Book Review: With This Kiss Part One, Two and Three by Eloisa James

With This Kiss Part One, Two & Three by Eloisa James

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Publish Date: March 12, 19, and 26, 2013

ebook, 30 pages each
Fiction, Historical Romance

 ISBN: Part One: 9780062276933
 ISBN: Part Two: 9780062276940
 ISBN: Part Three: 9780062276957

My Review:
I do not read a lot of historical romance and after reading this little novella series, I'm not quite sure why.  Ms. James has penned a marvelous story in serial format and if you didn't know about the books yet,  you are in luck because now all of them are out and you won't have to wait a week between releases to find out what happens between Grace and Colin next!

For some reason while I was perusing Edelweiss this serial just jumped right out at me and while not feeling well a couple of afternoons, I dove right in.  And I plowed through all three in no time. Yes they are short, but they tell a full story and as I was formatting this post I was honestly shocked to see that they were only around 30 pages a piece.  It seemed like I got so much more story than that, even for the combined pages.  That is how magical it was to me.

The first story sets everything up.  How Grace and Colin know each other and how their relationship grows and the first obstacle in their path.  It's wonderful and it's heartbreaking all at the same time.  The second and third continue the story toward their happy ending, but it's rough going getting there.  I won't elaborate more but just know there is plenty of conflict in this novella serial to keep you reading.  The plot is very interesting without being tedious.  I was fully immersed in it and almost hated having to change books (but I did it, in a hurry I might add).

The characters are marvelous, from Grace and Colin to Grace's little sister to Grace and Colin's parents.  I loved them all, but I loved the stubborn Grace and Colin best and so cheered for them to fall in love despite the odds that seemed to be against them at every turn.  I just can't say enough about these characters without giving anything away. 

If you've read Ms. James (I hadn't) or you just enjoy a good historical I think this would be for you.  It's a quick enthralling read.  Again feel blessed they are all out now, I can't imagine having to wait a week between installments.  I would just feel bereft!

There is a note on Goodreads that Lady Grace is the daughter of the main characters from The Ugly Duchess and Colin is the adopted son of the main character from Seduced by a Pirate.  So more reasons to read for you Eloisa James fans.  And now more reasons for me to read Eloisa James' backlist.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
Part One:

Lady Grace Ryburn, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Ashbrook, has fallen wildly in love with Colin Barry, a dashing young lieutenant serving his country in the Royal Navy. When he returns home to exuberant celebrations, will he even notice the quiet wallflower he grew up with … or will he fall for Grace's sparkling, gorgeous sister?

Part Two:
Lady Grace Ryburn has accepted another man's proposal after the love of her life, Lieutenant Colin Barry, asked for her own sister's hand in marriage.

But when Colin returns home from the wars, injured in body and spirit, will she be able to turn her back and marry another? Or will she throw away every rule her mother taught her and try to seduce a man who has shown no interest in her kisses?

Part Three:
Lieutenant Colin Barry returns from the wars injured in body and spirit, knowing that he has no right to steal Grace from the arms of her fiancé. Yet the same warrior's spirit that won so many battles at sea is prompting him to throw propriety to the winds, imitate his pirate father, and simply take what he most desires!
 
About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Website
Twitter
Facebook

***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Author Interview + Excerpt: Sarah Ballance (Last Call)

Today I welcome Sarah Ballance, author of Last Call, a romantic suspense which you can get for the great price of $0.99! You can run do that, but right now grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Sarah and Last Call .  

What three things do you need in order to write?

I really only need my laptop and, since I’m writing a historical at the moment, an internet connection. (The things I have to research make me laugh out loud at times). But throw in some music and I’m in heaven. I have this strange habit of listening to the same CD over and over and OVER again while I’m writing. Five, six times a night and five days a week. (The other two days I write with Ghost Adventures. There’s a marathon every Friday and Saturday night on the Travel Channel, LOL.)

What's your favorite season?

My overall lurve-it-most season is fall. Once the humid summer air turns crisp and cool and there’s a hint of chimney smoke in the air, I am in the BEST mood. But right now I’d TOTALLY love a shot of spring. Airing out the house to the scent of freshly cut grass is nothing short of amazeballs after a long, cold winter. (Also, I dig summer because it’s boating season. Clearly, I’m easy to please! LOL.)

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

We’re actually taking that dream trip this year! LOL. When I was a kid my parents drove cross country and it was something I’ve never forgotten. I want my children to experience that, and my
husband hasn’t been out west yet, so we’re driving to Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills, Deadwood,
Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. I am SO excited! (Ask me again after nine days in the car with six kids, mkay?)

How much research did you do into law enforcement or do you have someone in law
enforcement close to you?

I’ve always been interested in the topic, and as such have read TONS. I also double majored in
biology and biochemistry in college, so there’s sort of a basic knowledge base already there. I
don’t write massive details (and prefer the rogue types who don’t necessarily follow the rules) so
usually a quick google to confirm what I think I know works for me.

What's the first sentence of Last Call?

Rhys Clark swore and jerked her foot from the murky puddle that had just claimed one of her new running shoes.

Tell us what is Last Call about.

When ex-cop Rhys is kidnapped, her captor does something unexpected: he dumps her at the feet of her ex-partner, Nick. Nick is ordered to keep her safe or they both end up dead, but in his struggle to come to terms with the way he left Rhys, he discovers things aren’t quite what they seem. With an unseen enemy and the walls closing in, they find the darkest betrayals can come not just from the bad guys, but from within.

Dish, who’s your favorite character in Last Call?

Oh, tough one. I think Nick. He wants nothing more than to make things right with Rhys, but he can’t forgive himself for the mistakes of his past. His emotional journey throughout this book is sometimes painful to watch, but he loves her so much, and it’s hard not to love him for it.

What was your inspiration for Last Call?

It was actually inspired by another of my releases, Unforgiven. I originally intended Last Call to follow Unforgiven, so my characters more or less plotted this one for me as an extension of the first book. When my plans changed, I had to change out the characters I had planned for the story—which was a struggle—but I kept the plot points that didn’t tie directly with the other book.

If you could cast anyone as Rhys and Nick who would you choose to play them?

This is so hard because I don’t know who anyone is! I don’t watch much TV and rarely go to the movies, so I’m pretty clueless on this kind of thing. I can say, however, Nick is totally the guy on the cover. ;c)

What can we expect next from you?

If all goes well, I’ll have two releases this fall from Entangled Publishing—one a category-length historical romance and the other a spooky novella set in an abandoned asylum. Between that and my road trip, I can’t tell you how excited I am about the fall! (No wonder it’s my favorite season, lol!)

Thanks Sarah!

Thank you so very much. It’s a pleasure and an honor to share space with you and your readers
today. ;c)

About the book:
Romantic suspense for just 99 cents!

In a perilous game of trust, a shocking betrayal deals a dangerous hand.

An accidental witness to a murder-for-hire, ex-cop Rhys Clark becomes the target of ruthless killer—one determined to silence her at any cost. Playing dead seems to be the most likely way to stay alive, but when her protection comes in the form of mega-sexy former adversary Nick Massey, Rhys can think of a few fates worse than death.

Nick Massey may have walked away from his troubles, but he never got past wanting Rhys. Once paired undercover, they’d been nothing but fireworks until a botched assignment ended her career, sending his into a tailspin. Now a mysterious client threatens Nick’s life if he doesn’t keep Rhys safe, but it isn’t until fate takes a critical turn that he realizes the devastating truth: he’s been her greatest threat all along.

LAST CALL is available from: For the Muse Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and
Smashwords (formats: .mobi, .epub, HTML, PDF, RTF, LRF, PalmDoc, and Plain Text). Click here to add to Goodreads or here for reviews.

Cover art by For the Muse Design.
  
About the Author:
Sarah and her husband of what he calls “many long, long years” live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they’re asleep. She never dreamed of becoming an author, but as a homeschooling mom, she often jokes she writes fiction because if she wants anyone to listen to her, she has to make them up. (As it turns out, her characters aren’t much better than the kids). When not buried under piles of laundry, she may be found adrift in the Atlantic (preferably on a boat) or seeking that ever-elusive perfect writing spot where not even the kids can find her.

She loves creating unforgettable stories while putting her characters through an unkind amount of torture—a hobby that has nothing to do with living with six children. (Really.) Though she adores nail-biting mystery and edge-of-your-seat thrillers, Sarah writes in many genres including contemporary and ghostly paranormal romance.
 
Her ever-growing roster of releases may be found on her website.

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Excerpt:

Rhys Clark swore and jerked her foot from the murky puddle that had just claimed one of her new running shoes. Perfect. The day was now officially perfect.

She blamed Nick Massey.

Blaming him was easy enough. She didn’t know which required more nerve on his part—leaving town or crawling back—but both events left her bitter and raw. And wet, she grumbled inwardly. With the sky spitting rain and the occasional pellet of sleet smacking her face, she should have skipped her evening jog. The street was little more than a concrete alley of shuttered businesses, and the bleak weather amplified the emptiness. But tonight, with Nick hot on her mind, running through the cold was her last ditch effort to return to her senses.

It hadn’t worked.

Another blast of icy air howled through the narrow street. If she hadn’t been standing still, she probably wouldn’t have heard the shouting that followed.

A few months ago, an altercation wouldn’t have been unusual in this part of town. But the whole area was under reconstruction. Local crime dissipated to nothing with the razing of several apartment buildings, and until now Rhys had long found her route to be a place of solace. She glanced around as the voices drew closer and more intense. Rapid footsteps smacked the wet pavement. Then the echo of a gunshot cracked the night.

Where fear left her paralyzed, instinct insisted she get out of sight. She looked around and found an unbroken expanse of concrete wall offering few options. Heart pounding, Rhys ducked into the recessed doorway of a vacant storefront and hoped the deep shadows would keep her concealed.

Terrifying seconds passed. The sound of her own suppressed breath roared in her ears.

Voices came, clearer this time. Close.

“If we screw this up…” The words, terse and hushed, were encapsulated in panic.

“Shut up,” demanded a second voice. “No one messed up. He’s as good as dead.”

“You think you’re going to sell that without a body? We didn’t get paid to lose him.”

“He took one to the gut. He won’t get far. We’ll find him.”

“He’s leaving a trail. Blood. We got the big bucks for a clean—”

“Shut up.”

A hit? Rhys shuddered, fear scaling her spine. A professional hit would have been silent—something not accomplished by the gunshot or the ensuing conversation—but in this game, experience wasn’t always a prerequisite for willingness to pull the trigger. Two years of undercover work had taught her as much.

So had a bullet.

Rhys froze, waiting for the voices to pass. But luck was not on her side. Rather than drawing away, the footsteps ceased.

“Well, well, well,” said the confident one. “Looks like our little game of hide and seek is over.”

Hope crumbled. The voice was far too close. Had they seen her?

She dared not move. Through her lashes, she saw nothing in her narrow view of the dimly lit street but dirty puddles and the occasional bit of trash plastered to wet pavement. She prayed they didn’t look her way should they walk past.

Grunts erupted nearby, followed by the sound of sneakers scuffling on concrete. Then two shots fired, and all sounds of struggle gave way to profane celebration.

In the same instant, a man fell to the sidewalk in front of Rhys. His eyes, sightless and familiar, bore into her.

She choked a gasp.

A man stepped into her line of sight, his weapon at the ready. Before she could stop herself, she locked eyes with him. Big mistake. The decision threw her into a cloud of emotional shrapnel, the past flying at her in shards. She’d been shot once before.

It hadn’t ended well.

The gunman opened his mouth and formed an ugly grin, his breath coming in visible puffs through yellowed teeth.

“Looks like a double header tonight, T,” he said, never taking his gaze off Rhys.

“Whaddya mean?” came the reply. The voice . . . she blinked until the second man shifted into focus.

She knew him. From where? She couldn’t think.

She glanced to the dead man, and her vision wavered. Panic shifted her world into a screen of jarred pixels, the flashback jagged and severe.

“Rhys! Stay with me, Rhys. Do you hear me? Rhys!”

Blood. So much blood.

“Nick.” She touched his face, feeling stubble beneath her fingertips. Then the weight of her arm was too much; as gravity won he slipped away. The world twisted into a sickening spiral until all that was left was his voice, the desperation in his tone bringing warmth to the darkness.

“Rhys!”

Motion jarred her to the present.

The gunman gestured. “Our witness here is about to have an unfortunate accident.” He raised the weapon, aiming for the kill.

It was a short view down the barrel at point blank range. She expected that.

What she didn’t anticipate was the speed with which he pulled the trigger.

Or how quickly the pain hit.

Giveaway: Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, I have one copy of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s ADMISSION for giveaway (US only, ends 3/28).  If you haven't already heard, Admission opens in theaters tomorrow, 3/22 and from what I've seen it looks to be a great movie.  I read the book several years ago and really enjoyed it and I have to say I think the casting is really great.  It doesn't get much better than Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Michael Sheen, Wallace Shawn, and Lily Tomlin. So if you haven't read this book, now is a great time.  It's a great read. It's fun, it's good and it's hard to put down.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Today’s college admissions office is a complex cultural “hot spot” where many American themes converge: aspiration, immigration, tradition. To be an admissions officer is to be disliked and suspected by more or less everyone you meet. In ADMISSION, Jean Hanff Korelitz explores the life of 38-year-old Portia Nathan, an Admissions Officer at Princeton University with a settled domestic life and a rewarding, if sometimes punishing, career. Years after the life-altering decision she has never revealed, Portia sees that she must take the ultimate risk, and in doing so, make the ultimate admission.

Originally published in hardcover in 2009, the movie-tie-in edition of ADMISSION was released January 15, 2013. The film, directed by Oscar®-nominated Paul Weitz, opens March 22, 2013 and stars Tina Fey and Paul Rudd with Michael Sheen, Wallace Shawn, and Lily Tomlin.

ADMISSION is at once a fascinating look at the complex college admissions process and an emotional examination of what happens when the secrets of the past abruptly come back and shake a woman’s life to its very core. Kirkus calls it a “Gripping portrait of a woman in crisis from the extremely gifted Korelitz…Strongly plotted, crowded with full-bodied characters and as thoughtful about this national hysteria over college admissions as it is about the protagonist’s complex personality—a fine, moving example of traditional realistic fiction.”

ABOUT JEAN HANFF KORELITZ: 
Jean Hanff Korelitz was a part-time reader for Princeton’s Office of Admission during the
2006 and 2007 admissions season. She was born and raised in New York and graduated from Dartmouth College and Clare College, Cambridge. She is the author of one book of poems, The Properties of Breath, and three previous novels—A Jury of Her Peers, The Sabbathday River, and The White Rose—as well as a novel for children, Interference Powder.

Korelitz has also published essays in the anthologies Modern Love and Because I Said So, and in the magazines Vogue, Real Simple, More, Newsweek, Organic Style, Travel and Leisure  (Family), and others. She lives in Princeton, NJ with her husband (Irish poet Paul Muldoon, poetry editor at The New Yorker and Princeton poetry professor) and two children.

Please visit www.jeanhanffkorelitz.com and www.HachetteBookGroup.com



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Author Interview & Giveaway: Tessa Bailey (Protecting What's His)

  
Today I welcome Tessa Bailey, author of Protecting What's His, an Entangled Brazen title I am currently enjoying.  So grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Tessa and then enter the giveaway to win a copy of Protecting What's His.  


What three things do you need in order to write? 
Silence, gummy bears and warm socks

What's your favorite season? 
Fall. I love sweater weather. Weather you can walk around and drink coffee in. People are making holiday plans. I love it!

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
It used to be the west of Ireland, but I finally checked that off my list over the summer – what an absolutely breathtaking place! Now I would love to see Greece.

How much research did you do into law enforcement or do you have someone in law enforcement close to you? 
I did some research on law enforcement and Chicago in general for PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS, but I also know a retired narcotics officer for the NYPD. He tells incredibly fascinating stories and I can ask him questions. I’ve also read so much romantic suspense and watch so many cop dramas, I think I’ve absorbed a lot of knowledge about law enforcement that way! It almost feels like second nature.

What's the first sentence of Protecting What’s His? 
“To steal or not to steal, that was the question.”

Tell us what is Protecting What’s His about. 
We come upon Ginger, our mostly fearless heroine as she is deciding whether or not to steal fifty-thousand dollars from her passed-out stripper mother. Ultimately, she decides to take the cash (and her little sister, Willa) on the run to Chicago.

She thinks she’s gotten away with it until she meets homicide cop and sexy new neighbor,
Lieutenant Derek Tyler.

Dish, who’s your favorite character? 
Lieutenant Derek Tyler! My swoon-worthy alpha male J

What was your inspiration for Protecting What’s His? 
 My inspiration came in the form of Ginger first. I heard this song “Bad Man’s World” by Jenny Lewis and it inspired her character. It’s about a woman who has suffered at the hands of others and has something to prove. It’s a little dark for Ginger, because she’s actually a really spunky character, but her beginnings weren’t so great. I built the story for her.

If you could cast anyone as Ginger and Derek who would you choose to play them? 
I can’t for the life of me cast Derek! But if I had to, it would be someone like Stephen Amell from the television show Arrow. As for Ginger, there is an actress named Shelley Hennig I came across recently that is a dead ringer for the girl in my head. There are some pictures on my website of the people I would cast as well.


What can we expect next from you? 
I’m working on a trilogy set in New York City about law enforcement. The first book is about a hot-shot hostage negotiator who falls hard for his mentor’s daughter. Guaranteed to be steamy!



To follow the tour, click on the banner at the top of the post or go here.

About the book:

Title: Protecting What’s His
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 273
Release Date: February 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62266-789-5
Imprint: Brazen
She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come…

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

 Find the Author on the web:

Webpage
Blog
Like Tessa on Facebook
Follow Tessa on Twitter 
 
Giveaway:
Win an ebook of Protecting What's His, courtesy of the publisher.  Open internationally, ends 3/27.  Enter using the Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

It's Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop Time!  For this giveaway I will have two (2) winners, US/Canada only please because of shipping costs.  And what is up for grabs, each winner will get their choice of one of the following books which are books I have finished in the past and are just sitting around waiting for a new home or are books that I should finish by the end of the hop (please note, some are ARCs).  So have a look, enter below and then make sure you check out all the other great giveaways too!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Lisa Burstein (Dear Cassie)

  
Today I welcome Lisa Burstein, author of Dear Cassie, which I'm currently reading and enjoying.  I hope to post my review later today or tomorrow, but I can tell you this book sucks you right in. I need to know Cassie, what happened, and what will happen.  I am intrigued.  Want to know more?  Grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Lisa and Dear Cassie and then get your own copy of this great book.  

What's the first sentence of Dear Cassie?

 

"Are you there Smokey Bear? It's me Cassie."

 

Tell us what is Dear Cassie about. 

Dear Cassie is about finding love in the unlikeliest place. Cassie is sent to a wilderness rehab program and forced to journal about her experience. Her "journal" is the book. She is so hurt and angry from a relationship in her past that she can't open up to anyone, until she meets one of the male campers, Ben. Slowly, over the course of their time at camp, Ben teaches Cassie she can trust and love someone again.

 

Who’s your favorite character in Dear Cassie? 

Cassie, she is snarky and sharp and funny, but also so vulnerable underneath.

 

Since Dear Cassie continues from events in Pretty Amy, do you think it’s harder to write series than it is to write a single title? 

No, but that could be because it isn't *really* a series, it's a companion novel, so it's from a completely different character's POV and a completely different story- that pulls from the world of the first novel. It came fairly easy to me, but I think that's because Cassie is such a strong character.

 

How did you come up with the idea of a Wilderness Camp for the setting of Dear Cassie? How much research did you do? 

I had some issues as a teen and was sent to rehab--not a wilderness camp the indoor kind-- but I knew for Cassie she needed to be somewhere like that. She plays really tough and a tough environment puts her to the test. I drew on both my experiences at summer camp and in rehab and also did some research online on teen boot camps and wilderness survival programs. They are actually quite common for troubled teens.

We actually have one in our area, or we did, I was surprised to learn a few years ago and it really did the kids some good, or at least most of the kids.  I knew one that went through it and he came out different.  I can't imagine going to one, I think it would scare me to the straight and narrow if I was threatened with one, but then again I was never a trouble-maker, so I'm not one that understands that mindset.  But I do see the need for them.  I hate ours lost funding.

 

What can we expect next from you?

I have a few things in proposal with my publisher right now, including a novel about LILA's story. I hope to be able to make some announcements next month.

Can't wait for that, and I'll remember it's just a companion story :)

 

Thanks Lisa!

About the book:

What if the last place you should fall in love is the first place that you do?

You’d think getting sent to Turning Pines Wilderness Camp for a month-long rehabilitation “retreat” and being forced to re-live it in this journal would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.

You’d be wrong.

There’s the reason I was sent to Turning Pines in the first place: I got arrested. On prom night. With my two best friends, who I haven’t talked to since and probably never will again. And then there’s the real reason I was sent here. The thing I can’t talk about with the guy I can’t even think about.

What if the moment you’ve closed yourself off is the moment you start to break open?

But there’s this guy here. Ben. And the more I swear he won’t—he can’t—the deeper under my skin he’s getting. After the thing that happened, I promised I’d never fall for another boy’s lies.


And yet I can’t help but wonder…what if?

About the Author:
Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Fiction from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University and is glad to finally have it be worth more than the paper it was printed on. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Pretty Amy is her first novel. She never went to her senior prom.

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Blog


 

Author Interview: Paige Cuccaro (From Here to Eternity)

  
Today I welcome Paige Cuccaro, author of From Here to Eternity, which I reviewed yesterday. Today is a continuation of her tour stop so if you missed the review, make sure you check it out and enter the tour giveaway!  So grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Paige. 



What three things do you need in order to write?

1. My mini laptop—it’s strictly dedicated to writing. Helps keep me from be distracted by the
internet and email.
2. My Ipod—I have music loaded on it, but I also have white noise (sounds of traffic,
sounds of a forest, sounds of a crackling fire). White noise way less distracting than
music and I’m far less likely to start singing along.
3. My noise canceling headphones—combined with the white noise tracks on my Ipod I can
totally shut out the real world and immerse myself in my story.

What's your favorite season?

Summer! Spring is okay, I enjoy the flowers and the warming weather. Fall isn’t too bad,
especially early fall, when the weather is just a little cooler and the leaves are changing. But I go
stir crazy in the winter. The cold totally shuts me down. I’m definitely a summertime girl.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Italy. Sorrento, Italy to be exact. I’ve been there with my husband and it’s amazing!

What's the first sentence of From Here to Eternity?

“I’m dead,” I said to my husband’s voice mail.

Tell us what is From Here to Eternity about.

It’s about a woman who wakes up one day to realize, despite all outward evidence her life has
utterly changed. Against her most deepest held beliefs she’s become the one thing she never
wanted and there’s no going back It’s about a man who, faced with his worst fear come true, was forced to make a choice between respecting his wife’s wishes or protecting a discovery that, in the wrong hands, could be the most devastating weapon ever made.

It’s about that kind of once in a life time love that transcends the limitations of human life and
makes us redefine what makes us who we are.

Dish, who’s your favorite character?

In this story? I’d say Nate. I love his adorable nerdiness and the way he loves his wife.

How did you come up with the idea for Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons? Do you have a science background?

No. Ha! The majority of my scientific knowledge comes from sci-fi movies, and books. Isaac
Asimov is my science-geek hero. I’ve always loved his take on robots, and their constant
struggle to become more human.

From Here to Eternity came out of my own fascination with society’s seemingly inevitable move
toward becoming more like robots. (Speaking in regards to medical advancements that trade
human limbs and organs, with robotic parts—as either replacements or aids.) Where would it
stop? What wouldn’t we trade out, or enhance in our bodies if it meant a longer, more fulfilling
life?
Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons was simply a combination of applicable words to create the
acronym, CYANA.

Did From Here to Eternity go the way you thought it would when you started or did it take on a life of it’s own as you wrote?

Yes. From Here to Eternity is the story I set out to write. I’m a plotter, so for the most part, my
stories begin and end the way I expect. The middle can get a little muddled, but it normally
works out.

What can we expect next from you?

I have the second book in my Hellsbane series, Heaven and Hellsbane, scheduled for release in
August and the third book, Hellsbane Hereafter, releasing in the winter.

Thanks Paige!
 
Thanks for having me! These were fun questions!!

I’d love to hear what your readers think about robotic parts, and sustaining or improving life with
robotic technology. Where would you draw the line?

If we had the technology to transfer everything a person knows, all their memories, everything
that shaped them into the person they were—into a highly advanced robotic brain and
body…would they be a robot—or a new kind of human?

To follow the tour, click on the banner at the top of the post or go here.

About the book:

Love never dies…but apparently Rachel has.

Waking up one day to her obituary in the news and no recollection of the past few weeks, Rachel calls her husband, Nate, in a panic, at the research facility where he works. Nate is the inventor of CYANAs, Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons, vessels that look exactly like humans and can store a person’s memories…and maybe even his or her soul.

When Nate arrives home, Rachel doesn’t recognize the man who claims to be her husband. Can Nate convince Rachel to fall in love with him all over again? Especially once she realizes what he’s done…and what it means for their future?




 

About the Author:

Wife, Mother, tax payer, writer.

I live in Ohio, with my husband, three daughters, three dogs, and three cats, in an ever shrinking house. When I'm not writing I'm doing the mom thing with a book in one hand and a notepad and pen in the other. Ideas come without warning and for me, the best way to stimulate my imagination is to enjoy the imagination of someone else.

Paige's webpage
Paige on Twitter
Paige on Facebook









Tour Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Character Interview & Giveaways: Temptation by Kathryn Barrett

  
Today I welcome Rachel from Kathryn Barrett's novel, Temptation.  Rachel is mother to Jacob and she's a bit of a meddler.  She's definitely an interesting character and I grew to like her over the book. I thought it would be fun to get to know her as a person during the Temptation blog tour and get more of a glimpse into the Amish life and how she views her life, work and Englishers.  She also has a delicious recipe to share.  So go grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Rachel and the community and then enter the giveaway to win a copy of Temptation from the author just on my blog and also a Blog Tour giveaway of .

Rachel, it’s good to sit down and talk with you today, you have a lovely home, I can tell you work hard and care for it very well.

What is a typical day in your life like?

I generally get up at 5 am and start cooking. After breakfast I wash clothes in my wringer washer (our congregation allows such technology as wringer washers, but over to Bird-in-Hand they don’t even allow that! Imagine!) Then I tidy up, mopping the floors and such (we don’t have any of that carpet you Englishers do, which is a good thing since I don’t own a vacuum cleaner—those are forbidden, even in our more liberal congregation.) By 10:30 it’s time to start cooking lunch, then I have some free time I usually spend sewing and quilting.

And there’s always canning: I can peaches, beans, tomatoes, watermelon rinds—anything that can fit in a canner. No sense wasting good food when it can be preserved.

Rachel, I’ve seen you with Daniel, you are wonderful with him,  However you’ve already raised Jacob, what does it feel like raising another child at your age?

Frankly, I’m too old to be raising a child. I do my best, but these old bones don’t need to be playing hide-and-seek in the corn stalks. Daniel needs a mother, one who’ll give him some brothers and sisters. But the boy does a good job of shucking corn. I think I’ve taught him well, if I do say so.

You seem to love gardening, quilting and cooking, which one would you say is your favorite?

I do love to have a quilt to work on. Just like Jacob likes putting pieces of wood together, I like putting pieces of fabric together. I would never call it artistic, like some do, but it’s fun to figure out where the different colors work best. And I love nothing better than lingering in Mary Stoltz’s quilt shop—so many fabrics to choose from, I get dizzy!

I use to quilt a lot and I understand the love of a quilt shop though I have to admit I wish I had your eye for color, that's what I lacked when I quilted.

Do you have a favorite book?

You mean when I’m not reading the Bible? I do like those Amish romances, but don’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m just a frivolous old woman.

I won't tell.  I like those as well, but I guess they are accepted among us Englishers.  We're just curious about your lifestyle.

I’ve heard your you make a wonderful snitz pie, what exactly is that for us Englishers? And would you share the recipe?

Snitz pie is just a fancy word for dried apple pie, one of Daniel’s favorites. First you need to go ask Bishop Beiler for some dried apples from his orchard. You’ll need about three cups. Soak them overnight in water. Then cook them for just a minute, until they’re soft.

Stir in a cup of sugar, a half teaspoon of cinnamon, a dash of salt, and don’t tell anyone I told you this, but add a tablespoon of lemon juice—that’s the secret ingredient, gives it just a bit of tartness. You want it to be a little dry, so the pie can be eaten by hand after church when everyone is standing around gossiping—err, I mean talking.

Put half a double pie crust in a pie plate, fill it with the apples, then cover with the top crust and crimp the edges. Make a few slits to let the steam escape. Mind you, they don’t need to be too decorative, but if you want to pretty it up, that’s between you and your bishop.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 and bake another 35 minutes. By the time the church meeting is over it should be cool enough to eat. Remember, you don’t want it too runny!

Oh my goodness, that sounds delicious and I love the idea of being able to hold it!  I may have to try this recipe for our next church lunch!

Don’t hold back now, what did you think of Laura when you first saw her?

I knew she was trouble! An English Delilah, I said, sent to tempt my son Jacob. I knew it the first time I saw her getting out of that red Jeep. I mean, I don’t think you can mistake a woman in a red car—we all know what they’re like.

You are a Mother and Mothers have great intuition so did you sense Jacob’s feelings toward Laura at the start?

Oh, yes, I knew he had eyes for her. He looked at her the same way a man looks at a frisky colt he’d like to buy at auction. I knew I had to steer him away, and fast. There are plenty of nice Amish girls around; he’s got no need to go searching in pastures beyond. And that’s exactly what I told him, though I don’t think it did any good. That is one stubborn man I raised.

You seem very private, but is there a man in your life or someone you are looking after, or who maybe is courting you?

Let’s just say Samuel is being well looked after these days. Speaking of, I need to go make another pie. I make them without all that cholesterol the younger women put into their pies. Someone’s got to think of the man’s heart.

Thanks for talking with me today Rachel and welcoming me into your home.

Thank you, Crystal, and if your readers have any questions about what it’s like to be a stubborn old Amish woman, feel free to ask! I am happy to talk to Englishers, even the ones who drive red cars.
To follow the tour, click on the banner at the top of the post or go here.

About the book:

Title: Temptation
Author: Kathryn Barrett
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 322 pages
Release Date: February 18, 2013
Imprint: Entangled Edge
ISBN: 9781622669615

Laura Hayes has been acting since she was an infant, making Hollywood the only home she has ever known. But when she moves to Pennsylvania's Amish country to film her next movie, she discovers there's more to life than a pair of Jimmy Choos and a Marie Claire cover.

Intrigued by the Amish simplicity, she's soon gardening and baking plum pies—and enjoying it. And when her neighbor turns out to be the local heartthrob and a talented furniture maker, she realizes that what's missing from her life might be the love of a good man—not to mention the perfect heirloom tomato.

Jacob fights the urge to question the teachings of his Amish beliefs—despite his desire to create furniture that is beautiful as well as useful—and struggles with his longing for the sexy stranger who makes him feel truly alive for the first time. As his attraction grows, so do his doubts, until he's forced to face temptation and decide once and for all what is truly worth the fight.

Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from Barnes & Noble
Add to GoodReads

Book Trailer:



About the Author:

Kathryn Barrett has been writing women’s fiction since the day her youngest daughter left for pre-school. All was going well, until she read a book called “30 Mistakes In Fiction Writing” and realized she was making all of them.

One by one, she’s overcome the mistakes and learned to make a few more along the way. “The best way to learn to write is to write,” she says. “Period.”

Kathryn lives near London in the enchanting countryside of England. When she’s not writing, she’s busy training a rescue dog, tramping around archeological ruins, and occasionally making wine runs to France. Because nothing fuels the imagination like a good Bordeaux.

Author Website
Facebook
Twitter

Giveaway:
I have one giveaway from the author for a copy of Temptation just for this stop on the blog tour and then there is also a bigger giveaway for the whole blog tour of a Kindle Paperwhite so be sure and enter both giveaways below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway