Interview & Giveaway - Shatterproof by K.K.Weil

Shatterproof

by K.K. Weil

GENRE: New Adult Contemporary Romance

 

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BLURB: 

Griffin Stone knows the stats. Sons of abusers become abusers. This is his single fear. 

After witnessing firsthand his parents’ tumultuous marriage, Griffin worries that he, too, harbors an explosive dark side. Can he escape from his father’s rage-fueled ways or is he destined to become part of the cycle? 

Unable to persuade his mother to leave and wrestling with his resentment towards her for staying, Griffin volunteers at Holly’s House, a safe haven for abused women. Through sculpture, Griffin gives these women pieces of themselves they’ve long forgotten. Holly’s House is the only place where Griffin finds peace and purpose. 

Until he meets Frankie Moore.

Frankie is an aspiring photographer, finding beauty in things most people miss, including Griffin. Griffin is attracted to her free-spirited, sassy attitude but fears Frankie will trigger the most intense part of him, the one he must keep buried. 

Frankie’s got to get her act together. Her anything-goes behavior is leading nowhere fast. She’s hopeful that her latest hobby will be a building block for the future. But when a stranger appears on the other end of her camera, looking as complex as he is handsome, Frankie thinks this might be just the change she needs. 

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EXCERPT: 

“Do you remember all the things people say?” Frankie asks with a lazy grin.  

“Only certain people.” I smile back. I stroke her long hair. It’s wild against my skin, with unpredictable waves. Just like Frankie. My hands never tire of feeling every single surface and texture of her. 

She rests her head back on my bare chest and begins tracing each of my tattoos. “I can’t believe you do this for all those women.” Her fingers follow the lines of a cherry blossom on my ribcage. “Do you have any idea how incredible you are?”  

I don’t answer. She sighs.  

“You don’t, do you?” She stops midtrace. “Can I see mine?”  

I laugh at how blatant she is about it, when I specifically told her she was only part of the inspiration for the moon. I give her my back. A single fingernail follows the lines of the moon and the sky around it. I suppress a shudder. How does just one of her nails have such a blistering effect on my body? Then the same nail traces the tattoo parallel to hers. A faded sketch of a small, mustached man rescuing a child from drowning.  

“I never noticed this one before. Is it for someone or is it just something you liked?” she asks.

“It’s for someone. It’s for Roth.”  

She finds the symbolism right away. “It’s very powerful.” Her voice flutters in my ear. “It’s in the same exact spot as mine, on the other shoulder blade. You never struck me as the kind of guy who needs symmetry,” she jokes.  

“They’re there for a reason.”  

“What significance are shoulder blades?”  

I chuckle. “They’re not on my shoulder blades, Frankie. They’re on my lungs. Mr. Rothman taught me how to breathe years ago. You’re the reason I keep doing it.” 

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Talking with author K.K. Weil!

Thank you so much for having me today! I’m very happy to be here.

 

What is your writing environment?  

I work at home and whenever the weather is warm enough, I write outside. Even though I’m always cold, I’ll happily bundle up if it means getting another day outdoors before the winter blows in. I’ve always got coffee sitting next to me and it’s generally quiet while I work. I know a lot of people are more productive with background noise, like a TV or the radio. I tend to talk to myself when I write, though, so too many background voices distract me. Sometimes, I do listen to music without lyrics, like classical or jazz.

Who is your perfect hero/heroine and why? 

Strong, independent heroines, like Katniss from The Hunger Games, are my favorites. I love when a woman can take care of herself. As far as heroes, characters I find myself most drawn to are tough on the outside, but are actually deep and introspective, like Colleen Hoover’s Dean Holder in Losing Hope.

What authors have caught your interest lately and why? 

I just recently heard about the book California by Edan Lepucki. The book sounds like it’s right up my alley, so I’ll be checking her out soon.

What type of book have you always wanted to write? 

I enjoy writing a little of everything, from short stories to full-length novels. I developed a love for dystopian novels many years ago, when I read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Since then, this has been one of my very favorite genres. One day, I’d love to write a great dystopian series. I have one in the back of my mind. It’s on the backburner for now, but we’ll see what the future brings.

Top 3 things on your bucket list? 

I don’t have many bucket-list items, but one of them is to see the Seven Wonders of the World. There’s just one problem, aside from needing tons of time and endless amounts of money. When you research them, there isn’t one cohesive list. There are the ancient wonders, the natural wonders and the modern wonders. I can either make my goal to see the 21 Wonders or pick and choose to create “Kelly’s Wonders of the World.” So far I’ve seen one. 

A second item is also travel related. My dream destination is, without a doubt, Australia. I’ve actually had my trip planned out for years. There are so many things I want to see there. The opera house and the beautiful Great Barrier Reef are at the top of my list. But above all, I want to visit the outback, Ayer’s Rock and learn about the Aborigines. I couldn’t imagine a more wonderful place to take my family. 

I think I might also want to take a ride in a hot air balloon one day. I’d imagine that’s an unforgettably beautiful experience.

 

How did you get the idea for this particular novel? 

My hero in Shatterproof, Griffin, was a character in my first novel, At This Stage. Even though I never intended for him to be a major character in that book, he took on a life of his own and I soon fell in love with him. I started to wonder what made him tick. Something must have happened to someone he loved to make him so intense. And who would he love more growing up than his mother? I knew he and his background had to be my next story, and so Shatterproof was born.

What is your favorite scene in your new release? 

It’s hard to choose one, honestly. I think one of them might be when Griffin tries to sculpt Frankie, my heroine. He’s been reluctant to sculpt her because he’s nervous about the emotions it will draw from him, yet as long as he refuses, Frankie knows he’s holding back. Without revealing too much, I’ll say that during this scene, Griffin realizes something about himself that is pivotal for the rest of the book.

What are you working on now? 

Right now, I’m working on a book about a young woman who owns a small crepe shop with her grandmother on the NJ shore. She uses her shop to help the homeless, and has a special interest in doing charitable work for them. When a gorgeous, mysterious guy comes into her shop and starts leaving her songs on napkins, she’s not sure what to make of him. Family issues cause her to be cautious in relationships, but she’s different with this guy. The more she learns about him, though, the more she realizes she knows nothing about who he really might be.

What do you like to do when you are not writing? 

If I’m not writing, you’ll often find me reading. I love visiting places I’ve never been. Trying new foods is also a passion of mine. If I can combine all three of these on a vacation with my family or friends, that’s pretty perfect.

What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?

I was never a video game addict, but in college my roommates and I played Tetris for hours and hours, until we couldn’t see straight anymore. Everything took a back seat to our Tetris marathons, including studying. It was so bad, I even dreamt about shapes. To this day, when my kids are in an arcade, I can’t walk by the game without stopping to throw in some money. I have lots more silly, quirky fun facts about me on my website, http://kkweil.com, if you want to check them out.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links: 

K.K. Weil grew up in Queens, but eventually moved to New York City, the inspiration for many of her stories. Weil, who attended SUNY Albany as an undergrad and NYU as a graduate student, is a former teacher. She now enjoys writing her own dramas and lives near the beach in New Jersey, where she is at work on her next novel.

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KKWeilAuthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KK_Weil

Blog: www.KKWeil.blogspot.com

 

 

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GIVEAWAY: 

K.K. Weil will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway