Hearts and Haunts Book 1
Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 01-10-2023
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Romance may not be all that awakens while two best friends renovate a mansion rumored to be haunted.
If you kiss your best friend...
Halloween-loving Ren needs a new job. The only problem? The sole accountant opening in her small town requires construction experience, which are skills she lacks. Luckily, her best friend Leo— sexy, grumpy and completely off limits— is a construction hotshot. Their relationship is perfect as is, and, despite the intense chemistry, Ren refuses to ruin it with romance. Leo agrees to teach her, with one condition— she must live on site with him... and somehow survive the temptation.
You' d better be sure...
Skeptic, sword-swinging Leo has loved Ren since she mistook him for a hardware employee in the plunger section two years ago. While he took his time winning her trust, she caged him in the friend zone. He' s done hiding his feelings, and living together— working, sleeping, playing— at the Gothic mansion he' s renovating will convince her that best friends make the best lovers.
It' s meant to be forever.
Ren resolves to resist Leo, even if he bends every rule. Discovering the mansion' s secrets— and lingering spirits, no matter what Leo claims— offers distraction enough. But with her defenses splintering, one kiss is all it takes to shatter every boundary, one night of passion to believe in happily ever after... and one crumbling letter of unrequited love to awaken ghosts forgotten. If Ren and Leo can' t piece together the past for two lost souls, they might lose more than their hearts.
Interview with C. J. Burright
Thank you so much for having me on The Avid Reader!
You're welcome! Thank you for being here!
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I’ve written a total of 15 books, two of which are novellas. Three of those collect dust under the bed and hope that I might have time to revisit them in the future. But some of those stories written in a newbie author’s world? Yeah, it might be safer to keep those away from the public. 😊 Actually, one of my favorites is one of those monsters under the bed. I may just dust that puppy off down the road and see what I can do with it. Since I started, I’ve learned so much about every aspect of writing. I’d probably have to break it down to the bones and start fresh, but it might be worthwhile to share my favorite character with the rest of the world. But my favorite published book is probably Dangerously Dark, the third book in my Dreamcaster series. Zaire is such an antihero who believes he doesn’t deserve love. I just adore the moment when he surrenders his heart to Quinn, his dreamcaster.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
Yes! The second story in the Hearts and Haunts series is a second-chance romance in the town of Devils Hollow where all things Halloween are celebrated in a big, big way. There’s also a creepy lake with an urban legend, a restless spirit, and a whole lot of cooky characters.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each book stands on its own and is loosely connected to my contemporary romance series, Music, Love and Other Miseries.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Titles are the absolute worst for me! Usually, a title will pop out while I’m writing in an aha moment. I haven’t cemented the title for the second book yet with my publisher, but I believe the right one revealed itself just the other day. Time will tell!
How long did it take you to write this book?
I’m a slow, slow writer with a day job, so it generally takes me about a year to whip a book into shape, sometimes more. It depends on the sketchy combination of my motivation level and life in general.
What does the title mean?
Now and Always is a vow made between the characters, that no matter what life throws at them, they’ll never give up on each other.
What did you learn when writing the book?
I learned a lot about construction, which isn’t really saying a lot since I knew nothing to start with! My inspiration for the mansion in the story was the renovation of an abandoned chateau in France. An Australian family discovered Chateau de Gudanes while in vacation, bought it and spent years renovating it. They’ve posted pictures of their progress, which were perfect for helping me picture rooms before and after.
What surprised you the most?
How much Ren and I are alike. Maybe it’s a normal writer thing, but I always have this sense of inadequacy, that I’m never enough and will never be enough, that I have to hide who I really am if I ever hope to be truly loved.
Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?
Not yet…bawahaha!
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
I have a brutal interview system for each character to get to know them as well as I can before beginning the story. Usually, I have an idea of who they are, but the interviews always reveal details I never expected. And I always learn so much more about them as the story unfolds. Characters never want to stay within the lines. Rebels, every one of them.
About the Author
Once upon a time, a girl with flat hobbit feet dreamed of adventures in the woods with an elven hero, fighting off orcs and saving magical rings. All grown up now, C.J. Burright resides in Oregon (at least she got the trees). While she faces her duties at the law office day job, she avoids writing legal thrillers and instead turns toward romance—contemporary (sometimes with a supernatural flair), paranormal or fantasy. With a 5th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, it’s no surprise she prefers feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to jump into the fight. Her slivers of spare time are spent working out, gardening, playing the latest Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners, always with music. She shares a house with her husband (not elven, alas, but a fine alternative) and a devoted cat herd while missing her daughter from afar. C. J. is represented by Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
4 comments:
I love a good friends to lovers story, and this one sounds interesting with the haunted mansion makeover.
I enjoyed reading the interview and learning a little about you, C.J. and Now and Always sounds like a great book for me to read!
Thanks for sharing it with me and have a spectacular day!
This sounds like a really fun read.
Great interview! Thanks for sharing a part of yourself with us. I'm looking forward to reading this story.
Post a Comment