• Book Release,  Contemporary

    Contemporary: Real Men Don’t… @ColeenKwan #rlfblog

    Coleen Kwan, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about your book, Real Men Don’t Break Hearts.

    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Publisher: Entangled Publishing
    Cover artist: Jessica Cantor
    Length: 277 pages
    Heat rating: sweet
    Tagline: Enemy. Playboy. Landlord. The perfect fling?
    Blurb:
    Ally Griffin is horrified to learn her new landlord is none other
    than the infuriating playboy Nate Hardy–the man she blames for getting her jilted
    at the altar six years ago. Plus, now her ex-fiancé is back in their hometown of
    Burronga, Australia, to marry his beautiful new bride…for real this time. Everybody’s
    treating Ally with kid gloves, as though she’s still heartbroken, but she’s just
    fine, thank you very much.
    Nate Hardy is tired of his high-flying city career and bachelor
    lifestyle and is looking for something more real. The last thing he needs is to
    find himself undeniably attracted to Ally, the woman with whom he never saw eye-to-eye.
    But is he even capable of what Ally wants and deserves?
    As Ally tries to pull her life out of the rut it’s fallen in,
    she doesn’t count on Nate stirring up her emotions. A short-term fling with the
    resident bad boy is practically irresistible, but only if she can guard her heart…
    Buy links:
    Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/SWsoPn
    iTunes http://bit.ly/Ujr1JE
    What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?
    Ally Griffin, 25, gift store owner.
    Nate Hardy, 29, former finance whizz, now landscaper.

    Interview

    What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
    as compared to when you first started writing?
    The most important thing I do is write on a regular basis. When
    I first started writing I’d wait for inspiration, and I’d give up as soon as I hit
    a rough patch. Now, I know how important it is to stick to my daily word count and
    to hang in there on the difficult days when the words won’t come, because persistence
    pays off.
    If you could change something about your first book, what
    would it be?
    Asher’s Dilemma
    I would make my heroine more proactive. I would also pay much
    more attention to editing my work and try to eliminate passive writing and over
    description.
    What do you enjoy most about writing?
    I love creating my characters and getting lost in their stories.
    I like it that my characters can say and do things I wouldn’t be able to!
    If you could choose anyone to be your mentor who would it
    be?
    That’s a tough question. I would most likely choose Jessica Page
    Morrell. She’s a writing teacher and coach, and I always find her inspiring.
    If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
    would it be?
    I would tell myself to make time for writing, even if it’s just
    a few hours on the weekend. I would tell myself to finish that book, then write
    another and another, and try to improve with each one.
    How do you cope with stress as an author?
    I’m a great believer in To Do lists. If I have all my chores
    written down, they seem more manageable, and there’s something very satisfying about
    ticking each task off as it’s done. I’m also a great believer in chocolate! Whether
    it’s a rejection, a looming deadline, or a story that won’t work, chocolate always
    eases the stress.
    Imagine you get to go on a dream vacation, but you have only
    one hour to pack and leave, and it starts as soon as you finish this interview.
    What will you take with you and where will you go?
    I can’t go anywhere without my contact lenses, so that would
    be the first thing I pack. I’d take some T-shirts, shorts, and jeans, and I’d go
    on a luxury tour around China, taking in the Great Wall, Shangri-La, and Xian. Of
    course, I’d have to take my family along, too.
    Where were you at midnight, on December 31st when the new
    century started?
    I was near Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, and I watched the
    fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour.
    What do you like to do when you’re bored?
    I have to confess I watch a lot of TV! I enjoy shows like The
    Office, Doctor Who, The Mentalist, and Criminal Minds. My teenage daughter has also
    put me onto shows like Parks and Recreation, and Community.
    Please underline which statement is more like you:
    “I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”
    “I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because
    I do things as fast as possible.”

    Please complete the sentences

    I love pizza with BBQ chicken.
    I’m always ready for a nap.
    When I’m alone, I daydream.
    You’d never be able to tell, but I daydream a lot!
    If I had a halo it would be so cool.
    If I could fly I’d trim the annoying climber growing on my house.
    I can never wear lipstick because it always feels sticky and yucky.

    Find Me Here

    Website: http://coleenkwan.com
    Blog: http://coleenkwan.com