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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Life Next Door by J.D. Hollyfield Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Life Next Door (Love Not Included #2)
by: J.D. Hollyfield
Publication Date : November 3, 2014

SYNOPSIS

There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Priscilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor. Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape. However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Pricilla fears that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflé. Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

Purchase Links

Life Next Door
Life in a Rut, Love Not Included

EXCERPT

Where my normally Saturday paper awaits me I see it is gone.  What the shit? I look for it, and see it’s jammed in the front bushes that lay again the porch wall.
“Seriously this new paper boy needs a lesson in straight shooting.” I grumble while I bend over digging through the bush to grab the paper.
“Doing some early morning gardening?”  There is this voice that comes from behind me. One that I unfortunately connect with Mr. WTF is he doing out right now!? I am frozen with my head in a bush.  I register all the options I have right now, and all of them consist of me straitening and turning around. In my robe.  Damn you world.
“Um no just looking for something. Thought I saw a cat. No worries here.” I ramble into the bushes.  Please go away. Please go away.
His voice seems a bit closer, which does not sit well for my self-esteem right now. I mean I personally think my robe is dope but to be caught in it by this guy, I’m starting to wish I ditched Pinkie Pie pony when I was fourteen. 
“Want some help?” I hear from behind me.
“Nope. All good!” I sound a bit panicked.  He needs to beat it and like right now. My back is starting to cramp and my legs are about to give in and send me tumbling face first into the greens.  I’m not even sure why he is being so normal with me. I’m pretty sure I was not very nice to him less than twelve hours ago.  That smooth voice steps even closer. “Well why don’t you let me take a look. I’m pretty talented in digging through a good bush to get to the prize.” Oh hell no he did not just innuendo me!   Digging through my bush. Dream on pal, I stand straight and whip around to face him and holy shit.
“Holy shit.” I let spill out of my mouth.  Pretty much around the same time he jumps back and spits out, “Holy Jesus.”
“Jesus is right!  Do you ever wear a shirt?” I ask like seeing his budging biceps is an insult to my drooling eyes. “Yes, I do but when I’m running and sweating it tends to be pointless.” He steps closer to me and I swallow my tongue. Anything else I was going to bark out stops completely and his close proximity shuts it down.  Why is this guy having such a dizzying effect on me?
“So…” He begins with that purr to his tone. Seriously a purr?  Who purrs while they talk?! “Do you always walk around in a kid’s robe and all that green gook covering your face?”
Insert jaw drop and gasp. There is nothing like forgetting, while having a stare down, two feet from your too hot for his own good neighbor, that you are wearing a god damn seaweed mask.  Die cruel world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.D. Hollyfield is a creative designer and first-time author. When she's not cooking, event planning, or playing around with her husband, son and three doxies, she's relaxing with her nose in a book. With her love for romance, and her head full of book boyfriends, she was inspired to test her creative abilities and bring her own story to life. Life in a Rut, Love not Included is her first novel. Hollyfield lives in the Midwest, and is currently at work on her second book. -------------------------------
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjdhollyfield

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***Author Interview***

1.  Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?  My message about the female characters I write come from the theory that deep down every woman has a bad ass side. Love sucks sometimes, but in the end, we seem to always come out on top. Sometimes we just have to go through a little stink before we get to the sweet stuff.  I loved writing CeCe’s story because she wasn’t dwelling on her loss. She got it. She accepted loves departure and wanted to move on. And I was proud of her.  I wanted to write her story in a way that anyone who read it felt the same. Chin up. We have what it takes to be great.

2.  Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? I think that everyone has had a bad taste of love at one time in their life. So I can relate and say I have taken a piece of my experience and written it into both books I have written. I also love wine like its my lifeline so that part is definitely written from personal experience.

3.  If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor? An author that influenced me the most was Darynda Jones. She actually writes Paranormal but her humor and wittiness blows my mind. I think she is great. 

4. What book are you reading now? I am in the middle of opposition from Jennifer Armentrout. Great series. Great author.

5.  What are your current projects?  Currently I am working on A Charmed Life, which is book three in the Love not Included Series. I am sighing a lot so I think you all will enjoy it as much as I am writing it. Expected Spring 2015.

6. Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members. Fans, hands down.  If anything keeps me ticking it is support and positive feedback from readers, other authors and bloggers. 

7.  Do you see writing as a career? I wish. I am not a big dog yet so I still have to show up for my 9-5. I envy these amazing writers who get to play in there writing rooms all day and let their brains make magic. Hopefully one day I will be in a place where I have my secret writing room and get to write stories for people to read and fall in love with.

8.  Who designed the covers? The wonderful Nicole Blanchard from Indiesage PR.

9.  What was the hardest part of writing your book? First thought that comes to mind is time. Having a fulltime job, family, and responsibilities, writing has to fit in somewhere and that's normally once the world is all tucked in bed. This all means I don't get much sleep. As anyone knows once you start on a great idea, you can't stop until your mind is empty of scenes, emotions, etc. This means I start my days with 4 hours of sleep to do it all again.

10.  Do you have any advice for other writers? Do what your heart tells you and don't look back. Everyone has a talent in them. It just takes a little push to get going and you will be surprised on what you can create. I was told that advice one day and I can only pay it forward and give it to anyone who wants it.

11.  Do you ever experience writer's block? Yes! I go through slumps where it just isn't happening for me. I try to fight through it but it just leads to dumping thousands of words because I just wasn't in the zone. I tend to take a time out and read read read! Other authors inspire me! Reading gets the juices flowing and the moment I feel ready to jump back in the game I am on fire.

12.  Do you write an outline before every book you write? No. All three books actually have started with just a scene in my head. And from there I sit down and write. I normally start a book 1/3 in, and work my way back to the beginning once I finish. In my case the book/storyline gets stronger the farther I get into the book so sometimes the beginning changes.

13.  Have you ever hated something you wrote? Of course. I think every writer is their own worst critic. It’s a pain to write something then scratch it. But when you know it’s gotta go, it’s gotta go :)

14.  While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? I have related to both my characters in ways that it made it easier to get lost in the story and write. At times I felt it was more of a Dear Diary sort of story, but I guess when you are using realistic life situations that can happen.

15.  What are your expectations for the book? That people enjoy it.

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GIVEAWAY

 

1 comment:

  1. Yes there was a boy that moved next door to us when I was in high school and every girl at school was after him - he was hot LOL! Now I can't even remember his name!

    ReplyDelete

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