ten years

Ten years ago this summer, I took a massive career risk when I left teaching to become a full-time author.

I only had one book out at the time, with absolutely no idea if my future books would sell, or how many books I would have published. But I refused to let fear prevent me from creating my dream bigger life. Failure was not an option.

And now today, because of you, we have all of this.

THANK YOU. Thank you for making this life possible. None of this would be possible without my readers, the most dedicated, passionate, caring readers in the world. You are why I write. You are why I keep hope alive every single day.

Whatever your big dream is, don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way from bringing it to life. Never, ever, ever give up.

Much love.

xoxo-
Susane

city love trilogy cover models

How much do I love behind the scenes stuff? SO much. Which is why whenever I get to see photos of the models on my book covers, I’m obsessed. You can’t quite see the models’ faces on the City Love trilogy covers. But now you can!

The City Love trilogy models were en fuego. They had the right look, the right clothes and accessories, and their poses were on point. Gustavo Marx, the cover photographer, shared some fun outtakes from the two-day photo shoot. The first day was on a rooftop in Brooklyn to capture the Manhattan skyline in the background. The second day was on a pier near the Brooklyn Bridge.

The City Love cover models were adorbs. They looked super comfortable together as Sadie and Austin, and I love the look of their clothes and sunglasses here.

They played around a little. With the Empire State Building in the background.

Brilliant cover designer Erin Fitzsimmons went with different outfits for the cover. They were still hot.

Speaking of hot, this photo shoot went down over two days in the summer of 2014 during a crazy heat wave. Erin said she didn’t know how the models weren’t drenched in sweat. After seeing how cool they look in these photos, I suspect that models may have anti-sweat superpowers.

Lost in Love is my favorite cover of the three. And these were my favorite models. Darcy and Jude were totally represented.

Love the clothes. Love her topknot. Love how she looks like Keira Knightley. Just. Freaking. Love.

And the lighting at sunset? Stunning.

The backlighting is so gorgeous, and that radiant shine of the sunlight on the water made the Lost in Love cover stand out.

The Forever in Love cover is a bit different. The models’ faces are the most visible. The focus is the sharpest. And the pose is super romantic. Ironically, Forever in Love is the least romantic book of the three, but we didn’t know that back in 2014! Back then I had no idea so much devastation would come crashing down at the end of the trilogy. But as this trilogy unfolded, I knew I needed to push my girls harder so they could push themselves out of their comfort zones. If you want big changes in your life, you have to make big changes, and that doesn’t happen when you’re stuck in a comfortable routine.

This girl looks like Brooke Shields here.

Rosanna and Donovan, of course. D is looking extra preppy here. And on the cover with that watch! But it was a good way to distinguish the unique characters.

HarperCollins did a behind-the-scenes photo shoot video you can watch here. You can watch my City Love trilogy tour featuring locations from the books on my YouTube. And Forever in Love can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or your local bookshop.

Happy summer reading, friendly neighbors! xoxo

full-circle in the park

As always during a book release week, I’m doing giveaways of Forever in Love here and there. Like this giveaway on Amazon. But Epic Reads is giving away the entire trilogy! With five winners! Their giveaway runs until July 24, and it’s open to residents in the US and Canada. You can enter here.

The final City Love trilogy tour video is up.

I did videos at five different New York City locations from the books, and tied in a theme from the books at each location. The final tour stop is Washington Square Park, which brings it back full-circle from the first chapter of the trilogy. Even filming the video was a full-circle moment because there was a magician performing who looked a lot like Jude, and in that first chapter of City Love Sadie and Rosanna are walking through the park and they stop to watch Jude perform. They just don’t know he’s Jude, because Darcy hasn’t even arrived yet and…well. No spoilers. PS That boy running through the fountain was not choreographed, but was amazing.

Thanks to everyone who made Forever in Love release week a blast. Your warm fuzzies, excitement, and support of the trilogy means so much to me. I will be forever in love with your positive energy, friendly neighbors. Shine on ❤

xoxo-
Susane

forever in love today

Today is here! Today is here!

Forever in Love is out in the world!!!

For those of you who missed the billboard I rented about it, Forever in Love is the final book of my City Love trilogy. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or at your local bookshop.

Speaking of online booksellers, if you read Forever in Love and enjoy it or have read City Love and/or Lost in Love and enjoyed those, would you kindly consider sharing your review online? Your opinion matters to me and to others. Those bright stars attract new readers!

I’ve been doing online Q&As with giveaways this week. Tomorrow, July 12, I will be answering your questions all day in my Goodreads Q&A group. On Thursday, July 13, I’ll be doing a Twitter chat 7-8pm EST. Everyone who asks a question will be entered to win a signed copy of Forever in Love, two winners per event. My goal is to answer as many of your questions as possible, but I usually don’t get to them all. A remaining one that made me smile is this:

Q: What are your Top Five Reasons to Love the City Love trilogy?

A: The summer before college, New York City, finding your people, embracing change, and dreaming big beyond fear. Oh, and summer love.

To show you what I mean, I am rolling out videos all week of my City Love trilogy tour. Each tour stop features a location from the book, and I tie in a theme from the books at each location. Of course the tour had to begin at the High Line.

Stay tuned to my YouTube for more tour videos rolling out this week!

Thanks to everyone who has read the City Love trilogy and is excited for this final book. I love connecting with you on socials, and am eternally grateful for your enthusiasm and support. You are why I write.

Forever in love with the infinite possibilities the future holds…

xoxo-
Susane

forever in love playlist

Only five more days until Forever in Love is out in the world!

So of course the official Forever in Love playlist is up on Spotify. You know I do playlists for all of my books, right? You can find them on the books pages of my website, including links to each playlist on Spotify.

The Forever in Love playlist consists of music that inspired the end to the City Love trilogy. Some of these songs are featured in the book. My girls Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna sing to one of them at the top of their lungs walking along the Hudson River. And some resonate with that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye.

1. “Ziggy Stardust” – David Bowie

2. “One Dance” – Drake

3. “Lost Stars” – Adam Levine

4. “Empire State of Mind” – Alicia Keys

5. “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran

6. “Into the Night” – Cardiknox

7. “Here Without You” – 3 Doors Down

8. “Starboy” – The Weeknd

9. “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” – Usher

10. “Emoji of a Wave” – John Mayer

Interested in the playlists for City Love and Lost in Love? The trilogy playlist lineup goes like this:

Happy summer reading (and listening, and looking up), friendly neighbors! ❤

forever in love online events

Dear Readers,

My City Love trilogy is coming to an end next week!

Please join me in celebrating the release of Forever in Love on July 11 with some online events and giveaways from July 9 to July 13.

Everyone who participates in these chats and Q&As will be entered to win a signed copy of Forever in Love. Here’s how this will go down:

Sunday, July 9, 2017   7-8pm EST
Instagram chat + giveaway

Earlier in the day on July 9, I’ll put the chat post up on my Instagram. Everyone who asks a question for the chat will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Two winners (US only) will be randomly selected right after the chat ends and announced on the post. You can comment with questions for me about love, life, literature, or anything else before or during the live chat. This will be my first Instagram chat and I can’t wait to see how it goes!

Monday, July 10, 2017   7-8pm EST
Facebook Q&A + giveaway

There will be a Q&A post on my Facebook before the live Q&A starts. Everyone who comments on the post with a question will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. This giveaway is international! Two winners will be randomly selected and announced in the post right after the Q&A ends.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017   all day
Goodreads Q&A + giveaway

Our group for this event, Susane Colasanti Q&A + giveaway, is already live on Goodreads! You can go ahead and join, and post your questions anytime. Everyone who asks a question will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. I will be answering your questions throughout the day. Two winners (US only) will be randomly selected and announced in a post to the group immediately following the Q&A.

Thursday, July 13, 2017   7-8pm EST
Twitter chat + giveaway

Let’s talk about all the things you will be forever in love with. I want to know what makes you feel alive! I’ll announce that our chat has begun on my Twitter, and then have fun with it. Everyone who tweets with #ForeverInLove will be entered to win a signed copy of the book. Two winners (US only) will be announced right after the chat ends.

And yes, if you’re participating in more than one of these events you can totally ask the same question if I haven’t answered it yet. My goal is to answer as many of your questions as I can!

If you’re in the New York City area, I’m doing a launch event on Tuesday, July 11, 6-8pm at Books of Wonder. With some freaking amazing authors. Info here.

I’m really looking forward to connecting with you. See you soon.

xoxo- Susane

forever in love in one week

An epic summer love?
Finding your people?
Creating your dream life?
That’s what the City Love trilogy is all about. And it is coming to an end next week.

Forever in Love comes out on July 11, but you can pre-order it now (because you freaking deserve it!) from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or your local bookstore.

Are you thinking about getting into the trilogy? City Love is only $1.99 on all ebook platforms until July 10. Easy ordering links here! Plus you can read an excerpt of Lost in Love here and the first four chapters of Forever in Love here.

I’ll be doing tons of online events with Forever in Love giveaways all next week (schedule coming in next post!), but one of them you can get the jump on is my Goodreads Q&A group. Feel free to go ahead and post questions you have for me about anything in the group. On Wednesday, July 12, I’ll be answering your questions there throughout the day. Everyone who asks a question will be entered to win a signed copy of Forever in Love.

And guess what? The same giveaway applies to my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter chats I’m doing next week as well! Stay tuned for the full Forever in Love release week online event schedule. Also next week: I’ll be rolling out City Love trilogy tours of some locations from the books. Each location reflects a theme from the books, and you can see what these places that mean so much to Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna look like before saying goodbye to our girls.

Happy summer reading, friendly neighbors ❤

forever in love in three weeks

Only three weeks to go until Forever in Love is out in the world!

Until then, you can watch me geek out playing my City Love trilogy girls.

There is definitely a part of me in each of these girls. I can relate the most to Sadie now. In college, I was totally Rosanna. And Darcy…she is the kind of confident I aspire to be.

Or maybe it’s just that we wolf down pancakes the same way…

top five, feeling the city love edition

There has just been so much city love in the air here in New York. Whether it’s chilling up on my roof on sunny mornings in the 70s listening to Dear Sugar podcasts (back for a new summer season!) (and can I just say how on-point Cheryl Strayed is with the advice every. single. time?!), or walking down my street doing errands when I pass by Books of Wonder and see that two of my fave authors are doing an event right that second so I serendipitously get to attend, or having refreshing blended mint lemonade granitas at Westville with good friends visiting from LA, or just listening to the mourning dove in the tree outside my window hoo while I’m writing…it’s been a beautiful end to springtime.

Here are some more city love examples.

1. The tagline of City Love is Look up. Anything is possible. When you look up, you notice beauty you’ve never seen before. You view history. You welcome connections, which invites possibility. One thing I love about looking up is spotting old-school signage on buildings here in downtown Manhattan. Like this one for manicure sets:

Not only do I love the physical signage, the faded lettering in vintage fonts of the 20s and 30s, but it’s fun to imagine the New York of that time, back in the day when the now apartment building was a factory or warehouse. The mix of old and new on every block here is dope.

2. I was on the High Line, my fave place in New York, the other evening filming part of a City Love trilogy walking tour I’ll be posting in July when Forever in Love comes out. It was one of those perfect springtime New York nights…gorgeous weather, good vibes, dazzling sunset. Another thing I love about New York along with the mix of old and new, which you can totally see around you every step of the High Line you take, is the mix of country and urban. The High Line has tons of spectacular vegetation, which I love against the backdrop of city life:

3. This.

Yet another reason why I love the High Line. Happy Pride Month!

4. We filmed another City Love trilogy walking tour video at Bubby’s across the street from where the High Line begins. If you’ve read City Love or Lost in Love, you might remember that Sadie loves Bubby’s. And that Rosanna is obsessed with fresh watermelon juice, which she cannot get enough of at Bubby’s and nearly falls off the stool in a total state of euphoric bliss. I loved sitting at the bar, enjoying watermelon juice and geeking out over the Pac-Man decorations:

Bubby’s was really loud, but I think I yelled loudly enough to be heard in the video. We’ll see…

5. Guess what arrived?

The first copy of Forever in Love! And yes, it has a printed case underneath the jacket like the other two books in the trilogy. Forever in Love comes out on July 11, but you can pre-order a shiny new copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or from your local bookshop.

Wishing you glittery city love vibes all summer long ❤

forever in love in one month

Only one month to go until Forever in Love is out in the world on July 11!

Of course I am stoked to have the final book of the City Love trilogy, a series that takes place over one summer that forever changes the lives of three girls sharing an apartment in New York City, come out in the middle of the summer. Taking summer reading up a notch, yo. The summer after high school was the first time I began feeling empowered, like I could take control of my life and live on my own terms, and that’s the exact quality I wanted to capture in this trilogy. The total freedom was a rush, everything from staying out all night if I felt like it to having a boy sleep over for the first time. Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are three very different girls with very different backgrounds, but they all have this in common: the desire to live their dream lives.

For those of you who are interested in catching up on the City Love trilogy before Forever in Love comes out, good news! Lost in Love is now out in paperback.

When you write a book called Lost in Love and then you find this top that says Get Lost in Love, you kind of have to make a dorktastic video to celebrate the paperback release. Not that I set out to make a dorktastic video per se. It’s just that all of my YouTube videos are dorktastic because that’s how I roll. In this one, I share how Lost in Love takes the City Love trilogy to deeper levels.

The first book of the trilogy, City Love, takes place over the last 10 days of June. This is when Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna first meet each other. They are each running from dark secrets of their past, hoping to create a brighter future. So when the girls first meet in City Love, they are presenting polished versions of themselves to each other and hiding their secret pain. They each want to appear strong, like they have it all together. But when their lives are ripped apart at the end of City Love (cue major cliffhanger action), they begin to open up to each other and share the truth about who they are and where they came from. That’s why Lost in Love takes the trilogy to deeper levels, as these girls develop a bond of friendship that will last a lifetime.

In Forever in Love, my girls come to realize that, despite the pain they’ve endured and the challenges in their way, they can create their dream lives. Who you were does not have to define who you will become. You are the architect of your own destiny. The title refers to the girls being forever in love with the infinite possibilities their future holds, a positive, inspiring note I was happy to end the series on. I hope the City Love trilogy ends in a good way for those of you who read it!

Forever in Love can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or directly from your local bookshop. If you do read any of the City Love trilogy books and enjoy them, kindly consider sharing your review online. Your stars can encourage new readers to get into the trilogy, and your book love is much appreciated.

Wishing you amazing summer reading adventures, friendly neighbors ❤