Super excited to be the second stop on the tour for the LOVE FINDS A WAY boxed set by four amazing, best-selling authors! It was my pleasure to be able to personally interview Karen Booth, the author of Bring Me Back.
Welcome Karen, so great to have you here with
us. Can you tell us a little about
yourself?
I’m a MN girl living in Chapel Hill, NC, a
married mom of two, a romance and women’s fiction author, and an unrepentant
Duran Duran fan.
Do real life events find their way into your
stories? Absolutely!
It’s never exactly as they happened, but real
life offers so much inspiration, especially the things that happen with my husband
and kids. In ‘Bring Me Back’, several of the things that Christopher says to
Claire are things that my husband has said to me.
Do you ever mimic family members or people you
know when you choose characters?
I usually only draw on the small details, like
specific ways of dressing or mannerisms. I would never make a caricature of the
people I know and love, mostly because they would likely never forgive me. That
being said, people always ask, “So, who am I in your book?”
Do you find yourself going back to the same
inspiration for each story or is it always something different?
The answer is somewhere in-between. I don’t
think I could write a book that doesn’t include a love story. I’m too drawn to
it. My ideas almost always stem from a specific character, and I am very
attached to writing books about heroes and heroines who are creative—musicians,
painters, writers. I don’t think I could write a book about a steel magnate,
but I could write the heck out of a hunky basket-weaver.
When do you write? Early morning? During the day sometime or all
day? After the kids go to bed?
I write off and on all day, but my best time is
super early in the morning, before the kids get up for school. I can accomplish
more in an hour when the house is quiet than for the rest of the day. My second
prime time is in the minivan in the middle school parking lot, waiting for my
son to get out of school. Ah, the glamorous life of a writer!
How do you feel about marketing your book?
I love the social aspect of it, but I don’t
really think of it as marketing—there’s very little in the way of precision to
this part of an author’s job. I believe in selling one book at a time and
taking the time to connect with every reader who’s interested in connecting
with you. That’s the best marketing. That, and writing more books.
What social sites do you feel work best for
marketing?
I think Twitter and Facebook are the best. It’s possible to have a
conversation. It should always be a back-and-forth, not pushing something in
someone’s face and hoping they’re interested.
Do you like to pitch stories to your publisher
or do you wait until you have written the story and have a final manuscript to
turn in?
I prefer to submit completed manuscripts, but I
don’t have the luxury of time anymore. It’s necessary to submit books on
proposal so that I can keep a steady stream of releases. In the age of digital
books, you need at least two new titles a year and preferably more.
Is there any other genre that you would love to
try writing? If so, what is it?
I would love to learn how to write romantic
suspense—there’s a real art to building suspense and I know that I haven’t yet
mastered it.
Do you always/ever see yourself as the
heroine/hero when you write a story?
Claire, the heroine in ‘Bring Me Back’, is
probably the most like me, but that’s probably because it was my first novel. I
think I had a lot in my head that had to come out and Claire was my vehicle.
Now I merely try to put myself in their place, while remaining at least a
little objective about what they are doing.
Just for fun, I have a few personal
questions,
Favorite 5
1) Favorite
Male Actor - I’m a wee bit obsessed with
Idris Elba. He is an incredible actor and more than a little handsome.
2) Favorite
vehicle – Aston Martin. Preferably with John Taylor as my personal driver.
3) Favorite
way to relax – Sitting on the screen porch on a warm afternoon, drinking a
cocktail and listening to music.
4) Favorite
ice cream – I was going to say that “ice cream” is my favorite ice cream, but
I’ll say Mint Chocolate Chip. Love it.
5) Favorite
outfit – a sleeveless top, busted jeans (rolled up), and flip-flops. I’m a
total summer girl.
And for a bonus: If you could pick any place in the world to
live, besides where you are now, where would it be? (Of course, without the hindrance of jobs or
money needed)
Any place that’s warm and on the beach, with a writing space that
overlooks the ocean. That would be perfect.
Where can our readers find you??
Is there an upcoming or current release you
would like to share with us today and where can we find it?
‘Hiding in the Spotlight’ is my next book,
which comes out May 29th from Turquoise Morning Press.
Alex Halford’s rock-star husband, Glenn, steals
away in the middle of the night, leaving her with their two boys, a mountain of
debt, and one person to turn to—his lifelong friend and band mate, David
Callahan. David helps Alex pick up the pieces of her shattered life, happy to
have any time with the woman he’s loved for seventeen years. Every moment with
her is ripe with opportunity, and every last idea running through his mind
would destroy his brotherly bond with Glenn.
Out from under Glenn’s thumb, Alex can see the
person she was before marriage, finding feelings for David she thought she’d
left behind in high school. A single kiss and the floodgates open, giving her
new hopes of happiness. But when David and Glenn’s band has a chance to be back
on top, David must convince Glenn to return. With every passing day, success
comes closer, Glenn’s ego inflates, and David and Alex find it more difficult
to hide. One misstep and the secret comes out, forcing David to choose between
his life’s work and the woman he doesn’t want to leave behind.
One last thing before we let you leave us today :) Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share? I like to cook and am always looking for new
recipes to try and share...
I’m sharing my recipe for Olive Oil Cornmeal
Pound Cake—it’s SO delicious, sweet and moist. Always a home-run.
Olive Oil Cornmeal Pound Cake
¾ cup olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the
pan
¾ cup finely ground cornmeal
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
¾ C buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
1 t vanilla
zest of ½ orange
Directions:
Heat over to 350 F. Oil a loaf pan and dust
with flour, tapping out the excess. Be thorough—this pound cake likes to stick.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour,
cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together
the olive oil, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Add to the dry
ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix—lumps are okay.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and
bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out
clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan then transfer to a
wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and enjoy!
* * * * * *
LOVE FINDS A WAY Boxed Set
Bring Me Back
by
Karen Booth
Blurb:
Music critic Claire Abby is a single mom
dreading her daughter’s departure for college and worried that turning forty
will leave her career running on fumes. She’s floored when she lands a Rolling Stone cover story on 80s British rock legend
Christopher Penman. She spent her teenage years fantasizing he was her
boyfriend.
In person, Christopher is everything Claire
feared he’d be—charming, witty and unwilling to address the rumors he’s dodged
for a decade. Still, she contains her adolescent fantasies and manages to earn
his trust, unearthing the truth and the devastating secret behind it. His
blockbuster story is her first priority when she returns home, a nearly
impossible task when Christopher starts calling and flirting. She knows she
should maintain a professional distance. She knows she should focus on the
story. She knows it would be best to simply walk away. But how can she say “no”
to the man she could never forget?
For a limited time only, get this 4 book boxed set for a special promotional price of $ .99.
AMAZON | KOBO | SMASHWORDS
| ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS | PUBLISHER
These 4 great authors are giving away a $25 Gift Card to Turquoise
Morning Press.
Giveaway:
