Pamela Hearon with a Special Release

Angi, Nan & Pamela Hearon all dressed up for the Harlequin Party

Every time I'm around PAMELA HEARON, I love her more. Thanks for sharing your story with us on Get Lost in a Story.

Catch all her GLIAS interviews. 

PAMELA’S Southern accent infuses both her speaking and writing voices. Her drawl is undeniable, as is her passion for all things outdoors. She considers the laptop the greatest invention; it allows her to write on the deck, in the garden, and while traveling with her husband in their motorhome. Pamela loves being a storyteller who can give even the most star-crossed lovers their Happily Ever After.

~ ~ ~

I’m celebrating a new release this month with a book that’s a little different from the ones you know me for.

As you know, for the past few years, I’ve been writing for Harlequin SuperRomance, with the last five books making up the Taylor’s Grove, Kentucky series.  But today I’m here posting about something different, something special, something very close to my heart—my new release from Kensington Books, GAINING VISIBILITY!

The new book is a deviation from the regular romances I’ve been writing.  Yeah, it has a romance (a yummy romance, actually), but Gaining Visibility is women’s fiction—the story of a woman’s emotional journey … and what a journey it is!

The heroine, Julia Berkwith, is a 48-year-old breast cancer survivor whose husband left her during her bout with the disease.  The story takes place two years after Julia’s bi-lateral mastectomy.  She’s now cancer-free and, sporting newly reconstructed breasts, heads to Italy to hike the famed Cinque Terre in celebration of her victory over the disease.

Did I mention a sexy, Italian artist seems determined to make her vacation one to remember?  Thirty-something Vitale DeLuca can be most convincing when he sets his sights on something he desires.

So, why would this book be close to my heart?

This year, I’m celebrating nine years as a breast cancer survivor.  I started writing Gaining Visibility a few months after my own bi-lateral mastectomy, and during my reconstruction phase.  You can read the full Story Behind the Story in a section at the end of the book or at the Books-A-Million Chapters Blog here: BAM.  But I will tell you that the book is a tribute to all of my Sisters in Pink.

  

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG.

 “Cross How Stella Got Her Groove Back with Under the Tuscan Sun, and you've got Gaining Visibility, a novel that is at times beautiful, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting.” –Wendy Webb

Julia Berkwith’s daughter has moved to Alaska, her beloved mother-in-law is in a nursing home, and her ex-husband is in Hawaii—with a younger woman. In her late forties, Julia is now used to being invisible. But even if she has to do it alone, she’s determined to celebrate her victory over breast cancer by hiking Italy’s Cinque Terre. And while she’s there, she can scout out treasures for her interior design business back in Kentucky.
 
Invigorated by the beauty of the Italian countryside, Julia seems unstoppable, until she’s injured by a rock—one that happens to belong to thirty-something stone mason Vitale DeLuca. Reluctantly, Julia accepts Vitale’s insistent offer of lodging while she recovers. But in his home, amid his exquisite sculptures, Julia sees beyond his charm and looks to something special: a talent she must bring to the world’s attention. And once she does, she plans to step aside to leave him in the spotlight. But Vitale has seen something in Julia too, something she is no longer able to recognize in herself. And he is determined to find a way to show it to her.
 
Poignant and uplifting, Gaining Visibility is an exhilarating story of one woman’s realization that even the deepest scars have a beauty of their own—and that it’s time to take her place in the sun once more.

FIND PAMELA

Contact   Website   Facebook   Twitter  @PamelaHearon

Amazon    Goodreads    Everybody Needs a Little Romance

As part of my personal celebration and in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’m offering a signed print copy of Gaining Visibility, one of my pretty pink totes, and a pink-ribbon-and-silver breast cancer awareness bracelet as a giveaway (North America).

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Now, let’s give a shout-out to those sisters in pink in the Comments section.  Please share a name—just a first name is fine—of someone you know who’s been touched in some way by the disease.  And then, let’s collectively send prayers, supporting vibes, or well-wishes to the ones listed.

TAYLOR’S GROVE, KENTUCKY STORIES

One of my favorite Harlequin sisters is Pamela Hearon. She always has a smile to share and a good read. I have a special treat today. Pamela is sharing how she "gets lost" as a writer. 

You can catch all her GLIAS interviews here. Interested in a book? Just click the cover.

Definitely enter the Rafflecopter drawing for a chance to win her latest release: IN EMMYLOU'S HANDS.

GET LOST in 
TAYLOR'S GROVE, KENTUCKY
by PAMELA HEARON

It’s easy to get lost in a wonderful story. How many times have I been reading a great book and finally look at the clock to find several hours have passed with me totally oblivious to the clock’s movement? In my lifetime of reading, it’s happened more often than I can possibly count.

But until I became a writer, I was unaware of just how lost in a story I could get.

In my book THE SUMMER PLACE, I introduced a secondary character named Tara O’Malley, who’d grown up as the child of the preacher at the only church in the small town of Taylor’s Grove, Kentucky.

At the time I wrote those words, I didn’t think about the road I had turned onto or how far it would take me into a world that hadn’t existed until that moment. But, by the time I finished writing that book, Tara’s story—and Taylor’s Grove, Kentucky—was occupying a huge section of my imagination. Although Tara’s journey took me to Paris (MOONLIGHT IN PARIS), it also kept bringing me home to Taylor’s Grove where the people of the town had taken on distinct personalities. They’d become not just characters, but individuals. Friends.

I got to know complete families, and before long I learned that Tara’s sister, Thea, was in love with Gil Rice. Gil’s sister Bree had some interesting ways of controlling her life, and soon I was writing her story—HIS KIND OF PERFECTION.

Because Taylor’s Grove is so small, some of the residents work in nearby Paducah, which happens to be my hometown. That was the case with Maggie Russell, who lived in Taylor’s Grove but owned a beauty salon in Paducah with her business partner EmmyLou Creighton. When the time came for Maggie to move her son to college, wow! … the sparks between her and her ex flew and MY WAY BACK TO YOU flew off my fingers.

Bree’s high school friend, Audrey Merrill, moved back home to take care of her mom after her dad’s death. When I went to Taylor’s Grove Elementary School with Audrey the day she enrolled her daughter—the day she learned that Mark Dublin would be her daughter’s teacher … the day she explained to me that Mark Dublin was the person responsible for her sister’s death—I realized neither she nor Mark could ever get beyond the tragedy unless I got them RIGHT WHERE WE STARTED.

Wild woman EmmyLou Creighton made an appearance in that story, also, and stole the show. It became obvious to me that EmmyLou wouldn’t let me rest until I’d given the readers her story, so I placed the telling of it IN EMMYLOU’S HANDS.

Taylor’s Grove, Kentucky, with its friendly ambiance and Southern hospitality, is a place I love to visit. At first glance, it seems such a quiet, serene little place. But move beyond those wide front porches through the front doors, and you’ll find that it certainly has its share of captivating inhabitants—and every one of them has a story to get lost in.

Here’s a snippet that highlights EmmyLou’s quirkiness:

“Do you want me, Sol?” The hesitancy in her tone threw him. Experience had taught him that people generally projected their own emotions onto others. He took a deep breath and shifted to the side so he could look her in the eyes. He wished he hadn’t when he saw the flicker of fear. She was having second thoughts. Had it finally caught up to her that this flirtation could develop into something serious? If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up saddled with a man who would never be whole.

“Do you really have to ask?” he questioned.

“It’s just that…” She took a step back, and his heart sank. “You’re not like other guys.”

He hadn’t expected her to be that direct, but he should have.

“We slept together all those years ago.” She eased back a little more, and he saw the shine in her eyes even in the meager light of the cloudy night. “And the next morning, you couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Then you never called me again.” Her voice grew stronger. “I’ve never had another guy treat me like that. It made me furious. Made me dislike you, and yeah, I’ll admit I’ve badmouthed you a lot. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to start something we can’t finish, because you are the very worst thing that has ever happened to my ego.”

Sol’s heart leaped at her words. She wanted him. Wanted to give this thing between them a go. He took her hands. “EmmyLou Creighton Fuller, if you can’t see how much I want you, then you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground.”

 Her eyebrows drew together in question. Not at all the reaction he’d expected, but why should that ever surprise him with this unpredictable creature? “That saying’s always confused me. I mean, most people take it at face value and assume you’re talking about an actual hole in the ground. Like one you’d dig. But ass is another word for donkey, which is another name for burro, b-u-r-r-o. But a burrow, b-u-r-r-o-w, is a hole that an animal digs in the ground, so if you don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground, could it mean that you don’t know a burro from a burrow?” Her eyes grew wide. When she tilted her head, he realized she was expecting an answer.

~ ~ ~

I hope EmmyLou brought a smile to day. She did mine every day I wrote her. J And finally, I have exciting news coming in my next newsletter! Be sure to sign up at FB_Pamela Hearon Author or Pamela Hearon Website. Until next time (which I think is scheduled for October), Happy Reading! 

Contact  Website  Facebook   Twitter  @PamelaHearon  Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway
So how about you? What is your favorite story to get lost in? Comment for a chance to win a copy of my latest release, IN EMMYLOU’S HANDS (print for USA residents or PDF for international).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAMELA HEARON

MY WAY BACK TO YOU

Harlequin SuperRomance

         

Married too young, divorced too soon?

Jeff Wells hasn't seen his ex-wife, Maggie Russell, in years. Yet as they reunite to settle their son into his college dorm, Jeff discovers the attraction between them is still present—and very strong. Yet so are the reasons they shouldn't be together…

Still, what's the harm in giving in to their desire for a few days? No expectations, no strings. But the affair is so passionate, soon Jeff wants more. He wants what they used to have, only better. First he needs to convince Maggie this is their second chance at love and not simply a repeat of the past.

Read a little, Buy the book

PAMELA HEARON’S Southern accent infuses both her speaking and writing voices. Her drawl is undeniable, as is her passion for all things outdoors. She considers the laptop the greatest invention; it allows her to write on the deck, in the garden, and while traveling with her husband in their motorhome. Pamela loves being a storyteller who can give even the most star-crossed lovers their Happily Ever After.

THE BIRTHDAY Q&A

ANGI: What is the best birthday gift you’ve received?

PAMELA: One year, my husband and I had been to New Orleans in March, and I had fallen in love with the city’s iconic Muffaletta sandwich.  That year for my birthday, my precious husband had our local bakery bake the special bread.  He ordered olive salad straight from Central Grocery in NOLA, and all the special meats from St.Louis (from the same supplier Central Grocery uses!).  I was busy in my garden throughout the morning.  When he called me in for lunch, he surprised me with  an authentic Muffaletta, which of course tasted even more marvelous with all the extra love that went into it.

ANGI: What is the best birthday gift you’ve given?

PAMELA: For my husband’s 50^th birthday, I planned a trip to Scotland for the two of us.  There was a total eclipse of the sun on that day that year, so it seemed like it was meant for us to be there.  The trip was amazing, and that particular birthday was one neither of us will ever forget.

ANGI: Hiking Boots or Dancing Heels on your birthday?

PAMELA:  Dancing Heels—anywhere, anytime!  I love to dance.  In fact, my Twitter bio confesses that I’m an introvert who dances like an extrovert J

ANGI: Which Disney character shares your birthday month?

Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck or Goofy? (no cheating now J )

PAMELA:  It has to be Donald.  With his stubborn attitude, he would have to be a Taurus.

ANGI:  The answer is... Goofy.   J

ANGI: What do you like best about the hero of MY WAY BACK TO YOU?

PAMELA:   Mark Wells is a family man, through and through.  Despite the fact that he lives across the country (Kentucky to California), he and Maggie have made joint custody work, and he has stayed active in his son’s life.  He also shares responsibility with his parents for his sister Chloe, who has Multiple Sclerosis.  Family is everything to him, and that just makes him unforgettable to me.

ANGI: Who would it be for a birthday date: Benedict Cumberbatch or Chris Pine?

PAMELA:  Benedict—yum‼!

ANGI: Did you know that this famous guy shares your birthday?

PAMELA: I did know that! I’ve always been very proud to share my day with Stevie Wonder.  Unfortunately, he absorbed all the musical ability quota for that day—but he left the writing skills for me J

ANGI: Do you give your hero & heroine birthdays?

PAMELA: Some of them, yes—especially if I need a special day for a plot point.

ANGI: If you could replay your favorite birthday, which would it be

PAMELA:  My last birthday was one of the BIG ones (you know, the kind that end in 0).  My husband threw me a surprise party with lots of family and friends at one of our favorite local restaurants.  He even hired a band, so we had live music. We ate and drank and laughed for hours—and I didn’t have to clean up anything.  It was wonderful (and, yeah, you can tell by my answers that I’m very blessed with the best husband in the world.  No wonder I write romance!).

ANGI: What's your most favorite thing to do on your birthday?

PAMELA:  Corny as it sounds, I really love anything that allows me to be with my family.  My mid-May birthday usually lands close to Mother’s Day, and that  translates as family time.  We are scattered across the country, so anytime together is special.  We cook pizza in our wood-fired pizza oven, and by that time of year local strawberries are in season, so strawberry shortcake is the dessert of choice immediately after the meal.  Birthday cake comes later on after many games of Corn Hole (aka Bags).  A cool chardonnay and plenty of hugs round out the day. 

 

ANGI: What is your biggest birthday vice?

PAMELA: Aaiiieee!  Birthday Cake‼! I LOVE white cake piled high with vanilla buttercream icing.  Cream cheese icing?  No , thank you.  It must be vanilla buttercream—preferable tinted pink.

ANGI: If you could have your favorite movie star for one day, what would you do?

PAMELA:  Daniel Day Lewis and I would lounge on an Italian beach for most of the day. Then he would take me to dinner in Paris on his private jet.  Afterward, we would go from club to club, dancing until dawn.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: If you could give a birthday present to all our readers (trip, gift, or whatever), what would it be? And why?

PAMELA’s GOTTA ANSWER:  If I could give a birthday present to all our readers, I would give them the ability to see their own beauty. If everyone felt good about themselves, there would be far less hatred and a lot more love in the world.  Who knows what that might lead to? 

FIND PAMELA

Contact   Website   Facebook   Twitter  @PamelaHearon

Goodreads        Everybody Needs a Little Romance

Previous GLIAS interviews

UP NEXT for PAMELA: My next release is Book #4 in my Taylor’s Grove series

Right Where We Started, Harlequin Superromance, December 2015

PREVIOUS RELEASES by PAMELA:

the complete list of Pamela’s books

THE SUMMER PLACE

Harlequin SuperRomance

Read a little, Buy the book

HIS KIND OF PERFECTION

Harlequin SuperRomance

Read a little, Buy the book

MOONLIGHT IN PARIS

Harlequin SuperRomance

Read a little, Buy the book

OUT OF THE DEPTHS

Harlequin SuperRomance

Read a little, Buy the book

HIS HOTNESS

The Wild Rose Press

Buy the book

THE TIMESTONE KEY

Buy the boook

PAMELA is giving away an autographed set of the first three books of her Taylor’s Grove Series —Moonlight in Paris, His Kind of Perfection, and My Way Back to You. North America Readers

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

ANGI'S back Friday with

Mary Lawrence

UP NEXT ON GLIAS:  Edith Maxwell

~Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Goodreads, Facebook

or @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

PAMELA WANTS TO KNOW: Since it’s my birthday and I’m in the mood to dance, tell me this: If your life could have a theme song, what would it be?

Live from San Antonio --Day Three

THE FUN continues...
Don't miss the interviews from 
Before San Antonio or Day One or Day Two

Angi Morgan interviews Pamela Hearon

Feel like a princess when you're a RITA finalist.

Angi Morgan interviews Frances Housden

This Historical RITA Finalist book was inspired by a dream.

Just in case you're curious about Frances' Chieftain's Curse...

~ ~ ~

Angi Morgan interviews Stephanie Laurens

I caught RITA winner and #1 NYT best-selling author Stephanie Laurens
in a cab to the Harlequin Party.

Her October book from MIRA is available for pre-order everywhere.
Stephanie Laurens returns to romantic Scotland to usher in a new generation of Cynsters in an enchanting tale of mistletoe, magic, and love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Paris, Moonlight & Love

MOONLIGHT IN PARIS

Harlequin Superromance

Paris is always a good idea…right?

Tara O'Malley has traveled across the ocean to find her biological father—and maybe rediscover who she is. The last thing she's looking for is romance. Then she meets fellow American Garrett Hughes!

Garrett may not be the reason she's on this journey, but he sure is a sweet distraction. Tara knows she's falling hard for everything about this man, including his sweet little boy, Dylan. But what will happen when she has to go back home and leave them behind? It's definitely not the best time to fall in love, but when in Paris…

Read a little, Buy the book

Pamela Hearon’s Southern accent infuses both her speaking and writing voices. Her drawl is undeniable, as is her passion for all things outdoors. She considers the laptop the greatest invention; it allows her to write on the deck, in the garden, and while traveling with her husband in their motorhome. Pamela loves being a storyteller who can give even the most star-crossed lovers their Happily Ever After.

IN THE HOT SEAT

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

PAMELA:  I get lost in a story every day—usually several times!  I have four critique partners, all of whom are wonderful story-tellers, so I get lost in their stories as well as my own, and I also belong to a book club!  Needless to say, I spend a lot of time reading.  I used to feel compelled to finish every book I started, but not so much anymore.  I read for escape, so if a story doesn’t sweep me away and get me lost in it, I don’t waste my time on it.   Life is too short to waste on stories I don’t enjoy.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 

PAMELA:   That would be either The Sword in the Stone or A Wrinkle in Time, which I read one after the other, though I’m not sure which one came first.  It wasn’t the first book I’d ever read, but it was the first one that WOWed me.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

PAMELA:  Sleeping Beauty has always been my favorite fairy tale, and I’m so excited to see a new movie has been made by Disney and releases this year.  The original Disney movie was released in 1959 when I was 4 (yeah, do the math), so maybe it was the first fairy tale I saw on the big screen.  I don’t know.  I just remember falling in love with the handsome prince, and hoping that someday I would be worthy of a hero who would slay fire-breathing dragons to win my love.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

PAMELA:  Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes.  His imagination reminds me of my own as a child when every day brought a new adventure … and probably is the reason I’m an author today.

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?

PAMELA:  Garrett Hughes is a midwesterner from St. Louis, now living in Paris, so he’s a bit of a fish-out-of-water, which is quite endearing on its own.  But the best facet of Garrett, to me, is his relationship with his son, Dylan.  Garrett was a fairly easy character to write because Dylan is always foremost in his mind, and every decision he makes is decided by the impact it will have on Dylan.  Sometimes doing what was right for Dylan wasn’t necessarily the direction Garrett’s heart wanted to go, though, so he’s multilayered and interesting.  Can you tell I love him?   

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

PAMELA:   Gentle Annie, Shenandoah, La Vie en Rose, Pigalle, Theme from ‘A Summer Place,’ Moon River, Today (by The New Christy Minstrels), and Ode to Joy.  Man, now that I look at those, I think what a strange conglomerate they make.  Guess you’ll just have to read the book to figure out my logic!

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?

PAMELA:   One of my favorite sounds is the sound my cat makes when she’s asleep and I lay my hand on her.  It doesn’t startle her because she trusts me so.   Instead, it comes out as a loud purr mixed with a grunt of approval and a contented sigh all rolled into one.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

PAMELA:  I’ve seen Dr. Zhivago 28 times and read the book (but only once).   

ANGI: What's your biggest vice?
PAMELA:  Video and computer games!!! Such a time suck! The Legend of Zelda games, Bejeweled, Candy Crush Saga, etc.  <sigh> While the rest of the world was watching the Super Bowl, I was playing Words of Wonder (pausing long enough to watch the commercials, of course.)

ANGI: Sigh is right...I'm hooked on Candy Crush. I slept through the Super Bowl, watched the commercials on YouTube and then shared the couch with Roxie (my lab) to watch the Puppy Bowl. LOL

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I noticed on your website that you like to garden. What's your favorite thing to plant and what would you recommend to those of us with a "black" thumb?

PAMELA'S GOTTA ANSWER:   Peonies, peonies, and more peonies.  They are my favorite flower.  Easy to plant.  Easy to grow.  Beautiful blooms that return like old friends year after year!  They come in a lot of different colors and blooms, but my favorite are the giant white with the red centers.  Three of them make a gorgeous bouquet and will fill a room with a delicate scent. 

FIND PAMELA:

Contact  Website  Facebook   Twitter  @PamelaHearon  

Goodreads  Everybody Needs a Little Romance Previous GLIAS interviews

UP NEXT for PAMELA:

Another Man’s Treasure (working title)

Harlequin Superromance later this year.  

PREVIOUS RELEASES by PAMELA:

The complete list of Pamela's books.

RITA FINALIST
OUT OF THE DEPTHS
Kyndal Rawlings thought she'd learned her lesson when Chance Brennan left her to pursue his Ivy League dreams. Yet here she is, in Kentucky, falling for him all over again. Maybe it's being stranded in a cave with him…the same place they first became lovers.

THE TIMESTONE KEY

The Story of a woman's journey across an ocean, across time, and across dimensions to find the secret of a love that lasts forever.

PAMELA is giving away an autographed print copy of MOONLIGHT IN PARIS  to International readers.

Note: COMMENTERS are encouraged to leave a contact email address to speed the prize notification process. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

NEXT UP ON GLIAS: Join us tomorrow for Irene Preston. I'll be back next week with Kathleen Baldwin.  ~Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Facebook    or   @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

PAMELA WANTS TO KNOW: Moonlight in Paris is the first book I’ve written in which one of the main characters is a parent.  What do you think about romances with children in the mix?  Good or bad idea?