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Q&A with Isabella Louise Anderson author of The Right Design

December 28, 2019

7/7/2015

What was the inspiration for your novel? I was inspired to write “The Right Design” when I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), for the first time. I had no outline or idea about what the book would be about, but when I started typing, I didn’t stop because I really wanted to write a book in thirty days. While it was a little scary, on day thirty, I was proud that I could say that I’d written a book in a month!

When did you take up writing? I’ve been writing ever since I can remember, but didn’t start taking it seriously until I signed up for an online writing course at Gotham Writers’ Workshop, in 2010. Since then, I haven’t looked back.

How important is setting/place in your writing? For some books, I think it’s very important (like in the Sci-Fi genre), but for my books (definitely not Sci-Fi), location isn’t as important as the timing of the events that take place.

Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel? In my upcoming release, “Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop,” I would have to say Connie Albright. She meant to resemble the character, Amy, from The Big Bang Theory. She’s frumpy, odd, but is so lovable, and while she sends herself bouquets—oh, did I mention she’s a hopeless romantic—her character really comes to life when her dream man comes into her life. Connie’s character was so much fun to write, and I hope my readers really like her as much as I do.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given? “Just write the first draft.” Once I heard that, it really hit home, and that was my goal. I wasn’t focused on time, I was just focused on getting it completed. That particular book is currently in my slush pile, but maybe I’ll pick it up someday…who knows?!

Do you have a schedule for writing? I wish I did, but I don’t. However, when I’m on a deadline (ones that I give myself), I use the Pomodoro Technique. It’s amazing how productive I can be, and usually try to give myself six to eight sessions a day.

Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it? Both! I was a panster with “The Right Design,” but for “Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop,” I was a planner. I have a feeling that for each book I write, my system will be different, and I’m okay with that.

Can you name three of your favourite books? 1. “Wideacre” by Philippa Gregory (thanks, Mom, for encouraging me to read Historical Fiction), 2. “Blogger Girl” by Meredith Schorr, 3. “Always Something There to Remind Me” by Beth Harbison.

Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now? I’m currently editing “Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop,” working on notes for my third book, and when I’m needing a break, I work on my Scentsy business (wickless candles and more)!

What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on

their journey? Participate in NaNoWriMo! Seriously, by doing this, it change my life. Not only did I learn about my writing skills, I learned about dedication, determination, and that I wanted to be an author more than anything else. If you don’t complete it in thirty days, don’t stop—just keep on until you have that first draft. Then, the following November, give it another shot, and this time, I bet you won’t be disappointed.

Excerpt from The Right Design

After a long pause, Carrie finally spoke. “Fine. Yes, I’m seeing someone.” And when she said those words, she smiled because sticking it to him felt good. Damn good!

Roger stood up, walked toward her and kneeled down in front of her.

Carrie held her hand up to stop him, closed her eyes and took a breath.

“Does he know you like I do? Does he know how you like your eggs in the morning? Does he know how you have to sleep with socks on every night? Does he know you read magazines from the back to the front?”

She turned her head so she wouldn’t have to face him. “Roger, please leave.” Carrie couldn’t take it anymore.

Roger reached for her, grasping her arms and bringing her attention back to him.

“Get the hell out of here. Now!” Anger shot through Carrie as she raised her voice.

“Does he know how you like to be kissed?” Roger stared at Carrie as he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

While his hand had once been a source of soothing touch for her, it now stung. “Leave! We’re over! Get the hell out of here,” she yelled, pointing to the exit.

Suddenly, Roger grabbed her shoulders and pulled her tightly to him, catching her by surprise.

“I can’t do this,” she said trying to wriggle out of his arms, but his grip didn’t loosen. When they made eye contact again, she began to speak, but before she knew it, Carrie felt Roger’s lips on hers. For a moment, Roger had her paralyzed, as their lips reacquainted with one another. Kissing him felt familiar and for a half a second, it was as if nothing had changed between them. Seconds later, when she heard her door open, she immediately pushed Roger away, this time with more force, and saw Brad staring wide-eyed at the two of them. “Brad!” She ran toward him, but he held his hands up to stop her.

“Don’t bother,” he snapped and stormed out of her office.

Carrie quickly brushed past Roger and followed Brad down the hall calling his name, but he didn’t respond, and his pace quickened. “Brad, will you please just listen to me?” Carrie begged again as they quickly walked past Elaine’s desk and out the door. “Please let me explain.” When they made it outside to Brad’s car, he finally stopped and faced her. She tried to reach out to him, but he pulled away.

“What do you want, Carrie?”

Her eyes burned as tears ran down her face. She didn’t know where to start or what to say while memories of the last two days ran through her mind. “I’m so very sorry,” she said, wiping her tears away. “I didn’t know he was coming here.”

“He who? Who is he?” His voice was filled with dismay and spite.

“He’s my ex,” Carrie quietly confessed.

He gave a sarcastic laugh. “Of course he is.”

“We were together for six years, he cheated on me, and then I moved here to get away from him and start over. That’s when I met you.” She hoped that giving him the short version would satisfy him for now. Carrie just wanted things to get back to the way they were before Roger came to Florida.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Of all the many conversations, exes weren’t discussed on either of their parts. “He never came up in conversation. We never talked about our exes.”

“Fine, but how can you not mention someone you were with for that long? That’s kind of a big deal, don’t you think?”

“You and I have only known each other for a few weeks. Besides, at least I don’t zip in and out of women like you do,” she said. “Nor do I have flings with my assistant.”

“Danielle and I were together for only a short time, and that was years ago.”

“Well, geez, I’m sorry I didn’t follow proper Palm Beach etiquette and give you a history of my previous romances,” she fought back, but then realized that she was practically yelling. After taking a breath, she said, “I didn’t mean that, Brad. I’m sorry. I just want us back together.”

“You have a really funny way of showing that. Do you want to be with him?”

She shook her head. “No. I want you.”

He pointed toward the entrance to Ocean Designs. “That’s not the way it looked in your office.”

“I…” she began, but Carrie was at a loss for words. She buried her head in her hands. She’d been caught kissing her cheating ex and now was fighting to be with the man who she’d started to love. She looked up at Brad and began to cry harder.

“I guess I have my answer,” Brad said as he unlocked his door. “Oh, and don’t worry about finishing the project. I’ll have England take over.”
Blurb of “The Right Design”,

Do business and pleasure mix?

In the author’s debut novel comes a story about picking up the pieces, letting go of the past, and finding love along the way–even if morals are tested!

Interior designer Carrie Newman could not have envisioned a more perfect life for herself. She had a great job doing what she loved, wonderful friends, and a close relationship with her sister and brother-in-law. Add in an amazing man who she’d hoped would soon become her husband, and her life was perfect. Until one devastating decision ruins her relationship and changes the course of her life.

Determined to make a new start, Carrie leaves Texas and heads to Palm Beach to pick up the pieces of her shattered and broken life. The last thing she expects is to find herself attracted to her first client at her new job–Brad Larson, who has proven himself time and time again to be caddish.

But there’s something beneath the surface of Brad’s arrogant exterior that keeps her craving more of him–something almost sweet that Carrie can’t seem to resist.

Is Carrie ready to take another chance on romance? And will this new design of her life prove to be the right one?

Purchase links – The Right Design is on sale for $0.99, until August 3rd 2015:

Amazon US (Kindle): http://amzn.to/TUmZNX

Amazon US (Paperback):  http://amzn.to/1q3qxI9

Amazon – Canada: http://amzn.to/1o8nxYw

Amazon – UK:  http://amzn.to/1vGLFFH

Barnes & Noble (Paperback and Nook): http://bit.ly/1AfWkcm

Author bio Isabella grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and has been featured on several blogs. While Isabella doesn’t blog a lot, she focuses her time on featuring other writers, along with writing and editing. Isabella Louise Anderson created Chick Lit Goddess to share the love of the following genres: Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Romance, and Romantic Comedies! She loves featuring authors and their books. She lives in Dallas with her husband and cat. She enjoys spicy Mexican food and drinking margaritas, and can be found spending time with family and friends, cheering on the Texas Rangers, and reading. Isabella’s short story, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, was featured in Simon & Fig’s Christmas anthology, Merry & Bright, in November 2013. The Right Design is her first novel.

Isabella Louise Anderson’s links:

Isabella Louise Anderson: http://bit.ly/1j5AyWF

Author Facebook “Like” page: http://on.fb.me/1t6PAzC

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1rv8Ipm

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1n0XlCL

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ze5rgg

Chick Lit Goddess Links:

Website: http://bit.ly/1n0Yryk

Chick Lit Goddess “Like” page: http://on.fb.me/1o8qxE8

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1j5D0MT

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Q&A with Rich Amooi the author of Kissing Frogs

December 28, 2019

6/30/2015

Q&A with Rich Amooi

Today on the blog we have Rich Amooi author of Kissing Frogs – Rich and I have a lot in common, including some favourite books.

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?

I received emails from readers (and some mentioned it in their reviews online) that they loved the crazy scenes in my debut novel, Five Minutes Late, where Ellie went on dates with losers she met online. Those scenes were so much fun to write that I decided to write another book (Kissing Frogs) where I could incorporate more dates with losers!

2. When did you take up writing?

Although I have written over a thousand radio commercials, my journey into fiction and becoming an author started in 2010 when my wife encouraged me to take a creative writing class at Stanford. I ended up taking four classes between 2010 and 2012 and I enjoyed them tremendously. My first two novels are based on short stories that I wrote in those classes.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?

The two most important things for me in my books are my character’s quirks and the dialogue. I can pretty much put them anywhere in the world to do that. However, I have been having fun setting my stories in real small cities close to where I live in Silicon Valley. I even use real restaurants for the date scenes.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?

This is a very difficult question but I think I will have to go with the dog, Kili. It’s amazing how much fun a scene can be when you throw a two hundred pound St. Bernard into the mix.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?

Writers write. Sit your butt down in the chair and write! It is so easy to get distracted or make excuses for not writing. No excuses! Do it!

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?

I don’t have any set hours, but I try to write five days a week—sometimes more when I am approaching a deadline. It can vary. Some days I write for an hour or two and other days up to eight hours. Keep in mind that some of that time is dedicated to staring at the monitor with a blank look on my face and pulling my hair out. Although I write at home most of the time, occasionally I will get together with a group of writers at a local coffee shop to write for a few hours.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?

In the past, I did a very loose plot—just one sentence for each scene. Here is an example from my second book, Dog Day Wedding.

Scene 1: Giovanni gets jilted at the altar

Scene 2: Giovanni tries to set his ex fiancée’s clothes on fire.

Scene 3: Natalie stops Giovanni from setting the clothes on fire and they have a connection.

For my current work-in-progress, I am going deeper with the plotting in hopes of being able to write the book faster.

8. Can you name three of your favourite books?

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Stop The Wedding! By Stephanie Bond

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?

Mr. Crotchety is the story of a bitter man who lost his wife and gave up on love. Then he meets the most positive woman in the world and sparks fly! One thing is certain, he’s either going to kill her or he’s going to marry her.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on
their journey?

I would give the same advice that I received. Writers write. Sit down and write. No excuses.

Rich Amooi’s Bio

Rich Amooi is a former Silicon Valley radio personality and wedding DJ who now writes romantic comedies full-time. He is happily married to a kiss monster and has a hairy golden retriever/lab mix that likes to eat carrots, tuna, and Manchego cheese imported from Spain.

He believes (Rich, not the dog) in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Links to Kissing Frogs on Amazon

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010FGX4A6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010FGX4A6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B010FGX4A6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B010FGX4A6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

JOIN RICH’S MAILING LIST
Get updates on new releases, $0.99 deals, and exclusive content.
Visit http://www.richamooi.com/newsletter.

Comment

Rich Amooi
7/2/2015 11:19:09 am

Thanks so much for having me, Monique! That was fun. 🙂

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Q&A with Laura Chapman author of the new release The Marrying Type

December 28, 2019

2/24/2015

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?

I knew I wanted to write a story about a couple who was reunited during a wedding years after they broke up. I wasn’t quite sure how to shape the story and tabled it until I read Jane Austen’s Persuasion. So many of the themes and elements were timeless, and I could see them playing out in today’s world. My story idea meshed with the classic novel, and the result was The Marrying Type, a contemporary reimagining of Persuasion (which is available from Marching Ink on Feb. 24).

2. When did you take up writing?

I have been writing my whole life, but I seriously considered writing a novel for the first time the summer after my freshman year of college. I scribbled a few thousand words, outlined the book, and created character sketches, but it never resulted in a finished project. It wasn’t until more than five years later, during National Novel Writing Month 2010, that I actually started what would become my first published novel, Hard Hats and Doormats.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?

Though I don’t typically go into long, descriptive prose about the settings of my stories, I do spend a lot of time thinking about where a novel and its scenes are set. I’m better able to imagine the actions and words taking place if I can see the location in my mind. The setting can also shape aspects of my characters or the story.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?

It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but in The Marrying Type I adore the main character’s best friend Smyth. He has a sassy attitude and style that make me wish I could travel the world with him if he truly existed. And of course I love Eric, the main character’s long, lost boyfriend. I’d probably be tongue-tied around him if we ever met in real life, though, because I have zero game when it comes to wooing men. Fortunately I seem to have a better grasp of it in my writing career.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?

Write every day. I heard this from Stephanie Bond, who was a speaker at a conference I attended back in college. She said it was important to work on your story every day to keep it fresh in your mind, even if you only wrote 100 words. I don’t always accomplish this goal, but I have found that if I don’t spend at least a little bit of time with the book every day during the first draft, I easily fall off of the writing wagon.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?

I wish. I’m one of those people who desperately wants to keep a schedule for everything from writing to exercising. Keep is the key word, because I do make schedules. I work a full-time job, so when I’m in the thick of a story, I get up at 5 a.m. every weekday morning and write for two hours before work. Then, I sit down at my computer again at 7 or 8 p.m. to write until bed a few nights a week. On the weekends, I start writing first thing in the morning and try to go until about lunchtime. Again, this is usually just during the first draft of my book. I’m not quite so disciplined when I don’t have the deadline from my editor or NaNoWriMo.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?

I’m definitely a plotter. Every time I’ve tried to be a pantser, I always end up stopping one scene into the book and having to outline the rest of it. I keep my outlines loose. I sketch out the rest of the scenes, usually with one to five sentence explaining who, what, when, where, and why this scene is taking place. It helps me keep track of pacing. That said, my outlines are fluid and subject to change. Sometimes the direction of a scene, and the whole story, will change once I start writing.

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?

If I could only grab three or four books that I could take with me for the rest of my life at this moment, I’d grab my Jane Austen Anthology (it’s actually seven books, so what a deal?), Saving Grace by Julie Garwood, Something Wonderful by Judith McNaught, and These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These have been my favorites for years, and they’re ones I regularly re-read.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?

I’m finishing the second draft of my third novel, which has a name, though I’m not sharing it right now. It’s a contemporary chick lit novel set in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. The local interests definitely flavored this story, but I won’t say quite how just yet. I’ve also set this one up to be the first in a series, which was fun, because my other two novels are standalone. I can’t say much else just yet.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?

The most important thing is to keep writing. This isn’t always easy to do, because life is busy and there are a million distractions. It’s also easy to have your confidence shaken, but you have to keep believing in yourself and having faith that someone somewhere will connect with your story. I can’t remember where I first heard this, but whenever you feel like giving up, remember that you are the only person who can tell your characters’ stories. With you, no one else will ever have the chance to know them.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, today. It truly warms my heart to count so many supportive authors among my friends.

About the Book – The Marrying Type

Always the wedding planner, never a bride, Elliot Lynch is famous for orchestrating the splashiest weddings in Charleston, South Carolina. When her father’s sloppy management practices leave them on the brink of bankruptcy, Elliot will do whatever it takes to save the family business. When asked to appear on “The Marrying Type,” a reality TV show about the people behind the scenes as couples exchange I dos, she says yes to the invasion of privacy (and the hefty paycheck that comes with it).

With a camera crew capturing every detail of her life, Elliot faces her most challenging contract yet: planning a wedding where her ex is involved in every part of the process. Add in a lazy assistant, liquor-loving bridesmaid, and rival planner encroaching on her turf, and Elliot’s wedding season goes from high-end to high-stress.

Forced to confront her past, Elliot must live out her troubled present on national TV if she has any hope of saving her future.

Book Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Marching Ink

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24766966-the-marrying-type

YouTube: http://youtu.be/VBGKaTOjo80

About the Author

Laura Chapman is the author of The Marrying Type, Hard Hats and Doormats and the Autumn and Tuck series, which appear in Merry & Bright and A Kind of Mad Courage. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Until she fulfills her dream of landing a British husband or becoming a Disney princess, you can find her in a bar penning her next novel.

Stay Connected

Website: www.laurachapmanbooks.com

Blog: www.change-the-word.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/laurachapmanbooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/lmchap

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmchap

Instagram: http://instagram.com/lmchap614

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Q&A with author Jennifer Collin author of Bring Me Back, Book 3 in The Evans Trilogy

December 28, 2019

2/6/2015

1. You’re a relatively new author. Why start with a trilogy?
I didn’t set out to write a trilogy, but as I was writing the first book in the series, I realised I had a great deal invested in the supporting characters. To loosely wrap up their sub-plots to finish off the book, wouldn’t have done them justice. I was about two thirds of the way through that first book, Set Me Free, when I decided to keep going. It wasn’t difficult, because the characters were driving me. The toughest thing was producing the subsequent books as close together as possible. If I’d left it too long, I would have lost readers along the way.

2. When did you take up writing?
When I was seven or eight, I wrote a short story about a kid who found a glowing rod on the footpath while walking to school. She picked it up and was transported to another planet, where everyone ‘zpoke like zis.’ My teacher wrote ‘great work’ at the end of the story in my exercise book. I think it must have been the first time I’d been given any praise, because the pride I felt was overwhelming. Finally, I’d found something I might be good at! It may sound harsh to say I’d never received any praise before, but this was country Queensland, circa 1982. No one was dishing out praise for eight year old kids – we were still supposed to be seen and not heard.

From that day, I thought I might like to be a writer, but I can’t say I was ever encouraged along the way. All the messages I received were that very few writers actually succeeded. I never gave up entirely, but there were quiet periods and busy periods, until almost three years ago, when I said, ‘Stuff it. I’m going to do it.’ And I pushed through to publishing.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
Very important. I am one of those writers for whom the setting is another character in the story. My first book was set in my home town, somewhat against my will, as I would have preferred a more exotic location! But the story was about someone fighting for their neighbourhood, and to do the narrative justice, I had to write about somewhere I knew and loved. As I’ve developed as an author, I’ve become more adventurous with my settings, but they’re always somewhere I’ve been. Creating atmosphere through the setting is one way I like to draw readers in, and I feel I can only do that genuinely if I know the place I’m writing about.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Definitely. I’m not afraid to admit it! Annie Martin, the main character in Bring Me Back, first came to life in the second book of the Evans Trilogy – Open My Eyes. Annie was my favourite character while I was writing that one, and I couldn’t wait to give her her own story. She’s smart, courageous, slightly intolerant and super uptight.She doesn’t let many people in, but once she does, she’s fiercely protective.

5. Do you have a schedule for writing?
I wish! Last year I was lucky enough to take some time off from my paying job to dedicate to writing. It was two months of the most disciplined bliss. I would drop the kids at school, write for six hours, and then pick them up. I am back in full time work now, and those days are a distant memory. Now, I am lucky if I get to write twice a week, and if I do, I start sometime after 10pm.

6. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
A combination of both. I can plan up to a point, then I just want to get cracking. As a result my drafting process is chaotic: two steps forward, then sometimes three steps, or even one giant leap, back.

7.Can you name three of four of your current favourite authors?
I’ve been reading a bit of Amy Andrews lately. She writes with wit that puts me in mind of Jenny Crusie. And she writes a great sex scene.

Also clogging up my Kindle is Kate Perry and her small town Laurel Heights series. Again, it’s her wit that wins me over and her sex scenes aren’t bad either.

For something completely different, I’ve got a strange obsession with Lynn Kurland’s medieval time-travel series. It’s not my usual thing, but Kurland is such a master at characterisation, I get drawn in every time. There’s no sex in these ones, Kurland’s heroines are predominantly virgins and her hero’s terribly chivalrous, but she still sucks me in.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
No! It’s a closely guarded secret. I can say it will be a slight departure from the style of the Evans Trilogy, but given my current writing ‘routine’, this one is going to take a while to write, and I’m not ready to let anything slip just yet.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on
their journey?
Go ahead and do it. But don’t expect to be an overnight success. Instead, expect to learn along the way, at every stage and with every win and every loss. And be patient. I should heed my own advice.

Jennifer Collin

Jennifer Collin writes quirky, and sometimes gritty, love stories about ordinary people dealing with what life throws at them.

She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband, two noisy children and a cantankerous cat.

She used to party, but now her idea of a good time is an uninterrupted sleep. These days, her characters do her partying for her, and she doesn’t necessarily let them sleep.

Bring Me Back by Jennifer Collin

Andy Evans is on the move. For six long, lonely years, he’s been running from his past, leaving his family and his life as a drug-addicted rock star far behind. His latest move takes him to the sleepy seaside town of Oamaru, New Zealand, to sell cigar-box guitars to tourists. The only running he’ll need to do will be training for half-marathon in nearby Dunedin. But when Andy sets eyes on Steampunk HQ, Oamaru’s main tourist attraction, he realises his days of running might not be over, especially if a certain Steampunk fan from his past catches up with him.

Annie Martin is on the cusp of great success. Her career as a Steampunk academic is about to take off, as long as she can convince one disagreeable, New Zealand-based Professor to sign up to the anthology she’s putting together. Thankfully, Annie is a master at maintaining her poise and few people, no matter how nasty, can rattle her. Not any more. In fact, it’d been a good six years since anyone had gotten under her skin, after her best friend’s brother had vanished into thin air.

When Annie finds her future career on a collision course with her secret past, Andy Evans is the last person she expects to find tangled up in the mess. With a vengeful drug-dealer or two hot on his heels, and a vindictive academic determined to ruin her credibility, can Annie bring Andy back to his family before it’s too late? Annie and Andy are used to being alone, but if they don’t work together, there’ll be much more at stake than her livelihood and his sobriety.

Other links:
Website – http://www.jennifercollin.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JenniferCollinAuthorPage?ref=hl
Twitter – https://twitter.com/CollinJennifer
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/jycolli/
Goodreads link is: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24261182-bring-me-back

Comments

Jennifer Collin
2/6/2015 11:32:29 am

Thanks for having me, Monique!
Reply
Monique
2/7/2015 07:58:18 am

Thanks for stopping by. By the way I really like the Laurel Heights series too. 🙂

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Q&A with Caroline Fardig author of That Old Black Magic, A Lizzie Hart Mystery

December 28, 2019

2/4/2015

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
It’s the second in my series, THE LIZZIE HART MYSTERIES. The series came about because I had this story banging around in my head that just had to come out. After that, the ideas kept flowing. The setting is a fictional town, but it’s inspired by my small hometown.

2. When did you take up writing?
It was about four or five years ago. I only dabbled in it then. Now I’m writing full-time!

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
Very important, especially in this series. Like I said, Liberty is based on my hometown, so I want the reader to feel like she is home when reading my novels. The setting is almost like another character to me.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Yes, my favorite is Brad. He has a very small role, and I didn’t even bother to give him a last name. However, his dialogue was the most fun to write. I had to put on my “jerk” hat for that one. I also got to use the Urban Dictionary extensively.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
To develop a thick skin. Criticism comes at you from all sides as an author. Ultimately, you have to write what speaks to you. It helps if what speaks to you sells books.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
Yes. I write when my kids are at school. It’s just like going to work for me.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
Both, really. I plan out a timeline by each “day” in the story. Most of the time my book takes on a life of its own and the story goes where it wants, so I always start out with good intentions but end up winging a lot of it.

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
I love reading series books, and my favorite series authors are Deborah Nam-Krane, Wendy Roberts, Patricia Cornwell, and Kristan Higgins. As a one-off, I liked Gone Girl.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
I’m working on something totally different that I usually write. It’s still going to be a series with a female lead, but the mystery is going to be a lot more procedural than cozy, with a heavy emphasis on Forensics. I’m taking a college Forensics class this semester in preparation.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
Don’t give up. The publishing industry works so slowly sometimes I could just scream. You have to have patience and drive in this business. And, surround yourself with other writers for support and encouragement. You’ll learn a lot and make some wonderful friendships.

THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC

Release Date: February 3, 2015

THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC is the second book in THE LIZZIE HART MYSTERIES series. It is the sequel to Caroline Fardig’s bestselling debut novel, IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH.

Book Description:

Lizzie Hart hoped her first day back at work after nearly being killed would be uneventful. No such luck. Before she can finish her morning coffee, Lizzie and her co-workers find a dead body on the rooftop of their office. Media vultures that they are, the Liberty Chronicle employees are psyched to have first-hand news to report. Lizzie, however, is devastated when she realizes that the victim is her ex-boyfriend’s brother.

When evidence begins piling up against one of Lizzie’s friends, she reluctantly dons her detective hat once again, determined to find the real killer. She’s not thrilled about chasing another psychopath around, but she’ll do anything for a friend. Lizzie’s love life is rapidly becoming a hot mess, too. Her latest attempt at sleuthing isn’t leaving much time for her budding romance with town hunk Blake Morgan. Add that to the fact she’s hiding a secret so big it could rock the very core of their relationship, it’s no wonder that Lizzie’s in a tizzy.

Poor Lizzie ends up juggling a murder investigation, a wacky Wiccan coven, and two men vying for her attention—all while nursing injuries left over from the last time she decided to play Nancy Drew. It’s a good thing she always has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Buy links for The Lizzie Hart Mysteries:
IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH: Kindle Nook
THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC: Kindle Nook

About the Author:

CAROLINE FARDIG was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. Her working career has been rather eclectic thus far, with occupations including schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom. Finally realizing that she wants to be a writer when she grows up, Caroline is currently hard at work churning out more novels in the LIZZIE HART MYSTERIES series. She still lives in that same small town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

You can find Caroline on Social Media:

Website:

www.carolinefardig.com

Blog:

http://www.carolinefardig.com/blog/

Twitter: @carolinefardig

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caroline-Fardig/496944767049778

Enter caroline’s launch giveaway here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Taste of Tuesday with Modogomous author Karen. E Martin and a give-away!

December 27, 2019

12/16/2013

Today I’m joined for a holiday-themed Taste of Tuesday by the Karen E. Martin author of the newly released Modogomous.

Taste of Tuesday Q&A

Do you prefer sweet or savoury foods (i.e. cheese or chocolate)?
Savory, all the way. (Sorry, American spelling throughout!) I like sweets, but I’d much rather have the main course than dessert. I’m the same at breakfast. I can’t do sweets for breakfast; it just doesn’t stick with me. I’ll take a plate of bacon and eggs any day over pancakes and syrup. But whatever it is, DO give me coffee with it! Lol…

Red wine or white? (Wine obviously) White, please! If I’m just having a stand-alone drink, I love nice Riesling. Sweets, I’ll take a Moscato or Gewurztraminer. And with dinner, either a classic Pinot Grigio or a Chardonnay. I like red wines, too, but they give me a headache if I drink them alone. With a meal, though, is just fine. I can always take a good red Zin, a Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Pinot Noir. (Yes, I frickin’ love wine. I’ve been to more wine-tastings than I can count!)

Do you have a favourite food memory?
Cooking sessions at my grandmother’s house, twice a year. Once, at the end of summer for canning season, when my Uncle Ray would buy bushels and bushels of tomatoes and make dozens of quarts of the best tomato soup I’ve ever had (you can find a post about that and a recipe here). And then again at Thanksgiving, when the women of the family would gather to make our traditional meal together. The gals do the cooking and the guys do the washing up! We take pictures every year, as it’s such a rare sight to see. 😉

Does food feature in your novel(s)?
Indeed! Many of the scenes take place over a shared meal, whether it’s at a Mom-and-Pop type diner, or just a bag of Chinese take-out. One of the characters, Mitch, is quite known for his sweet tooth, too.

What recipe are you sharing with us and why?
One of my mom’s classic comfort dishes, “Mary Ellen’s Hamburger Skillet Stew.” This was a staple for us growing up, and a dish mom often made when we were home from college for the winter holidays. To me, this recipe definitely says, “The family is together again!” I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Mary Ellen’s Hamburger Skillet Stew

For the meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 egg

1 cup fine bread crumbs

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt (or less, if desired))

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup tomato soup (not condensed)*

Combine ingredients and shape into 16 meatballs. Brown in a deep skillet with the shortening.

For the skillet:

2 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)

1 large onion, diced

4 carrots, cut into 1 inch slices

2 potatoes, diced

2 cups green beans (or other veggies of your choice)

1 cup water

1 cup tomato soup (not condensed)*

Optional: 1 tablespoon flour

Once meatballs are browned, add the remaining ingredients to the skillet. Simmer for 1 hour, thickening with flour if desired. Serves four…and the meatballs make great sandwiches, too!

*Traditionally, we used Uncle Ray’s home-canned tomato soup for this recipe.

Modogomous by Karen E. Martin

Kate Adams has it all figured out. Five years out of college, she’s got a steady job, a home she loves in the big city, and good friends who always keep her laughing: her stylish but nosy roommate Evette, happily-married Cecie, and of course, good old Mitch, her seriously cute co-worker who’s been stuck in the Friend Zone since the day they met.

Everything is going just fine—until the night Kate crosses the line with Mitch, and the boundaries between friendship and love begin to blur. Things get even more complicated when hunky JP enters the scene. What’s a girl to do? Add to the mix a spunky little pug Kate never expected to fall for, and her neatly-ordered life is starting to look more like a dog’s dinner. Maybe her roommate has the right idea after all: forget the men, and stick with a canine companion instead.

It’s time for Kate to figure out what she really wants in life. But can she dig her way out of the mess she’s created before she ends up permanently in the doghouse?

Author Contact Info:

You can contact the author on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, GoodReads, and on her blogabout writing, publishing, and literature.

Author Bio:

Karen E. Martin, M.Ed. is a full-time freelance writer/editor. She has been in the publishing business since 2004, working on books and publications for major and independent publishers, universities, businesses, and private individuals. Prior to entering the field of publishing, Ms. Martin worked as a Senior EFL Fellow (English as a Foreign Language) for the U.S. Department of State in Romania, a Junior EFL Fellow for the U.S. Department of State in Jordan, and a teacher-trainer for the U.S Peace Corps in Mauritania, Jordan, Romania, and Morocco. Ms. Martin served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years, teaching English in the Errachidia Province of Morocco. This is Ms. Martin’s first novel.

Buy Links

Modogomous now available on Amazon or Smashwords

About the Giveaway:
Join the Modogamous Holiday Hop Giveaway to win a fabulous Swag Pack full of prizes! The Swag Pack winner will receive a signed copy of the paperback, tote bag, coffee mug, Christmas ornament, and more! Additional prizes include a copy of the e-book, a signed paperback, and a limited edition, signed art print of the book’s cover art.

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Q &A with Alissa Baxter author of The Blog Affair

December 27, 2019

10/29/2013

Q&A for Alissa Baxter
1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
When I was single and dating, I moved to Cape Town, and it was this time in my life, when I experienced the highs and lows of being on the dating scene in a new city, that inspired The Blog Affair. My novel is about twenty-something Emma Bradshaw who moves to Cape Town and tries to make sense of her dating blunders by starting a blog where she analyses her past relationships.

2. When did you take up writing?
I started writing my first novel, a Regency romance called The Dashing Debutante, when I was 19 and in my second year at university.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
Setting is very important in my writing. My first chick lit novel, called Send and Receive, was set in Durban, a coastal city in South Africa where I lived for a few years.
And when I moved to Cape Town a few years later, I decided to set my next book, The Blog Affair, there. I like to set books in cities I’ve lived in, as I can then portray a unique sense of place. Of course, a lot of writers set books in places they’ve never visited and with the internet (and Google Maps!) at our disposal it’s becoming easier and easier to do so.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
My main character, Emma, appeals to me as she has to overcome a number of obstacles in order to grow and change as the novel progresses. She hasn’t had an easy life, and as a writer I found myself cheering her on. Another favourite in the book is Andre – her gay housemate in Cape Town, who has, let us say, a unique way with words!

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
That it’s important to simply sit down and write, rather than to wait for inspiration.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
I tend to work well in the mornings. However, I have a toddler and another baby on the way, so at this point in my life I tend to snatch moments at odd times during the day to do a bit of work!

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
I like to have a general outline for a book when I’m writing it, but within this general guideline it’s nice to have the flexibility to be able to go off on an unexpected tangent if the story calls for it.

8. Can you name three or four of your current favourite books?
I enjoyed reading Cathy Kelly’s The Honey Queen, and I’ve just completed Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series. I also enjoy crime novels and I’m about to start reading Peter Robinson’s Children of the Revolution.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
I tend to become intrigued with the lives of the secondary characters in my books, and I’m writing a story at the moment about a character who appeared in The Blog Affair.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
It’s never easy sending your work off for the first time, but what makes a huge difference is finding someone you trust to edit and critique your manuscript before sending it out to publishers. A new pair of eyes will pick up grammatical errors and story inconsistencies you may have overlooked and it’s very important to have a polished manuscript, with as few errors as possible.

BLURB:
Twenty-something, white, South African Emma Bradshaw has a pattern of falling for unsuitable men and starts a blog about these so-called “serial datists”. Her search for new beginnings takes her to Cape Town, where she gets a job working for sexy author, Nick Reynolds. Romance with her boss is a no-no, but slowly, Nick works his way around her defenses. Trust him, or not, especially with her awful track record with men?

When an anonymous male reader of the blog challenges her on her ideas about the male species, Emma realises she must confront her past and find her true self before she can move forward…and love can blossom again in her future.

***
EXCERPT:
The Blog Affair by Alissa Baxter

Damn him. Damn him. Damn him. Like a bad apple, he just had to pop up in her new home. She’d left Durban to escape him, and here he was, back again, tormenting her as ever. Awful enough that memories of him were with her all the time, without him turning up in the flesh. And what flesh it was….

“You had a good time in Italy?” she inquired.
Phil nodded.
“Great. Well, I have things to do. Bye.”
“Running away, Em?”
Emma, who had starting walking toward the door, stopped in her tracks and turned around. “I’ve moved on, Phil.”
“You mean you’ve moved away. You haven’t moved on.”
“What makes you so sure?”

Phil gazed into her eyes before looking down at her mouth, and Emma swallowed hard. He always made her insides twist into knots, and the fact she couldn’t bear to be in the same room with him for even five minutes clearly showed she hadn’t moved on.

She had to put him behind her, though, and stop allowing him to upset her equilibrium to the degree he did.

But as she studied his once-loved face, she let out a tiny sigh. How did you just move on and forget someone? Especially when you’d once believed that someone was the love of your life?

She stood immobile for a long moment. Then, without a word, she turned around again and walked out of the room.

AUTHOR BIO:
Alissa Baxter was born in South Africa, and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. After school and university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she published her first novel, The Dashing Debutante. Alissa travelled to London, England, and did an odd assortment of jobs while researching her second novel, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which she wrote after she moved back to South Africa and settled in Durban. Alissa then relocated to Cape Town where she wrote her third novel, Send and Receive, before moving to Johannesburg, where she currently lives with her husband and son.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/alissa.baxter.writer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alissa_baxter
Blog: http://alissabaxter.blogspot.com
Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1146980.Alissa_Baxter
Website: www.alissabaxter.com

Where to buy The Blog Affair

Amazon.com:
http://amzn.to/18PXh1c
Amazon.uk:
http://amzn.to/1fY6J6Y

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Q&A with Caroline Fardig author of It’s Just a Little Crush (Lizzie Hart Mysteries)

December 27, 2019

10/24/2013

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
Since I was a kid, when I was bored, I would let my mind wander.
I would often come up with fun and crazy stories, and this time, I
decided to write one down.

2. When did you take up writing?
It was about three years ago. I wrote my first draft of IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH and didn’t tell anyone about it for a really long time. I finally got the courage to show it to a friend, and she encouraged me to do some tweaking and ultimately to publish it.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
The setting, to me, is just like a character in a story. The plot unfolds the way it does because of the area where the story takes place. Take Sex
and the City, for example. If the four girls had lived in a small, hick town, would any of the crazy things that occurred have happened at all?
No. On the other hand, in a story like Where the Heart Is, if Novalee had been dropped off in the middle of New York City, do you think she
and her baby would have been able to survive solely on the kindness of
others? Not a chance.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Of course, my two leads, Lizzie and Blake are my favorites. I love to make them banter back and forth.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
The best advice is not to take it personally every time your book is criticized, especially on the Internet. When
you’re a new author struggling to get noticed, it’s very exciting to get reviews, because then you know that people are actually reading your book. However, being human, it’s difficult to not be hurt a bit by a bad review. If you’re getting poor reviews and are worried about the quality of your work, let someone read it who you know will give you a straight answer—good or bad.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
I don’t have a set-in-stone schedule that I follow, but I do have consistent times when I work. You’ll find me at my
computer when my kids are at school and also for an hour or so after they go to bed. It’s infinitely easier to write when you don’t have kids yelling or the SpongeBob theme song playing in the background.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
As with my life, I do about 25% plotting and 75% winging it. I think winging it makes for much more interesting reading (and a more spontaneous and fun lifestyle).

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
I’m reading THE FAMILY YOU CHOOSE by Deborah Nam-Krane right now, and it’s so captivating, I get angry when I have to put it down. I just finished Jami Deise’s KEEPING SCORE, and I think it is going to be a serious hit. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I love Scott Kenemore’s ZOMBIE, OHIO. It’s a great pre-Halloween read—not really scary, but still all about zombies.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
I am editing my third novel, BAD MEDICINE. I would rather be creating something new, but painstaking editing is
always a must.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
Don’t try to do it alone. Find a network of writers in your genre (there are tons of groups on Facebook) and lean on them
for advice. Better yet, find an awesome publicist like mine (Sarka-Jonae of SJ Publicity) and let her take you
there on the fast track.

Biography
CAROLINE FARDIG was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. Her working career has been rather eclectic thus far, with occupations including schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom. Finally realizing that she wants to be a writer when she grows up, Caroline has released her debut novel, IT’S JUST A LITTLE CRUSH, now a #1 Bestseller. She is currently hard at work churning out a second novel in the LIZZIE HART MYSTERIES series. She still lives in that same small town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

EXCERPT: It’s Just a Little Crush

“Girl! You are a hot mess!” That’s the way my
cousin Becca greets me at the funeral home. She, like always, looks like a model ready for the runway. Why didn’t I get some of her “look perfect all the time” genes?
“I’m well aware of that,” I acknowledge sullenly.
“What happened? You’re all sweaty and stuff. Did you walk over here?”
“No, I didn’t walk over here. I had a bad day.” I start ticking things off on my fingers. “I had no sleep, I got grilled by a cop, I was late to work, people were gossiping about me, my boss reprimanded me (twice), I didn’t get to go to lunch, it was hot in the office, and I was stressing about the mountain of copy I have to go through. Now I have to attend a funeral for a friend, who I found dead. Does that answer your question?”
“Yep. Come on into my office, and I’ll try to do something with the mess on top of your shoulders,” Becca says as she steers me down the hall.
Becca’s private bathroom is stocked with all kinds of makeup, hair products, and hair appliances. No wonder she’s always fabulously perfect—she keeps a mini beauty salon at work. She opens a door inside
the bathroom to reveal a small closet full of beautiful clothing.
“Here, put this on,” Becca orders, throwing a red blouse my
way. “Your outfit could use some help.”
“What’s wrong with my outfit? It’s cute.”
“It’s so last season.”
“Ha! That’s where you’re wrong,” I retort. “I’ve had this for three years.”
Becca rolls her eyes and goes to work on my sweaty, tangled hair. She quickly dry shampoos, combs, curls, and sprays it. She has made it clear that she won’t let me even peek in the mirror until she is totally done with me. After she is
satisfied with my hair she gets to work on my makeup.
“Now, you’re not going to put too much on, are you? I like a natural look,” I warn.
“I put makeup on people for a living.”
“Yeah, dead people.”

***
You can find Caroline on Social Media
Website: www.carolinefardig.com
My blog: http://www.carolinefardig.com/blog/
Twitter: @carolinefardig
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Caroline-Fardig/496944767049778
Media inquires: http://www.sjpublicity.com/contact.html

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Blog tour visit from Tamara Lee Dorris with give-away

December 27, 2019

10/23/2013

Football From a Chick Lit View by Tamara Lee Dorris
(Note for my Australian readers this is on American football)

It’s that time of the year again! We can all forget our table manners and inside voices and act like whoever wins the game will affect our lives in any way whatsoever. Yay football season! Okay, seriously, I’m a big fan of watching Super bowl fans. And hey, I’m all about any Sunday that says Americans can start drinking before noon.

In addition to imbibing early, I’ve noted these other American Approved activities, because, after all football season is that one time of year we can:

Go charge a flat screen television larger than our first car—this is especially acceptable if your state team is headed for the Super Bowl.

Drink our weight in alcohol, especially brewski, so you better pack a porta-potty because you don’t want to miss a minute of scrimmage (something like standing in line at Macy’s on Black Friday, right?).

Eat massive amounts of food products that literally contain no food. My favorite? Processed cheese smothering processed chips. Mmmm nachos.

Have something new and exciting to argue about on facebook. (if I see one more football helmet profile pic I’m going to spank my cat).

My whole problem with football is the colors and the costs.

I’m sorry, but I refuse to wear a jersey that’s the same color as my mother’s living room. What’s wrong with pink? You make an NFL team color pink, and I’ll buy the whole damn outfit. Think about it! A pink jersey says, I’m soft, but I’m here to play ball, right?! Of course, if the whole team wore pink, I suppose the estrogen might kick in. You know, instead of fighting over the ball, they’d have to play nice and seek mediation. Oh, and there would be no butt-patting; elbow touching only. And can’t you just hear the Quarterback asking, “Do these pants make my butt look big?”

Speaking of the Quarterback, how come if he’s the team leader, he only gets ¼ of his back, while some other guy gets all of his own back? If I had my druthers, I would certainly opt to be a full back with a pink fitted jersey and white pants. And please, no padding around the hips! Mommy’s hips are plenty padded, thank you very much.

What about the commercials? Reportedly the Super Bowl half-time is the most expensive advertising opp on the planet. You could buy Morocco or a 10-second spot. Why do advertisers pay so much money for this? Don’t they know everyone is going pee? I get it though, come Monday morning, the Internet will be full of youtube videos recapping all the commercials so that everyone has something new to talk about, now that they’ve realized that whether their team won or lost, all they have to show for it is five extra pounds, a really big television and an even bigger credit card payment. But, mmmm, nachos.

Go Red Sox! What? Wrong team? Pssh.

Q & A
When did you come up with your story?
When I was trying to do yoga once I concluded that there must be other women whofound it as ridiculously complex as I did and that it had to make for a funny story.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
I like Melissa because we share a love of wine, yoga and always wanting to lose ten pounds. However, she is a little more neurotic than me (and I don’t know why my family can’t see that). Otherwise, it is true that we both have mothers
that drive us batty.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
Tac bugs me. I mean, he’s got big hair and sells a lot of houses. Whoopity doo. He can barely do yoga and he drinks white wine. I just don’t trust him.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Well, I want readers to relate to the main character who is a wine-drinking neurotic woman. Mostly, so I feel better about myself.

Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?
So being neurotic is not quite enough? I enjoy directing four-way traffic at intersections, but who doesn’t?

What is the quote you live by?
“Turn the light off, it’s not even noon yet.” Oh, and I like the one by Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” He was smart and built cars.

Give us three “Good to Know” facts about you.

I have been to rehab for my gummy bear addiction.
I do not know
what my natural hair color is.
I look good in green.

What’s the strangest dream you’ve ever had?
Toto was involved. That’s all I’m saying. Unless you have a warrant?

How old were you when you started writing?
My mother will tell you I was born with a pencil in my hand, but she lies a lot so you can’t really trust her. I remember deciding I would be a writer at age 11 when I fell in love with John Boy Walton and his Red Indian writing pad. I
think I wrote stories before that, though.

Are you married?
Yes, but if you’re going to ask how my husband tolerates me, I’m afraid he’s not home right now. Call back later.

Thank you for having me! XO

Tamara Lee Dorris has been a life-long fan of personal and spiritual development, and has written several books that fall under the category of “self-help.” She wrote Secrets of a Spiritual Guru as a way of poking fun at how easy it is to become an online expert. Her other novels revolve around contemporary issues and spiritual enlightenment. Tamara is also an adjunct professor, radio host, and long time real estate professional who has gone crazy selling houses, loves yoga, drinks wine and is still as addicted as ever to personal development. She lives in Northern California with a bunch of annoying animals and her husband. She has four kids that she likes a lot and a mother that drives her nuts. Learn more at tamaradorris.com.

Buy the Book!

http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Spiritual-Guru-Estate-ebook/dp/B00CXWDM80/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375368947&sr=8-1&keywords=secrets+of+a+spiritual+guru

Blog Tour
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2013/08/secrets-of-spiritual-guru-by-tamara-lee.html
October 7 – Chick Lit Plus – Review
October 8 – Spiced Latte Reviews – Review
October 9 – Nana Prah’s Blog – Guest Post
October 10 – As the Page Turns – Q&A & Excerpt
October 11 – Everything Books and Authors- Excerpt
October 14 – The East Village – Review
October 15 – Ai Love Books – Excerpt
October 16 – A Blue Million Books – Q&A & Excerpt
October 21- Chick Lit Goddess – Excerpt
October 23 – Monique McDonell – Guest Post, Q&A
October 24 – Samantha March – Q&A & Excerpt
October 28 – Author and Readers Book Corner – Review & Guest Post
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comment

Athalia
12/15/2016 06:33:30 pm

All the things you like and dislike relate to wine haha. Nice!

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Q&A with New Beginnings’ author Iris Blobel

December 27, 2019

8/26/2013

1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
I took some “family-time-out” last year and went to Hobart for the weekend. I love Tasmania and just looking at pics starts a wave a wonderful ideas. So when I walked through the streets of Hobart, I wondered how it would be to live in this city, and bit by bit I had the story of two sisters moving there from Sydney.

Obviously I had to add a little romance into the story as well – this is where the lawyer and the neighbour from across the road come
in.

2. When did you take up writing?
Late! It was only a few years back that I started putting ideas onto paper, and even my first book was only meant for family and friends. It took off, though, and fast forward four years, and I’ve just published my 4th book, the sequel to New Beginnings coming out soon, as well.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
Very important. Most of my books are set in Tasmania or Ireland. I love both places. My 3rd book is set in Melbourne and I really had trouble to set the mood for the story. It took me a long time to finish it. Nothing against the exciting city of Melbourne! Not at all. It’s vibrant, interesting, ever-changing … cosmopolitan indeed, but it wasn’t right for “Innocent Tears”. I’m currently writing a trilogy of sports-romances, set in Victoria’s capital, and find that every third page my characters are traveling to the coast … it’s like a magnet.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
Little Mia is my favourite character. She’s about eight years old, lost her mother a few years earlier and her sister Sophie is now her guardian. But even at her tender age she takes everything in her stride … with wit and cheekiness! Aww … and Zach, the hunk from across the road. “More Beginnings” tells his story and I’m quite excited about the upcoming release.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
Ohhhh … NEVER, EVER GIVE UP! Nuff said.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
I wish I could have something like a schedule. Unfortunately I write when I have time … and when I feel like it. I did the 50ks in 30 days RWAus sprint event. It was great and I got heaps written. But I get easily distracted … *sighs*

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
I just write and let my fingers guide me. A few of my stories have evolved though from a weekly prompt-writing I do with a group of author-friends. Check it out it’s called Tuesday Tales. The prompts (or picture) change every week. It’s a challenge, but I love it!

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
My favourite book is without a doubt “If you could see me now” by Cecelia Ahern. I love the current “Lucky Harbor” series by Jill Shalvis. A must read!! Apart from that, some of my treasures on the bookshelf are 84 Charing Cross Road,
Effie Briest & Dream a little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
Oh …. Too much to write in too little time. I’ve just contracted the sequel for New Beginnings “More Beginnings” and have started the 3rd book “Fresh Beginnings” which tells the story of Mark’s friend Jared.

Through Tuesday Tales I have started another trilogy including Melbourne sports stars – a football player, baseball and soccer player. I love writing these stories ….the bad boys, naughty language and arrogant attitudes.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
Oh wow, I myself am still a novice author, but I’d give the same advice I’ve been given: NEVER, EVER GIVE UP. Make author friends and don’t feel afraid to ask lots of questions.

New Beginnings, Iris Blobel

To believe in new
beginnings is to trust in tomorrow

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/New-Beginings-ebook/dp/B00ENU02BU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1377251351&sr=1-1

Astraea Press: http://astraeapress.com/#!/~/product/category=662245&id=27261175

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/349320

Bookstrand:
http://www.bookstrand.com/new-beginnings-6

Bio:
Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she actually had met her future husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only recently emerged, but now her laptop is a constant companion. Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as her two dogs. Next to her job at a private school she also presents a German Program at the local Community Radio.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Sophie stared at the attorney, waiting for some answers. She and her sister, Mia, had been quietly sitting in Mr. O’Connor’s office for more than half an hour, and had learnt about the details of their inheritance.

“Who?”
“Clara Catherine Bellinger.”
“Who is she?” Mia asked.

Startled by the subtle sound of the clock chiming across the road, Sophie’s gaze turned to the window, where she saw the post office building across the road. It looked impressive and old. Surely, an old place like this would have its own ghosts — after all, Hobart was renowned for its lively spirits.

Her younger sister’s gentle touch on her arm reminded her she hadn’t answered the question, yet.
“I wouldn’t have a clue.” Sophie shrugged and focused her attention back on Mr. O’Connor. Although hearing his words, she still found it hard to comprehend. Here she was in this old office, furnished with heavy antique oak furniture, the curtains in a pretty shade of aubergine, and the carpet beneath her shoes thick and warm in a matching shade.

“I believe she was a distant relative of yours. I’m afraid I don’t have any further details,” he replied.

Sophie arched an eyebrow in disbelief.
Was he serious? What kind of lawyer was he? Sure, Tasmania was at the very end of Australia, but wouldn’t they have the same education? With a slight shrug of her shoulder, she asked, “Why not?”

He stared at her. “Pardon me?”

Sitting up straight, she repeated, “Why not? Why aren’t there any further details?”

He looked uneasy, but she didn’t care. She needed to know. Sophie had received a call from the lawyer a week earlier, and he’d told her about an inheritance. He’d given her details on where to pick up tickets to Hobart. Some legality, he had said. She needed to come in and sign documents for the transfer of ownership.

“Ms. Bellinger was one of the partner’s clients. I was only given the details shortly after the client’s death.”

Sophie drew in her lips. Her eyes darted over to the window as she took a few deep breaths, inwardly calming herself. Nothing had ever been easy in her life. “Why isn’t the partner here?”

He took a deep breath.

“Retired.”
As she pondered on that for a moment, she began to think about what life could be like with this inheritance.
Different. Better. Another sigh escaped as she returned her gaze to the man behind the desk.
“You can’t just leave your assets to just anybody, can you?”

“Miss Lever—”
“Levesque,” she helped him.
Their eyes met.

“Are you refusing the bequest?” he asked hesitantly, and she clearly noticed how one of his eyebrows arched upward.

Staring blankly with her mouth open, she could feel the panic running through her veins with every thump of her erratic heartbeat. An uncomfortable silence fell over them for a moment. Then she quickly said, “No. No, of course not. We’re accepting.” She turned to look at her younger sister. “We’re actually looking forward to seeing it.”

And with one swift movement, he stood and went to a little cupboard near the window and retrieved a bunch of keys. “Would you like me to take you there?”
Still feeling that rush within her, Sophie took Mia’s hand and inclined her head in answer. “Is it far?”

Her voice sounded tired. Even to herself. It had been a long day already. She stood and thinking how tired she was, Sophie placed her arm around Mia, who was probably exhausted.

“No, not at all. Five to ten minute drive, I’d say.”
“I still don’t understand. Why us?” Sophie asked quietly, meeting his gaze and, for the first time, actually taking in his icy-blue eyes. He was very attractive. Too attractive for a boring lawyer. His face was tanned by wind and sun, and there always seemed to be a hint of a smile on his face. His blond curling hair was cut short. Her gaze fixed back on his mouth. Blushing, she quickly looked away.

The attorney turned to them. He scratched the back of his head. “Ma’am, what I know is that both of you are in the will. What I know is that I was supposed to fly you down here to officially read you the will. What I know is that I’m supposed to hand over the keys to you, and to let you know that your expenses are covered for the next twenty-four months. I did not know Ms. Bellinger, as one of the retired partners wrote up the will. I do not know who she was or in which way she was connected to you. I assumed she was a distant relative.”

Sophie took her sister’s hand as she thought about his last comment. Distant relative? Her mother would have at least mentioned her once. She sighed and tried to understand, not the circumstances that had brought her there, but the fact that the attorney just didn’t know. “Oh well, let’s go then.”

He pinched his nose with his thumb and index finger and took a deep breath. “Okay. Look, Miss Lever—”
“Levesque,” Sophie helped him again. This time somewhat more firmly.

Running his thumb over his eyebrow, he stepped closer, but not so close as to be intimidating. “I’m sorry. It’s been one extraordinary week,” he said with his voice just above a whisper. “Once I get back I’ll check with the partners here to see whether anybody knows more about it.”

One extraordinary week? His remark irked her. In fact it was downright annoying. Holding Mia even closer to her side, she lifted her finger and pointed at him. “No offence, Mr. O’Connor, but it has been quite a week for us as well, and I was prepared to answer all your questions. I have one simple question, and you don’t know. Wouldn’t there be something in the file?”

Sophie was a kind person. Kindness was her middle name, but she wouldn’t have got that far in life if she hadn’t watched some of those nasty actresses on television and copied them. And the stare. Sophie met his surprised frown dead-on.

He frowned and seemed taken aback by her words. “No offence taken.” And then he let out a deep breath. “You’re right. I apologise. As I said, I’ll find out details and let you know.”

“Thank you, Mr. O’Connor,” she replied as she blew out a breath.
“What about our stuff?” Mia whispered to Sophie.

Sophie moved her head to look down at her sister, but before she had a chance to say anything, he beat her to it.
“What stuff?” he asked as he opened the door.
“Considering what we inherited here, we brought all our things,” Sophie explained without looking at him.
The attorney stopped in his tracks. “All, as in all your clothes?”
Sophie’s eyes met his. She emitted a small sigh, but tried to keep her composure. It was something she had learnt over the last few years. Standing straight, she corrected him. “All, as in all our belongings.”

They stepped outside the building and followed Mr. O’Connor with their suitcases. Two teenage boys walked past them, eager to get the attention of some girls across the road. Aware of the attention, the girls covered their mouths with their hands and broke into giggles. Sophie’s stomach churned. So many things she had missed out on in life. But it was going to be better from now on, she reminded herself, and straightened up as she followed Mr. O’Connor.

Comments

Iris Blobel
8/26/2013 03:14:24 pm

That was fun!
Thanks for having me over at your “virtual” loungeroom today, Monique.
Reply
Monique
8/26/2013 04:00:51 pm

It was an absolute pleasure.

TripFiction
8/26/2013 07:06:03 pm

Glad to discover this novel set in Hobart. Thank you for the great author interview
Reply
Iris Blobel
8/26/2013 07:47:06 pm

Thanks for stopping by!

Heather Gray
8/26/2013 11:37:50 pm

Ohh! This looks so good! I can’t wait to see what happens to the sisters and what the inheritance even turns out to be. Is it in good shape? Bad shape? I’m completely intrigued now. 🙂
Reply
Iris Blobel
8/27/2013 11:11:50 am

Hi Heather, thanks for coming over. As for the house … it’s lovely. As for the neighbour … even better 😉

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MoniqueM No Comments