Lucky Break by Kelley Vitollo - Interview and Giveaway

Today I am very excited to have  Kelley Vitollo here at My Life With Books for an interview. Kelley is the author of Lucky Break, a very cute romance released from Bliss, an Entangled Publishing Imprint.

Kelley has been writing for as long as she can remember. She won her first writing contest in third grade for an essay she wrote on, “Tomorrow’s Leaders on the Move”. Like dreams sometimes do, they fell to the background for a while. She married her best friend, worked full time, and started her family. In 2004 Kelley, her husband and their new baby girl made a move from Oregon to Southern California and that’s when everything changed. As a stay-at-home mom for the first time, her passion for writing flared to life again.

Things haven’t been the same since.

With two incredible daughters, an awesome husband and her days spent writing what she loves, Kelley considers herself the luckiest girl in the world. She still resides in sunny Southern California, where she loves spending time with her family and sneaking away to the bookstore with her laptop.

Learn more about Kelley Vitollo on her website, facebook and twitter.

  One of my favorite aspects of Lucky Break was the rich history and dynamics of Sydney and Kade’s relationship. Was it difficult to come up with a lifetime of memories between these two?
I’m so glad you liked it because that was one of my favorite parts to write! It wasn’t difficult, actually. I enjoyed creating their flashbacks. I love writing any kind of relationship, so it was really enjoyable to bring such a strong past to life.     There were many great characters in Lucky Break that didn’t deter from the story but strengthen it. That being said I am very curious about what happened to them. Any chance we will get to see more of Rowan, Jace and Betsy?

Absolutely! Rowan’s book is actually next. It releases in December and is titled, LUCK OF THE DRAW. Jace and Betsy will be after.   I grew up in small town USA and appreciated how you were able to write all the charming and not so charming attributes of the small town life. Are you writing from experience?      Yes. I lived in a small town in Oregon from seventh grade until I was about twenty-four. Everyone knew everyone—good and bad. There were aspects of it I loved and really wanted to try and bring that to life in LUCKY BREAK.   You wrote on your website that you love “delving into personal growth with my characters”. You did this very well with Sydney. I imagine that being an author and going through this process with your characters can be emotionally exhausting. How do you handle the emotional side of writing?     I LOVE writing emotion. I love digging deep into my characters and really trying to figure out how they think and act. I’m also a fan of characters who aren’t perfect because it’s real. There are times when I dread writing something because it will break my heart, but the highs and happily ever afters make it worth it!   On your website Lucky Break is listed as book one in the Shamrock Falls series. How many books will there be and can you tell us a little about them?
At least three. Like I said above, book two is Rowan’s story, LUCKY OF THE DRAW. The Publishers Marketplace announcement said, “A small-town B&B owner finds out her new guest is the playboy poker player she had a one-night stand in Vegas with.” We’ll get Jace after that, but that’s all I can say about him for now.
   Aunt Mae is a colorful character, was she inspired by anyone?      No, not really. I just always saw her as this quirky, funny, loving woman. Do you have any writing rituals?I don’t. I have two young kids so I’m always back and forth, picking up, dropping off and stealing writing time when I can. I’m pretty flexible when it comes to writing.   I hear many authors talk about the love of coffee. Do you partake or do you have a different poison that keeps you focused?

LOL. I do like coffee. I drink one cup in the morning and when I write at Starbucks I always get one too.   On your website you tell us you have two daughters, are you dressing up with them for Halloween and what is your costume?     They will absolutely dress up. They’re exciting though no one knows what they want to be yet.   Do you have any advice for aspiring authors you would like to share?

Write, write, write. Read, read, read. And research, research, research. Also, never give up!   This week is Banned Books Week. Do you have any opinions about banning books and/or what is your favorite Banned Book?

I am definitely against banning books. If you don’t like something, don’t believe in it, don’t buy it. We shouldn’t have the right to affect others ability to read what they want!  

Thank you Kelley for stopping by today for this fun interview.

One lucky break is all struggling actress Sidney Williams needs. But when living the LA life becomes too much, she heads back to the small town of Shamrock Falls for the vacation she needs to get her life on track—and immediately runs into Kade Mitchell, her former best friend and the boy next door she’s always regretted leaving behind.

Kade, the new owner of Lucky’s—once the most popular bar in Shamrock Falls—is determined to bring the place back to its former glory, and seeing Sidney again is a distraction he doesn’t need. Sure, the chemistry between them is explosive, but Kade can’t let himself fall into a fling with his best friend—not when he knows she’s soon heading back to the glitter of Tinseltown.

Now, with the possibility of her first major acting role looming, Sidney must decide if her lucky break is in Hollywood or right where she left it—in Shamrock Falls.

Today I am giving away one ebook/PDF copy of Lucky Break from Bliss, an Entangled Publishing Imprint. This contest is international and easy to enter, just an email address. There are also many additional entries available too. Good luck!

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