Monday, October 12, 2015

If Not for a Bee by Carol Ross {Spotlight, Guest Post, and Giveaway}

On tour with Prism Book Tours.

If Not for a BeeIf Not for a Bee
(Seasons of Alaska #3)
by Carol Ross
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 206 Pages
October 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming


You can't always play it safe

With four sons dependent on her, Janie Everett needs to keep her life uncomplicated. Now famous scientist Aidan Hollings is disrupting her orderly world, starting with the rescue of a...bumblebee.

Aidan is only passing through her Alaska wilderness town, and wasn't planning to bond with her two older boys. Or become so attracted to the widowed journalist. His globe-trotting days may be be over if he's able to show Janie that they can share the adventure of a lifetime--together.


Also in the Series
Mountains Apart
(Seasons of Alaska #1)
A Case for Forgiveness
(Seasons of Alaska #2)
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin - Kobo - Google Play

How it All Came to Bee -- Guest Post
C:\Users\Carol\Desktop\photos\bee on flower.jpg
The day after the first book in the Seasons of Alaska series Mountains Apart was released, my sister, Shelly, called me. Shelly doesn’t read anything I write until after it’s published. So this phone call started with a lot of gushing about what a great writer I am and how much she loved the story. (Sisters have to do this. It’s a requirement.) Not far into the conversation she told me how much she loved the character Janie. Janie is a secondary character in Mountains Apart who plays a small but important role as the hero’s sister.
The conversation went something like this:
Shelly: “When does Janie get her story?”
Me: “What?”
Shelly: (In a drama-filled tone that would make Meryl Streep proud.) “Poor Janie! She’s a widow. She’s all alone with four boys—including a brand new set of twins. She’s suffering from grief and postpartum depression. My heart is broken for her.”
Me: “Um…”
Shelly: “When does she get her story? She deserves her own story, Carol. She needs to find someone. She deserves to be happy!”
Me: (Now a little scared of my older sister, who also happens to be the kindest and sweetest person I know.) “Yes, of course. I agree. I’m going to start working on it soon.”
Shelly: (With a sniffle.) “Good! I’m going to hang up now so you can get started. And please make the hero someone who deserves her.”
Me: “Okay… Shelly? Are you there?”
Janie didn’t have a large part in that first book, but I soon learned that she struck a chord with readers, and not only my sister. In conducting my own informal non-scientific poll of family and friends and readers where I asked which character from Mountains Apart they would most like to see get their own story, Janie was hands-down the winner.
In my mind, Shay James, heroine from A Case for Forgiveness (book #2), was already telling me her story so I wrote that one first. Janie also happens to be Shay’s cousin and best friend and plays a small part in that story, too. So by the time I started writing If Not for a Bee much of it was already buzzing around (sorry, I just can’t seem to stop the bee puns) in my head. I think this is largely because Janie’s character was already so well-formed she was like a real person to me. Like a sister. Still, I was surprised at how this book flowed like nothing I’ve ever written before. Not so surprising was the fact that Janie turned out to be a lot like my sister; a woman whose devotion to those she loves does the words “mother,” “daughter,” and “sister” proud.
And while it’s true that if not for a bee Janie and Aidan would never have had their chance encounter in front of the Donut Den in Rankins, which starts off their story, it is also true that if not for my sister, If Not for a Bee wouldn’t be the story it turned it out to bee.
Carol Ross lives with her husband and one loveable miscreant of a dachshund in a small town in Washington close to both the ocean and the mountains. She adores the Pacific Northwest because it provides her with endless opportunities for the activities she lovesóhiking, running, skiing, and spending time outdoors. Although she enjoys reading in many genres, she writes what she loves the mostóromance, especially light-hearted stories about the fun, flirty, and often-tumultuous path toward a happily ever after. For a complete list of her books, social media links, giveaways, and other fun stuff stop by and visit her new website: carolrossauthor.com.


- Grand Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card & copy of If Not for a Bee (open internationally, print book to US winner, ebook to international winner)
- US Prize Pack: bee coffee mug, bee charm necklace, 17.6 ounce jar of honey, honey dipper, box of organic tea, and signed copy of If Not for a Bee (US only)
- Ends October 23rd

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24 comments:

  1. UnknownOctober 12, 2015 at 2:41 AM

    Thank you for the chance to win :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Janet W.October 12, 2015 at 4:14 AM

    Sounds like a great series I'd love to read!

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    Replies
    1. Katie WOctober 12, 2015 at 7:38 AM

      It does sound like a fun setting and a good story. :)

      Delete
    2. Carol RossOctober 12, 2015 at 7:47 AM

      Thank you, Janet! It's been a ton of fun to write this series. I've learned so much about Alaska. And about bees!

      Delete
  3. Carol RossOctober 12, 2015 at 7:50 AM

    Katie, I so appreciate you hosting me today! Katie's Clean Book Collection is the first stop on my first book blog tour ever.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katie WOctober 12, 2015 at 8:49 AM

      I'm honored to be first! I'm happy to help spread the word. :)

      Delete
  4. TheresaOctober 12, 2015 at 8:47 AM

    This is such a great series and I can't wait to read this next book.

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    Replies
    1. Katie WOctober 12, 2015 at 8:49 AM

      I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying the series! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
    2. Carol RossOctober 12, 2015 at 9:47 AM

      Thank you so much, Theresa! It's bee so fun to write and If Not for a Bee happens to be my personal favorite so far. Hope you enjoy it, too( :

      Delete
  5. Heidi Reads...October 12, 2015 at 9:35 AM

    My dad was a beekeeper as a hobby when I was a kid, and we still have gallons of his raw honey. Fresh honeycomb takes me instantly back to my childhood :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol RossOctober 12, 2015 at 9:45 AM

      You are so lucky, Heidi! And honey lasts forever (literally). My granddad kept bees, too, and I have such wonderful fond memories of that, too. Yum, fresh honeycomb!

      Delete
    2. Katie WOctober 14, 2015 at 1:59 PM

      I would LOVE to have raw honey right from the comb! Lucky you. :)

      Delete
  6. LizOctober 12, 2015 at 4:03 PM

    Looks like a great read!!

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  7. UnknownOctober 13, 2015 at 8:58 PM

    Sounds like a great read! Thanks for the intro!!

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  8. Sandra WattsOctober 14, 2015 at 11:02 AM

    I like the title. Makes me want to read more.

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    Replies
    1. Katie WOctober 14, 2015 at 2:00 PM

      It is quite a catchy title! Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  9. AnonymousOctober 23, 2015 at 9:49 AM

    Looks wonderful! thanks for the chance!

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownOctober 23, 2015 at 10:33 PM

    sounds like a great book! thanks for the giveaway.

    rounder9834 @yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete

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