BLOG TOUR + Q&A+ GIVEAWAY: One Wish by Robyn Carr

Series: THUNDER POINT #7 

Author: Robyn Carr 

Publication: February 24, 2015 

By: Harlequin MIRA 

 ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-1772-2 

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Grace Dillon was a champion figure skater until she moved to Thunder Point to escape the ruthless world of fame and competition. And though she's proud of the quiet, self-sufficient life she's created running a successful flower shop, she knows something is missing. Her life could use a little excitement.

In a community where there are few eligible singles, high school teacher Troy Headly appoints himself Grace's fun coach. When he suggests a little companionship with no strings attached, Grace is eager to take him up on his offer, and the two enjoy…getting to know each other.

But things get complicated when Grace's past catches up with her, and she knows that's not what Troy signed up for. Faced with losing her, Troy realizes Grace is more than just a friend with benefits. He's determined to help her fight for the life she always wished for but never believed she could have—and maybe they can find real love along the way.

~ Author Q&A ~

Q: In ONE WISH, Grace moves to Thunder Point to escape the ruthless world of fame and competition. You live a pretty quiet, humble lifestyle but you are still a #1 New York Times bestseller! Have you ever been in Grace’s position and wish you could escape and start a whole new life? 

A. I love my life – it’s exactly the life I want.  That being said, I sometimes feel a bit over-exposed.  And I’m continually surprised that people would treat me differently now than they did 10 years ago.  I’m flabbergasted when I meet a reader and she cries because a book or books has meant so much to her.  A couple of readers brought husbands to a signing and they made a big deal worshiping me for bringing romance back into their lives – that was so much fun, I can’t tell you.  And there have been so many readers who have thanked me for getting them through personal loss or hard time – I am so grateful.  But run away?  Never.  I chose my life and I chose very well.  

I write about that a lot – you can live whatever life you choose.  Maybe you can’t decide how much money you’ll have or whether you’ll always be healthy, but you can choose where you live, what kind of friends you’ll have, how you’ll spend your time, what you dream of, how or if you worship, what your priorities will be – that’s how you live an authentic life.  My characters do that.  My readers like that. 

Q: We fell in love with Mikhail, Grace’s no-nonsense former figure skating coach. Do you think he’ll stay and find a life in Thunder Point? (Please say yes!)

A:  Oh, I don’t think Mikhail is going anywhere.  He seems to be settling in.  Grace and her mother are his only family now. 

Q: If you had ONE WISH what would it be?

A: What a loaded question!  If I had one wish for today it would be that I wish I wasn’t having this back spasm or whatever it is – but I’m not falling into that trap of having one wish.  I’ve heard all those genie jokes.  A million bucks turns into a million male elk roaming suburbia.  Remember, I am a disciple of It’s A Wonderful Life – the smallest act can produce an avalanche of goodness or riptide of despair.  I wish to do my best every day, remember right from wrong, love well and honestly and laugh repeatedly.  And live to be a healthy 126.  

But Grace Dillon is another story – that’s the heroine in One Wish.  She’s spent her whole life being part of a the isolating and high-pressure world of competitive figure skating.  She gave it everything she had, she did well and now, living a completely different kind of life, one of quiet, self-sufficiency she’s happy to finally be like everyone else.  But then she meets someone special, someone she never dared hoped to have in her life.  Now she has one secret wish.  And she’s doing all she can to make it come true. 

Q: A NEW HOPE has some elements of mystery in the plot. How often do you add suspense to your novels and do you do any research to prepare to write a murder?

A: I’m not a suspense or mystery writer, but sometimes it seems to be what the story calls for.  Sometimes I can’t even recall where the mystery came from.  I was researching young athletes and stumbles across the great number of them pestered or stalked or injured.  I recalled the attack on Nancy Kerrigan just as she was preparing to compete in the Olympic trials.  All that came together and I began thinking What If?  That’s the thing about these books – sometimes it’s a crime, a mystery, a deep emotional problem, a challenge…  See how fun my days are?  Never a dull moment. 

Q: What do you want new readers to know as they start A NEW HOPE?

A: Just when you think life is nothing but pain and agony, you could meet people who remind you that there is so much good and hope in the world.  Ginger, who you will first meet in One Wish, finds a whole new life in Thunder Point.  All she had to do was be open to it.  

 ~ About The Author ~ 

“I’m frequently asked what it is about my stories that make them so popular. I think it’s the sense of community and that combination of romance and women’s fiction,” says author Robyn Carr. “I’m naturally drawn to strong, capable female characters, and when I begin a story I ask myself, ‘What is she up against?’ It’s very empowering to read about women like ourselves as the characters resolve the issues that threaten their happiness and peace of mind. It’s also empowering to watch smart women choosing and falling in love with men of honor and integrity.”The author of more than 40 novels,

Robyn reaches a wide audience with her writing. In addition to her touching novels, she’s written historical romance, series romance and a gripping thriller. “This is the best job I’m ever going to get wearing pajamas,” she says of her writing career.

Originally from Minnesota, Robyn and her family have seen much of the country thanks to her husband, Jim, and his career in aviation. After the two high school sweethearts married, Jim joined the air force. They’ve lived in Texas—all four corners—Alabama, Florida, California. The couple moved to Henderson, Nevada, so Jim could explore a new business opportunity. “At first, being a Midwest girl at heart, I said, ‘Oh, no, not another desert!’ It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the beauty of Nevada—and the unrivaled spectacle of Las Vegas!”

Robyn well remembers how she began her career as an author over 25 years ago. “I was trained as a nurse, but found it impossible to get work because my husband was constantly being transferred. At the time, I was reading a lot of genre fiction for the sheer entertainment value and I thought to myself, ‘I can write this!’”

And how was her first foray into the world of literature received? “It was universally panned. I thought I had written Gone with the Wind, but in actuality it was complete trash.” In fact, it was on her third try that Robyn finally succeeded in becoming a published author.

Now that Robyn’s two children are grown—and finally out of the house—she has the luxury of a little free time. “Until my kids grew up, I didn’t realize that a person could have hobbies other than laundry,” she jokes. But it turns out not to be hobbies that keep Robyn busy when she isn’t writing—she has found her niche in community service.

She has mentored a seniors’ memoir-writing group, attends book-club chats in and out of state whenever possible and is working with her local library on the Carr Chat Series, a program centered on fund-raising and visiting-author events that bring writers, their books and the community together. “It is the people in my life that fill the well,” she says. “Especially the people who share my love for books and writing.”

 

  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

~ GIVEAWAY ~

One copy of ONE WISH (THUNDER POINT #7) by Robyn Carr

U.S. Only