Author Interview/Giveaway - The "What If" Guy by Brooke Moss (Entangled Publishing)

Hi, and thanks for having me here today. What a fun blog to be a part of!

Describe your book in five words or less.

Um, let’s see….funny, romantic, relatable, emotional, and poignant.

How did the ideas for your books come to you?

I get ideas everywhere! Every time I meet a new couple, and I learn about how they met and fell in love, I feel inspired to tell a new story. Inspiration for contemporary romance and women’s fiction is all around me! It’s just a matter of picking one story to tell at a time.

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

Actually, there are a few. First, don’t let too much time pass, and too much hurt happen, between you and a loved one before you take the first step towards reuniting and working things out. You never know when you might run out of time. And second, if your heart longs for someone, don’t force yourself to be with another. Your heart loves whom it loves. Go out and get them.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?

For me the hardest part is definitely doing the promotion. I am happiest when sitting in my sweats writing a new story. Trying to “sell myself” takes me out of my comfort zone. But I am learning with time, that when you publish a book, connecting with readers is key. And I’m starting to appreciate it, too. My readers are amazing!

What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects?

I am currently working on a really cool WIP that I hope to pitch at the Emerald City Writer’s Conference all about…wait for it…carnies. Ha! That should be interesting. Plus, I am working on the edits for a really special trilogy that will come out next summer from Entangled Publishing. Think “My Best Friend’s Wedding” meets “Pretty In Pink”, with a dark twist a’la Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

Why did you choose to write for specific genre?

I’ve dabbled in other genres, but I seem to keep coming back to the contemporary romance and women’s fiction genres. They say to write what you read, and since I tend to lean towards those two genres first, that’s what I write. Plus, I really enjoy books that are relatable. With storylines that could potentially happen to me, or someone I know.

What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release date?

Incredible. Sometimes I feel like I am having an “out of body” experience. All I’ve ever wanted with my books is to have people read and enjoy them. Nothing pleases me more than hearing that someone enjoyed a story I wrote. It’s better than any reward or contest win I could get. Fan feedback and praise is priceless.

What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

When I was writing The What If Guy, it played out in my mind like a movie the whole time. I would love to be asked who would play the roles of the main and secondary characters. And what songs would be on the soundtrack.

For the role of Autumn Cole, I always pictured Isla Fischer; for Henry Tobler, I pictured Gerard Butler; and for Billy Cole, I pictured Ed Harris. On the soundtrack, I would have “A Thousand Miles From Nowhere” by Dwight Yokum, and plenty of Willie Nelson songs.

What was your road to publications like?

It was sometimes painful, but completely worth it. I’ve been rejected a lot. And I have friends who live in fear of rejection, and who get completely depressed by rejection. I have been down a time or two, but never once did I contemplate giving up and going into a completely new field of work. I’ve contemplated self publishing before, but since I am not very good with self-promotion, I think it’s best to just stay the course I am on with Entangled, who makes it impossible for authors not to succeed.

My name is Brooke Moss, and my debut novel, The What If Guy, is available now from Entangled Publishing. It is the story of single mom, Autumn Cole, who is returning to her miniscule hometown to reluctantly reclaim her role as daughter of the town drunk. Things become even more complicated when she realizes that her son’s history teacher is none other than Henry Tobler, the college sweetheart she never stopped loving.

The What If Guy is available at Barnes & Noble.com, Amazon, Diesel Books, Books on Board, and your local bookseller. Grab a copy today, and let me know what you think!

Find me elsewhere on the web, at my website, blog, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Fondly,

- Brooke Moss Please leave a comment/question on this post in appreciation of the author.