The "What If" Guy Blog Tour: excerpt & character interview
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
We are today's stop on The "What If" Guy blog tour. If you haven't heard of author Brooke Moss, this is a great introductory book to someone who has become one of my favorite contemporary romance writers. I really liked The Carny (my review) and Charlotte's Wedding by Ms. Moss (she has other titles available as well). My review of The "What If" Guy will up be soon. Right now we have an excerpt sure to tug on the heart strings and a character interview with main character Autumn Cole's son, Elliot. We thank Entangled Publishing.
The "What If" Guy by Brooke Moss
Contemporary romance*Paperback, 296 pages
Published August 2nd 2011 by Entangled Publishing (first published July 27th 2011)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes&Noble
What would you do if your "what if" guy showed up at the lowest point of your life?
(Autumn Cole clocked hers with an encyclopedia.)
After losing her job at a swanky Seattle art gallery and finding out her father has been hospitalized, single mother Autumn Cole reluctantly returns to her tiny hometown of Fairfield, Washington, to put the pieces of her life back together.
Her disgruntled twelve-year old son isn't thrilled about going from hip to hick, but Autumn's got it worse. She resumes her role as the daughter of the town drunk, promptly facing a crisis with her father that's been decades in the making.
Running into Henry Tobler, and nearly breaking his nose, is almost more than she can handle, but can rediscovering love-and herself-with her "what if" guy teach Autumn to forgive before it's too late?
Excerpt:
Seattle, Washington
“Why are you doing this?”
The desperate, sad look in Henry’s eyes made my heart ache. His brown hair fell across his forehead in rain-soaked waves, and his eyelashes gathered in dampened clumps. Henry’s eyes, the same shade of gray as the weeping clouds above us, searched my face for answers I was too ashamed to give.
“What we have is real, Autumn.” He pulled me against his chest. I felt his heart pounding through the wet fabric of his soft, flannel shirt, and we trembled in unison, standing on the front steps of Henry’s apartment building. “Why do you want to break up? Don't you love me?”
“Don’t do this,” I said weakly. My eyes filled with hot tears that threatened to undermine my brave façade. When he grazed his fingers across my cheekbone, swiping away a tear, I instinctively turned my face into his hand, breathing in the warm, outdoorsy aroma of Henry.
My Henry.
He kissed my cheeks, my temples, my shivering lips. My resolve started to crumble. Strength. I needed to show strength. I needed to walk away before I ruined his life, before I hurt him any more than I already had.
“Tell me that you don’t love me,” he whispered into my drenched hair, tangling his fingers in my curls. “Tell me, and I’ll let you go.”
I choked on a sob. I did love Henry. The past two months had been the best months of my life. Not once had I dreamt of meeting someone who made me feel safe, peaceful, beautiful, and deliriously happy, the way Henry Tobler made me feel. I wanted to be with him—and no one else—forever.
“Of course I love you,” I said.
“Then why are you doing this?” His voice cracked.
I shivered in Henry’s arms, not only from the cold, but also from the burden I bore. Pulling back, I raised my eyes to meet his. “I….I’m pregnant.” My words were barely audible over the sound of the pounding rain and passing traffic.
His face morphed from shock to anger, then settled on absolute sadness. We hadn’t slept together yet.
“It was from before,” I explained lamely, feeling dirty as the words came out my mouth. Henry’s shoulders drooped. He released me and a shadow fell across his eyes. That said it all. His girlfriend was pregnant with someone else’s child.
Henry deserved better than me.
I had to get out of here. I backed away, down the cement steps and onto the sidewalk. I rubbed my chest, my heart breaking just beneath the surface.
“I’m sorry,” I said, words quavering. “I’m so sorry.”
I turned and ran. Away from love.
Thanks for having me here today! I’ve invited Elliot Cole to talk to your readers today, I hope that’s Ok? He is the protagonist’s son in my new novel, The "What If" Guy and he’s very excited to meet some of his fans. So without further ado…let’s meet Elliot!
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| Elliott Cole (Greyson Chance) |
So Elliot, tell me a little about you:
My name is Elliott Cole, I’m twelve, and, uh, I live in Seattle. Well, I guess I don’t anymore. Now I live in hell. Oops, I mean, Fairfield. Don’t tell my mom I said hell.
What are your hobbies? How did these come about?
I play the cello. My mom got me started when I was hardly big enough to carry the case. I guess it’s cool. I think I’m pretty good, but I don’t practice very much anymore.
What is your job and how did you come to do that?
I go to school. Sixth grade. I do it because my mom will get arrested if I don’t go. Ha ha. Actually, she just told me that once to get me out of bed. I don’t like going, though. Especially now that I’m in this puny school. Kids around here are jerks.
Do you have an enemy or nemesis?
I dunno. I guess pretty much everybody. Except Tabitha Judd. She’s cool. And pretty. But don’t tell her I said that.
What is the biggest challenge you face in the story?
It’s always been just my mom and me. But now we live with my grandpa and he drinks too much. My mom says it’s temporary, though. I kinda feel bad for the guy, though. He is so sick, and so alone. I hate it here, but I almost don’t want to leave because my grandpa will be alone again.
What is the one event that you feel has helped to shape your personality?
This is climbing the charts. Going from the city to the country and being the new freak in school pretty much sucks.
What is your earliest memory from your childhood?
My mom used to take me to the art gallery in Seattle when she didn’t have a sitter, and would let me practice my cello while she worked. The customers liked it, and sometimes they tipped me. One time I bought my mom some cheesecake at Pike Street Market with my tips. She took me on a ferry ride to Orcas Island that day. That was a cool day.
Are you involved in a romance?
Geez! No! I mean, Tabitha is cute and all, but….oh man…next question.
Favorite Sports Franchise?
The Mariners. My grandpa would kill me if I said anything else.
What is the one thing you want the most in the whole world?
Don’t tell anybody, but…it would be really cool if someone like my teacher, Mr. T, was my dad.
If you could say one thing to your readers, what would it be?
Just be cool with who you are. It’s okay to be different, even if other people make fun of you.
If you could say one thing to your author, what would it be?
I wish she’d made me a bit taller. LOL.
My name is Elliott Cole, I’m twelve, and, uh, I live in Seattle. Well, I guess I don’t anymore. Now I live in hell. Oops, I mean, Fairfield. Don’t tell my mom I said hell.
What are your hobbies? How did these come about?
I play the cello. My mom got me started when I was hardly big enough to carry the case. I guess it’s cool. I think I’m pretty good, but I don’t practice very much anymore.
What is your job and how did you come to do that?
I go to school. Sixth grade. I do it because my mom will get arrested if I don’t go. Ha ha. Actually, she just told me that once to get me out of bed. I don’t like going, though. Especially now that I’m in this puny school. Kids around here are jerks.
Do you have an enemy or nemesis?
I dunno. I guess pretty much everybody. Except Tabitha Judd. She’s cool. And pretty. But don’t tell her I said that.
What is the biggest challenge you face in the story?
It’s always been just my mom and me. But now we live with my grandpa and he drinks too much. My mom says it’s temporary, though. I kinda feel bad for the guy, though. He is so sick, and so alone. I hate it here, but I almost don’t want to leave because my grandpa will be alone again.
What is the one event that you feel has helped to shape your personality?
This is climbing the charts. Going from the city to the country and being the new freak in school pretty much sucks.
What is your earliest memory from your childhood?
My mom used to take me to the art gallery in Seattle when she didn’t have a sitter, and would let me practice my cello while she worked. The customers liked it, and sometimes they tipped me. One time I bought my mom some cheesecake at Pike Street Market with my tips. She took me on a ferry ride to Orcas Island that day. That was a cool day.
Are you involved in a romance?
Geez! No! I mean, Tabitha is cute and all, but….oh man…next question.
Favorite Sports Franchise?
The Mariners. My grandpa would kill me if I said anything else.
What is the one thing you want the most in the whole world?
Don’t tell anybody, but…it would be really cool if someone like my teacher, Mr. T, was my dad.
If you could say one thing to your readers, what would it be?
Just be cool with who you are. It’s okay to be different, even if other people make fun of you.
If you could say one thing to your author, what would it be?
I wish she’d made me a bit taller. LOL.
It sure was cool to revisit my character today. I am thrilled to be sharing my novel, The "What If" Guy with the world! It tells the tale of single mother, Autumn Cole, who is returning to the miniscule town of her youth, to reluctantly reclaim her role as daughter of the town drunk. Her life becomes even more complicated when she realizes that her son’s history teacher, is the college sweetheart she dumped but never forgot. I look forward to hearing from all of my readers, to find out what they think of The "What If" Guy.
About the author:
Brooke Moss
"I write because if I don't...my head will explode, and ruin the drapes." ♥
Brooke Moss is the name, contemporary romance and women's fiction are the game.
Brooke writes complex, character-driven stories about kismet, reunited lovers, first love, and the kind of romance that we should all have the chance at finding. She prefers her stories laced with some humor just for fun, and enough drama to keep her readers flipping the pages, and begging for more!
When Brooke isn't spinning tales, she spends her time drawing/cartooning, reading two books a week (ask her who her faves are), watching movies then comparing them to books, and, of course, wrangling four kids, one hubby she lovingly refers to as her "nerd", and attempting to conquer the Mount Everest of laundry that is the bane of her existence.
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