Books à la Mode | a book, beauty, and fashion blog: HarperCollins

Showing posts with label HarperCollins. Show all posts

Friday, October 20, 2017

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick Giveaway (US/Can)

House of Shadows
Nicola Cornick
from Graydon House // Harlequin

The wooded hills of Oxfordshire conceal the remains of the aptly named Ashdown House—a wasted pile of cinders and regret. Once home to the daughter of a king, Ashdown and its secrets will unite three women across four centuries in a tangle of romance, deceit and destiny...

In the winter of 1662, Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, is on her deathbed. She entrusts an ancient pearl, rumored to have magic power, to her faithful cavalier William Craven for safekeeping. In his grief, William orders the construction of Ashdown Estate in her memory and places the pearl at its center.

One hundred and fifty years later, notorious courtesan Lavinia Flyte hears the maids at Ashdown House whisper of a hidden treasure, and bears witness as her protector Lord Evershot—desperate to find it—burns the building to the ground.

Now, a battered mirror and the diary of a Regency courtesan are the only clues Holly Ansell has to finding her brother, who has gone missing researching the mystery of Elizabeth Stuart and her alleged affair with Lord Craven. As she retraces his footsteps, Holly’s quest will soon reveal the truth about Lavinia and compel her to confront the stunning revelation about the legacy of the Winter Queen.

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one print copy of House of Shadows—yay!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me in the comments below:

What is your nickname? Who calls you by this name?

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Nicola and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

Pssst! Want to increase your chances of winning? Earn up to two additional entries in the giveaway drawing by following Nicola on Twitter and on Facebook. Just be sure to include your Twitter handle and/or FB name that you followed with in your comment to verify your extra entries.

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publisher—a huge thank you to the lovely folks over at Harlequin!

Giveaway ends November 3rd at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US and Canada readers only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for the list of currently running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Friday, October 13, 2017

Interview with Kaira Rouda, Author of Best Day Ever + Giveaway (US only)

It is my utmost pleasure to introduce Kaira Rouda to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Best Day Ever from Graydon House, a Harlequin imprint!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Kaira! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief bio with us?

Kaira Rouda is the USA Today bestselling author of novels including Here, Home, Hope, The Goodbye Year, In the Mirror, All the Difference, and most recently, Best Day Ever. Her stories explore what goes on behind closed doors of seemingly perfect lives. She lives in Southern California with her family and she's at work on her next novel.

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hit shelves last month:

Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he’s the perfect husband: breadwinner, protector, provider. That’s why he’s planned a romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house, just the two of them. And he's promised today will be the best day ever.

But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and toward the countryside, a spike of tension begins to wedge itself between them and doubts start to arise. How much do they trust each other? And how perfect is their marriage, or any marriage, really?

Forcing us to ask ourselves just how well we know those who are closest to us, Best Day Ever crackles with dark energy, spinning ever tighter toward its shocking conclusion. In the bestselling, page-turning vein of The Couple Next Door and The Dinner, Kaira Rouda weaves a gripping, tautly suspenseful tale of deception and betrayal dark enough to destroy a marriage... or a life.

As a huge fan of first lines, I’d love to hear the first line of Best Day Ever. Could you give us a brief commentary on it?

I glance at my wife as she climbs into the passenger seat, sunlight bouncing off her shiny blond hair like sparklers lit for the Fourth of July, and I am bursting with confidence.

This is Paul Strom, my narrator, introducing himself to you. His life is perfect. His wife is perfect. They are the all-American couple. He is confident the day will go just as he has planned.

Tell us about your road to publication, such as how you first queried, unexpected challenges, and things you picked up along the way.

It has been a long and winding road to publication, with five different literary agents, five novels, two romance series with small press and self-publishing, and a nonfiction book published by Wiley under my belt.

It was six years ago when I published my first novel, Here, Home, Hope. I have so many stories I could share, so many query letters, so many rejections. Perhaps the most poignant was the first time I tried to go for my dream in 1999. I found my first literary agent at the Antioch Writer’s Conference. She loved my novel In the Mirror and went out on submission. A famous editor with a huge publisher called me and told me she loved it and a contract was on the way. She died the next day suddenly in the back seat of a cab in midtown. It was a traumatic, shocking and extremely sad situation. Of course, I didn’t have a signed contract. My agent dropped me because she said the manuscript was now bad luck. I didn’t submit another fiction work for years.

Are the characters from your book based off anyone you know in real life?

No, they aren’t based on real life people, but a lifetime of experience goes into each one.

Out of all the fantastic books out there, what makes Best Day Ever stand out from the rest?

Two things. The gorgeous red cover. I just love it, and I had nothing to do with it! My fabulous publisher Graydon House has a great cover artist. And second, a male first-person narrator in the domestic suspense arena. I’ve come to find out that is unique.

Blog babes, click "Read more" to find out Kaira's best advice. We're also hosting a giveaway for a finished copy of Best Day Ever, so you don't want to miss that either!

Perfectly Undone by Jamie Raintree + Graydon House Launch Release Giveaway! (US/Can)

Perfectly Undone
Jamie Raintree
from Graydon House // Harlequin

A stirring debut rife with intoxicating family secrets and dazzling insights into our most basic desires, Perfectly Undone offers an intimate, uncensored exploration of forgiveness and fidelity, in all its forms, as a young doctor struggles with her sister's death—and the role she played in it—while her own picture-perfect relationship and promising career unravel around her.

Yes is such a little word...

Dr. Dylan Michels has worked hard for a perfect life, so when her longtime boyfriend, Cooper, gets down on one knee, it should be the most perfect moment of all. Then why does she say no?

For too many years, Dylan's been living for her sister, who never got the chance to grow up. But her attempt to be the perfect daughter, perfect partner and perfect doctor hasn't been enough to silence the haunting guilt Dylan feels over her sister's death—and the role no one knows she played in it.

Now Dylan must face her past if she and Cooper stand a chance at a the courage to define her own happiness before her life becomes perfectly undone?

Set among the breezy days of a sultry Portland summer, Perfectly Undone is a deeply moving novel of family secrets, forgiveness, and finding yourself in the most surprising of places.

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away an exciting giveaway package of Harlequin's newest women's fiction imprint, Graydon House's launch titles! Includes print copies of Perfectly Undone, House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick, Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda, and Something Like Happy by Eva Woods—all to one lucky winner! Yay!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me in the comments below:

Which of the four new Graydon House launch titles are you most excited to read?

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Jamie and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

Pssst! Want to increase your chances of winning? Earn up to two additional entries in the giveaway drawing by following BookClubbish on Twitter and on Facebook. Just be sure to include your Twitter handle and/or FB name that you followed with in your comment to verify your extra entries.

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publisher—a huge thank you to the lovely folks over at Harlequin!

Giveaway ends October 16th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US and Canada readers only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for the list of currently running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Interview with Christopher Meades, Author of Hanna Who Fell from the Sky + Giveaway (US/Can)

I'd like to welcome Christopher Meades to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Hanna Who Fell from the Sky from Park Row Books, a Harlequin imprint!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Christopher! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

Christopher Meades is the author of three previous novels, including The Last Hiccup, which won the 2013 Canadian Authors Association Award for Fiction. In addition, Meades’s work has appeared in several literary journals including The Potomac Review and The Fiddlehead.

He lives in British Columbia, Canada, with his family.

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hit shelves yesterday:

A magical, provocative tale of forbidden love and one girl's struggle for liberation

Hanna has never been outside her secluded community of Clearhaven. She has never questioned why her father has four wives or why she has fourteen brothers and sisters. And in only one week, on her eighteenth birthday, Hanna will follow tradition and become the fifth wife of a man more than twice her age.

But just days before the wedding, Hanna meets an enigmatic stranger who challenges her to question her fate and to follow her own will. And when her mother reveals a secret—one that could grant her the freedom she's known only in her dreams—Hanna is forced to decide whether she was really meant for something greater than the claustrophobic world of Clearhaven. But can she abandon her beloved younger sister and the only home she's ever known? Or is there another option—one too fantastical to believe?

With lush, evocative prose, award-winning author Christopher Meades takes readers on an emotional journey into a fascinating, unknown world—and, along the way, brilliantly illuminates complexities of faith, identity and how our origins shape who we are.

Were the characters in this book based on anything in your life?

I laced my previous books with people I knew growing up, embarrassing incidents (that changed only the names) and random events from my own life. For this novel, I created the world of Clearhaven out of thin air, so to speak. Creating characters solely from my imagination was a daunting challenge, but one I took seriously because this book means so much to me. I have two young daughters and one day, the oldest one picked up one of my earlier novels and started reading it. I almost had a heart attack (it’s not appropriate for children) and stopped her after one page. I hid the book and eventually we had a good laugh about it. But that moment inspired me to create a young female protagonist who finds her own path, who never gives up in spite of the obstacles in front of her. In Hanna, I created the kind of character I hope my children one day aspire to be: brave, honest, and above all—empathetic.

Would you share the first sentence and give us a bit of commentary?

The wolves were lurking.

Hanna is in peril right from the start of the novel, surrounded by wolves as she and her disabled sister struggle to make their way through the woods. I sought to establish a sense of jeopardy and vulnerability right away, to show the dangers Hanna faces, what she must overcome to grow into herself throughout the novel, which starts as a story of survival and turns into one of potential.

Can you give us a behind-the-scenes peek at a crucial moment in the book’s history?

The first draft of Hanna Who Fell from the Sky had an ambiguous ending, leaving the reader hanging, which really isn’t fair to the reader (I personally hate it when a book leaves its story unresolved). Later, I placed a frame story around Hanna’s main tale and kept it there for over a year. When my editor told me that the frame story just didn’t work for the book, I spent months agonizing over how to change it. Two days before my edits were due, I had an epiphany and quickly wrote a new chapter, which (without revealing any spoilers) I believe gives hope and promise to the novel.

What did you learn as a result of writing this book?

Your editor is (almost) always right. If she says something’s off, askew or downright wrong about the novel... believe her!
Readers relate best to characters who care about the people around them
Sometimes the paragraph that you like the best—the one with the MFA-style wording and fancy turns of phrase—is the one getting in the way of your story
The best way to get any work done is to turn off all social media
To paraphrase Paul Valery, “A novel’s never finished, only abandoned.” You can keep fine-tuning a novel for thirty years if you feel like it. At a certain point, you have to say, “It’s done,” and send it out into the world.

Where can you be found on the web?

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Follow the tour!

It was a pleasure to be able to get to know you better today, Christopher! Thank you again for dropping by, and best of luck with future endeavors!

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one print copy of Hanna Who Fell from the Sky—woohoo! To enter, all you have to do is tell me in the comments below:

What is the farthest you've traveled from home?

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Christopher and I really want to hear your thoughts! :)

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the tour publicist and publisher—a huge thank you to the lovely folks over at TLC Book Tours and Harlequin!
Giveaway ends October 11th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to US and Canada residents only. Sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar on the right for a list of currently running giveaways that are open worldwide—there are plenty to choose from!
Void where prohibited.

Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize once they are chosen, or else their winnings will be forfeited.
Although I do randomly select winners, I am in no way responsible for prizes, nor for shipping and handling.
As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Monday, September 25, 2017

Sugar Pine Trail by RaeAnne Thayne Giveaway! (continental US only)

Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point #7)
RaeAnne Thayne
from Harlequin

An unlikely attraction brings comfort, joy and unforgettable romance this holiday season!

Librarian Julia Winston is ready to ditch the quiet existence she's been living. She's made a list of new things to experience, but falling for Jamie Caine, her sexy military pilot neighbor, isn't one of them. Julia's looking to conquer life, not become the heartbreaker's latest conquest. But when two young brothers wind up in Julia's care for the holidays, she'll take any help she can get—even Jamie's.

Happy to step in, Jamie reveals a side of himself that's much harder to resist. Not only is he fantastic with kids, he provides the strength Julia needs to tackle her list. She knows their temporary family can't last beyond the holidays, but the closer she gets to Jamie, the more she wonders if things could be this merry and bright forever...

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one print copy of Sugar Pine Trail—yay!!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me:

What is your favorite baby name, i.e. one named your child or are saving for a future baby? I know this could change with the times so tell me your favorite one currently!

I've always loved Rosalie for girl names.

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. RaeAnne and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the publicist—a huge thank you to the lovely folks at Little Bird Publicity!

Giveaway ends October 9th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to continental US readers only. Sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for a list of currently running giveaways that are open internationally. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Monday, September 18, 2017

The First Line of The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck + Giveaway (US/Can)

The Writing Desk
Rachel Hauck
from Zondervan // HarperCollins

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a new captivating novel of secrets, romance, and two women bound together across time by a shared dream.

Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who has run out of inspiration?

With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.

A century earlier, another woman wrote at the same desk with hopes and fears of her own. Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams she doesn’t know how to realize. She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has taken extreme measures to manipulate her future, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own.

Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds, but fate has bound them together in a way time cannot erase.

Exclusive Sneak Peek: Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison + Giveaway (US/Can)

Lie to Me
J.T. Ellison

Domestic noir at its best. Readers will devour this stunning page-turner about the disintegration of a marriage as grief, jealousy, betrayal and murder destroy the facade of the perfect literary couple. New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison takes her exceptional writing to a new level with this breakout novel.

They built a life on lies

Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s idyllic life is not as it appears. They seem made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.

Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.

Something Like Happy by Eva Woods Giveaway (continental US)

Something Like Happy
Eva Woods
from Graydon House // Harlequin

With wry wit and boundless heart, Eva Woods delivers an unforgettable tale of celebrating triumphs great and small, seizing the day, and always remembering to live in the moment.

“It's simple, really. You're just meant to do one thing every day that makes you happy. Could be little things. Could be big. In fact, we're doing one right now...”

Annie Hebden is stuck. Stuck in her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no thirty-five-year-old would want. But deep down, Annie is still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through the perfect existence she'd once taken for granted—and hiding away is safer than remembering what used to be. Until she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard.

Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is everything Annie doesn't want in a friend. But Polly is determined to finally wake Annie up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it's that your time is too short to waste a single day—which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission...

One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie's convinced it's impossible, but so is saying no to Polly. And on an unforgettable journey that will force her to open herself to new experiences—and perhaps even new love with the unlikeliest of men—Annie will slowly begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, there's still joy to be found in the world. But then it becomes clear that Polly's about to need her new friend more than ever... and Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking.

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one print copy of Something Like Happy—yay!

To enter, all you have to do is tell me in the comments below:

What's one of the guaranteed ways someone can make you happy?

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Eva and I really want to hear from you guys! :)

On a very superficial level, anyone who brings me food will be my favorite. I am very food-driven LOL.

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the tour publicist and publisher—a huge thank you to TLC Book Tours and Graydon House!

Giveaway ends September 19th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Open to continental US readers only—sorry, everyone else! Please check my sidebar for the list of currently running giveaways that are open worldwide. There are plenty to choose from!

Void where prohibited.

As a reminder, you do not have to follow my blog to enter, though it is always very much appreciated ❤

Good luck!

Monday, September 4, 2017

Exclusive Sneak Peek: If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout + Giveaway (US/Can)

If There's No Tomorrow
Jennifer L. Armentrout
from Harlequin Teen // Harlequin

Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She's ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances.

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything.

Now Lena isn't looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened.

For what she let happen.

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when her and her friends' entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn't even guaranteed?

Exclusive Sneak Peek: To Wager Her Heart by Tamera Alexander + Giveaway (US/Can)

To Wager Her Heart (Belle Meade Plantation #3)
Tamera Alexander

Set against the real history of Nashville’s Belle Meade Plantation and the original Fisk University Jubilee Singers ensemble, To Wager Her Heart is a stirring love story about seeking justice and restoring honor at a time in American history when both were tenuous and hard-won.

With fates bound by a shared tragedy, a reformed gambler from the Colorado Territory and a Southern Belle bent on breaking free from society’s expectations must work together to achieve their dreams—provided the truth doesn’t tear them apart first.

Sylas Rutledge, new owner of the Northeast Line Railroad, invests everything he has into this new venture, partly for the sake of the challenge. But mostly to clear his father’s name. One man holds the key to Sy’s success—General William Giles Harding of Nashville’s Belle Meade Plantation. But Harding is champagne and thoroughbreds, and Sy Rutledge is beer and bullocks.

Sy needs someone to help him maneuver through Nashville’s society, and when he meets Alexandra Jamison, he quickly decides he’s found his tutor. But he soon discovers that the very train accident his father is blamed for causing is what killed Alexandra’s fiancé and shattered her world.

Spurning an arranged marriage by her father, Alexandra instead pursues her passion for teaching at Fisk University, the first freedmen’s university in the United States. But family—and Nashville society—do not approve, and she soon finds herself cast out from both.

Through connections with the Harding family, Alexandra and Sy become unlikely allies. And despite first impressions, Alexandra gradually finds herself coming to respect and even care for this man. But how can she, when her heart is still spoken for?

Sy is willing to risk everything to win over the woman he loves. What he doesn’t count on is having to wager her heart to do it.

Interview with Rachel Linden, Author of Ascension Of Larks + Giveaway (US/Can)

I'd like to welcome Rachel Linden to the blog today to celebrate the exciting release of Ascension of Larks from Thomas Nelson!

Welcome to Books à la Mode, Rachel! Let's get this interview started.

Will you please share a brief introduction with us?

Rachel Linden spent her childhood in a magical world of make-believe, enjoying countless hours playing pioneer house under a towering blue spruce tree, mixing potions for enchantments, and pretending to be a member of the French Resistance in WWII. These early adventures prompted her to write stories with such exciting titles as Beans!, which she fashioned into books bound in cardboard from cereal boxes.

Rachel’s taste for adventure and her interest in the world led her to a career as an international worker with a faith-based charity, and her experiences living and traveling in forty-seven countries around the globe continue to provide excellent grist for her stories.

Rachel holds a BA in Literature from Huntington University, an MA in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College, and studied creative writing at Oxford University in England during her undergraduate education. She currently splits her time between Seattle, Washington, and Budapest, Hungary, where she lives with her husband and son on the banks of the Danube River.

When she is not dreaming up a new story, Rachel spends her time traveling on trains across Central Europe with her family, enjoying good food and wine with friends from around the world, and exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the history and architecture of Europe.

It's amazing to get to feature you today! Readers, here's a bit about the book, which hit shelves in June:

When globetrotting photographer Magdalena Henry loses the only man she’s ever loved, she risks her stellar career to care for his widow and young children on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest.

Free-spirited and fiercely independent, Maggie adores her life of travel and adventure. But she has a secret. She can’t let go of her first and only love, renowned architect Marco Firelli, now married to her best friend Lena.

When Marco drowns in a kayaking accident, Maggie rushes to the Firelli family’s summer home on San Juan Island. Once there she discovers that Marco was hiding something that could destroy his family. As fragile, perfectionistic Lena slowly falls apart, Maggie tries to provide stability for Marco and Lena’s three young children.

When Maggie is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete in the world’s most prestigious photography competition, she thinks she’s found the answer to their problems. Then Lena makes a choice with unexpected and devastating consequences, forcing Maggie to grapple with an agonizing decision. Does she sacrifice the golden opportunity of her career or abandon the Firellis just when they need her the most?

Gradually the island begins to work its magic. A century-old ritual to beckon loved ones home offers hope in the midst of sorrow. And a guilt-ridden yet compelling stranger hiding on the island may offer Maggie a second chance at love, but only if she can relinquish the past and move forward to find joy in unexpected places.

What was your favorite book as a child?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. The plucky, kind, and intelligent March sisters were inspirational. Also any story where girls were having grand adventures!

Growing up homeschooled in rural Ohio, I had plenty of time to devour books by the dozen. Those stories gave me a thirst for adventure that significantly influenced my life’s direction. I just got my 50th country stamp in my passport last year (I think it was Morocco) and have lived for the past 7 years in Europe working with a faith based organization.

This summer our family relocated from Budapest back to our beloved Seattle. This week we finally unpacked our 14 boxes of books. (That’s after we pared down a lot!) In one box I found my tattered copy of Little Women. It was like being reunited with a childhood friend.

What book did you read that first made you want to be an author?

Little Women for starters. As a little girl I wanted to be a writer like Jo and even wrote my own books with scintillating titles like Beans! that I bound in cardboard from cereal boxes.

Also Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. When I read it in college it was like a light bulb flickering on in my head. Lamott describes the inner life of a writer so perfectly, and I thought “Oh, this is me! I can identify with this.” It gave me permission to call myself a writer.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

Given our recent international move and my darling and exuberant toddler son and infant daughter, my formerly luxurious hours of reading are now confined to a few hasty minutes with a headlamp before sleep, but I’m still a confirmed bookworm.

Currently on my nightstand: With by Skye Jethani which is a spiritual breath of fresh air. The stunning Pulitzer Prize winner All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I’m managing to read about 2 pages at a time but I’m savoring it! And my beloved Kindle. It saved my literary life living in Central Europe where English language books are rare and expensive. My Kindle has traveled on plane, trains, buses and boats to about 35 countries with me.

Where can you be found on the web?

Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Follow the tour!

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

The main character in Ascension of Larks is a professional photographer. If this was your profession, what would you like to capture through a camera lens?

It was a pleasure to be able to get to know you better today, Rachel! Thank you again for dropping by, and best of luck with future endeavors!

Giveaway!

Books à la Mode is giving away one print copy of Ascension of Larks—woohoo! To enter, all you have to do is answer Rachel's question in the comments below:

If you were a professional photographer, what would you want to capture through a camera lens?

Please make your comment MEANINGFUL. Comments solely consisting of stock responses or irrelevant fluff like "Thanks for the giveaway!" will not be considered for entry. Rachel and I really want to hear your thoughts! :)

Don't forget the entry eligibility terms and conditions!

Sponsored wholly by the tour publicist and publisher—a huge thank you to the lovely folks over at TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson!
Giveaway ends August 26th at 11.59 PM (your time).

Good luck!

Friday, August 11, 2017

My Favorite Season by Maureen Child, Author of His Unexpected Heir from A Summer of Romance Sampler + Giveaway (US/Can)

His Unexpected Heir
Maureen Child
from Harlequin Desire // Harlequin // HarperCollins

Between duty, honor... and a baby! Only from USA TODAY bestselling author Maureen Child.

Six months. That’s how long Rita Marchetti has mourned Jack Buchanan. Yet here he is, alive, standing in front of her, perfect... and devastatingly sexy! Even more amazing is the former marine’s admission that he wanted Rita to think he’d died. But the two of them are about to become three and Jack is back just in time.

That baby Rita is carrying is his. Despite the pain he holds so close to his heart, Jack can’t walk away from his child. A marriage in name only would solve everything. Everything except a desire too deeply buried and too long denied...