The Wedding Dress

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Author: Rachel Hauck
ISBN: 978-1595549631
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: Litfuse Blog Tour
Rating: Must Read

About the Book:

One dress. Four women. An amazing destiny.

Charlotte Malone is getting married. Yet all is not settled in the heart of Birmingham's chic bridal boutique owner. Charlotte can dress any bride to perfection-except herself. When she discovers a vintage mint-condition wedding gown in a battered old trunk, Charlotte embarks on a passionate journey to discover the women who wore the gown before her.

Emily in 1912. Mary in 1939. And Hillary in 1968. Each woman teaches Charlotte something about love in her own unique way. Woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte's heritage, the power of faith, and the beauty of finding true love.

My Thoughts:

The Wedding Dress was an engrossing read.  I felt I couldn’t read it fast enough.  Truly enjoyable, the novel is more than a romance.  Deep within the pages lie mysteries that will keep your nose in the book as you eagerly turn the pages to discover the truth.  This novel is full of well-developed characters, an interesting plot, well-chosen settings and one common factor that every girl can relate too, the perfect dress.  It is one of those books you have to force yourself to put down. 

Intercalary weaved; the author does a wonderful job of portraying each woman’s story individually yet woven together, attached by their common bond (the dress).  It will leave you with a smile and touch your heart ever so gently yet dramatically.  I don’t think you should miss out on this one!

About the Author:

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner Sweet Caroline, and RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels. She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets.

Rachel earned a degree in Journalism form Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor. Visit her web site atwww.rachelhauck.com to reader her blog, and to follow her on Facebook andTwitter.

Rachel is hosting a $200 Visa Cash Card Giveaway and throwing a fun "True Beauty" Author Chat Facebook party on 4/19. Please help us spread the word about both! A few ways to do that are:

"True Beauty" Facebook Party & $200 Visa Cash Card Giveaway!

One "beautiful" winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
• The Wedding Dress (by Rachel Hauck)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 4/18/12. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "True Beauty" Facebook Party on  4/19. Rachel will be hosting an evening of beauty (inner/outer) chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement - bring your friends! She'll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Rachel via Skype.)
So grab a few of your friends and your copy of The Wedding Dress and join Rachel on the evening of April 19th for an evening of fun.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19!

 Blog Tour Schedule

Shopaholic's Corner

My New Shoes!

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Elephant Visits the Beach... Beacuse it's just too cute to not share!

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Someone had a TON of fun at the beach today...

Source: stuffistolefromtheinternet.com via Earmark Social on Pinterest

Outside the Lines

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Amy Hatvany
ISBN: 978-1-4516-4054-0
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Publisher for Review
Rating: Highly Recommended

Synopsis:
When Eden was ten years old she found her father, David, bleeding out on the bathroom floor. The suicide attempt led to her parents’ divorce, and David all but vanished from Eden’s life. Since childhood, she has heard from him only rarely, just enough to know he’s been living on the streets and struggling with mental illness. But lately, there has been no word at all.

Now in her thirties, Eden decides to go look for her father, so she can forgive him at last, and finally move forward. When her search uncovers other painful truths—not only the secrets her mother has kept from her, but also the agonizing question of whether David, after all these years, even wants to be found—Eden is forced to decide just how far she’ll go in the name of love.

My Thoughts:

Wow!  What an intensely emotional novel.  Amy Hatvany has a unique talent for creating stories based on real emotional topics that plague thousands of people across the globe.  In Outside the Lines, Hatvany sheds light on the reality of mental illness, a topic many judge when they cannot conceivably understand.  Mental illness is a disease that many struggle with on different levels, yet no one talks about it because others have preconceived notions and judgment about a topic they can’t understand until it plagues them.

When Eden decides to find her mentally ill father in effort to move on with her life, she doesn’t expect the level of emotional toll her journey will bring.  The title of this book is perfect for the storyline. Outside the lines is a poignant and heartbreaking novel that explores the affects and difficulties that come with having a loved one with a mental illness.  It is both heartbreaking and inspiring.  It captured my attention from the start.  The topic of suicide is difficult for me and I usually avoid reading about it or watching movies that contain an attempt or the final act.  While this book has an attempt in the story, it was very minor, and really didn’t take up more than a memory essential to Eden’s story.

The story is told from each characters perspective, switching voices, time frames and viewpoints and giving the reader an in depth and well-rounded look at all sides of this story both emotionally and mentally. I loved the characters in this novel. Eden is remarkable. As I watched her life unfold, secret by secret, I couldn’t help but feel for her. Everything she thought she knew changed. Eden is left with doubt about trust and faith in relationships. I loved how the author brought a character that needs healing from her past in order to have a bright future. Eden’s life isn’t complete without the truth. The truth sets us free, even if it’s difficult to hear or understand. Knowing who you are makes you stronger and for Eden this is proven in the story.

Full of relationships, guilt, love, pain, confusion, secrets and all of the emotions that make us human, Amy Hatvany builds a novel of psychological moments that prove the amazing inner workings of our minds as well as the power of our hearts.

Authors in Bloom, An All Author Blog Hop! Enter to Win a Nook or Kindle!

Welcome to the prize landing page for Authors in Bloom! Here you have the opportunity to win "Jennifer's Garden" by Dianne Venetta. To enter the contest use the rafflecopter form below. To enter the GRAND PRIZE contest, collect all of the phrases from the particpating author in this hop, return to this site and use the Google form below to enter.

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April 9th –April 18th

10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and more!

Plus GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!

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Gardening Tip #1:  Don't forget to water your plants!

Tip #2: Once your done for the day curl up and relax with sweet tea, lemonade or a margarita and a good book!  After all, you just spent the day working hard!  You deserve it.

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Line 20: He leans over and plucks you by the stem Line 31: You're taken, Chosen. Line 32: You glance around and wonder, Line 53:She's blossoming toward her teenage years, Line 55: Is she feeling the pinch of the crowd. Line 63: Ultimately, our physical parts all perform the same tasks. Line 84: Celebrate your unique beauty and value Line 85: Ulitmately, happiness stems from acceptance and love.

Line 22: You’ve been chosen as the most beautiful bloom
Line 23: a stand out among the crowd.

Enter to win Jennifer's Garden by Dianne Venetta

Synopsis:  JENNIFER’S GARDEN epitomizes the showdown between a career woman’s criteria for the perfect husband and what true love means.  In a race against time, cardiologist Jennifer Hamilton is caught between her mother’s dying wish and taking the risk of a lifetime with Jackson Montgomery. He’s the man hired to complete the landscaping for her new home; the venue for her upcoming wedding. Jackson’s everything she never wanted in a man, but as the job progresses, his lure pulls strong. It’s an attraction she cannot deny. And one that puts her career on the line.

Barnes & Nobles     Amazon     Smashwords     Dianne's Website     All Romance ebooks

Enter to win Jennifer's Garden using the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Grand Prize Listings

Grand Prize:  1 winner

E-reader of choice (Nook or Kindle) with a $25 gift card to get your library started!

Runner Up Prizes: Multiple Winners

Prizes donated by the authors listed!
Visit their website by clicking on their name and say thank you!

Prize List

Sunlight Calculator for your garden use and canvas tote bag by Beverly Nault

Signed copy of Jennifer's Garden -- by Dianne Venetta

Doing Italians…oops…Italy – by Debra and Stephanie aka Deena and Shelby

Ebook – Releasing Gillian’s Wolves in PDF -- by Tara Reed

The Boyfriend of the Month Club -- by Maria Geraci

Ebook copy of Welcome to Redemption Series Collection Books 1-6 -- by Stacey Joy Netzel and Donna Marie Rogers

Poopendous by Artie Bennett (children's lit)

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas -- donated by A Cozy Reader's Corner

All the Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen -- donated by A Cozy Reader's Corner

Little Black Dress -- by Susan McBride

$10 Amazon e-gift card -- by Dee Detarsio

Signed copy of Walking with Justice (US)


Signed copy of The 12 Factors of Business Success (US)


The Scoop - Fern Michaels (Thanks to Kensington Publishing)


Living Single by Holly Chamberlin (Thanks to Kensington Publishing)


Gift Basket full of Goodies, including a signed copy of Coming up for Air -- Patti Callahan Henry

To enter this giveaway you need to collect all the phrases of the traveling story by visiting each author on the linky list below.  Each page has a phrase.  I recommend copying and pasting all the phrases into a seperate document and then copy and paste the full list into the form below.  They do not have to be in order, but if you do put them in order you will get to read a wonderful short, written by Dianne Venetta.  Happy Collecting!  Don't forget to enter all the giveaways on each authors site while collecting the phrases!  Each author is posting a tip or recipie for your enjoyment as well!

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Questions?  email acozyreaderscorner AT gmail DOT com

Ready to enter?  Use the form below!  Good luck!

Winners will be announced by April 20th on this page.

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Great Spring and Easter Ideas

Source: howdoesshe.com via Adena on Pinterest

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These Girls - Review & Interview

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Author: Sarah Pekkanen
ISBN:
Publisher:
Source: Book Sparks
Rating: Highly Recommended

About the Book:

In her third novel, internationally bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen examines the lives of three women working and living together in New York City and shows that family secrets may shape us all, but it’s the rich, complicated layers of friendship that can save us.

Cate, Renee, and Abby have come to New York for very different reasons, and in a bustling city of millions, they are linked together through circumstance and chance.

Cate has just been named the features editor of Gloss, a high-end lifestyle magazine. It’s a professional coup, but her new job comes with more complications than Cate ever anticipated.

Cate’s roommate Renee will do anything to nab the plum job of beauty editor at Gloss. But snide comments about Renee’s weight send her into an emotional tailspin. Soon she is taking black market diet pills—despite the racing heartbeat and trembling hands that signal she's heading for real danger.

Then there’s Abby, whom they take in as a third roommate. Once a joyful graduate student working as a nanny part time, she abruptly fled a seemingly happy life in the D.C. suburbs. No one knows what shattered Abby—or why she left everything she once loved behind.

Pekkanen’s most compelling, true-to-life novel yet tells the story of three very different women as they navigate the complications of careers and love—and find the lifeline they need in each other.

Mini Review:

It is no secret that I fell in love with Sarah's writing from the moment I picked up The Opposite of Me.  I have not missed a book since her debut and don't plan to miss one ever!  One of the things that amazes me about Sarah is her ability to write new and intriguing novels that are all so different from each other.  The Opposite of Me, Skipping A Beat and These Girls are all wonderfully written yet so unique and different from each other.  They all explore a facet of life that most women can relate too, yet do do individually making each book different and exciting.  It's almost as if you can't expect anything from Sarah aside from a great story!

These Girls was a wonderful story about three women brought together by circumstance and fate.  Their lives are full of secrets that they keep from one another, yet those secrets are what will bond them in the end.  It reminded me that many of us have hidden emotions or events we don't want to remember though they have shaped who we are today and as the girls discover, they are situations others can understand and emphasise with because we have been through a similar hurt or pain that brings about the same emotions and self doubt.  I loved how Sarah used the three women's stories to bring them together and show the importance of female friendship and companionship.  We all need that friend to have coffee with, cry with, laugh with and ultimately feel comfortable with at any moment in time, knowing they are there for us without judgement and scorn.

While this story has a New York based setting and involves women in the city, it's much different than other "girls in New York" stories I have read.  The setting spans outside of the Big Apple and includes so much more than women trying to survive in the city.  These Girls actually discusses some sensitive and important topics that plague women and girls today.  I was impressed with the storyline.  The characters are, as usual, well developed and likable.  I was not let down.  While These Girls is not my favorite novel written by Sarah to-date, it is an excellent and exciting read.  I highly recommended it and look forward to her next novel!!

Enjoy the interview with Sarah below!!  I had a lot of fun coming up with questions to ask about her newest release!  In all honesty, it wasn't hard to do, I loved the book.

Interview with Sarah Pekkanen:

These Girls takes a different approach to women connected and living in NYC. There are some deep seeded issues in this novel. What was your motivation or inspiration for writing it?

I wanted to write a novel celebrating the rich, nurturing bonds of women's friendships for a few reasons: First, it seemed like the natural progression in my books, since all of my novels focus on the important relationships in a woman's life. My first book, The Opposite of Me, was about sisterhood. My second, Skipping A Beat, was about marriage. These Girls, my third novel, is about female friendships - and because friends so important to me personally, I was eager to plunge into the creation of three very different women who became roommates in New York City and formed an incredible friendship. My novel is told from alternating points of view of my main characters - Cate, Renee, and Abby - and each of these women is carrying a painful secret. They end up finding the emotional lifelines they need in each other.

Which character do you connect with most? Why?

There are bits and pieces of me in all three characters! When my editor asked me which was my favorite character, I told her it was whichever one I was writing at the time. I think I'd most like to go out and have a glass of wine with Renee, who's so funny and warm, but I'd like to hang out with all three women.

Have any of these characters been "real" in your life?

Ooh, good question! I don't base characters on people I know - even though I can't tell you how many times people have suspected that they're the inspiration for a character! - but everything I write is inspired by reality. All of my observations and thoughts and ideas are filtered through a kaleidoscope, then sprinkled onto the page. I did do some interesting research for These Girls, which is set in the world of glossy magazines, when I went to New York and had a staff writer for a big magazine sneak me into headquarters very early one morning. I got a great behind-the-scenes tour and some juicy gossip - and you can bet a bit of that made it into These Girls!

How does it feel to have your third book published? What's different now versus your life when you released your first, The Opposite of Me?

It feels amazing. This is the first time I've had the sense that I might actually get to keep doing this for a living! With my first two novels, I was so nervous, and felt as if I'd stumbled into a dream that could end at any moment. But I recently signed a new 3-book deal with my editor and publisher, and now I'll have new books out every Spring through 2015. I'm ridiculously excited - this is what I've wanted to do ever since I was a kid, and to be able to do it for a living? I'm grateful every single day.

Thanks so much for having me here today, and if any readers want to connect on Facebook or Twitter, please come find me there so we can keep chatting!

Highly Recommended

Adventures in Digital Scrapbooking

What do you think?

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The Hunger Games and Green Reading

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The Hunger Games and Green Reading 
--posted with permission from Eco-Libris
     
"The Hunger Games" had a record box office opening, taking in $155 million in U.S. ticket sales over the last weekend and setting up what promises to be one of the biggest film franchises of this decade. The movie is based on the book The Hunger Games, the first novel in the Hunger Games trilogy written by Susan Collins. The success of the movie helps boost the sales of the trilogy and Scholastic, the publisher of the Hunger Games Trilogy announced yesterday that there were 36.5 million copies of the bestselling trilogy in print, a 55 percent jump from the 23.5 million copies in print at the start of 2012.     

Why I'm telling you all of this? Because I believe The Hunger Games phenomenon provides some important and valuable lessons for everyone who is interested in making books greener.

Let's start with a fact: According to Lisa Serra, Director of Paper Procurement at Scholastic, the hardcover copies of the three books in the series (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay)are printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody-certified text stock containing 20 percent post-consumer fiber (source: Joshua Martin, Environmental Paper Network Director).    

Now, let's move on to three assumptions:    
1. If you are interested in reading one of the Hunger Games, most chances are that you don't find it too important what paper it is printed on - you won't look for another book if you will find out the trilogy is printed on 100 percent virgin paper, just like you won't buy it only because it's printed on 20 percent FSC-certified paper or even if it's 100 percent recycled paper. In other words: The sustainability level of the paper will not be a factor in your decision. Most chances are that you probably won't even think about it.     

2. Those readers who will be concerned with the issue of the paper might consider reading the Hunger Games electronic version - the e-book costs just like the paperback ($5) and no paper is used at all. Couldn't it get any greener than that?    

3. Scholastic probably knows that the fact it is using 20 percent FSC-certified paper doesn't really make a difference for the majority of readers. Most of them probably are not even aware to the fact that Scholastic is making this effort, or to the fact that after making significant progress toward its original targets for 2012, Scholastic decided to increase its 2012 goal from 30% FSC-certified paper to 35%.       

As we already know a book is a unique product - it's not like toothpaste or a cleaning product where customers can switch to a competing product that is more sustainable and provide them a better value. If they want a certain book, they will just get it and there's no better example right now than the Hunger Games. Just think about yourself - would you avoid purchasing the Hunger Games just because it's printed on 80 percent virgin paper? Probably not. 

You might be considering reading it on an e-reader or even going to the library to get a copy or e-copy of the book, but you certainly won't give it up for 'green' reasons per se.   
So what lessons can we learn from the example of the Hunger Games and what actions can we take to apply them?
   
1. Readers will not be the drivers of change when it comes to printing books on a more sustainable paper (i.e. FSC-certified or recycled paper). Nevertheless, it is important to keep educating them about the impacts of paper, so even if it won't be a substantial factor in their decision making, they will still be aware of it.  
  
2. Readers are moving to e-reading and many of them believe it is also a greener alternative since no paper is involved. It is important to make sure readers will know it's not always the case and be aware that e-reading also has its own footprint. It's also important to encourage readers to demand companies like Amazon to disclose the environmental impacts of the e-readers they sell.   

3. Although readers might not be a major driver for change, publishers should make efforts to inform them on their efforts to green up their operations, especially when there is what to report on. Scholastic, for example, should try to make sure every reader of the Hunger Games in its paper version would know that the book is printed using 20 percent FSC-certified paper.    

4. Publishers should think of their efforts to make their books more sustainable in terms of stakeholder engagement. Right now it looks like their best shot to generate both tangible and intangible rewards out of these efforts. Just think about the RAN campaign against publishers printing on linked to Indonesian rainforest destruction (Scholastic by the way was among RAN's recommended publishers) or the trouble Gibson Guitars got into when they were accused in violating the Lacey Act, and you can see how stakeholder engagement provide a great monetary incentive to shift to FSC-certified any recycled paper.    

5. We still don't have the best answers to the question how to make reading more sustainable - technology provides hope and stakeholder engagement provide incentives, but it's still not enough to drive a change fast enough. Trees are still been cut in an unsustainable way and we know it can be avoided. We just need to keep figuring out how. Any ideas?  
  
Let Eco-Libris know you read this!  Comment on this post or comment on their blog, or Facebook page.

Sonoma Rose

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Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
ISBN: 978-0525952640
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Source: TLC Book Tours
Rating: Recommended

About the Book:

As the nation grapples with the strictures of Prohibition, Rosa Barclay lives on a Southern California rye farm with her volatile husband, John, who has lately found another source of income far outside the federal purview.

Mother to eight children, Rosa mourns the loss of four who succumbed to the mysterious wasting disease that is now afflicting young Ana and Miguel. Two daughters born of another father are in perfect health. When an act of violence shatters Rosa’s resolve to maintain her increasingly dangerous existence, she flees with the children and her precious heirloom quilts to the mesa where she last saw her beloved mother alive.

As a flash flood traps them in a treacherous canyon, only one man is brave—or foolhardy—enough to come to their rescue: Lars Jorgenson, Rosa’s first love and the father of her healthy daughters. Together they escape to Berkeley, where a leading specialist offers their only hope of saving Ana and Miguel. Here in northern California, they create new identities to protect themselves from Rosa’s vengeful husband, the police who seek her for questioning, and the gangsters Lars reported to Prohibition agents—officers representing a department often as corrupt as the Mob itself. Ever mindful that his youthful alcoholism provoked Rosa to spurn him, Lars nevertheless supports Rosa’s daring plan to stake their futures on a struggling Sonoma Valley vineyard—despite the recent hardships of local winemakers whose honest labors at viticulture have, through no fault of their own, become illegal.

My Thoughts:

Setting aside the obviously beautiful cover, which makes me want to travel to wine country, this book had a lot going on for one woman’s life.  Rosa is in a marriage that is unstable and unsafe.  Her husband is erratic and unpredictable.  A victim of domestic violence, Rosa is forced to flee her home with her four children, two which are healthy and two who are sick with a degenerative  or wasting disease that has already claimed the life her 4 other children.  When Rosa is rescued from a dangerous flash flood by her first love and father of her two healthy children, she finds herself starting over in wine valley.  Unfortunately this time period is during the prohibition which causes a whole new host of issues for Rosa and her family. 

There were interesting parts of this book that captured me.  I have a low interest in wine and therefore didn’t know much about the prohibition era or hardships wine makers went through. The history in this book was interesting and for the most part, held my attention.  I found it hard to write a synopsis due to the large amount of information I was processing with this book.  I also didn’t connect with any of the characters or their situations aside from Rosa’s resolve to protect and heal her children.

Sonoma Rose addresses some pretty difficult issues, which the author does well.  Through the domestic violence loss of children, degenerative disease, fear and hardships of the era, the author portrays a strong character who gives life her all, even when it fights back.

While I enjoyed parts of this book, I also felt lost and over stimulated at times.  My head didn’t stay in it.  I think many people will enjoy this book, but it’s definitely not for everyone.  If I have peaked your interest, have at it.  I do recommend it to those who may enjoy this type of read.

You’ll like it if:

·         You like wine

·         You like history/era’s

·         You like challenging topics

·         You like novels with lots of drama

·         You want to read something different and unique

You might not like it if:

·         Domestic violence is a sensitive subject for you.

·         You’re not a fan of drama

·         You don’t have an interest in wine

·         You don’t enjoy fiction or history

About the Author:

JENNIFER CHIAVERINI is the author of the New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilt series, as well as five collections of quilt projects inspired by the novels. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and sons in Madison, Wisconsin.
Connect with Jennifer at her website, Elm Creek Quilts Online.

Recommended with Caveats

K5 Learning Program Blogger Opportunity

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students. I've been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program. If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their open invitation to write an online learning review of their program.

Barefoot Season & An Interview With Susan Mallery!

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Susan Mallery Q and A about BAREFOOT SEASON

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New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Susan is honored by enthusiastic readers who say that her books make them laugh, make them cry, and make the world a happier place to live. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather.

Susan’s latest book is BAREFOOT SEASON, the heart-wrenching story of two wounded women who heal their friendship – and find love with two fabulous men – over one long, lovely summer on Blackberry Island, Washington. BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of Susan’s new Blackberry Island series of women’s fiction novels.

Susan, what made BAREFOOT SEASON a story you had to tell?

I find female friendship endlessly fascinating. I feel very blessed to have several strong, supportive friendships that have endured for years. We celebrate each other’s successes, grieve for each other’s losses, nurture and praise and lecture – whatever is called for at that moment. I know how strong friendship between women can be.

But friendship can also be fragile.

One day, I asked myself, What if you and your best friend fell in love with the same man… and then he chose her? Could you be truly happy for her when your heart is breaking? What would you do if he then came to you – this man you both love – and told you that he made a mistake, that he should have chosen you? Could you turn him away? From this spark came BAREFOOT SEASON.

As children, Michelle and Carly were as close as sisters, running free on Blackberry Island. Now, ten years after their friendship was destroyed by love, they’re forced together again by circumstances to save the Blackberry Island Inn. Along the way, they’ll each find love with two great men and the sense of family they’d been missing for so many years. I do love a happy ending!

BAREFOOT SEASON is the first book of your new Blackberry Island series. What can you tell us about Blackberry Island, both the books and the place?

On Blackberry Island, life is sweet and the happy ending is guaranteed! I’m a firm believer that life is better with romance, so you can rest assured that the women on Blackberry Island will find love with men who will make your toes curl. The Blackberry Island books will also allow me to explore other relationships. We women often define ourselves by the relationships in our lives. Not just by our romantic relationships, but by our friendships, our relationships with our mothers, our children, our bosses, our neighbors… For us, it’s not so much “what do you do?” as “whom do you love and who loves you back?” that determines how we feel about ourselves. It’s nice to stretch my wings a little to write about some of these other defining relationships, as well.

Blackberry Island is a quaint island off the coast of Seattle, a popular weekend escape for Seattlites who want to get out of the city. You can get to the island either across Getaway Bridge or by ferry. Locals are friendly hosts, happy to direct you to one of several wineries on the island, the daisy fields that have made it the Daisy Capital of the West Coast, and the Puget Sound Crane habitats. You can learn more about Blackberry Island at www.blackberryisland.com. And yes, it’s fictional, but it’s real in my heart, as I hope it will become real in yours!

BAREFOOT SEASON is more of a women’s fiction, then, rather than a straight romance. Are you moving away from writing romance?

Absolutely not! I love romance. There is still nothing more exciting to me than watching two people fall in love. I adore the first kiss, my heart always sinks when things are at their darkest and it looks hopeless, and I am as thrilled as ever when love triumphs in the end. My next romance will be SUMMER DAYS, book 7 of the Fool’s Gold series, which will land in stores on May 29. Well, that’s the next full-length romance. On May 1, I’ll release ALMOST SUMMER, a Fool’s Gold ebook novella. Then there will be two more Fool’s Gold romances in July and August, plus a Christmas gift-sized hardcover in October called A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS. If you’ll sign up for my mailing list at www.susanmallery.com/members/, I’ll send you an email on release day.

Do you think book clubs will enjoy BAREFOOT SEASON? Why or why not?

I do! I belong to a book club, and the books we most enjoy discussing are the books that feel like a slice of life. In BAREFOOT SEASON, the two women at the center of the story are both decent people who have legitimate reasons for feeling the way they do, which means that book club members can legitimately fall on either side of the issue that’s causing the conflict in the book.

I’m always very proud when readers and reviewers say that they really identified with the characters in my books. Those characters feel as real to me as people in real life – a fact which is endlessly confusing for my poor husband, who has to ask for clarification when I tell him about something that someone did that day. “Is she a real person?” he’s forced to ask.

I think readers will really connect with the characters in BAREFOOT SEASON. Carly is a hard-working, loving single mom. She would do anything for her daughter, including put up with the woman who betrayed her. If the inn goes under, Carly doesn’t just lose her job – she loses her home, the only home her daughter has ever known.

Michelle is sarcastic and funny and kind of crabby. I do love a crabby woman! Michelle is prickly, but beneath that prickliness, she’s loyal and has a heart that won’t quit. Wait until you meet the dog she rescues – and who rescues her.

I’ve included a readers’ discussion guide in BAREFOOT SEASON to help get the conversation started. There are even a couple of recipes! I’d be happy to chat about the book live via phone or Skype with any book club that selects BAREFOOT SEASON. Just email my assistant at jenel (at) susanmallery (dot) com to set it up.

What kind of research did you do?

In BAREFOOT SEASON, Michelle is struggling with post-traumatic stress after being wounded in Afghanistan. Since I’ve never served in the military, I wanted to be sure I got those details right, to honor the women who serve our country. I did a lot of research online, then I spoke personally with Sergeant Betty Thurman. What struck me time and again was how proud our soldiers are of what they do. Rightfully so. These are strong, resilient women. Although they are barred from certain duties, they can and do serve in war zones. They can and do put their lives on the line, and they do it because they love our country.

After I finished the book, I asked a fan of mine who has been deployed twice to read it for a “gut check.” Did I get the emotions right, I wanted to know. She told me that she felt as if I was in her head. On top of being a soldier, she is a wife and mother to four children. She loved the book so much that she has preordered ten copies to send to her “battle buddies.”

What do you hope your readers take away from reading BAREFOOT SEASON?

Friends can become family. We’re not all lucky enough to be born with the family we deserve, but we can build a family by surrounding ourselves with loving, supportive friends.

How did you come up with the title BAREFOOT SEASON?

In the book, Michelle spots Carly’s young daughter in the back yard, barefoot and spinning in circles with her face raised toward the sun and her arms outstretched. It makes her long for the long summer days of her own childhood, when she and Carly ran barefoot around Blackberry Island. In her mind, being barefoot is closely connected with innocence, with the time in her life before she had been hurt, before she knew there was darkness in the world.

What’s next for you, after BAREFOOT SEASON?

This summer, I’m heading back to Fool’s Gold, California – the Land of Happy Endings – with four brand new full-length novels, plus an ebook novella. The titles and release dates are:
ALMOST SUMMER – May 1 (ebook novella)
SUMMER DAYS – May 29
SUMMER NIGHTS – June 26
ALL SUMMER LONG – July 31
A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS – September 25

I LOVE Susan Mallery!  In addition to being a wonderful and entertaining author, she is sweet, kind, funny and interactive with her readers!  If you haven't gotten to know her you are missing out.  Checkout her site www.susanmallery.com to learn more!