Launching the REVIEW & EXCERPT TOUR for the
Run Run Runaway
Destiny Bay Romances: Sweet Editions
by Helen Conrad
Run Run Runaway is the Sweet Edition of My Little Runaway, the story of Reid Carrington and Jennifer Thornton.
They say you can’t go home again—but Jennifer’s going to try.
It’s not her idea. In fact, she fights it—but she’s always been in love with Reid Carrington and she knows how much he wants her to make the attempt—so she takes the leap, risking her own happiness. Meanwhile, Reid thinks he’s going to make her come back to face her responsibilities, but he ends up learning a few things about himself—and about Jennifer—that change his life for the better.
This sort of story always appealed to me. It’s actually a story of self-sacrifice. We all have times when people we love don’t understand why we do things we feel we have to do. Jennifer leaves home so she won’t have to tell her parents a truth they don’t want to know about her brother. They see it as selfish willfulness. She knows it’s really just the opposite. But her sacrifice is worth it to preserve their peace of mind. And once Reid fully understands her motives, he loves her more than ever. Still, it isn’t easy getting there!
Run Run Runaway
Destiny Bay Romances – Forever Yours
by Helen Conrad
Adult Romance
Paperback & Ebook, 169 pages
March 28th 2014 by Doorknock Publishing
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
The trouble is, when you run from your problems, you often find out your biggest obstacle is along for the trip–it’s you! Reid Carrington realizes that when he finds Jennifer and recognizes the quiet desperation in her eyes. Can he save someone who doesn’t want to be saved? Or like a lifeguard rescuing a swimmer, will she pull him down into the undertow in the end?
Recipes for Jennifer’s Mango Salsa and Tilly’s Bruschetta included.
Excerpt:
“Jennifer Thornton, when are you going to grow up?”
Her head shot up at the familiar voice, but the late afternoon sun was behind him, wrapping him in a mantle of light spears. All that stood out was a set of very wide shoulders and the vague outline of dark glasses hiding his eyes.
“Who says I have to grow up?” she asked lightly, reaching under her chin to unclip the strap on her helmet, then pulling the hard hat from her head and shaking her full head of chestnut curls free. “I learned long ago that grownups never have any fun.”
She peered into the shimmering light, trying to see his face. That voice was so familiar.
“There’s a lot more to life than fun,” he said softly. “You must be twenty-three years old by now. Haven’t you learned that yet?”
“Twenty-four,” she corrected automatically. She knew who it was now. Leaning back, she let loose the natural smile that so many called irresistible.
“Reid Carrington,” she said, letting out a long sigh as she said it. It had been ages since she’d said that name aloud, but she’d never forgotten it. It was written on her heart. A bubble of happiness rose in her throat. “You always were trying to teach me something, weren’t you?”
“Was I?” He stepped closer, and she could see the outlines of his handsome face. “The way I remember it, you were the one trying to teach me.”
Despite herself, Jennifer blushed, then bent to hide her smile. If he was going to bring up the silly way she used to chase him when she was a kid, she’d deny everything.
What a crush she’d had! Every summer, she’d spent the long, lazy days mooning over the handsome older boy next door. She must have made his life miserable.
“It has been a long time,” she said, wishing she could see him better. “Almost five years.”
“You look the same.” His voice had a curiously emotional quality, and she frowned, wondering why. “Just the same.”
“You look different.” She pulled herself up to stand before him, and now she could see his face clearly. All of it except the blue eyes. They were still covered by the dark glasses.
“You look very Junior Chamber of Commerce, now.” She grinned, examining his wrinkle-free slacks and the expensive pale blue shirt with the little polo player over the pocket. “Or is that an insult? Should I say Junior Stockbroker?”
She laughed softly, enchanted with seeing him again. He brought back all the good memories of the past. The ugly stuff that she tried so hard to blot out had nothing to do with Reid. She’d often wondered over the years how he was doing.
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Helen Conrad is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 90 romances (over 15 million copies sold) published under various pseudonyms with Harlequin, Silhouette, Loveswept, and others. She is currently revamping and rewriting much of her backlist—mainly into the Destiny Bay Romances Series. The first six, the Forever Yours Series, are being rewritten as Sweet Editions.
A Little About the Destiny Bay Romances: Sweet Editions
“The Destiny Bay Romances take place in the sort of beach town I’ve always loved–and now I live in one! But writing about beach towns came first and this series is centered on the rich, influential Carrington family living along the California Coast, and in Hawaii. These are good-looking, fast-driving, hard-hitting men and women whose impulses lead them into trouble every time–and inevitably to fall in love.
The original series includes language and love scenes that aren’t, for the most part, especially harsh and explicit–but some of my readers from my years writing sweets for Harlequin as Raye Morgan have asked if we couldn’t have sweet and clean versions–and I thought–what a good idea!
These are basically the same stories…but with the conflicts softened a bit, the language cleaned up, and no explicit love scenes. There are still a few adult situations, but they’re muted. Consider these the PG versions.
I hope you enjoy them!”
Tour-Wide Giveaway
– US Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and paperbacks of Run Run Runaway, A Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast
– INT Grand Prize: $20 Amazon gift card and ebooks of Run Run Runaway, A Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast
– 2 sets of ebooks of Run Run Runaway, A Little Blackmail, and Moving Too Fast (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The other books coming up on this tour:
A Little Blackmail
May 19 – Book Intro
May 23
May 25
May 26 – Book Intro
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
June 2 – Grand Finale
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My third novel, Prince of Malorn, is being published in less than a week! In honor of the occasion, I’ve decided to interview the title character.
http://www.earthrangers.com/
I have arranged to meet Prince Korram in a grassy meadow on one of the lower slopes of Malorn’s Impassable Mountains. He and
another young man, both dressed in deerskin and holding homemade spears, are keeping an eye on a large flock of goats. Korram comes over to talk to me while the goats graze.
How old are you?
“Seventeen and a half.”
What’s your favorite food or drink?
“Now? This might sound odd, but I think my favorite food is roast goat. I never had it back in the palace – actually, the first time I tasted it was just a few days ago, after I got back from a very difficult mission. The Mountain Folk family I’ve been living with killed one of their goats for the celebration feast, which they only do when something really important happens. It was a great honor, and I think I enjoyed the meal more than any banquet I ever had back in the palace. I know I’ll never taste goat again without remembering that sense of accomplishment, as well as the pride the others all felt in me. I was exhausted, bruised, and scraped all over from what I’d been through, but it felt so good to sit with them round the campfire in the open air, licking the grease off our fingers while I told the story of my adventures.”
What makes you angry?
“Feeling helpless. And talking to Regent Rampus. The two are pretty much the same thing.”
Tell me about your family.
“Well, Father died four years ago, so there’s just my mother, my little sister, and me. Mother –
Queen Aleris – is a strong woman; she could rule the kingdom on her own if it were allowed. She always knows what to do and how to deal with almost any kind of problem; I’ve learned more from her over the years than I ever did from Father. She can be overly controlling, though. I think sometimes she forgets that I’m not a little boy anymore. Even when I’m king, I’m certain she’ll still remind me to comb my hair before I go out and not slouch on my throne. To be honest, it’s been a relief to be off by myself in the mountains these last few months and not have her looking over my shoulder telling me what to do. Of course, I’ve found myself missing her and wondering how she would suggest dealing with some of the problems I’ve faced.
“My sister Kalendria is eleven; she’s prim and proper and likes her fine clothes and jewelry and for everything to be clean and perfect.” Korram chuckles. “I can’t wait to tell her about some of the things I’ve been through up here. Eating beetle larvae to keep from starving, for example; and sleeping on the ground, being chased by a bear, going weeks without bathing. She’ll be horrified – but at the same time, she loves a good story, so she’ll enjoy the tale. She always enjoys Arden’s stories, especially the ones full of danger and adventure. I can’t picture her ever having an adventure herself, though.
“And
Arden. He isn’t technically a member of the family, but he might as well be. He’s been a good friend to all of us, and it’s hard to imagine life without him now. He almost always joins Mother and Kalendria and me when we sit down to discuss what Rampus has been up to or how to make sure we’re safe, and he has very good ideas. There’s something about the way he plays his malute that just makes it easier to think and make plans. His music is odd that way – I’ll never understand how it works, but it’s as though he can use it to make people feel certain ways or want to do things that they otherwise wouldn’t. I wish he had come with me up here to the mountains, to be honest; but he’s needed back in the palace more. Who knows what Rampus might be plotting in my absence, and there’s no one else I could trust to look after Mother and Kalendria.”
What would you change about yourself if you could?
He grins sheepishly. “I’d like to be a little taller. It’s embarrassing for a future king to be at least half a head shorter than everyone else my age. I’d like to have the kind of imposing stature that inspires admiration and respect in people.”
Do you prefer cities or the countryside? Warm weather or cold?
Looking conflicted, Korram stares out at the snowy peaks that surround us on every side. “I enjoy the mountains very much now that I’ve learned to survive in them – at least, as long as I can stay down on the lower slopes where it’s reasonably safe. I love looking up and seeing all the rugged peaks and the open sky, and not having people and buildings all around me. But my life has never been about what I prefer. I’ll have to spend almost all my time in the city again once I’m king. I must admit that the warmer weather down there will be nice, though. I have no desire to ever weather another blizzard. I’m content to enjoy the snow from a distance now, thank you.”
What do you hope to accomplish? What keeps you from achieving your goal?
“Well, considering who I am, it’s probably obvious that I hope to become king. Legally I should be able to in a few more months, but Regent Rampus is standing in my way. He’s been ruling Malorn since my father died, and if I know him, he’s going to do anything it takes to stay in charge. That’s why I’m here in the Impassables in the first place. If I can’t recruit my own army, I don’t stand a chance against him.”
I hear that Rampus stopped you right as you were setting out for the mountains. What was that about?
“He wanted to assassinate me. That is, he invited me in for breakfast and to wish me success on my journey, but I know him better than that. He tried to send guards with me, supposedly to protect me on my trip, but I’m certain that the moment we left the city and there were no witnesses, they would have surrounded me and killed me. And of course I had to pretend not to suspect anything, or he would probably have had them turn on me then and there in the inn. But finally I managed to convince him that my mission – which he thinks is to recruit Mountain Folk soldiers for Malorn’s regular army to help protect us against Alasia – wouldn’t work if I brought guards along. He did insist on sending a servant,
Trayven, whose real job I think was to guide me to places along the way where assassins would be waiting. But I set my own route and never went any of the ways Trayven suggested, so I’ve managed to stay alive so far. And he’s gone now anyway, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
You’ve been living with the Mountain Folk for quite some time now. Most Malornians would say they’re dangerous; ignorant; dirty savages. What made you decide to seek their help in the first place, and what’s your secret to getting along with them?
“Kalendria would say they’re dirty, that’s for certain; but so am I, now.” Korram gestures at the deerskin tunic and breeches he’s wearing, stained all over with mud, grass, grease, and what might be hints of blood. He spreads out unwashed hands to show me how grubby they are. “Hot baths and soap don’t exist up here in the Impassables, and there are no servants to do the laundry. Oh, the Mountain Folk do wash their clothes and themselves in the streams now and then, but that isn’t very practical when the weather is this cold – and really, what’s the point? You just get dirty again.” He chuckles. “I suppose my personality is better suited to mountain life than palace life. Not that I would let that keep me from my responsibilities,” he hastens to add. “But back to your question. I decided to seek their help because they’re the only segment of Malornian society Rampus doesn’t control in some way. They’re nomadic and they live in an area very hard to access from the Lowlands, so he can’t tax them, bribe them, threaten them, or manipulate them. They don’t live in fear of what he might do if they displease him, and they have nothing to gain by siding with him. Who better to recruit to help me? And as for the ‘secret’, it really isn’t a secret at all. I just had to demonstrate that I respected them and wasn’t here to take advantage of them as
so many Lowlanders try to. I joined them in their daily tasks and asked them to teach me what they knew. And I’ve come to understand that although their culture is different, they’re no less kind, intelligent, or even civilized – in their own way – than anyone else.”
Finish this sentence: I have never told anyone this before but….
Korram hesitates. “I feel angry with my father a lot. I know it’s stupid, considering that he’s dead. But back when he was alive, he was always so busy that he never spent much time with me. I’m not saying he should have taken time away from his responsibilities as king, but I wish he had bothered to show me more of how it worked. I mean, my tutors taught me all about the ins and outs of Malornian government, but I didn’t get to see much of it in action. You would think a king would want his only son to see how he rules, but I never got much of that. It wasn’t until after his death that I started attending High Council meetings, for example. I suppose Father probably thought I was too young and that he had the rest of his life to teach me what I needed to know about ruling a kingdom.” Korram’s voice is bitter. “Well, the rest of his life wasn’t very long.”
What is your idea of success?
“If I can convince enough Mountain Folk to join my army, then I’ll be able to stand against Rampus. I’m not sure if that will involve actually fighting him and the regular army, or if simply seeing that I’m protected will be enough to keep him from trying anything. But either way, my first goal is to raise an army, my second is to stay alive until my eighteenth birthday, and my third is to remove Rampus from the picture and become king of Malorn. If I can do all three, I will have succeeded.”
After you become king, do you think you’ll ever return to the mountains?
“I hope so.” But Korram looks sad. “To be honest, though, I doubt it. Oh, maybe a day trip into the foothills now and then, but probably not much more than that. The Impassables are too far from Sazellia, and a king can’t just leave his responsibilities for weeks at a time to go traipsing through the wilderness.” He gazes around at the snow-clad peaks rising above us and sighs. “But the mountains will always be part of me now. I’ve changed and learned so much here that leaving the Impassables behind will be like abandoning a piece of myself.”
Have there been any times since you left the city when you were certain things just were not going to turn out right?
“Quite a lot of times.” He grins. “The third night on this trip I just returned from, for one. I hadn’t had much to eat for the last couple of days and I thought I was going to starve – but little did I know I would come much closer to starvation later. There was a terrific thunderstorm that night, and I was drenched to the bone and had nowhere to take shelter. I was cold, hungry, and miserable; I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d never live through the night. But things got better in the morning – and then of course they got worse again. Much worse. I nearly died several times: from hypothermia, starvation, dehydration, and between the jaws of bears and a snowcat. But I kept thinking how thrilled Rampus would be if I never returned, and that gave me the strength to keep going. And the good thing is, no matter what hardships I face through the rest of my life, I know they’ll be no match for me now. Not after the difficulties I’ve already faced and conquered. I’ll be a better king someday because of what I’ve been through.”
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email us at PrismBookTours(at)gmail.com with “Meant to Be Mine GF” in the subject line.
A book tour hosted by Prism Book Tours.
The REVIEW & EXCERPT TOUR GRAND FINALE for
Meant to Be Mine
by Becky Wade
Happy Mother’s Day! In Meant to Be Mine, Celia has been living as a single mother and then later in the story has to figure out who she is as a woman as her daughter becomes less dependent on her. We want to thank all you moms out there who give so much of yourselves to do what you do!! It isn’t easy being a mother all the time, but it is also one of the best jobs for all the love given and received.
Meant to Be Mine
(A Porter Family Novel #2)
by Becky Wade
Christian Romance
May 2014 by Bethany House Publishers
Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school—irresistible. When their paths cross again after college—still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.
The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.
Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.
How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?
Did you miss any of the stops along the tour?
You can go back and check them out now!
May 5
“It had a perfect mix of romance, heartbreak, well-fleshed characters, inspiration, hope, and a small-town setting….Truly a well-written, heartfelt, and enjoyably sweet story!”
“I’m not Mrs. Porter.” Teasing tinged her voice. She didn’t want to be too hard on him, not when the notion of him wanting to marry her was so outrageously flattering.
“Determined to wait until after the ceremony, huh?” He tipped the dealers and requested a tray so that he could pack up his chips. “You coming?”
“Definitely.” She didn’t want to tell him this, at the risk of seeming pathetic. But she’d follow him anywhere.
“Read this if you enjoy contemporary romance with twists, cowboys and cute little girls. And great (clean, but sweep you off your feet) kisses.”
May 6
There he was.
She forgot how to breathe.
He was striding down the sidewalk towards her, a few shops away and closing, looking up, probably to find the sign that said Jana’s.
She’d anticipated that he’d look handsome. But ‘handsome’ was something you might say about a male model in a magazine ad; it was too stiff and flat an adjective for Ty Porter.
Ty Porter had the kind of appeal that pulled your gaze to him and wouldn’t let you look away.
“I think this story will ring true and resonate with many readers- that love isn’t always like a Disney fairy tale. If you’re a fan of great love stories with memorable characters- don’t miss this one!!!!”
“I was surprised by how much I loved this book! The secret baby theme isn’t my favorite, but the author was so skilled in portraying the complex emotions of the characters, I was immediately drawn in and couldn’t put the book down!…I definitely recommend this book and can’t wait to read the rest of her books!”
May 7
“Ty Porter and Celia Parker got married in Vegas after dating four days. It shouldn’t have worked, and for a long time, it didn’t. But God had a plan to save the bull rider and the baker’s marriage, and He carried it out despite their stubbornness, bitterness, and inability to forgive. This reader really enjoyed being along for the ride.”
“I am so glad that I read this. It delved deeper into all aspects of relationships with their sacrifices and trust issues. It was an eye opener for me. I definitely will be reading the rest of the series.”
“This is truly a fun read and the simpleness of the story is beautiful. The author has also brought out the strong belief people have in God and in the end how that can shape or change a person’s life if you just believe. This is a beautiful story of love, understanding and trust, the lengths to which people can go to protect the ones they love or to gain the trust of the people they love.”
“I LOVED THIS BOOK! I loved the banter, the romance and the theme of forgiveness! I couldn’t put the book down and recommend it to all!!!”
“It’s romance with just the right touch of faith at it’s heart. The characters are spot on and the pacing is fantastic.”
May 8
“I absolutely loved the journey Ty and Celia went on in their discovery of what truly matters in life. The journey to true love isn’t always easy, but it can be so much fun, as well as sweet and romantic.”
“Aw,” he crooned. “Watching me ride gave you a little thing for me, didn’t it sweet one?”
She turned a withering look on him. “What kind of a thing?”
“A burning love kind of a thing.”
“Hardly.”
“Admit it, you missed me while I was gone.”
“Not in the least.”
“Still hate me?”
“Yes.”
If he could feel a calm sort of kindness toward Celia, that would be good. That’s what he’d been going for tonight.
Instead, when she’d opened her door, pleasure had rushed through him at the sight of her. After years on the road, seeing her standing in front of him with a bright, good-smelling house behind her had felt like coming home. The kind of home that had nothing to do with her fool apartment.
Once Pummeler had disappeared down the passage where all bulls disappeared, Ty lifted his hat, smiled at the crowd, and turned in a circle to acknowledge their support. The down-home commentators with the chicken-fried-steak accents called him a ‘fan favorite’ and a ‘three time world champion’ and ‘third in the season’s standings’.
“Nice try, Pummeler.” Celia shook her head and fast-forwarded.
Ty rode again and stayed on again.
Unfortunately no one would be denting Ty’s arrogance tonight.
“If you are looking for a cute story full of witty banter and to sink your teeth into be sure to check out this book as well as Becky Wade’s other stories.”
“I just got through Becky Wades new book called Meant to Be. If you haven’t read any books by Becky, I highly recommend it! She is a delight….It’s truly great and I give it five stars!”
May 9
“I just loved everything about this book. I loved that it made me mad, and laugh and cry. I mean, when an author does that to me, I just want to jump up and down. I know, kind of crazy, but I love it when a book can bring such emotions out of me….It was sweet, funny, and just an all around great read.”
“It’s official. I’m a die hard Becky Wade fan. I love her books. They are real and heartfelt stories that I connect to….I would highly recommend this book to fans of Christian fiction and romance. It’s a beautiful reminder that marriage is sacred to God.”
“The Christian elements are there but aren’t overpowering. The story really shines through and I enjoyed it all a lot. In fact, when I finished this book, which is the second in the series, I went right to Amazon to check out the other books by this author.”
“I just love the simplicity and the beauty of the story. It’s about love and forgiveness. It’s one of those books you want to read if you want to relax and unwind.”
About the Author
During her childhood in California,
Becky Wade frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.
Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky’s passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She’s delighted to be penning warm, wry, and heartwarming contemporary romances for the Christian market. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, was a finalist in both the RITA and INSPY awards.
Undeniably Yours kicked off her Texas-set Porter Family series. Her newest contemporary romance,
Meant to Be Mine, has just hit shelves!
These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.
Prize #1: $50 Visa gift card and a paperback or ebook copy of Meant to Be Mine (open internationally)
Prize #2: 1 lb. of Starbucks coffee and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
Prize #3: Box of See’s Chocolates and signed copies of Undeniably Yours and Meant to Be Mine (US Only)
May 4 – 18
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Today I’m excited to welcome author Jill Stengl to my blog to talk about her new novel of the French Revolution, Until That Distant Day. I had the opportunity to ask her a question about the characters, as you’ll see below (and make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of the book and some Parisian tea, shown in the last picture!). But first, here’s a little more information about the book and its author:
Back Cover Description
Colette and her brother Pascoe are two sides of the same coin, dependent upon one another in the tumultuous world of the new Republic. Together they labor with other leaders of the sans-culottes to ensure freedom for all the downtrodden men and women of France.
But then the popular uprisings turn bloody and the rhetoric proves false. Suddenly, Colette finds herself at odds with Pascoe and struggling to unite her fractured family against the lure of violence. Charged with protecting an innocent young woman and desperately afraid of losing one of her beloved brothers, Colette doesn’t know where to turn or whom to trust as the bloodshed creeps ever closer to home.
Until that distant day when peace returns to France, can she find the strength to defend her loved ones . . . even from one another?
“Jill Stengl is one of the rare authors with the ability to transport the reader to another world–a delightfully rich world of scent and sight and sound.” – Kim Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of Echoes of Mercy
“Award-winning author Jill Stengl has created her greatest work yet in the inspiring and moving Until That Distant Day.” Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of the Wives of King David series.
Author Bio
Jill Stengl is the author of numerous romance novels including Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award- and Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor, and the bestselling novella, Fresh Highland Heir. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, where she enjoys her three cats, teaching a high school English Lit. class, playing keyboard for her church family, and sipping coffee on the deck as she brainstorms for her next novel.
She blogs at Books, Cats, and Whimsy. Do stop by and follow her to keep up with all her writing and reading-related activities!
Question from Annie:
Tell me about one of your characters who you would NOT want to know in real life. What makes this character interesting, and why does he/she work well in the story?
Answer from Jill:
The first character who came to mind was Pascoe, because he would exhaust me mentally and emotionally and I already have enough people like that in my life!
But I think the person I would truly be most uncomfortable around would be Arnaud Lamorges, owner of the weapons forge. Arnaud is a huge, physically powerful man with a straightforward mind: He cannot imagine his leaders among the sans culottes behaving or speaking dishonorably or deceitfully. This blind trust and his lack of education make him a useful tool to unscrupulous politicians. He is both a faithful friend and an implacable enemy. His mere physical presence would be intimidating to me!
He loves his young wife with single-minded devotion and would do anything in his power to make her happy, yet she also fears him for reasons she keeps to herself. Arnaud’s role in the story is crucial, and my heart aches for him yet.
Thank you for a fun question, Annie. That one made me think! And thank you for joining my blog tour. J
Until That Distant Day Launch Tour Schedule (visit any of the blogs below to see more information about the book and read more people’s questions and the author’s answers):
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13 – Giveaway Winner Announced
 |
| Prizes for the Giveaway! |
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Welcome to my stop for the April = Showers Book Tour for
4/29
4/30
5/1
5/2
5/4 – Grand Finale
The Weather Girl
by Amy Vastine
Clean Adult Contemporary Romance
January 1st 2014 by Harlequin
Turbulence is in their forecast
Summer Raines knows when it’s going to rain. She can feel it. That’s why the local weather girl’s so good at her job. Too bad she couldn’t have foreseen the tumultuous arrival of Travis Lockwood, everybody’s favorite star NFL quarterback. Make that former star NFL quarterback. Sidelined back to Texas after an injury, the golden boy is trying to steal her precious on-air time. Summer is reduced to reporting from…football games. It’s enough to make her quit and become a storm-chaser like her parents. She’s stuck with a career that’s going nowhere and a man who delights in her refusal to be charmed. Falling in love isn’t nearly as easy as predicting the weather.
Excerpt
“So it sounds like sports reporting has become something you want to do now,” Summer said, the menu blocking her beautiful blues from his.
“The better I get, the more I like it. Maybe ESPN will come knocking soon and I’ll be off to New Yorkor wherever their studio is.”
The menu she was using as a shield tipped down just enough for her eyes to meet his. “Is that so?”
He shook his head, grinning. “Like you said, there’s nothing wrong with working here in Abilene.”
“Great. I’m never going to get my thirty seconds back. I’m not sure I’ll survive.”
“You’ll survive.” Travis loved that she didn’t shy away from teasing him. The waitress arrived with their waters and took their orders. When they were alone and she had no menu to hide behind, Travis continued, with his dimples in full effect. “I think you’ve finally stopped hating me.”
“I never hated you. I tried to hate you, but you’re too likable.” He liked that answer. He liked that answer a lot. “I am, am I?” “Less and less by the minute.”
He wasn’t buying it. “Admit it. You like me.”
“I don’t know. You never return the things you borrow, you drive a pretentious car. The list of reasons not to like you goes on and on.”
“Your umbrella is sitting right by my front door. I never remember it because it hasn’t rained in weeks.”
“Don’t make me come get it,” she warned.
He laughed. “You aren’t as scary as you used to be, Weather Girl.”
Poor Summer looked so flustered he half expected to hear all about typhoons or the average number of lightning strikes in a Texas thunderstorm. Summer managed to keep the weather facts at bay.
“Country-fried steak with mashed potatoes, pork chops with the vegetable medley and an extra side of french fries,” the waitress said as she set the plates in front of Travis. “And the half turkey sandwich on sourdough and a chicken noodle soup for the lady. Is there anything else I can get you?”
“Is there anything left back there?” Summer asked, staring wide-eyed at her dinner companion, who was already shoveling in a mouthful.
“What?” he mumbled around a bite of his pork.
“How is it humanly possible for one man to eat all of that?”
“I work hard, I play hard, I have an appetite. You should have seen me when I played ball. I could eat twice this much.”
Her giggle was better than the food. Travis finished off one plate and started on the other.
“You’re going to be five hundred pounds soon if you aren’t careful,” she said, shaking her head.
“You offering to help me work it off?”
Summer set her sandwich down. “If I remember correctly, the last time I took you running, you nearly passed out.” “I remember watching you get drenched by the sprinklers, loving every second of it. Like you were dancing in the rain. You looked beautiful.” Seeing her like that had stirred feelings he wasn’t ready to deal with then, but he was prepared to try now.
“Stop. What’s gotten into you tonight?” The corner of her mouth twitched, dying to give in to a smile.
“You say stop, but you don’t mean it,” he said before popping a giant piece of broccoli into his mouth.
“I do. I mean it,” she asserted, keeping her eyes everywhere but on him.
Travis set down his fork and slid out of his seat. Summer’s brow furrowed until he planted himself next to her. He pushed some hair back so he could see her face. “Tell me there’s nothing I can do to make something happen between me and you.”
Summer’s breathing changed, almost stopped. Her spoon fell into her soup. “There’s nothing you can do,” she said, her voice wavering.
Something was already happening. She could lie to herself, but not to him. Travis leaned in, his nose almost touching the shell of her ear as he brought his mouth closer. “Nothing? You haven’t once wondered what it would be like to kiss me?”
He could feel the heat coming off her now. Her skin turned red. She swallowed hard and her teeth bit into her bottom lip. “Don’t kiss me.” It came out like a desperate plea. As if kissing her would break her in two.
“I won’t. I promise.” He sat back, giving her a reprieve, then went back to his own side. She watched him pick up his fork and fill his mouth with some french fries. Summer grabbed her water and drank until the ice cubes were all that was left.
She was going to kiss him. Not today, not tomorrow. But she was going to kiss him. Travis had no doubt. “I’ll wait for you to kiss me. Someday soon, Summer Raines, you’re going to want to kiss me.”
Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.
In September of 2012, she saw a tweet about Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest. She entered, hoping for nothing more than a little feedback from some people in the business. Amazingly, The Weather Girl made it into the semi-finals, thanks to the many wonderful voters out there! The manuscript didn’t make it to the finals, but the editors over Harlequin were still interested. A few revisions later and The Weather Girl was contacted for publication with Harlequin Heartwarming – a dream come true!
Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.
– Grand Prize: $25 Amazon gift card, red umbrella, signed copy of THE WEATHER GIRL, umbrella bookmark, and decorative box (US Only)
– 5 ebooks of The Weather Girl (INT)
– April 21 – May 11
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The following scene is an excerpt from my novel Prince of Malorn, scheduled to be released on Amazon on May 16th.
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Korram saw the snowcat shift a little on the rock. Is it getting ready to spring? His heart pounding anew, he took a quiet step forward, and then another. He had to get closer, just in case.
Now he stood right at the bank of the stream, only about ten feet behind the creature. It was perched out in the middle of the water, maybe eight feet from the edge. What was he supposed to do? He supposed he could wade out to the rock it was on, but he didn’t fancy battling a powerful animal in the middle of a river, let alone at the brink of a waterfall. That scenario didn’t seem likely to end well.
The snowcat shifted again, gathering its hind legs under its body. Its tail, stretched out behind, twitched a little. Korram had seen Sir Fluffle gather himself just like that before he lunged at a squirrel in the palace garden.
This is it, he thought desperately. I have to do something now! But he wouldn’t panic and throw his spear this time. Gripping the weapon with his right hand, he snatched up a loose pebble with his left and flung it at the cat, yelling, “Over here!”
The snowcat turned its head, saw him, and bared long gleaming teeth in a snarl. Korram felt a stab of guilt at the glimpse of a red stain on its chest, and knew the cat was indeed angry and in pain. He gripped the spear in a two-handed stance as he had seen Ernth do, bracing his feet. “All right, come on! Over here! Let’s get this over with.” He wasn’t at all sure which of them would survive the encounter, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do.
But the snowcat did not leap across the water to attack him. It turned its head once more to stare over the cliff, and Korram saw its muscles bunch and ripple as it shifted position again. It was going to leap over the waterfall! Ernth had said snowcats were clever. Apparently it had made the choice between the enemy who was ready for him and the one who was not.
“Hey! Hey! Over here!” Korram yelled again, dashing forward along the bank and waving his arms. But the beast paid him no attention, and Korram knew there was only one remaining course of action, one chance he had to save Ernth’s life. Without pausing to consider the consequences, he leaped into the water and splashed his way toward the rock where the creature crouched.
The streambed was slippery underfoot, and icy water rushed into his deerskin boots, filling them and slowing him down. The current was stronger than he had expected, and for a moment Korram was afraid he would be swept off his feet and over the falls. Desperately he braced himself against the force of the water and lunged forward.
He was only one step away from the rock when the snowcat sprang. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Korram saw its body lengthen, its forelegs reaching out and over. Desperate, he leaped too, spear extended. His other arm stretched out in a frantic attempt to grab, to hold the creature back, to slow it down, to somehow stop what could no longer be stopped. He felt the tip of his weapon strike flesh as he seized a handful of thick fur. The animal was still leaping, pulling him forward with it, but he was half on top of it now, and he could feel the bulging muscles of its haunches rippling beneath his chest.
It gave a strangled cry, half snarl, half scream, and whirled around, flailing its claws at him. Korram struck out with his spear again, still clutching a handful of fur. Then he felt his ribs hit the edge of the rock, and he realized that his head was lower than the rest of him and that the snowcat’s momentum was pulling them both over the edge.
He had a quick glimpse of Ernth balancing on a boulder at the foot of the falls, poking his spear through the curtain of water, and of the astonished expression on his face as he caught sight of Korram and the snowcat toppling over the edge toward him. Then there was no time to notice anything else before Korram felt himself tumbling through the air, still clutching the writhing animal, a curtain of water shimmering all around them.
About the Book:
If you knew that your prayers could change the lives and futures of your children or grandchildren, would you pray regularly? Prayers of a Mother’s Heart: For a Chosen Generation is a hope-filled resource for those desiring a life of prayer and for those seeking God for miracles. In the Prayers of a Mother’s Heart eBook, there are several personal stories that reveal the power of prayer, a collection of heartfelt prayers that address a wide range of concerns many mothers have for their children, along with over ninety-five Scriptures, simple guidelines for preparing the heart for prayer, a chapter on prayer journals, and a chapter on the importance of generational blessings. Be inspired by Prayers of a Mother’s Heart to begin trusting that Jesus truly holds the answers to the challenges in your children’s lives. Jesus promised He would do the impossible if only we would believe (Mark 9:23).
Amy von Borstel is a passionate follower of Christ, a wife and mother of two—one adult child and one teen. She attributes her twenty-eight year marriage and happy home to the love of God and living a life of faith-filled prayer. She’s been a writer since she was a little girl, writing poetry and keeping journals as a way to find peace and rest in her soul. Her first published short story, A Divine Hair Appointment, was released in the 2013 Thomas Nelson book, When God Makes Lemonade. She is passionate about helping orphans and seeing people find abundance through an intimate relationship with Christ.
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Well, Floyd and I just enjoyed three days’ vacation on Green Island in a hotel we were not planning on staying at.
We got lost a couple of times getting from Kaohsiung (southern Taiwan) to the harbor in Taitung (eastern Taiwan), but that’s another story. Finally we found the right place to catch the boat to Green Island, and we managed to buy our round-trip tickets with no problem.
The 50-minute boat ride was really fun for me – lots of big billows, and my stomach quite frequently did that going-down-a-drop-on-a-roller-coaster plunge. Wheee! Floyd didn’t find it quite as fun as I did, but he had Dramamine, and he and his stomach somehow hung in there.
Well, we disembarked on Green Island with our duffel bag, two backpacks, the laptop in its case, my purse, Floyd’s satchel, a second duffel bag with two foam pads in case the hotel mattress was hard (as many of them tend to be here), and the address of our hotel written in Chinese. (We didn’t know the name of the hotel in either language.) I should mention here that a friend had recommended the hotel to us as one that she had stayed in, and she’d emailed us its Chinese address and the phone number. A different friend had helped us call the number and make a reservation (in Chinese) for the two nights we planned to stay.
So we lugged all our luggage (I guess that’s why they call it that, huh?) away from the busy port area to a quieter street to figure out what to do next and where to go. Several enthusiastic locals came over to see if we wanted help (I assume they work for tour companies or hotels and were trying to get our business, though we couldn’t understand them). One little old lady on a scooter was very persistent, so finally we showed her the hotel address to see if she could help us get there (and to show her that we didn’t need her help figuring out where to stay on the island). She read the characters and looked perplexed, and I understood her when she pointed at the first two characters and told us the address was in Taitung. Actually, I could read those particular characters too, though it hadn’t occurred to me to look closely or think about them before. Wait – could our reservation actually be for a hotel back in Taitung and not on Green Island? Surely not!
We didn’t have the phone numbers of either of our helpful friends, but we did have our other friend Clive’s number. Floyd called him and explained the situation – and long story short, after about ten minutes and several separate calls and the little old lady hanging around and trying to talk to us and ask us what was going on, we determined that our reservation was indeed in Taitung. Oh no! Here we were in Green Island with tickets to return the day after tomorrow, and no hotel reservation. Thankfully we hadn’t actually paid in advance for our other hotel!
Well, Clive is bilingual, so we passed the phone to our kind old lady, and the two of them had quite a conversation. A couple of times she passed it back to Floyd so Clive could update him what they’d been saying, and then it went back to the lady again. (But we still didn’t really have a very clear picture of what they were figuring out for us.) Finally the lady hung up, passed the phone back to Floyd, and gestured for me to get on the back of her scooter. What else could I do? I grabbed my purse and the laptop case, waved goodbye to Floyd, and got on behind her.
We drove a little way down the street and stopped where – thank goodness – another lady was waiting who spoke some English. (I should mention that the little old lady had made a few phone calls on her own phone a little earlier too.) The new lady asked me if my husband and I wanted to rent a scooter for one, two, or three days; and I told her I wasn’t sure we wanted to rent one at all. Maybe a bike? She spoke to someone who might have been her daughter, who disappeared down the street and came back riding a bike. They insisted I try it out, and I mentioned we had heard there were electric bikes for rent here. Back went the daughter and brought me an electric bike to test ride. They wanted an answer right then, but Floyd and I hadn’t really decided anything, and I didn’t want to sign anything without him there, and where was he anyway?
About that time some man drove up on a scooter with Floyd riding on the back. Most of our luggage was nowhere in sight. After a quick discussion and two test rides, we decided to rent a scooter. Neither of us has a scooter license, and I don’t even have a Taiwan driver’s license, but they assured us that was no problem and we could both legally drive this 50 cc one and be covered by their insurance in case of accident. I had never actually driven a scooter before, but the lady gave me a quick lesson then and there and I discovered it wasn’t too hard. We had to pay in advance and leave Floyd’s license with her, which we’re still a little nervous about, but she seemed very friendly ….
So Floyd got on the scooter, I hopped on behind him (still clutching the purse and laptop), and our little old lady friend got on her own scooter and gestured for us to follow. We had no idea where we were going, but she led the way back toward the dock, where we found the rest of our luggage sitting quietly off to one side, waiting for us unattended. A man who had come with us on a third scooter picked up the pieces we weren’t already carrying and somehow balanced them on his scooter (the little old lady helped). On we drove, and eventually ended up at a humble little hotel. It was run by the same company (Chung Hwa Telecom – the phone company) as the one we were supposed to stay in, so maybe they were able to somehow transfer our reservation.
Our little old lady friend waved goodbye and drove away before we could think of some culturally appropriate way to express our deep gratitude for her help. I shudder to think how we would have coped with the situation without such a Good Samaritan there to assist! All I can say is, I hope she got paid some sort of commission from the hotel or the scooter company, because she didn’t ask for or seem to expect anything from us.
Well, the hotel lady welcomed us in and helped us get our luggage to our room, and we proceeded to have an interesting conversation with the help of her iPhone. She gave us a brochure with a map of the island and touristy spots labeled in both English and Chinese, and recommended certain sites and answered our questions. But she spoke almost no English, and our Chinese certainly doesn’t take us very far. So she would type something into her phone, pull up the English translation, and let us read it on the screen. It worked!
Anyway, we were glad to be able to relax in our room and sort through and unpack our luggage. From the first moment I sat down on the bed, I could tell we would most definitely be thankful for those foam pads (and sure enough, we were)!
But “thankful” really is the theme of the afternoon. We’re thankful there was good phone reception here, thankful we could get ahold of Clive, thankful he was willing to help us, thankful for the little old Taiwanese lady who may just have been an angel in disguise, thankful that it worked out to rent a scooter that we can both legally drive, thankful we didn’t lose any money with the hotel problem, thankful all our luggage rejoined us intact, thankful there was a room available here for us for two nights at a very reasonable rate, and thankful for the technology that helped us work everything out! Thank you, Lord!
Tomorrow we hope to drive our rented scooter around the island, following the map we were given, and stop to see and do various things along the way. Stay tuned for another update – but hopefully this one will be much tamer!
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It’s RELEASE DAY for
The Geography of You and Me
by Jennifer E. Smith
The Geography of You and Me
by Jennifer E. Smith
YA Contemporary Romance
April 15th 2014 by Little, Brown for Young Readers
Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.
Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and — finally — a reunion in the city where they first met.
A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn’t necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.
Did you miss any of the excerpts we shared on our tour?
You can go back and read chapter one in its entirety, but here are some snippets:
Tour Launch
The two main characters, Lucy and Owen, from The Geography of You and Me first meet in New York, but then keep in contact from different places around the world before meeting up in New York again.
The author, Jennifer E. Smith, shared some of her favorite places in the world in preparation of Geography’s release. We’d like to re-share them with you!
On the first day of September, the world went dark.
But from where she stood in the blackness, her back pressed against the brassy wall of an elevator, Lucy Patterson had no way of knowing the scope of it yet.
When the elevator had wrenched to a stop, their eyes met, and in spite of the situation, she’d found herself wondering—ridiculously—whether he recognized her, too. But then the lights above them had snapped off, and they were both left blinking into the darkness, the floor still quivering beneath them. There were a few metallic sounds from above—two loud clanks followed by a sharp bang—and then something seemed to settle, and except for the faint beat of his music, it was silent.
The boy turned to face her, and though it was still too dark for details, she could see him more clearly with each minute that passed. She was reminded of a science experiment her class did in fifth grade, where the teacher dropped a mint into each of the students’ cupped palms, then switched off the lights and told them to bite down hard, and a series of tiny sparks lit up the room. This was how he seemed to her now: his teeth flashing when he spoke, the whites of his eyes bright against the blackness.
“I think we’ll be fine,” he said, his voice reassuring; then, with a hint of amusement, he added: “Unless, of course, you’re afraid of the dark.”
“I’m okay,” she said, sliding down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, her elbows resting on her knees. She attempted a smile, which emerged a little wobbly. “I’ve heard monsters prefer closets to elevators.”
This time she laughed. “What’s up there, anyway?”
“The sky.”
“You’ve got keys to the sky?” she said, and he knitted his fingers together, lifting his arms above his head in a stretch.
“It’s how I impress all the girls I meet in the elevator.”
“I know. Hard to believe school starts tomorrow.”
“Yeah, for me, too,” he said. “Assuming we ever get out of here.”
“Where do you go?”
“Probably not the same place as you.”
“Well, I hope not,” she said with a grin. “Mine’s all girls.”
He considered this a moment. “Yup,” he said finally. “That pretty much sums up my feelings about New York.”
Lucy nodded. “You would prefer not to,” she said. “But that’s just because it’s new. Once you get to know it more, I have a feeling you’ll like it here.”
“Is this the part where you insist on taking me on a tour of the city, and we laugh and point at all the famous sights, and then I buy an I ♥ NY T-shirt and live happily ever after?”
“The T-shirt is optional,” she told him.
His eyes caught hers through the darkness, and the elevator felt suddenly smaller than it had just minutes before. Lucy thought of all the other times she’d been crammed in here over the years: with women in fur coats and men in expensive suits; with little white dogs on pink leashes and doormen wheeling heavy boxes on luggage carts. She’d once spilled an entire container of orange juice on the carpet right where Owen was sitting, which had made the whole place stink for days, and another time, when she was little, she’d drawn her name in green marker on the wall, much to her mother’s dismay.
Across the elevator, Owen rested his head against the wall. “It is what it is…” he murmured, letting the words trail off at the end.
“I hate that expression,” Lucy said, a bit more forcefully than intended. “Nothing is what it is. Things are always changing. They can always get better.”
“It won’t help anything,” she said. “Worrying.”
“Exactly,” he said. “It is what it is.”
“Nope,” she said. “Nothing is what it is.”
“Fine,” he said. “It’s not what it isn’t.”
Lucy gave him a long look. “I have no idea what you’re saying.”
“Or maybe you’d just prefer not to,” he said, sitting forward, and they both laughed. The darkness between them felt suddenly thin, flimsy as tissue paper and even less substantial. His eyes shone through the blackness as the silence stretched between them, and when he finally broke it, his voice was choked.
You’ll have to find out what happens between Lucy and Owen by grabbing a copy.
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of This Is What Happy Looks Like, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her work has been translated into 27 languages, and her next young adult novel, The Geography of You and Me, will be out in Spring 2014.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
– Hardcover copy of The Geography of You and Me
– ebook copy of The Geography of You and Me
– Open internationally
– April 8 – 22
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A themed tour with Prism Book Tours…
The Rock Star Tour Grand Finale for
What Goes on Tour
By Claire Boston
There’s still time to check out the tour stops, download What Goes on Tour
for a discounted price, and enter the giveaways. Check it all out below!
What Goes on Tourby Claire Boston
Adult Contemporary
Romance
Ebook, 282 pages
February 11th 2014 by Momentum Moonlight
What goes on tour, stays on tour … or does it?
Few people know that socially awkward Adrian Hart is actually rock god Kent Downer, and that’s the way Adrian likes it. His privacy is essential, especially now that he has guardianship of his orphaned, ten-year-old niece, Kate. But when the nanny quits in the middle of his tour Adrian finds himself in a bind.
Until Libby Myles walks into his life.
Libby has only ever wanted to become a full-time author and prove to her parents that she can make it on her own. On the surface, the temporary job as the nanny for Kent Downer’s niece looks perfect—the pay is fabulous, the hours are short and Kate is a big fan—it’s the rock star that’s the issue.
Arrogant and way too attractive for anyone’s good, Kent Downer has enough swagger to power a small city. But when he’s out of costume he’s different—shy and uncertain. For Libby it’s a far harder combination to resist. She needs to find a balance between work, writing and ignoring her attraction to the rock star, because if she falls for him, it could mean the end of her dream.
But when a horrible scandal is unleashed—putting young Kate in danger—there’s more heat between Libby and Adrian than just sexual attraction. Libby must figure out if Adrian ever cared for her, or if it was all just part of the show …
SALE! What Goes on Tour for $2 (50% off)!!
Click on the “Buy Direct” button and use this coupon code:
wgot
What did author, Claire Boston, say about what she hopes readers take away with them after they’ve read What Goes on Tour?
I’d love it if readers enjoyed the novel and maybe took with them that people are often different from their public persona.
Nerves clenched in a death grip in Libby’s stomach. She ignored them, taking some more chocolate, then shifted her weight, lifting her knee so she was sitting sideways on the couch.
All the better to observe the rock star. She needed the distraction. He was attractive, if you went for the bad boy type, with his designer stubble and dark brooding eyes. Libby imagined some women would get a thrill to have those eyes focused on them, even for a moment.
7) Which of your characters do you favorite and why?
That’s like asking a mother who their favourite child is! There are things I love about each of them but I guess if I had to choose, Adrian would be my favourite in
What Goes on Tour. He was such an interesting character to get to know and I liked working through his issues with him.
…I also contacted my favourite talk show and asked what happens behind the scenes, before the show is aired. Were there rehearsals? How much makeup had to be applied? What happened after the show? Again there was a really useful response, explaining everything that happened and I realised I had to make a couple of adjustments to my story to incorporate them.
“Well done. No, very well done. It’s not often I find a romance that captures me like this. This is romance in its purest form without being mushy.”
What was the inspiration for What Goes On Tour?
The question should probably be who was the inspiration for What Goes on Tour and the answer is Marilyn Manson. I was watching a music video show on television and Marilyn Manson appeared. I wondered what made him create his persona and from there my mind drifted off into a series of ‘what ifs’ and day dreams. It only took about five minutes sitting on the couch to come up with Adrian/Kent and the story progressed from there.
Each writer has their own process, their own way of building a story and it can evolve over time. I have friends who plot everything and those who plot nothing and both work for them. And that’s what it’s about. You have to find a process that works for you. I’ll still try out different methods when I hear about them to see if they can work for me and sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.
But no matter what my writing process involves, one thing remains constant – the love of writing itself.
What are you working on right now?
I’ve just finished the dirty draft of a contemporary romance. It’s based around childhood sweethearts who split up just after high school and have just been reunited.
What would you have done differently if you were the main character of your book?
That’s a tricky question because when I’m writing, I constantly fight the urge to make the situation too easy for my character or to have them act like I would act. If I was Libby I would have stood up for myself a lot quicker than she does.
If I had to give one piece of advice to aspiring authors it would be to never give up. Nothing happens quickly in this industry and you need to learn your craft before you get to the submission stage. Even after that, it’s very subjective so you need to persevere until you get your manuscript in front of the right person.
Who is he? Marilyn Manson.
I was watching one of those music video shows and he came on screen with his dark hair, pale skin and dark makeup and I wondered what made him make up the persona of Marilyn Manson. My brain spiralled through a range of what ifs:
- What if it was the only way he could perform in front of people?
- What if he was nothing like the character he portrayed?
- What if he was the exact opposite?
- What if it was his way of hiding from the world?
And so the character of Adrian/Kent was born…
“It is well written with fully-fledged characters, and a happily-ever-after ending. I would recommend this to those who enjoy Adult Romance.”
Libby shifted in her chair and his intense brown eyes met hers. Her heart jolted. He looked slightly horrified, though much friendlier than the cheetah last night.
Though he barely resembled the rock star, Libby was sure it was him. “Hello, Kent.”
The surprise was a shooting star across his face.
“You recognized him!” the girl said as she handed back the notebook. “No one does when he’s not in costume.”
I’ll admit I don’t listen to music when I’m writing. I find it distracting and if I’m having a particularly difficult writing day then I find myself singing along to the songs rather than thinking up what should happen next. Having said that, songs often inspire ideas or help me set the mood for a scene, so I will listen to playlists to help me stay in the mood.
When What Goes on Tour first came out I decided to have a book launch. It was reasonably low key, at the local library, with about 70 friends, family and writing and reading enthusiasts attending. . . . wouldn’t it be great if we could get a real rock star to play as people arrived (because a rock star would really love to perform for free at a debut author’s small book launch!). . . . instead I put together a playlist of rock tunes to set the mood of the night. . .
Libby was just Libby, interesting and kind.
And that was another problem. He couldn’t deny he was attracted to her and he had to add that to the equation. The nanny he hired had to be the best for Kate’s well being and nothing to do with him. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t hire anyone he was attracted to. But he also didn’t have a lot of choice.
Libby stood up. She should go. This was their time together and she’d be back in a couple of hours when Adrian had to go to work. “I’ll leave you two and come back in time to make dinner.”
“Stay.” Adrian and Kate spoke simultaneously and then grinned at each other and said, “Jinx!”
Adrian turned to Libby and was more hesitant. “That is, if you don’t have any work of your own.” His gaze was sincere.
“She doesn’t. She’s already halfway through her edits,” Kate said. “You could play a game with us. Uncle Ade said we could play the dancing game today.” She jumped up and snatched the computer game cover. “There are lots of songs to choose from.”
The first time Libby meets Adrian, he’s dressed as his alter-ego Kent and this is what she sees.
The other red couch had a single occupant. Not the kind of person you wanted to meet in a dark alley, late at night.
Kent Downer stared straight at Libby, one hand in his lap, the other over the top of the couch, his long, rangy legs crossed at the ankles. She smiled, but he didn’t respond, staring but not seeing, his attention somewhere far more interesting than these four walls. She took the opportunity to study him. Short, spikey black faux-hawk, pale skin and the thickest black eyeliner she’d ever seen on a man. His clothes were black too. Skinny-leg jeans, plain, fitted T-shirt and a waistcoat that hung unbuttoned at the sides. Stereotypical rock star. She’d never be able to use him in one of her books – she’d have to make him different in some way. Otherwise she’d get the comment from her editor – “Don’t make him a cardboard cut-out.”
When she meets him again, as Adrian, this is her impression.
He was the same height and build as the rock star but that was where the resemblance ended. His dark hair was combed flat, and his white muscle T-shirt and blue jeans made him look like the boy next door.
“The plot was more complex than I originally thought it would be and I enjoyed it. There were some twists and turns and I knew how I wanted it to end, but wasn’t sure if it would turn in that direction. . . . If you enjoy contemporary rock ‘n roll adult romance, this is the book for you!”
He got her so flustered, being so close. She turned to put some distance between them but stopped as he took her hand.
Heat rushed up her arms. Adrian drew her closer to him.
Her heart slowed and beat heavily in her chest.
“You’ve helped me a lot in these few short days.” He took her other hand so she was facing him directly.
What was he doing? She had to stop this.
When Kent has an anxiety attack, he uses the image of Libby to help calm himself.
“Kent closed his eyes and focused on the sensation, visualizing her face; her emerald green eyes, her small nose, her hesitant smile and the straight, chocolate brown hair that fell past her shoulders.
She was attractive, in an unassuming way, and he concentrated on that hum of attraction he’d felt when he’d first noticed her in the green room.”
Then a little later in the story he sees her again, in a far different light.
“She was wearing a black leather jacket and green top that made her eyes more emerald, but it was the skinny-leg jeans and high heels that attracted his attention. Where the heck had those legs come from? They went on and on and the jeans clung to them like a second skin.
Within the first two chapters of What Goes on Tour, I was hooked. It was interesting to see how Adrian/Kent’s and Libby’s relationship unfolded, and because it wasn’t rushed, it felt believable. I think that’s a contributing factor of why I liked both characters.
This novel was well-written – the plot was interesting and entertaining; the characters were by and large believable. . . . I kept turning the pages even when I should have gone to bed, because bedtime came around just as I was reaching the part where the scandal subplot was unfolding, and I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. This being the author’s debut novel, I’m doubly impressed with it, and can’t wait to read her next book!
If you were to adapt this book for the big screen, who would be in your dream cast?
I’ve been asked this question a few times and every time I come up with a different answer! There are so many talented actors and actresses out there. For Adrian I’d probably go with Benedict Cumberbatch; for Libby, Rose Byrne; and for Kate, Annie Rose Buckley.
Claire Boston was a voracious reader as a child, devouring anything by Enid Blyton as well as series such as Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, The Baby-sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. Then one school holidays when she’d run out of books to read her mother handed her ‘Hot Ice’ by Nora Roberts and Claire instantly fell in love with romance novels.
The love of reading soon turned to a love of writing and she struggled to keep within the 1500 word limit set by her teachers for her creative writing assignments. When she finally decided to become serious about her stories she joined Romance Writers of Australia, found her wonderful critique group and hasn’t looked back.
When Claire’s not reading or writing she can be found in the garden attempting to grow vegetables, or racing around a vintage motocross track. If she can convince anyone to play with her, she also enjoys cards and board games.
Claire lives in Western Australia, just south of Perth with her husband, who loves even her most annoying quirks, and her two grubby, but adorable Australian bulldogs.
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