Saturday, December 22, 2018

Release Blitz & Excerpt: Shopping for a Baby's First Christmas by Julia Kent

Out Now—Shopping for a Baby’s First Christmas (Book 15 in the Shopping series) by Julia Kent (@jkentauthor)

Release date: December 06, 2018
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance

Description:

My mother wants all her kids and grandkids to spend Christmas Eve at her house and wake up on Christmas morning together. 
Sounds reasonable, right?

And it would be.

If it weren’t my mother.

My husband, Declan, is protesting any involvement, though he’s openly intrigued by the idea of claiming his territory by suggesting we have sex in my childhood bed.

And by ‘suggest,’ I mean make a series of really hot offers that make me whimper when I have to say no.

Wait – why am I saying no again?

Mom has turned her house into a Christmas showcase that makes Frankenmuth look like the picked-over clearance rack at Target on December 26. You know those crazy people on Etsy who make felted gnomes out of belly button lint and use … a certain kind of hair… to make thatched roofs on little decorative elf homes?

Those people are saner than my mother.

There is no force of nature stronger — and more emotionally volatile — than a fifty-something grandmother determined to create holiday memories.

Wait a minute. Maybe there is.

My husband.

Buy links:

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2zyu919

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down

Social Media Links:

Newsletter:  http://bit.ly/2PIBi9n

Excerpt: 
“What about you, Declan?” Mom asks, standing and lighting a series of green taper candles in a pewter train that covers an end table.
“What about me?”
“When you were little, what was it like to wake up on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought you?”
His whole body goes still. So still. Then his shoulder relaxes, followed by his jaw, which loosens as if giving himself permission to remember. The body is the gatekeeper for our brains. We think it's the other way around.
But no.
“We rarely spent Christmas at home,” Declan says. I know this, but my family doesn't. “We traveled somewhere special most years. Mom and Dad rented a house for a few weeks, and we spent the time traveling there. Dad would only be there for the week between Christmas Day and New Years' Day. Geneva, Dublin, Prague, Melbourne – you name it. Our Christmas presents came from the local economy. Dad's time there was all about business. Mom really made it feel like a holiday.”
“She was the glue,” my own mother says.
“Yes.” Dec finishes his beer and sets the empty on the table. Arms around me, he rests lightly against my body, lost in memory. “Versatile, Dad called her. Mom could shift into whatever social rules were in a given situation. Hayride? Mom wore jeans and flannel shirts. UN reception for the incoming secretary-general? Mom brushed up on her language skills and was Dad's charming wife. Kids need to learn about the world?” One corner of his mouth goes up as his voice drops. “Mom was there.”
“I'm sorry she's not here,” Dad says to Declan.
“But she is,” I say, holding Dec's hand. “She is. You're making her be with us.”




Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Book Review: Belle, Book and Christmas Candle by Sharon Booth

Another wonderful book by Sharon Booth. This one is a little different from her others but still is firmly sited in Yorkshire's beauty and customs. The St. Clair sisters live in the town of Castle Clair; their family owns the ruined castle and other parts of the town. Sky, the youngest, tried to get away, but since she lost her job and boyfriend, she decided to take recoup her losses when a Yule invitation from her sisters brings her home. Her family has a legacy of magic, but Sky doesn't believe in it, doubting her families' beliefs. On the train home, she meets Jethro, a man who's suffered his own losses.
I do love Sky and Jethro (and Belle). Their story is filled with magic, both figuratively and literally. All the characters are well-drawn and lots of fun with great descriptions and some humorous scenes. And there's a great addition of the Celtic story of the Oak King and the Holly King. It's just my cup of tea.
This is another great story by Ms. Booth. I'm so glad this is going to be a series because I need to know what happens to the rest of the family: Star, Celeste, and Sirius. There are delicious hints scattered throughout this story, and I can't wait.

New Anthology Release: Kingdom of Glass and Ashes: A Limited Edition of Cinderella Retellings

Cinderella - but not how you remember it...

What if the stepmother wasn’t the only one who was wicked and Prince Charming wasn’t what he seemed? What if your favourite princess didn’t make it home by midnight?

Be transported to far away lands where fantasy and magic come together and pumpkins and princes are joined by shifters and stepsisters in this captivating collection of one of the greatest love stories ever told.

From the imagination of our authors, prepare to meet Cinderella as you've never read before. Kingdom of Glass and Ashes is a spellbinding collection of fantasy and contemporary retellings, written by multiple USA Today and bestselling authors telling their own version of the beloved tale. Get ready for romance, excitement, enchantment and more than just a glass slipper.

Only $.99

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Book Tour & Giveaway: A Mind Reader's Christmas by Eric Beckman


A Mind Reader's Christmas
Eric Beckman Mysteries Book 4
by Al Macy
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Eric Beckman, a mind-reading private investigator, is spending Christmas in snowy Vermont with his wife and daughter. He needs a break from solving cases, but the townspeople convince him to look into the village mystery: Every holiday season, someone switches the baby Jesus with one of the other figures in the town’s nativity scene.


With the help of his ten-year-old daughter, also a mind reader, he soon learns that some of the residents of the small town are not who—or even what—they seem to be. There’s something supernatural going on in Newburn, Vermont.

His investigation causes an escalation of strange happenings, and soon, swapped manger figures are the least of the town’s worries. If Beckman can’t adjust his view of the world—force himself to believe in things he never thought possible—the Christmas vacation could turn out to be his family’s last.

A Mind Reader’s Christmas may be read as a standalone book or as Book Four in the Eric Beckman series.





Democracy's Thief
Eric Beckman Mysteries Book 3

Private Investigator Eric Beckman hates politics. He doesn’t even watch the news—it’s just sensationalized stories crafted to sell commercials. Why should he care?
But that changes when a friend is shot in the head during a politically motivated break-in. Eric starts digging, and using his paranormal mind-reading skills, he soon discovers that Wilson Kingman, the presidential candidate behind the burglary, has some supernatural skills of his own. With one sweep of his mesmerizing gaze, he's able to secure the fanatical devotion of the thousands who attend his rallies--including the very people investigating him.
Worse, Kingman’s true motivations have nothing to do with leading the free world. With the clock ticking down toward election day, Beckman must overcome his aversion to politics and stop the wrong man from being elected. If he fails, millions will die.
Democracy's Thief is a standalone book which may be enjoyed without reading any of the other books in the series.




Sanity's Thief
Eric Beckman Mysteries Book 2

Private detective Eric Beckman can read minds. He's used to weird cases, but this one may be his most difficult yet. A beloved relative has disappeared into a suspicious psychiatric hospital and Eric has no choice but to go in after her.


Getting in is easy—he knows how to fake insanity. Getting out … not so much.

The asylum's director has some personality issues of his own and is doing more than just treating patients. Now that Eric is one of them, his mind may be headed for a fate worse than death.

His only hope for escape is to work together with the other inmates. But collaborating with schizophrenics has its own challenges, even when he knows what they're thinking. Unless he can get word to the outside, the case could cost him his sanity.

Sanity's Thief is a standalone book and may be understood and enjoyed without reading any of the other books in the series.






Yesterday's Thief
Eric Beckman Mysteries Book 1

Private detective Eric Beckman can read minds. 


Although he reads only the conscious thoughts of the people he interviews, it usually gives him enough of an edge to overcome his inexperience as a PI. But mind reading is hell on relationships. Trusting comes hard when you know what people are really thinking.

The case of his life lands in his lap when a beautiful woman materializes during a televised baseball game. She floats in midair, then drops to the ground, comatose. 

Beckman is at her bedside when she wakes up. From the moment she opens her eyes, she has him under her spell. He vows to figure out where—or when—she came from, even if it kills him.

The stakes increase when she disappears without a trace. Worse, she holds the key to a worldwide energy catastrophe. If Beckman can’t find her and unlock her secrets, economies will collapse, and the world will spiral down into chaos.



**FREE!!**


Al Macy writes because he has stories to tell. In school he was the class clown and always the first volunteer for show and tell. His teachers would say “Al has a lot of imagination.” Then they’d roll their eyes.
But he put his storytelling on the back burner until he retired and wrote a blog about his efforts to improve his piano sight-reading. That’s when his love of storytelling burbled up to the surface, along with quirky words like “burble.”
He had even more fun writing his second book, Drive, Ride, Repeat, but was bummed by non-fiction’s need to stick to “the truth” (yucko). From then on it was fiction all the way, with a good dose of his science background burbling to the surface.
Macy’s top priority is compelling storylines with satisfying plot twists, but he never neglects character development. No, wait … his top priority is quirkiness, then compelling storylines, then character development. No, wait …





Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!







Book Tour, Giveaway, and Review: Dressing Mr. Dalton by Charlotte Byrd


Dressing Mr. Dalton
by Charlotte Byrd
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Women who color their own hair do not go out with movie stars!”



So, what am I doing going on a date with him?



I’m a wardrobe stylist with a resume full of fake job experience (when my resume was accurate no one wanted to hire me). I drive a crappy car and I have $37.58 in my bank account.



He is People’s Sexiest Man Alive who lives in a beach house (read: mansion) in Malibu.

We are all wrong for each other for a number of reasons. The main one being: I hate everything about him.

Finn Dalton is arrogant, cocky, and self-involved.

He thinks he’s God’s gift to women and the fact that he has bedded almost every available (and unavailable) woman in Hollywood supports that theory.

I hate him…so what am I doing here? Why do I keep saying yes?

Yes, to a date. Yes, to a kiss. Yes, to this.

And what happens when the one person who is all wrong is the only one who’s right?

**This is a standalone contemporary romance.


Amazon * Apple * B&NGoogle * Kobo

Review:
 This is a pretty generic contemporary romance about a 'regular' girl working as a wardrobe mistress on a small independent film and a famous actor who fall in love. Finn and Chloe meet cute, are attracted to each other, have a contrived date, a real date, a breakup, and then another contrived event that puts them back together.
Finn and Chloe are a cute couple, likable in their own ways. I realize I'm one of the few reviewers who didn't get excited about this short book and don't get me wrong, it's okay. Most of the reason I have trouble with it is the writing style. Over eighty percent of the book consists of one-word short sentences that function as a paragraph.  It's fine in small doses but overall leads to a herky-jerky read, constant starting and stopping. I found it interrupted the flow and slowed the pace of the story down. 
The most interesting part of the book is a scene where Finn has to film a sex scene in front of Chloe. So, this was just an okay read for me. 

Charlotte Byrd is the bestselling author of many contemporary romance novels. She lives in Southern California with her husband, son, and a crazy toy Australian Shepherd. She loves books, hot weather and crystal blue waters.



Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!





Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Free Book Blitz: Shopping for an Heir by Julia Kent

Freebie Blitz—Shopping for an Heir (Book 10 in the Shopping series) by Julia Kent


FREE BOOK BLITZ

FREE for a limited time - SHOPPING FOR AN HEIR. A hilarious standalone in Julia Kent's bestselling Shopping for a Billionaire series. Gerald Wright works for billionaires. He never imagined he’d become one. Get the Whispersync audio for $7.49 on Amazon or your favorite audiobook retailer.


Description:

Gerald Wright works for billionaires. He never imagined he’d become one.

The former Navy Seal is a chauffeur by day, artist by night, so when hotter-than-ever ex-fiancĂ©e Suzanne Dayton interrupts his nude model sculpting class to serve him with inheritance paperwork from a man he’s never heard of, he assumes it’s a joke.

Turns out the joke’s on him. There’s just one catch. A big one.

And it might be Suzanne — in more ways than he ever dreamed.

Shopping for an Heir is the 10th book in the New York Times bestselling Shopping for a Billionaire series by Julia Kent.

Buy links:

Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/29IQds1
Amazon Australia: http://amzn.to/29JqH84
Google Play: http://bit.ly/29MNgdk
Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2atJMcM

Audiobook links: 

Amazon Audio:  http://amzn.to/2Bc3je0
Kobo Audio:  http://bit.ly/2QKc8b3
Authors-Direct:  http://bit.ly/2Rzi83n

Author Bio:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down

Social Media Links:




Teasers:

“I can do this,” Suzanne Dayton muttered under her breath, standing outside the decrepit arts center, pacing back and forth, trying desperately to find her old military voice. More than ten years out of the Navy after a two-year stint, and that world was like a different lifetime. Three years of law school and seven years as a practicing attorney—now a full partner at one of Boston’s best firms—and here she was, trembling with anxiety at the thought of walking into a nude sculpting class.
The nude part? No problem.
The class part? No problem.
The instructor? Big problem.
And what she needed to deliver to him?
“Oh, God,” she groaned. “How did my life come to this?”


Freebie blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services








Monday, December 10, 2018

Book Tour & Giveaway: Holiday Hijinks by Katherine Moore


Holiday Hijinks
Halliday Theater #1
by Katherine Moore
Genre: Cozy Holiday Romance

It’s Christmas, and this year Emily Halliday is trying something new at the struggling revival movie theater she runs for her great-grandmother. After all, how many times can you show It’s a Wonderful Life?
Emily was hoping to make a little profit on “Holiday Hijinks,” her “counter-programming Christmas” event. What she never expected—plot twist—is that an unexpected guest will turn her own life into a romantic comedy.
Holiday Hijinks is the first in a new series of cozy romances set in the small Pacific Northwest town of Silver Birch, Washington. A short read (15K) for a busy time, Holiday Hijinks introduces a whole new cast of characters while bringing back “cameos” from the “Meredith Manor Hotel” books, which are also set in Silver Birch.
If you love movies and food and romance as cozy as flannel jammies, Holiday Hijinks is the Christmas read for you.

**Only .99 cents!!**


Born in Washington, D.C., Katherine Moore now lives in a small Pacific Northwest town very much like Silver Birch. She has worked as a food writer, a caterer, and a movie extra as well as a freelance lifestyle reporter and staff writer for magazines in Honolulu, Los Angeles, and Richmond, Virginia.





Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!






Sunday, December 9, 2018

Book Release: 1,4,3 by Alicia Sophia



1,4,3 -- love, loss, and other catastrophes.

Cam stumbled up the stairs, drunk again. She tried to drown her doubts in the bottle but she knew she couldn't live inside Lee's, Good Housekeeping inspired picture-of-perfection anymore. When Lee confronts her, she can't deny that her spark for adventure has been reignited and lets her "143" walk out the door and out of her life. 

Growing up as a lesbian with an overly dramatic mother and a father who tried everything to keep his wife happy and their family together taught Cam that sometimes "I love you" really isn't enough. Her world changed the moment she met Lee and it never stops changing as she explores the world she never knew before.

Follow Cam as she navigates through love, loss, and other catastrophes. 

Readers all over the globe have gotten lost with Cam and found themselves along the way, and debut author, Alicia Sophia has been nominated for 2 Golden Crown Literary Society Goldie Awards for 1,4,3. 

Hailed by Tracy Plath, author of Thicker than Water: "First time author Alicia Sophia's debut novel is a wordy feast that I wanted to slow down and savor reading, but had to speed through and devour in a coffee fueled marathon reading because I could not bear to put it down. It's that delicious. Her prose is at times ground glass in a wound in its raw and biting reality, and at other times sultry as a silken scarf sliding on bare skin. She portrays the escalating chain of events hurtling her main character Cam's descent downward into addiction and betrayal with such naked reality Cam becomes both the train wreck you can't look away from and the glorious and hurting friend you ache to save. The believability of the characters and in the moment perfection of each scene make this book one to remember, and read again, and again."











Saturday, December 8, 2018

Book Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover

Wow! I've liked Colleen Hoover's contemporary romances going back to Slammed, so when I saw she'd branched out to write a suspense romance as an indie project, I was interested. Lowden Ashleigh is a struggling writer who is chosen to write the last three books of a best-selling series by Verity Crawford. Verity was in a car accident and is basically brain-dead. Her husband, Jeremy, is her caretaker along with hired nurses. Verity and Jeremy have a four-year-old son, having lost their twin girls before Verity's accident. 
Lowden comes to their house in Vermont so she can organize Verity's notes and outline the next books. She finds a secret memoir written by Verity that shows a completely different person than the outward facade she's displayed to the world. While horrified at Verity's true persona, Lowden also is attracted to Jeremy. Meanwhile, weird things are happening, and Lowden becomes more and more suspicious.
I didn't want to put this book down. If you liked DuMaurier's Rebecca, there are some vibes here that are very similar though this book is a lot steamier. This book keeps you guessing right to the end. I can't recommend it enough.

Buy at Amazon

Blurb:
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. 

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night their family was forever altered. 

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her. 

A standalone romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

Christmas Release, Excerpt, Interview: Christmas at Blue Hydrangeas by Marianne Sciucco

C@BH Meme 3
BLURB:
It’s Christmas Eve, and as Sara waits for her husband and son to arrive home to Blue Hydrangeas, their Cape Cod bed and breakfast, a blizzard threatens to close the bridges, stranding all travelers to and from the Cape. As she prepares for the holiday, unexpected visitors arrive, all sharing the common bond of grief. Sara is determined the storm and sadness will not spoil Christmas, and ensures Santa will find his way to two fatherless children far from home. A sweet slice-of-life story about loved ones and strangers coming together to share the spirit of Christmas. Prequel to the novel Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story. 
BUY LINK:
Available in Kindle and paperback on Amazon
EXCERPT:
Sara peered out of the window and noted another inch of fresh snow on the ground. Time to get out the shovel.
She bundled up in an old parka and headed outside. The snow was light, and she cleared it with ease. She enjoyed working in the frigid weather, the cold air stinging her cheeks, her body made warm by her efforts. While she worked, she hummed a medley of Christmas carols.
The wind whipped the snow around her, and she remembered the empty bird feeders. She cleared an additional path to them and filled each with seed. She couldn’t bear to see her birds suffer. Satisfied, she moved on to the front of the house and was almost finished clearing the front walk and stairs when the sound of an approaching motor vehicle broke the silence. Seconds later, a pickup truck carrying a load of Christmas trees made its way up the drive.
She finished removing the last of the snow from the entrance to the house. “Come on in,” she called to the truck’s occupants as they exited the vehicle.
Minutes later, two burly men carried a magnificent Colorado Blue Spruce, ordered direct from the tree farm, up her front walk and into the house. She guided them into her formal living room and indicated the space in front of the window, a tree stand in place.
“Right there will be fine, Kenny,” she told the man in charge. His partner, Tom, was younger and smaller and never said much. She shed her parka and gloves, dropping snow onto the hardwood floor, and made a mental note to mop it up as soon as the men left.
“Do you want us to set it up for you?” Kenny took a small saw out of his pocket.
She nodded, and the men proceeded to cut an inch or so off the tree’s trunk. They stood the tree to its full height and inserted it into its sturdy metal stand. While she gave instructions, they positioned it to its best advantage.
“A little more to the left. Now back a bit. Not that far back. OK, that’s good. Leave it there.”
Pleased with the positioning of the tree, she waited while they secured it. They stood when finished and stepped back to appraise it with her.
“It’s a nice tree,” Kenny said.  “We cut it down just yesterday morning.” He took a deep breath. “The room already smells like pine.”
She inhaled, closing her eyes. “It’s wonderful.”
“Anything else we can do for you before we hit the road? The snow’s getting heavy. The town’s plows can’t keep up with it.”
“How bad are the roads?”
“Getting worse by the minute.”
Her hopes plummeted. “But the weatherman on the radio said the heavy snow will end later this morning.”
“Haven’t you heard?” Kenny raised his bushy eyebrows. “Old news. The storm’s taken a new path. Most recent report says it’s supposed to get worse before it gets better. A lotworse.”
“What are you saying?” She’d turned off the radio after the weather report to enjoy the silence and hadn’t kept up with the news.
“A blizzard is on its way, the second big one this year. Seventy-eight will go down in history as one of the snowiest years ever.”
“But it’s Christmas Eve,” she cried, and immediately felt silly. Mother Nature didn’t care about Christmas Eve.
“That look on your face tells me David and Jack aren’t home yet.”
“No,” she revealed, even more disheartened. The thought of another blizzard to rival last February’s Great Blizzard of 1978 terrified her. The power had gone out. No heat. No stove. They were snowed in for days. But they were together, camped out in front of the fireplace, keeping warm, able to heat up cans of soup and brew coffee. It was a miserable welcome their first winter as full-time Cape Cod residents. During those long, cold days she considered going back to New York, but remembered the winters there were also wretched. She bucked up and soldiered on.
And now this.
Kenny shook his head. “Well, I hope they make it home before the officials close the bridges.”
Her eyes widened. “Close the bridges?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he solemnly said. “The Army Corps of Engineers are talking about shutting them down if it gets too bad. If they do, no one will be able to get on or off the Cape.”
“Oh dear.” She suddenly needed to sit down and landed on the couch. “I have no way to reach Jack and David, no way to let them know. I don’t even know where they are.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll be fine, and home any minute. Now, is there anything else we can do for you before we go? We’ve got a truckload of trees to deliver.”
Sara couldn’t think. Her mind was racing.
The men waited a moment, and then Kenny turned to his silent but hardworking partner. “I guess we can go.” They turned to leave.
Sara came to her senses. She stood and reached into a pocket, pulling out a few dollars. She handed each man a small tip. They stuffed the bills into their pockets, broad smiles on their weather-worn faces.
“Thank you, Mrs. Harmon,” Kenny said. “Listen, it was a little rough coming up your driveway. I’ll plow you out now and I’ll try to come back later to keep it clear. All right?”
She nodded. “I’d appreciate it.”
“No problem.” He made for the door, Tom close behind him. “And Merry Christmas. I’ll be seeing you around town soon, I’m sure.” The men let themselves out.
She stared at the tree, seven feet tall, six feet wide at the bottom, and ideal for the corner it occupied. She and Jack had driven out to the tree farm months ago and selected it from acres of possibilities. It was a new tradition for their new life on the Cape. She’d let it rest a while before piling on the decorations.
AUTHOR BIO:
Marianne Sciucco is not a nurse who writes. She’s a writer who happens to be a nurse. A lover of words and books, she studied the craft of writing as an English major at the University of Massachusetts at Boston and briefly worked as a newspaper reporter in New England. To avoid poverty, she became a nurse and now writes about the intricate lives of people struggling with health and family issues. A native Bostonian who loves Cape Cod, she makes her home in upstate New York. When not writing contemporary and young adult “flinch-free” fiction, she works as a campus nurse at a community college. She’s also a founder and admin at AlzAuthors, a global community of authors and readers whose lives have been touched by Alzheimer’s and dementia.
AUTHOR PHOTO:
Marianne Sciucco headshot 2
Q&A WITH AUTHOR:
What inspired you to write a prequel to Blue Hydrangeas, an Alzheimer’s love story?
While writing Blue Hydrangeas I fell in love with Jack and Sara – literally; I met a couple in my work that inspired them – and of course the inn. I’ve been vacationing on Cape Cod for decades (once lived there) and would love to find a place like Blue Hydrangeas to stay. Many of my readers have told me they feel the same way and wanted to visit the inn again. So it was easy to decide to go back. And of course I wanted to write about Jack and Sara’s earlier years,  who they before Sara’s Alzheimer’s enters the picture. Happier times.
Why write about the Great Blizzard of 1978?
All great stories need a huge catalyst and what’s greater than a surprise blizzard on Christmas Eve? I lived through the Great Blizzard and remember it well, such a scary time, so I took some literary license and added a second great storm to ’78. I was also inspired by the television movie “The Homecoming,” which became the series “The Walton’s.” I was captivated by the image of the mother peering out the window waiting for her husband to return in the storm, while trying to maintain the Christmas spirit for her children.
Do you have any special Christmas traditions and are they in this book?
My family indulges in the The Feast of the Seven Fishes every Christmas Eve. It’s an old Italian tradition and every year it’s a challenge coming up with seven fishes that most people will eat. We’re more shellfish-oriented, so we usually eat a lot of that: calamari, clams, shrimp, scallops, crab, and also cod and sole. My husband and I often talk about preparing the seafood stew Sara makes but we haven’t gotten there yet.
What are you working on now?
My next project will be “A Wedding at Blue Hydrangeas,” David and Anne’s story. The inn is the ideal location for nuptials, but I’m adding in a very emotional catalyst: a fire! And a surprise guest that makes the weekend challenging to say the least. Of course, Sara pulls it all off magnificently.
CONNECT WITH AUTHOR:
Amazon: amazon.com/author/mariannesciucco
REVIEW COPIES ARE AVAILABLE VIA BOOKFUNNEL