I'm thrilled to be participating in Romance Awareness Month, sponsored by Shadow Mountain Publishing and featuring their "Proper Romance" line of books! I will be giving away *FOUR* Proper Romance titles throughout the month of August, and sharing the giveaways happening on other blogs on my Facebook page. There will also be an exciting Facebook party this Friday, August 4th, where you can chat with the authors and win prizes! Have you read any of the Proper Romance books? Which one is your favorite? Which ones would you like to read?
Click the image below to go to the Facebook event page and RSVP!
I'm so excited to share an interview with Courtney Walsh, one of my favorite authors of
contemporary romance! I love the poignant vibe of her writing and the unforgettable characters and themes. First, check out her new book Just Look Up, then keep scrolling for some fun details about Courtney . . .
After tirelessly
climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane
Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about
her brother draws her back home--a quaint tourist town full of memories
she'd just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within
reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on
work--something her eclectic family doesn't understand.
Ryan
Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but
after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home.
Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the
struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once
loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren't ideal.
Their
reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can't find a
trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly
chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide
with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a
crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his
relationship with the surrogate family he's found in the Kelleys, Ryan
hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in
front of her all along--if only she'd just look up.
And now, here's Courtney!
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure!
I grew up in the same town as President Ronald Reagan. I have degrees in theatre and journalism. I think band geeks make the best husbands. I’m not much of a risk taker and while the idea of traveling appeals to me, I’m scared to fly over water. I LOVE Robert Downey Jr. (and have ever since I saw Chaplain when I was in high school.) I wear workout clothes a lot—even on the days I don’t work out. One of my big dreams is to see a whale in the wild. An even bigger dream? To photograph it! We spent 12 years in ministry prior to starting our own business—a performing arts studio and youth theatre (our dream job!) which we started in 2014. It’s technically my “day job” but we look at it more as a ministry. We have three kids (ages 16, 13 and 9).
What do you do besides writing?
Mainly, help run The Studio, our business. We’re always in the midst of shows, camps and private lessons/classes—often at the same time, so it’s a pretty big job. These two things + being a mom = a very FULL (but happy!) life! ☺
Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?
Oddly, no. I’m an extremely visual person, but I really don’t use images when creating my characters. I have such a clear picture of them in my head that no one is exactly right! This is why I was so happy that Tyndale chose not to show faces on the cover of this book. I do have LOTS of images of the setting though because creating the town, I was definitely inspired by many pictures!
What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book?
I listen to instrumental movie soundtracks when I write. I have a Pandora station with all of my favorites. Some of the best ones include the music from Harry Potter, The Pirates of the Caribbean, Sherlock Holmes, The Piano, The Bourne Identity— but I have many, many more that I love!
What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book?
It deals with the whole idea that we need to disconnect to reconnect. That we’re a device-addicted society and if we’d put down our phones every once in a while, we’d discover SO many things that we’re missing…but, honestly, at its core, to me, this story is about something more. It’s about the way we (especially as women) are constantly striving, trying to prove ourselves. It’s about how we don’t rest or stop or pause or take time for ourselves because we’re always taking care of everything and everyone else. It’s about the love of a God who offers grace so freely, never making us earn it or win him over, because that is a lesson I need to learn over and over and over…
What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?
I’m happy to say I have another book called Hometown Girl releasing in the fall, and next summer, a follow-up to Just Look Up called Just Let Go, which I’m working on as we speak. ☺ You can also probably look forward to more Facebook posts in which I lament the fact that chipmunks keep finding their way in my house and also the fact that technically I’m not supposed to drink coffee anymore. Sigh. How am I supposed to deal with either of these things?! ;)
Yay!!! I am so excited to hear about your new stories! Thank you Courtney! Good luck with the chipmunks and zero coffee . . .
Don't miss this great book trailer Courtney and her husband star in!
Would you give up everything for a life you hate with the person you love?
Paige
McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can’t even
commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on
arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a
concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for
six years. Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds
her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she
finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner
for one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with
her boss’s son.
Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and
is in demand all over the world. But his past failed romantic
relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's
determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is
some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one
who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every
button he has.
When Josh and Paige are thrown together to
organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way
to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the
safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something
that will require them to risk everything?
My Review
I LOVED the setting of this book in Sydney, Australia! It's always fun to "travel" when reading a great book. Paige is a contrast of professionally competent and emotional wreck. She's very impressive when she's in her element of organizing massive events, but it's her moments of vulnerability and pain that made me connect with her character. Her memories of her brother and the significance of his loss are unfolded slowly throughout the story and the poignancy of the healing moments drew me in. Paige's volatile interactions with Josh and her prejudice against megachurches created drama but things smoothed out over time, even as conflict builds in other aspects of the plot. The author's writing is fluid and I never got bored as the dynamics of the story and characters worked together. Josh and Paige spend much of the book fighting their attraction to each other, so it's no surprise that their romantic relationship is bumpy. I enjoyed their friendship and banter more than their romance to be honest ;) Overall, the powerful themes of grief, healing, and grace made this a book to remember.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Hazel Adams can’t help
but be intrigued when Wyatt Coltrane rides into the sleepy town of
Midway. Her childhood friend and one-time beau Nathan, however, keeps
getting in the way of any possible relationship, claiming that Coltrane
is bad news. Hazel is quite sure that Nathan’s simply jealous and
unwilling to see her with another man. When the truth about Coltrane
comes out, the revelation shocks both Hazel and Nathan—and will change
their lives forever, either pushing them apart, or bringing them
together once at for all. Hazel must figure out what her heart truly
wants and which is the man who can give those things to her.
My Review
A sweet story of unrequited love in a small town. Nathan can't get over his bad luck in the romance department, especially since his first love wants to remain friends. He's full of angst and jealousy, trying to protect Hazel from the slick new stranger in town. As much as Nathan ponders Hazel's great attributes... I thought she was an idiot. Seriously, no common sense! Her thoughts and choices were frustrating and while they created the conflict for the story to move forward, I found her hard to relate to. There is some action as tensions come to a head and the ending is very sweet.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
