DARE ISLAND SERIES FEATURE: VIRGINIA KANTRA ~ AUTHOR INTERVIEW

 

 

I am thrilled to welcome author Virginia Kantra to the blog today. I recently read her Dare Island series, and fell in love with the Fletcher family, the romance, and the gorgeous setting. I will be reviewing the series later this month. In the meantime, enjoy the interview!

Hi, Virginia. I would like to start by saying that I have truly enjoyed the Dare Island series. And congratulations on the release of Carolina Man!

VK: Thank you! I'm loving writing this series. I'm so glad you like it!

 

From reading your Acknowledgments, I know that Dare Island is fictional. But, where could one go to capture that "feeling" of Dare Island you brought to life?

VK:  Dare Island (named for Virginia Dare, the first child born to English parents in North America) is set in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. But you can find little pieces of it everywhere from Manteo to Hatteras, Ocracoke to Swan Quarter, in Emerald Isle, Topsail Beach, Fort Fisher, and Southport.  Researching this series is a joy. I love talking to people, strangers, about their lives: the girl behind the counter in the gift shop, the couple running their own bed and breakfast, the teacher in the parking lot, the fisherman coming in with his catch at the end of the day.

 

 

I adore the Fletcher family and admire that you made all three generations vital to the stories. Was the inclusion of so many characters organic or do you "wrestle" with them? 

VK:  Actually, that's one of the easiest things for me. There's a part of me that still remembers what it's like to be ten years old, and a lot of my own life and attitudes come out in matriarch Tess. 

Plus, I borrowed liberally from my own family. (Sssh...Don't tell the boys!)

And to that point, in other books, I often find that younger characters, in this case a tween and teen, seem to be an afterthought, even when their struggles are important to the plot. Was it difficult to balance the romance with the family issues?

VK:  Well, sure. Ask any woman who's trying to find "private" time with her husband how that works with the kids around! But it also adds a level of conflict and realism to the stories that I think feels authentic.

 

A lot of authors tend to love their characters equally. Do any of your characters from this series hold a special place for you?

VK:  I always love the couple in the book I'm writing, and Kate's absolute determination to do the right thing without any idea how to manage it emotionally was very poignant to me. Maybe because Tess and Taylor anchor the series as viewpoint characters, I've been inside them the longest. And of course I couldn't let this story arc go until Luke had the chance to be his daughter's hero!

 

An intriguing character is introduced in Carolina Man, Jack Rossi. I noticed that he is the lead in the next book, Carolina Blues. Are you anxious and/or excited about having a non-Fletcher lead?

VK: Anxious AND excited. Although on a small island, you can count on encountering some of the same people. Luke appears in the next book, and the heroine, Lauren Patterson, is Meg's first client ("hostage girl") from CAROLINA GIRL.  I'm also having great fun writing another Fletcher family wedding!

 

I adore Josh Fletcher. I know he's a bit young, now, but do you have any plans to give Josh a story?

VK:  Yes! (Oh, I'm so glad you like him.) In fact, Josh and Thalia's  story is continued in CAROLINA BLUES. I can't say more without giving too much away.

 

The Dare Island series has been a joy for me to experience. Is there anything you would like to say to fans of the series?

VK:  Just...thank you. Please keep reading them. I do love to hear from readers.

They can reach me through my website http://virginiakantra.com

https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaKantraBooks

https://twitter.com/VirginiaKantra

And to get a sneak peek at the next Dare Island book, sign up for my newsletter http://eepurl.com/vMykD

The Dare Island Series

   

(covers lead to GoodReads page)

 

 

Purchase Links

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iBooks

 

 

 

About the author
New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra has written over twenty books of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is the winner of numerous writing awards, including Romance Writers of America's RITA Award and two National Readers' Choice Awards. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of three kids, she is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love. Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads

BEFORE JAMAICA LANE BLOG TOUR ~ INTERVIEW WITH SAMANTHA YOUNG

Today I am proudly hosting the Before Jamaica Lane Blog Tour.

This is a series I love so much, and am excited to share an interview with author Samantha Young. You can also read my series reviews here.

But first, take a look at Before Jamaica Lane

 

 

Series: On Dublin Street #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: NAL
Publication Date: 1/7/14

One simple lesson in seduction between two friends can turn into so much more…

Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left broken-hearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever…

 

 

INTERVIEW

After several books and novellas, how do you continue to keep the On Dublin Street series fresh?
SY: The key for me is to make each heroine different from the last so that readers really do feel like they’re reading a fresh story. Joss is guarded, a little standoffish and blunt but with a vulnerable side. Ellie is open, down-to-earth and a total romantic. Jo was kind and loyal but filled with self-esteem issues. Liv from Before Jamaica Lane is quirky and funny and has some body-image issues. Hopefully each one gives the reader something to root for and also something to relate to.

Do you control your characters, or do they ever surprise you by taking over the story?
SY: I usually know my heroes and heroines extremely well before I start writing so they’re less likely to surprise me and take over—although the heroes have sometimes! However, secondary characters are always surprising me and becoming so much more than I even intended them to be. Nate from Before Jamaica Lane started off as a secondary character in Down London Road but the more I wrote about him, the more I knew he needed his own story.


Does Before Jamaica Lane have an overall message? If so, what do you hope readers take away from the story?
SY: Yeah, there are a few messages in Before Jamaica Lane that I hope the readers take away from the story. One is about learning to become comfortable and happy with ourselves; especially those of us who have battled with body image issues. It’s amazing how crippling those issues can be. It’s sad how many people let those issues control their lives and allow them to overlook all the great things about themselves. Also, this is the first in the series that really deals with major issues from the hero, rather than the heroine. Nate’s story is about learning to know when it’s time to stop mourning deep losses and start rebuilding.

Can you recommend a recent book you've read?
SY: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Is there a particular book or author who's inspired you?
SY: There’s not one particular author or book has inspired me. I will say I was inspired to start writing at a very young age after reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

Can you tell us about any current or future projects?
SY:  Currently, I’m working on FALL FROM INDIA PLACE book four in the On Dublin Street series. This follows Ellie’s sister Hannah’s story and her American hero Marco D’Alessandro. I’ll also be working soon on OUT OF THE SHALLOWS, the conclusion to Jake and Charley’s story from Into the Deep.

 

The On Dublin Street Series

 

         

 

 

 

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble   |  Book Depository

 

 

About the author

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha's first adult contemporary romance and has sold in twenty-five countries.

 

 

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads

 

HARD AS IT GETS RELEASE DAY EVENT!

I am so excited to be participating in the Hard As It Gets Release Day Event! I have a great interview with author Laura Kaye, along with the book info. You can follow all the events at Laura's website.

  Series: Hard Ink #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 11/26/13
 

 

Tall, dark, and lethal...

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey's tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome—pure catnip to a very jaded Nick. He's left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander's daughter. Loyalty won't let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn't expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge...

Q&A WITH LAURA KAYE

HARD AS IT GETS is one steamy read! How did you first get into writing?

Thanks so much! And thanks for having me here! I’ve been a writer all my life. I’m a historian by training, so writing non-fiction was a part of my job for the fifteen years I worked as a college professor. But I started writing fiction in 2008 in kind of an unusual way. I hit my head on July 4, 2008. I didn’t think much of it that day, but soon after I realized I’d really hurt myself, and it turned out I had a minor traumatic brain injury. As I recovered, I was filled with an amazing urge to be creative, so I started taking guitar lessons (still not very good at that!) and wrote my first novel in 12 weeks (fortunately, I’m better at that LOL!). The experience of writing that first book was truly transformative. It was what I was supposed to be doing, so I revised that book until it sold and kept writing new ones. And I haven’t looked back since!

Why did you choose to write romance?

I had been an avid reader of paranormal romance for years at that point, so I wrote what I loved. But I also picked romance—unconsciously, I think—because to me it’s an incredibly hopeful genre. Romance stories are inherently stories about people who can’t find love or think they don’t deserve it who overcome the odds and find it in the end. In the years leading up to starting writing, I experienced a number of very hard personal losses, so writing in this genre was one way I worked through those issues.

 

What does “Hard Ink” refer to? What importance do tattoos play in your story?

Hard Ink is the name of the Rixey brothers’ tattoo shop in the Hard Ink series. Nick and Jeremy Rixey are co-owners, though Nick (the hero of book one, Hard As It Gets) prefers to be more of a silent partner, despite Jeremy’s efforts to put Nick’s artistic talents to work. In this series, tattoos are a way people remember, pay penance, or highlight what’s important to them. The act of creating permanent marks on skin has deep meaning to them. And the shop creates a gritty setting where diverse kinds of people meet and interact in the series. I really love it!

Describe Becca—what do you love most about her? And Nick?

I’d love to! Because I really loved writing these characters!

Becca Merritt is smart and strong and honest and protective. I really loved the way she was willing to stand up for those she loves, even against people and forces who might be stronger and even a little scary. There’s a scene in particular when she dresses down Nick’s Special Forces teammates after a fist fight where I was particularly cheering for her! LOL

Nick Rixey is, omg, so freaking hot, you guys! He’s brooding and tortured and honorable and when he falls he falls  so hard. I especially loved Nick’s mix of hard, alpha edges with his artistic side. When Nick shows Becca what her idea for a tattoo might look like on her skin, it’s just scorching!

What significance does the military play in the book?

Military themes are central to the whole Hard Ink series. The military isn’t just sexy window dressing nor is it just there to provide an intriguing backstory. The prior SF guys are this series are entirely defined by their military experience good and bad. It informs their identity, their sense of honor and duty, their view of the world, and of course gives them the skill set required to fight the battles they face in the series. The overall series mystery the characters are working to solve revolves around a military conspiracy in Afghanistan, so even though they’re out of the Army, the military themes are central.

If you could describe your book in a 140 character tweet, what would it be?

In #HardAsItGets, an ex-soldier joins forces w/his dead commander's daughter to regain his tarnished honor & save her brother from a gang

Is there a particular author or book that has influenced your writing?

There are a number of authors that have influenced me, but if I had to pick one it would be J.R. Ward. A lot of what I know about how to write sexy, authentic male point of view comes from reading her books. And I definitely learned the importance of a good bromance to a romance novel from her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, too. Given my ginormous fangirling, you can only imagine how flipping excited I was when this happened:

“Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!”

~J.R. Ward on Hard As It Gets

You guys, I bawled like a baby in the middle of a huge workshop put on by my publisher. For real. LOL

What advice would you give aspiring writers looking to get into the publishing industry?

Here’s my advice:

1) Write, write, write. You can’t revise what you haven’t written and you can’t sell what you haven’t written. And the psychological and emotional boost you’ll get from writing “The End” for the first time cannot be overestimated.

2) Revise, revise, revise. That first time you type “The End”? Yeah, you’re nowhere near done. Your book will need to be edited, by you, several times before you ever put it in front of an agent or editor. You get one shot with them, so don’t waste it by not showing them your very best and most polished work.

3) Find critique partners. And your mom, siblings, and best friend do not count (unless you’re really lucky, like me, and your best friend happens t also be a professional author). You need other aspiring writers in your genre who will give you honest but constructive feedback about how to improve your manuscript. Let them catch all the embarrassing goofs and plot holes you thought you caught before it gets to an agent or editor.

4) Want to be a professional, then act it. And by that I mean join the professional organization(s) of the genre in which you write. Through them you will find classes to help hone your craft, critique partner match-ups, networking opportunities, calls for submission, and other opportunities invaluable to breaking into publishing.

5) Don’t give up. You will hear way more no’s than yeses, particularly early in your writing career. Stick with it. Believe in yourself. Give yourself one day to wallow in the rejection and eat a bunch of chocolate and then get right back on the horse. If your first book doesn’t sell, chalk that up to learning and write a second.

What can fans of HARD AS IT GETS look forward to next?

I’m currently writing four series: two contemporary (Hard Ink, Heroes) and two paranormal (Hearts of the Anemoi, Vampire Warrior Kings). I’ll have books from all four of those releasing in 2014. My next release is Hard As You Can (Hard Ink #2) coming 2/25/14!

The Hard Ink Series

 

Preorder Hard As It Gets at:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

 

 

 

About Laura Kaye: Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

 

 

 

{REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY} DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING by JILL MANSELL

Genre: Women's Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 11/5/13
Format: ARC
Pages: 432
Source: Received from publisher for review
Rating: 4 stars

Dexter Yates loves his fun, care-free London life; he has money, looks and girlfriends galore. But everything changes overnight when his sister dies, leaving him in charge of her eight-month-old daughter Delphi. How is he ever going to cope?

Comic-strip artist Molly Hayes lives in the beautiful Cotswold village of Briarwood. When it comes to relationships, she has a history of choosing all the wrong men. Leaving the city behind, Dex moves to Briarwood - a much better place to work on his parenting skills - and he and Molly become neighbours. There's an undeniable connection between them. But if Dexter's going to adapt, he first has a lot to learn about Molly, about other people's secrets...and about himself.

 

Jill Mansell is an author who's been repeatedly recommended to me, particularly as I love British Women's Fiction. I was so excited to begin Don't Want to Miss a Thing. That excitement was immediately rewarded.

Don't Want to Miss a Thing was sweet, and sad, funny, and exceeding charming story of a circle of friends whose lives are all thrown into a much different path than they expected. For me, I found this to be a story of embracing the unexpected journey. If that doesn't convince you that DWtMaT is worth a read, let me add this: I was reminded of Maeve Binchy, one of my all-time favorite authors. I loved how many of her books included several points-of-view, centered around a place or time, such as Evening Class or Nights of Rain and Stars. Needless to say, this is a huge compliment to Jill Mansell.

Don't Want to Miss a Thing's characters/stories included: Dex, single and successful, who's life is completely altered by his sister's death, and the choice to raise his niece; Molly, Dex's new neighbor and new best friend, who's torn between wanting Dex and knowing he may hurt her; Molly's best friend Frankie, who's happy life may be a façad; and many more characters, Dex's friend Henry, Frankie's daughter Amber, the local barmaid, a former television star and her lost love, and believe it or not, more characters. Just reading this, it might seem like the book had way too much going on, but Mansell managed to create these very interesting and intersecting storylines, and maintained cohesion to tie all together.

Don't Want to Miss a Thing is a really good story in it's own right. But if you're looking for a story that will remind you of Binchy, I highly recommend it.



Favorite Quote:

  Frankie's eyes stayed closed but she felt the beaming smile spread unstoppably across her face. Did that make her a shameless, loose-morale trollop?
  It did?
  Yay!     ~ARC, pg. 306

Interview with Jill Mansell

 

You've written so many books. How do you continue to keep each book fresh?
JM:  Ah, it does get trickier as the years go by! These days I have to actively seek out plot ideas I've not used before...or sometimes I'll start writing a storyline then realise fifty pages later that I used something similar twenty years ago. Of course, if I leave it in, someone will read those two books one after the other then accuse me of just writing the same old book every time!


Do you control your characters, or do they ever surprise you by taking over the story?
JM: I'm not much of a pre-planner so I kind of rely on my characters surprising me. Basically it's like trying desperately to think of an interesting present to buy your auntie for Christmas then suddenly getting a flash of inspiration and finding the most perfect gift just in time. And once you get your flash of inspiration it's impossible to ignore it - that's the way you have to go. With the characters, it can be brilliant but it can sometimes make the rest of the book tricky to complete!


Does Don't Want to Miss a Thing have an overall message? If so, what do you hope readers take away from the story?
JM:  I write feel-good fiction. I trust in the innate goodness of people. Dex is a hedonist, terrified of the responsibility of stepping up to the plate and taking over the care of his niece, but he does it. Anything truly worthwhile is never going to be easy, but achieving it is going to make you feel better about yourself.


Can you recommend a recent book you've read?
JM:  Wonder by RJ Palacio is one of my favourite books of all time. Ooh, and a brilliant one just out in the US is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Try it - you'll LOVE it!


Is there a particular book or author who's inspired you?
JM:  Every time I read and enjoy a book, that book's author inspires me. I'm always trying to improve my writing and create the best book yet. And every time I struggle to write more than two hundred words in a day I remind myself that Nora Roberts writes a squillion books a year. That both terrifies and inspires me!

Can you tell us about any current or future projects?
JM:  Oh, I'll carry on writing to the best of my ability and hope that ONE DAY a wonderful movie producer will fall in love with my books and bring them to life on the big screen. That's my dream scenario. Fingers crossed...

 

Praise for Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
“A little bundle of joy changes everything in this quirky chick-lit tale... charmingly well charted.” —Publishers Weekly


“Utterly charming from the first page, Mansell’s engaging tale is as welcome and warming as a cup of tea on a rainy night.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars

 

Purchase Don't Want to Miss a Thing

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository  |  Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Sourcebooks




Giveaway

Two winners will receive a Jill Mansell Prize Pack, containing a copy of Don't Want to Miss a Thing & another of Mansell's books, courtesy of Sourcebook.
Open US/Can only, must be 18 years of age to enter.

To enter: Fill the form with your name/email address. For an extra entry, leave a comment. "Could you give up your lifestyle to take care of someone you love?"
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author
With over 7 million copies sold, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Mansell writes irresistible and funny romantic tales for women in the tradition of Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella. She worked for many years at a neurological hospital, and now writes full time. She lives with her partner and their children in Bristol, England. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter, or visit her website for more information: http://www.jillmansell.co.uk/.

FINDING IT BLOG TOUR by CORA CARMACK: SPOTLIGHT AND GIVEAWAY

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Finding It Blog Tour!  I have author Cora Carmack here for an interview along with the tour giveaway. This event is hosted by InkSlinger PR.
 

Series: Losing It #3
Category/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Publication Date: 10/15/13

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life . . . or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

Finding It is the fourth book in the Losing It series (including the novella). How do you continue to keep the series fresh?
CC:  Well, I try to challenge myself with each book. I do something I’ve never done before or address an issue that’s unfamiliar to me or something along those lines. With Faking It, I tackled dual POV (among other things), and with Finding It I wrote a heroine who was drastically different from myself. Readers don’t like reading books that feel like the same regurgitated thing, nor do writers like writing those kinds of books. It’s typically the little things that can make a story fresh and stand out from others like it. For me, that usually comes down to the voice of the character. If each of my characters is unique, then I never have to worry about getting bored. It’s like living another life, really.


Do you control your characters, or do they ever surprise you by taking over the story?
CC:  I try my best to write organically. When I try to control my characters, that’s typically when I get stuck or do my worst work. In the beginning, I do a lot of thinking and brainstorming to figure out who my characters are and what they desire most. That desire dictates how they act in whatever situation I throw them into. Sometimes they react how I has suspected they would react. Sometimes they go completely off the map, and make me want to bang my head against various surfaces. But believe it or not… that’s the fun part of writing (once I get past the complaining).


Does Finding It have an overall message? If so, what do you hope readers take away from the story?
CC:  You know, I try to think less about a message and more about my ideal reader. I wrote Finding It for that person that’s trying to cover up fear and uncertainty with a smile. I wrote it for the person who feels broken because they seem to be the only person in the world who doesn’t know what they’re doing with their life. I wrote it for the person who’s ready to give up and lose themselves in the present by whatever means necessary (be it sex, alcohol, drugs, or pain), just so they don’t have to spend another minute thinking about a future that scares the shit out of them. The book is filled with messages, some small and some big. But mostly, I just want that girl or guy that I’ve described above to know that they’re not alone. I don’t like to call it “a message” because that implies that I have answers and actually know what I’m talking about. When truthfully, I’m often as lost and confused and scared as my characters. So rather than treating my book like a prescription for a certain problem, I want my book to play the role of a good friend.


Can you recommend a recent book you've read?
CC:  I’ve recently read and loved the Embrace series by Jessica Shirvington, Bad Things by R.K. Lilley, Isn’t She Lovely by Lauren Layne, and A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers.


Is there a particular book or author who's inspired you?
CC:  So many. Authors are my rockstars. I owe my career, my bookshelf, my personality, my childhood, and quite a few friends to the incomparable J.K. Rowling. I cannot even begin to put into words what effect Harry Potter had on my life. I’m also a massive fan of Libba Bray. When I was graduating high school and entering my own period of “New Adulthood,” I sent her a panic-ridden email disguised as a fan letter. She sent me a heart-felt and epic reply, and she’s pretty much been an idol of mine ever since.


Can you tell us about any current or future projects?
CC:  I would LOVE to. I have a new series releasing next year (the Rusk University series) beginning with All Lined Up. It’s from the POV of the daughter of a college football coach. I grew up as a coach’s daughter, so I know what it’s like to live in a world where guys hit on you just because they want an in with your dad, or on the reverse are terrified to even touch you because their intimidated by your dad.

I’m also tackling something a little different with this book (as I always like to do). So far, my books (and most of the New Adult category) have been focused on characters embracing new freedoms and having a new start. But I’ve known plenty of college students who didn’t get that freedom or new start because they went to college in their hometown. So in this first book, I’m asking, “When you strip away the freedoms and the fresh start, how is college any different from high school?” I think it’s an important question because I think there are a lot of people out there who will be able to identify with Dallas, the main character. How do you become an adult when you’re stuck in the atmosphere of your childhood? I’m really looking forward to sharing her story with the world.

The Losing It Series

(click on cover for GoodReads page)

 

Andrea's Review of Losing It  |  Andrea's Review of Keeping Her  |  Jessica's Review of Faking It 

 

 

Purchase Keeping Her:

(I receive no compensation for purchases.)

 

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble    

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finding It Blog Tour Schedule

October 13^th

K-Books-Author Interview

October 14^th

A Bookish Escape-Review Only
Reviews by Tammy & Kim-Review Only
Romance Addict-Excerpt

October 15^th

The Book Goddess-Guest Post
Made for You Book Reviews-Review Only

October 16^th

I Heart Big Books-Character Interview (Jackson Hunt)
BookGoonie-Review Only
Rumpled Sheets Blog-Review Only

October 17^th

The Book HookUp-Author Interview
Jenuine Cupcakes-Review Only

October 18^th

Stuck in Books-Excerpt
Putting Pen to Page-Review Only
Book Loving Mom-Review Only

October 19^th

Mean Girls Luv Books-Review Only
WhollyBooks-Review Only
Martini Times-Guest Post

October 20^th

The Story Siren-Author Interview
Live Read and Breathe-Review Only

October 21^st

I Read Indie-Dream Cast
A Book Lover’s Review-Review Only
Stuck in YA Books-Review Only

October 22^nd

Whirlwind Books-This and That
SMI Book Club-Review Only

October 23^rd

Scandalicious Book Reviews-Review Only
The Bookish Babe-Author Interview
Books Over Boys-Excerpt

October 24^th

3 Chicks & Their Books-Guest Post
Holly’s Hot Reads-Review Only

October 25^th

Love Between the Sheets-Review Only
Love N. Books-Review Only

October 26^th

BookNerds Anonymous-Review Only
Read This Hear That-Playlist

October 27^th

Tiffany Talks Books-Review Only
A Life Bound by Books-Excerpt

 

About the author:
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads

BLOG TOUR: SIX MONTHS LATER by NATALIE RICHARDS ~ REVIEW AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Today is my stop on the Six Months Later Blog Tour, hosted by Sourcebooks. My post includes a review and author interview.

Category/Genre: YA Contemporaray
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: 10/1/13
Format: eARC
Pages: 336
Source: Received from publisher for review
Rating: 4 stars

Chloe didn't think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six months of her life. Before, she'd been a mediocre student. Now, she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he's her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won't speak to her.

What happened to her?
And why can't she remember?

I haven't been in the habit of reading Young Adult in the last year or so, but when I do, I tend to enjoy a good suspense or mystery. Six Months Later delivered in that respect. I spent the first seventy-five percent of the story trying to solve what was going on with Chloe, and the rest wondering how the fallout would go down. This definitely kept my attention throughout. No easy feat with a mind like mine.

Six Months Later had several aspects that worked well for me. Of course, as I've already mentioned, the well-developed mystery, but I also enjoyed the characters and the way the story unfolded. Chloe was an engaging protagonist. I appreciated that she was a average. Average student, average popularity, and seemed to be genuinely okay with that. She didn't spend her time coveting the top of the popularity pile, and isn't happy when she "wakes up" in that very position. We also get a cast of secondary characters: Mags, the supportive best friend, well-meaning but annoying parents, the suspicious psychologist, the seemingly perfect boyfriend, and the brooding bad boy who may be a hero, or another baddie. Each character had an important place in the story.

Six Months Later opens with a "normal" beginning, and the mysterious changes happen shortly thereafter when Chloe wakes up six months in the future. Is she ill, or has her memory been tampered with? I love mysteries that pose this question, it's a true mind game. I ended up not being completely surprised by the answer to the puzzle, but appreciated  the reason for the nefarious actions. The ending left me satisfied instead of angry or disbelieving.

If you love Young Adult, or just a good mystery in general, Six Months Later is definitely worth a try.


Favorite Quote:

  My memory decides to have some sort of massive file corruption and these are the months I missed? What about my years in braces? Or the summer my dog and grandmother died a month apart? No, I get to miss the six months that turned my life from train wreck to perfection. Lovely.  ~eARC, 10%

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

 

What inspired you to write a story that dealt with memory loss?
NR:  Sometimes I wish I could say I met an amazing amnesia victim at a train station or something, but it's totally not true! The truth is the idea for Six Months Later was sparked by a creepy dream I had about closing my eyes and opening them to find several months had past.

My book ideas usually start with a very small scene that pops into my head. Almost always, it’s a scene that makes me ask a question. For Six Months Later the question was, "What would you do if you fell asleep and woke up six months later?" And then that sent me right me down the rabbit hole. What if you weren't asleep at all? What if you just didn’t remember that six months? What if everything is different? What if everything is perfect, but somehow very, very wrong? Somewhere in answering those questions, the story unfolded. J

Did you learn any interesting facts about memory loss while researching for the book. Can you tell us about one?
NR:  Hm. Tricky sticky business, this question! If I answer it with too much detail I'll reveal some important things about the book. I will say I learned a great deal about how very fragile and subjective memories are. And also how connected we are to our memories. Memories can hold tremendous power over us.


Did you ever suffer from writer's block while writing this book?
NR: Oh, I suffered alright. ;-) I'm pretty sure anyone who's ever written an entire book realizes that it's one part sunshine and puppy dogs, and ninety-nine parts unbelievably hard work. Don't get me wrong, I deeply love what I do, but it can be brutal. There was a scene at the end of the book that I wrote so many times I lost count. But that's all a part of it. I don't think of it as writer's block. I think writing is a little like a road trip. Sometimes you're going to get stuck in the mud and make wrong turns. The days when you're changing a tire in the rain, it reeeally sucks, but it's just part of the adventure.


What would you say is the overall message of Six Months Later?
NR: I didn't write Six Months Later with a theme or a message in mind, but it did happen. At the end, I realized Chloe had to come to terms with her own version of success. Perfection is a myth that many of us tend to aim for, but I think it’s more important to be authentic. Being true to who you are and being able to swallow the good and the really-not-good parts of who you are is its own kind of success.

 

Is there a particular book/author that has inspired you?
NR:  Ah, the hardest question of them all. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that most writers are readers first and foremost. There are so many authors that inspire me. John Green, Libba Bray, Jay Asher, Neil Gaiman, Laurie Halse Anderson, Gayle Forman, Suzanne Collins, JK Rowling...if you're not getting the point already, let me warn you, this could go on for a long, long while! I add to this list every year. Rainbow Rowell is the most recent author to make her way onto my list. J


Can you tell us about a current or future project?
NR:  My next YA thriller is in edits now and I've got to say, I'm beside myself about this book. It's a book about a girl who makes a very sinister discovery and ends up tangled in a web of moral ambiguity and vigilante tactics in her quest to make things right. I absolutely CAN’T WAIT for this book to come out. J



Thanks again for having me, Andrea! I’ve had a great time and really hope everyone enjoys Six Months Later!

 

 

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