passion for my projects often outweighs those frustrations. 

The hardest part of publishing for me begins when the early release copies are sent out. I set up a team of reviewers to read my book and share it on their platforms. Seeing those first reviews can be thrilling, but oh, so nail-biting! I’m a tense mess through the pre-release month and it often carries over a few weeks into the official release. While readers are contributing to the reviews coming in, the marketing part of being an author has only begun!

This extra work makes this release time exciting but an overwhelming process. We have a lot of behind the scenes work with setting up preorder swag like bookmarks and stickers, coordinating calendars for blog tours—both private and national—bookstagram tours, and giveaways. I spend hours creating social media graphics with announcements or book quotes, reels, or book trailers to share. I often do at least one Facebook takeover, book signing, author chat, and book club, but sometimes I’ll do several. I also do a half a dozen interviews, which can be a lot of fun! And believe it or not, while launching a book, I’m generally in edits on another book with my editor, and mid-writing the next project. It’s a whirlwind process, and I am continually grateful for the support I receive. I honestly could not do it without my amazing team and generous readers! Writing starts out as a solo endeavor but ends up as community experience. 

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card, The Dreaming Beauty, signed book plate, matching bookmark, stickers, and button!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 15, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 22, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.