Interview with Author Rita Oberlies and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome to RFTC author Rita Oberlies. Rita is currently celebrating the recent release of her book Second Chances and has stopped by to answer some questions. But before we get to the interview lets get to know Rita some.

Rita Oberlies grew up in the Boston area, the youngest in a family of six children. At an early age she developed an addiction to books, baseball and the beaches of Cape Cod.

After graduating from Villanova University with a degree in English, Rita spent almost a decade pursuing a professional career in Employee Development. With the arrival of two children, Rita began writing stories during those brief periods of time when her young sons were sleeping.

Today Rita resides in Western New York with her husband, their young boys, and a pair of adopted shelter dogs. Despite her best efforts, she remains addicted to books, baseball and the beaches of Cape Cod.

Places to find Rita:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

First off, can you tell us a bit about you?
I grew up in the Boston area, the youngest in a family of six children. After graduating from Villanova University with a degree in English, I spent a decade pursuing a career in Employee Learning and Development. Today I live in Western New York with my husband, our two young sons, and a pair of neurotic dogs. Second Chances is my third published novel.

That’s my blah, blah, blah response ;-) The real me is a chocolate loving sports fanatic who thinks reading is cool, tattoos are hot, and Dunkin Donuts is evil.

Did you always want to be a writer?
The first time my name appeared in print I was twelve years old. I was a total news junkie, constantly writing letters to the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald. It drove my father crazy because some of my opinions led to people calling us at home wanting to discuss my views.

So, yes – a part of me always wanted to be a writer. It was until a few years ago that I decided to try writing romantic fiction.


What kind of writer are you? Pantser or Plotter?
I’m a complete pantser. I’ve tried, really tried to push myself into plotting more on the front end but the results have been less than stellar. My critique partners are both plotters – character charts, GMC outlines – seriously, crazy planners. My brain cringes when they spread out their flow charts and story maps.

Where do your ideas come from?
I grew up in a pretty functional family, which makes writing conflict tortuously difficult. Second Chances came partly from my desire to rewrite the history of a couple that I knew back in college. At that time I wanted them to have a happy ending because they really were perfect for each other. I have no idea what the source of their conflict and break up actually was so I created my own. Although I never saw them again after graduation I heard through the grapevine that they eventually wound up back together.

The plot for one of my previous books, The Catcher and the Lie, came to me while I was watching the seventh inning of a Red Sox game. I actually remember getting off of the couch to grab my laptop so I could take notes.

A la Twitter style, can you describe your book (or series) in 140 characters or less.
Hot boy meets girl. Wins her heart. Screws up. She moves on. 6 yrs. later he begs for 2nd chance. Lust. Trust. Finally love.

What are some of your favorite kinds of stories to read?
I go through reading bursts where I’ll read a dozen paranormal romances then switch over to historical romances, and then settle in with some contemporary stories. For me a great story is a great story, regardless of the genre. If someone I trust told me to read the back of a yogurt label because it was riveting I’d be hitting up the Yoplait section of my grocery store.

Do you have a favorite book and if so what is it?
You know that’s the hardest question in the world to answer, right? I have about a hundred titles that might be my ‘all time favorite’ novel.

Today I’m going to go with “Catch of the Day” by Kristan Higgins. I’m a self- avowed fangirl of Higgins and this book makes me smile. A lot.

What are the scenes that are the hardest for you to write?
Writing the final chapter always wrecks me. I want it to be satisfying without being saccharine. I’m always afraid if it’s too perfect readers won’t believe it’s genuine.

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?

• Kristan Higgins– but I’d probably have to wear Depends because she has the reputation for being a complete crackup.
• Nora Roberts – but I’d probably have to tie my hands to my chair because when I’m nervous I constantly tap my fingernails.
• Lori Wilde – I’m a huge fan of her books and I think she’s incredibly nice. She’s actually the person who offered a contract for Second Chances and gave me a very sweet cover quote. Hmm…I guess I’d be paying for her dinner.

Last question, are you working on anything right now?
I am reworking my latest manuscript, The Only Exception, at this very moment. After I reached the end I decided to make some changes to a secondary character. Not sure why I thought this was a good idea. This darn character is turning out to be more significant than I imagined, which means I’m making changes to almost every chapter. Ugh.

Will the past keep them apart?

High powered attorney Luke Braden knows that perfection only comes once in a lifetime, and for him it came and went in the form of his college girlfriend, Brenna Morgan. Circumstances beyond his control separated them before, but now that she’s back in Boston, Luke won’t let her slip away again.

Or give them a second chance at love?

For Brenna Morgan, returning home is the very last thing she wants, especially when it means facing the man who once became her salvation—and then dumped her at the first sign of trouble. But Luke is determined to make up for his past mistakes, and Brenna finds herself weakening against him. A decade of deceit lies between them, and he’ll have to fight if he wants to keep his second chance at love.

Places to Purchase:

| Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 

Want to win a copy of this book? 1 lucky commenter will win a copy. 

To Enter:

• Leave a comment answering the question: What do you think of second chance at love stories? Do you any favorites?
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