True North by Liora Blake
Also by this author: True North, True Devotion, True Divide, First Step Forward (Grand Valley, #1), Second Chance Season, Ready for Wild
Also in this series: True Devotion
Published by Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster on April 6th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Contemporary Women, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 334
Format: eARC
ASIN: B00LD1OK6U
Goodreads

What happens when a bad-boy celebrity rocker meets a small-town bestselling novelist? Find out in this first book in the sizzling new True series by Liora Blake!While most novelists would consider jetting off to Hollywood for a TV interview rather exciting, small-town Montana writer Kate Mosely finds it all a bit exhausting. After losing her husband in a car accident where she was behind the wheel, Kate has finally found her bearings in the world again, rebuilding a simple but stable life. And even if that means a lot of lonely nights watching old movies and quiet days writing obituaries for her hometown newspaper, Kate’s not sure she’s ready for her life to change—again.Until she shares the stage—and a whole heap of carnal gazes—with rock star Trevor “Trax” Jenkins. Despite his intimidating on-stage bravado, underneath it Kate discovers a man with a Rilke poem tattooed on his arm, an appreciation for cronuts, and a snarky wit that matches her own.As she and Trevor explore their heated chemistry, the scarred parts of Kate’s heart begin to heal, making room for a love so passionate it makes her want long-forgotten things equal parts naughty, heart-swelling, and joyful. But when a searing exposé in a trashy gossip magazine sends Kate running, will it threaten their chances at forever?

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Important News

Liora Blake’s book True North is specially priced at $1.99 for pre-order and release week.  To get the pricing pre-order or buy during release, the price will rise after release week.

Interview with author Liora Blake author of True North

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Why is this the first question? It’s the hardest one to answer. Shouldn’t be, but it is…

 

I’m a writer—but I’m still getting used to saying that out loud. I have a day job that uses the other side of my brain and that’s a good thing. I’m a reader. Born and raised in Colorado, and for now, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

 

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

Umm, everything? Because even though it’s the first book I’ve had published, it’s definitely not the first book I completed/edited/queried/abandoned/resurrected.

 

My biggest hurdle was learning how to tell a story in a way that engages a reader and keeps them turning the page. Writing is one thing, but storytelling is another beast entirely. For me, exploring the craft of storytelling was key to finishing a project successfully and getting a book deal.

 

Can you tell us about True North your debut novel?

TRUE NORTH is the story of a small town writer who crosses paths with a rough-around-the-edges and larger-than-life rock star, only to discover they have more in common than anyone would guess.

 

Why did you make your main female character (Kate) an author?

I wanted my heroine to be a creative type, someone who would appreciate that side of Trevor, even if her style is entirely different from his. Plus, I wanted to give Trevor a love interest who would inevitably say things to him that no other woman would—and not just because she sometimes uses fifty-cent words he doesn’t understand.

 

How does your writing process look? Consistent with regular amounts of word counts daily/weekly… or more sporadic with a gush of words all at once and then a dry bed for a while?

Writing under contract changed my process a bit. I’ve never been one of those writers who lives to write (or writes to live). Although writing has been a constant in my life, there have been long spans of time where I’ve only done freelance/business writing and abandoned writing fiction entirely.

 

These days I’m far more structured. While I don’t have word count goals, I do have a long-range schedule I’m working within (finish draft by this date, finish first round edits by this date, etc.) Drafting can be hard because I refuse to sit down at the keyboard until I know what the first line of the day will be. After that, I’m good and can stay put until a scene is finished. But without that first line of the day, it’s almost impossible.

 

Do your fictional characters talk to you like they do to Kate in the book?

Not really. That concept came from what I had learned about other authors’ experiences. Before I start a draft, I’ll spend a couple of weeks ‘hanging out’ with the characters in my head and try to envision scenes playing out like a movie. Once I’ve done that for a bit, I’m able to start putting it all down on the page.

 

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

All imagination. I might use something from real life as a dialogue line here and there, but that’s about it.

 

If you could describe the True series in 3 words what would they be?

Sweet. Snarky. Inevitable.

 

You’ve been given the task to host a last minute dinner party. Which authors are on your ultimate dinner invitation list? Alive or Dead.

Dorothy Parker, Jane Austen, Ellen Gilchrist, Tom Perrotta, Kent Haruf, Henry Miller.

 

 

Ten Smooches

 

• Beach or Mountain? Mountain.
• Book or movie? Book.
• Can you roll your tongue or tie a cherry stem into a knot with your tongue? Nope.
• Chicken or Fish? Chicken.
• Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate.
• Cowboy hat or cowboy boots? Neither. Please.
• Craziest thing in your fridge right now? Wild game jerky.
• Do you believe in love at first sight? Not even in a romance novel.
• Do you have any birthmarks? If so, where? Nope.
• Dogs or cats? Dogs

Stop by Friday April 3rd to read Karen’s review of this fantastic book.