If you had to
describe yourself, what three words would you use?
Ooh, good question! Probably hard-working (you can translate
that to obsessive, because it seems that way sometimes when it comes to my
to-do lists!), kind-hearted (right now I'm fostering a momma cat and her kitten
for a local animal shelter) and high-strung (it's a constant challenge for me
to remember to relax lol).
Who’s your favorite
author and/or what’s your favorite book?
Wow, it's tough to pick just one... Some of my favorite
authors right now are John Green and Sarah Dessen (they both write wonderful
Young Adult), Jodi Picoult because of the way she tackles sensitive topics (gay
marriage, teenage pregnancy, autism, genetic testing/harvesting...) with
beautiful prose, and classic favorites William Shakespeare and Jane Austen
(hey, I'm an English teacher by day).
In your upcoming
book, what was your favorite part to write and why?
My favorite part to write in The Promise of Paradise was the
scene where Eddie and Ash finally get together for the first time. This book is
a friends-to-lovers story, which means by the time these two realize they want
to jump each other, there's been a build-up of many chapters and slow romance
and steam that was just itching to get on the page!
If you had to do your
journey to getting published all over again, what would you do differently?
Honestly, I don't know that I would change anything about
the process of first getting published. I was very fortunate to be contracted
by Samhain Publishing in their early years, and I had a wonderful editor there
who helped me grow and taught me a lot about the process of getting published.
If I could have done anything differently, it would have been to move on more
quickly after that editor left Samhain. I was placed with someone else at the
company who I never really clicked with, and as a result I spent a few
frustrating years writing books that didn't match the company's changing
vision. I do wish I had realized that and moved on sooner. But...live and
learn!
Out of all the books
you’ve written, which one’s your favorite (the one you hold closest to your
heart)?
I have a fondness for this very book, The Promise of
Paradise, for two reasons: it was the first book I wrote (it was published in
2007 as a slightly different edition, with The Wild Rose Press), and I
love-love-love the hero, Eddie West. He's the perfect combination of sexy bad
boy and wounded sweetheart, and I've gotten more positive feedback from readers
about him than about any other hero I've written. We all need an Eddie in our
lives ;)
What’s your writing
routine like?
I tend to plot out my books pretty specifically (I'm
definitely a plotter rather than a pantser!), so I have an idea of where I'm
going and what scene needs to be written each time I sit down. I'm not a fast
writer, especially because I'm a full-time high school English teacher, which
makes it tough to find time to write during the school year. I do the bulk of
my drafting during the summer, and then try to revise during the year, mostly
on weekends. It takes me about a year to write a book. I usually write a first
draft in about 3-6 months and then spend the next 3-6 revising it!
As an author, what
makes a book great in your eyes?
Beautiful writing, believable characters, and a plot that
keeps me turning the pages. Easy to identify but a lot harder to accomplish!!
What’s next for you?
My next book, another contemporary romance titled Beacon of
Love, just released with Lyrical Press, and I'm so excited! Here's the blurb to
whet your appetite:
Welcome to Lindsey Point, Connecticut: suspicious of
outsiders, loyal to tradition, and absolutely devoted to its local legends.
Enter Sophie
Smithwaite, feisty travel show host, in town to film an episode about Lindsey
Point’s haunted lighthouse. But digging into the story of a tragic
murder-suicide and love gone wrong reveals startling connections to Sophie’s
own past. When a gorgeous local handyman fills in behind the camera, Sophie’s
life gets complicated by more than just her family history.
Part-time paramedic,
handyman, seasonal Santa-Lucas Oakes does it all–except get attached. He’s
still reeling from the death of his best friend ten years ago and the more
recent infidelity of his ex-fiancee. Yet despite Sophie’s big-city nosiness and
her insistence on chasing long-dead ghosts, he’s drawn to her.
But mixing with an
outsider means questioning people and traditions Lucas has always defended.
When a series of attacks seem to be connected to Sophie’s investigation, both
Sophie and Lucas must decide if they are willing to risk everything to uncover
the town’s secrets…and their own.
Thank you so much for having me here today!
My pleasure, Allie! Thanks for being here with me!
The Promise of Paradise
Blurb:
Harvard grad Ashton Kirk is headed for a promising law career when
scandal breaks apart her family. To escape, she changes her name and rents an
apartment in the small town of Paradise, New Hampshire, where no one knows who
she is.
Ash hopes for solitude, but all bets are off when Eddie West, the
town’s most eligible bachelor, moves in downstairs. The sexy auto mechanic
loves his women and his cars shiny, sleek, and fast, and when he meets his new
housemate, he wastes no time getting friendly. But Eddie is nursing his own
recent loss, and the last thing he wants to do is let someone new into his life
or his heart.
Can two people from different worlds find common ground and a place to
fall in love? Or will Ashton’s past and Eddie’s scars keep them apart just as
summer heat brings them together? Is it possible to find your soul mate in the
place you least expect?
Excerpt:
Near the curb, engine still running and rock music bellowing
from the speakers, idled a red pickup truck. White and yellow flames danced
along both sides. Bending over the tailgate was a broad, bare, definitely male
back. Yow. No wonder Jen looked like she was about to start drooling. Even one
floor up, Ash could trace the outline of nearly every muscle in his arms and
back. A bright red and yellow king cobra tattoo curled around his left triceps.
Wavy brown hair fell across the sides of his face. His jeans, faded in all the
right places, sat low on his hips. Ash squinted harder and ran one hand over
her hair.
Oh God. They still make men who look like that?
“Turn around, please,” Jen commanded under her breath. As if
he’d heard her, he straightened up, biceps flexing as he hauled two large boxes
from the back of the truck and turned up into the sidewalk. Her sidewalk. He
looked up, and Ash’s heart dove into her stomach. A neatly trimmed goatee
underscored a crooked nose. He flashed a smile and winked.
“Hey,” he called up. “You live here?”
Jen nodded and jabbed a thumb in Ash’s direction. “She
does.”
“I’m Eddie West. Movin’ in today.” It was hard to hear him
over the noise of the truck’s humming engine and the music. Ash watched his
mouth move instead.
“Need any help?” Jen asked.
Eddie shook his head. “Nah. I’ve just got a couple of boxes
to bring in. The rest is coming tomorrow. But thanks.” He continued up the
sidewalk.
Jen cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled down. “Come
up later, if you want.”
Ash elbowed her. “What are you doing?”
Eddie backpedaled and nodded, grinning wider. As he
disappeared from their view, the heavy front door creaked open and, after a few
seconds, thudded shut behind him.
Jen straightened up. “See? I told you he’d be good-looking.”
She rolled her eyes. “He’s beyond good-looking, Ash.” She fell back against the
railing, hands to heart in a dramatic pantomime. “He’s perfect.”
About the author:
Allie
Boniface is a small-town girl at heart who's traveled around the world and
still finds that the magic and the mystery of small towns make them the best
places to fall in love and find adventure. From the New England coast to Rocky
Mountain hotels to tiny European bars, she's found more character and plot
inspirations than she could ever count. Currently, she's lucky enough to live
in New York's beautiful Hudson Valley with her own "Hometown Hero," a
guy who can fix, build, drive, and grill anything and is the epitome of the
strong and silent type.
When she
isn't writing love stories, Allie is a full-time high school English teacher
who gets a kick out of helping her teenagers negotiate the ups and downs of
writing along with the ups and downs of life (because, really, she's still
trying to do the same thing!). And while she'll continue to travel far and
wide, Allie knows there's really nothing like coming back to the place where
the people who have known you forever welcome you home with open arms.
Where you can find her on the web:
Twitter:
AllieBoniface1
Allie will be awarding a $10 Amazon OR B&N Gift Card AND an e-copy of any of the author's backlist (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. The more you enter, the better your chances at winning, so be sure to follow the tour, which you can find here: http://goddessfishpromotions.
