Is there a message in your novel that you
want readers to grasp?
Absolutely, there are many messages I hope
will stay with readers long after reading Colors
of Us. First, accept bad things can
happen to good people. Don’t waste
time on the why or how it happened. It’s draining and unproductive. Also, don’t
let the past dictate the future. Everyone has the power to shape their own
future. Scars from tragedy and horrifying events should be worn proudly because
they signify resilience and healing. Learn from the past and move on…then keep on
movin’ on.
Is the book, characters, or any scenes based
on a true life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?
There are pieces of me in every one of my
heroines. It’s what connects me to them. I find if I can’t connect with my
characters, they end up reading one-dimensionally. Readers love to fall in love
with multilayered characters filled with emotion, flaws, strengths and
weaknesses. I layer in emotion based on true life experiences with every
editing pass.
What book are you reading now?
I’m reading friend and author Carlene Love
Flores’s new release, Wicked Flower. It’s the fifth book of her Sin Pointe
Novel series and oh so good! I recommend it.
What books are in your to read pile?
What isn’t in my TBR pile? LOL There are so
many to even name here, but here are a few I’d like to read in the next couple
of months…
Need You Tonight by Roni Loren
Hard to Hold on To by Laura Kaye
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana
Gabaldon
Rogue with a Brouge by Susanne Enoch
Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst
What is your current “work in progress” or
upcoming projects?
Books 2 & 3 of The McAvery Brothers
series, Passion of Us and Rhythm of Us, are in the works. They
tell the stories of the other two McAvery brothers, Alex and Liam. Passion of Us is a reunion love story
with a love triangle thrown into the mix. Rhythm
of Us will tackle addiction and the pressures of being in the public eye.
Colbie Caillet’s song, Try, has
inspired me to write that story. I also have a yet to be titled fun and sexy novella
planned for the series.
Can you share a little of your current work
with us?
Sure! Here’s an exclusive excerpt from Colors
of Us. In this early scene, Hunter and Michelle share a peanut butter chocolate
chip cookie (Michelle’s favorite) at a local coffee shop…
Hunter cocked his head. “Why is it you never
answer a question?”
Michelle took another sip of her coffee. A
dab of foam sat on her upper lip for a moment before she licked it away.
Resting her elbows on the edge of the table, her summer blue eyes iced over.
“Let’s just say I don’t do relationships well. Men don’t really understand my
crazy artist nuances.”
“Nuances?”
“Yeah, it’s a nice way to say issues. I have
a lot of them, and most people run the opposite way from me. Especially guys.
But it’s fine. I’m probably better off alone. It helps me be a better artist.”
“I think that’s a cop-out.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s the same thing
you’re doing. It’s easier to get involved with someone like Samantha because
you know it’ll remain at a physical level. No chance of getting too close. See?
Same thing.”
Hunter tried to swallow the bit of cookie in
his mouth, but a lump in his throat replaced every last bit of moisture. He
coughed and slurped the hot coffee, burning his tongue as he washed the cookie
down.
“Did I hit a nerve?” she asked, stifling a
laugh.
Hunter wiped his mouth with a napkin and
coughed again. “You seem pretty confident in your analysis. Am I that
transparent?”
“To me, yes. But don’t worry. I’m sure you
have everyone else fooled.” Michelle tipped back the last of her latte and
pointed to the door.
With a quick nod, he pushed the chair from
the table before she could continue her analysis. Michelle didn’t just hit a
nerve, she split it wide open and left it exposed. She’d figured him out even
before he understood his self-destructive actions, and it threw him into a
tailspin. His immediate instinct was to put distance between him and the artist
who crept into his life and forced him to take a good look at the shell of a
man he’d become. However, Michelle gave him
something he’d lost when his world came
crashing down that warm October day. Hope. It slowly seeped back into his veins
and pumped through his body, healing the broken pieces.
“Hey,” he said in almost a whisper as he
followed her to the door.
She swung her head to the side, the ends of
her dark hair skimming her shoulders. “Yeah?”
“I like your nuances.”
Blue eyes flashed and crinkled at the corners
as a small grin played on her lips. “I kinda like yours too.”
Do you have to travel much to do research for
your books?
It’s important to know about the location of
your story. How best to know it than to live it? Most of my books are based in
New York City where I spend much of my free time. I’ve also traveled around the
country to places like Las Vegas, South Beach, LA, New Orleans and even Paris
and London which all provided inspiration for story ideas.
Who designed the cover of your latest book?
Sour Cherry Designs did an outstanding job on
my cover. I love their work! This cover is special to me because I’ve had the
opportunity to meet both the photographer, Taria Reed, and the female model on
the cover, Angelina Cavanaugh. Also, I shot the photo used in the background on
location in the SoHo section of New York City.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
As simple as it sounds my advice is: Finish
your book! I receive notes all the time from aspiring authors wanting to know
how to get a book published, yet most of the time manuscripts are far from
done. My advice is always: finish it, even if you don’t think it’s good. It’s
easy to start a book. The hard part is taking it to completion.
Do you have a song or playlist (book
soundtrack) that you think represents this book?
Oh, yes! Music played an important part of
the creation of the McAvery Brothers series, especially Colors of Us. Here’s my
playlist:
“Colours” Margo Rey / “Headphones”
Matt Nathanson, LoLo / “Peace” O.A.R. / “I Lived” OneRepublic / “Make You Feel
My Love” Adele / “Odds Are” Barenaked Ladies / “Rebel Beat” The Goo Goo Dolls
Click
here to listen to the playlist free on Spotify:
Thank
you for having me over for a visit to share Colors of Us with your readers,
Roxanne! It’s been an extreme pleasure.
xoxo
Colors of Us
McAvery Brothers
Book One
Sandra Bunino
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Number of pages: 240
Word Count: 62,000
ISBN: 9781771309783
ASIN: B00MwFP98E
ISBN: 9781771309783
ASIN: B00MwFP98E
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Book Description:
Everything she knew to be true fell apart. Then fell apart again…
Michelle Willis is running from her past. What better place to hide than in the anonymity of New York City. Finding refuge in a tiny SoHo art gallery, she rebuilds her life one painting at a time.
A wrong turn sends Hunter McAvery on a crash course with disaster. He fights his own demons by following his big brother’s lead - drinking and bed-hopping his way through Manhattan.
A glance at Michelle’s self-portrait triggers emotions Hunter can’t tamp down. Driven to meet the artist, he discovers a fiery chemistry as their lives collide. But when their past threatens to tear them apart, can their love survive?
Chapter One Preview: Colors of Us
http://evernightfirstchapters.blogspot.com/2014/09/preview-chapter-one-colors-of-us-by.html
http://evernightfirstchapters.blogspot.com/2014/09/preview-chapter-one-colors-of-us-by.html
About the Author:
Sandra Bunino is a romance author of several novellas including The Satin Rose Experience series. Her first full-length novel, Colors of Us from the McAvery Brothers series, released in August. She makes her parents proud by putting her MBA degree to good use dreaming up heroes who resemble David Gandy whenever possible. When not staying up past her bedtime torturing her oh-so-sexy heroes, she can be found shopping for shoes or saving turtles.
As a social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and her new addiction, Pinterest. Sandra loves to read and chat with other readers, so she formed the Bunino’s Bookalicious Babes group on Facebook where they currently share their love of Jamie Fraser from Outlanders…and David Gandy, of course.
As a social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and her new addiction, Pinterest. Sandra loves to read and chat with other readers, so she formed the Bunino’s Bookalicious Babes group on Facebook where they currently share their love of Jamie Fraser from Outlanders…and David Gandy, of course.
Website: http://sandrabunino.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandraBunino
Bookalicious Babes Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/597429020306289/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandrabunino/
Bookalicious Babes mailing list: http://eepurl.com/LuwPL
4 comments:
Thanks for having me on Roxanne's Realm today!
Just started Colors of Us and am so very impressed so far. Can't wait to get deeper into it. :)
I love this book....it is sooooo good.
Thanks for stopping by to spread Colors of Us love, Lila and Kyrulz!
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