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Interview with Candace Shaw author of Her Perfect Candidate @Candace_Shaw #RLFblog #historicalromance
Her Perfect Candidate Title: Her Perfect Candidate (Chasing Love Series)Genre: Contemporary Romance/Harlequin KimaniAuthor Name: Candace ShawBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RWhy did you write this
book?I wrote Her Perfect Candidate because I wanted to create a hero
that is even though he’s somewhat of a playboy, he’s not a bad guy. Steven Monroe
is the epitome an all-around great guy. He’s a millionaire but he doesn’t care about
that and is quite modest. Instead, uses his position as senator to be active in
the low-income communities and help others. His pet peeve is people who complain
about the issues, but don’t do anything to find a solution.What is your favorite
genre to read?My favorite genre to read is romance which includes the sub categories
of contemporary, historical and urban fantasy. I also enjoy chick lit.Do you enjoy films and/or
TV shows? Which are your favorites?I don’t watch a lot of television but when I do I can’t miss
Scandal, Covert Affairs, Marvel Agents of Shield, Once Upon a Time and Royal Pains.
I have too many favorite movies to name but I love everything with Elizabeth Taylor
(favorite movie star) as well as more up-to-date romances and comedies such as The
Notebook, Love and Basketball, You’ve Got Mail and anything with Denzel Washington.What are you working on
at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?Currently, I’m finishing the second book in the Chasing Love
series, Journey to Seduction, whose heroine is Sydney Chase, Megan’s twin sister
and Bryce Monroe, Steven’s younger brother. The two have a love/relationship, more
so on her side, until they take a cross-country trip together to Vegas for motorcycle
fest. It comes out in February 2015. In the next month or so, I’ll begin writing
my self-published novel My Kinda Girl which is the last book in the Arrington Family
Series (check website below for excerpts) and it will be out in Winter 2014. My
Kinda Girl is about Dr. Sean Arrington, a psychiatrist in his family private medical
practice. While he’s the most intelligent one out his siblings, he’s also the most
self-absorbed, arrogant one and playful playboy who has a type of woman he dates.
He prefers the model-type. Tall, leggy, not-too-bright and dotes on his every word.
However, he meets his match in Traci and she’s the total opposite of everything
he thinks he wants. I can’t wait to begin writing the book.Please tell us about your
latest book.Megan Chase is career-focused and independent woman who loves
being single but not because she doesn’t trust men, she simply enjoys her life and
her main concern is her interior decorating firm. Her family and friends keep setting
her up on blind dates because they think she’s lonely after a break up from almost
two years ago. However, she’s not and she’s tired of them. Steven Monroe is a state
senator who is going to run for the United States senate seat his father
is retiring from. However, the media views him as a bad boy playboy and his campaign
team wants him to settle down with one woman before and during the official campaign.
He keeps running into Megan and they it hit off and decide to date in name only
to get her family and his campaign team off their backs.Co-owner of an up-and-coming interior decorating firm, Megan
Chase loves being a single woman on the fast track to success. But everything changes
when a flat tire brings Georgia
senator Steven Monroe into her life. The sinfully sexy politician needs the right
woman to clean up his image. And with Megan’s fine eye for detail, she just may
be the woman for the job.Steven’s reputation as a player could cost him his chance at
a U.S.
senate seat. But when the cameras catch him and Megan in a kiss that’s all too real,
it’s not only his future candidacy in jeopardy. As the lines between politics and
desire begin to blur, how much will he risk to transform their passionate pretense
into a landslide for love.Buy This Book
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1oy6y4vAll Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/1r7E9XsAmazon UK:
http://amzn.to/1jxYbk9Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1oy6FguBooks a Million: http://bit.ly/1pq7ec2Harlequin: http://bit.ly/1kgGASPiBooks: http://bit.ly/1mdcQElKobo: http://bit.ly/1trTBJJAuthor Bio
Born and raised under the sunny skies and the whitest beaches
in northwest Florida,
Candace Shaw knew she wanted to become a writer after she read Little Women in fourth
grade. After graduating from the University
of West Florida with a degree
in Elementary Education, Candace began teaching and put her dream of becoming a
writer on hold until one summer vacation she started writing again and hasn’t stopped.When Candace is not writing or researching information for a
book, she’s reading, shopping, learning how to cook a new dish or spending time
with her loving husband and their loyal, over-protective weimaraner, Ali. She is
currently working on her next fun, flirty, and sexy romance novel.Author Social Media
Website: http://CandaceShaw.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/Candace_ShawAmazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Candace-Shaw/e/B008FEK8MI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 -
Interview: Donna Michaels author of Her Forever Cowboy @Donna_Michaels #RLFblog #ModernWestern
Her Forever Cowboy Title Her Forever Cowboy/Harland County Series/Book Four: Kevin
Genre Contemporary WesternBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RSingle mother, Shayla Ryan, longs to put down roots
to create a stable environment for her baby girl and her younger sister, but the
threat of her abusive, ex-con father finding them has made that almost impossible.
Her newest residence in Harland County, however, holds
a lot of appeal, especially in the form of a Casanova cowboy with eye-catching good
looks and easy charm. Those two qualities took her down the wrong road before, and
though the sexy cowboy interferes with her pulse, she can’t let her heart get in
the way of the safety of her family, or give it to someone who doesn’t believe in
forever.If there’s one thing software company vice president, Kevin Dalton, loves
more than puzzles, it’s women. Size, shape, race doesn’t matter as long as they
don’t want a relationship–he’s not looking to repeat the past, and more than happy
to remain single. Until two beautiful redheads drop him to his knees–one with her
cutie-pie smile, the other with her elbow. Too bad the elbow-toting beauty is both
hot and puzzling. A killer combination too strong to resist. And without realizing
it, the redheads slowly rewrite the code around his heart.But when the danger from Shayla’s past shows up, can he rise to the challenge
to keep them safe…and really be what they need? A forever cowboy?Buy This Book
Author Site http://donnamichaelsauthor.comInterview with Donna Michaels
Why did you write this
book?I wrote Kevin’s story- Her Forever Cowboy, because it’s the fourth
book in my Harland
County series, and frankly,
Kevin demanded it. lol The Casanova cowboy has sat back and watched three of his
buddies get their own books and felt it was his turn.What is your favorite
genre to read?The very same I love to write, Romance through the H’s–Hot,
Humorous & Heartwarming.What is your favorite
character from fiction (not including your own)?My favorite character from fiction is Ty Garrison from Jill Shalvis’
Lucky In Love, her fourth book in her wonderful Lucky Harbor Series. I’m a sucker
for a tortured hero, and if he’s military to boot, all the better.Do you enjoy films and/or
TV shows? Which are you favorite?Yes, both! Movies–I love romantic comedies, sci-fi, action,
fantasy, comedies, suspense, you name it, I love it. Favorites are many, but I’ll
try to narrow it down. LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring, Die Hard 3 With a Vengeance,
Two Weeks Notice, The Whole Nine Yards, and Frequency. As for TV shows, wow, again,
a lot. Love NCIS, Supernatural, Once Upon A Time, Faceoff, Ghost Hunters, Sherlock
and Doctor Who!What are you working on
at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?I’m currently working on three books. The first is a novella
for The Wild Rose Press tentatively titled Cowboy Payback. It’s the sequel to Cowboy-Sexy
I released with them last year. This is former Marine Captain Brett Brennan’s story
on how he has to deal with the fallout of the practical joke he played on his Navy
SEAL twin Finn, telling everyone his brother was engaged to a female Marine. Now,
the tables are turned and Brett finds himself in a fake engagement to his beautiful
former corporal. The second book is the next one in my Harland County Series, Book
Five/Jace-Her Healing Cowboy. Jace is a doctor and also part of the Texas National
Guard. He has a great bedside manner, is happy to help his friends, but like any
soldier, he has his own healing to do, and a pretty visitor from Colorado dishes
just what he needs. And finally, I’m also working on the first book in a Harland County spin-off series-Citizen Soldier Series–titled
Wyne and Dine, about the brother of the heroine in the third Harland book–Her Uniform
Cowboy. Brandi’s brother Sgt. Benjamin Wyne will kick off the series by becoming
the first of four Wyne brothers to find the right woman.Please tell us about your
latest book.Computer programmer Kevin Dalton loves women, but avoids relationships
and getting personal. Until he meets a resilient single mother and her sweet baby
girl who find their way past the security around his heart. Shayla Ryan is tired
of running from her ex-con father and wants to stay in Harland County
to put down roots. Too bad there’s a combustible chemistry between her and the Casanova
cowboy. He doesn’t do relationships and she’s looking for forever.Author Bio
Donna is a multi published author of Romaginative Fiction. From
short to epic, sweet to hot, she writes most romance genres for two small presses
and is also self published. She lives in Northeastern PA
with her military husband, their four children and several rescued cats. Her print
books are Romance through the H’s–Hot, Humorous & Heartwarming. The first three
books in her Harland County Series–Unruly cowboys and the women who tame them–
Her Fated Cowboy, Her Unbridled Cowboy, and Her Uniform Cowboy have each received
a Reviewer Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews. Her Unbridled Cowboy was #12 at Preditors
& Editors Reader Poll for Best Romance 2013. Her Uniform Cowboy was voted Best
Cowboy in a Book/Reader’s Choice–LRC and was awarded the Crowned Heart of Excellence
by InD’tale Magazine. All three books in the series have been in the Amazon Top
100 under contemporary western. She’s hoping Her Forever Cowboy will keep up the
tradition.Author Social Media
Website www.donnamichaelsauthor.comShe blogs on the 16th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.comPinterest http://pinterest.com/donnamichaels/Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/Donna_MichaelsAmazon Author PageYou May Also Like
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#NewRelease The American Outsider the new #Contemporary by Homa Pourasgari @HomaPourasgari #RLFblog #WomensLit
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Interview: Willa Blair Author of The Healer’s Gift @willablair #RLFblog #paranormalromance
The Healer’s Gift Title The Healer’s GiftGenre Scottish Historical Paranormal Romance (Novella)Author Willa BlairBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RThe Healer’s Gift resolves the story of one of the most tormented
characters in Highland Healer. Coira MacDugall deserves the harshest punishment
for her actions in the Highlands. But her clan’s
new laird, Logan, defies her expectations. And the Healer’s gift changes everything
she thought she knew — about herself and the people around her.Buy This Book
Publisher The Wild Rose PressAmazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J9QOLOMThe Healer’s Gift is available exclusively on Amazon in print
and for Kindle until 2 July, when it will be available at all the usual outlets,
including iBooks, B&N, KOBO, AllRomanceEBooks.Interview with Willa Blair
Why did you write this
book?When I finished Highland Healer, the first book in my Highland
Talents series, I wondered what might have happened to Coira after Toran sent her
home, and I knew if I wondered about her, then my readers did, too. The Healer’s
Gift is my first novella-length book.I had to write The Healer’s Gift to see how Aileana’s healing
had changed her life. Could Coira be redeemed? Had she been? It was satisfying to
write Coira’s happy-ever-after, and I’m thrilled with the way her story turned out
and with Logen’s, as well. I hope my readers are, too.What is your favorite
genre to read?I love reading historical romance, especially Scottish historicals.
I grew up reading science fiction, so science fiction romance is a lot of fun, too.
I also enjoy romantic suspense and mysteries and contemporaries – wow, it’s hard
to pick just one.What is your favorite character from fiction (not including your
own characters)?From books I’ve read in the past few years, Gabriel Ross Sullivan,
“alpha mercenary and scoundrel” in Linnea Sinclair’s Gabriel’s Ghost (SFR),
is my favorite wounded hero. If I looked back over all the books I’ve read, I’d
have more of a list than you have room to include.Do you enjoy films and/or
TV shows? Which are your favorites?I do like both, but my husband and I rarely go to a movie theater
unless it’s for something we especially want to see on a big screen. We watch way
too much TV and keep our Netflix subscription active, which is how we watch most
movies.Again, I have too many favorites to list, but two by Aaron Sorkin
stand out: West Wing and Sports Night, for their brilliant writing. And I loved
the twists that made the 2009 Star Trek movie into something fresh and new. And
of course, I’m eager to see Outlander, the upcoming STARZ series, when it comes
out this August.What are you working on
at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?I just sent Highland Troth, the third full-length book in my
Highland Talents series, to my Beta reader. Once I get comments back from her, I’ll
do a final revision before sending it to my editor at The Wild Rose Press, perhaps
even by the end of this month. Highland Troth is Jamie Lathan’s story. Here’s the info about it.Jamie Lathan and Lathan fosterling Caitrin Fletcher were close
as children, but after she was called home, he never expected to see her again.
He certainly never imagined he’d be called upon to escort her to be betrothed to
another man. When their attraction reignites, Caitrin must choose between Jamie
and her father’s plans for her marriage-of-alliance. Jamie must find an honorable
way to ensure Caitrin’s future, even if it means sacrificing his own.Once my editor has Highland Troth, I can focus on writing my
next novella. It will be a prequel to the Highland Talents series and will be included
in an anthology called Kissing the Highlander that will release on Valentine’s Day
2015. I’m thrilled to join Eliza Knight, Victoria Roberts, Terry Spear and
Vonda Sinclair in this venture. Keep an eye on our websites for more news. Kissing
the Highlander is going to be fabulous!And of course, I’m working up ideas for at least two more novellas
in the Highland Talents series. I’m sure one will be Angus MacAnalen’s story. So
there’s more to come!Please tell us about your latest book, Healer’s Gift.Coira MacDugall paid with her life for her attack on the Highland
Healer. But her victim did more than heal Coira’s fatal wound that awful night.
Now drowning in the unwelcome emotions of others, Coira wonders if her new empathic
ability was meant as a gift or a curse. Logen MacDugall must discover who killed
three previous lairds if he hopes to survive for long in the position. He believes
Coira’s new sense can help him root out the conspirators, but after her disastrous
time in the Highlands, the last thing she wants
is to get involved with another laird. Logen must help Coira gain control of her
talent in time to save him and their clan from those intent on destroying MacDugall.
Can Coira believe this laird truly loves her? Or will her memories lead her to madness
again?
Willa Blair Author Bio
Willa Blair is the award-wining author of Amazon and Barnes &
Noble bestselling Scottish historical paranormal romance and a contributor to USAToday’s
Happy Ever After romance blog. Her popular Highland Talents series, set in a pivotal
point in Scottish history, is filled with men in kilts, psi talents, and plenty
of spice. Available in ebook, print, and audiobook formats, the first three titles
will soon be joined by more novels of adventure and romance.Author Social Media
Website http://www.willablair.comFacebook http://www.facebook.com/willablairAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Willa-Blair/e/B009KNNHEE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1400094677&sr=8-1Newsletter http://ow.ly/qTE0U -
Author Interview: Linda Mooney @LindaMooney #RLFblog #Scifi #SFR
Zonaton About Zonaton
Genre sensuously erotic sci-fi romance novelAuthor Name Linda MooneyBook heat level (based on movie ratings): RA hundred years ago, the last people of Earth landed
on planet AR617b. It was their only hope after being forced to flee the dead planet
that was once their ancestral homeThe native inhabitants of AR617b, known as gerons
are sentient creatures that resemble a cross between dragons and griffins of old
Earth lore. When they initially tried to destroy the settlers, a deal was made to
ensure both species’ survival. It was decided that each year, every five-year-old
human child must take The Walk across a hundred meter field. If they don’t stop
or run, they will arrive safely on the other side, and be allowed to grow up and
have families of their own. But if they break the rule, the gerons will kill them
unless, by a strange quirk of fate, a geron decides to Pair with the child, taking
and raising the human as its own.Emmala took The Walk, and found herself adopted by
one of the older gerons, an immense silvery-white creature named Zonaton. For the
next fifteen years, he cared for her, protected her, and loved her. But now Emmala’s
real family wants her back, and they will do everything they can to have her returned,
even if it means killing Zonaton, and starting an all-out war with the gerons.What neither the settlers nor gerons realize is that
there is another alien species watching and waiting for the two combatants to go
into battle. Because when they do, that will be the aliens’ cue to destroy everyone,
and claim AR617b for their own.Buy This Book
Publisher Music And PressAmazon http://www.amazon.com/Zonaton-Linda-Mooney-ebook/dp/B00JMUQJ5OBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zonaton-linda-mooney/1119191828?ean=2940149518333ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-zonaton-1478137-143.htmlVia PayPal http://lindamooney.com/autographedorder.htmInterview with Linda Mooney
Why did you write this
book?By accident, I ran across a piece of artwork on the internet
that hit me like a two-by-four. I have no idea who the artist is, but it’s a picture
of a human-like dragon/griffin protecting a naked young female. The picture is in
sepia tones, mostly silver in color, and I just couldn’t shake the image. It was
too powerful and beautiful, and I knew I had to write a story around the piece.What is your favorite
genre to read?Believe it or not, I love to read mostly horror. As for romance,
I’m very eclectic. Whatever gets my attention, I’ll read.What is your favorite
character from fiction (not including your own characters)?I love the Comte de Saint Germaine, by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.Do you enjoy films and/or
TV shows? Which are your favorites?I watch mostly horror. Right now I’m a huge Walking Dead fan.
I also watch Ghost Adventures, From Dusk ‘Til Dawn, and Sherlock.What are you working on
at the moment, and what are we likely to see from you in the coming months?I’m jumping back and forth between several books. Once I retire
from teaching in June (after 35 years), I hope to “settle down” and get
a few more books completed, including AEquana’s Quest, HeartStorm, Runner’s Moon:
Yarrolam, Every Battle Lord’s Nightmare, and an independent story called UnderSilver.Please tell us about your
latest book.Zonaton is a geron, one of the sentient creatures inhabiting
an Earth-like planet. A hundred years ago, the survivors of Earth landed on his
world and began to colonize. But, as humans do, they began to ravage the planet,
forcing the gerons to try and curb the destruction. As the gerons, who resemble
dragon/griffin-like humans, are much more powerful, they nearly killed all the survivors,
until one man managed to broker a truce between the species. As part of the treaty,
every year, all 5-year-old children have to take The Walk across a barren plot of
land. Those children who run or refuse to go are taken away and killed. Those who
follow through survive to grow up.What the humans don’t realize is that gerons are extremely sensitive
to human tendencies. Gerons can tell which child will grow up to become vicious
and possibly a severe danger to their own kind. What the gerons actually do is cull
the human population of any future danger.Emmala is old enough to take The Walk, but her situation is drastic.
She is a severely abused child, both physically and emotionally. During the trial,
Zonaton realizes she will not live to grow up if her situation doesn’t change, so
he “adopts” her, and takes her away to live with him.The only problem with this is that he is well into his elderly
years, and doesn’t have many left to live. All he can do is hope he remains around
long enough to give Emmala – whom he has come to cherish – enough knowledge and
support so that she can survive on her own after he is gone.What neither of them realize is that Emmala’s abusive parents
decide they want her back with them, and they will do everything in their power
to have her returned to them.At the same time, some rogue aliens, who have caused trouble
before in the past, have landed back on the gerons’ planet, and it won’t be long
before they’re expected to pose a major threat to both the humans and gerons.Author Bio
Linda loves to write sensuously erotic romance with a fantasy,
paranormal, or science fiction flair. Her technique is often described as being
as visual as a motion picture or graphic novel.A wife, mother, and retired Kindergarten and music teacher, she
lives in a small south Texas
town near the Gulf coast where she delves into other worlds filled with daring exploits,
adventure, and intense love.She has numerous best sellers, including 10 consecutive #1s.
In 2009, she was named Whiskey Creek Press Torrid’s Author of the Year, and her
book My Strength, My Power, My Love was named the 2009 WCPT Book of the Year. In
2011, her book Lord of Thunder was named the EPIC eBook (formerly Eppie) Award Winner
for Best Erotic Sci-Fi Romance.Author Social Media
Website http://lindamooney.com/Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaMooneyBlog Talk Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romancePinterest http://www.pinterest.com/lindam54/Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/Linda_MooneyYou May Also Like
Read Hunter Avenged the new #ParanormalRomance by NJ Walters @njwaltersauthor #RLFblog #RomanceBooks
Mail-Order Victoria by Caroline Clemmons @carolinclemmons #RLFblog #NewRelease #WesternRomance #TexasRanch
Fated Hearts, A Love After All Retelling of the Scottish Play by Alina K Field @AlinaKField #RLFblog #NewRelease #ReadaRegency
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5 Easy Questions: Last Chance @martha.osullivan.50 #RLFblog #contemporary
Last Chance 5 Easy Questions is an interview is designed to be quick,
easy, and fun. Today’s guest is Martha O’Sullivan.What is your go-to meal
to order when you dine out? Your favorite “I know it will hit the spot”
item.Lettuce Wraps at Cheesecake Factory.What were you like when
you were in school?Shy and underestimated. Boy, has that changed!Would you rather stay
inside and watch snow falling, or get out in it and build a snowman?Go out and build a snowman. I’m a doer!What is your favorite
quote?“Wherever you go, there you are.”If the hero of your latest
book called you on the phone, what would be a perfect ringtone for him?Love of a Lifetime by Firehouse.About the Book
Title Last ChanceGenre Contemporary RomanceAuthor Martha O’SullivanBook heat level (Based on movie ratings): RIn Second Chance, star-crossed lovers Lindsay Foster and Brian
Rembrandt get a second chance at love amid the brilliant blue waters of Lake Tahoe. In Chance Encounter, Delaney Richards and Mike
Savoy’s quest for love takes them from Tahoe’s fawn-colored shores to the serpentine
streets of San Francisco.
And the heat in Last Chance comes not from the blazing summer sun and rugged, white-hot
sand, but from the prurient fervor between friends-turned-lovers Moira Brody and
Paul Webster.Here’s a blurb from Last Chance (Chances trilogy #3):Moira knows Paul better than he knows himself. But neither one
of them know that he is as in love with her as she is with him. These lifelong friends
will have to look at each other with fresh eyes and brave hearts. And even the single-digit
temperatures and snowcapped peaks of the Lake Tahoe
winter are no match for their long-bridled desire.Buy This Book
Publisher http://eredsage.com/store/OSULLIVAN_MARTHA.htmlAmazon http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Chances-Trilogy-Martha-OSullivan-ebook/dp/B00GD0JPF2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383319222&sr=8-1&keywords=last+chance+red+sage+publishingBarnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-chance-martha-o-x2019-sullivan/1117301476?ean=2940148897194ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lastchance-1360023-237.htmlAuthor Social Media
You may list as many as you like. Please leave the headings in
place for the ones you use. Delete any you do not use.Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7254612.Martha_O_Sullivan
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It’s Still All About the Book @MarilynBaron #RLFblog #contemporary
Syping with an Author Article by Marilyn BaronWhat are the odds that an author in
Roswell, Georgia, would leave a review on Goodreads saying she enjoyed the novel
Coincidence and was looking forward to discussing it with her neighborhood book
club, and that the author, J. W. Ironmonger (John) who lives in Shropshire, England,
would offer to Skype with the book club?With
the explosion of technology and social media, everyone reading books in different
formats, after all is said and done, it’s still all about the book. One reader liked
a book, commented on the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations
and the author, all the way in England,
saw the message, was generous enough to respond and give up his time to talk to
a neighborhood book club in Roswell,
Georgia, about his
book. Despite all the advances we’ve made it’s still, thankfully, all about the
book. Technology is just bringing readers closer to authors.Our book club met at one of the members’
homes. We enjoyed a beautiful assortment of hors’ d’oeuvres and we made the call.
The connection was so perfect it felt like John was in our living room when he was
actually at his son’s apartment in London
at 2 a.m. The picture faded out a couple of times or froze when he was in the middle
of talking but we found it amazing that through the wonders of technology, we were
conversing with an author across the ocean on a computer about a book.Everyone in the book club loved Coincidence.
We asked questions and John was delightful. We learned about his background and
the fact that he grew up in Kenya
and when he was 16 he visited a mission school very much like the one he wrote about
in the book. Before he finished the novel he and his son went back to Uganda in 2011 and
retraced the journey the main character made to get to the mission, visiting various
locations mentioned in the book.“Africa
has changed a lot but it hasn’t,” says Ironmonger. “When you get out of
the city you still see mud huts. There’s still a lot of poverty, but it’s a beautiful
country.”Ironmonger combined two ideas into
one book. He had always wanted to set a story in north Uganda and he also
wanted to write a story about coincidences. His main character, Thomas, who studied
coincidences, meets a woman, Azalea, to whom coincidences happen and who is convinced
she will die on a predetermined date. The novel explores what would transpire if
they got together and had a relationship. And there are so many plot twists that
the book will hold your interest from start to finish.In the book, Ironmonger weaves in
arguments about predestination vs. randomness, free will or the idea that somebody
is “messing with our lives.”“It’s easy for us to see patterns
where they don’t exist,” notes Ironmonger. “The truth lies somewhere between
the two.”Ironmonger admits he does not believe
in coincidences although he did when he was younger.“Sometimes we overanalyze things
that do happen,” he says. “We can’t explain everything and it’s foolish
to try. The message of the book is you can spend all your life trying to solve the
mysteries and none of us ever will.”In the end, Thomas receives advice
from a colleague: “Why don’t you just listen to Azalea and support her and
see what the next surprise is?” Thomas has to overcome his inertia and decide
if he wants to follow Azalea to Africa or lose
her forever.Ironmonger also discussed the few
differences between the UK and
U.S.
versions of the book, which was published by HarperCollins in this country in February.
The book got a new cover and an extra paragraph at the end to give us a happy ending,
but it is pretty much the same as when it was published in England. This is
the first publication of the book in the U.S.
Coincidence Ironmonger’s new book, Not Forgetting
the Whale, will be out next spring. It’s set in a village at the toe of England, accessible
only by one long road in and out. The townspeople, convinced that civilization is
about to collapse, want to seal off the road and the village from the outside world,
and then they save a whale.Here’s the description of Coincidence:
What determines the course of our lives? Chance…or destiny?On Midsummer’s Day, 1982, three-year-old Azalea Ives is found
alone at a seaside fairground.One year later, her mother’s body washes up on a beach—her link
to Azalea unnoticed.On Midsummer’s Day, 1992, her adoptive parents are killed in
a Ugandan rebel uprising; Azalea is narrowly rescued by a figure from her past.Terrified that she, too, will meet her fate on Midsummer’s Day,
Azalea approaches Thomas Post, an expert in debunking coincidences. Azalea’s past,
he insists, is random—but as Midsummer’s Day approaches, he worries that she may
bring fate upon herself.Coincidence is available on Amazon at http://amzn.com/0062309897 To learn more about
John and his books, visit http://www.amazon.com/J.-W.-Ironmonger/e/B009AKEYIU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1Author Bio
Marilyn Baron is a public
relations consultant in Atlanta.
She’s a member of Marketing for Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America and
Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) and the recipient of the GRW 2009 Chapter Service
Award. She writes humorous women’s fiction, romantic thrillers/suspense, historicals
and paranormal. She has won writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance and
Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. Marilyn blogs at Petit Fours and Hot Tamales at www.petitfoursandhotamales.comShe and her sister, Sharon Goldman, just released a play about
Alzheimer’s called Memory Lane.
You can find out more about Marilyn’s books and short stories and listen to a medley
of the music from Memory Lane
on her Web site at www.marilynbaron.com
or view it on YouTube at http://youtu.be/Hgi_mIdt5MA.Author Social Media
Website www.marilynbaron.comTwitter https://twitter.com/MarilynBaronAmazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Baron/e/B008PJFQPC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
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