A Jar of Dreams by Clarissa Cartharn #RomSus #mgtab #MFRWauthor @GoddessFish @ccartharn

Guest Post, JBIGGARBLOG, writing tips by Jacquie Biggar

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A Jar of Dreams

by Clarissa Cartharn

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GENRE: Contemporary Romance

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BLURB:

 

When Eric Tanner, an assassin, is targeted to be murdered by his former employer, he seeks refuge in the house of a blind woman, Anne Mullen.

 

Eric knows how to live in silence. He’s done it all his life. So when he discovers Anne is blind and living on her own, he thinks this would be his perfect hideout.

 

But then he makes the mistake of his life. He forms an attachment to her. And for a man in his profession, such attachments are a weakness. Now, he must do everything he can to protect Anne from the world he’s come from.

 

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Excerpt:

 

He kissed her on her temple. He loved how she could nestle against him whenever she wanted. He wished he could do more than just kiss on her brow. He tucked her hair behind her ear and let out a sigh.

 

“You sound tired.” She smiled.

 

“I just have a lot on my mind, that’s all.” He helped her up to her feet.

 

“I see.” She nodded thoughtfully. “Is it work? Have you found anything yet?”

 

“Work?” He frowned. Work was the last thing on his mind. He had contacts that could hook him up for more hit jobs. But as long as he lived with Anne, he had to stay as far as he possibly could from that world. It was keeping an eye on that treacherous bastard, Cavallo that kept him awake more than half the night. Last he heard from Bobby was that they were heading towards Boston. Cavallo had picked him out in a CCTV camera at the bus terminal. He wasn’t too sure which it was- that Cavallo was much cleverer than he appeared to be or that the man had simply become too familiar with him.

 

“Well, yeah, to some extent,” he added slowly. “It’s only a matter of time though, and I’ll get it sorted.”

 

“What color is it? The rose?” she asked, trying to bring back the cheer into their conversation again.

 

He gave a glance at the rose and then cupped her face, his thumb brushing the edges of her lips. “Red,” he whispered, his heartbeat pulsing rapidly within his chest walls. She tormented him. And if he knew any better, he should start making his exit out of Boston. “It’s red.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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Clarissa Cartharn is the author of romance novels such as Captive, Red Collar and the romance thriller/ suspense Jar series.

 

Once an English teacher, she embarked on a law profession before finally realizing it was writing she really wanted to pursue. After almost eight romance novels, each with eclectic themes ranging from a Cinderella re-telling to the barren war torn lands of Afghanistan, Clarissa is currently on a journey with her next novel titled The Yearning.

 

Website: http://clarissacartharn.wix.com/clarissacartharn

Blog: http://doodlenook.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccartharn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClarissaCartharn

Buy links: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YHNOZVQ

 

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Clarissa kindly agreed to my snooping into her writing life:

 

What do you write?

I write romances.

 

What genre do you favor?

I favor romances with a tinge of thriller, horror or adventure.

 

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I wanted to be a writer for so long I honestly can’t remember. Ever since I wanted to read, I suppose. But life takes on and practical goals sets in and I put the wish aside until I realized I couldn’t ignore that yearning any more.

 

What do you think is the best way to publish these days?

I used to think the traditional way was the best way to go. But ever since I stepped into the world of self-publishing, I’ve changed my mind. There is more control over your work, there is less begging and drooling over every mail to a publisher or agent to get your work noticed. I think this major foray in the publishing world has just been great for writers who wouldn’t have got a chance otherwise. And I have read many self-published works and I have to say most of them were wonderful. Of course, there is that prestige that is tagged with traditional publishing and I suppose that is how it might stay for some time.

 

What are your favorite genres to read? Why?

When it comes to reading, I really don’t have a favorite genre. I guess it would depend on my mood on that day or what has captured my interest. I would read a romance one day and then have an urge to read a memoir the next. I really am that eclectic.

 

Do your characters talk to you?

They talk to me in the sense that I tend to see them like real people in my mind. They have a personality, a life and principles they live up to.

 

How do you approach starting a new book?

I usually start a new book with lots of research. I read up on the matters to be dealt with in the storyline before I actually type out the first words. Sometimes, it takes up to a month or longer to even begin. But I start when I feel I am qualified and ready to tell that particular story.

 

What is your writing process?

I really wish I had a writing process. I envy other writers who say they have this routine they run through when they’re writing. I don’t really have anything of such. The only thing consistent through the half dozen or more books I have written is the large bowl of fruit by my laptop. And the more intense the scene gets, I discover I am plopping more of those strawberries and grapes down my throat.

 

What are the best writing books or blogs you’ve ever read?

I’ve found myself often wandering through JA Konrath and Russell Blake’s blogs. They have wonderful advice for authors there. As for books, I have recently read Mark Dawson’s The Cleaner and must say I loved it.

 

What are your non-writing hobbies, or what do you do to relax?

I love gardening. Other than that, my children are my non-writing hobbies. So I am usually with them playing a game of tennis, out biking, or picnicking by the beach.

 

What was your best date ever?

Lol! My birth date? In all seriousness though, none that has been so over-the-top and impressive. A bouquet of roses and a fancy dinner is just about as good as it has got. But I’m a simple girl, and I love such simplicity.

 

Navy SEAL or cowboy?

(Groans) Do I need to choose? I love them both. A rustic, charming cowboy or a well-defined, muscular Navy SEAL? Hmmmm… well, let me put it this way. Romance with the Navy SEAL and taking the cowboy home to meet my mother.

 

Chocolate or chips?

Oh, definitely chocolate, hands down.

 

If you could have a superpower what would it be? Why?

I would absolutely love to fly. I love planes, heights. I love the sky and the clouds. I find planets and the universe a mystery and a bafflement I would simply love to explore and solve. Oh, and I love Superman. If I were him, I would probably take some time off from saving humans from their everyday calamities and shoot off to Jupiter. Why does he not ever do that? Hmmmm…

 

Fancy restaurant or picnic?

Picnic!

 

Beer or wine?

Um… that’s a little hard. Wine, probably…

 

Favorite author?

I’m gonna go Victorian and say Thomas Hardy.

 

Smooth or hairy?

Oh, smooth, of course! My husband is hairy though. (Shakes head and sighs). Simply one of those life mysteries I keep trying to solve.

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION 

 

Clarissa will be awarding $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.

 
Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

39 Comments

    1. Clarissa Cartharn
      Reply

      Yes, I do. Is there a writer that doesn’t I wonder? To overcome it however, I go back and research on the subject I am writing about. It always works out for me.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Clarissa Cartharn
      Reply

      Hi Catherine. When I plan a story, I always do my homework. I research on the background of the characters. For instance in A Jar of Dreams, I read and studied on blind people, their lives, how they felt about living in a world where sight was important. And when I was done, I moved onto the world of assassins. I might not use all the information I’ve gathered, but it helps me envision what might my characters do and what wouldn’t come naturally to them. It was tougher when I wrote A Jar of Hearts, the sequel to Dreams, because then I had to go deeper into the world of gangs. But the hardwork always pays off.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Clarissa Cartharn
      Reply

      Oh wow, there are so many! Enemies to lovers, convenient marriages, fish out of water, kidnapped, friends to lovers. I’ve written about these ones and they are so many more I would love to do!

      Like

  7. Laurie Bergh
    Reply

    I liked the interview. I found it interesting that your characters talk to you as though they are like real people in your mind with a personality, a life and principles they live up to.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Jacquie Biggar
      Reply

      Thank you for stopping by! She hooked me with the first line of the blurb:
      When Eric Tanner, an assassin, is targeted to be murdered by his former employer, he seeks refuge in the house of a blind woman, Anne Mullen.

      Like

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