The Running Series
by Suzanne
Sweeney
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Running Back to You:
Juliette
Fletcher is a girl with a plan. Not one to sit back and wait for life to
happen, she moves back home after graduation and begins to carve out a life for
herself.
Evan
McGuire is desperate for a fresh start. His career in the NFL depends on it.
Years of partying and carefree living have caught up with him. After buying a
beach house in need of renovations, he begins to rebuild his life and his
reputation.
What
Evan doesn’t expect is a chance meeting with Juliette out on an early morning
beach run with her dog. A strong mutual attraction draws them together, but
fear of scaring her away keeps Evan from revealing his true identity. Evan
finds himself in an unfamiliar situation – forced to work harder than he ever
has before to prove himself worthy of her affections.
Tragic
misunderstandings and unexpected obstacles threaten to derail a fragile
relationship. Someone is watching, waiting, and tormenting Juliette, desperate
to destroy everything. Can they find the strength to overcome jealousy,
insecurity, and fear before it’s too late?
Running Home to You:
Running
Home to You: continues the journey of Juliette and Evan that began in “Running
Back to You”.
Juliette
Fletcher thought she had it all – a strikingly handsome man who adores her, a
new business venture with her best friends by her side, and a dream house right
on the beach. But appearances can be deceiving and everything comes at a cost.
Evan
McGuire has just survived a vicious attack that almost ended his professional
football career. He’s on the mends now, trying to piece his life back together
again, and build a life with Juliette.
But
Evan’s erratic behavior has Juliette worried. She must figure out how to save
her struggling restaurant, her fragile friendships, and her now unhealthy
relationship with the man she loves. Juliette and Evan find that they’ve placed
their trust in the wrong people and the price they pay for that mistake may
ultimately cost them everything.
Running
Home to You is the second book in the Running Series.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
Running Back
to You excerpt from Chapter 3: Outside
Forces
Wanting to
know a little bit more about him, I press on.
“I don’t mean to pry, but I was just wondering … do you live here? I mean, is this your house? Is there anyone who might walk in and have a
problem with me sitting here right now?
A wife? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?”
He chokes on
his water and spits it out. I guess he’s
never been asked that before.
“Wow, you get
right to it, don’t you? No, Juliette, I
live here alone, most of the time, anyway.”
Another cryptic response that I’ll leave alone for the time being.
He hands me a
fresh bottle of water.
“How about
you? Anyone special in your life right
now?” He folds his hands in his lap and
I can’t help but notice they’re the exact type of hands I love: large, strong,
and manly.
“No. It’s just Maddy and me against the
world. She watches my back and I scratch
hers.” It’s my lame attempt at
humor. Absentmindedly, I start twirling
my fingers through my ponytail.
He has a
one-word response, “Interesting.” I’m
perplexed.
I attempt to
change the subject, “I think it’s time to take off the ice. Didn’t you say fifteen-minutes on and
fifteen-minutes off?”
Evan checks
his watch and agrees, “Yeah, let me check it.
I want to make sure it’s not swelling up.” He tenderly removes the compression bandage
and the ice. When his hand makes contact
with my skin, something inside me awakens and I have to catch my breath.
He quickly
removes his hand from my leg and walks away from me, over to the banister,
gazing at the beach as the waves break on the shore. His back is to me and I take the opportunity
to admire his physique without fear of being caught. His biceps are impressive. I can see them contract as he grasps the deck
railing. I wonder why he pulled away
like that.
“Hey, Evan,
can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,
shoot.”
“Well, do you
really own this place? It’s truly
impressive. I’ve lived here all my life
and I’ve never met anyone who lives in one of these homes. How can someone so young afford a place like
this? I mean, I can barely make my rent
and here you are in this huge beach house.”
There’s a
moment of silence, like he’s considering my question and measuring his
response. He’s still not looking at me.
“I’ve bought
and sold a few houses over the past several years. Each one gave me a small profit, which I used
to purchase the next one. My last house
was in Houston and I flipped it for a very nice profit.”
“So, are you
planning on selling this one soon? It
looks like it’s almost done.” I’m hoping
he says no.
“I haven’t
decided yet. I’m starting to like it
here. It looks promising.” He turns and stares right at me, “Very
promising.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's Learn a Little About Suzanne Sweeney:
What is your writing environment?
I write
at home in any quiet spot I can find. I
might grab my MacBook and barricade myself in a bedroom. If I'm lucky enough that the house is empty,
I might curl up on the couch with my laptop on my lap. No matter where I am, I need music. I try to find a movie with a great soundtrack
to play in the background.
Who is your perfect hero and why?
Wow,
that's a tough one. Perfect is a hard
standard to live up to. Even fictitious
characters have flaws. My favorite would
have to be Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries (small screen and
book). He's sexy, complicated, badass,
and charming all rolled into one.
What authors have caught your interest lately and why?
Amy
Bartol and the Premonition Series. I
like to delve into different genres and this hybrid of Paranormal-Young
Adult-Romance-Action-Adventure is engaging and beautifully written.
What type of book have you always wanted to write?
I wish I
had the creative mind to be able to write a dystopian action/adventure. I envy the talented authors who can create an
alternative world while developing the characters and lives of the people who
would inhabit their universe.
Top 3 things on your bucket list?
1.
Meet Tom
Hanks
2.
Travel
into Space
3.
Visit the
Great Pyramids in Egypt
How did you get the idea for this particular novel?
I've been
reading a lot of romance novels where the setting is an integral part of the
storyline. In all the books I've
devoured, I've never found one set in a location that I could relate to. I started making notes about what my ideal
romance would include, and before I knew it, I felt like I had the recipe for a
great novel.
What is your favorite scene in your new release?
The
proposal scene is definitely my favorite.
Every girl dreams about the day the man of her dreams asks her to marry
him and choreographic the most romantic proposal was memorable.
What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be
available?
I'm
working on the third and final installment in the Running Series, "Running
Away With You", which is due to be released this summer.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
My first
career is teaching, so I spend most of my days teaching the joy of reading and
writing to the eleven year olds that sit before me every day.
What would you consider a perfect date?
A date
that takes me someplace I've never been before that requires absolutely no
planning on my part.
What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?
I cannot
find a publisher or literary agent willing to work with me. It's much harder than I ever imagined. I'm sure there is a critical piece that I am
missing when I send out my requests, but I'm not quite sure what that is. I'm hoping that someday, I will make that
meaningful connection, but until then, I'll remain an Indie Author struggling
to find my audience.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Suzanne
Sweeney is a graduate of Georgian Court University where she studied Elementary
Education and Sociology. For some time now, she has been sharing her love of
literature with the young minds who sit before her in class each and every day.
After years of teaching the art of writing, Suzanne has finally taken her own
advice and put pen to paper in order to produce her debut novel, Running Back
to You. She writes what she lives, residing in the community she loves, Point
Pleasant, with her family who provide a constant source of inspiration and
support.
Buy
Links:
Suzanne will be awarding a $25 Visa Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! Follow the tour HERE
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteVery intriguing excerpt!
ReplyDeletevitajex(At)Aol(Dot)com
Running Home to You.. thanks for sharing and for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fascinating story. I enjoyed your comments.
ReplyDeleteI would like to read these
ReplyDeleteThank you to BookLover Sue for hosting a stop on my book tour. And thank you to the visitors for stopping by. Please remember to take a chance on our $25 Visa Giveaway.
ReplyDeleteBoth books seem intriguing.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! These books sound awesome! Entering under the name of Virginia
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the excerpt and I love the cover too.
ReplyDeletekareninnc at gmail dot com
they sound good.Running Home to You.thanks for the chance
ReplyDelete