Spotlight – Heartbreakers Blog Tour 2015
It’s the week leading up to Valentines Day! Ahhhhhhhh! Love it or loathe it you can always guarantee that a fab romantic book will warm the heart and make us feel all gooey inside!
The wonderful Judith Tewes is running the fab Heartbreakers tour again this year to highlight some wonderful contemporary YA/NA authors with 14 authors and 8 bloggers from around the world, including myself featuring and hosting the tour!
To find out more about the tour click here
I got to ask some wonderful authors two romantic based questions and it has been wonderful seeing their responses! I will be updating this page each day throughout the tour highlighting the authors, their books and their wonderful answers.
Each blogger will feature different authors on different days of the tour where their questions were answered also.
As well as the tour there is a fab giveaway! See how you can enter at the bottom of this post!
I would like to thank Judith for having me on the tour and hope you enjoy reading the answers as much as I have 🙂
Happy Valentines!
Judith Tewes resides in Northern Alberta where she: writes, sings, plays bass guitar, walks her three crazy labs, and suspects she’s living the life of a superhero’s alias
Blog: http://judithteweswrites.blogspot.ca/
Charlie is down to her absolute. Total. Last. Resort. Despite a thoroughly comprehensive list of potential cherry poppers, er…suitors, and careful plotting, Charlie is three weeks into her devirginization campaign, still untouched, and getting desperate. In the movie of her life, this aspiring screenwriter is giving herself a PG, for please, get some. Her project goes into freeze frame when her mom checks herself into rehab and packs Charlie off to live with her estranged, or just plain strange, grandfather, Monty. How is she supposed to get a date when she has to go pick up his Depends? Enter Eric, a hot rehab grad on the road to redemption, and the only one who can make Charlie rethink her strategy. The more she gets to know him, the more convinced she becomes that is the one, and not just another to add to the list of people who will abandon her. In this hilarious and heartbreaking story of one girl’s detoured road to womanhood, Charlie’s list develops a life of its own – right when she realizes there’s so much more to lose.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Telling you would be a major spoiler for the end of the SKINNED series by the other me, Judith Graves. I won’t tell you…but soooo tempting….
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Madonna’s, Like A Virgin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHW5RVvg2v4
A Rita Award Finalist and Crystal Kite Award Finalist, Janet Gurtler’s young adult books have been chosen for the JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION and as BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. Janet lives in Okotoks Alberta, Canada with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.
The truth is that Jess knows she screwed up.
She’s made mistakes, betrayed her best friend, and now she’s paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.
The truth is she wishes she was the care-free party-girl everyone thinks she is.
She pretends it’s all fine. That her “perfect” family is fine. But it’s not. And no one notices the lie…until she meets Flynn. He’s the only one who really sees her. The only one who listens.
The truth is that Jess is falling apart – and no one seems to care.
But Flynn is the definition of “the wrong side of the tracks.” When Jess’s parents look at him they only see the differences-not how much they need each other. They don’t get that the person who shouldn’t fit in your world… might just be the one to make you feel like you belong.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
When Flynn gives Jess an old book of his Grandma’s that he knows Jess will love, he’s showing her that he’s paying attention to who she is, and appreciating her being herself.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
In The Truth About US, the theme song is Closer by Tegan and Sara.
Shari Green writes Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction and occasionally masquerades as a poet. When she’s not glued to her laptop, she can often be found wandering in a blissful daze on the beach near her home on Vancouver Island, BC. Visit her online at www.sharigreen.com.
Walking in the footsteps of a dead girl isn’t easy.
After her social life flatlines, seventeen-year-old Anna Richards wants nothing more than to lie low at her new school. But it seems Anna looks an awful lot like Chelsea, the sweet and popular girl who recently died, and Anna finds herself stepping into the void created by Chelsea’s absence.
Anna is determined to make the awkward situation work in her favor, because Chelsea didn’t just leave a spot open with the in-crowd; she also left a gorgeous—and now available—boyfriend. But it turns out that following Chelsea might be a lot more complicated than Anna expected.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Neither lead character is particularly prone to romantic gestures, but at one point, Doran (an artist) makes Anna a gift from his heart and gives it to her at a moment when she least expects (or deserves) it.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Anna could totally be singing Paul McCartney’s Maybe I’m Amazed over & over again. (“Maybe I’m amazed at the way you’re with me all the time, maybe I’m afraid of the way I leave you, maybe I’m amazed at the way you help me sing my song, right me when I’m wrong…”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm2YyVZBL8U
Notes is D. G. Driver’s second book published by Fire and Ice. Her fantasy novel Cry of the Sea was released in 2014. She has published several award-winning, critically acclaimed non-fiction books as Donna Getzinger. She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her web site to learn more about her, and follow her to keep up with future projects.
@DGDriverAuthor
Mark has finally gotten the attention of the girl of his dreams. Only, his lame attempts at romance through texts and emails seem to be turning her off. When he gets put in the back of the room in an over-full class at school, he begins to discover old notes giving advice about how to write a great love letter. At first he thinks he’s stumbled on some long-forgotten notes passed in class ages ago, but every time he reads them they seem directed specifically to him. They also appear at the perfect moment each time he needs more advice. It’s like someone is haunting him. How do the notes keep appearing? Who’s writing them? Why?
And if Mark follows the ghostly writer’s advice, will he win Bethany’s love?
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
The main plot of Passing Notes is about doing a romantic gesture, as Mark is learning how to write a love letter. But until he does, his most romantic gesture is really just being there to listen to Bethany when she is crying and needs someone to care.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
“Love Letters” an older song newly recorded by Diana Krall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftrURpmOiIo
Vanessa Barneveld lives in Australia. She has one husband, two cats, and three Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® nominations. When she’s not writing, devouring chocolate, or dreaming of intergalactic travel, Vanessa works as a closed captioner for the deaf and audio describer for the blind.
http://www.vanessabarneveld.com
http://www.twitter.com/vanessab73
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vanessa-Barneveld/185502258167596
When the one boy you crushed on in life can’t seem to stay away in death, it’s hard to be a normal teen when you’re a teen paranormal.
Sixteen-year-old Keira Nolan has finally got what she wanted—the captain of the football team in her bedroom. Problem is he’s not in the flesh. He’s a ghost and she’s the only one who can see him.
Keira’s determined to do anything to find Jimmy’s killer. Even it if means teaming up with his prickly-yet-dangerously-attractive brother, Dan, also Keira’s ex-best-friend. Keira finds that her childish crush is fading, but her feelings for Dan are just starting to heat up, and as the story of Jimmy’s murder unfolds, anyone could be a suspect.
This thrilling debut from Vanessa Barneveld crosses over from our world to the next, and brings a whole delightful new meaning to “teen spirit”.
http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/this-is-your-afterlife-9781619637771/
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Dan gives Keira a flip book he’d made for her. She loves it because it’s a gift from his heart and soul. Plus, he’s an awesome artist.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
“Stay” by Shakespear’s Sister*. Keira even describes it in the book and how much it means to her.
*The band’s name is officially spelt that way…
Denise Jaden’s novels have been shortlisted or received awards through the Romance Writers of America, Inspy, and SCBWI. The first draft of her debut novel, Losing Faith (Simon & Schuster), was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo and she loves talking with writers and students about her fast-drafting process. Jaden’s other young adult novels include Never Enough (Simon & Schuster) and Foreign Exchange (an Editor’s Pick from Evernight Teen). Her non-fiction books for writers include, Writing with a Heavy Heart and Fast Fiction. Find out more at Denisejaden.com.
: Jamie Monroe has always played it safe. That is, until her live-for-the-moment best friend, Tristan, jets off to Italy on a student exchange program. Left alone with her part-time mother and her disabled brother, Jamie discovers that she is quite capable of taking her own risks, starting with her best friend’s hotter-than-hot older brother, Sawyer. Sawyer and Tristan have been neighbors for years, but as Jamie grows closer to the family she thought she knew, she discovers some pretty big secrets. As she sinks deeper into their web of pretense, she suspects that her best friend may not be on a safe exchange program at all. Jamie sets off to Europe on a class trip with plans to meet up with Tristan, but when Tristan stops all communication, suddenly no one seems trustworthy, least of all the one person she was starting to trust—Sawyer.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
The first romantic gesture Sawyer makes toward Jamie is offering her a handful of grapes at lunch in the cafeteria. It’s not just the grapes, but he’s offering a touch to his hand, something he’s careful to keep private from other girls. And he does it in front of the other girls.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars.
Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn’t crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Her debut NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY, is out now from Bloomsbury Spark. She also writes YA and nonfiction. Visit http://www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.
Connect With Jen
| Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook | Blog | Website |
Five years after the trip to Scotland that changed her life, Lou is back in the misty, magical country. But this time, she’s not on vacation. When Brian, her old Highland fling, turns up at the scene of some depressing family business, tension mounts between the former lovers. But dealing with Brian is only part of the problem; something wicked is stirring in Scotland. Lou must use all her strength to handle the increasingly desperate situation, but will she be strong enough to battle both a vengeful ghost and her heart? Lou may have thought that she was finished with the witch Isobel Key, but some secrets can’t stay buried forever. This story is the sequel to THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY.
Learn More
Bloomsbury | Website| Goodreads | Bloomsbury Spark |
Purchase
Amazon | B&N | Google | iTunes | Kobo | Audible |
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Without totally spoiling EVERYTHING, I’m just going to say that the epilogue is one of my FAVORITE scenes ever.
Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in eight different languages. Her books have been optioned for film and TV. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. Eileen lives in Vancouver Canada with her husband and one naughty dog and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.
Website: [email protected]
Twitter: @eileenwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenCook.author
A thrilling tale about what a girl will do to get back a memory she lost…or remove what she wants to forget. Harper is used to her family being hounded by protestors. Her father runs the company that trademarked the “Memtex” procedure to wipe away sad memories, and plenty of people think it shouldn’t be legal. Then a new demonstrator crosses her path, Neil, who’s as persistent as he is hot. Not that Harper’s noticing, since she already has a boyfriend. When Harper suffers a loss, she’s shocked her father won’t allow her to get the treatment, so she finds a way to get it without his approval. Soon afterward, she’s plagued with strange symptoms, including hallucinations of a woman who is somehow both a stranger, yet incredibly familiar. Harper begins to wonder if she is delusional, or if these are somehow memories. Together with Neil, who insists he has his own reasons for needing answers about the real dangers of Memtex, Harper begins her search for the truth. What she finds could uproot all she’s ever believed about her life…
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
The most romantic gesture in the book is when a character gives up what he wants most in the world to keep the person he loves safe.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Set Fire To The Rain – Adele
DAWN IUS is a short-story author, novelist, screenwriter, professional editor, and communications specialist. She is the Assistant Managing Editor of the International Thriller Writers Association’s monthly magazine, THE BIG THRILL, co-founder and senior editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the author of ten educational graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. When she’s not slaying fictional monsters, she’s geeking out over fairy tales, Jack Bauer, Halloween, sports cars, and all things that go bump in the night. Dawn lives in Alberta, Canada, with her husband, Jeff, and their giant English Mastiff, Roarke.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordawnius
Twitter: @dawnmius
Blog: www.dawn-ius.blogspot.com
Email: [email protected]
A love worth losing your head over
ANNE
Wild, brazen, mischievous, bewitching
HENRY
Driven, haunted, charming, magnetic
ANNE & HENRY
Apart they are bound to destroy themselves. Together, they are bound to destroy each other.
HENRY TUDOR’S LIFE HAS BEEN mapped out since the day he was born: student president, valedictorian, Harvard Law School, and a stunning political career just like his father’s.
But ever since the death of Henry’s brother—perfect, high-achieving Arthur—his family has been twice as demanding. And now Henry’s trapped: forbidden from pursuing a life as an artist or dating any girl who’s not Tudor-approved.
Then Anne Boleyn crashes into his life.
Anne is wild, brash, and outspoken. She is everything Henry is not allowed to be—or to want. But soon Anne is all he can think about. His mother, his friends, and even his girlfriend warn him away, yet his desire for Anne consumes him. Henry is willing to do anything to be with her. But once he has her, their romance could destroy them both.
Inspired by the true story of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, ANNE & HENRY reimagines the intensity, love, and betrayal between one of the most infamous couples of all time.
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22453734-anne-henry
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Not so much a gesture, but, A&H’s slow dance on the roof of a fancy restaurant gives them perspective into the futures they want…despite the obstacles & odds.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Parade of Lights by the band Flash of Light is Anne & Henry’s song. The lyrics 100% FIT. It’s #1 on my Soundcloud WIP playlist:
Brenda Hiatt is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty novels (so far), including traditional Regency romance, time travel romance, historical romance, and humorous mystery. She is as excited about her STARSTRUCK series as she’s ever been about any of her books. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she is currently pursuing her 3rd degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills.
The electrifying conclusion to the Starstruck series!
M, no longer a nerdy nobody, has finally been acclaimed Sovereign Emileia, ruler of the Martian colony Nuath. But at what cost? Without her soulmate Rigel, life seems pointless but she’s expected to shake off her heartbreak and assume her responsibilities. Reluctantly, M does what she must until an unexpected discovery restores a glimmer of hope for the future. Now she is determined to do whatever she can to salvage her longed-for happy ending—if it’s not already too late.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romatic character you have created?
I think Rigel may be the most romantic character I’ve created. He’d sacrifice anything for M!
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Muse’s “Exogenesis Pt 3 (Redemption)” with the refrain, “Let’s start over again.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbLDFiQM-l8
Sara Hantz comes from the UK and now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Australia (via 10 years in New Zealand). She lectured for many years before deciding to devote more time to her writing and working in the family business. She has two grown-up children and when not writing or working she spends more time than most people she knows watching TV – in fact if TV watching was an Olympic sport she’d win gold.
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/category/sara-hantz/
Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.
Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi’s completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.
But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Matt from Will The Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Something, The Beatles
Ashley Poston is a fangirl at heart. Inspired by everything from Sailor Moon to Firefly to Harry Potter, she began writing at a very young age and never stopped. Her play, MOTHLIGHT, won best direction, best actor/actress, and best stage play at SCTA’s 2008 conference. Since then, she’s written for Quirk and ThoughtCatolog, apprenticed under a Hollywood screenwriter, spoke at Anime Expo’s Academic Conference, interned at Random House, and somehow found herself a book contract. She currently lives in South Carolina with her cat and a plethora of books. When not writing, she hangs around on Twitter fangirling about all the feels. THE SOUND OF US, from Bloomsbury Spark, is her first novel. Tweet her at @ashposton and read her inner-most rambles at casuallybeingweird.com.
America’s favorite pop band, Roman Holiday, is done, dead, and so totally last year. For eighteen-year-old rockoholic Junie Baltimore, this is music to her ears. But when she discovers their sexy ex-lead singer hiding out on the boardwalk, her summer vacation becomes the cover story of the year.
She’s willing to keep him a secret, but when a sleazy paparazzo offers her the cash she needs to save the bar her father left behind, could she sell out for the chance to save her future? Who is she kidding? That’s a no-brainer…but she never planned on falling head over heels for the lead singer.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
The romantic gesture would give away the ending of The Sound of Us—but most romantic character? Boaz. Oh, Boaz is such a ham.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
That’s actually in the book! So I can’t say, ha.
Laurie J. Edwards (writing as Erin Johnson)
Erin Johnson grew up watching classic western movies with her father, which fueled her lifelong love of horseback riding. She’s always dreamed of being a fierce-talking cowgirl, but writing about one seemed like the next best thing. She loves traveling, painting, riding motorcycles, and teaching, and lives in North Carolina. You can find out more about her and her books, which are written under the name Laurie J. Edwards, at https://lje1.wordpress.com/. Another recent release,Cyber Self-Defense, co-written with Alexis Moore, gives tips for coping with cyberbullying and other cyberabuse. To read about her humorous, true-life romance, watch for the anthology Love & Profanity coming from Capstone in March 2015.
The first book in YA series set in the Wild West…
After her family is slaughtered by outlaws, sixteen-year-old Grace Milton goes on a vendetta to capture the gang who did it. But once she meets a rugged range rider, she’s torn between revenge and love.
“Packed with action, drama, and, yes, a little romance, this book is sure to draw in readers from the first sentence and hold them there until the last.” ~TeenReads
“A budding romance, clues to a possible conspiracy, and a cliffhanger ending promise exciting adventures ahead.” ~VOYA
“The descriptions give me the chills. I love the character. She’s so brave and practical and so mature.” ~Wattpad reader
Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Guiltless-Wanted-Erin-Johnson/dp/163079001X
WANTED
A new YA series set in the Wild West…
After her family is slaughtered by outlaws, sixteen-year-old Grace Milton goes on a vendetta to capture the gang who did it. But once she meets a rugged range rider, she’s torn between revenge and love.
In WANTED Book 2, HER COLD REVENGE, Grace’s saga continues as she singlehandedly tracks down train robbers and fugitives in her quest for justice.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
When Joe realizes that Grace needs her independence, he lets her go to reach her dreams of being a bounty hunter, even though his heart is breaking. (Spoiler alert: Their romantic arc goes across all four books, so they do get back together.)
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
“If” by Bread. “If a man could be two places at one time, I’d be with you. / Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.”
L.S. Murphy obsesses about St. Louis Cardinals baseball, fangirls over her favourite authors, and watches every episode of Doctor Who like it’s the first time. When she’s not doing those time-consuming things, the former farm-girl turned city slicker turned suburbanite writes sweet romances for teens and adults. Visit her online at lsmurphy.com and follow her on Twitter @LSMurphy
Her upcoming YA novel, PIXELATED, about a high school senior whose ambitious life plan is jeopardized by her parents’ divorce and a move to Nowheresville, and who can’t help falling for the small town golden boy with a secret, was acquired by Bloomsbury Spark. PIXELATED is expected to be published in Spring 2015.
PIXELATED (Spring 2015~ Bloomsbury Spark)
REAPER (J. Taylor Publishing)
For other information, please visit my website:
There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper.
None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body. She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future that Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill. It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does. Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former bestfriend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god knows-where, and fails. Miserably. Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic. Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay. It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.
Questions
What is the most romantic gesture in the book or the most romantic character you have created?
Ben holds onto a picture of him and Quincy from their childhood. It’s something that comes back up later.
What romantic song would be the theme tune for your book or character in the book?
Undertow by Mr. Big
Giveaway
Please do check out the other fab bloggers websites also throughout the tour for more author questions to these wonderful authors!
Reading is My Treasure
YA Yeah! Yeah!
A Glass of Wine
Little Library Muse
Jennzah.dot.net
The Reader Bee
Words of Mystery
Have you read any books by any of these authors? Do you think you will try some of these books in the future? What’s the most romantic present you have ever received? Are you a lover or a hater of valentines day? I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment by using the reply button at the top of this post or why not tweet me on twitter using @chelleytoy
Happy reading….and falling in love!
Thanks for having us on your blog! What a fun idea to post the songs.
My pleasure….thanks for featuring and answering my 2 questions 🙂
Chelle x
Thank you so much for hosting!! <3
My Pleasure – thanks for featuring and answering my questions 🙂
Chelle x