Tag Archives: Second Chance Love

Author Interview with Maria Imbalzano ~ Sworn to Collide #WomensFiction

Please help me welcome today’s guest, Maria Imbalzano. I noticed I have a lot in common with her (favorite book, for one), but I cannot get on board with her favorite sports team. 😀

Hello Maria, welcome. Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it and do you like it?

I am a retired divorce lawyer. I practiced law for 38 years and found it very fulfilling in that I was helping my clients get through a very difficult time in their lives. My experiences as a divorce attorney were instrumental in writing “Sworn to Collide.”

What was your first job? 

When I was 14, I had a job as a candy girl at a movie theater. All my friends worked there and it was a blast. We saw every movie several times, ate as much popcorn as we wanted, and when all the patrons left and we were supposed to lock-up, we stayed and partied.

What’s your favorite book of all time and why?

“Gone With the Wind”  by Margaret Mitchell. I loved learning about the history of the civil war but I also loved the romance aspect. The push and pull between Scarlett and Rhett kept me turning the pages. One of my daughter’s just bought me a leather-bound version with gold-edged pages for my birthday. I just started reading it again.

What’s your favorite childhood book?

“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.”  Although it’s a children’s story that follows a young prince who visits various planets, the author makes observations about life, love, and human relationships. We were just in France, where “Le Petit Prince” is very popular.  I bought a copy for my grandchildren.

What is your favorite quote? 

“Some women fear the fire. Some women simply become it.”

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

In the Sworn Sisters Series, the four girlfriends are based on my high school friends. I’m still very close with them today. The stories are not their stories, but some personality traits, backgrounds, and physical aspects are most definitely based on them.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

David Copperfield. I was at one of his performances many years ago (when he was young and very handsome) and he pulled me out of the audience to go up on stage with him. He performed some magic trick with a duck. He did give me a kiss at the end.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? 

While practicing divorce law for over 35 years, I saw the many reasons why people were willing to throw in the towel. Of course there were the affairs, money problems, and marrying for the wrong reasons. But many couples grew apart because they couldn’t or wouldn’t communicate effectively with each other. The reader will see this problem in “Sworn to Collide.”  Communication is key in any relationship, and if one or both parties aren’t sharing what they need or want, the other person is never going to be able to provide it.

Your favorite…

Movie   Pretty Woman

Music    I love female artists from rock and roll (Janis Joplin, Melissa Ethridge) to country (Kacey Musgraves, Carly Pearce). My ITunes playlists are very diverse.

Place you’ve visited      Amalfi Coast, Italy

Place you’d like to visit   Thailand

TV show from childhood That Girl

TV show from adulthood   Younger

Food  Pizza

Sports team  Yankees

Which do you prefer: Board games/card games or television?  Television

She thought she had it all—until she realized she’d lost herself

Excerpt:

      After they finished opening their presents, I stuffed the discarded wrapping paper into a trash bag and turned to Ben. “Do you want to help make breakfast?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Sure.”

It had been months since we’d occupied the house together. Planning for today had set my nerves on end, but I wanted Christmas to continue to be special for the kids. Including him was a must, even if his presence brought back memories that hurt me to the core.

He followed me into the kitchen where I got busy taking out eggs, bacon, milk, and butter from the refrigerator.

“Jennifer is going to want pancakes, so can you get out the mix?”

He complied, and before long we were side by side at the counter, preparing a feast.

He cracked an egg and went to drop it into the bowl, but my hand got in the way, and the egg slid right over my wrist.

“Sorry.” He laughed despite his apology.

“You did that on purpose.” My eyes widened as I looked into his.

“I didn’t,” he protested, but he continued laughing.

I picked up the measuring cup with pancake flour and held it menacingly.

“What do you plan to do with that? If you dump it over my head, you’ll just have a mess to clean up.”

Instead, I blew against the top, right into his face.

His laughter rang through the kitchen and melted my heart.

“Perfect clown makeup. Who knew?”

I dusted off his cheek with my fingers, and our eyes met, all laughter gone for the moment. He held my wrist, keeping my hand there. Turning his face against it, he kissed my palm, sending electric currents through my veins. He inched closer, and his lips were a whisper away. I held my breath. Waiting. Wanting.

“Is breakfast ready yet?” Jennifer skipped into the kitchen with Johnny in tow.

“I’m hungry, Mom.” Johnny squeezed between us and clung to my leg.

I held in my frustration as I ducked down to hug him before getting back to work. “Just a little while longer.”

Disappointment wound through my being like a snake, but I had to tamp it down. Even with my resolve, regret streamed through every cell in my body and would most definitely last the entire day.

Buy link:  https://books2read.com/u/bMj5AG

About the Author:

Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the states.  Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband–not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at http://mariaimbalzano.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter.

Social Media Links

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor

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Instagram

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Website Link

http://www.mariaimbalzano.com

Goodreads Author Page

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276749.Maria_Imbalzano

Book Bub Profile page

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maria-imbalzano

 Amazon Author Page

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00FG9RI5K

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Ten Moments That Changed My Life by Marlow Kelly + New Release: A Woman of Courage **GIVEAWAY

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  1. When I was four years old I woke up in hospital, scared and alone. It was the start of six years of childhood illness where I was in and out of hospital and spent most of my time at home, away from other children. I recovered by age ten and have led a normal healthy life since. And although it may seem sad, this was when my imagination bloomed and I began making up stories to entertain myself.
  1. As a teenager I spent summers with my cousins in Ireland. Being away from my parents and sisters in a different culture (Yes the Irish culture is different from the English culture) gave me a new perspective on the world and my ability to be independent in it.
  1. Got a job at British Airways. This was a turning point for me. The selection process was long, difficult, and included; three interviews, a two and a half hour intelligence test, and a role-play scenario. Being selected was a huge ego boost. Getting that job changed me from a small, mousy, timid person into a strong, confident woman.
  1. Travelled the world. That sounds more impressive than it actually is. I have travelled – probably more than most, but less than many. For a young person travelling can be a true eye-opener. I came to realize that the social expectations that ruled my life in England didn’t apply to the rest of the world.
  1. Moved to Canada. When I was twenty-six I moved to Canada. It may surprise you to know that the Canadians didn’t want me; mainly because my work as a check-in agent at British Airways was not a skill they needed, so I became a nanny. Apparently they always need nannies. After two years working as a domestic servant I was allowed to stay in Canada and am now a Canadian citizen.
  1. When I was twenty-eight I was involved in a car accident. The other car ran a stop sign. I broke bones in my pelvis, shoulder and jaw. It was a painful experience that made me aware of how our minds and bodies work in unison. It also had an effect on my story telling. By the end of the book I normally injure at least one of my main characters. No one escapes my stories unscathed.
  1. Met my husband. After years of working indoors, as a nanny, I decided I needed to be outside for a while so I took a job as a courier driver in Vancouver. I was twenty-nine and had decided that marriage and children weren’t for me. Then low and behold I met my husband. He was one of the other drivers and six years younger than me – a mere twenty-three – and I remember being grateful that I could legally go out with him 🙂
  1. Had children. I wrote this list in chronological order, but if I’d written it in order of most important then having children would have been number one on my list. It is by far the best, most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. My family brings me joy every day and makes me realize how truly blessed I am.
  1. Decided to write a book. Unlike most people who write, I didn’t start writing until I was in my forties, although I always had characters dancing around in my head. I guess you could say that writing is part of my mid-life crisis. I woke up one day and realized that if I wanted to put my stories down on paper I had to do it soon. Then, of course, I had to learn how to write, but that’s a whole other blog post.
  1. Contracted by TWRP. After many false starts, half written manuscripts, and six years of struggling to learn the craft of writing – a profession that is profoundly humbling and rewarding at the same time – My novella A Woman of Honour was contracted by The Wild Rose Press. TWRP then contracted the complete series, A Woman of Love and A Woman of Courage. I’m hoping to publish a collection of short stories entitled Murder by Bear and Other Short Stories, in April or May. I’m also working on a full–length contemporary suspense entitled Sun Seeker.

***On Sale for $0.99***

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Blurb:

When an injured Fianna Byrne turns up at Connell O’Neill’s gate twelve years after their separation he knows this could be his last chance to find happiness with the woman he loves.

False accusations against Fianna had strained relations between their clans and forced Connell, under Irish law, to divorce her. Their disastrous three-month relationship left Fianna pregnant and heartbroken. She has avoided Duncarraig and her ex-husband ever since.

But with her home obliterated by the Vikings, Fianna must face her past in order to save her son, and prove once and for all she is a woman of courage.

Excerpt:

Twelve years ago she’d been Connell’s wife. His devastating rejection of her, after only three months of marriage, and their subsequent divorce caused a pain so real it twisted her insides. The hostilities that ensued after their separation, followed by an uneasy truce when she found she was pregnant with their son, Lorcan, made it prudent to restrict her contact.

During their short marriage he had weakened her in a way no other man could. She’d transformed into a woman so overtaken with lust she’d been blind to everything, including his true feelings. With Connell all her instincts, control, and intellect became like overcooked oats, a sludge that thought of nothing except him.

Her breath caught when her former husband strode out of the large central house, marching toward her. His long limbs and easy stride accentuated the rippling muscles of his legs. Every movement emphasized his grace and strength. He was still tall and broad, with long, smooth, black hair and a black beard to match. He would have been too handsome, too pretty, if it hadn’t been for his large crooked nose. That imperfection added to his allure, making him more appealing. Her pulse quickened, and her body warmed with need. She forgot her reason for being here, forgot everything except him. Damn it. Even in her injured state, with everything she had endured, he still had the ability to turn her mind to mud.

Buy links:

TWRP:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=6490

Nook:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-woman-of-courage-marlow-kelly/1122768047?ean=2940150869141

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Courage-Honour-Love-ebook/dp/B0166THBB4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

ARe

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-awomanofcourage-1904514-365.html

Giveaway:

Marlow will award a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner at the end of the tour. (Click on Rafflecopter link below) Follow the tour and comment the more you comment the more chances you have to win. Tour stops can be found at: http://www.marlowkelly.com/appearances-giveaways-and-news.html

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Rafflecopter link:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author

Author Bio

After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. Her need to write about strong women in crisis drives her stories. You can visit Marlow at www.marlowkelly.com

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.marlowkelly.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlowkelly?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/want2write

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/Marlowkelly14/

 

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