Grand Finale: The Truth About Hope

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

We're blitzing the tour GRAND FINALE for

The Truth About Hope

By Kate James

Did you miss any of the reviews, interviews, guest posts, or excerpts for the tour? If so, go back and check them out now!

Launch - More About the Book & Author

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book?
I would like readers to feel good about the story?s conclusion, and believe that no matter what hardships we may face, we can overcome them with faith, perseverance and?of course?love!

Word Wranglers - Interview

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

It still surprises me sometimes, especially considering that I haven?t been at it very long. If someone else were to ask me, I would say that if they are passionate about it and have started writing, they are a writer. For me, it was when I finished my first manuscript.

Write & Rewrite - Kate Talks About Making Revisions

Author Kate James stops by today on the first leg of her blog tour for her new romance novel The Truth About Hope. Her revision story is one of the most charming ones I've come across, and I hope you enjoy it.

Underneath the Covers - Luke Carter

Luke and Hope were born in the same small town in Texas, had been best friends since grade school and were high-school sweethearts, until Hope was forced to move to San Jose to live with her father. Luke had never gotten entirely over Hope...

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima - Canyon Creek, Part 1

During one of our stays with our friends in Texas, we visited a breathtaking promontory close to their home. I?ve fictionalized it for The Truth About Hope. It is an important setting in the story as the event that precipitates the circumstances related to her departure and her reconnection with her high-school sweetheart, Luke, occur there.

Zerina Blossom's Books - Hope Wilson

We first meet Hope as a seventeen-year-old girl, just having lost her mother, and learning that she has to leave Canyon Creek, the small town in Texas where she was born, to live with her father in San Jose. Most devastating for her is that she has to say goodbye to all the people she knows and loves, including Luke Carter.

I Am A Reader - Excerpt

The buoyancy she?d felt as she?d driven toward the rising sun faded, and she felt a ripple of apprehension. In tune with her mood as always, Einstein ambled over and nuzzled her hand. She automatically stroked the top of his head. ?Well, we might as well get this over with,? she murmured.

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review

"I loved the way the characters value each other and aren't afraid to admit their mistakes. The story flows well and leaves a reader feeling satisfied. With a blend of mild suspense, hard work and values, and a sweet romance, this one is a hit!"

Copyright1985 - Excerpt

She lowered her head. ?Great. Just great,? she muttered. Those mischievous fates just had to have another go at her today, didn?t they? Of all the people they could?ve thrown in her path, it had to be Luke. Probably served her right for not being able to keep her mind off him.

My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Canyon Creek, Part 2

I remember vividly the spot where my husband and I stood on a brilliant May morning, and I knew I?d have to write that setting in a book at some point. The Truth About Hope gave me the perfect opportunity! I hope you enjoy this wonderful slice of Texas!

Story Broads - Excerpt

LUKE DIDN?T KNOW what had compelled him to go for his Saturday-morning run along Yardley Drive and up to Promontory Park. As he turned onto the gravel path from the sidewalk, he came to an abrupt halt. Sitting on the bench with her back to him was Hope. There was no mistaking that long, mahogany hair, even in a ponytail and under a ball cap.

i blog 4 books - Review

"Overall, this was a pleasant read. Animal lovers, in particular, will enjoy reading about Hope and Noah's efforts to rescue animals."

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review & Interview

"The story of love, family struggles, faith, hope and forgiveness had me captivated from the beginning. The story of Hope sent a sense of reality and a real desire for her to have true happiness."

You speak five languages. Which languages and what were the greatest challenges in learning each one?
The languages are English, Spanish, French, Hungarian and German, but sadly I did not remain fluent in the ones I did not use. I can still understand Spanish and French, but it would be a struggle to try to speak coherently.As a child, I found the languages easy to learn, especially being immersed in them. While not a challenge but an interesting consequence, probably into my early twenties my English was slightly accented, but no one could place the accent as it was an amalgam of the other languages I had spoken.

The Written Adventure - Canyon Creek, Part 3

Hope builds a fulfilling life of her own in the years since she?s left Canyon Creek. Yet, more than ten years after her departure, the emotional tug is still there when she returns . . .

Write from the Heart - Review

"What I enjoyed most about The Truth About Hope, was the refreshing honesty of the characters. Hope and Luke still carry a flame for each other after all those years, and the reader gets the pleasure of following them on their journey toward forgiveness and a rekindled love."

Bookworm Lisa - Review

"The book is told in a narrative style. It's normally not my favorite writing style, but Kate James does a great job of making it work. She was able to keep my interest in the story and characters."

Getting Your Read On - Review

"I enjoyed following Hope through her life events. I really got a good sense of who Hope was and why she did what she did. . . . This was a good book, so easy to settle in with. The characters were all so likable. Yay for another sweet, clean romance!"

Author June McCrary Jacobs - Interview

How do develop your characters? Do you use outlines, story boards, sketches?
KATE: Interestingly I?ve never thought about using sketches, despite the fact that I?ve always enjoyed drawing and painting. Thank you for the idea, though. I might have to try it! To answer the question, I have a general idea of what my characters look like, their traits and beliefs, when I start the book, but they evolve and grow as my writing progresses. The only guide I use for my writing is the book proposal or synopsis, but I can always visualize quite clearly what my characters look like, and have a good appreciation of how they will behave in specific circumstances.

The Truth About Hope

by Kate James

Adult Contemporary Romance

May 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Who is Hope Wilson?

Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved?and maybe still does?

When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her
father?s last wishes, there?s only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father?s fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek?but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin - Kobo

Kate James spent eight years of her childhood living in foreign countries as her professional parents travelled on business. She lived in four countries and spoke five languages before settling down in Canada again to attend university. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering, she held a variety of positions in the field of real estate development and operations, and ran three substantial organizations. While her writing during this period was mostly business related, including presentations and speeches she delivered both nationally and internationally, her passion is and always has been fiction.

Kate's business and personal experiences enable her to write fiction with a deep, often first-hand knowledge of what she is writing about. This approach makes Kate's stories richer and more vivid.

Kate?s goal is to entertain you with well-written, engaging stories, set in intriguing places and with strong, likeable characters. ?I hope my stories bring you pleasure and entertain you. Nothing pleases me more than receiving feedback from people who have chosen to spend their valuable leisure time with one of my books,? notes Kate.

Kate married her husband, Ken, in an elegant, ocean-front wedding on a tropical island. When they are not traveling, they split their time between their properties in southern and central Ontario in Canada.

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Twitter

Tour Giveaway

$30 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
5 Print Copies of The Truth About Hope (US/CAN Only)
1 ebook of The Truth About Hope (INT)

Ends May 15th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How I Discovered the Ilyon Chronicles

Celebration Page and Image Source 

Jaye L. Knight is having a one year anniversary celebration for her book Resistance, the first book in the Ilyon Chronicles. She is having a blog tour, a Facebook party, a cover reveal for her novella, fan art contests, and lots of other fun stuff. I decided to join in by answering the question, "How did you discover the Ilyon Chronicles?"

How I Discovered the Ilyon Chronicles

First of all, I was invited to the blog tour for Resistance by Amber Stokes. I had never heard of the book before. I took one look at the cover, skimmed the description, and decided not to join. I am one of those readers who does judge a book by its cover and I did not think Resistance had a good enough cover to interest me. I wish I had taken the chance on it anyway, since I know that there are some awesome books that have covers I do not like.

A little while later, I started seeing some really good reviews and recommendations about Resistance. A few months later, I learned that the second book was to be published and decided to join the blog tour. I then read both books and absolutely loved them. I have come across two new series this year that I like better than nearly all the books I read this year and last, and the Ilyon Chronicles is one of them. If only I had taken the chance on it earlier!

About the Books

Image Source

Description

Resistance

Jaye L. Knight

"Don't you know? Animals like you have no soul." 

Could God ever love a half-blood all of society looks upon with such fear and disdain? Jace once believed so, but when a tragic loss shatters the only peace he's ever known, his faith crumbles as the nagging doubts he's tried to put behind him descend on his grieving heart. With them come the haunting memories of the bloodstained past he longs to forget, but can never escape. 

Taken from home at a young age and raised to serve the emperor, Kyrin Altair lives every day under a dangerous pretense of loyalty. After her unique observation skills and perfect memory place her into direct service to the emperor, Kyrin finds herself in further jeopardy as it becomes increasingly difficult to hide her belief in Elôm, the one true God. 

Following the emperor's declaration to enforce the worship of false gods under the penalty of death, many lives are endangered. But there are those willing to risk everything to take a stand and offer aid to the persecuted. With their lives traveling paths they never could have imagined, Jace and Kyrin must fight to overcome their own fears and conflicts with society as they become part of the resistance.

Amazon, Goodreads

Image Source

Description

The King's Scrolls

Jaye L. Knight

Following the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor's persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead. That is until the arrival of four mysterious, dragon-riding cretes who seek aid in a mission of great importance--not only to their own people, but to all followers of Elôm.

Hidden in the vast mining valley north of Valcré, a faithful crete has spent years sharing his knowledge with the destitute miners and their families and is known to possess what may be Arcacia's last surviving copies of the King's Scrolls--the Word of Elôm. Joining the cretes, those in Landale must find the crete teacher and bring him to safety, but it is a race against time. Should Daican's men find him first, execution and the destruction of the Scrolls is certain.

When disaster strikes, all seems lost. Could Elôm have a plan even in the enemy's triumph?

Amazon, Goodreads

So, have you read the Ilyon Chronicles? How did you discover it? Do you have an interesting story of how you discovered a different book or series you would like to share?

May 2015

May brings a lot of things.

It is the beginning of real spring-ish weather, at least the desirable kind with warm weather and sunshine. I adore spring and long for those days often, but they are usually balanced with cloudy, rainy days where I'm from.

May also means the end of the school year. Whether child, college student, teacher, or parent, everyone can appreciate May as the coming of the end of the year, despite the tests and busy preparations for summer.

May marks the beginning of the Moonblood Read-Through I and several Goldstone Wood fans are doing on Goodreads. Their enthusiasm for the series sparked the idea for the read-through. I hope it is becomes something enjoyable that they might like to do again and not turn into a flop. It is my first time with such things and the first day seemed less than perfect to me.

This month, Jaye L. Knight is having her Anniversary Celebration for Resistance. It looks like tons of fun with a Facebook Party, Fan Art and Photo Contests, blog tour, and other fun things throughout the month of May.

Several awesome books are being released this month, including The Collar and the Cavvarach on May 9,  Huntress of Thornbeck Forest on May 12, and Draven's Light on May 24.

And for fun's sake, here is a list of bizarre holidays in May:

May 3: Lumpy Rug Day--Celebrate the joys of non-lumpy rugs by comparing to lumpy ones.

May 6: No Diet Day--Does it need an explanation?

May 8: No Socks Day--I hope it does not cause everyone's feet to stink.
May 9: Lost Sock Memorial Day--A Memorial to all those socks that vanish into thin air.
May 10: Clean Up Your Room Day--Does it mean I don't have to do it any of the other days?
May 11: Eat What You Want Day--In case you haven't accomplished that on May 6.
May 13: Frog Jumping Day--Celebrate by jumping like a frog?
May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day--Isn't every day a day for chocolate chips?
May 16: National Sea Monkey Day--Anyone else have those little critters as a kid?
May 20: Be a Millionaire Day--A day to focus on earning your million.
May 27: Sun Screen Day--I hate the stuff. Why must there be a day for its celebration?

So what do you all have planned this May? What books are you looking forward to? What holidays are you planning to celebrate?

Audiobook Tour: How a Star Falls

Today, let me introduce a novella called How a Star Falls by Amber Stokes. In honor of the release of its audiobook, I am posting a review of this delightful novella as part of an unconnected blog tour. Enjoy!

Description

How a Star Falls

Amber Stokes

How does a star fall? Quickly. Completely. Unexpectedly.

Derrick Knolane escapes to Trinidad Head most evenings, avoiding his apartment and planning for the day he'll break free of Humboldt County. Working in a music store might be fine for a while, but it's far from the goal he had in mind when he got his college degree. Not to mention the fact that his roommate is a jerk and his family won't stop trying to run his life.

Then Brielle falls into his world.

She claims to be a star. Not from Hollywood, but from heaven. He thinks she's crazy. Certainly delusional. Yet, he can't just leave her alone on the cliffs. So he takes her home.

And his whole world falls apart.

A heartfelt and fanciful contemporary romance novella, How a Star Falls explores the uncertain season of new adulthood and shows that sometimes the worst inconveniences make for the best miracles of all.

Audible, Amazon, Goodreads

Review

One evening, Derrick stumbles across a young lady who claims to be a star who came from heaven. Although he doubts her claim, Derrick is kind to Brielle and finds her a place to stay for the time being. Over the next few days, she turns his world upside down as they begin to fall in love…

How a Star Falls by Amber Stokes was short and sweet. I enjoyed this lovely little novella about Brielle and Derrick. The plot was believable and left me wanting to hear more about the characters. How a Star Falls was different and better than I expected it to be. It was the perfect length to listen to for an afternoon or two.

Briella was sweet and carefree. I could easily believe she was a star, except for the fact that she knew how to cook. Derrick, however, was struggling through life until Brielle brought the hope back into it. I enjoyed watching both of them grow and fall in love.

The audiobook was lovely. The narrator was enjoyable to listen to and voiced the characters almost perfectly.

Overall, How a Star Falls is a novella I would gladly listen to again.  

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Grand Finale: Katia's Promise

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

We're blitzing the GRAND FINALE for:

Katia's Promise

By Catherine Lanigan

Did you miss any of the tour? There's still time to go back and check out each stop...

Launch - More About the Book and the Author

1. What is your motivation behind this book? Why did you want to write it?
Katia’s story goes all the way back to the night that I woke up at three in the morning with my dream still in my head about this auburn haired, beautiful woman standing under a street lamp, around midnight, looking up at a single burning bedroom lamp in the mansion across the street. In my “vision” the woman turned to me and stared. She told me that I was to write her story.

Bookworm Lisa - Excerpt

She thought her heart would hammer a hole right through her chest, but she didn’t dare let him know how much he affected her. She couldn’t decide whether to smile at him, rush to him and hold his hand or ask his forgiveness on the spot. She felt as if she’d turned to stone. She couldn’t think or move.

Deal Sharing Aunt - Setting of the Book

The area is surrounded by farm land, a few vineyards, blueberry farms, apple orchards, Amish farmland and yet is only an hour away from Chicago. Beach weddings are highly popular.

The Written Adventure - Excerpt

He would never forget standing at LaGuardia, waiting excitedly with a bouquet of flowers. But Katia hadn’t walked off the plane. He’d waited for over half an hour. He’d gone to the ticket counter and asked if they were sure all the passengers had disembarked. The woman had assured him that the plane was not only cleared and cleaned, but ready for a new boarding.

I Am A Reader - Leading Man Austin McCreary

Austin’s character is actually taken from a real-life person I knew who has passed away. This man was my English teacher in high school and he encouraged me a great deal. He was a bachelor and once told our class that he’d been in love once and was literally left standing on the altar, alone—the bride abandoned him. He never got over her.

Zerina Blossom's Books - Excerpt

Was he remembering that fateful day when she had left him standing at LaGuardia? She knew he’d waited for her there, but she hadn’t been on the plane. Now she was here, literally on his doorstep, trying to apologize. Her heart was still in her throat, and she found she was just as speechless as he was.

LeahSay's Views - Leading Lady Katia Stanislaus

Once I “saw” Katria in my dream or alpha state muddle, I realized she looked a Lot like Stana Katic, who plays Kate Beckett on “Castle” television show. I know, my character’s name looks like Stana’s name. However, I have always loved the name Katia, and over the years, friends have dubbed me, Katia-along with every other ethnic derivative of Catherine. It’s been five years or more since that dream and Katia’s story is just coming out now.

The Opinionated Woman's Musings - Review

"[T]here were enough twists in the story to make it interesting. . . . The pace was well written and there was enough external conflict that helped the plot develop. I think that “heartwarming” is another way of saying that this was a clean romance."

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima - Antique Cars

I have always been fascinated with old cars and old coaches when I read about them in books. In Indian Lake (as well as my hometown) is an antique car museum. I wanted my hero, Austin McCreary, to have a long family history with cars. I devised a backstory of Austin’s great grandfather who was a pioneer in the auto industry around WWI.

Christy's Cozy Corners - Review

"I adored this book! It is just so cute and so sweet! I love love love the Harlequin Heartwarming books! . . . This book is definitely one for you clean, sweet romance readers to add to your TBR piles! I know I’ll be adding the others in the series to mine! 5 Stars!"

Wishful Endings - Excerpt

Austin’s lips were soft when they first met hers. His hands cupped her face and slowly his fingers moved up to her temples, then into her mounds of auburn hair. Her arms were around his neck in a split second, and everything she’d felt for him as at sixteen came whirling back to her with as much force as a tornado.

Getting Your Read On - Review

"This is a clean romance with no content to disclose. (yay!!) I will be keeping this author and the rest of the books in this series in my sights for future reading!"

Mel's Shelves - Review

"I was in the mood for this kind of book. I love second chances and this one didn't disappoint! Once I picked this up, I just couldn't put it down. This is the fourth book in the Shores of Indian Lake series, and I haven't read the first three. While I'm sure I would have enjoyed reading about some of the couples from the previous books, I didn't feel like I was missing anything so this is great as a stand alone read. After having read it, though, I want to go back and read the other books in this series!"

i blog 4 books - Spotlight/Partial Review

"[T]he beginning is definitely intriguing. I typically enjoy stories where the characters reunite after some time apart, which is the case for the main characters."

Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review

"When a startling discover about the past is made, Austin has a hard time dealing with it, but Katia wants to be there for him...if he'll let her. This is an emotionally tender story with powerful characters in an interesting setting and it stands alone, even though it is the fourth book in the series."

Lisa's Research & Reviews - Spotlight

Katia's Promise

(Shores of Indian Lake #4)
by Catherine Lanigan

Adult Contemporary Romance

May 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Katia Stanislaus is a top insurance agent in Chicago, but her company is about to fold if she can't pull off a miracle. She convinces her boss to relocate to Indian Lake where she lived as a child and broke the heart of the one man whose account would be enough to save her job and her company. The only problem is that Austin McCreary has been a near recluse since the day Katia left him. Austin won't take her calls and appears set on revenge for the pain Katia has caused him. Just seeing Austin, catapaults Katia back to the time when she was 16 and so very much in love. But it was just a teenage crush, wasn't it?

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin

Other Books in the Series

Links for Love Shadows

(Shores of Indian Lake #1)

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin

Links for Heart's Desire

(Shores of Indian Lake #2)

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin

Links for A Fine Year for Love

(Shores of Indian Lake #3)

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin

Catherine Lanigan is the bestselling author of over thirty published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, as well as over half a dozen anthologies, including “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living your Dream”, “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”, “Chocolate for a Woman’s Heart”, Chocolate for a Woman’s Spirit”. Ms. Lanigan’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Ms. Lanigan’s novels are also available on audio-cassette, CD and on electronic format. A prolific writer, she is always writing wonderful stories. She has several titles only available in ebook format on Amazon.com Several of her titles have been chosen for The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs. Her novel, The Christmas Star, won the Gold Medal Award Top Pick from Romantic Times Magazine for December, 2002, and has also won Book of the Year Romance Gold Award from ForeWord Magazine as well as Book of the Year Romance from Reader’s Preference. In March, 2006 Divine Nudges: Tales of Angelic Intervention and the second in Lanigan’s Angel Watch series of books, was published by HCI, the Chicken Soup for the Soul publisher.

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn - Pinterest

Cover Reveal & Tour Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card
3 ebooks of Katia's Promise by Catherine Lanigan

Open internationally.
Ends May 8th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour: The Truth About Hope

On Tour with Prism Book Tours.

We're launching the BOOK TOUR for

The Truth About Hope

By Kate James

Can Hope help her hometown that holds long grudges and possibly find love with her old high school sweetheart along the way? Come along on the tour to get to know a little more about

Tour Schedule:
April 24th - Launch
April 26th - Word Wranglers & Write & Rewrite
April 27th - Underneath the Covers
April 28th - Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima
April 29th - Zerina Blossom's Books
April 30th - I Am A Reader
May 1st - Katie's Clean Book Collection & Copyright1985
May 3rd - My Love for Reading Keeps Growing
May 4th - i blog 4 books & Rockin' Book Reviews
May 5th - The Written Adventure & Write from the Heart
May 6th - Deal Sharing Aunt & Bookworm Lisa
May 7th - Getting Your Read On
May 8th - Grand Finale

Hope Wilson

Hope is the heroine in The Truth About Hope. She is slender, 5’ 6” and 120 pounds. She has deep brown eyes and a yard of thick, dark hair that she generally wears loose and tumbling over her shoulders or in a long braid down her back. She likes to dress casually, wearing a simple white shirt, jeans and cowboy boots, or T-shirts and shorts.

We first meet Hope as a seventeen-year-old girl, just having lost her mother, and learning that she has to leave Canyon Creek, the small town in Texas where she was born, to live with her father in San Jose. Most devastating for her is that she has to say goodbye to all the people she knows and loves, including Luke Carter.  Luke and Hope had grown up together, had been best friends since grade school and became high-school sweethearts.

Although Hope builds a fulfilling life for herself away from Canyon Creek running an animal shelter in Monterey with a partner, she returns twelve years later to honor her father's last wishes. Her father's fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek—but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself and discovers that she’d never gotten entirely over Luke. But is it possible for her to make amends on her own behalf with the townspeople and—most crucially—with the man she still loves?

More About The Truth About Hope and Author Kate James

What is your motivation behind this book? Why did you want to write it?

My motivation behind all my books is to entertain readers with stories that they hopefully find engaging, unpredictable, and morally and emotionally satisfying.

The idea for this book arose partially from my respect for Hope’s real-life counterparts—people who care for, rehabilitate and locate forever homes for the animals that find their way into shelters.

What do you hope readers take with them when they read your book? 

I would like readers to feel good about the story’s conclusion, and believe that no matter what hardships we may face, we can overcome them with faith, perseverance and—of course—love!

Do you have a favorite scene? 

One of my favorite scenes is when Hope and Luke meet unexpectedly outside a pet food store after her return to her hometown of Canyon Creek.

Share something about you that is unique. 

I wanted to write from a relatively young age, but a family tragedy, school and career intervened. A few years ago, my ever-intuitive husband realized that writing was—or could be—something important to me, and he gifted me a personal laptop for my birthday. While outwardly appreciative, in my mind I was wondering why I needed another laptop, when I had a perfectly good one from work that was constantly with me. Clearly my husband knew better than me, because having a separate computer that I didn’t associate with my essentially 24/7 day job was pivotal. That gift ultimately resulted in my first publishing contract and, two years later, my decision to step down from a full-time CEO role (that I enjoyed and found rewarding) to pursue writing as a career. I owe a debt of gratitude to all my readers for enabling me to fulfil my dream of writing!

The Truth About Hope

by Kate James

Adult Contemporary Romance

May 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Who is Hope Wilson?

Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved—and maybe still does?

When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her
father’s last wishes, there’s only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father’s fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek—but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin

Kate James spent eight years of her childhood living in foreign countries as her professional parents travelled on business. She lived in four countries and spoke five languages before settling down in Canada again to attend university. After graduating with a degree in civil engineering, she held a variety of positions in the field of real estate development and operations, and ran three substantial organizations. While her writing during this period was mostly business related, including presentations and speeches she delivered both nationally and internationally, her passion is and always has been fiction.

Kate's business and personal experiences enable her to write fiction with a deep, often first-hand knowledge of what she is writing about. This approach makes Kate's stories richer and more vivid.

Kate’s goal is to entertain you with well-written, engaging stories, set in intriguing places and with strong, likeable characters. “I hope my stories bring you pleasure and entertain you. Nothing pleases me more than receiving feedback from people who have chosen to spend their valuable leisure time with one of my books,” notes Kate.

Kate married her husband, Ken, in an elegant, ocean-front wedding on a tropical island. When they are not traveling, they split their time between their properties in southern and central Ontario in Canada.

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Twitter

Tour Giveaway

$30 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
5 Print Copies of The Truth About Hope (US/CAN Only)
1 ebook of The Truth About Hope (INT)

Ends May 15th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reader Interview: Beth L.

A few of you might remember that a while ago I came up with this grand scheme to do reader interviews. Instead of interviewing authors, like I and many other bloggers do, I decided to interview various readers on their favorite books and what they think makes a book great.

Today, a lovely young lady named Beth that I have the privilege to know is joining us for an interview. Please welcome her!

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Hobbies, interests, occupation/future occupation? Anything you would like to share.

Well my name is Beth I am in middle school. I hang out with my friends all the time. I love playing my flute in band and singing in Choir. I love science and want to become a Marine Biologist.

Fun! I loved choir in middle school and high school. Marine Biology sounds like an awesome degree.

Do you like to write as well as read?

I sometimes like to write but my brother does. He is the one who tries to get me to write more.

If only my brother would do that...

About how many books do you read in a week, month, or year?

I read everyday. I read in school when I go to bed it is a fascinating world.( the books). I read about 2-3 books per month.

Nice!

What is your favorite genre? Why?

My favorite genre of books are the relatable ones. They are the ones where it is in the same time period but you can relate somehow. Like in Dork Diaries I can relate because we are both in middle school.

It is definitely easier to enjoy a book when you can relate to the characters.

What is one of your favorite books or series? Why?

My favorite book is Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel. I love this book because it shows people can change if you try.

Hmm. I have never heard of that book. I'm glad you like it!

What do you think makes a book great?

I think a book is great when you can grab my attention and never loose it.

That is definitely something every reader loves to find when they pick up a book.

What do you think makes a book terrible?

A book is terrible when you read it and you don't feel anything. You are a robot reading a bad book. That is how I think it is. The author should have grabbed you and made you feel what the main character is and if you don't feel that why read?

Very good point.

What do you think authors (yourself, your favorites, or authors in general) could do to make their books better?

I think authors should try to think of who they are writing for. I love how some authors make books for my age  and my age only. I hate having to choose in book stores do I go to the kids or the High schoolers? So authors writing for my age would be wonderful.

Yes, it is definitely nice when the authors write for your age group. I am finding that there are not many clean fiction or fantasy that is for my age group of new adult, so I would appreciate that too.

Thank you, Beth, for joining us today! We loved having you!


And, in case you are curious about Beth's favorite book, let me introduce Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel.

Description

Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel

Diana Lopez

It's summer before eighth grade, and Erica "Chia" Montenegro is feeling so many things that she needs a mood ring to keep track of her emotions. She's happy when she hangs out with her best friends, the Robins. She's jealous that her genius little sister skipped two grades. And she's passionate about the crushes on her Boyfriend Wish list. And when Erica's mom is diagnosed with breast cancer, she feels worried and doesn't know what she can do to help.

When her family visits a cuarto de milagros, a miracle room in a famous church, Erica decides to make a promesa to God in exchange for her mom's health. As her mom gets sicker, Erica quickly learns that juggling family, friends, school, and fulfilling a promesa is stressful, but with a little bit of hope and a lot of love, she just might be able to figure it out.

Confetti Girl author Diana Lopez returns with this sweet, funny, and utterly honest story about being a girl in a world full of good (and bad) surprises.

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads