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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Guest Post with Author Christy McKee and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Christy McKee to RFTC. Christy is celebrating the recent release of her book Maybe Too Good To Be True and has stopped by to chat. Before I give the floor over to Christy, let's get to know her a bit.

My addiction to reading emerged when I was ten and down with measles. My mother, trying to keep me entertained, brought home a stack of Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew books. Within days, I’d consumed them all and asked for more. That’s when it truly began−the pleasure of reading which would eventually lead to my writing.

I can’t pin point precisely when I knew I was different from everyone else−at least from my tight group of hometown friends. Didn’t everyone have movies playing in their heads starring beautiful characters leading adventurous lives in exotic places? NO—they did not. Did that mean they were normal and I was the odd, slightly wacky duck? My answer to that conundrum came when I attended my first writer’s conference in Savannah. Nervous about being on my own at the crowded event, a kindly writer from Texas took me under her wing and introduced me to at least a dozen writers. Surrounded by so many writers who were so like me, I fit right in. I wasn’t an “odd” duck after all; I’d simply been in the wrong pond!

As a result of that conference, my desire and conviction to write blossomed. Still working a full time job at a Louisiana cancer center, I carved out time to write every night and on weekends. My first manuscript went through four incarnations, and a year under the bed, before success came knocking.

Today my family and our two Labs—Lambeau, the Green Bay Packers unofficial mascot and Gracie, who is just plain, sweet Amazing Grace—live in a picturesque little town in Ohio wrapped around a lovely town square with an intricately carved gazebo where weekly band concerts take place all summer long.
Places to find Christy:


Thank you Danielle for having me on your blog today. I'm going to share the inspiration and motivation behind the male lead in Maybe Too Good to Be True.

Inspiration for Pierce Hastings, courtesy of Rudyard Kipling

For my character, Pierce Hastings, I used the gold standard of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If. My goal was to make Pierce a modern day knight—a man of honor and accountability. However, a character with all the traits imbued by Kipling would probably be perceived as a saint; impressive for the short term, but after a while he could be intimidating, annoying, or heaven forbid, downright boring.

Pierce Hastings is equally at home in a Park Avenue penthouse and a fortune 500 boardroom as he is at one of his lumber mills frying up fresh caught fish for his employees summer picnic. He is accepted and liked by men, women and children from all walks of life.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings-nor nor lose the common touch,

Borrowing a few ideas from Robin Hood and Warren Buffet— not stealing from the rich, but feeling a duty to improve the lives of the less fortunate—Pierce creates projects not for glory but for the greater good, like his hands on prototype of an aeroponic garden that could be used in any building in an inner city.

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;

In the real world, a hero has to be challenged and not always rise to victory because defeat is an important character builder. I wanted Pierce to be knocked off Kipling’s pedestal and struggle which he does royally when his attorney wife blindsides him with divorce and admits she never wanted to have his children. He is devastated by her betrayal and shaken that his judgment and trust could have been so misguided.

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build’em up with worn-out-tools;

Pierce is dealt another blow when he learns his late father implemented a criminal conspiracy to deliberately bankrupt and ruin his best friend, who was serving in Vietnam. The millions his father took funded a new business empire and paid for the lavish lifestyle Pierce and his brother took for granted. Pierce is genuinely ashamed at what his father did. Being an honorable man, he wants to make “it” up to Gabrielle—the victim’s daughter, but does he mistake pity and recompense for love?

One of the “tools” Pierce now employs is control. Having suffered such a bitter loss, he feels the only way to get his life back on track is to leave nothing to chance and to micro manage people and circumstances to get his way. He is a born protector who takes it upon himself to fix things for his family and close friends. It is not in his nature to stand by and watch someone make a mistake.

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

This will be one of his most difficult challenges to overcome; to stand back, do nothing, and watch someone he loves make their own choice, right or wrong. If he fails to keep to the sidelines, he may lose the one person who means everything to him.

Contest Giveaway

Answer this question and you might win a free copy of Maybe Too Good to Be True from today’s drawing. Your name will also go into the contest to win a $30 Amazon gift card to be awarded at the end of my blog tour.

What are four qualities you would want in a mate?


Gabrielle March is summoned to an oceanfront estate in Massachusetts by the matriarch of Atlantic-Hastings International where she is presented with a hefty block of shares as amends for a crime committed against her family. The stock—worth several million dollars—can give her the means to make her dream come true if only she can muster the courage to break free from her past and believe in her unique creative talent.

Pierce Hastings, son of Gabrielle’s benefactress, grudgingly agrees to take her under his wing and acclimate her to Atlantic-Hastings. Never one to mix business with pleasure, Pierce stuns himself when he ignores his own self imposed rule. Gabrielle’s complete lack of artifice, unvarnished honesty and quirky sense of humor are intoxicating to him―and he’s rapidly becoming addicted. He’s blindsided when Gabrielle confesses that, in spite of her growing feelings for him, she will never fit into his world of power and privilege and has no desire to try.

Purchase: | Amazon | All Romance | Bookstrand |
“You don’t kiss like you want to stop. I think what you really want is to be kissed and a whole lot more.” Pierce raised his large hand to run a finger slowly across her mouth. “I’m really going to enjoy educating you, Gabrielle.” His twinkling blue eyes roamed over her.

Was he talking about sex? This overly macho male thought he was going to teach her about sex? What did he think…she was like, sixteen? “Listen Bucko. I don’t need to learn about sex from you. I…”

His mouth quirked into a self-satisfied smile. “Good to know, Peaches, but I was talking about your indoctrination to Atlantic-Hastings. Mother put me in charge of you. We’re going to be spending lots of quality time together.”

Mercy. What was Elizabeth thinking?

“Hold on a second.” He looked down at her. “You’re looking a little shaky, Peaches. I don’t scare you, do I?”

The towering, six foot four, male irritated the hell out of her, but he didn’t frighten her one bit. Truth was her reaction to his searing kiss scared the stuffing out of her.

Want to win some goodies from Christy? Check out what's for grabs if you comment.

Up for grabs:
  • 1 lucky commenter will win a eBook copy of Maybe Too Good to Be True
  • 1 lucky commenter from the ENTIRE tour will win a $30 Amazon Gift Card.

To Enter:
  • Leave a comment answering this question: What are four qualities you would want in a mate?
  • Please leave your email address along with your comment to be entered. No email address, no entry.
  • Giveaway ends September 28th.

Good Luck =)

41 comments :

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pierce Hastings is such a great name & it was wonderful to learn about him & how he came to be.

    My 4 qualities for a mate: honesty, loyalty, fidelity, sensitivity.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    Replies
    1. MaryBelle,

      Sensitivity--I hadn't thought of that quality and it's one most women want. We want someone who listens to us and is supportive

      Delete
  3. My qualities for a mate are loyalty, honesty, compassion, and an alpha personality :)

    lindsayavalon (at) gmail (dot) com

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay,

      An alpha. Yes, I'm with you. I like a take charge man myself. What about qualities in your current heroine?

      Christy

      Delete
  4. Danielle,

    We're off to a great start. Thank you for having me over today. If anyone has any questions, I will be glad to answer them.

    Christy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds like a fun story. :)
    Love the Rudyard Kipling inspiration.
    Four qualities...hmm.
    humor, sarcasm, virility [haha], and faithfulness [to God]

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shoot. I forgot my email. I'm adding it here, because I would really like to win your book. :)

      bstrasser35 at gmail dot com

      Delete
    2. Bethanne,

      Forgive me for calling you Bethany.

      Delete
  6. Bethany,

    That poem has always been a favorite for me. If you like the quality, sarcasm, I imagine you like to banter and enjoy verbal fisticuffs?

    Thanks for the comment and your email!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lets see. I think my four most important qualities in a mate would be loyalty, honesty, sense of humor, and I can;t think of the word but no cheating on me. I loved the borrowing of ideas from Robin Hood and Warren Buffet.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne,

      What about fidelity or maybe faithfulness?

      Thank you for stopping by and sharing your 4 important qualities!

      Christy

      Delete
  8. Kindness, loyalty, intelligence, and humor work for me!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. They work for me. Humor can get you through some of the roughest times in your life. It should never be under rated.

      Delete
  9. I loved all your comments.

    My four requirements are: love without any question, loyalty, strength, both physical and mental and someone who can laugh with me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MomJane,

      So we're talking about the whole package wrapped up in a sound mind and strong body. Very nice. I'm with you on the importance of laughter.

      Thank you for coming by today.

      Delete
  10. Great qualities in a man are honesty, loyalty and confidence.

    Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice post. Intelligence, sense of humor, respect, loyalty

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much for coming by and answering the question. I hadn't thought about intelligence but it is really important. Well done.

      Delete
  12. Thanks for a great post and congrats on the new release!

    I want: loyalty, respect, a good sense of humor and confidence :)

    efender1(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Erin,

      Thank you for answering the question. Lots of good comments today.

      Delete
  13. Thank you so much for sharing, Christy!
    My four would be: Loyalty, protectiveness, humor and smarts :-)

    justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Today was my pleasure. It was fun getting to talk with you.

      Delete
    2. It was my pleasure, Chelsea. Several of you picked "smarts" as one of your four traits. I like it.

      Delete
  14. Four qualities I want in a mate? A sense of humor, common sense, honesty, and kindness...but there are so many more I can add!
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catherine Lee,

      You are so right. Our heroes have so many wonderful qualities--that's what makes them so special.

      Delete
  15. 4 qualities I would want in a mate R: daaataaadaaaa..((drumroll))..!!!
    MY MATE MUST POSSES THE SPIRIT THATS LIVE ON EARTH BEYOND HIS YEARS. LOVES & RESPECT THE WORLD AROUND HIM. HAS THE PATIENTS/RELENTLESS NONSTOP OF JOB.LASTLY,4MOST OF ALL HE I MUST BE THE VERY AIR THAT HE LIVES ,EATS SLEEPS & BREATH but at THE SAME TIME HAVE THE GIFT OF REVOKING TOUGH LOVE..teeheee! THANQ 4 letting me comeinto UR World & sharing UR GIFT of writing.. I'm truly love being in love with BOOKS/ROMANCE..
    redz041@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rubyswan,

      Thank you for your comment and your 4 qualities--oh and the drum roll which was impressive. You have some amazing, almost divine qualities in mind for your mate.

      So glad you came by.

      Delete
  16. Intelligence, humor, honesty and compassion

    fencingromein at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. The most important quality is faithfulness.

    akakage_sora@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Adistry,

    You are right. If he's not faithful, none of his other qualities mean a thing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. for me : loyalti, intelegent, honesty and have a sense of humor..
    thanks for the giveaway

    icha09 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Four qualities I'd want are intelligence, loyalty/fidelity, sense of humor, and bravery :)

    ivegotmail8889@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Four Quality hmm
    Bravery
    Honesty
    Humor
    Fidelity

    Good questions

    BeckeyWhiteATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  22. I really love Alphra males who have loyalty, honesty and who are intelligence too! Thank you for the blog tour sounds like a great book!
    tishajean@ charter.net

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  23. My 4 would be 1, Love, 2, respect, 3,honesty, loyalty,
    Congratulations on your new book it sounds great, I'm adding it to my to get list.
    Penney

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow... I can only pick four? Just kidding. I would have to say that number one would be loyalty. Second, trustworthy. Third, passionate and loving. And fourth, definitely romantic. I'll be adding your books to my TBR list!

    pattifree79@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Four qualities I want in a mate: committment, honesty, loyalty, and respect. (Good thing my hubby has them!)

    THank you for thye opportunity.
    karen.arrowood@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
  26. Four qualities - Loyalty, respect, compassion, and honesty.
    Thanks you :)
    bmurphy_lucky@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete

  27. What are four qualities you would want in a mate?

    kindness, humour, respect, commitment

    thx for the generous giveaway & celebrating w/ us!
    faithhopecherrytea at{gmail.}com

    ReplyDelete
  28. 4 qualitites in a mate: humour, protectiveness, loyalty and honesty. There are many more but those would have to be the top 4!

    susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete