Win a $10 GC: The Mirror by Karla Brandenburg

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Karla Brandenburg will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

It’s always a challenge writing a character who wasn’t likeable in a previous book. I had to discover Sandra’s backstory, what made her lash out in Epitaph, and I was writing it during my busiest time of year at the day job (which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened). I had to set the book aside until work settled down, and when I revisited it, I realized I’d gone the wrong direction. I started over, but one of the hardest things was forgetting all the things I’d started with the first time in order to make it a better story.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by the oddest things! Sometimes it’s a beautiful setting, a unique house, an act of kindness by a stranger. I wrote Heart for Rent after walking through a French Market (farmer’s market).

Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?

I grew up reading Stephen King and Victoria Holt, two very different authors. They inspired me, but today, I’d probably say Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis inspire me. I love the three-dimensional characters they draw, the way they create conflict and just when you think the characters have it all figured out, they throw in another monkey wrench!

What do your plans for future projects include?

I am continuing with the Epitaph series – I have two (maybe three) siblings more to write, and I’m excited to get to their stories. Beyond that, I expect to take another trip to Hoffman Grove and the Northwest Suburbs series, but one book at a time...

Do you ever get writer’s Block? Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

I sometimes hit a road block, and it can be very distracting, but like driving, a detour will get you back on the right road. I keep writing. Something. Anything. And eventually I’ll go back to that piece of road I had to walk around and then it makes a lot more sense.

Have you ever had one character you wanted to go one way with but after the book was done the character was totally different?

YES! Sandra in THE MIRROR is a perfect example. I knew her basic personality, but her motivations took a left turn on me. She was a victim, but I didn’t want her to have a victim mentality. I started out making her a hero to someone else, but when the story was over, she was a tough cookie who was her own hero.

When Sandra Meyer's violent ex-boyfriend returns to sleepy Edgarville, Illinois, she turns to the man who stood up to Nick Benedetto back in high school. If brawny Garth Benson will pose as her boyfriend on social media, maybe Nick will leave her alone. Sandra adores Garth, but she doesn't want any more ties to Edgarville. Now finished with a decade of dedicated service as her mother's caregiver, Sandra is planning her exit from this one-stoplight town.

Garth is firmly rooted in Edgarville with the family monument business and a trophy shop that will need a "mom" to his "pop." Garth has wanted Sandra ever since he slugged Nick more than ten years ago. Her secrets run deep, as do the strengths that he admires within her, but whenever he tries to move their casual flirtations from talk to dating, she backs away.

Small town life has strangled Sandra as effectively as Nick tried to when they were in high school. Garth might be the one man who can protect her from Nick, but what he expects in return is too much. On top of that, her deceased father’s unexpected appearance in the mirror of her new home exposes long-held secrets that will change Sandra's view of her family and hometown forever.

When the last tie holding her to Edgarville is cut, Sandra runs as fast as she can, but the world outside her small-town community isn’t all she expects.

Enjoy an Excerpt

“Why do you care what happens to me?” Sandra asked.

Not the question he was expecting. How honest should he be? He considered the safe answer but figured the truth would be best. “Why does the warmth of the sun make you feel good? What makes the moon and stars so fascinating? And yet some people don’t even notice a clear night sky.” He leaned over the table. “I notice you, Sandra. The person you are. You might try to hide from everyone, might think they only see the girl you’re rumored to be, but I happen to know I’m not the only person who sees the real you.”

“Garth…”

He shook his head. “No, you asked. And in case you decide to be embarrassed about kissing me, in case you think that was a mistake,” he paused to decide if continuing down this path would be a mistake. He’d gone this far. “We joke around, tease each other, but truth is often hidden behind a joke. What I feel for you, Sandra, is no joke. I’d like to think I understand you, which means I’m not going to betray your trust in me by taking advantage of you. But if you want me,” he spread his arms. “I’m all yours.”

“Garth,” she said again. Her pupils were dilated, and her eyes reflected the heat he knew was buried deep inside, but she didn’t make a move. “You mean a lot to me,” she said softly. “I’d hate to lose that.”

About the Author:

Karla Brandenburg is the author of contemporary romance, including her award-winning paranormal MIST series. Raised on the gothic romances of Victoria Holt and the horror of Stephen King, she is an avid reader and is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Karla is a card-carrying cookie-holic, enjoys baking and travel.

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