Dear Readers, when I first
saw the cover of this book, I contacted Carol and asked her to be on the blog.
I read the book, and I loved it. I’m really into royalty novels, contemporary,
historical, or like a fairy tale. This one is unique, with so many different
plot lines and intrigues and a marriage of convenience romance. The characters
are multi-dimensional and really drew me right into the story. I can hardly
wait to read the next book in the series.
Tell us how much of
yourself you write into your characters.
I think pretty much every character has a little bit of me.
Some characters have more than others, of course. Dorrie, in Finding Mr. Write, has a lot of me in
her – a writer struggling with whether or not she’s good enough to make it in
this industry and everything else that goes along with that, along with
struggling with feelings of self-worth. Others, like Jessabelle Keller in Hand-Me-Down
Princess, deal with some of the same issues but with a different
perspective. While Dorrie’s issues are universal, Jessabelle’s come more from
the place of finding worth in our identity as a child of the King – the One
True King.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
Um … I’m really not that quirky ;). We moved into our first
house on Friday the 13th … on Elm Street . Put the offer on our second
house on 06/06/06. Good thing we’re not superstitious! :D I talk to myself
sometimes, but I think that’s pretty endemic of writers in general.
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
I’ve been telling stories most of my life. I wrote some of them
down in junior high. I started writing for fun off and on starting in 2001 and
got serious about writing for publication during NaNoWriMo 2009.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read a fairly wide spectrum, though not as wide as some.
Most of what I read is romance – contemporary or historical – but I also read
some romantic suspense, suspense, historical, occasionally speculative fiction.
Almost everything is Christian, but not always. There are a few secular authors
I enjoy sometimes – Grisham, Clancy, etc.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
Spending time with God is always a big one – Reading my
Bible, time in church, etc. Spending time just being with family and friends is
huge, too. Plus reading. Reading a good book is a great way to just kind of be
for a little while!
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
There are lots of different ways. Sometimes, it’s a
character named after a friend who helps with research questions (Jason the
Paramedic comes to mind!) or because my favorite Panera manager insisted I
needed to name a character after him (Travis Harders gets his story this
summer!) or because it’s an oblique reference to a popular TV show (Duke
Alexander and his twin brother Christopher (Winning
the Queen’s Heart) have the initials A and C because of the assorted
references to Saved by the Bell in
that book – and AC Slater). Other times it’s me telling a friend (or my street
team) that I need a name and picking one I like (or sometimes … one I don’t
hate and hope it grows on me – it usually does! ;)).
I had the owner of
Chan’s Mongolian Grill ask me to name a character after him. Tony Chan is in
both Mary’s Blessing and Catherine’s Pursuit in my McKenna’s Daughters series. What is
the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Two things immediately come to mind. One is my kids. I’m
incredibly proud of all four of them. From their swim team accomplishments to
my 14-year-old’s tenor saxophone, my 12-year-old’s compassion, my 10-year-old’s
determination in the face of her academic challenges and her horsemanship
skills, and my 8-year-old’s ability to make a friend wherever he goes. Plus –
my husband and I have been married nearly 19 years. I’m pretty proud of that
;).
The other is stepping out in faith a little over a year ago.
I started my own publishing company, CANDID Publications, and “went indie”
rather than continuing to pursue traditional publication for the time being.
While I’m not going to be on any “top 100 indie earners” lists, it’s gone far
better than I could have anticipated, and I’m loving (almost ;)) every minute
of it!
I’m a hybrid author,
both traditionally published and Indie. I’m planning to do more than one Indie
this year. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
I asked a friend of mine what she thought. She said “horse?”
I came back with “sloth” (because naps!). She laughed hysterically and pointed
out that tigers nap all the time, too ;). I kind of like that. So a tiger –
because I can nap regularly but can be fierce when it’s called for. Come to
think of it, my 5 lb Shorkie fits that bill, too. The tiger would be scarier
though!
What is your favorite
food?
Andy’s Frozen Custard, peanut butter cup concrete or Peanut
Butter M&Ms.
Real food? Spaghetti and three cheese tortellini with orange
sauce and shredded Colby Jack on top. That real food sounds yummy. I might have
to try it.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
One thing I struggle with regularly when it comes to writing
is focus. Treating it like a real job
because it is. When I wasn’t publishing my own books, I had no real deadline
and could be less diligent. Now that I’m publishing and have deadlines (real
ones, even if self-imposed), I’m having to learn how to treat it more like an
actual job than a hobby. That means I don’t answer the phone every time someone
calls if I’m working. Or that I can say no to people who want me to do stuff
“since you just sit at home all day” because this is a real, paying job for me
now. It also means less time binge watching Dr.
Who, NCIS, or Big Bang Theory ;).
Hand-Me-Down Princess started with the title. Why would a
princess feel like a hand-me-down, like clothes? What circumstances would lead
to that? Plus I’d been watching Married
at First Sight and wondered how I could work in a meeting at the altar.
Without spoilers, it turned into something I didn’t expect – exploring how
important it is to find our identity in Christ, as a joint heir, a child of the
One True King, and not in our earthly roles (child of an earthly king, wife of a
prince, author, teacher, speaker, parent, spouse, etc.). More than one person
ends up needing to come to terms with that – and to be honest, I often do, too.
Eventually everyone
will have to. Please give us the first page of the book.
Nothing like being a hand-me-down Princess.
The words mocked Jessabelle over and over as she stared at
her reflection in the mirror.
Hand-me-down.
Passed over.
Rejected.
Unwanted.
In less than an hour she would become Princess Jessabelle of
Mevendia, wife of Prince Malachi, second in line for the throne. Not because he
wanted to marry her, but because Crown Prince William had rejected her.
Twice.
Prince Malachi only upheld his family’s end of the marriage
contract because her father had saved King Antonio’s life when they were teens.
Under no circumstances would Prince Malachi ever have chosen
plain, mousy Jessabelle on his own. It was probably just as well the Crown
Prince refused to marry her. She wouldn’t have wanted to be queen. Every little
girl dreamed of being a princess, right? Most girls wouldn’t be sitting in a
bedroom in a house provided for her family by the groom wondering if she could
climb out the window. Would anyone notice? Guards had been posted on the
grounds to protect the future princess, but she doubted anyone cared enough to
sneak in and try to get pictures of her or kidnap her. No one even knew who she
was. Would any of them care if she snuck out? Would anyone even realize it was
her if it weren’t for the wedding gown?
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolMoncado - “follow” over there! You’ll get public posts (most everything) but not questions about whether there’s school tomorrow ;). My website is www.carolmoncado.com – and my newsletter signup can be found at www.carolmoncado.com/newsletter - right now Protecting the Prince, a novella that’s book 2.5 in the Brides of Belles Montagnes series, is free for subscribers! Newsletter subscribers also get special notices on sales, including special preorder pricing! I also blog once a month or so at www.inspyromance.com :D.
I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolMoncado - “follow” over there! You’ll get public posts (most everything) but not questions about whether there’s school tomorrow ;). My website is www.carolmoncado.com – and my newsletter signup can be found at www.carolmoncado.com/newsletter - right now Protecting the Prince, a novella that’s book 2.5 in the Brides of Belles Montagnes series, is free for subscribers! Newsletter subscribers also get special notices on sales, including special preorder pricing! I also blog once a month or so at www.inspyromance.com :D.
Thank you, Carol, for sharing this book with my blog readers. I know they'll love it as much as I did.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Hand-Me-Down Princess: Contemporary Christian Romance (The Brides of Belles Montagnes Book 1)
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
25 comments:
would love to win angela in ky
Thanks so much for having me, Lena! I appreciate you!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by Angela! Good luck!
Today is a working day for me at the day job, so I'll be away from the computer for a chunk of it, but I'll be back later :).
Hugs to all!
This book looks so good!
Colletta from PA
The cover of this book is so pretty and I enjoyed reading the first page.
Blessings!
Connie from KY
cps1950@gmail(dot)com
This sounds amazing. I'd love to read it.
J.C. -Indiana-
Thanks Colletta!!!
Thanks, Connie!!!! I love this cover too!!!
Hi JC!!! So glad you think it sounds good! I love these peeps!!! (Even though they're fictional ;).)
Sounds like a good one!
Melanie Backus, TX
It is a great title & I loved the first page thank you.
Mary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
Lovely title and cover and sounds like a great book!
Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
In Christ,
Raechel in MN
This sounds like a good story. I love the idea that she has to find her identity in Christ. Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
Loraine in TX
My heart goes out to her, how sad to feel like a hand-me down! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story. Thank you for the giveaway!
Beth Schwarzlose
West Salem, IL
I would love to read this story.
BJM
Upstate SC
Great first page! Sounds like a wonderful read. Thanks for the chance to win!
Beth in Montana
Wow. Great first page. So nice to meet another author. Thanks!
Annie (MD)
Sounds like a fun and wonderful book. The cover is beautiful!
Interesting title for a book. Nice cover. North Platte Nebraska
Melanie - I'm glad to hear you think it sounds like a good one!! :D
Mary - Usually the title comes to me somewhere in the middle of writing a book. This time the title came first. What could make a princess feel like a hand-me-down? Because PRINCESS! Princesses don't have REAL problems, right?! ;) At least, that's what a lot of us, in our minds at least, tend to think...
Raechel - Thanks :D. I fell in love with that picture when I first saw it!
Loraine - Don't we all have to find our identity in Christ? It's something a lot of us struggle with I think. I know I do! I knew Jessabelle would need to, but it surprised me in what other ways it applied to other characters in the story. Gotta love how God does that ;).
Beth S. - Can you imagine feeling like a hand-me-down? How awful that would be on your wedding day? It hits me that there likely are women (and men, too, I'm sure) who do feel that way, not just when they get married but in relationships in general. Makes my heart break for them...
BJM - I hope you enjoy it when you get the chance!
Beth G. - Thanks! Good luck!
Annie - so nice to meet you, too! Glad you liked it!
Karen - thanks!!!! I love the cover - and the flowers! Oh! I love those flowers!
Kim - the title came to me first - which is super odd for me! But it worked on so many levels! Thanks!
I seldom read historicals, but this sounds delightful. And, I love stories about weddings. The book cover is fabulous.
Bonnie in AZ
Poor Jessabelle! What a situation to be in...
Patty in SC
Bonnie - you're in luck then! It's a contemporary! :D
Patty - Poor Jessabelle is right! I promise I'm a firm believer in Happily Ever Afters though!!!
This sounds like an interesting story that I would enjoy reading. Thanks for the chance to win.
Brenda in VA
Enter me in your amazing contest!!
Conway, SC.
thanks for the chance to win this book
live in ND
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