Can the love of a lifetime be forever changed by one pink line? Dina Silver’s tender, absorbing novel, One Pink Line, is the warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family, as seen through the prism of one singular, spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives, and those closest to them. With heart, humor and compassion, this debut work of women’s fiction is certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all believes in the redemptive power of love. This unique, contemporary story gives readers a dual perspective. Sydney Shephard, a sweet-tempered, strong-natured college senior is young, in love with an exceptional man, and unexpectedly pregnant. Faced with a child she never planned for, she is forced to relay this news to her neurotic mother, relinquish her youth, and risk losing the love of her life. Then there’s Grace, a daughter, who believed she was a product of this great love, grows to realize her existence is not what she assumed, and is left with profound and puzzling questions about who she really is. Spanning generations and every imaginable emotion, One Pink Line reveals how two points of view can be dramatically at odds, and perhaps ultimately reconciled. Simultaneously deeply felt and lighthearted, One Pink Line deftly mines how the choices we make are able to alter so many lives, and how doing the right thing and living honestly can bring unexpected, hard-won happiness. It’s a must-read for anyone who craves a great love story, absorbing characters, and plenty of laughs along the way.

~ REVIEW~

One Pink Line is beautifully written and unique, as it’s told from both points of view–the mom and the daughter of an unplanned pregnancy. But what can I say about this book that’s not in the blurb above? Maybe that I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about One Pink Line. Thinking about not finishing it because I was afraid that Ethan would turn into the ‘bad guy’ and I couldn’t stand the thought of that. And wondering how things were going to turn out for Ethan, Sydney, and Grace. And not just once. My sleep was disturbed several times over the course of this reading. Yep, that’s probably all I have to offer, because One Pink Line is just what the blurb promises it to be– “tender, absorbing…warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family…With heart, humor and compassion…certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all, believes in the redemptive power of love. ” That about sums it up as good as it can be. I would like to add that Sydney is incredibly likable and it’s so easy to feel for her and the predicament that she finds herself in. Ethan is amazing. That’s all I can say. There should be more men like Ethan in the world. And Grace proves worthy of her name and shows herself at the end to be the product of her wonderful parents.

Dina has brilliantly captured all the love and support of three people who were meant to be together and rolled it all up into a fabulous story of forgiveness, hope, and family. Thanks, Dina! I can’t wait to see what you have for us next!

Author Bio:
A graduate of Purdue University, Dina Silver has spent the past fifteen years feeding her red wine habit by working as a copywriter in the advertising industry. After seeing the bulk of her professional prose on brochures and direct mail pieces, she is delighted to have made the transition to novelist. She currently lives with her husband and son in suburban Chicago, where she is working on her next book. Inspired by a true story, One Pink Line is Dina’s debut novel.

Connect with Dina!

http://www.dinasilver.com/page/page/7326500.htm

https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Pink-Line/235260919862358

Twitter: @DinaSilver

This is a giveaway tour, so be sure to stop by Dina’s home page at Chicklit Plus and leave a comment to be entered to win.

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/one-pink-line-by-dina-silver.html

And as always, thanks for stopping by! Lots of <3–Amie

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman.

On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth?

As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

~*~*~*~*~* REVIEW *~*~*~*~*~

Zoe Tisdale is having a midlife crises–well, sort of. After a scary plane trip in which her life flashes before her eyes, Zoe realizes that her life isn’t anything like she thought it would be. So naturally she decides to reunite her friends and get their band back together. Their all-girl garage band, the Flip-Flops. Sounds easy enough, but everyone has gone their separate ways and no one is interested in reliving the “what ifs”. Or are they?

Erik’s voice is fresh and true, his sense of humor traditionally fabulous. He brings Zoe and her band mates to life and rekindles that we dream we all had of being a rock star.

I have to admit I was a little taken aback over reading a chicklit book written by (gasp) a boy! But I was fabulously surprised. Erik nailed it! The banter between friends, the concerns about life, getting older, and wondering what you did with the last twenty years that was so great. Or maybe guys feel this way too. Maybe we’re not so different after all…

Hmmm, let me think that over. In the meantime, I loved visiting the pop-rock of my youth (ok, I was a teenager) but it was fun to spend some time in the 80′s again. Thanks, Erik, for giving me that without me having to wear parachute pants again! And please, please, get the next book written before 2028!

~*~*~*~*~* THE AUTHOR *~*~*~*~

Erik Atwell started his writing career in grammar school, when a one page history class assignment ballooned into a forty page fictional account of a politically controversial silversmith in Boston circa 1776. From there, he wrote short stories while living in New Hampshire, screenplays upon moving to Los Angeles, then finally novels when he ultimately landed in Seattle. He now lives in Seattle with his rock star wife and his six-month-old son, whose only musical claim to fame thus far is sleeping through an entire Go-Go’s concert. But in his defense, he was three weeks old, and the stage was a quarter-mile away. “Thank You For Flying Air Zoe” is his first novel, and he hopes to write a second novel before the little guy treks off to college.

Link to paperback on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Flying-Air-Zoe/dp/1935961179/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1327212145&sr=1-1

Link to Kindle on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thank-You-Flying-Air-ebook/dp/B0058UNN8I/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1327212145&sr=1-1

Link to paperback and Nook on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thank-you-for-flying-air-zoe-erik-atwell/1104048099?ean=9781935961178&format=paperback&itm=1&usri=erik+atwell

Blog: www.erikatwell.com

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Erik-Atwell-Author-Page/154612584621855

Follow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/erikatwel

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/thank-you-for-flying-air-zoe.html

And thanks for stopping by. Be sure to click on the link for Erik’s tour page at ChickLit Plus and get entered into his giveaway!

Lots of <3–Amie

Kacey Barlow had no idea it would be this hard to get into grad school. Her well-to-do family has been attending UI for generations, and admissions had been recruiting her since high school! She was a shoo-in—that is, until they gave her the boot.

She can’t tell her parents, and can’t stand the thought of her friends going off to grad school without her. Her grades are slipping. Her professors can’t remember her name, and her tutor, Taylor, won’t stop hitting on her when they’re supposed to be studying.

Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so bad. But it’s not going to help get her a seat in another school…and applications are due in two weeks…

Be sure to check out Laurel’s page at http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/waitlisted-by-laurel-gans.html and get registered for the Blog tour giveaway–a $10 Amazon gift card. (Who couldn’t use that?)

         ~*~*~*~*~* THE REVIEW *~*~*~*~*~

Kacey Barlow leads a charmed life–just ask her friends. Already accepted to the UI dental school program, her future is set. Until she loses her seat due to a admissions change. Now Kasey is in a time crunch take the DAT, set up interviews, and tell her parents she’s no longer in. Sounds simple enough, but Kacey learns what the ‘real’ world has to offer. As she chases around trying to get everything in order, she learns a hard lesson about what her classmates and friends have been dealing with during their four years of undergrad. She also gets the unique opportunity to decide if her pre-destined career path is right for her.

To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure which way Kacey was going to go–dental school or no. But it was great to see her grow up a little, own up to her mistakes, and decide what her future is all about.

It’s easy to identify with Kacey. Though I’ve never taken o-chem, I somehow managed to suffer right along with her. Never wanted to enter dental school, but cheered when she secured the steps to make it happen.  Laughed out loud at her blunders and mistakes. Kacey’s character is fresh and fun, and a little entitled, like so many college students today.

Laurel Gans has a fun and unique voice. She delves into the characters giving them multi-faceted personalities that has them jumping off the page. Waitlisted is hilarious and I loved every minute of it.  I can’t wait to see what Laurel has in store for us next!

~*~*~* ABOUT LAUREL*~*~*~

Laurel Gans is a graduate of Bowling Green State University where she studied Spanish. She is currently a dental student at The Ohio State University with her twin sister, Stephanie. She enjoys writing, water sports and spending time with her family and friends.

 ~*~*~*CONNECT WITH LAUREL*~*~*~ 

http://www.facebook.com/WaitlistedtheNovel

https://twitter.com/#!/laurelgans

~*~*~*BUY THE BOOK*~*~*~

http://www.amazon.com/Waitlisted-ebook/dp/B005SWDRBE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327636348&sr=8-1

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waitlisted-laurel-gans/1106367627

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Waitlisted/book-VmzJN_KQGE-HoxG_fxnLAg/page1.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waitlisted-ebook/dp/B005SWDRBE

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-waitlisted-610322-177.html

~*~*~*LAUREL’S TOUR*~*~*~

Thanks for stopping by! Lots of <3–Amie

An awkward family homecoming at Christmas.

A humiliating public weigh-in, with two judging parents as the audience.

The announcement of a deadline for arranged marriage doom.

And that’s just the first two chapters.

In “Year of the Chick,” Romi Narindra must find love before her parents find her a husband. This is a difficult task in a world where self-consciousness is at an all-time high, and dating experience at an all-time low.

Severely lacking in seductive skills and uninspired by her corporate job, Romi turns to what she loves, by writing about her quest to find love on her brand new blog.

From whiskey-breath scum bags to uni-brow creeps and everything in between, Romi and her wingmen come up empty time after time. Just when giving up seems like the thing to do, she meets a fellow writer unexpectedly.

On the Internet.

So will it be arranged marriage doom, or an Internet affair that’s not as creepy as “To Catch a Predator”?

Time will tell in the “year of the chick,” a twelve-month quest to find love….tick-tock.

Most of us can’t imagine what it would be like to be weighed in front of our parent’s, put on a diet, and told that we have a year before said parents are going to put us on the marriage auction block. In an ARRANGED marriage!! That’s because most of us don’t have parents like Romi. Being an Indian girl in Canada can be hard, but Romi is just like anyone else. She needs to lose weight, her job isn’t all that she had expected it to be, and she falls in love with a guy she met on the internet. Okay, maybe not that last part. But James seems perfect, almost too good to be true, as he coaxes out Romi’s inner-writer (a career she wanted to peruse yet was forbade to by her parents). But she’s only got a year to convince James that he loves her too. (Because if she’s already engaged, her parents can’t make her get married, now can they?) Not bad timing, but bad geographics as he lives in Spain. But Romi isn’t about to let that stop her. This is the “Year of the Chick”, and she plans to make the best of it.

This book is laugh out loud funny, with believably unbelievable scenes involving her meddling family. Moondi’s voice is amazingly true, snarky, sarcastic, and out-right unconventional.  I loved every caustic line. From her mom and dad running her life and her sister who is a ‘frenemy’ at best to her friends who truly want a slice of happiness for her, Romi can’t help but succeed. Or is that the other way around? You’ll just have to read it to find out for yourself!

Hey, Readers, this is giveaway blog tour. Don’t forget to clcik the link below and get your name in the hat to win a $10 Amazon gift card.!!

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/year-of-chick-by-romi-moondi.html

Connect with Romi!

Facebook author page: http://www.facebook.com/RomiMoondi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/romimoondi 
Brief bio: 
I am Canadian, and here are some strange personal facts:

-I wore denim-top-to-bottom in high school (there is a direct inverse relationship between how much denim I wore and how few tongues were launched down my throat at school dances…or anywhere in high school at all).
-I’m continually baffled by that Malaysian baby whose father let him smoke two packs of cigarettes a day. That baby had so many fat rolls, and I thought cigarettes were supposed to be slimming.
-I always hated those insufferable couples who would cuddle and make out on the subway…until I became half of one. But now I’m back to being none of one so I hate them again.

Buy the book!

http://www.amazon.com/Year-of-the-Chick-ebook/dp/B005ZY7DG0/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1326240962&sr=8-6

Thanks for stoping by!  

Lots of <3–Amie

How far would you go to forget Mr. Wrong?

Anyone can see Lorraine Machuchi is no ordinary Brooklyn girl. Anyone except for Lorraine, that is. She’s been too busy obsessing over Tommy Lupo to notice. Living day to day on his confusing midnight phone calls and big-haired memories of their relationship in the early nineties, she’s given up any opportunity of leaving Brooklyn. And though she never saw the home she loves as a failure, there are lots of folks she’s pissed off by staying put—her mother, her dead grandmother’s ghost, not to mention the old Italian ladies who shake their heads at her in the pork store. And what’s worse, the very guy she tossed everything away for just told her he’ll never wind up with her—a girl who’s not going anywhere.

…Okay, so you might disapprove of her motive—changing for a guy. But then you probably haven’t seen Tommy with three shirt buttons undone. Besides, when Lorraine crosses the bridge to Manhattan she begins to realize she’s got a lot to offer. She starts coloring hair at a swank salon where they actually appreciate a little talent, even if you have to bend some rules to use it. She gets a fabulous Park Avenue sublet, even if it does involve chasing around a dog/horse named Pooh-Pooh. She meets a guy who’s actually…perfect, even if she might be too hung up on Mr. Wrong to notice. She’s asked to become the newest member of the Princesses, an elite group of Park Avenue’s most powerful socialites, even if the reasoning behind it might be a little fishy. Sure, their $400 cashmere sweaters, charity balls for poor girls with small boobs, and ‘sexy’ yoga are a bit over-the-top, but a Brooklyn girl can learn a lot by discovering her own inner princess…

I would chance to say there’s not a one of us who hasn’t entertained the thought of living it up in the Big Apple. And since  most of us will never have that opportunity, we have Princess of Park Avenue to help us through. Daniella Brodsky weaves a tale of a hometown girl who makes it big in the big city. This is not a “be careful what you wish for story” for Lorraine never wished for anything more than Tommy’s love. And was willing to give up anything and everything for it. (Including a full ride to NYU.) But these sacrifices lead Tommy to believe that Lorraine isn’t going anywhere. So she sets out to prove him wrong. This is where the fairy tale kicks in. Using her natural talent as a hair dresser, Lorraine breaks out of Brooklyn, takes Manhattan in hand, and finds the love she was always destined to have.

Princess of Park Avenue is a fabulous tale and  fun, fun read. I laughed out loud as I journeyed with Lorraine as she found her career, her love, and herself. The rest of us should be so lucky.

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/princess-of-park-avenue-by-daniella.html

Daniella Bio:
Daniella Brodsky is the author of six novels published by Penguin, Random House, and Simon & Schuster, one of which has been adapted by Disney as the film, Beauty & The Briefcase, starring Hilary Duff.

Daniella teaches at ANU’s CCE and at her Captain Cook Studio. A native New Yorker, she lives in Canberra, where she is writing her next novel, The Book Code, which has been awarded a 2012 Varuna fellowship.

Connect with Daniella!

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Buy the Book!

Amazon

Danielle thinks that the worst is behind her, but she couldn’t have been more wrong… As a beauty editor of Denver’s hot new High Life magazine, Danielle Starkey didn’t have becoming a widow on her to-do list. Then nine months after her husband’s death, she discovers he booked a vacation with another woman. Suddenly, Danielle sees Adam’s death in a whole new light and has to get over it – for the second time. Hit with the truth when she least expects it, Danielle brings a fresh, funny, and honest approach to the grieving process as she struggles through online dating, stalking her dead husband’s mistress, and, hopefully, finding the man of her dreams. With her stubborn and sassy best friend April by her side. Danielle refuses to let sleeping dogs lie. Will she finally face the truth about herself and her marriage? Or will she succumb to one of the five stages of grief?

~The Review~

Danielle Starkey thinks that she’s mourned for her husband, and let’s face it, being a twenty-nine year old widow is not something most women consider a part of their future. So when Danielle discovers her late husband was *cheating* on her…Well, that puts a whole new spin on things. 5 Stages of Grief is a witty, sarcastic, self-deprecating tale of one woman’s second trip through grief and to finding herself again. At one time or another, most of us have grieved something or someone in our lives. Danielle is a complex character who represents us all. Maybe that’s why she’s easy to identify with. She has a job that most of us will never have, she’s been through more than most of us will ever experience, and she puts herself in situations that are difficult and embarrassing and that most of us would avoid. And yet, I cheered for Danielle when she made it through yet another stage. I applauded her when she confronted her husband’s mistress, and  shook my head when she hit rock bottom. But in each phase of Danielle’s journey to healing, it’s so easy for me to put myself in her shoes and understand her motivation. All in all, 5 Stages of Grief is a laugh-out-loud, unbelievable, totally understandable, incredibly insightful glimpse into the grieving. You don’t want to miss it!

Author Bio:
Bethany Ramos is a chick lit author that is passionate about the fun, witty, and clever dynamic that can be found in a good chick lit novel. Her chick lit novel 5 Stages of Grief was published by Black Opal Books in 2011. She has also written a children’s book called Lions Can’t Eat Spaghetti that is under contract to be published through 4RV Publishing in 2015.

Bethany works full time as a freelance ghostwriter through Elance.com, specializing in Internet marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. She also co-owns her own website with her husband atThe Coffee Bump. Bethany can be reached for further information about her writing services at bethany_ramos83[at]yahoo[dot]com or follow her on Twitter.

http://chicklit-books.com/about/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937329100/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chilitboo-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1937329100

You can catch Bethany at other stops on her blog tour–check out future dates here–                          

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/5-stages-of-grief-by-bethany-ramos.html

Thanks for dropping in today. Don’t be shy, leave me a comment and let me know you were here! Lot’s of <3–Amie

Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen years of your life overnight? That’s terrifying. With her memories from seventeen to thirty-two gone, Kate has no idea who she is and where she belongs. As she begins to fall for the man who found her, she wonders if she forgot those years for a reason. Should she keep trying to retrieve her original self, or start a new life?

Once again I am astounded by the talent that lurks in the self-published industry. Once upon a time, it was only for those  writers who couldn’t make it anywhere else. Now, it’s filled with authors who are just looking for alternatives to the norm. And what I’ve found is writing of the same. Blank Slate Kate is a fabulous book, filled with unexpected turns, not in a shocking, over the top, Hollywood way, but in an “oh my that could really happen” sort of way that leaves the reader wondering, “How would I feel if I suddenly didn’t remember?”

Kate wakes up unable to remember her name and anything past March of her seventeenth year.  With the help of Jake, her rescuer who has ghosts of his own, Kate tries to peice together the fifteen years that are missing from her life.  Bit by bit as her life unfolds, Kate starts to wonder if she wants to remember at all, and if the people she has to rely on have her best interests in mind.

Blank Slate Kate is a novel of discovery, heartbreak, and  second chances. And definitely has a place on my list of You Gotta Read This Book.

I’m so proud to be included in Heather’s tour with Blank Slate Kate. For the duration of the tour, her novel SEVEN EXES ARE EIGHT TOO MANY is a free read (ebook), so be sure to pop over to Amazon and snag your copy before time runs out.

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/blank-slate-kate-by-heather-wardell.html

Author Bio:

Growing up, I was an avid (rabid?) reader. I am a natural speed reader, regularly clocked at about 1200 wpm (I read Harry Potter 5 in just under three hours).

After careers as a software developer and elementary school computer science teacher, in 2005 I took up the National Novel Writing Month challenge and attempted to write a novel in a month. I succeeded, and the first draft of my first novel “Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo” was the result. I realized I love writing. I left teaching, and I haven’t looked back since!

Buy the Book!

• Smashwords.com (variety of formats)
• Amazon.com (Kindle)
• Kobo (ePub format)
• Barnes and Noble (for their nook reader)
• Apple’s iBook store on your iPad or iPhone/iPod Touch

“Blank Slate Kate” is also available in paperback at:

• CreateSpace.com
• Amazon.com

Connect with Heather!

http://www.heatherwardell.com/contact.shtml
http://www.twitter.com/heatherwardell
http://www.facebook.com/heather.wardell.author
http://www.goodreads.com/heatherwardell

Leave a comment for your chance to win an ecopy of Blank Slate Kate or any of the other books reviewed this month on my blog! And as always, thanks for stopping by!

        Lot’s of <3–Amie

Though it started out a tad slow, Destined to Fail picked up and when it did, I understood the pacing at the beginning. A story with that much heartbreak throughout would have been hell to read even with a happy ending. All the characters are believable and likeable, even surly Abby, Jasmine’s friend from high school. The delicate situations these girls recount and face were brilliantly handled, the attitudes and conversations perfect for college-age teenagers.

At first I was a little doubtful of the pain and abuse these girls suffered. But now I feel I had something of a charmed life, and this is what others around me experienced when they were growing up. This book just goes to show that it’s impossible to know what demons others have faced even when you’re in relationships that seem close. I can only say that most of us wish we could help our friends and others, that we could make a difference in a life, the way Jasmine does.

Destined to Fail is a heartwarming book of second chances, friendships, and the power of one person to right wrongs and change their world.

And GUESS WHAT? I talked Samantha into answering a bunch of my nosiest questions about her book, her publishing experience, and her writing life. 

When did you decide to take the self-pub plunge?

When I first started writing Destined three years ago, I really wasn’t thinking about self-publishing. I was thinking about writing a fab book, getting a fab agent, and then a fab publisher. By the time I finished writing and editing and all that jazz, self-publishing was huge. My blog, ChickLitPlus.com, was growing bigger and bigger, and I realized that I already had a large following. The more I thought about self-publishing and the benefits, I realized it was the right path for me. I still made myself query a whopping three agents, but my heart just wasn’t in the traditional path.

Is your book available in print as well as in e-formats?

It is! You can buy the print copy on Amazon, or through me directly! I’ll even sign it

Cool!  mine’s on the way . So how did you find the printer?

I printed my hard copies through the company CreateSpace. I found it pretty simple, the formatting wasn’t too bad and the step-by-step process was easy to follow!

And now for the dreaded edits…who did your edits and how many reads did you have before you said, “it’s time.”?

Ah, the edits. This was hard, because I also work as a freelance editor. I quickly realized that me editing my own work was not going to happen. I knew my words inside and out, and I knew what I wanted to write. So sometimes my eyes would just pass over missing words or misspelled words. My first editor made a lot of changes to my story, and I’m grateful for them all. In the first book, Jasmine and Nate break up right away, Jasmine never gets pregnant, and Abby basically disappears after the third chapter. I’m grateful for the advice and I think the story is even better! I then had a girlfriend of mine do the final proofreading.

I read and re-read and had my editor and proofreader work a lot on the story before I decided I couldn’t keep making these tiny tweaks. I also think because this was my first book, I was more hesitant to finally pull the trigger.

It is hard to edit your own work. Now, tell us about your book. 

Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, and befriends two new girls at college- Kiley and Cari. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.

And now for the most dreaded question of all—are you going to try your hand at self-publishing again?

I most definitely will! My second novel will be out in April/May of this year. I think I might try the query process again, but I am ready to self-publish! I’ve had a fantastic experience.

All that said, what do you do for fun?

I work a lot of jobs, including a full time job at a hospital, then run ChickLitPlus, CLP Blog Tours, offer freelance editing services, and have to find time to write and market myself – but I think all of that is fun! I’m so lucky I love what I do. Other than that, I love to dance and work out – especially yoga or kickboxing. And I love sports- Go Pack Go!

Hey now, I live in  the land of Cowboys and Chiefs! What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

You have to keep writing. I would give myself three to four weeks off at a time when I was writing Destined because I couldn’t figure out a certain story line or I was tired or I claimed I didn’t have enough time. I have myself on a much better schedule the second time around. I only let myself have four consecutive days of writing off at a time, and I usually write around 2,000 words a day. It’s much quicker this way!

Thanks for stopping by Samantha! Okay, raders, be sure to leave a comment here or at www,amiesreviews.wordpress.com/ in order to be entered n a drawing for an ecopy if this book (and others from this month).  Lots of <3–Amie

Connect with Samantha March:

http://www.samanthamarch.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samantha-March/104518512989033

http://twitter.com/#!/SamanthaMarch23

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5287274.Samantha_March

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/97812

http://www.amazon.com/Destined-to-Fail-ebook/dp/B005XNI560/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320108498&sr=8-1

All right, down to business. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How has that childhood dream affected your current career?

Like most kids, I imagined myself in all sorts of careers. I can remember playing “school” with a couple of my friends when we were in second or third grade. That slid to the background as I got older, but seven years ago, I launched a second career—as an English teacher, so I suppose I’ve come full-circle. The other amusing thing I can remember is sitting down with another one of my friends when we were thirteen or fourteen years old and deciding we were going to co-write our own romance. It featured some poor, tortured heroine washed ashore from a shipwreck who just happened to land on an island populated only by a devastatingly good-looking hero. Sigh… As bad as it was, it really was the turning point that pushed me toward writing, first as a journalist and now as a romance writer.

 I think we’ve all got a book like that under our beds. How has your environment/ upbringing colored your writing?

Reading and writing go hand in hand. I was fortunate to grow up in a reading-rich environment. Both my parents were readers. At 85, my mother still is. I just gave her a Kindle over Christmas when I went to visit. One of my siblings struggled with reading as a child. I remember sitting with my brothers while my mother read to us. The mystery series The Happy Hollisters was a favorite.  I had another sibling who published his own newspaper with such tantalizing headlines as “A Boy Got a 100 in Arithmetic”. My father was an avid consumer of news, so current events were always up for discussion. In addition to that, I read anything I could get my hands on. Writing was a natural outgrowth of that environment. Even as a journalist, I was a closet writer of romance, though. I finally had to acknowledge that my real writing interest was fiction and not journalism. Only after admitting that did I finally make changes that allowed me to pursue writing fiction.

Everyone always asks where ideas come from. Have you ever used contemporary events or stories “ripped from the headlines” in your work? As a journalist, I suppose I’m always cognizant of what’s making headlines, so I won’t say never. However, I always remember that I’m writing fiction, so if I utilize a news nugget, I try to develop it from an idea that might be sparked from news headlines into something that’s entirely my own.  Having talked with people firsthand who have experienced traumatic events, I simply can’t pull a fictitious story too closely from someone’s real life experience. Ethically, that doesn’t sit well with me, so if I use contemporary events, they’re normally more issue-oriented.

That said, how much of your work is real? How much is fantasy?

Although I write fiction, that’s not to say I never draw on my own experiences. My most recent release, Bittersweet, is the story of a female veterinarian working in a large animal practice. As a horse owner for more than twenty-five years, I’ve assisted vets with all sorts of procedures that ranged from tooth extractions to closing wounds that required more than a hundred stitches. There are even bits and pieces of people I’ve met over the years that appear in some of my characters—and no, I’ll never tell who they are. LOL

Mum’s the word. So who is your favorite author and why? What books have most influenced your life?

Two books stand out in my mind as driving me toward writing romance. The first is Jane Eyre, which I read again and again the summer between seventh and eighth grade. The second is Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie. Yes, it’s a biography. What really gripped me was not only the love story between the two, but also how their personal tragedy (their son’s hemophilia) changed the course of an entire nation. I loved the ending of Jane Eyre and hated what happened to the Romanov family—so my love affair with HEAs began. As to my favorite authors—again there are two—Nora Roberts and J.R. Ward. I like Roberts for her strong heroines. Even her early heroines that fit the “formula” of the time still had gumption. And J.R. Ward—I’ll admit I’m a slavering fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood—but I like more than her sexy vampires. I like her books as Jessica Bird as well. She creates complex characters that are not all good and all bad.

Are there any tools you feel are must-haves for writers?

Create a work space where you will be comfortable for long periods of time. I’ve written as a journalist and an author for nearly three decades. When you spend hours at a computer (I won’t say typewriter since that would really date me!), you must have a set-up that’s ergonomically correct or you’re asking for trouble. The number one tool for any author in this day and age is internet access. With a reliable, high-speed connection, you have access to almost any information you need within seconds. Having worked in newsrooms before that was possible, I can tell you it has completely transformed researching and writing stories. Now, that being said, if I spin my chair around, I have a dictionary, thesaurus, two style manuals and at least half a dozen books on writing within easy reach. Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon is one of them, and a book I would consider a must-read for any fiction writer.

Great advice, Laura. And the peek at the cover…

Need more? You can contact Laura at…

Why do I love reading and writing historical romance?  The answer is actually quite simple.  Historical romances transport me to another time and place and immerse me in a love story.  Before I started writing historical romance, I never considered the skillful balance between facts and emotion in these stories, the delicate weave of details within a love story that creates a sense of time and place and brings the plot and the characters to life.  Now, as a writer of historical romance, I know firsthand the challenge of blending facts into a story without creating information overload.

While the developing emotional relationship between the heroine and her hero is the central focus of historical romance, historical details serve to sweep the reader away to another time and place.  Infusing facts throughout the story without sounding like a travel guide is a writer’s challenge.  Research, layering details through multiple revisions, and a willingness to cut facts that don’t enhance the story are my keys to achieving balance between historical detail, story flow, and emotional intensity.

Of course, thorough research is a given.  Historical inaccuracies pull a reader out of a story, while details about historical events, clothing, food, transportation, communication, occupations, and social structure—the list could go on and on— provide scaffolding for a believable story.

After I become familiar with the essential characteristics of an era, I map out the plot and research specific aspects of the time period that may factor into the story.  What weapons were available?  What historical events, landmarks, and people might have impacted the characters’ lives? What literary and artistic works were prominent during that era?  In my new release, Surrender to Your Touch, the Union occupation of Norfolk, Virginia during the Civil War creates additional danger for the hero, outcast Rebel officer Will Reed, while the Union’s use of his family’s historical home, a James River plantation, adds to Will’s profound sense of loss.  Angel in My Arms features Union spy Amanda Emerson’s visit to Confederate first lady Varina Davis and her mission to Richmond’s Libby Prison to rescue a double agent,  while Destiny factors the heroine’s love of tragic romances into the character’s development.  Research to identify popular authors of the heroine’s time provided details that fleshed out Emma Davenport’s actions and dialogue.  These historical details add to the tapestry of the story.

How much historical detail brings a story to life without bogging it down?  That depends on the story.  Are historical events plot elements, or does the historical setting provide a context for the story?  Surrender to Your Touch,  Angel in My Arms, and Destiny are set against the background of the Civil War, but the key plot events are entirely fictional.  Historical details woven throughout the story create a sense of time and place, and references to historical figures can add to a character’s development, but historical name-dropping can result in detail overload.  Your characters shouldn’t sound like Joan Rivers on a time travel adventure.

Every author develops a method that works best for him or her.  To me, research, layering details, and revision are the keys to crafting a love story that transports the reader to another time and place.

Here’s a little about Surrender to Your Touch:

Will Reed is out to settle a brutal score. The disgraced Rebel officer’s own men want him hanged, and an enemy has ordered him killed. Intent on clearing his name and evening the score with those who betrayed him, he begins with the woman he once loved—Union spy Kate Sinclair.

For years, Kate used seduction as a lure. She knew better than to let her heart get involved–until she fell in love with Will. Grieving his death, Kate’s joy at discovering him alive shatters when she is confronted by a bitter, vengeful man—a man who’ll stop at nothing to learn the truth of her betrayal. As danger pursues them, Kate fights to tear down the barriers Will has erected around his heart, but her most powerful weapon may ultimately destroy her—surrender.

Surrender to Your Touch is available from Amazon.com: E-book or Print,

and

The Wild Rose Press:  E-book and Print

I hope readers will stop by my website and my blog, www.victoriagrayromance.com ; www.victoriagrayromance.blogspot.com.

I’d love for you to friend me on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1819636616

and follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VictoriaGray115

CONTEST:   Based on the story blurb, who would you like to see portray Kate and Will if this were a movie? One lucky commenter will win a pdf of Surrender to Your Touch. Winner will be announced on Monday, January 9.

Also by Victoria Gray–

 Destiny

Buy it now

 Angel in my Arms

Buy it now

And a big thank you to Victoria for sharing her newest release with us! I don’t know about the rest of you, but my TBR list is growing–by threes!!

Lots of <3–Amie