Wednesday, August 05, 2015

.@PumpUpYourBook presents BackJack by Christine Donovan


BlackJack
Author: Christine Donovan

Publisher: Christine Donovan Books

Pages: 336
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook


Cole Jackson spends fifteen years in prison for a murder he did not commit, the murder of his wife, Lindsey.

His talent as a songwriter and an avid reader save him from the loneliness of the cold, dark and unforgiving prison walls. But as he joins the world of the free again, he struggles with his once again fame, because of his rock-n-roll band, of being a convicted killer and the fact that his self-esteem and self-respect were lost years ago. Prison will do that to you, not to mention drugs, alcohol and an unfaithful wife. He no longer has the drugs, the alcohol or the unfaithful wife. What he has is a tarnished reputation and the determination to find the true killer and restore his life.

Shannon Gallagher's hard work as a writer has finally paid off. She believes her life is complete living in her dream home on the ocean until she meets Cole Jackson. She idolized him at sixteen, cried at twenty-one when he went to prison. Now at thirty-six she meets him and falls instantly in love. But as Cole gets closer to his wife's killer, he puts Shannon's life in danger. Can he expose the murderer and keep Shannon safe?

For More Information

Book Excerpt:

Groping the wall blindly, hoping to steady his rubbery legs, Cole Jackson swore as he realized he was totally wasted. The hotel hallway seemed to sway violently like a ship caught in a serious gale—the kind small boats don’t survive intact.

“Shit,” he yelled as he collapsed to one knee then slowly raised himself up and continued shuffling toward the room he shared with his wife, Lindsey.
From a distant haze, voices pummeled through the buzz surrounding his brain. Faces blurred and flashed in and out and around the black spots plaguing his eyesight.

One person asked, “How’d the show go tonight, Mr. Jackson?”

“Great, just great,” Cole thought he replied. The words formed in his brain—he just wasn’t sure they managed to escape his mouth.

Another man remarked, “Do you need any assistance?”

“Hell no,” Cole muttered aloud this time as he tripped along mumbling to himself. Why did everyone assume he needed assistance just because he had a damn good buzz on? It was his life, wasn’t it? And if he chose to blur it with alcohol it was his business and nobody else’s.

Cole slid the stupid plastic key card in the door for the third time. “Damn, damn, damn.” He pounded the door with his fist. “I need sleep. All I want to do is crawl into bed. Come on, fourth time’s the charm.”

As he turned the knob, he prayed Lindsey slept alone. He’d stayed away as long as he could without passing out in the hotel bar. Not like he’d never done that before.


“What the hell,” he swore as he shoved the door open, banging it into something. Once inside with the door shut, he looked down, blinked several times, forcing his eyes to focus, and saw Lindsey lying on the floor. A deep red stain encompassed her chest and a potent metallic smell suddenly floored his senses. Cole swayed and tried to steady himself as blackness descended, swallowing him up. The last thing he remembered as he collapsed next to Lindsey was his hand landing in something warm, wet and sticky.

About the Author

Christine Donovan is an International Bestselling Author and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. She lives on the Southeast Coast of Massachusetts with her husband, four sons, one granddaughter and four cats. In addition to writing Contemporary Romance, she writers Regency and Paranormal Romance. When she is not writing or reading, she is either painting or gardening.

Her latest book is the contemporary romance, BlackJack.

Has writing been something you always did, or was it a discovered talent that came to you at a later point?
While I always made up songs and bedtime stories for my children it wasn’t until later when my youngest went into preschool that I penned my first book, The Rose Cottage. I didn’t tell anyone, not even my husband what I was doing. I wrote longhand into notebooks at every conceivable opportunity.  I was the parent sitting in my car during sports practices frantically writing.  Someday, perhaps I’ll revisit The Rose Cottage and release it. Because it is the first book I ever wrote, it has a special place in my heart.

Is this a first book, part of a series, or the latest in a long line of many?
BlackJack is actually the third book I’ve written out of fifteen to date, but it is the fourth I’ve released. It’s the first in, A Standish Bay Romance Series, which I hope will be a long running series.

What is the oddest thing that’s happened to you since you chose to become a professional writer? Will it ever make it into a book, or is that a secret?
So many things have happened or been said around me that I’ve used quite a few in my books. I’ve also used funny things my children did when they were young and took things from my childhood. I won a writing contest about your funniest parenting moment put on by, Loretta LaRoche. You will find it in BlackJack and it involves a toilet plunger.

Do you have your next book underway, or other titles in the planning stages?
I have the next two in A Standish Bay Romance Series already finished. The second book, Bridget, is available now and the third, Mitch, will be out in this month.

Do you have a favourite genre and why? Is it one you write in, read in, or both?
Before I became a writer, I could say for certain that Historical Romance is my favorite. When I was a teenager and in my twenties I devoured every historical I could get my hands on. The first three books I’ve published are Regency Romances.  Now, I go months when I read all historical, mostly Regency, then I go months reading contemporary and then on to paranormal. Personally, I think there are too many great authors and books to keep to one genre.  I don’t want to miss out.

What, to you, is the most exciting part of the writing process? Does it change from book to book or remain the same?
My writing process has pretty much stayed the same for me.  I might be driving down the street, sitting on the beach or cleaning the house and a story comes into my head. I think about it for days and I jot down notes. I do not outline per say. Before I do start, I write a cheat sheet with names, ages, description of characters, etc.  

If you could co-author a book with anyone, who would you choose and why? What kind of book do you think would come from the collaboration?
If I could collaborate with anyone, I would choose the late, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. Her books were the first I fell in love with growing up and I can credit her with my love of historical romances.  If we could co-author a book together it would be similar to Shanna, as that is my favorite book of hers.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Thanks so much for being my guest.
Thank you, Denyse, for inviting me to be a guest on your blog.  I had a great time.



Media Contact:

Dorothy Thompson
Pump Up Your Book
P.O. Box 643
Chincoteague Island, Virginia 23336

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