Today I'm turning my blog over to Cari Quinn, who I interviewed about her latest novel "No Flowers Required," which is the 2nd book in her Love Required Series!!ALSO -- Be sure to check out Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to be able to sign up for this blog stop's GIVEAWAY!! [Blog Tour will run from August 24 - 29, 2012]
My Q&A with Cari Quinn :
Jess : Everyone please help me welcome Cari!!
Cari : Thanks so much for having me here today! :)
Jess : Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Cari : Sure! I’m a full time writer with an addiction to pumpkin spice lattes, watching men’s college basketball, and I absolutely love anything Halloween-related. I’m heading to Salem, Mass this weekend with my bestie, so that kind of proves my love of things that go bump in the night!
Jess : Who or what was your inspiration to begin writing?
Cari : I’m not really sure. I just always loved disappearing into books, first others then eventually my own. I was in fourth grade when I started trying to write a book with a friend. It took me until I was 31 to finish a book, but I finally got there!
Jess : Please describe your hero, from "No Flowers Required," in one to two sentences.Cari : Dillon’s a fiercely devoted, loyal, hardworking guy who sometimes does the wrong things for the right reasons. Oh, and he’s good with his hands. ;)
Jess : Which of your characters would you most & least like to invite to dinner, from which book and why?
Cari : Oooh, great question! I’d most love to invite Cory from the upcoming "No Romance Required" to dinner (you meet him in "No Flowers Required") because there’s so much more to him than meets the eye and
least like to invite Ty from "Ex Appeal" because he’s such a clueless male about being honest about his feelings with his woman!Jess : Is there one particular scene in "No Flowers Required" that you’re dying for readers to read? Can you tell us anything about it?
Cari : Hmm, tough one! I’d have to say the rooftop in the rain scene. Think rooftop garden, driving rain, and a one-hour-stand that becomes so much more...
Jess : Which usually comes first for you, the character(s) story or the idea for the novel?
Cari : Usually the premise comes for me before the characters. Though usually the characters end up twisting my original premise all around until I don’t even recognize it anymore!
Jess : If "No Flowers Required" were to be made into a film, who do you see playing the main characters and why?
Cari : I’d have to say Andrew Stetson for Dillon and Kate Beckinsale for Alexa. Andrew’s got a sort of rough and tumble look about him that’s perfect for Dillon and Kate’s beautiful and strong, the best of both worlds!
Jess : In regards to "No Flowers Required," if you could write it all over again, would you change anything about it?Cari : Wow, such great questions! I can’t think of anything right now, but I guarantee if I were to write it again things would change—I’m the ultimate tweaker and fiddler and nothing’s up to my standards!
Jess : How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why?
Cari : I’ve released seventeen books so far, plus a cowboy anthology from various authors and a non-fiction book about writing sex scenes that included an essay of mine. I have more coming out later this year. I’m going to steal Nora Roberts’ answer and say my favorite is whatever one I’m working on, which is so true!
Jess : Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you share a little of your current work with us?
Cari : Right now I’m writing Cory’s book, "No Romance Required," and it’s been a blast so far! Let’s just say Cory and Vicky definitely shoot off sparks—and if you’ve read "No Flowers Required," you got a glimpse of that—and heat up the cold winter nights!Jess : Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? Any specific reason why?
Cari : Ebooks all the way! I was slow to convert but I don’t read paper books anymore. I’m so addicted to my Kindle stuffed with samples and the million books I’m reading at once that I can’t imagine going back to carrying around just one paperback at a time.
Jess : If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
Cari : Love this! Hmm, I’ll go with: "Better With Age." Because I am! Though I could do without the pesky gray hair that goes with it...
Jess : Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?
Cari : LOL, no, I haven’t, but I have gone outside with my shirt on inside out...and not realized til I got home. This is why I drink a lot of coffee to be alert in the morning!
Jess : List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend?
Cari : "Ashes and Wine" — Taryn Elliott
"My Life Next Door" — Huntley Fitzpatrick
"Trust In Me" — Skye Warren
Thanks for such a fun interview! :)
Jess : YOU'RE WELCOME!! Thanks for being here!!
About the Author :USA Today bestselling author Cari Quinn saves the world one Photoshop file at a time in her job as a graphic designer. At night, she writes sexy romance, drinks a lot of coffee, and plays her music way too loud. When she’s not scribbling furiously, she’s watching men’s college basketball, reading excellent books, and causing trouble. Sometimes simultaneously.
- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Kindle Edition - File Size: 291 KB | Expected Release Date: August 2012 | Publisher: Entangled Publishing : Brazen | Obtained: Entangled Publishing"No Flowers Required" [Love Required Series, Book 2] by Cari Quinn
My Book Summary : The past year has been tough on Alexa (Lex); first, her brother fell in love with her best friend making her feel a bit left out, second her boss dies and leaves her the flower business she owned. Thankfully, she loved the business and wants it to succeed. However, she never knew how bad the businesses finances were doing until she became the owner of it. And ... WOW they are bad! Nothing she has done seems to help, that is until she sells her house and moves into a "crappy" apartment within the same building as her shop. The same day she moves in, she meets Dillon, who she's instantly attracted too, and believes is the handyman of the building because she see him fixing up an apartment down the hall from her.
However, Dillon is a whole lot more than a handyman, he actually owns the building, a few others, and will soon be the owner of Value Hardware (he's parents store that he and his older brother will soon take over that is like a Lowe's). Nevertheless, Lex stirs feelings in Dillon that he hasn't had in a long while so he decides, at first, to play the part of the handyman to see where things will go between him and Lex. That is until he learns of Lex's strong hatred of Value Hardware he decides to play the part a little longer. Yet the longer he pretends to be someone he isn't completely the harder he finds it is tell Lex the truth. But when the truth finally comes out, will Alexa understand and be able to forgive him or will their relationship be blown to bits?
My Book Review : 3 out of 5 stars! Find how you can be true to yourself while falling in love. Dillon and Alexa are a combustible duo that could not be more perfect for each other. I enjoyed their trials and tribulations while they stumbled through saving Alexa's flower shop and how they dealt with their growing relationship!!
My only problem was the slowish pace that the book sets in the beginning. Nevertheless, reading their hot sex sessions and their flirtatious ways around each other kept me hooked to this novel.
I recommend this novel and series to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances!
Author's Novel Extras : Six Sentence Sunday, No Flowers Required style pt 1 | Six Sentence Sunday, No Flowers Required style pt 2
Book Teaser(s) :
Or at least that’s what he assumed until she turned and dangled the handle of his watering can from her fingertip. A sexy smile ghosted around her mouth, scarcely visible in the moonlight. “Aww, a daisy. Missing this?”
“It’s a watering can,” he muttered, snatching it out of her hand.
“I know. I’ve used them before. You know, a lot of men might be intimidated by using such a...cute item.” Another sexy smile. Damn if he didn’t find them delicious.
“If I didn’t prove my manliness a few minutes ago, then screw the daisy.”
She laughed and the sound smoothed away most of his ire. ~ within Chapter 3
The next night she returned home to a fully painted bathroom, a half-moon daisy rug in front of the sink—an exact match to the watering can she’d laughed at him for toting around—and a new mason jar of flowers on the windowsill. She blushed as she took in the bluish-purple blossoms. Forget-me-nots. Too bad he didn’t realize how truly fitting they were.For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Cari, then please check out her website.
Best of all, there was another note. Grinning, she snatched it up.
I’m glad you liked the paint. You don’t have to keep the rug I bought, but when I saw that daisy at the thrift shop today, it reminded me of you. Everything seems to lately. D. ~ within Chapter 5
My Giveaway!! :
- An ARC e-book copy of "No Flowers Required" Book 2 to one randomly drawn person from Rafflecopter
- An kindle copy of "No Dress Required" Book 1 to two randomly drawn person from Rafflecopter
- This contest ends on October 1st 2012.
- This contest is International!!
- You must be 18 years-old or older!!
- It's the author/publisher's responsibility to ensure that the winner gets "No Flowers Required," not mine.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ALSO -- Be sure to follow the tour around the other blog sites!
Find Cari Quinn :
Loved No Dress Required. Definately want to read No Flowers. This book is definatley on my must read list. Thanks for the great giveaway.
ReplyDeletechristinebails at yahoo dot com
Both books sound so good! I definitely have these on my must buy list. I would love to have kindle (mobi/PRC) or PDF formatted copy if possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaways :)
June
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
I am so excited about this book! I would love either a kindle or pdf format if I win! Thanks so much for the great interview and blurb!
ReplyDeleteslinkydennis@yahoo.com