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Thursday 28 June 2012

Blog Tour for Second Chances by Rita Oberlies; Author Interview + eBook Giveaway (Int)

Second ChancesSecond Chances by Rita Oberlies
Release Date: May 15th, 2012
Publishers: Indulgence - Entangled
See Donna's Review: HERE
Follow Rita: Twitter / Website / Entangled / Goodreads

Will the past keep them apart…

High-powered attorney Luke Braden knows that perfection only comes once in a lifetime, and for him it came and went in the form of his college girlfriend, Brenna Morgan. Circumstances beyond his control separated them before, but now that she’s back in Boston, Luke won’t let her slip away again.

…or give them a second chance at love?

For Brenna Morgan, returning home is the very last thing she wants, especially when it means facing the man who once became her salvation—and then dumped her at the first sign of trouble. But Luke is determined to make up for his past mistakes, and Brenna finds herself weakening against him. A decade of deceit lies between them, and he’ll have to fight if he wants to keep his second chance at love.

1) What inspired you to write “Second Chances”?’
I have a mild obsession with second chance romances. They are sort of my ‘go to’ theme.  This story first popped into my head when I was reading my college alumnae magazine. I saw an update on a couple that I had known years ago. They had an on-again, off-again relationship back then but wound up getting married.

2) How long did it take to write?
The original story probably took about four months. I ended up scrapping the whole thing because I decided to go in a completely different direction with the core conflict. That was the first time I’ve ever done that with a book.  My next attempt took even longer – maybe six months before I felt it was ready for submission.

3) Who was your favourite character to write?
I think I enjoyed writing Luke most of all. In my mind he was a perfect mix of alpha and beta hero. Brenna was more difficult because she came from a dysfunctional family and while I wanted her to be a sympathetic character, I also wanted her to be strong and independent.

4) Are the characters based on anyone in real life?
No. I’ve never actually written a character based on a real person.  I think that might inhibit my ability to flesh them out in my head. To be honest I’m more apt to pick up a kernel of a storyline idea from a headline in the paper or a two second scene from a television show.

5) What’s your favourite quote from the book?
That is a wicked tough question. Reading my own work puts a knot in my stomach. Maybe this exchange because it shows Luke’s vulnerability:
“I’m not kicking you out,” she said, shrugging her arms into her discarded shirt.
“Sure you are.” He brushed his index finger across her lower lip to stop her from responding. “And if that hurts my feelings...well, that’s my problem.”
“I don’t regret having sex with you.”
He lowered his head, breaking eye contact with her. “Fair enough. And I don’t regret making love with you tonight.”

6) What are your thoughts on the book cover?
Book covers are tricky because it’s almost impossible for the artist to recreate what was in your head. I won’t lie – it’s easier to be disappointed than it is to be happy. Second Chances is the first cover I’ve had that I’ve genuinely loved without reservation. In my mind it fit the mood of the story and captured the image I had of both Brenna and Luke.

7) What are you working on now?
I am desperately trying to wrap up a sports themed story that I’ve been tweaking for the past month. As soon as I reached the final chapter I realized I wanted to rewrite an important secondary character. For better or worse it’s having a huge impact on the plot, which means some major revisions.

Fun questions:
Favourite Season?
Spring. I love the promise of summer even more than I like the actual season.
Favourite Ice-cream flavour?
Watermelon Sherbet
Favourite Movie?
Say Anything
Favourite Song?
“I’ll Stand By You” from the Pretenders
Favourite Outdoor Activity?
Visiting the zoo. I’ve had a membership for the past eight years because my husband and I take our boys there all the time.
Favourite Food?
Chicken Fajita Wraps from Applebees
Favourite Drink?
Diet Dr. Pepper

Thank you for joining us Rita and good luck with the book. 

Rita OberliesAbout the Author: Rita Oberlies grew up in the Boston area, the youngest in a family of six children.  At an early age she developed an addiction to books, baseball and the beaches of Cape Cod.
After graduating from Villanova University with a degree in English, Rita spent almost a decade pursuing a professional career in Employee Development.  With the arrival of two children, Rita began writing stories during those brief periods of time when her young sons were sleeping.
Today Rita resides in Western New York with her husband, their young boys, and a pair of adopted shelter dogs. Despite her best efforts, she remains addicted to books, baseball and the beaches of Cape Cod. Her novel, Second Chances, is her third published book.
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14 comments:

Fara Nani said...

I definitely believe in Second Chances! Haha. I agree with Rita. I love Spring too! :D

kimbacaffeinate said...

Thanks for sharing this. I love getting to hear about the writer's process and thoughts. 

Becky Johnson said...

Warter melon sherbet - how divine does that sound! Yum. I do believe in second chances. I think that far too many wonderful experiences could pass me by else unless I'm willing to forgive :)
Thanks for the giveaway!

Erin Taylor said...

I'd like to believe in Second Chances but my family have passed on the 'grudge' gene, I find it very hard to forgive people O_o

Melanie H said...

I will definately be reading this at some point - it sounds great!

Rita Oberlies said...

Thanks for stopping by and commenting today!  My writing process is all over the board compared to my critique partners. Some day I'll learn to be a plotter :-)

Rita Oberlies said...

Hi Fara!  I'm already missing spring. Today it's going to reach 90 degrees and stay that way through the weekend. Ugh!

Rita Oberlies said...

Hi Becky! Sad to say my local supermarket doesn't stock watermelon sherbet. Right now I have orange and lime sherbet in my freezer but they don't excite me quite as much ;-) Of course, this gives me an excuse to go to my local ice cream parlor at least once a week!

Rita Oberlies said...

I know exactly what you mean, Erin. In some situations it's really hard to forgive people.  I've gotten better at it over time because I find it reduces my stress level (oops, that's probably a selfish reason but it is true).

Rita Oberlies said...

Thank you Melanie! That's very sweet of you to say.

Mariann Mclaughlin said...

Great interview!! Thanks for sharing this new author and book with me. It sounds so good and I am definitely looking forward to reading.  Thanks for the chance to win. I absolutely believe in second chances--my hubby and me had our share before we finally got married--we were high school sweethearts so we have a lot of history together. We've been married for 13 years. Have a great day and thanks again!! :)

Samantha Geesin said...

I do agree with second chances, but only when they are deserved! :)
Thanks for the giveaway!

Kelly Fox said...

Most definitely! Without it where would our world be?

I am the Mockingjay~ said...

It depends on the past! If the person has done something unforgivable, then I don't think I will get him/her a second chance. Otherwise I believe in second chances :)

Sara @ Sara In Bookland

 
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