Author Interview & Giveaway: Candace Havens (A Riveting Affair tour)

  
Today I welcome Candace Havens, one of the authors in the A Riveting Affair anthology from Entangled Publishing.  I don't know what the weather is like where you are today but it's warm and sunny for the moment here.  If you are in Boston, know you are in our prayers, please stay safe!  So for now, please grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Candace Haven and then enter the tour-wide giveaway for 3 giftcards.  


What 3 things do you need in order to write? 
Time. Caffeine. Music.

What's your favorite season? 
Winter. I love cold weather. I like fall for the clothes. J

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? 
Anywhere that has a beach. I want to sit under an umbrella and listen to the waves while some nice person brings me drinks.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? 
I’ve been a journalist for more years than I would admit, but I decided to write fiction about nine years ago.

Tell us what is Demon Express about. 
Professor Maisy Clark is a scientist and detective, who works to solve crimes involving paranormal beings. She had a trust sidekick, Barnes, and there is a handsome U.S. Marshal causing
trouble. This case is in Texas, and she’s worried her past may be coming back to haunt her. It’s kind of Sherlock Holmes meets Buffy meets Wild Wild West.

Dish, who’s your favorite character? 
No. I can’t say (Barnes. Shhh. Don’t say anything.)

How did you feel when you finished Demon Express? 
Excited. I realized I wanted to write many more stories for Maisy.

Do you find writing novellas harder than writing a full novel? 
I love writing novellas. I write very tight, and I love telling the shorter stories.

What is your take on the current steampunk craze? 
I love it. I think there are many contributing factors, not the least of which were the Sherlock Holmes films that Robert Downey Jr. did. The fashion and gadgets are just so much fun.

For all of us impatient readers, what is up next for you? 
I have more Maisy stories ahead, but I’m also in the Date By Mistake anthology, and coming up I have Seducing the Ice Princess, Mission: Seduction and Her Last Best Fling.

Thanks Candace! 
Thank you!

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

About the book:

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

Rose Verney wants to fulfill her father’s dying request: to complete construction of the teleportation device he designed. Knowing just who can help her succeed, she seeks out Sebastian Cavendish, her father’s brilliant former student.Sebastian hasn’t left his home since he returned from the Civil War. He’s a broken man, his prosthetics a reminder of the terrible destruction his inventions brought to the battlefield. He wants nothing to do with Rose and her father’s masterpiece, but when she barges into his abandoned lab and begins construction, it’s everything he can do to resist getting involved. Especially when she charms her way into his monstrous heart.

Demon Express

Professor Maisy Clark, professional demon hunter, is on the trail of an evil scientist responsible for the deaths of hundreds. Julian is worse than the monsters he creates, but he’s also obsessed with Maisy and willing to kill anyone who gets too close to her. Just when she thinks she has Julian cornered, the sexy marshall Jake Calloway insists the investigation is his, and everything goes to hell. Maisy came to Texas to corner the scientist whose macabre experiments have taken so many lives, and Calloway is just another distraction she doesn’t need. Julian is her responsibility, one she’s not about to share. Even if Calloway can help, Julian will know Maisy is falling for the marshall, and she’s not willing to risk his life.

The Clockwork Bride

When engineer Aida Mulvaney attends a masquerade ball at the home of a staunch Luddite earl with a personal vendetta against her father’s company, she doesn’t expect to end the night married to the earl’s son Julian Capshaw, a brilliant engineer in his own right. The marriage will allow both of them to pursue their love of science, without interfering parents and ridiculous social stigmas. Though they escape to the Continent to start new lives, Julian’s father will have none of his heir’s disobedience. Before long, a marriage begun for the sake of convenience becomes a union of passion, but will it survive the machinations of an earl determined to destroy everything they love?

Genre: Steampunk Romance
Length: 339 pages
ISBN: 978-1-62266-064-3
Release Date: March 2013
Imprint: Ever After

About the Author:
CandaceHavens’s website
Candace's Twitter 
Candace Havens on Facebook 

Giveaway:

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Book Review: Abby Road by Ophelia London

Abby Road by Ophelia London
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
eBook, 400 pages
Published: March 26, 2013
ISBN: 9781620612446



My Review:
Abby Road was a fun read for me. Well mostly fun, Abby's "road" to her HEA was rather rocky, but it was interesting to watch. I like books like this where the main character has to learn something. I don't mind that most of the romance is off-screen and the focus is on the one character. I think Abby Road is a very good book if you don't put labels on it like romance or chicklit and just read it to enjoy a great book.

First there is Abby. She's a pop star who's having trouble since her brother's death. She's not dealing with things and her shrink has decided it would be best if she took the summer off, so she heads off to Florida to spend the summer with her sister. Of course while there, she meets the handsome and wonderful Todd. They fall for each other and not much is written about this, but I don't have a problem with it. Todd is a great character himself, he seems to have secrets and character flaws as well, but together they seem to work at least as much as we see them and I believed they were falling for each other.

Then the story moves back to Abby in her life in pop and things go down hill for Abby and Todd and you get to the real meat of the story. This is where I really got into the story. Secondary characters came to life, Abby really started to shine and move forward. I'm not spoiling anything, but let's just say that things start to move fast and the book really comes together as Abby herself does.

I loved the look into her life as a pop star. I loved the secondary characters of the band. I really liked how Abby cared about other people sometimes to the detriment of herself. And I like how she grows and changes. I feel that Abby Road is an empowering book, as Abby learns to stand on her own two feet again. Yes things seem to jump forward at times, but I understood why and the fact that they did and the story didn't get bogged down in details made me enjoy it all the more.

There is a romance, there is a happy ending, there is character growth, there is a bad guy and there is a great plot. Abby Road had everything to keep me enthralled while reading for a few days and even while reading while waiting for ball practice to end. It's a fun heartfelt and interesting novel. A great springtime or beach read. So grab it and fall in love with Abby and her love of the Beatles just like I did.

My rating: 5.0/5.0

Be sure and check out my author interview and giveaway here.

About the Book:
Touted by the tabloids as the biggest rock star of our generation, Abigail Kelly is used to being in the spotlight. But beyond the glam of Hollywood, her world is falling apart. Still reeling from the death of her brother and wilting under the iron fist of Max, her manager, Abby banishes herself to the secluded beaches of Florida for the summer, thinking some anonymity and sunshine are just what she needs. What she finds, instead, is Todd, an ex-marine eager to embrace life after war. Together, Abby and Todd find the balance Abby’s life has been missing.

That is, until Max resurfaces, demanding Abby return to Los Angeles to record her band’s newest album. As the pressures of public appearances, paparazzi, and late-night recordings start to mount, Abby will have to risk everything or lose the life she always dreamed of.

Ophelia London’s Abby Road is a love letter to music—both the kind you cherish and the kind you create—as well as a beautiful love story that proves even when everyone in the world can recognize your face, the only people who matter are those who can see inside your heart.

About the Author (from Goodreads):
Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she's lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE... and ABBY ROAD. Visit her at http://ophelia-london.blogspot.com. But don't call when The Vampire Diaries is on.

 

***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.  ***

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Win An iPad Mini valued at $320 or
one of 2 $25 Amazon gift cards

Enter at http://bestsellingreads.com or using the Rafflecopter below.

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Author Interview & Giveaway: Ophelia London (Abby Road)

  
Today I welcome Ophelia London, author of Abby Road, which I am currently reading and being delighted by with each page. Abby is adorable and her and Todd sizzle.  This is just the book I needed at the moment.  I will be posting my review either later tonight or tomorrow, but for now please grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Ophelia London and Abby Road. Then make sure you enter the tour giveaway!


What 3 things do you need in order to write?
My laptop. I gave up writing longhand ages ago. I’m all for modern technology.
Quiet. I don’t mind normal sounds of the world going on around me, but I can’t have the TV on
or music with lyrics. I do love having classical music playing, even the Gregorian Chants. (Cool
inspiration for writing romance, right?)
Order. I like to have the dishes put away and my inbox cleaned out. Sometimes that takes too
long and I write anyway. I’m a real rebel!

What's your favorite season?
Short answer: Spring. Long answer: It used to be summer, but since I’ve lived in Texas, and the
summers here are like living on the freaking sun, I’ve moved it up to spring. The springs here
are like the summers where I grew up in California. But in Texas we have blue bonnets. They’re
stunning.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
Oh, wow. There are so many places I’d like to travel. I’m all about the beach these days. Florida
is my favorite—Seaside specifically, where Abby Road takes place. But soon I’ll be knocking a
new place off my list and hitting Hawaii for my birthday. Next stop, hopefully, will be Santorini.
Who’s with me?

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always been a storyteller, but I started taking writing classes in college, and then later in
grad school I had a really supportive professor. He wrote me my first “official” review…typed
and everything. I have it saved in a scrapbook. J

What's the first sentence of Abby Road?
How could there be no valet parking?
(Typing that still gives me chills!)

Tell us what is Abby Road about.
Abby Road is about a famous singer named Abigail Kelly. When the story opens, she’s been
working, touring and recording non-stop for five years. When there’s a break in her schedule, she
hops on a plane and runs away to the beach to lie around, decompress and basically hide from
the world. But her plans of solitude are blown to bits when she meets Todd, the hunky owner of
a surf shop.

Dish, who’s your favorite character?
I love Abby. I got really close to her while I was writing. She had to go through some pretty
heavy trials, and I learned to admire her strength. Todd is rather awesome, too. I’ve never met
anyone quite like him. Still searching….

How did you feel when you finished Abby Road?
I worked on Abby Road for a really long time, so the term “finish” didn’t cross my lips until the
final galley was sent to my editor. I have a little ritual I do whenever I accomplish something
writerly. I always play this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w38zN_J8pNQ
I did that right after I sent in the final draft. After that, I think I slept for about a week, and I’m
sure cupcakes involved.

What made you choose to write about music and Hollywood?
They’re my two favorite things! I always knew I would tell a story about a singer. When I was
getting serious about writing, American Idol was huge and Taylor Swift had just exploded. Those
helped me frame the character of Abigail Kelly. On Idol, we get to know the contestants more
and more every week, and—from her songs—we all know what’s going on in Taylor’s life.
Even though Abby’s character is a famous rockstar, I worked really hard at making her relatable,
someone you would want in your living room every week.

For all of us impatient readers, what is up next for you?
I’ve got two books in the works. One is my first stab at the New Adult genera. The characters are
all at Stanford. I had to brush up on my proper grammar to write their dialogue, but I’m really in
love with the characters. I’m also working on book three in my Perfect Kisses series. It’s about a
military man. I mean, who doesn’t love a sexy soldier?

Thanks Ophelia!
Thank you! It was a pleasure being here today.

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

About the book:

Touted by the tabloids as the biggest rock star of our generation, Abigail Kelly is used to being in the spotlight. But beyond the glam of Hollywood, her world is falling apart. Still reeling from the death of her brother and wilting under the iron fist of Max, her manager, Abby banishes herself to the secluded beaches of Florida for the summer, thinking some anonymity and sunshine are just what she needs. What she finds, instead, is Todd, an ex-marine eager to embrace life after war. Together, Abby and Todd find the balance Abby’s life has been missing.

That is, until Max resurfaces, demanding Abby return to Los Angeles to record her band’s newest album. As the pressures of public appearances, paparazzi, and late-night recordings start to mount, Abby will have to risk everything or lose the life she always dreamed of.

Ophelia London’s ABBY ROAD is a love letter to music—both the kind you cherish and the kind you create—as well as a beautiful love story that proves even when everyone in the world can recognize your face, the only people who matter are those who can see inside your heart.

About the Author (from Goodreads):
Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she's lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE... and ABBY ROAD. Visit her at http://ophelia-london.blogspot.com. But don't call when The Vampire Diaries is on.
Giveaway:



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Book Review & Giveaway: Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd #RosesHaveThornsVirtualTour

 Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Byrd

Publisher: Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster)

Publish Date: April 9, 2013

Paperback, 353 pages
Fiction, Historical, Romantic Elements
 ISBN: 9781439183168
Ladies in Waiting #3

My Review:
Sandra Byrd has done it again. She has thoroughly engaged me in a historical novel with intrigue romance and characters I truly care about. Roses Have Thorns is a wonderful installment in the Ladies in Waiting series.

Elin in a wonderful Lady in Waiting to watch move through the ranks of Queen Elizabeth's court.  As she comes to England as a foriegner from Sweden and decides to stay when a mutual interest develops between her and a man of high ranking in the court.  But as she stays all is not as it seems and Elin who becomes Helena in her desire to become more English has to carve her place in the court.  I love the strong will of Elin but the need for love both from a man and from her Queen.  The need for friends and a husband as well as a sister-figure made her all the more real.  I loved watching her growth in the court and as her strength and position grew I loved her even more.  It was also interesting to see Elizabeth through her eyes.  Elizabeth's strengths and weaknesses were envisioned through a lady of the court.  It's a very interesting way to tell a historical and I loved this series because of it.  The intimate look at the Queens has been fascinating.

So not only are the characters fascinating but the plot is amazing as well.  The intrigues.  It seems just when one plot against the Queen is figured out another is being hashed and I never knew who in the court could be trusted.  And then the romances as well.  The Queens' never realized romance and Elin's two different romances were beautiful and very realistic and really added to the plot.

Roses Have Thorns is an amazing historical depicting the life of Elizabeth I and her court.  I felt like I intimately got to know Elin and Elizabeth both along with others in the court.  I also felt like I got a great glimpse of court life and intrigue during this period.  Ms. Byrd works wonders with both characters and plot to keep the reader engaged from the first page to the last.  I always close her books eager for the next and Roses Have Thorns is no exception.  I was sad to see it end and cannot wait to see what she offers us next!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

All the tour stops can be found here or click on the banner at the top of the post.

About the Book:
From the acclaimed author of To Die For comes a stirring novel told that sheds new light on Elizabeth I and her court.Like Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, Sandra Byrd has attracted countless fans for evoking the complexity, grandeur, and brutality of the Tudor period. In her latest tour de force, she poses the question: What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage--or your life?

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust--a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.

Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.

About the Author: 

Sandra Byrd has published more than three dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including the first book in her Tudor series, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn.  Her second book, The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, illuminates the mysteries in the life of Henry's last wife.

For more than a decade Sandra has shared her secrets with the many new writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington, area with her husband and two children. For more Tudor tidbits, please visit www.sandrabyrd.com. 




Praise for Roses Have Thorns
"In Roses Have Thorns Sandra Byrd has given the reader another amazing heroine to tell the intimate story of England's greatest queen, Elizabeth I. What a unique point of view and deeply moving story Helena von Snakenborg provides. Byrd is especially adept at blending political and private lives. This is a timeless women's friendship novel as well as a poignant love story to cherish--both the roses and the thorns." (Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Mistress of Mourning )

"There is something golden about this tale of Elin, an eager young woman in a strange land, diligent in her duty but alive to love. A tale gracefully told, even as it renders the terrors of treachery that form the crucible of Elin's hard-won wisdom. A heartfelt story of loyalty, longing, life-long friendship, and the many seasons of the heart." (Barbara Kyle, author of The Queen's Gamble and Blood Between Queens)

"Beautiful prose and masterful research combine to bring this fascinating tale to life, treating the reader to fully realized characters and providing an original window through which we can view Elizabeth's court. Ms. Byrd's work will stand as an unforgettable contribution to Tudor fiction." (D.L. Bogdan, author of The Forgotten Queen) 


Giveaway:

Thanks to the tour I have one copy of Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd and a Elizabeth I necklace  to giveaway. The book will be mailed from the tour/author/publisher, not me.  Open US only.  Ends 4/17.  Enter through the Rafflecopter below.


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

Book Blast: Pheme the Gossip (Goddess Girls #10) by Suzanne Williams

Goddess Girls #10 - Pheme the Gossip

Get to know Goddess Girl Pheme…the original “gossip girl”!
As the goddess girl of rumor and gossip, Pheme prides herself on being “in the know” and having the most up-to-date info on anyone and everyone at Mount Olympus Academy. To make sure that people really get her VIP messages, her words tend to linger in cloud letters above her head—just in case people don’t catch what she says!

But not everyone is thrilled with Pheme’s insider knowledge on everything MOA—including the Goddess Girls. Can Pheme ever be trusted? Or will this “gossip girl” find herself on the other end of the rumors?

Purchase

Barnes & Noble * Amazon

Praise for The Goddess Girls

“…a clever take on Greek deities…”
~ Booklist

"Readers familiar with Greek myths should get a kick out of this plucky restaging."
~Publisher's Weekly

 “…an enchanting mythological world with middle-school woes compounded by life as a deity…”
~ School Library Journal

The Goddess Girls Series

The Goddess Girls series, by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams puts a modern spin on classic Greek myths. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.

• Athena the Brain Finding out she’s a goddess and being sent to Mount Olympus brings Athena new friends, a weird dad, and the meanest girl in mythology—Medusa! 
• Persephone the Phony Hiding her feelings works fine for Persephone until she meets a guy she can be herself with—Hades, the bad-boy of the Underworld. 
• Aphrodite the Beauty Sure Aphrodite is beautiful, but it’s not always easy being the goddessgirl of love. 
• Artemis the Brave She may be the goddess of the hunt, but that doesn’t mean Artemis always feels brave. 
• Athena the Wise Zeus says Heracles has to do twelve tasks or he'll get kicked out of MOA! Although she's not sure it's wise, Athena agrees to help out. 
• Aphrodite the Diva Isis claims she's the goddess of love? Ha! But to keep the title all to herself, Aphrodite has to find the perfect match for Pygmalion, the most annoying boy ever. 
• Artemis the Loyal It’s time for the annual Olympic Games, and Artemis and her friends are not happy. It’s boys only. Not fair! 
• Medusa the Mean Medusa wants to be more like her two sisters and the other kids at Mount Olympus Academy -- immortal. Is that too much to ask? 
• The Girl Games (Goddess Girls Super Special) Listen in on what all four goddess girls are thinking as Mount Olympus Academy hosts visitors from many lands--including an adorable kitten!The first-ever standalone superspecial in the Goddess Girls series! 
• Pandora the Curious</ a> Pandora is one of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy—and probably the most curious of all the students in school.

The Goddess Girls

Author Suzanne Williams

Suzanne Williams is the award-winning author of nearly 40 books for children, from picture books and easy readers to chapter books and middle grade fiction series. A former elementary school librarian, she lives near Seattle. Her picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) won the New Mexico children's choice award in 2000 and was on several other state award lists. She is co-author (with Joan Holub) of the popular Goddess Girls series(for ages 8 - 12) and Heroes in Training (ages 6 - 11). Other series include Fairy Blossoms and Princess Power.

Website * Blog

Author Joan Holub

I graduated from college in Texas with a fine arts degree, and then freelanced as an art director at a graphic design firm for eight years. I dreamed of working in children's books, so I moved to New York City and became associate art director in Scholastic trade books, where I designed books for children and worked with editors and illustrators. It was a great job.

I illustrated my first published children's book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990s. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts -- Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap). Yippee!

Now I write full time and have written and/or illustrated over 130 children's books. Creating books that entertain, inform, and interest children (and me) is a fabulous job that I truly love.

Twitter *  Website * Blog

Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/21/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http:// iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Author Interview & Giveaway: Tracy March (The Practice Proposal)

  
Today I welcome Tracy March, author of The Practice Proposal, which is a delightful romance I am reading while on vacaction on the wonderful island of Ocracoke at the moment. If I don't post my review later in the day I will post later in the week, but it is a wonderful book so far.  For today, please grab your favorite cuppa and sit and learn a little more about Tracy March and then enter the giveaway to win Kindle Paperwhite and a beautiful silver bracelet..  

What three things do you need in order to write?
Silence, Diet Coke, and Reduced Fat Cheez-Its! J

What's your favorite season?
Autumn. I just love the beautiful foliage that we get in Virginia, the crisp air, and the relief from the summer heat.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I’ve been fortunate enough to do quite a bit of traveling, so I’ve already seen many beautiful places. Some of my favorites are Bariloche, Argentina; Lucerne Switzerland; Santiago, Chile; and St. Lucia. In the U.S., I love Big Sur, California; Asheville, North Carolina; Estes Park, Colorado; and Charleston, South Carolina. It’s difficult to pick just one place I want to visit, but I’d love to tour Europe, do a cross-country trip in the U.S., and spend at least a month in New Zealand. That’s not too much to ask, is it? ;)

What's the first sentence of The Practice Proposal?
Liza Sutherland would much rather be in a ballpark than a ballroom, and tonight’s black-tie charity gala had gone on way too long.

Tell us what The Practice Proposal about.
The story is a sweet and sassy romance about a sexy pro baseball player and the daughter of the owner of a rival team. I could aimlessly riff about it for paragraphs, but here’s the official version! ;)

Liza Sutherland isn’t looking for love. Not from a charity-auction date she didn’t even bid on and especially not with Nationals first baseman Cole Collins, the guy she obsessed over as an awkward teenager. She won’t get involved with a notorious player, no matter how attractive Cole is.

Cole Collins is up for contract renegotiation, but after too many late-night parties, he’ll need some positive publicity before he can make the roster. His agent, Frank, pitches Liza as the perfect prop…only Cole didn’t account for Liza no longer being just a teenager with a crush. She’s gorgeous and smart and he’s instantly hooked.

When Frank makes Liza a deal she can’t refuse—a bet she will fall in love with Cole or a cool half mil goes to charity—the game is on. But neither bet on the real feelings that surface. Could a fake fling turn into an official forever?

Where did the idea for The Practice Proposal come from?
I’m a big baseball fan, and I started thinking about how challenging it must be for players who are rich and hot and famous to find genuine love. What would it take for them to be certain that a woman they fell for was sincere and not after them for theirmoney and fame? That was the seed of the idea, and the story grew from there.

Dish, who’s your favorite character in The Practice Proposal?
Definitely the hero, Cole Collins. He’s an All-American blonde-haired, blue-eyed athlete who might seem too perfect at first. Readers quickly learn he isn’t, but he’s even more attractive with all of his flaws. He’s become misguided and made some questionable decisions. Yet deep down, he’s just looking for a place to belong, and someone to belong to, so he quickly stole my heart.

What was your inspiration for The Practice Proposal?
It was more like who was my inspiration?! I have a favorite baseball player—Michael Morse—who used to play for my favorite team, the Washington Nationals. Sadly for me, he was recently traded to the Seattle Mariners. Cole doesn’t look like Michael, but he does have some of Michael’s best  ersonality traits like his sportsmanship, his love of the fans, his team spirit and his quirky sense of humor.

If you could cast anyone as Liza and Cole who would you choose to play them?
I could easily see Minka Kelly as Liza. For Cole, I would cast the super-hot Jessie Pavelka. I think the two of them would make a beautiful pair!

What can we expect next from you?
I write contemporary romance and romantic thrillers. My debut romantic thriller, Girl Three, releases in print and e-book on April 30th. Here’s the set-up for the story:

Bioethicist Jessica Croft, estranged daughter of a federal judge, has avoided the players, power, and passions of Washington, DC. But when her sister’s suspicious death is classified as natural, Jessie resolves to expose the murderer. Pursuing elite suspects on both sides of the stem-cell-research debate leads her to security consultant Michael Gillette, who knows more about her sister than he’ll admit.

Michael has a vested interest in Jessie’s plight. Her sister died on his watch—while he wasn’t watching. His plan to find her murderer becomes complicated when Jessie’s father hires him to protect Jessie, and his interest turns from professional…to romantic.

Jessie and Michael must unravel a mystery rife with political agendas and deceit. When confidential papers reveal a fertility scandal surrounding the enigmatic Girl Three, the two realize the danger of exposing the truth. Who is Girl Three? And will the murderer kill again to keep a secret?

Thanks so much for hosting me here today, Crystal. It’s fun hanging out with you and your readers!


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

About the book:
Liza Sutherland isn’t looking for love. Not from a charity-auction date she didn’t even bid on and especially not with Nationals first baseman Cole Collins, the guy she obsessed over as an awkward teenager. She won’t get involved with a notorious player, no matter how attractive Cole is.

Cole Collins is up for contract renegotiation, but after too
many late-night parties, he’ll need some positive publicity
before he can make the roster. His agent, Frank, pitches Liza as the perfect prop…only Cole didn’t account for Liza no longer
being just a teenager with a crush. She’s gorgeous and smart and he’s instantly hooked.

When Frank makes Liza a deal she can’t refuse—a bet she will fall in love with Cole or a cool half mil goes to charity—the game is on. But neither bet on the real feelings that surface. Could a fake fling turn into an official forever?

Goodreads
Amazon
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About the Author:
Award-winning author Tracy March writes romantic thrillers influenced by her career in the pharmaceutical field, and her interest in science and politics. She also writes lighthearted romances inspired by her real-life happily ever after.

Always up for travel and adventure, Tracy has flown in a stunt plane, snowmobiled on the  Continental Divide, ziplined in the Swiss Alps, and been chased by a bull in the mountains of St. Lucia. She loves Nationals baseball, Saturday date nights, and Dairy Queen Blizzards—and rarely goes a day without Diet Coke and Cheez-Its.



Find Tracy March at:
Website
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook

Giveaway:
First there is a tour-wide giveaway of a Kindle Paperwhite! My sister-in-law has one of these and she says you want one even if you have a Kindle Fire!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
Second each tour stop has the option of hosting a giveaway for this beautiful silver bracelet.  Simply enter by using the Rafflecopter below!  This is for US/Canada only.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway