Carol is offering a giveaway of her book, Always. This can be either an e-copy (International) or a print  (US only) book, whichever the reader prefers. So be sure and leave her a comment to be entered into the drawing.

Tell us about yourself.

I am both a romance writer and a therapist. I married when I was nineteen and went on to earn my degrees. The really amazing thing is that I still both love and like my husband. We went to grad school together and now work in the same practice. Never let anyone tell you relationships are easy. They can be, however, very rewarding.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be, and why?

I’m a big city girl. My husband grew up in western New Jersey. He’s way more tolerant of small town life. He teases me about living in the back of beyond someday. I’d go nuts. I have a daughter finishing her residency in ER in Brooklyn. We love visiting her and we get the bonus of spending time in New York. My adventurous husband enjoys us navigating the subway system there.

What genre(s) do you write in and why?

I write contemporary romance mostly because that’s what I read. I love reading and writing about couples finding their way to connection in relationships. It’s my thing. In my other job as a therapist, I get to help people work through relationship conflicts. I think relationships can be maddening, but they help us find the best in ourselves.

Tell us about your current series/WIP.

I’m currently writing the second in my up-coming series Blue Collar Boys. My heroes—Case, Noah and Tyler–run an architectural salvage yard. They take apart old buildings, saving what they can. These items are then sold as building materials or are repurposed into other items. The brothers work with their hands, as well as, their brains. The first three books in the series will be coming out in October, November and December of 2015.

What inspired your latest book?

To be honest, I watch a lot of home improvement television….

What is your favorite part of writing?

Characterization is my favorite part of writing. I love words and I love using them to craft people who come alive

How does your family feel about your writing career?

Ironically, I have an extended family that doesn’t read much. My husband—also a therapist—loves sports. He reads about sports, but no fiction. He completely supports my writing, though, and he is convinced that I’m brilliant. My daughters are also very supportive of my writing. After determined effort on my part to help them deal with reading issues as kids, they are now both readers—to my very great relief. One is a medical doctor and the other will soon graduate with her Ph.D. in psychology.

Do you write under a pen name? Why or why not? How did you choose it?

I write under a pen name because of my dual careers. I don’t ever use clients or their information in my books, but I don’t want them worrying about that.

Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?

I have a website and my work is listed on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Ibooks and Smashwords. My older books can be found in print, as can some of my newer titles.

Are you participating in any reader contests?

I usually run a monthly contest on Fresh Fiction and often run contests on my blog.

Do you have any upcoming FREE promotions you would like to tell us about?

My book, Hating Christmas, is free through the month of January.

 EXCERPT From ALWAYS by Carol Rose

One 

All the rough spots in Elinor Prescott’s life could be traced back to the same source: money. And here she stood, face-to-face with it.

Across the street, the pale, gleaming limousine sat arrogantly ensconced in the No Parking zone in front of town hall. A highly polished symbol of conspicuous consumption that stood out in the small town of Bayville, Louisiana, like a diamond amidst pebbles.

Elinor felt her hackles rise. No doubt about it, Cole Whittier had come back home with a splash.

She punched the crossing button on the utility pole again, willing the signal light to change. Everything seemed to be conspiring against her today. Even the early-afternoon air held an unusual winter bite, tugging at her skirt and slicing through her sweater. If that darned light didn’t change soon, she’d be late for the council meeting.

She didn’t even know the man, but she wasn’t happy with Cole Whittier. Because of him, the grapevine had buzzed all morning, the phone interrupting her work repeatedly. Clients called on the slim pretext of checking their tax records from 2009, and friends called on no pretext at all.

The light changed, and Elinor hoisted her bulky briefcase, stalking across the intersection.

“Mornin’, Miss Elinor!” An elderly lady waited on the other curb, her wrinkled face bright with excitement. “You goin’ to the council meeting?”

Elinor sighed to herself. The last thing she wanted to hear was more speculation about Millionaire Whittier. But she didn’t have the heart to snap at Mrs. Thibadeaux.

“Yes, ma’am,” Elinor responded. “I am.”

“I hear that sweet boy, Cole Whittier, is in town.” The elderly woman sighed gustily. “He always was such a gentleman.”

“So I hear.” Elinor smiled, shifting her briefcase to her other hand.

Mrs. Thibadeaux leaned forward conspiratorially. “They say he has lots and lots of money these days,” she said in lowered tones. “Did you see that beautiful car?”

A sudden gust of wind sliced through Elinor’s sweater. “Yes, ma’am, I did,” she said, shivering as she glanced in the direction of Mrs. Thibadeaux’s nod.

The older woman clutched her coat tighter. “My, my, that wind’s terrible. You should be gettin’ inside, honey. I’m sure the meetin’ will be starting anytime.”

“I know,” Elinor said, a hint of irony in her voice as she waved goodbye and turned to walk swiftly to the town hall.

The whole town was buzzing with the news. Hometown boy Cole Whittier was back, and he’d come back a millionaire. The gossips seemed to forget that Elinor hadn’t lived in Bayville when Cole Whittier had gone off to seek his fortune fourteen years ago.

She’d only come back to her father’s hometown two years before, and only then because her mother had died. Respect for Mama’s feelings had kept her far from Bayville, but with Mama gone, she’d felt rootless. Coming back to the place that had sheltered her father’s family for generations had seemed a natural choice. Seeking out her grandfather, her only living relative, couldn’t hurt Mama now.

The small, unremarkable town of Bayville in northeastern Louisiana had felt like home, even though she’d only visited here once before. And now, for the first time after throwing herself headlong into community life, Elinor felt a twinge of regret. She wasn’t looking forward to today’s town council meeting.

The last thing she wanted to do was watch Mayor Stephens making a fool of himself drooling all over Cole Whittier’s millions.

Buy links–

http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Rose/e/B001KI1OVA/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1421006668&sr=1-2-ent

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/always-carol-rose/1107484983?ean=2940016711560

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101448

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/always/id481674395?mt=11

 BIO

Carol Rose is an award-winning author of contemporary romances. She has written twenty books, including Always and Forgotten Father. Her books have won numerous awards, including a final in the prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award.

Carol is an active member of the North Texas Romance Writers, the Dallas Area Romance Writers and the Yellow Rose chapter. A frequent speaker at writers’ groups and conferences, she has taught workshops on characterization and, creating and resolving conflict. She works full time as a therapist.

Her husband and she married when she was only nineteen and he was barely twenty-one, proving that early marriage can make it, but only if you’re really lucky and persistent. They went through college and grad school together. She not only loves him still, all these years later, she still likes him—which she says is sometimes harder. They have two funny, intelligent and highly accomplished daughters. Carol loves writing and hopes you enjoy reading her work.

www.carolrosebooks.com

www.twitter.com –  carolrose@carolrosebooks

https://www.facebook.com/carol.rose.author