Happy Friday everyone! Today I have the lovely, Courtney Giardina, who I met in a wonderful group called the Chick Lit Goddesses. Welcome, Courtney! Before we get started what can my cabana boy get you to drink?
Why thank you so much Elke for letting me hang out in the summer breeze with you. A frozen mango margarita sounds just lovely to me.
Ohh, mango and margarita. A great combination. I’ll have the same. Okay, now that we have our drinks let’s get started.
Have you ever based a character (good or bad) on a real person? (Do they know?) I think all of the character in Tear Stained Beaches stem from some real person in my life. I usually add a little something extra to them, just so they come into their own character, but yea for the most part I find it easier to create a character when I have a muse. I know the “good” characters know who they are. The “bad” ones though, maybe they’re just in denial.
What is your favorite way to celebrate the completion of a book? First I do a little dance in my living room, then I grab a friend and toast with a glass of wine (err or two). I guess that is where my main character gets her drinking habits from.
What is your favorite book and author? I love Emily Giffin. I’m a big fan of her writing. My favorite book by her is Something Borrowed. My favorite book of all time is The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. I know two opposite ends of the spectrum, but I could read that book every day.
If you could be a character in any book, movie or TV show, who would it be and why? I think I’d have to pick Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) from the current show Nashville. I think it would be a challenging, but fun character to play. She gets to be a little sassy, I like that.
If you could have a wild, wicked weekend with a famous person, what five people would be at the top of your list? Top 5 here we go: Jesse Spencer (actor), Brian Hallisay (actor), Luke Bryan (country singer), Kelly Slater (surfer), Ryan Lochte( Swimmer)
What is your idea of the most romantic date? A picnic on the beach, with a cocktail in hand. watching the sun set.
If you were stranded on an island with only one item, what would you want it to be? (What’s the one thing in life that you just can’t live without?)Since cell phone is way too easy of an answer, I’d have to go with an Ipod. I can’t go a day without listening to music.
Tear Stained Beaches Haylie Julian wants nothing more than to put her crumbling marriage back together. Chase used to be a fun-loving, light-hearted husband who had lately become an overworked attorney obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder. It isn’t long before Haylie starts waking up next to a man she barely knows. His secretive phone calls and late nights at the office leave her feeling alone and afraid of what he might be hiding. Ignoring his continuous pleas to just leave well enough alone, she continues to dig for answers and discovers a heartbreaking truth. Struggling with what she has just learned, Haylie sets off to a quaint little North Carolina beach town to decide if her marriage can survive. It isn’t long after she arrives that her world is once again turned upside down as Chase’s secret stares her right in the face. Tear Stained Beaches explores what happens when a marriage isn’t the happily-ever-after you thought it was. Can trust be rebuilt? Can a wife forgive the ultimate betrayal?
Tear Stained Beaches can be purchased on Amazon, Nook and Kobo
About the Author: Courtney Giardina has always had a creative streak and a wild imagination. She has been fascinated by writing and the entertainment industry since she was a kid. Courtney grew up dancing, cheerleading and playing piano before she turned to writing as her creative outlet. She won an award for her writing in elementary school and wrote countless poems, songs and short stories. Courtney was born and raised just outside of Rochester, NY. In 2012, she moved to Charlotte, NC and has been focusing on finally doing all the things she said she would do “someday.” After making a New Year’s Resolution in 2012 to write her first novel, Courtney completed Tear Stained Beaches after 9 months of long nights and wearing out the delete button on her keyboard.
Visit www.courtneygiardina.com to learn more about Courtney and Tear Stained Beaches
Hi Elke and Coutney,
What a delightful post. I’m always looking for a good read and ‘Tear Stained Beaches’ sounds like a good one.
But also I’m with Courtney, I love a picnic on the beach with a cocktail watching the sun set. I live near the beach and should be doing that a lot more often 🙂
Blessings to you both and good luck with your book Courtney.
Liz
Thanks for stopping by, Liz!
I agree with you both. I live on an island and don’t watch the sunset or put my toes in the sand often enough.
Elke thank you so much for having me on your blog! Liz, I hope you enjoy the book as much as I loved writing it. Jealous that you live near the beach, have a cocktail in the sand for me!
It was my pleasure, Courtney!
I might not get to have the cocktail in the sand, but I will have a cocktail. 😉