Cindy Kirk Gives Us Some Good Hope

Please welcome Cindy Kirk back to the crew today! She’s here to tell us about her new release, SAY I DO IN GOOD HOPE (A Good Hope Novel Book 5). AND she’s giving away a Kindle copy of SAY I DO IN GOOD HOPE. So, be sure to read to the end to find out how to win.

MEET CINDY

Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in words began years earlier, when she was in her teens. At sixteen she wrote in her diary: “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.” After her daughter went to college, she returned to her passion and jumped straight into composing book-length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance novels because she believes in the undeniable power of love and in the promise of the happily ever after. An incurable romantic and an eternal optimist, Kirk creates characters who grow and learn from their mistakes while achieving happy endings in the process. She lives in Nebraska with her high-school-sweetheart husband.

THE STORY BLURB

Sometimes love is right on your doorstep...

Eliza Shaw has never met a crisis she couldn’t manage. If her father thinks she’s going to take his attempt at selling the family home out from underneath her, then he clearly doesn’t know her at all. She‘ll chain herself to the banister if she has to... 

Kyle Kendrick doesn’t have time for the hassle of an eviction. He definitely doesn’t have time for Eliza Shaw’s drama – even if she does look distractingly gorgeous when she’s furious. His sister is arriving in Good Hope and he needs a home. Now. 

Neither Kyle nor Eliza is thrilled at the idea of sharing the house, but it’s the only sensible solution. Now if they could each just stop fantasizing about their new roommate this crazy plan might just work. And if they’re lucky, what started out as playing house could end up giving them the home and family they’ve both desperately yearned for. 

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

UP NEXT FOR CINDY:

A Good Hope Novel Book Six, February 2018

Available March 2018

THE INTERVIEW:

Nancy Robards Thompson: Hi, Cindy! I’m so happy you’re here today! How often do you get lost in a story?

Cindy Kirk: Thanks for having me, Nancy. I get lost in a story whenever I read a book that pulls me in.  Sometimes I can go for a period of time without that happening but when it does, it’s magical.

NRT: What is your favorite trait about your hero in SAY I DO IN GOOD HOPE? 

CK: There is so much to like about Kyle. He’s an intelligent, hard-working guy who loves his family and who doesn’t get too worked up when things don’t go his way.  I truly believe that he and Eliza are perfectly matched and will be very happy together.

NRT: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?

CK: I’ve had other professions. I’ve been an RN Hospital Discharge Planner, a Hospice Coordinator, a Medical Case Manager and a Regional Consultant for a large insurance company. I wrote in my diary when I was sixteen “I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t be a writer.” There is nothing else I would do.

NRT: Is writing or story-telling easier for you? 

CK: I believe to be a storyteller is a gift and that while you can teach anyone to write, you can’t teach someone how to make up stories.

NRT: Where do you read and how often?

CK: I read a little bit every day, usually by listening to audio books in the car and when I walk.  A good narrator brings a story to life.  I just finished listening to my latest release on audio and it was fabulous!

NRT: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

CK: Not normally, but for the book I just finished (ONE FINE DAY, March 2018) I listened to 3 songs by Rachel Platten (Stand by You, Fight Song and Better Place) over and over and over while writing and editing.

NRT: What turns you off like nothing else?

CK: Writers bad-mouthing other writers’ work. Just because a story doesn’t appeal to me, doesn’t make it a bad book.

NRT: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

CK: The gift of being able to spend my days doing what I really love….telling stories in my head. 

NRT: Does your heroine have any of your character traits?

CK: Eliza is very focused on getting things done. I’m very much that way.  I have a schedule and I pretty much stick to it!

NRT: Thanks so much for being here with us today, Cindy! It was such fun talking to you.

CK: Thanks for having me today, Nancy. I always enjoy spending time with the GLIAS crew.

Cindy Kirk is giving away a Kindle copy of SAY I DO IN GOOD HOPE.

SHE WANTS TO KNOW:  Tell me the last book you read that you loved.

Answer Cindy’s question in the comments below to be entered for a chance to win.

Find Cindy on the web:

| Website: www.cindykirk.com 

| Facebook: www.facebook.com/cindykirkauthor___

| Amazon: www.amazon.com/cindy-kirk/

| Twitter @ cindykirkauthor

| Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/cindykirk

| Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/cindykirkauthor___

| Instagram: _www.instagram.com/cindykirkauthor_

| Newsletter Signup: http://cindykirk.authornewsletters.com/

| Cindy’s previous GLIAS posts: http://bit.ly/2hv5YeE

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National bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson lives and writes in Florida, but her imagination transports her all over the world. She has found Nirvana doing what she loves most – writing romance and women's fiction full-time. After hanging up her press pass, this former journalist and two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart struck gold in July 2002 when she won the award. Since then, she’s gone on to sell more than 40 books, which critics have deemed, “…funny, smart and observant.” You can connect with her at NancyRobardsThompson.com; on Facebook at Nancy Robards Thompson Books; follow her on Twitter at @NRTWrites; and connect with her on Instagram @NancyRThompson.

Return to Good Hope and a GIVEAWAY with CINDY KIRK!

Happy Friday everyone!  Please join me in welcoming Cindy Kirk to the blog today!  Her latest release is out now, and takes us back to the town of Good Hope.  Read on to learn more, and leave a comment for your chance to win one of the first three books in the series!

Forever in Good Hope

Montlake

ISBN: 978-1477848777

In the fourth installment of Cindy Kirk’s beloved Good Hope series, a ruse with an old flame grows into romance.

Delphinium “Fin” Bloom returns to her hometown with one goal: get the mayor—her former flame—to approve a location shoot in Good Hope. But business turns personal when the two become entangled in a fake engagement to comfort his ailing grandmother.

For Jeremy, the romantic façade hits close to his heart. Still reeling from the way things ended between Fin and him all those years ago, he sees the fake engagement as an opportunity to get her out of his system once and for all. But instead of laying the past to rest, Jeremy quickly discovers he can’t envision a life without her.

Now engaged to another man, Fin had long ago given up on the dream of a life with Jeremy. Why is it, then, that her fake engagement feels more genuine than her real one? As the sleepy days of summer come to a close in Good Hope, will Fin and Jeremy give love a second chance? Or will the revelation of a devastating secret put an end to the fairy tale?

Read an excerpt here!

Meet Cindy!

Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in words began years earlier, when she was in her teens. At sixteen she wrote in her diary: “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.” After her daughter went to college, she returned to her passion and jumped straight into composing book-length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance novels because she believes in the undeniable power of love and in the promise of the happily ever after. An incurable romantic and an eternal optimist, Kirk creates characters who grow and learn from their mistakes while achieving happy endings in the process. She lives in Nebraska with her high-school-sweetheart husband. 

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

Cindy: It’s always my goal when I start reading a book to get lost in the story. I know that it’s happened when I stay up all night not wanting to go to bed until that last page is turned.

In terms of the books I write, I know that I’m lost in the story when my fingers are flying across the keyboard.   

  

Lara: Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, and why?

Cindy: I’d love to invite the Bloom sisters to dinner. They’re all so different, but so intriguing and there’s always so much laughter and fun when they’re together. The two people I’d least like to invite would be Eliza Shaw and Anita Fishback.  If you’ve read any of the books, you’d know why those two are on my do-not-invite list.

Lara: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

Cindy: I was able to quit my full-time job to write full-time. But the best part is  I’m able to make a living doing what I love.  My passion is writing and I absolutely love it.

Lara: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?

Cindy:  A romance (either historical or contemporary) with well-developed characters and a fully fleshed out plot.

Lara: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Cindy:  I like to exercise. I walk my Dorkie (dachshund/Yorkie mix), Chico, every day, take a dance aerobics class three times a week and do some strength training.

Lara: What drew you to write in the genre(s) you do?

Cindy:  While I love to read historical romance, all the stories that come to me have always been contemporary.  Someday I may try to write a historical, perhaps something set in the 1920’s. For some reason, that era fascinates me.

Lara: What inspires you daily?

Cindy: I find the idea that I’ve built a whole community of characters that people love (Good Hope) very inspiring. It makes me push forward and make my next series the best it can be.

Lara: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

Cindy: I edit my pages listening to piano or cello instrumental but I usually prefer quiet when writing new pages.

Lara: Who’s your favorite villain?

Cindy: I don’t like to read books with “real” villains (the Hannibal Lecter variety)—because when I do, thoughts of them creep into my dreams.  In my books, I’d have to say Anita Fishback is as close to a villain as it gets.

Lara’s GOTTA ASK:  What are the next five books on your ‘to be read’ pile?

Cindy’s GOTTA ANSWER: I’ll be listening to my own book, Forever in Good Hope on audio.  I know it sounds crazy, but I love to listen to them on audio (the narrator does a terrific job!)  JD Robb has Secrets in Death coming out next month so I’ll be reading that one. (I’ve read all the others in her In Death series and I’m not about to stop now) I have a lot of unread books on my Kindle but I’m writing a lot of new pages now, so I think I’ll be doing good to get these two books “read.”

Where can you find Cindy?

Contact

Website

Facebook  

Twitter

Goodreads

Pinterest

What's next for Cindy?

Say I Do in Good Hope. 2/15/18

Sometimes love is right on your doorstep...

Eliza Shaw has never met a crisis she couldn’t manage. If her father thinks she’s going to take his attempt at selling the family home out from underneath her, then he clearly doesn’t know her at all. She‘ll chain herself to the banister if she has to...  

Kyle Kendrick doesn’t have time for the hassle of an eviction. He definitely doesn’t have time for Eliza Shaw’s drama – even if she does look distractingly gorgeous when she’s furious.  His sister is arriving in Good Hope and he needs a home. Now.  

Neither Kyle nor Eliza is thrilled at the idea of sharing the house, but it’s the only sensible solution. Now if they could each just stop fantasizing about their new roommate this crazy plan might just work.  And if they’re lucky, what started out as playing house could end up giving them the home and family they’ve both desperately yearned for.  

Don't miss the first books in the Good Hope series!

Cindy is giving FIVE ebooks (Kindle) drawn from those leaving comments. Winners will get their choice of one of the first three books in the series. 

Thanks for stopping by today, Cindy!

Montlake Author Cindy Kirk!

I'm thrilled to welcome Cindy back to the blog with her latest release...

BE MINE IN GOOD HOPE

 

Celebrated hairstylist Marigold Bloom knows how to tease beauty out of chaos…until her own life becomes untamable. After losing her prestigious job in Chicago, Marigold returns home to Good Hope, Wisconsin. But her plan to lay low and consider her next move is complicated by an unexpected blast from the past.

Sheriff Cade Rallis has never forgotten the blissful weekend he spent with the irresistible Marigold in Door County. Seeing her again is like a one-two punch to his heart, and he knows he can’t lose her a second time.

Marigold never meant for her stay in Good Hope to be permanent, and she certainly never meant to fall for Cade. As Valentine’s Day approaches and her dream job beckons, will Cupid’s grip on Marigold be strong enough to keep her in Good Hope? Or will the lure of fame and fortune in the big city prove impossible to resist?
*GIVEAWAY BELOW*

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK 

Cindy Kirk started writing after taking a class at a local community college. But her interest in the written word started years earlier when she was in her teens. At sixteen she wrote in her diary, “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.”

It took Cindy years to return to her first love---writing. Unlike some writers, Cindy wasn’t interested in shorter works of fiction. She jumped feet first into book length fiction. She loves reading and writing romance because she believes in the power of love and in happily ever after. An incurable romantic, Cindy loves seeing her characters grow and learn from their mistakes and, in the process, achieve a happy ending.

Cindy hopes that once you read her books you’ll be able to tell she is an eternal optimist, one who truly believes in the power of love. She invites you to kick off your shoes, pick up one of her books and get to know her.

Jan Schliesman: Do you ever get lost in your own stories?

Cindy Kirk: Yes. I often get lost in my stories. Not only when I’m writing them but once the book is done, I love to listen to it on audio. Seriously, I find myself listening…eager to hear what comes next! lol 

Jan: Name three things on your desk right now.

Cindy: A Contigo coffee mug, a wrapper of a Fiber One Peanut Butter Protein Bar and a bottle of Evian.

Jan: Do you struggle to find fresh ideas or do they come naturally?

Cindy: They come naturally. I find the more I let myself “get lost in the story” the more ideas I have.

Jan: What do you love most about your latest release?

Cindy: One of the early reviewers said it best, “The story of Cade and Marigold is not only a beautiful and romantic love story, it is a story of family, friendship and of what matters most in life.”

Jan: What are you currently reading?

Cindy: I’m currently reading “A Lot Like Love” by Julie James. I love her writing style and storytelling. Yep, I’m lost in the story. J

Jan: Do you believe in love at first sight?

Cindy: I believe in attraction, a chemistry, a connection at first sight. Interestingly, the connection between Marigold and Cade from the moment they met is at the heart of Be Mine in Good Hope.

Jan: If you had the skills to be in any other profession, what would it be?

Cindy: There is nothing I would rather do than write. I had a professional career before I left it to write full time. I’ve enjoyed the positions I’ve had over the years, but writing is my passion.

Jan: Best vacation you’ve ever taken?

Cindy: A Grand Mediterranean cruise that lasted seventeen days and took me to so many countries, it was difficult to keep track of where I was at any given time. I loved every second!  

Jan’s GOTTA ASK: My hubby works for Tombstone/DiGiorno. What do you like on your pizza?

Cindy’s GOTTA ANSWER: Everything but anchovies, please!

Find CINDY KIRK:

 Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

UP NEXT: Forever in Good Hope, August 15, 2017

PREVIOUS RELEASES: Christmas in Good Hope, Summer in Good Hope

THANKS SO MUCH, Cindy, for all your great answers. Cindy is offering a copy of her latest release, Be Mine in Good Hope, to one lucky reader!  She'd love for you to answer this question in the comments section below:

Tell me which of these top 3 romance tropes is your favorite: 

1) Friends to lovers 2) Soul mate/fate 3) Second chance at love

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kicking Off Summer With Cindy Kirk!

SUMMER IN GOOD HOPE

A widow at twenty-six, Primrose Bloom returns to idyllic Good Hope, Wisconsin, with her two rambunctious young boys, seeking the beauty of the lakeside landscape and the comfort of home. After the loss of her husband and her job, all she’s looking for is peace.

Prim is resolved not to date again until her boys are in college, but her will starts crumbling whenever she’s around her former high school debate partner, Max Brody—who just happens to live in the charming cottage next door. Max has reservations of his own about giving love a second chance and is determined to keep his distance. But when the two pair up to work on the town’s Fourth of July celebration, the fireworks over Green Bay aren’t the only sparks flying. Are Prim and the small-town boy she left behind perfectly wrong for each other…or perfectly right?

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

With nearly fifty published novels under her belt, award-winning author Cindy Kirk has written everything from inspirational romance (for Harlequin Love Inspired and Harper Collins Christian) to sexy contemporaries for Avon. Her books for Harlequin's Special Edition line and her new Good Hope series for Amazon Publishing’s Montlake Romance imprint fall somewhere in-between.

Cindy served on the Romance Writers of America Board of Directors from 2007-2015 and was the organization’s President 2014-2015. 

Jan Schliesman: How often do you Get Lost In A Story?

Cindy Kirk: My goal anytime I read a book is to get lost in the story.  Any reader knows that doesn’t always happen. But when it does, it’s magical.  I’m more likely to get lost in a story if I stick to the genre I like best, which is romance.

Jan: What are you reading?

Cindy: I’m embarrassed to admit I just finished listening to my own book on audio.  I wanted to see how the narrator did with Summer in Good Hope and I found myself sucked in. lol

Jan: It was love at first sight when I met my hubby. How about you?

Cindy: The spark was definitely there…but he was dating my friend when I first met him so…no acting on the attraction until their romance was over.

Jan: Did you always want to be a writer?

Cindy: Actually I did. I wrote in my diary when I was sixteen “I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t be a writer.” But, as with many things, it was years before I started actively pursuing my dream.  I think waiting made me appreciate what a wonderful gift it is to be able to do something you love…and get paid for it!

Jan: Does your heroine have any of your character traits?

Cindy: Prim is smart and loyal and family is important to her.  Where we diverge is she’s great with math and an excellent cook. Me, ah, not so much.

Jan: Most writers have to find their zone before the words start flowing. Describe your ideal writing day. 

Cindy: I usually go to the gym first thing in the morning then run whatever errands are on my list for the day…we live on an acreage so getting everything done in one trip into town is the most efficient use of my time.  Once I’m back home, I sit down and get to work.  I usually work on my current work in progress (WIP) seven days a week, sometimes for just a couple of hours, sometimes all day and all evening.  I like to edit my WIP while watching television, but when I’m writing new pages, it’s radio silence.

Jan: I keep a case of Dasani in my office. What’s your go-to beverage of choice?

Cindy:  Having a Diet Coke is my reward for a good day’s work!

Jan: Best vacation you’ve ever taken?

Cindy: I did a Mediterranean cruise several years back that I enjoyed immensely.  We were in so many countries in so many days that it was difficult to keep them all straight…but it was not only fun but educational.

Jan: Will you be attending RWA in San Diego?  The booksigning?  What’s the best part about meeting fans?

Cindy: I will be attending RWA…this will mark the 20^th straight RWA national conference I’ve attended. I won’t be signing at the Literacy signing.  Now that I’m no longer on the RWA Board of Directors, I’m using this conference to just relax and see friends (and of course, go to workshops) I will be signing books at the Montlake signing during the conference.  The best part about meeting fans is hearing them say they enjoyed reading one of my books. That never gets old.

Jan’s GOTTA ASK: My hubby works for Haagen-Dazs, so what’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Cindy’s GOTTA ANSWER:  There really isn’t any flavor I don’t like, and any flavor can hold the top spot on any given day.  But, since I’m answering for today, I’ll have to go with Butter Brickle. (I bet you don’t hear that one much)

UP NEXT:  Summer in Good Hope is out today!  Be Mine in Good Hope is scheduled for 1/28/17

PREVIOUS RELEASES: Christmas in Good Hope is Book #1 in the Good Hope series

THANKS SO MUCH, Cindy, for sharing some of your writing world with us! Cindy will give away one copy of Christmas in Good Hope to one winner and one copy of Summer in Good Hope to another winner.  Winners with North American addresses can choose either print or Kindle, a winner with an International address is only eligible for a Kindle copy.

CINDY KIRK

Contact, Website, Facebook, Twitter

 Goodreads, Pinterest, Blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Western Valentines from Cindy Kirk

Today's guest is Cindy Kirk, who is celebrating her 25th release from Harlequin with her new book, Jackson Hole Valentine. Welcome Cindy!

Simone: What was the inspiration for Jackson Hole Valentine?

Cindy: One of the characters in a previous book (Travis Fisher, the hero in If The Ring Fits) has seven siblings. For this book I brought one of his sisters back to Jackson Hole to be the heroine. The plot line (two former lovers get joint custody of a child when a parent dies) is similar to some movies (which I hadn’t heard of before I came up with this idea) but with a twist. I won’t say more about that…it’d give too much away.

Simone: What drew you to Wyoming as a setting for this series?

Cindy: I love setting books in the west! And Wyoming is a beautiful state. I went on a road trip with one of my critique partners through Wyoming, to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone (which I’d never been to before) and fell in love with it. But I didn’t want to do a cowboy book, so I started a series “RX for Love” about medical professionals in Jackson Hole. So far I’ve done several doctors, a nurse, a physical therapist and a medical social worker.

Simone: Describe your ideal reading spot.

Cindy: Sitting on my deck in a lounge chair, a glass of diet coke next to me!

Simone: You've also written Inspirational romance as Cynthia Rutledge. How have you found writing contemporary romance different from writing inspirational?

Cindy: Other than the level of sensuality allowed and the prominence of the faith issue I haven’t found it much different at all. Because Harlequin Special Edition is a Home & Hearth line, I’ve had some books with no consummated love scenes and others with two, depending on how it works with the plot. My characters in the Special Editions usually go to church and often something in a sermon will hit home and help them in their struggles.

Simone: What inspires you daily?

Cindy: I love to write. I love making the characters come alive on the page. No one has to make me write, it’s my passion.

Simone: You've written 25 (!) romances for Harlequin while working full-time. That's an incredible achievement! Any tips for busy writers (whether they work or not)?

Cindy: Make writing a priority. As with anything that is important to you, it shouldn’t be relegated to the “I’ll do it if I have time” pile. Carve out the time and get those pages written!

Simone: What is your favorite season and why?

Cindy: Fall is my favorite time of year. I love to go on long walks with my husband and our two dogs (a shih tzu named Ernie and a blue heeler named Shug). In the fall you don’t get too warm or too cold which makes walking pleasant. I enjoy seeing all the colors in the leaves and bushes. And, call me crazy, but I love the smell of the dried leaves and the crunch they make beneath my feet!

Simone: Name three of the best books you've read lately.

Cindy: I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, so that’s a tough question. There are so many good books out there. I’d have to say- This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Yours Until Dawn by Teresa Medeiros and A Duke of Her Own by Lorraine Heath.

Simone: What's next for you?

Cindy: I have another Special Edition out in April, The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret!

Cindy is giving away one copy of Jackson Hole Valentine to a commenter. So, let us know: If you could read a book set anywhere, where would it be?

Thanks Cindy!