Virtual Tour: Center of Gravity by Laura McNeill @LauraMcNeillBks @GoddessFish #Giveaway

Center of Gravity

by Laura McNeill

BLURB:

Her whole life, Ava Carson has been sure of one thing: she doesn’t measure up to her mother’s expectations. So when Mitchell Carson sweeps into her life with his adorable son, the ready-made family seems like a dream come true.

In the blink of an eye, she’s married, has a new baby, and life is grand.

Or is it?

When her picture-perfect marriage begins unraveling at the seams, Ava convinces herself she can fix it. It's temporary. It’s the stress. It’s Mitchell’s tragic history of loss.

If only Ava could believe her own excuses.

Mitchell is no longer the charming, thoughtful man she married. He grows more controlling by the day, revealing a violent jealous streak. His behavior is recklessly erratic, and the unanswered questions about his past now hint at something far more sinister than Ava can stomach. Before she can fit the pieces together, Mitchell files for divorce and demands full custody of their boys.

Fueled by fierce love for her children and aided by Graham Thomas, a new attorney in town —Ava takes matters into her own hands, digging deep into the past. But will finding the truth be enough to beat Mitchell at his own game?

Center of Gravity weaves a chilling tale, revealing the unfailing and dangerous truth that things—and people—are not always what they seem.  

Goodreads ~ Amazon

EXCERPT:

The road rushes under the wheels. I rearrange snippets of the frantic conversation. Gash. Some blood. Breathing fine. Emergency room. A few more miles to the hospital.

I flash back to this morning. Packed sack lunch, flop of dark hair across his bare forehead, navy backpack slung over one shoulder. A surge of pure love courses through my heart. A stab of worry steals my breath. I force myself to focus. 

The traffic light ahead flashes green to yellow. Intersection’s clear. I push the accelerator to the floor, glance in the rearview mirror. Air from the open window catches Sam’s wisps of hair. He smiles, showing off his first few baby teeth, and reaches a chubby hand at the rays of sunshine streaking by, trying to catch the light.

Thump. Thump. The Jeep jerks to the left. I guide the wheel, hold it steady, and take my foot off the gas. When I pull over and brake, the abrupt stop sends up a dust cloud.

“Uh-oh,” Sam says.

I unbuckle, jump out, and survey the damage. A glance at the tire confirms it. Flat. Dead.          

Hands on my hips, I bite my lip.

Tentatively, I grab the jack from the back of the Jeep, the weight of it solid and heavy in my hands. I can fix this. After all, in my former life, as a school counselor at Mobile Prep, I was the problem-solver, crisis manager, and shoulder to cry on. I always handled situations. And I didn’t need help.

Then my eyes fall on Sam as he babbles and blows bubbles in the back seat. I hesitate, gripping the metal between my palms. As the sun beats down on us, heating my skin, my pulse begins to race. Maybe I was fearless because I didn’t know any better. I wasn’t a mom then. I didn’t have two children depending on me. Trusting me to do the right thing, be on time, and not screw up.

Guest Post:

10 Favorite Places to Visit

a.       Europe – Germany

b.      Florida Keys

c.       Grand Cayman

d.      Finger Lakes, NY

e.       North Carolina Coast

f.        Georgia Coast

g.       Toronto, CA

h.      San Francisco

i.         Charleston, South Carolina

j.         Savannah, Georgia

Favorite Time Period – I’m fascinated with the antebellum South (pre-civil war). Sue Monk Kidd just wrote a fabulous novel, The Invention of Wings, set in Charleston, S.C., told from the perspective of a wealthy judge’s daughter and a young slave girl. Fabulous book and the description is divine.

What is your writing process? – Everyone has her own process for thinking about and planning a novel, but plotting in some detail works well for me. I did try writing my first novel “off the cuff,” and I spent a lot of time revising what outlining would have fixed in the first place. I write my novels from start to finish (beginning with the prologue and/or chapter one and building chapter by chapter to the end of the book). That said, my plots are also fluid and flexible—I add characters, delete scenes that aren’t working, and come up with better plot twists or a more compelling ending.

Do the characters come all at the same time or do some come as you write? – Most of my main characters are formed with their personalities and traits developed before I begin the first chapter. However, many of the secondary characters, and sometimes a new main character might come into play as I am writing. I’m pretty careful to keep my character list on the small side. To me, it’s difficult to keep track of two or three dozen characters!

Pick a favorite event in time that you would like to visit and tell why you would like to visit. – I would love to experience England just prior to or just after World War II (think Downton Abbey) and participate as a member of a society family. I find the manners, tradition, and decorum fascinating… but also see it as a period and people on the cusp of great change.

Thank you so much!

Laura McNeill

AUTHOR BIO:

After six years behind the anchor desk at two CBS affiliates, Laura moved to the Alabama Gulf Coast to raise her family. Her accolades in broadcasting include awards from the Associated Press, including Best News Anchor and Best Specialized Reporter.

Laura works at Spring Hill College as the school’s web content and social media manager and​ is active in her community—participating in fundraisers for the American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, and Providence Hospital’s Festival of Flowers.

Laura was recently awarded a 2-book deal with Thomas Nelson Publishing, a division of HarperCollins. Her novel, Center of Gravity, set in Mobile, Ala., will be published in July of 2015. Laura is represented by Elizabeth Winick Rubenstein, president of McIntosh and Otis literary agency in New York.​ Her writing awards include those from William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition, Writer’s Digest, RWA, and the Eric Hoffer competition.

She holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in interactive technology from the University of Alabama. She is a native of Upstate New York and currently resides near the Alabama Gulf Coast with her two children.

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Giveaway:

$20 Amazon/BN GC

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