❤author: Becky Due Interview and Giveaway!

❤ I'm thrilled to welcome author, Becky Due, to the blog today. Welcome to ¡Miraculous!, Becky! Will you please share a short bio with us?

Like the main characters of my novels, I spent many years running from my life, looking for love, crying a little and laughing a lot along the journey of finding myself. Through writing, I found my passion. I am the author of several books and I’m currently working on my next novel. Happily married Scott and I live in Colorado, Florida and Alberta, Canada with our two furry "kids".

❤ Tell us about you books, and more specifically, The Dumpster, which I reviewed recently!

Well, if you’re looking for something — love, friendship, entertainment, laughter, hope, inspiration, strength — you’ll find it in my novels. The women in my novels are never rescued by men; these women rock!

Winner on the 2011 National Indie Excellence Book Awards (Romance), The Dumpster: One Woman’s Search for Love, is about an average woman looking for love in all the wrong places. This is a lighthearted novel where you can relax, have fun and hopefully laugh out loud.

❤ I know I sure did! What inspired you to write your first book and then how did you get published? Tell us your call story.

I’ve always enjoyed writing, so moving into a writing career seemed natural to me. The publishing story is a long one. After finishing my first novel, The Gentlemen’s Club: A Story for All Women, I sent out the query letters and had many agents interested, but because I couldn’t afford a professional editor at the time, I felt defeated. I kept writing, working hard and saving my money. By the time I could afford the help I needed, writing and publishing had changed. Therefore, I started my own publishing company, and the rest is history. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s challenging, but I love my career.

❤ How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories?

Of course, I’m in every book in one way or another. It is usually all of the ridiculous stuff I do that finds its way into my books. I don’t think I’ll ever tell what is fiction and what really happened. I have so many great friends who also find their way into my stories, but usually because they are just so amazing to me.

❤ What are your biggest motivations for writing?

I have to write. I’m not happy unless I’m writing… just ask my husband. My biggest motivation comes from my readers. I’m crazy in love with my readers. They are the best!

❤ Can you honestly say being an author is your ideal job? Do you ever sometimes wish you hadn't begun a writing career?

I am so thankful for my career. I feel blessed everyday; I get to do what I love. When I have down days, like we all do, I give myself a break. I take the day off and do something else I enjoy, like painting, going to the movies or napping in front of the TV.

❤ How would you describe your writing style and tone?

I write the way I like to read. When I pick up a book, I hope it moves along quickly. I want to live in the story for a short time, and then I want to get back to my life with a new, empowered, inspired outlook. And that is what I try to do in every one of my books.

❤ Give aspiring writers a piece of advice you wish you had known before getting published.

A book will not market itself — make sure you have a marketing and sales plan. This career is a lot of hard work and takes a lot of your time, but like anything, if you want it badly enough, go for it.

❤ Are there any books or authors you idolize?

I’ve been touched by so many authors and books, but I’d have to say, Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote is my favorite book. I’m very sentimental and I read that book at a time when it made an important impact on my life. Books have a way of doing that.

❤ What's a question you always want to be asked during interviews? How would you answer it?

Well, I think it is interesting how we get little signs throughout our life, guiding us to our purpose. I had so many little signs along the way, and I wish I had listened much sooner. I’m thankful I figured it out. I hope all women tap into that inner voice and find their passion. We have the power to change our lives anytime we want, at any age.

❤ What’s the most interesting comment you have ever received about your books?

“I’ve decided to go back to school because of Returning Injury: A Suspense Celebrating Women’s Strength.” The woman could not put her finger on what part of the book inspired her, but she said something in the story made her want a better life.

She did go back to school -- in fact, she will graduate next year.

That’s the kind of thing I hope for with every book I write.

❤ Wow! The effect books have on readers is an amazing one. What's next for you?

I’m working on my next novel — editing stage — and I have another project that started as a screenplay, but I’ve decided to rework it into a novel.

❤ I'm certainly looking forward to them! Where can you be found on the web?

 Website | Facebook | Twitter

❤ Before we conclude this interview, is there anything you'd like to ask our readers?

I’d love to let your readers know that I am giving away a package of my books to celebrate this interview. You’ll receive The Gentlemen’s Club: A Story for All Women, Touchable Love: An Untraditional Love Story, Returning Injury: A Suspense Celebrating Women’s Strength, The Dumpster: One Woman’s Search for Love, and my children’s book, Blue the Bird: On Flying.

Giveaway!

You heard her right! Becky's giving away all FIVE of her books today! To enter this fabulous giveaway, leave a question or comment for Becky.

Giveaway runs through February 3rd, 2012 at 11.59 pm (your time).
This giveaway is open to ALL readers 18 and older (by the prize provider's request), international folks included!

Please include your email address in your comment! If I don't know who to contact once you are chosen as the winner, your prize will be forfeited.
As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: The Dumpster: One Woman's Search for Love by Becky Due

The Dumpster: One Woman's Search for Love
Becky Due

Release Date: December 29th, 2010

Publisher: self-published

Page Count: 187

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, via Dawn Seidel, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)

Nicole, a cute, chubby, twenty-something woman, is looking for love in all the wrong places. Who would have guessed that a dumpster in the back alley below her bedroom window would hold the key to finding love?

What Stephanie Thinks: To sum up The Dumpster with a few words, I would say: quick, easy, and entertaining. Kind of how I like my men. (.......uh). It isn't just that the plot is fast-paced, but the book's pages just fly past me. Definitely something you can read in one or two sittings, or in between train transfers, or while sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office.

The story itself is very cute and perky; even in times of despair, there's lots of preaching about how Nicole is really a strong, independent woman, and that even though she may have hard times, that doesn't change the fact that she's lovable and wonderful. Gooey girly stuff like that. Nicole is, as in most chick-lit books, fun and friendly—I wish I had a friend like her! She has insecurities like all of us do (man problems, moral problems, fat problems...) but she is blessed with great friends and a loving family to support her.

For most of the novel, Nicole's conflict is that she can't seem to find a guy... a guy who'll stick, anyway. She's attractive, and she's got a great personality (as her friends, her awesome partners in crime, assure her), but guys just see her for sex, as an easy lay, and it's about time she do something about it.

Enter the smelly dumpster that turns her life around, which sits right outside her bedroom window. Nicole hates it at first, but eventually it turns into a figurative "dumpster" where she can literally throw out everything that is troubling her (i.e. her "fat" clothes, her ex's clothing, and so on). The moment this idea clicked for me, I was thrilled at how Nicole was solving her own problems.

I must admit the tone of the book is rather childish—too girly, too immature—at times. There were moments I wanted to slap Nicole (she's a bit of a ditz) but she's still a good person at heart. This book is one to read when you really don't want to think too much, when you just want a good laugh (the situations Nicole gets herself into are hysterical!), or when you just need something to get you out of the dumps. Due very simply tells a pleasant story about a woman finding her true love by first finding herself, and I recommend it to all lovers of chick-lit and women's fiction.

Stephanie Loves: I love Becky Due's sense of chick humor! "Nicole thought she had gone to heaven. Frank was perfect in every way. But then he didn't ask her if she wanted any [cotton candy]. He didn't even look at her as he paid the guy and said, 'I love this stuff.'

What a jerk. He'd better share.

Frank sat next to her stuffing his face with her blue, fluffy sugar. And if that wasn't bad enough, his elbow kept bumping her breast each time he took a mouthful, reminding her of what she was missing. Then he leaned over and offered some to Mark, who passed. Frank offered it to Roxanne and she passed too. Nicole was about to have an oral orgasm when he finally offered her some. She could not believe what came out of her mouth. 'Oh, no thank you. That's a little too sweet for me.'"— LMAO. We all have our moments.

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥