Book Blitz: Bittersweet Junction by Ivy Sinclair + Giveaway

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Bittersweet Junction by Ivy Sinclair

Publication Date: 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Best friends once, lovers never, yet an attraction that can’t be ignored.

Five years ago, Julia Bell walked away from her life the moment her high school diploma was in her hand. She left her family and friends behind to start over and escape the chokehold of small town life in Benton Hill. But an urgent call from her little sister brings Julia back to her hometown wholly unprepared for what awaits her.

Ben Miller was always the nice guy. Just before high school graduation, he stepped out of that role hoping to capture the heart of the woman he loved. Instead, in quick succession he lost the girl, and the future he worked so hard to achieve.

Even though Julia and Ben are drawn to each other, echoes of the past block them at every turn. Secrets are exposed, and reality needs to be dealt with if they can ever hope to move past the bittersweet junction that ripped them apart.

Amazon / B&N

The Interview

About the book:

Describe Bittersweet Junction in one sentence.

Fate gives two former best friends a second chance at romance, if they overcome old misunderstandings and deceit.

Give a quick blurb about the book and why readers would enjoy it.

Bittersweet Junction picks up with the main characters, Julia Belle and Ben Miller, five years after high school graduation. Julia left the small town of Benton Hill right after graduation because she was faced with some grown-up kind of decisions that she couldn’t make. Ben, one of Julia’s childhood best friends, was left confused and hurt after her departure. Julia’s sister Clary lures Julia back to Benton Hill under false pretenses, and that’s when Julia realizes it’s impossible to outrun the past.

I think what readers will enjoy most about this story is the way that Julia and Ben eventually overcome the obstacles in their path to have a shot at their happy ending. I found it very satisfying to write, and I believe that will resonate with readers.

How did you come up with the idea for Bittersweet Junction?

I’ve had several ideas for stories that revolve around the idea of a five year high school reunion. The idea for Bittersweet Junction started there, although in the end, there is no actual high school reunion in the book. That wouldn’t have been a good enough reason to drag Julia back to Benton Hill.

If Bittersweet Junction were made into a movie, who would you want to play the main characters?

I’ve thought a lot about this. I could see Emma Roberts playing Julia and Chris Pine, with his gorgeous blue eyes, would make the perfect Ben. Emily Browning would play Julia’s little sister Clary, and Max Thieriot would round out the casting as Mike.

About you as writer:

When did you begin writing?

I started writing the summer between sixth and seventh grade. I kept all of my teenage angst in a journal and experimented with poetry as well. I think that helped me start finding my writing voice.

When did you first think, wow I have made it as a writer?

My senior year of high school I won a state newspaper award for a piece of hard hitting journalism in the school paper. It was an article on how a teacher in a local junior high had gotten in trouble for showing an R-rated movie in the classroom. The day I received my award, I knew that writing was part of my life’s journey.

Do you have any special rituals you do when you sit down to write? 

I usually have an idea of how many words or chapters that I want to get written that particular writing session. It helps to have a goal because I am easily distracted.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers out there?

Take an active interest in reading about what’s going on in the publishing industry today so that you can make informed decisions about your writing destiny. The landscape of publishing is changing faster than anyone could have imagined, and it affects all of us.

Silly questions:

Favorite color? I am digging orange right now. I have an orange purse, loads of orange tops, and even my toenails are orange at the moment.

Salty or Sweet? I am 50/50 on that. My favorite snack right now is a handful almonds mixed with a handful of dark chocolate chips.

Favorite author?  Stephen King. I can’t think of another author out there who has influenced me and my writing as much as he has, and I have enjoyed almost every single book he’s written.

Favorite book? I still remember discovering Intensity by Dean Koontz. It seriously blew my mind and scared me to death (which I love in a good book btw.)

About the Author

Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy’s guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy’s stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.

Website / Goodreads

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Blog Tour: His Risk to Take - Review, Author Interview + Giveaway!

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His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey (Line of Duty #2)
Publisher: Entangled Brazen Ever After
Release Date: May 13, 2013

The greater the risk, the hotter the reward…

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control—until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he’ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy’s avoiding, but when she walks into O’Hanlon’s Pub and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her—risks be damned. But there’s a connection between Ruby’s shadowed past and a case Troy’s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

Amazon || B&N || Kobo

Review

I knew it! I absolutely knew that Tessa Bailey could blow me away again with her new book, His Risk to Take! It’s a short and quick read, but has solidified the fact that Bailey has become a favorite of mine! His Risk to Take is yummy, dangerous and straight up over 100 degrees celsius HOT.

I have one question for Troy and that’s, can I be his risk to take? Because dear god, there is nothing hotter than a dirty talkin‘ sex machine Detective like Troy Bennett! 
You would have never thought twice because Troy came off as quiet and reserved, but get him in the bedroom and clothes start flying. Troy’s a man who is so manly he’ll melt your panties off with one look. Troy was the type of man to make you want to be in his jeans as soon as humanly possible. Not only that, Troy’s dominating, protective and oh so loving, Ruby wasn’t the only one falling. I want one, please and thank you. 

Read the rest of my 5 star review here!

Author Interview

Tessa Bailey

Author of PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS 

and HIS RISK TO TAKE

From Brazen Books at Entangled Publishing

www.tessabailey.com

Can you describe His Risk to Take in one sentence?

Tortured cop meets rebellious pool hustler and a battle of wills ensues. 

Why a novella this time around?

I didn’t have another full-length Line of Duty novel scheduled until July. My editor, Heather, thought since I had such great momentum going from Protecting What’s His, that I should try and put something out before then. I didn’t have time for another full-length on short notice, but I had this story about a female pool hustler in the back of my mind. So this was the perfect opportunity to write it!

What makes your main characters a strong hero/heroine?

In almost every case, my characters’ past is what makes them strong. Whether their upbringing or a tragic event that changed their lives. Something that shaped them into who they are. Or forced them to build a wall around their emotions.

I love Derek Tyler from Protecting What’s His. Who is your favorite character to write and why?

I think a lot of writers would say whoever they’re currently writing is their favorite. That seems to be the case with me, at least! I’m currently writing a hero named Brent that is bringing out my frat boy sense of humor. I’m in love with him – he’s a big, giant goofball with a heart of gold. 

Where do you get your inspiration to write? Other books, music, etc?

Music does inspire me a lot. I love songs about difficult women. There is this band I love called Frightened Rabbit. They sing from the point of view of breaking up with someone, instead of being the one who got dumped, like most songs. This song called “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms” is one of my favorites.

If you couldn’t be a writer what would you be/do and why?

Well, I work part time for my family construction company, so I would probably just be doing that. LOL. But if I could be anything in the world besides a writer, I’d be a photographer. I love snapping shots of interactions between people – like at weddings, birthday parties, etc. 

What else do you have planned for in the future? More Line of Duty books?

YES. I’ve got one coming sooner than you think (rubs hands together). Officer Off-Limits might be coming much sooner than expected, actually. It’s Daniel’s story – you met him in His Risk to Take. He’s a playboy hostage negotiator who falls hard for his mentor’s daughter, a kindergarten teacher named Story. 

Quick Fire:

5 words you’d give as advice for aspiring writers/authors: Persistence, originality, passion, discipline, coffee

4 book characters you’d take out for dinner: Derek Tyler (wink), Jericho Barrons, Nix the Everknowing and…Gideon Cross (swoon)

3 things you need at all times: iPhone and a notebook

2 things about you no one else knows: Little old men dressed in their Sunday best make me weepy. I’ve never seen Star Wars start to finish.

 1 book you would recommend no matter what: Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec

About the Author

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn't writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Website / Twitter

Giveaway

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Author Interview: Michelle Pennington (Candid)

Michelle Pennington is the author of Candid, the first book in the True Images series.

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Hi Michelle, thanks so much for doing an interview with me! I really appreciate it :) So let's start..

1. When and how did you start writing?

Well, technically I started writing when I was four.  I followed my mom around constantly asking how to write letters and spell words until she would beg me to go watch cartoons or do something equally brain numbing. I had a fascination with it even then. The first piece of literature I ever attempted was a poem that went, “You know you’re in love when a dove flies above.” I don’t remember how old I was (6?), but I do know I thought it was incredible. It was kind of a jolt to read it later and realize how bad it was. Since then, I’ve never stopped. It’s like my brain has always been set to writing mod. Thank goodness, I’ve improved somewhat since those early attempts.

2. Do you have any author inspirations that have influenced you in any way? 

I always say that Georgette Heyer is my favorite author and has taught me the most. Most of your readers probably haven’t even heard of her, but if they even somewhat enjoy Jane Austen, they should check her out. No one is better at creating great characters, snapping out witty dialogue, or researching to bring a story to vivid life with impeccable detail. Funny enough, I’m just as influenced by authors I don’t like. I won’t mention names, but when I read a clunky piece of description or roll my eyes at cheesy dialogue, I pay attention to it. If I can figure out why it doesn’t work, I can avoid doing it myself. 

3. I always need some background music when I write, even if it's for school. Do you need some background noise when you write or does it have to be total silence? 

Silence? What’s that? It’s summer and I’ve got three kids running around here all day. The closest I get is that precious early hour when the only sound in my house is a symphony of early morning snores and grunts coming from the various bedrooms in my house. I soon drown it out with the click clack of typing on my keyboard however. It’s the best time to write. The rest of the day, if I’m going to write, I have to have music on. I’ve currently got six different playlists for writing on my ipod. Some are for certain moods, some for certain characters, and I have one for a story I desperately want to write but I have to put on hold for now. It’s dangerous to listen to that one if I’m trying to work on something else. 

4. If you couldn't be a writer, what would you do or be instead? 

Funny enough, a marine biologist. I’ve only seen the ocean a few times in my life and I live in the hills of Arkansas, but I’ve always been fascinated by life in the sea. I realized that at an early age that it wasn’t going to work out for me unless I was just incredibly passionate about it, and the only thing I’ve ever been insanely passionate about is writing. I remember my biology professor actually tried to talk me into majoring in biology, but the creative writing classes were like sirens luring me away. Today, I get me fix on the discovery channel. I’m a diehard Shark Week fanatic. (Oh, my gosh, it’s almost here too! Yeah!)

5. I wish I could take pictures the way Sienna does! Did you always know you were going to write a book centered around a girl who loves photography? 

The story evolved while I was in high school. I was in yearbook for three years and editor my senior year. This was back in the days of film photography so we had to sort through hundreds, possibly thousands of photos to do the book. I spent so much time taking them, sorting and organizing them, digging through them, and cropping them (the old fashioned way) that it isn’t surprising that I dreamed about photos. One night I dreamed about a girl in a room full of amazing photographs she’d taken. Since my dreams are vivid and stay with me for a long time, I couldn’t stop thinking about her and wondering what made her tick. Once her love interest showed up, I knew I would write her story someday.

6. I'm always fascinated with character names, how did you come up with yours? 

Well, the story behind the name Sienna is kind of funny. I chose the name because her mom is an artist, so she would have chosen something that meant something to her. Sienna is a color that artists use in their palette, either as raw sienna or burnt sienna. (I didn’t want to name her Umber or Ochre!) Anyway, one of my editors was teasing me that I named my MC after my van. I stared at her blankly for a moment before I remembered that I drive a Toyota Sienna. Huh. Lee is actually my maiden name. I was Michelle Lee growing up. For years after getting married, I’d sign something and realize I’d only left enough room for Lee on the line and somehow had to squeeze Pennington into the same space. That took some getting used to. I’ve always thought Lee is a great name for a strong man, so I chose it for Sienna’s love interest. Once I got to know him as a character, it didn’t matter that Lee had been my name for 20 years because from then on, it was his.  

7. Speaking of characters, is Sienna or Lee based off of anyone you know? What about Sienna's mom, Sophia? 

Sienna is really just herself. The old fashioned manners and work ethic that I gave Lee were based on a friend of mine, and his mom inspired Lee’s mom The two are kind of inseparable really. I’ve known a lot of southern women in my time, so I’ve got a good handle on what makes Sophia tick. I can’t wait to bring her out more in the next book. Sophia… well, since I’ve studied art, I’ve realized there are a lot of creative minds that tend to be more bitter and dramatic over things that have hurt them. They kind of thrive on the pain and use it as a muse. It’s great for their work. Not so healthy for their other relationships. Luckily, there’s still hope for Sienna’s mom to get a grip on reality.

8. I know there is a sequel to Candid and I'm really excited for it. When does it come out and what can we expect from Focused?

Focused is going to be more intense than Candid in some ways, more satisfying in others, and it’s going to be significant for some characters – like Sienna’s mom, as I already mentioned. There are two things about Focused I’m incredibly excited about. One is that it picks up a few hours from where Candid leaves off so we jump right back into the story. The other is that I’m alternating Focused between Sienna’s and Lee’s point of view. In so many ways, Focused is more about Lee so it’s important that we get into his head. It’s a nice place to be.

Focused will be out this fall. I don’t have an exact release date yet as there are so many factors that can change one, but I will get it out as soon as I can. For anyone who wants to keep tabs on its progress, they can like my facebook page or follow my blog.  

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleLPennington

http://novels-and-novelties.blogspot.com/

Favorites- 

Favorite Tv Show? Person of Interest

Favorite Candy/Chocolate? Dark Chocolate Pecan Turtles

Favorite Color? Teal

Favorite Book? This is different every time someone asks me… The Nonsuch by Georgette Heyer.

The million dollar question-

What 3 things can you never be without?

My chapstick, my Kindle, and my ipod

And that's it! Again, thank you Michelle! It's been so awesome!! Maybe I can interview Lee one day! <3

Read my review of Candid

Interview: Tabitha Vale, Author of Pawn of Mine

About Tabitha Vale:

I'm 20 years old, from Portland, Oregon, and have a passion for writing. There isn't much else to say about me since I'm a new author! Aside from writing, I'm a college Sophomore, I've lived in South Korea, I love traveling, love Glee, Friends, and Modern Family, and I love being outside! Can you keep up with all the books I'll be publishing? Hope so!

Tabitha Vale is the author of three books:
Venus City, Ephraim City and her new release, Pawn of Mine.
Read my review for Tabitha Vale's Pawn of Mine

The Interview:

1) Can you describe Pawn of Mine in five words?
Set fire to the rain....

Hahaha just kidding. That's five words though :D How bout Clash of fire and water? Nah, doesn't have the same appeal as the Adele one. /whines/ five isn't enough xD

2) What gave you the idea and/or inspiration to write Pawn of Mine? How did you come up with such a unique world?
Actually Pawn of Mine used to be an entirely different story, and I wrote it almost two years ago. I transformed it a lot to be something that really blended my interests. I got a lot of inspiration from Avatar: the Last Airbender (one of my favorite shows I'll admit... I was only like 14 or something when it came out xD) but I didn't want to copy it or draw too much from it because I believe in making things my own. So first it started off as an idea of elemental elves... then I got this random idea while I was eating cereal (my best ideas come to me when I'm doing the most mundane things haha) about a race of people being a mixture of the elemental elves and falling stars. Then I realized that might be a little weird or too complex, so I hexed out the elves part, made it so that EVERYONE was the same sort of people so there weren't extra races, and I was left with elements and stars... and I somehow meshed it all together into Pawn of Mine.

3) Are any of the characters you created in based off of real people? 
Some are based off of other fictional characters. For example, Hazel is a mesh of Zuko (from Avatar) and Draco Malfoy, but I've also mixed in a little of my own boyfriend in there so there's something about him that I'm more familiar with. But like I said, when I base my stories, characters, or settings off something else, I never mimic the original in an obvious way. Just subtle similarities help me form a character of my own. Also has anyone watched Glee? Aurora I kind of drew from Terri, Will's ex-wife. She was possessive and a little crazy, but I made Aurora even more extreme than that. Then after I was done writing I noticed that some characters matched with other fictional people, but I did it unintentionally haha.

4) Which character can you relate to the most?
Hmm... I would say Sage, but not in the brave and fearless sense that she is. More so I can relate to her in how much she trusts herself and her goals. But still she's way more intense than me haha.

5) I especially love Saffron's name. How did you come up with such interesting names for the characters?
I'm soooo glad you pointed that out!! Naming characters is one of my FAVORITE things about writing. I have the chance to give these characters beautiful names! Why waste it? I always scour the internet for ideas, usually searching for more unique names for the main characters and allowing the minor characters to take more generic, but still good names. Saffron, Evander, and Blair were my favorite from this book, and even from my other series, Legacy of the Sares, I packed it with names that even I came up with, like Bellamine, Maydessa, and Leraphone. Course Asher, Channing, Braya, and Aspen were also cool names that I adore :D But back to Pawn of Mine... haha what else was there? Oh right. Some names even have meaning. Agni means fire, did you know? I made up Sayon and Cryent, and found Acheron around the web somewhere... xD

6) I love the cover to Pawn of Mine, is there a story behind the beautiful cover? 
Yes, a bit :) The coloring kind of portrays Sage's position as a Water controlling fire, doesn't it?

7) What was the most difficult part and/or scene to write during Pawn of Mine?
The last couple chapters were the most challenging for sure! I always like to make sure that the ending is satisfying, intense, and cleans most things up while at the same time leaving the readers wanting more, so I have to strike that balance and it's very difficult!

8) How many books are you planning to write for the Fiery Water series?
I'm thinking six. It's going to be a challenge writing a series that long, but I think I can handle it! There is still SO SO MUCH about this world that needs to be explored and so many more story lines that need to be delved deeper into that I can't imagine not pulling six off.

9) What can we look forward to down the road with Sage and the rest of the characters in the next book? (More Zane, I hope! lol)
Yes! lol lots of more Zane. He's like the second most frequent character in the book! But you can expect these characters to get a lot stronger with their abilities in starlight, and not only that, but they will discover more to their powers. More on the Ancients, more on the characters that didn't get much time in this book like Sayon, and you can definitely expect a lot more Hazel development and hmm... Agni is going to be a thorn in their side for a long time to come haha.

10) What is one random fact about you?
I've lived and studied in South Korea :D


Favorites:
Favorite Book: I can't say BOOK, but a series, and that's the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld.

Favorite Author: Scott Westerfeld

Favorite Book Boyfriend: Zane... from Pretties lol. Maybe that's why that name lodged itself in my head xD

Favorite TV Show: Avatar/Legend of Korra. Just pure genius.

Favorite Band: Hmmm... no one will know them since they're Korean. On the rare chance, I say it's DBSK.

Favorite Drink: Water!

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Food: Korean food :)

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Thanks so much Tabitha for stopping by Words, Pages and Books! It was an honor and complete pleasure. I can't wait for the next book in the Fiery Water series :)

Connect with Tabitha Vale:
Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Goodreads

Check out her books:

Venus City (Legacy of the Sares #1)

Ephraim City (Legacy of the Sares #2)

Pawn of Mine (Fiery Water #1)