Curling Up With A Good Book: Blog Tour, Interview, and Giveaway: Above Rubies (Jaclyn M. Hawkes)

Above Rubies

His chivalry was strangling her. He thought he was helping her—and in truth, he was. She was in desperate straits. But as honorable as he was, he was also breaking her heart. Her attraction was drowning him. When World Champion rodeo cowboy Rossen Rockland and his friends rescue a young runaway who has been abused by her foster father and take her home to his parents’ ranch, he expects her to turn out to be a pain in the neck. And sometimes she is. It doesn’t take him long to figure out that she has way more than her allotment of troubles—and far more than her share of gifts. Lovely, talented, and ravingly brilliant, Kit Star is too young, unbelievably humble, and oh, so loveable. Knowing that she needs his protection and time to grow into her potential, Rossen also figures out that what she really is, is a pain in the heart. Watch for more of the Rockland Ranch Series!

Praise for Above Rubies:

I absolutely could not put this book down. It had me laughing, crying, angry and pretty much every other emotion. I can not wait for the next one in the series to come out. Keep them coming!!! ~Addicted to Books This is the second book in the Rockland Ranch Romance Series. It can be read as a stand alone or copies of Peace River can be supplied if you would also like to review it.

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Peace River (Book 1)

The police didn't understand the danger, but she did. Her father had always been abusive, but now, with a ten million dollar Thoroughbred farm on the line, and a powerful bookie leaning on him, her father had become out of control. But how do you get away and take a world famous stallion with you? Carrie was getting desperate when a handsome and honorable but thoroughly cynical rodeo cowboy from Wyoming happened to show up with a horse trailer. He didn't ride a white horse, but he was definitely a knight in shining armor. He'll protect her from the mob, but can she survive falling in love with a bull rider?

Praise for Peace River

"Give me a clean romance, humor and a good looking cowboy and I'm a happy girl. LDS fiction isn't always my favorite but I really enjoyed the characters and adventure in this book." ~Carol - Goodreads "There was plenty of action, adventure and danger to keep me guessing just how everything was going to turn out. I didn't want to put it down until I finished! Jaclyn Hawkes is one of my favorite LDS romance authors. You really can't go wrong with any of her books that you pick up!" ~Cathy -Goodreads

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Author Jaclyn M. Hawkes

Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4 brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She got a bachelor’s degree, had a career and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the out of doors, the youth and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.

Website

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

This book is the second book I ever wrote. Peace River, the first book in this series, was the first. At the time I wrote Peace River, I really didn’t have any intention of becoming a writer, in fact I hated English all the way through college. Weird for a writer, I know. Don’t worry—now, most of the time, I love to write. Anyway, when I finished Peace, I hadn’t thought of doing another, but then one day, I had a bit of a mommy moment and put myself in time-out and started Above Rubies. That is the world’s most pathetic inspiration story, but it’s the truth. And from there, things obviously snowballed.

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

Hhmmm. My favorite character. I’d have to say Rossen. He’s such an incredible sweetie that you can’t help but love him!

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

Definitely the novel, which is very normal for me. The titles come as I write and then I usually have to still tweak it a couple of times if there are other books named something similar. This one actually was going to be “Far Above Rubies” but there were something like 6 other books titled that, so it ended up Above Rubies. If you’ve read it, you’ll know that that’s a take on the quote by David in Proverbs 31 about how good women are of infinite worth.

4. What scene in the book are you the most proud of, and why?

Wow, that’s a question. There are some killer scenes in there. I guess I’d have to say the scene where Nick and Bryan show up for Thanksgiving to find out what Wyoming has that California doesn’t. I think Rossen with the baby is so attractive without even knowing it in that scene. It’s fun, but has some depth and undercurrent to it.

And then you have to love Kit at the end, don’t you?

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Definitely that the industry has changed so dramatically lately that it’s insane to try to get published the “traditional” way. With the ebook revolution, and print on demand, and things like Amazon’s Whispernet, waiting years for an agent who is full of himself, and a publisher who is probably going through bankruptcy, so that they can pay you a 6th of what you’d make on your own in 60 days, is beyond crazy! Not to mention those people who seem to think a pile of rejection letters is some kind of initiation trophy. That’s called masochism. It’s dumb. Don’t do it!

I know that will offend some, and that there are those who believe you’re not really published if you do it yourself, but I’ve seen both sides. My first book was published by a traditional publisher, who also contracted to publish four more. Unfortunately, they did almost no marketing, or check writing, and then the whole company went down in a ball of fire. It wasn’t pretty. Or lucrative. Then another publisher picked me up for several books again, but was so unprofessional in how they were handling things, that I finally had had a bellyful and walked. I’ve never looked back and it’s been much, much more rewarding, especially financially! Sorry. I told you some wouldn’t like this answer.

6. What do you like most about the cover?

The cowgirl rocker chick! We tried to meld the strong woman of infinite worth with just a touch of wild and it must be working. It’s a best seller!

7. What new release book are you most looking forward to in 2013?

The next in the series, Once Enchanted, of course!

8. What was your favorite book in 2012?

I read a funny novel called The Time of Aspen Falls by Marcia Lynn McClure. I think it must have come out before 2012, but it was hilarious and I loved it!

9. What’s up next for you?

Writing wise, I’m finishing a book about a young women whose mother had an abortion when she was 6 and she’s still trying to survive the hurt. It’ll be a little sad and little funny, but good, I think. Publishing wise, the next book to launch is called Healing Creek about a lovely young marriage counselor who accidentally married a chronically unfaithful husband and the results. Marketing wise, I’m in the process of trying to get a big name endorsement for my medieval tale, Warrior’s Moon. Being a writer is a process. That’s for sure. But the momentum is so dang exhilarating!

Thanks for letting me be a part of your blog, Jaclyn