Wednesday 14 May 2014

Cover Reveal: Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park

  I loved Flat-Out Love and Flat-Out Matt by Jessica Park so I'm thrilled she's decided to write a story centering on Celeste. She was awkward but endearing and now apparently she's grown up! Look at this amazing cover and take a peek inside FLAT-OUT CELESTE!
COMING SOON!


BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.. 

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation. 

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.
Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him. 

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.


Excerpt
There was a knock at the door and Matt leaned in, swinging a brown paper bag in her direction. “I heard Mom made stuffed peppers tonight. Last time she made those, I nearly died from flatulence. I assume she stuffed them with her usual repulsive ground chicken, quinoa, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranate seed mix?”

Just the sound of Matt’s voice made Celeste relax. She smiled at him. “Based on the smell, I believe you’re right.”

“So you didn’t eat then? I was right!” Matt flopped onto her bed and lay down, his long body scrunching up the neat white comforter that she spent ten minutes arranging before she’d gone to school this morning. “I thought I’d take a break from studying and bring you something edible.”

“It smells like a burger from Mr. Bartley’s,” she said as she got up and took a seat next to Matt. “Hand it over, thoughtful brother.”

He tightened a hand around the top of the bag. “You have to guess which kind I brought you first.”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“Close your eyes.”

She did as instructed and felt him move the bag under her nose. Sweet, spicy... a bit garlicky. “Aha! Boursin cheese and bacon! The Mark Zuckerberg burger!”

“And sweet potato fries and a bottle of iced tea, but you win. A burger named after ‘the richest geek in America,’ as the restaurant calls him.”

“You will be the richest geek in America after you finish your Ph.D. Program,” Celeste said through a mouthful of fries.

“If M.I.T. doesn’t land me in a psych unit first.”

“You only have this year left to endure. And you will hardly find yourself in need of psychiatric care, Matthew. You are doing stupendously.”

“I’m scraping by.” Matt reached into the bag and grabbed a handful of fries and opened her iced tea.

“You are not ‘scraping by.’ You are assistant teaching classes, excelling in your own, and in all ways performing to standards that exceed even the high ones our mother set for you.” She frowned as he chewed on the fries. “Did you not eat?”

“I did. A Big Papi burger and a Fiscal Cliff. But you can never have enough sweet potato fries.”

“I have a finite amount of my own from which you are stealing. But I shall not complain because this was very kind of you.”

Matt chewed and studied her. “Are you okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“No contractions. When you’re stressed out, they disappear.”

“I know. But most days I do not care to use them. If it is an effort, then I do not push.”

“Okay. I get it.” He chewed for a minute. “I heard your presentation went well. Did your friends like it?”

“It went marvelously. My friend Dallas took me aside to share quite the flow of compliments.”

“That’s great, Celeste.” He was downing half her iced tea.

“And then I bitch slapped her.”

Matt choked on the drink and desperately tried to clear his airway. “I’m sorry. You did what?”

She cocked her head. “I bitch slapped her.”

“That... that can’t be right,” he sputtered. “I mean, I hope it’s not.”

“I slapped my hand against her hand. Up in the air.” She looked at Matt blankly. “Is that not the right term?”

“Thank God, no, it’s not. I think you mean a high-five.”

“If you say so. Well, either way, it happened. You know I have trouble with colloquialisms, so I resent your shocked reaction.”

“I do know that about you, and I apologize.”

“Since we are on the subject, there is something else I would like for you to clarify.”

“Shoot.”

“What is meant by ‘nut bag’? Is that a testicular reference or merely the identification of a satchel of cashews or pecans?”

Matt groaned. “This conversation has gotten really weird. Could we just talk about— Wait a minute. Why are you asking me this? Did someone say that to you?” He looked angry.

Celeste picked at her fry. “No. Certainly not. I heard the term and had a natural curiosity.”

“Okay then...” Her brother crumpled up the paper bag and then smoothed it out in his hands. Then crumpled it again. “It’s the same as ‘nuts.’ You know, crazy.”

“Thank you for the definition.” She took the last bite of her burger and wiped her hands on one of the paper napkins. It shouldn’t matter what her classmates thought of her. Celeste would just be strong about this. She would move on.

PURCHASE--> FLAT-OUT LOVE and FLAT-OUT MATT on Amazon. FLAT-OUT LOVE at B&N.

About the Author:

Jessica is the author of LEFT DROWNING, the New York Times bestselling FLAT-OUT LOVE (and the companion piece FLAT-OUT MATT), and RELATIVELY FAMOUS. She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations. On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at jessicapark.me and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapark and Twitter @JessicaPark24



17 comments:

Sam (Realm of Fiction) said...

HOW did I not know about this?! I really enjoyed Flat-Out Love and loved Celeste's character. I'm really looking forward to reading this now. Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel! :)

sha said...

The cover is lovely! Is Flat-Out love any good? :)

Anonymous said...

I haven't yet read Flat Out Matt yet, but I need to get a start on it. This one sounds like it's going to be awesome too. Thanks for sharing, Rachel!

Unknown said...

So gorgeous! Would you believe I've had Flat-Out Love for over two years and still haven't read it? I hope you signed up for the review opportunity!

Henrietta @ Leisure Reads said...

Thanks for sharing the excerpt! I'll definitely keep an eye out for this one. :)

Mary @ BookSwarm said...

Is Jessica self-pubbing this one? She's done a FANTASTIC job with everything involved in the process and I've watched her journey with interest, especially since she's been so successful with it, too.

Carina Olsen said...

Awesome post Rachel :D I love the cover. <3 So pretty. Sigh. (Probably not a book for me, lol, but I do like looking at it :D) Hope you'll love it when you get to read it. <3 Thank you for sharing :)

Faye M. said...

Oooh, I read Flat Out Love and kinda maybe perhaps enjoyed it, but I didn't know there were sequels O_O Thanks for bringing them under my radar, I wouldn't have ever known otherwise. The blurb sounds kinda amazing too. I can smell a lot of character development from here alone!

Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

Born Bookish said...

Ooo, definitely adding this to my TBR! Celeste was such a great character, I'm excited she got her own book. Thanks for sharing =)

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I've heard of these books but never read any of them! I like the cover for this one.

Melliane said...

Hmm I didn't know this one I confess but it can be interesting. I'll have to keep an eye on it. Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

I am self-publishing and very happy to be doing so! Thank you!

Unknown said...

Thanks for all the wonderful support! I'm so glad that readers are getting excited for Celeste. I should have the book out by the last week of May, so get ready!

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous cover! I love the font especially (always a sucker for interesting typeface). I still need to read Flat Out Love and Flat Out Matt, but I'm glad to see those who have read them are so excited for Celeste's story! Thanks for sharing :-)

Rachel said...

It's wonderful, Sharmaine! I hope you pick it up. :)

Rachel said...

I'm so excited, Jessica! I LOVED Flat-Out Love and Flat-Out Matt!

Maja (The Nocturnal Library) said...

I've been missing Celeste so much. I just can't wait to reunite with her. And I really like the cover, I think it's my favorite so far.

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