Author of The Wrong Side of Right Exclusive Interview + Giveaway with Jenn Marie Thorne

Blurb:
Fans of Sarah Dessen and Huntley Fitzpatrick will enjoy this smart debut young adult novel, equal parts My Life Next Door and The Princess Diaries—plus a dash of Aaron Sorkin.

Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?

Set against a backdrop of politics, family, and first love, this is a story of personal responsibility, complicated romance, and trying to discover who you are even as everyone tells you who you should be.

Today I'm very excited to bring to you a very special guest, Jenn Marie Thorne. Here on The Lovely Books, we are so happy to have her because we get to hear more about this debut author who took the community by a storm. Also we'll get to know her better as well. Sounds like a win/win to me! We'll have one lucky reader  have a chance to snag a print copy of The Wrong Side of Right! Without further ado...

1. Hey Jenn, I want to thank you again for agreeing to come on to the blog! How are you on this fine day? (Easy enough question, right?)

I am very well, and thank you for asking!

2. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up all over the place, splitting time between divorced parents in different states (and sometimes different countries), then moved to New York to study drama at NYU. Over time, my acting bug morphed into a writing bug, so I started writing web shorts and plays and screenplays and then short stories and novels. My debut, The Wrong Side of Right came out in March from Dial and my next, The Inside of Out will be released in July of next year. These days, I live in Florida with my husband, my two little boys, and my awesome hound dog Molly.

3. Where did you come up with the idea to write The Wrong Side of Right?

The initial idea came out of the year following the 2008 elections, when there seemed to be a flurry of political sex scandals all happening around the same time. The way the press talked around the kids - the “love children” - that resulted from these affairs really struck me. It made me wonder what it would be like to be a teenager facing the glare of national scandal for the first time. And then I got the idea of a fish out of water in the center of a political campaign and the book came together from there.

4. When did you first know that being a writer was what you wanted to do?

It took me a while! I was doggedly determined to be a musical theatre actress for a long time, despite the fact that I cannot dance at all and no amount of lessons will ever get me past the “movement” part of an audition. I’ve always written, but I saw it as a fun side-hobby...until I realized I enjoyed it far, far more than I’d ever enjoyed performing. Once I had that lightbulb moment, I started buckling down and working on novels - and I haven’t looked back.

5. Did you always see yourself writing young adult fiction?

I definitely set out to write either young adult or genre fiction - or, ideally, both. There’s a playfulness and a freedom in YA that you don’t see in many other markets. And there’s a hyper-focus on storytelling that I really respond to.

6. What sets your story apart from the rest?

I can only think of a small handful of YA novels set in the world of politics, which is surprising, really. It’s so ripe for drama - the tightrope political teens are forced to walk with the whole country watching, while they’re trying to figure out who they are, what they believe and what they’ll risk for their own chance at happiness.

7. Can you tell us what books you plan to write in the future?

My next book, The Inside of Out is set in the world of local and social media politics. It centers around a well-meaning but completely wrong-headed ally who hijacks her school’s LGBTQ alliance and starts a national movement - centered around herself - after her best friend comes out. I’m also working on a high fantasy trilogy and a few contemporaries.

8. Is there anything you have to have while working on a story? Such as needing to Dr. Pepper, eating a pickle, etc.

I’m pretty flexible in terms of my physical surroundings - and I often forget to eat when I’m the swing of drafting. But one thing I absolutely need is a strong outline. I’m adrift without one. I’m a plotter all the way. Can’t pants to save my life.

9. Favorite book? Movie?

This is a cruel question. :) My answers change every day, but right now: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Singing in the Rain.

10. What's it like in the life of an author? More specifically, you!

Lots of Twitter. Kidding! (Not kidding at all.) It really depends on where I am in a project. Today is returning emails about copy edits, outlining a new book idea, putting together a presentation for a middle school English class, and playing with my boys.

11. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Get started! Don’t waste time, like I did, mulling over whether you’re a “real writer,” whatever that means. Just write. When you finish something, send it to people you trust for feedback. While you’re waiting for feedback, start working on something new. Act like it’s your job. Eventually it will be your job and you’ll have already put in valuable time learning how to work.

There you have it, folks! Make sure you pick up Jenn's book and come back here and let us all know what you thought of it. Here are the author's links if you plan on stalking her ;)

Twitter- https://twitter.com/juniperjenny

Website- http://jennmariethorne.com/

Buy Here=> Amazon Amazon UK

Giveaway Rules:

Sorry guys, this is US only! Winner will have 48 hours to get back to me with their info. 

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Blog Tour feat Review + Giveaway- Ready to Rock by Cara Connelly

READY TO ROCK

 by Cara Connelly

Available 12/01/15

Readers of Cara Connelly’s Save the Date series met Jack and Lil McCabe in The Wedding Favor.  Go back in time and experience Jack and Lil’s original love story, with a hefty dose of romance and suspense.  Ready to Rock, is Connelly’s first indie title. Ready to Rock won RWA’s Golden Heart award (under the title The Sinners), and the Valley Forge Romance Writer’s Sheila Award (also under The Sinners).

Synopsis:

His name's on everyone's lips--sexy rocker Jack McCabe. His gritty New York City band is red hot, almost as hot as his fiery affair with photography student Lil Marchone, the girl from his past, now the woman he loves. The problem is, Lil's controlling ex wants her back. Rich, powerful, and ruthless, he'll stop at nothing--including murder--to get Jack out of her life. But Jack's a badass himself, always up for a fight. And with the stakes this high, he'll risk everything for Lil, even his band. Even his life.

Review:

 Mmm...I really do love me a rock star romance. Maybe because I'd never actually cared to or even wanted to ever date a musician in "real life". Okay, wait, I lied...I was madly in love with Aaron Carter when I was younger. He hardly counts as a rock star though... Anyways, I enjoyed Jack a little too much for him being a fictional character and all. 

The story starts off with Lil and her parents getting into a car crash. Lil is saved by a stranger while her parents unfortunately, did not make it. Years pass and Lil runs into Jack again; the two hit it off and the rest is history. She meets him at a bar where he works, not realizing that he's the sexy as hell lead singer of the band, The Devils. 

"He grabbed the mike and started to sing. And instantly I understood. He was why the club was packed. He was what they’d been waiting for."

"From the first word, he unleashed himself. His passion, his agony. His fury and love and joy. He gave it all away to us, his pain and his ecstasy, and we gave him ours in return, and he channeled it for us and sang it out. It was symbiotic. It was instantaneous. It was mind-blowing."

How can you seriously not fall head over heels in love? The writing was absolutely superb; it felt like I was there at a concert listening to a hot ass band kill it on stage. I liked the fact that we get a book that's more than just a typical rocker book where the said rocker is a manwhore. The one who sleeps his way through one country at a time. We get a first hand look at the music industry, or what I would assume is the music industry. And damn the last half of the book... So much juicy drama!

You won't be bored, I promise! The book in my opinion, is one you can't overlook. It's one to fall in love with. Jack makes it so easy to love it even more. If you're looking for strong leads, sexy romance, and a good suspense all rolled up into one; I highly recommend picking this up asap! 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Get More information at: Goodreads  | Amazon |

Learn about Cara’s Save the Date series- http://www.caraconnelly.com/category/books/

 Cara Connelly is the author of the Save the Date series of contemporary romances published by Avon Romance. The latest book in the series, The Wedding Gift, was released in May 2015. Cara’s smart and sexy stories have won several awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart, the Valley Forge Romance Writers’ Sheila, and the Music City Romance Writers’ Melody of Love. A former attorney and law professor, she lives with her husband Billy in the woods of upstate New York.

Connect with Cara at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads |

EXCERPT

             “Honey, you have to get help.” Mama’s tone was calm but urgent.

            “Me? How?” I was frozen in place. I needed her to tell me what to do.

            “Just open the door,” she said quietly, “and climb up to the road. Wave at the first car you see and tell them to call an ambulance.”

            It sounded simple, but I was trapped in one of those dreams where you desperately want to run but your legs won’t move.

            Then flames licked out from under the hood. Mama quit feigning calm. “Get out of the car!”

            Galvanized, I yanked on the door handle. But the frame had bent. The door wouldn’t budge. “Mama, help me!”

            “I can’t!” she shouted. And that’s when I noticed the dashboard sitting in her lap. Her legs were crushed, she was pinned to her seat. It was up to me to help her.

            Unlocking my seatbelt, I leaned across to the other door. The car was tilted that way, so the door swung open when I touched the handle. But before I could bring my legs around, fire belched up from underneath. I leapt back, singed. Flames curled into the car. Mama was yelling. “Get out the back! Go! Go!” I yanked down the seat. The trunk was jammed with suitcases. I clawed at them. But Daddy had loaded the largest first, wedging it tight against the seat, braced by the smaller bags.

            “I can’t,” I wailed. “I can’t move them!” And it was too late anyway. The flames were all around the car, the air inside so hot it seared my lungs. Reaching forward, I wrapped my arms around Mama’s neck; she clawed at my shoulders, trying to pull me between the seats, into her lap, to shield me with her body.

            And then my door flew open, and a man thrust his shoulders right into that furnace. Mama saw him, and with all the strength she’d been using to pull me forward, she pushed me back toward him. “Take her! Take my daughter!” His arms locked around my waist and he hauled me backwards. Insanely, I clung to Mama, trying to bring her with me. She batted at my grasping hands. “Go with him!” And though I struggled at first, I had no choice. He was big and strong. He threw me over his shoulder and ran.

            At the roadside, he set me down in the grass. The car was a fireball, the cottonwood jutting above it, burning like a torch against the dusky sky. “Mama!” I screamed, trying to get up.

            The man pushed me down. Holding my face between his hands, he forced me to look into his eyes. “I’ll get them out, but you have to wait here. Promise me.” He seemed so steady and sure. I didn’t know what else to do, so I nodded. And without another word, he stood up and ran straight toward the car.

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Spotlight + ARC Giveaway- DIMLY Trilogy by Estelle Maskame

Can I just tell you all how much I love these covers? Like, I could give the story five stars without reading them... Fortunately, I've read the first book and it was damn good. You can read my review HERE.

Did I Mention I Love You?

By Estelle Maskame

December 1, 2015; ISBN 9781492632153

Book Info:

Title: Did I Mention I Love You?

Author: Estelle Maskame

Release Date: December 1, 2015

Publishers: Sourcebooks Fire

Praise for Did I Mention I Love You?

“Readers will root for them, like they would with Edward and Bella—the mutual attraction and need for one another is palpable. It rings of passion, excitement, and first love.” –VOYA Magazine

“An edgy young adult romance with dark layers” –The Examiner

“A believable coming-of-age story and an unconventional romance, set against a present-day California summer... . The fallout of divorce, the insidiousness of substance abuse and family secrets, and especially the pangs of first love drive this emotionally resonant tale.” – Publishers Weekly

“Written in first person, Maskame’s trilogy opener is an excellent portrayal of a teenage girl’s life in the 21st century. Eden has to adjust to her blended family, try to feel pretty, be body conscious, and make friends, all while falling in love for the first time. She is someone all young people can relate to...Romance fans will be captivated by Eden and her journey to finding herself and true love.” –School Library Journal

Summary:

Love is everything but expected.

Eden Munro came to California for a summer of sun, sand, and celebrities- what better way to forget about the drama back home? Until she meets her new family of strangers; a dad she hasn’t seen in three years, a stepmonster, and three stepbrothers.

Eden gets her own room in her dad’s fancy house in Santa Monica. A room right next door to her oldest stepbrother. Tyler Bruce. Whom she cannot stand. He has angry blue eyes and an ego bigger than a Beverly Hills mansion. She’s never felt such intense dislike for someone. But the two are constantly thrown together as his group of friends pulls her into their world of rule-breaking, partying, and pier-hanging

And the more she tries to understand what makes Tyler burn hotter than the California sun, the more Eden finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn’t…

Did I Mention I Love You? is the addictive first book in Wattpad sensation Estelle Maskame’s DIMIY trilogy: three unforgettable summers of secrets, heartbreak, and forbidden romance.

Goodreads Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25883610-did-i-mention-i-love-you

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/SAmvg

Apple- http://ow.ly/SAvv7

Barnes&Noble- http://ow.ly/SAmJH  

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/SAmR5   

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/SAnIE

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/SAnRt

About the Author: 

Estelle Maskame started writing at the age of thirteen and completed the Did I Mention I Love You?  trilogy when she was sixteen. She has built an extensive fan-base for her writing by serializing her work on Wattpad. Fitting book writing between work, Estelle has amassed followers from all over the world. She lives in Scotland. For more visit estellemaskame.com

Social Media Links: 

http://books.sourcebooks.com/dimily/

https://twitter.com/EstelleMaskame

Did I Mention I Love You? Excerpt

I can almost see the road through the gaps in the fence by the side of the house, and I squint through. There’s music playing. More like blaring. I can hear it over the crappy music that’s already bouncing around the back yard, and as a sleek white car speeds up to the edge of the sidewalk and skids against the curb, I grimace in disgust. The music cuts off the second the engine is killed.

“What are you looking at?” Rachael asks, but I’m too busy staring to even attempt to answer.

The car door swings open roughly, and I’m surprised it doesn’t fall straight off its hinges. It’s difficult to see clearly through the fence, but a tall guy gets out and slams the door shut just as aggressively as he opened it. He hesitates for a moment, stares at the house, and then runs a hand through his hair. Whoever he is, he looks su-per depressed. Like he’s just lost all his life savings or his dog just died. And then he heads straight for the gate.

“Who the hell is this jackass?” I mutter to Rachael as the figure nears us.

But before either of us can say anything more, Jackass decides to hit the gate open with a fist, drawing the at-tention of everyone around us. It’s like he wants everyone to hate him. I figure he’s probably that one neighbor that everyone despises, and he’s only here in a fit of rage because he wasn’t invited to the lamest barbecue get-together that’s ever been hosted.

“Sorry I’m late,” Jackass comments sarcastically. And loudly too, with a smirk on his lips. His eyes flash green as emeralds. “Did I miss anything besides the slaughtering of animals?” He throws up the infamous mid-dle finger to, from what I can see, the barbecue. “I hope you guys enjoyed the cow you just ate.” And then he laughs. He laughs as though everyone’s expressions of disgust are the most entertaining thing he’s seen all year.

“More beer?” I hear my dad call out to the silent crowd, and as they chuckle and return to their conversations, Jackass heads through the patio doors. He slams them shut so hard I can almost see the glass tremble.

I’m stunned. I have no idea what just happened or who that was or why he’s just entered the house. When I realize I’m slightly slack-jawed, I close my mouth and turn to Rachael.

She bites her lip and pushes her sunglasses down over her eyes. “I’m guessing you haven’t met your step-brother yet.”

Coming Soon!

Did I Mention I Need You (March 2016) & Did I Mention I Miss You (June 2016)

 Book Info:

Title: Did I Mention I Need You?

Author: Estelle Maskame

Release Date: March 1, 2016

Publishers: Sourcebooks Fire

 

Eden and Tyler have desperately tried to ignore their love for each other for the sake of their family. But they can’t seem to stay apart for long, especially once Tyler invites Eden to spend the summer with him in New York.

 

Away from their life in California and caught up in the excitement of the city, their summer fling turns into something much more serious. Unable to deny their feelings, Tyler and Eden must face reality. But how will their family react when they confess their romance? And is their relationship strong enough to survive the fallout?

 

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/VkkwY

Apple- http://ow.ly/VkkSO

Barnes&Noble-  http://ow.ly/Vkldc

BooksAMillion- http://ow.ly/Vklph

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/VklIC 

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/VklTu

 

 Book Info:

Title: Did I Mention I Miss You?

Author: Estelle Maskame

Release Date: June 7, 2016

Publishers: Sourcebooks Fire

 

Eden’s on her way back to Santa Monica for the summer, and she hasn’t seen Tyler since the devastating fallout of their forbidden relationship. Eden claims to have moved on—but Tyler wants to rekindle the flame.

 

He convinces Eden to visit his new home in Portland, Oregon, where he has set up a center for troubled teens. Eden’s proud of what he’s built, but the last time they were together, it nearly destroyed Eden and their family. Then a tragedy draws them together, and Eden must search her heart and decide if Tyler is worth the risk once and for all.

Enter to Win a Copy of DIMILY & an advance copy of DIMINY. This giveaway is active December 1st-December 31^st. Open to US & Canadian residents only:

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Depression Hurts

You're probably wondering why I'm talking about depression when this is a blog about books. I know, I find myself wondering why I've suddenly decided to do a post that paints me in a not so pretty light. One that shows me; flaws and all. I've made it no secret on The Lovely Books that reading is very emotional for me; and I've mentioned a time or two about my depression. I just never felt the need to openly talk about it without the cushion of book talk.  Life these past few years have been hard, to say the least. Lately though, all I feel like doing is sleeping. And reading. 

What's wrong with that, right? A lot. Do you want to know why? I have kids, three beautiful babies. They are the light in my world and I owe it to them to be better. My eyes were opened today in a way that hurt me deeply. See...I haven't been doing a good job of my duty as a mother. I'm there for my children physically but emotionally, I'm absent. It's not right and it's not fair to them. I don't want to be that kind of mom. I don't want them to grow up and be messed up in the head because they had a momma who couldn't fight to be better. I want to be better...God, that's all I want. 

I want to kick depressions ass but I just don't know how. I can remember back in high school the moment I started going downhill. I met this boy; and before you ask, yes it started with him. It might have even started before he even came into the picture. I used to be strong; I used to be smart; I used to be a girl that didn't put up with crap. At least not that much crap. I lost myself the moment I decided to have a boyfriend. He was...absolutely horrific - that's not an exaggeration. If you asked me back then what I felt for him, I would tell you I hated his guts yet I couldn't ever just fucking leave him. He was like a drug and I felt I needed to be near this boy at all times. 

It started out so well in the beginning. He was charming, sweet, and chased me because I didn't want anything to do with him at first. Things changed completely the moment I fell "in love" and gave myself in every way a girl can give herself to somebody. That's when I started noticing little things he would do... Such as slowly taking me away from my friends, getting possessive over me, saying things to belittle me... I thought it was all normal. That people that loved each other did those kind of things. The worse he treated me, the more I started to comply. My thoughts were on the lines of if I acted nicer, maybe he would too. You know the saying, "treat a girl like dirt and she sticks to you like mud." I hate that dumb saying, partly because it described me to a T.

I hated myself.  I hated how weak and dependent I became. I hated my life, I hated school, I hated softball, I even started hating my family and friends. Slowly, I started shrinking into myself until there was nothing left but despair and an absent heart. I started losing weight and lying, a lot. I lied about who I was hanging out with, I skipped school all the time. My teenage self didn't know it yet, but I was ruining my life more and more each and every day. Who was I? I'll tell you... I was a worthless, no good loser who was not a good person. I listen to that voice that tells me I can't; so I don't. 

It wasn't until one awful day that said boyfriend was supposed to bring me lunch and he was fifteen-twenty minutes late. I was beyond pissed. When he finally came, all he brought were crackers... So I told him that I would just see him later and that I needed to get to class. Only he wouldn't let me. I stepped out of the car and made my way back to the school before the bell rang when I heard a car door shut. Next thing I know, I feel myself being picked up and thrown into the car and having the door slam shut in my face. My heartbeat picked up and I can't tell you how scared I was in that moment. What was he going to do? Would he hit me? We didn't ever find out because then the security guard followed by a police officer start walking towards us; it was terrifying. I wasn't one to get in trouble, ever. Unless it involved him that is. 

Once I was out of the car the cop took me to the counselors office and rounded up an administrator. They had a long talk with me about domestic abuse...that they'd been seeing him bullying me in the lunch room and around the halls when no one was looking. Only there were people looking, I guess. 

I cried and cried because what else was I supposed to do? He was kicked off school property and never allowed back. Me? I was more broken than ever... I started thinking about all the times he would send me nasty emails that made me cry and made me feel like I was worthless. You get told that your worthless enough, you start believing it. He played on my emotions and seemed to get off on my vulnerable state. Emotional and verbal abuse is just as real as physical abuse. The only difference is that these types of scars never really go away. 

I'd like to say that everything ended with him but then I'd be lying. He was someone I couldn't get rid of no matter how bad he treated me. In the end, I not only lost all my dignity and self respect, but I lost all my friends. And in the process I lost any chance of ever becoming who, at the time, I thought I was meant to be. Instead, I was so alone, with no one to turn to. No one to help me with the pain I didn't quite understand at such a young age. 

I don't like who I was back then and  I still dream about him only not in the way one might think. I don't ever love or hate him in my dreams; what I feel is most is guilt. The person I was back then, I hate her. I hate her so much for being such a fucking weak girl. I hate her because she couldn't tell a stupid asshole loser to go fuck himself! Why?! Why did I let myself do the things I did? All because I thought it would make him love me more? Stupid, stupid girl. 

Eventually, I was able to move on but my depression never got better; it got worse. Which brings me to here and now. The pain I feel on a daily basis is not something I'd wish on anyone. It's the type of pain that's unexplainable and invisible to the naked eye. People judge those who have depression not realizing that it's a chemical imbalance. They think depression is about crying all the time and being blue. Honestly, it is that but not all the time. There are days when I'm happy; genuinely happy. Days when I'm angry; and of course those days where I don't even want to get out of bed. It's freaking exhausting. 

I still have no idea why I felt the need to write any of this. It's not even close to being my whole story. I guess I just had to get it all off my chest in hopes that this is the first step to getting better. I want to get better and be better. No, I need to be better. For myself and my kids. I don't want to be a failure anymore... Today just really sucked.