Monday, August 19, 2013

Virtual Book Tour: Secret Sister

Please welcome author Emelle Gamble. She's going to talk to us about her new release, Secret Sister, and she's going to answer a few familiar questions.  Emelle will be awarding a $100 Amazon GC to a random commenter during the tour. The more you enter, the better your chances of winning. To find out where the other stops on her tour are, go here. And look for the rafflecopter at the end of this post.

The Questions  
1)      You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?
My husband, affectionately known as ‘Phil the fist’. (He’s a Brooklyn boy).  My one item is a bowie knife. With it he’d feed us, whittle a raft and or a house,  protect us, and cut my bangs. He is that good.


2)      Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?  The
Wizard of Oz. I’m Dorothy, always trying to find my way home.

3)      Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  night, union,  minute.

First of all, let me say this was a difficult request for me.  It’s night, I’m tired and it took me a minute to actually understand what you were asking me for. Then I had to look up how scenario is defined (an outline or synopsis of a play; especially : a plot outline used by actors of the commedia dell'arte). And the word ‘union’ to me either means the AFL-CIO or something vaguely civil war related.

But here goes…The Union was crumbling, the night sky was darkening, time was ticking down to the last minute. Who you gonna call? Ryan Gosling.

This exercise proved something to me I’d forgotten. I have never, ever been able to write to someone else’s idea. I once had a three-book deal  offered to me if I could only write a big saga kind of story about a piece of Egyptian jewelry, horse racing, and 1890 London.  I couldn’t do it.


4)     
You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to make love to anyone you want. Who do you Heathcliff. I’d change his mind about that dame, Cathy!
choose and why?

   5)    What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other? Quiet. Nothing hurried. Away from home. Three magic components which have always worked magically for me.


   6)    When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot? I begin with plot, specifically, the ending and the title. I then build the book  backwards to explain the ending. I am afraid to admit this in print as my family will read it and understand something is wrong with me. For real.

7)      If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you? Julia Roberts. I want her to
have that look on her face she has in Notting Hill, when the people who don’t realize she’s a famous actress asks her what she made last year. She tells them she made 6 million dollars and has a contract barring them from requiring her to show her naked ass. Of course, she looks nothing like me, and that scene has nothing to do with anything in my life, but she has the right spirit!

8)      Who’s your favorite horror villain and why? I do not like horror at all, and I have no favorites. I can’t read it or watch it. I still have nightmares about those old black and white movies about Giant radioactive ants and UFO’s that land and the Martians put things in your neck and control you. I couldn’t read the Hannibal Lecter books or The Shining or The Other or The Excorcist or anything Stephen King ever wrote, except for Dolores Claiborne, which I feel is a masterpiece.


9)     
Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it? Recent history, Cary Grant. Enough said. Further back? I’d love to spend a week with Michaelangelo. I know, I know, he might have been gay. I don’t want to swoon over him, I’d just love to talk to him, watch him work, and be in the presence of genius.  

   10)  Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it? Yes. And I’ve written it, so get ready world. HA! It’s set in 1950 Los Angeles and it’s about a gorgeous blonde, a WWII hero turned journalist, and a monster












Secret Sister
by Emelle Gamble

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


BLURB:

To their friends, Nick and Cathy Chance have the perfect marriage. High school sweethearts who’ve been together for ten years, they’ve weathered challenges and are as committed as they were when they first fell in love. Cathy trusts Nick, Nick’s world revolves around his wife, and the future looks golden.

To everyone who knows them, Cathy Chance and Roxanne Ruiz have a perfect friendship. They connected in grade school and since then have been each other’s confident and trusted adviser. Cathy loves the gorgeous Roxanne like a sister, Roxanne has fun-loving Cathy’s back in every situation, though lately there’s been tension between these two best friends…

And then, on a sunny summer morning, the unthinkable occurs, throwing into doubt the truth of what each of these people really know about themselves and one another.

Will Roxanne’s sacrifice be too little, and too late? Should Nick’s love for his wife be strong enough to risk trusting his heart more than logic? Can Cathy’s devotion to Nick give her enough strength to convince him to see her for who she really is?

Secret Sister proves how strong, how stubborn, and how trustworthy love can be as Nick and Cathy and Roxanne are challenged to overcome the secrets, the lies … and one extraordinary twist of fate that turns their lives upside down.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPTS :


When I ‘woke up,’ strange words to use after being unconscious for what was surely days, not hours, I felt remarkably lucid. Which is to say, I opened my eyes and saw and understood that I was in a hospital bed, there were nurses working in the area outside my glassed-in room, and I was hooked to an I.V. and some other kind of machine.

I didn’t know the story of how I got here, but assumed it was bad. I remembered hearing, somewhere, that I had been in a terrible car accident, but I was blank to any other details.

For instance, I didn’t know my name.

I examined the contents of my brain and started a list of unknown things. Where was I? No clue. What day was it? I looked outside and saw blue sky. Zero. I was blank to the most basic of information.

My chest tightened and a roar began in my head. Don’t panic. I gulped air, blinked; fought to stay awake.

 “Roxanne. Roxanne Ruiz. Do you know where you are?”

I didn’t recognize that name. In my brain I saw a face. A kind face, smiling. A great looking guy with strong arms and blue eyes.

But I had no idea who he was either …





~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry and took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She has contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation.  She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take. 

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C.  with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years,  and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Email: emellegamble@aol.com


FaceBook:  Author Emelle Gamble

Twitter: @EmelleGamble





a Rafflecopter giveaway

19 comments:

  1. Heathcliff is a good choice. All that passion. He is a favorite of mine.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  2. Hey, Mary Preston, thanks for posting! Yes, Heathcliff is all passion, isn't he? But even when I was a young thing, not so familiar with men, I thought, 'what's up with you?' HA! I mean it, can't the guy just try a little harder to get along with people. But I think the biggest revelation I'm making here is that I've always loved, but had a hard time understanding, type A guys. Ah well, there's a hero for all of us. Good luck on the giveaway!

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  3. Julie Lynn Hayes, thanks so much for hosting Secret Sister today! It's a lovely blog site...your banner is gorgeous and I enjoy your reviews. You made me want to go check out Stephen King again!

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  4. Your husband sounds like a serious keeper! Don't let that guy go!

    andralynn7 AT gmail DOT com

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    1. That's a definite, Andra Lyn! He is as good as they get, I think. Blessings all around. And thank you for stopping by. Good luck in the drawing!

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  5. Some interesting points in your interview today! Love the fact you are Dorothy...looking for your way home. I think we all feel a little like Dorothy some days.

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks Karen H! Yes, I think we all do wish we could go back to a simpler, more comforting place and time...even if it's a figment of our imaginations, as my sister and brother like to remind me. Thank you for posting, and good luck in the contest.

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  6. I like the questions and answers.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Thanks, Rita. Julie Lyn Hayes asked some good ones! Thanks for dropping by to post. You have a lovely name, by the way. It always makes me think of that old Beatles tunes, "Lovely Rita, Meter Maid..." HA! Have you heard that 100 times? Good luck in the contest.

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  7. I always remember that Dana Carvey routine about how lucky we all are to have Hollywood, because otherwise rightful movie star Cary Grant likely would have been working in a cornfield in England somewhere. (The concept's funnier when you hear him do Cary Grant harvesting corn in his inimitable style...)

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  8. Thanks, Vitajex! I love Dana Carvey, and yes, gives me creep up my back to think without movies we'd not have all got to know Cary Grant. I've done a book where the ghost of Mr. Gorgeous Grant is a secondary character...it was such fine writing dialogue for him! I appreciate you stopping in to comment...great good luck with the contest!

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  9. Your hubby trusted enough to cut your bangs! :p Nice. My hubby got me a king wood hilted custom built knife that goes everywhere with me. I'd never survive a desert isle without it. I met my hubby back in high school so I'm really intrigued with your couple's relationship and the story synopsis.

    I don't see any rafflecopter but I'll add my email, just in case that's needed.

    ~Cia
    anorwell (a) live.com

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    1. Hey CIA...thanks for posting. Wow, your husband sounds awesome, and you two are certainly well-armed. Yes, I'd trust Phil the fist to do anything, even cut my bangs. so thanks for the comment and for dropping by. Yes, I think Rafflecopter is picking from the comments, but the email never hurts. Good luck!

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  10. I was going to comment on your interview, but then I read the excerpt and I can't get it out of my mind. It sounds like an awesome story.

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  11. Hey MomJane! You have to get the book and read it, lady! HA! It was just FREE for 2 days on Amazon...ended up #1 in Romance and #1 in Women's Fiction free books...I'll be sure and let you know next time it's offered. Good luck and thanks for posting.

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  12. I love Heathcliff! I just don't read enough Wuthering Heights references. I will be certain to pick up a copy - what a story (Secret Sister, not Wuthering Heights).

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  13. Thanks for posting Jessica Jefferson! Yes, I loved the book, and the movie. I hope you enjoy Secret Sister if you get a chance to read it...it has that same kind of star crossed lovers thing going on...just no moors. HA! good luck in the contest.

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  14. Sounds like a great read!!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

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  15. Hey Natasha D...thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment. Good luck in the contest. And if you get a chance to read Secret Sister, let me hear from you. Authors love to hear what readers think.

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