SMALL TOWN LIVING

Today I welcome the Small Town, Large Hearts tour with three great authors. Small town living is a whole different environment but a fun place to set a story. Grace Burrowes, Samantha Chase, Andrea Laurence share some special moments in the life of their characters.

• What can you tell us about the small town setting of your new romance?

Samantha Chase (author of RETURN TO YOU): The south shore of Long Island had always been my heroine Selena’s home. Born and raised minutes from the beach, she always dreamed that it would be where she’d find love, raise a family and live happily ever after. The small coastal town really hadn’t been part of James Montgomery’s plan for his own life, after meeting Selena, it’s suddenly a very appealing part of his future.

Grace Burrowes (author of KISS ME HELLO): Damson Valley lies in rural Maryland, about an hour away from both Washington, DC, and Baltimore. The Appalachian Mountains give the town a protected, bucolic feel, despite the proximity of big city lights. My hero attorney MacKenzie Knightley loved growing up with his brothers on a farm right outside Damson Valley, and was all too happy to go into practice with both James and Trent. The Knightley farm is now owned by foster mom Sidonie Lindstrom, who has moved away from Baltimore to give her foster son a better start in life. Sid has no patience for small town life, though before too long, the scenery does catch her interest…

Andrea Laurence (author of FEEDING THE FIRE): If you’re willing to turn your car off the highway and venture from the beaten path, you might be lucky enough to run across a town like Rosewood, Alabama. Steeped in southern charm and the traditional values of God, Family and Football (although not always in that order), Rosewood is like a time capsule preserving everything modern cities have lost. Here, you’ll find homemade pies, perfectly brewed sweet tea, and beauty parlors filled with lively gossip. It’s the kind of town where everybody knows everybody – and everybody knows your business whether you like it or not! Thanks for stopping by. Sit a spell and tell us what you know.

• What is the most romantic spot in your small town? 

Samantha Chase: There are many beaches on the south shore but not all of them are public. Back when they first dated, James and Selena would go to one of the private beaches that was located close to her house. They chose it because there were never really any crowds and they could go and spend the day without an audience and feel as if they had the world to themselves.

• Shopping in a small town can be limited. What’s the best gift your hero gave your heroine that he picked up locally?

Andrea: Rosewood has a couple great little boutiques on the square. Dressin’ Up has the latest fashions for ladies and the antique shop is a good spot to find those one-of-a-kind pieces. Flowers from Petal Pushers are always a good choice, too. True to Grant, however, he chose his gift for Pepper at the hardware store. He bought her a ‘bouquet’ of tools and essentials for every homeowner, including a screwdriver, level, measuring tape, caulk, plastic sheeting, an extension cord and well… vodka!

• What is the heroine’s favorite memory of the town? 

Grace: Sid is a city gal, recently arrived to the Maryland countryside, and at first she misses everything about Baltimore—the hum and bustle, exotic cuisine, the Inner Harbor, the endless things to see and do. As she sees that Damson Valley is a good place for her foster son, she appreciates the natural beauty. She becomes especially fond of the peepers, tiny tree frogs that sing on chilly spring evenings to attract a mate. Her first kiss with Mac happens to the serenade of the peepers, and every time she hears them, she smiles.

Do you enjoy reading stories set in small town? What's cool about your small town?

You can win a copy of one of these book here. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

About the books:

AMAZON

He loves her, she loves him not...? 

In the third novel of The Sweetest Kisses series, single mom Sidonie Lindstrom has her hands full with a troubled foster son, an abrupt adjustment to country living, and an unforeseen lack of funds. When her taciturn neighbor, MacKenzie Knightley, repeatedly offers practical help, Sid reminds herself she's not interested in the neighbor-despite his kindness, pragmatism and quiet charm. MacKenzie sees the vulnerability beneath her pride, and he's determined to change her mind...

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers' Choice Awards, Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

 

AMAZON

She will never forget their past...               
                       He can't stop thinking about their future...

James Montgomery has achieved everything he'd hoped for in life...except marrying the girl of his dreams. After a terrible accident, Selena Ainsley left ten years ago. She took his heart with her and she's never coming back. But it's becoming harder and harder for him to forget their precious time together, and James can't help but wonder what he would do if they could ever meet again. 

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

 When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

PRE-ORDER

Pepper has no interest in Grant Chamberlain…until she accidentally wins him at a school auction and finds the mega-hot firefighter impossible to ignore. Find out what happens next in the second playful and sexy ebook romance in the Rosewood series!

Living in the small town of Rosewood, Alabama, hairdresser Pepper Anthony has one rule—never date a Chamberlain. She’s always said, “the only thing worse than being ignored by a Chamberlain is being dumped by one.” But Grant Chamberlain, town fireman, isn’t used to rejection, and Pepper has consistently turned him down since high school. She isn’t intimidated by his family; she’s one of the few who refuses to take their crap.

When Grant volunteers at the charity bachelor auction, to his surprise, Pepper buys him. She hadn’t meant to, but Adelia Chamberlain dropped a cold drink in her lap, sending her leaping into the air at precisely the wrong moment. Suddenly she had a massive bill to the town and Grant at her disposal. Since the money has to come from her “restore the house” fund, she decides to use Grant for manual labor instead of romantic dinners. Grant is happy to help, sweaty and shirtless, because one way or another, he’s going to get Pepper to admit she’s attracted to him. All it takes is a small spark, and soon they’ll be fanning the flames. 

Andrea Laurence has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she learned to read at a young age. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to finally be able to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she's working on her own "happily ever after" with her boyfriend and their collection of animals including a Siberian Husky that sheds like nobody's business.

GIVING OUR READERS OPTIONS

It's a pleasure to welcome back romance author CH Admirand to Over Coffee. She has such a passion for life and I admire that. Since she loves to bake I've decided to put her yummy Black Raspberry/Rhubarb Pandowdy on the coffee bar for us to enjoy with our coffee.
Speaking of yummy, she has a new book ready to whisk you back to Apple Grove and drool over  meet, Jack Gannon, and a cute pup named Jameson. Both will steal your heart.

Good Morning, Sia. Thank you for inviting me to guest blog today with your readers, I’m delighted to be here. So many things are happening right now in my writing life—and in so many different directions! After turning in the copyedits for my 15^th book, which will be the third book in my contemporary small town series: Welcome Back to Apple Grove (in stores December 2013), I had a chat with my editor at Sourcebooks and am so glad that I did. She asked what I’d be interested in writing next. The industry has many ups and downs and is always changing direction—as with all of the other aspects of my life, it seems—and keeping up with those changes while still being able to continue to write and publish your stories is definitely a challenge.

For instance, right now Sourcebooks and my editor is interested in seeing one of my favorite genres to write: Historical Western Romance!

I finally got the rights back to my Historical Irish Western Series, and after editing them to freshen them up a bit, and having new covers and a logo created for the series, I have released the first two books, with plans to release books 3 and 4 by summer’s end. They are doing really well as e-books, something that wasn't even available at the time my first book was published. Crazy thought, right? LOL!

But, what does my releasing my backlist have to do with the new idea I have for Sourcebooks? Everything.

Doesn't this mean that I’m in direct competition with my publisher? Not at all.

Let me explain. Readers who haven’t yet discovered my Irish Western Series will hopefully pick them up and realize that my stories are all connected. My Contemporary Cowboys for Sourcebooks are descendants of Marshal Justiss who first appeared in the 2^nd book in my Historical Irish Western Series.

During the Sourcebooks Spotlight at RT in Kansas City, Editorial Manager Deb Werksman explained that authors self-publishing their backlist is good for their current releases because it can drive awareness and sales to their current titles. It is a win/win situation for authors and publishers.

If a reader enjoys an author’s voice, what could be better than giving our readers more options? Not a thing—IMHO. Although I’m a huge fan of Julie Garwood’s Medievals, I love her contemporary series. Whatever Nora Roberts writes, I’ll read! I am a first and always a rabid Romance fan. :-)

I am planning to have a link between my new Historical Western Romance idea for Sourcebooks that will connect both my contemporary cowboy series and my Irish Western Series that I’m re-releasing myself. Although, I’m not sure what that will be yet. But I’m working on it.

Did I mention that characters from that wisp of an idea were arguing in my head while I was rinsing the gorgeous blueberries and cherries I’d picked up at the grocery store?

CH ADMIRAND

Anyway…berries make me think of baking and making jam…which makes me think of the recipes my editor encouraged me to include in each book in my contemporary small town trilogy.

It seems that one of my characters is always baking something—or working out in the garden (aka playing in the dirt. LOL)! Anyway, I was delighted to include some of our favorite recipes for readers. I have pictures of them and I've been posting them on my blog, Facebook and Twitter.

CH ADMIRAND

So be sure to follow me and find out what I’m baking next…I recently posted pics of the Black Raspberry/Rhubarb Pandowdy I’d baked along with pics of the new recipe I’m trying to create for baked Doughnuts. Both are yummy. Just ask my guys. LOL!

Baking reminds me of the hub of gossip in my series the Apple Grove Diner which brings me back around to ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE. I loved writing this story and having the chance to include something I’m passionate about—respecting and helping our Veterans; and rescuing dogs from high-kill shelters into the plot of the story. I don’t batter the reader over the head with dos and don’ts, and I don’t get up on my soapbox and preach. The ideas just sorta worked their way into Cait and Jack’s story and I am glad they did.

• Do you have something that you are passionate about—besides reading Romance?

So brew a cup of tea or put on a pot of coffee, and let me tell you about my latest…

                                                                                                                                                                                                              
         

BUY: Amazon,  B & N, IndieBound Chapters/Indigo

ONE DAY IN APPLE GROVE BY 
C.H. ADMIRAND – IN STORES JUNE 2013

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (pop. 597), a small town with a big heart.

Caitlin Mulcahy loves her family. She really does. But sometimes they can drive her to her last shred of sanity—from her dad ("I'm not meddling, I just want what's best for you") to her eight-months-pregnant older sister to her younger sister, who will do just about anything to avoid real work. Cait just needs to get away, even if for only an hour.

When she sees someone in need of help on the side of the road, of course she's going to pull over. She might even be able to fix his engine—after all, the Mulcahy family is a handy bunch. She's not expecting that former Navy medic Jack Gannon and a little black puppy named Jameson will be the ones who end up rescuing in her.

“The talented Admirand is able to write about these serious issues realistically but in a way that makes this book still feel light and fun.” ​—RT Book Reviews, 4½ Stars

                                                                                                                                                                                                         

C.H. Admirand was born in Aiken, South Carolina, but grew up in New Jersey. She has been delighting readers with her Secret Life of Cowboys Series, featuring three cowboy brothers with Irish charm, and is now working on the next book in her small town contemporary romance series, featuring the town and quirky characters of Apple Grove, OH. She lives with her husband, who is the inspiration for all of her heroes’ best traits, in New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.CHAdmirand.com.

COPING WITH LEAVING YOUR DAY JOB

Learning to cope with leaving your day job and writing full time—I haven’t yet!

Hi Sia! Thanks for inviting me to guest blog at Thoughts Over Coffee today! I wanted to choose a topic that I’m currently struggling with in the hopes that I’m not alone. 

After years of working part time in an office during the day while our kids were in school—writing early in the morning before work, and then again at night and on weekends—my darling husband suggested that I give my writing career my full attention and quit my day job. Now this wasn't because I suddenly was raking in the dough—not the case, or really the point—it was the spirit behind his offer, which I accepted after he reminded me that I supported him fully when he started his own engineering consulting business ten years ago and that it was my turn.

So, I quit my day job and that’s when then the Universe decided to throw a monkey wrench in our grand plans. I added driving our youngest son back and forth to work—a daily round trip of 4 hours—to my schedule, but again not the point… We needed to be there for him and to support him while he was waiting to get his license back. He needed to keep his job in order to become independent again.

I adjusted to another new writing schedule because I was fortunate enough to have back-to-back deadlines, for which I was eternally grateful, but it meant I had to focus completely during the hours I did have available to write in. Finally I saw the light at the end of the tunnel when he was able to get his license back—more writing time, I thought…Perfect!

And then the Universe laughed and our daughter and son-in-law asked me to babysit our grandbaby three days a week when maternity leave was over. The catch is that they both work in retail and neither one has a set schedule week to week. Soooo… I've been babysitting—and loving every minute of it! By the way, it is sooo much easier when you’re 20 years younger!

Two years have come and gone since I've quit my job to write full time, and I’m still trying to find my balance. There are days when I get sidetracked feeling guilty that I’m not bringing in a weekly paycheck, how does one get over that? If anyone has the answer, I’d love to hear it!

By far the hardest part of my job as an author is juggling the social networking part of it. There are days when I’m on deadline and completely forget that I haven’t posted to FB or tweeted or blogged about what I’m doing, nose-to-the-grindstone days when I’m writing or dealing with family issues and life itself.

Things have changed drastically from when I published my first book in 2000, hard to believe it people, but we didn't have the internet as it is today…no Facebook, Twitter, etc. We had email and on-line writing groups, but our promotional efforts were concentrated on mailing bookmarks, postcards and pens to bookstores and attending conferences. :-)

I wonder if the Universe is just reminding me that nothing in life is ever easy and that anything worthwhile never comes easily—and it shouldn't because we might not appreciate it as much if our goals were too easily met and obstacles too easily climbed over. So I’ll keep adjusting my writing schedule and meeting my deadlines and will try really hard to remember that I need to keep up with those wonderful friends and contacts in my social-networking life on FB and twitter and post more often.

My question for readers today is how have you balanced a career change with family and other obligations? Has it worked for you, or have you had to readjust?

BUY: AMAZON, B&N, INDIEBOUND

A WEDDING IN APPLE GROVE 

BY C.H. ADMIRAND 

He's not so sure about small town life.

She can't imagine living anywhere else

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (population 597), where everyone has your best interests at heart, even if they can't agree on the best way to meddle. When the townsfolk of Apple Grove need handiwork done, there's no job too small for the Mulcahy sisters: Megan, Caitlin, and Grace.

Specializing in hard work and family loyalty, tomboy Meg Mulcahy has left behind any girlhood reams of romance. Enter newcomer Daniel Eagan, looking to bury his own broken heart and make a new start. He's surprised-and delighted-by the winsome girl with the mighty tool belt who shows up to fix his wiring.

But Dan's got a lot to learn about life in a small town, and when Meg's past collides with her future, it may take all 595 other residents of Apple Grove to keep this romance from short-circuiting. 

“A terrifically fun read... With quick dialogue and a homey feel, this is a wonderful book to curl up with. Small-town romance at its best!” —RT Book Review, 4 Stars

C.H. ADMIRAND was born in Aiken, South Carolina, but grew up in New Jersey. She has been delighting readers with her Secret Life of Cowboys Series, featuring three cowboy brothers with Irish charm, and is now working on the next books in her small town contemporary romance series, featuring the town and quirky characters of Apple Grove, OH. She lives with her husband, who is the inspiration for all of her heroes’ best traits, in New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.CHAdmirand.com.