Interview with Olivia Hardin, author of All For Family
Welcome to The Writer's Life! Now that your book has been published, we’d
love to find out more about the process. Can we begin by having you take
us at the beginning? Where did you come up with the idea to write your
book?
Thank
you so much for having me. I started
writing about the Rawley family a long time ago, and although each book is a
stand-alone, these novels let us journey into different lovers’ stories while
maintaining a continuing connection with their same family and friends.
All for Family is
especially important to me because I poured a lot of myself into Meg’s
character. She’s a woman tackling
insecurities that become an integral part of her story and her relationship
with Jeremy. No, this isn’t an autobiography
by any stretch of the imagination. But I
did apply the things I’ve learned about myself to the situations in which I
placed Meg’s character.
How
hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could
pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?
I’m a
woman who’s always struggled with my weight and body image, and when I decided
to tackle that characteristic in Meg, it scared me. I thought this would be a difficult book to
write. I knew it would be cathartic,
too. I never expected it to flow as effortlessly
as it did. This was perhaps the easiest
story I’ve put to paper. It was almost
as if I’d been waiting for a long time to express this part of myself.
As for
other writers, there is always a lot of talk about which genre or theme is
“hot” at any one time. It’s hard to deny
the temptation to chase the fad. But I
think most readers are sharp enough to know when an author is writing from the
heart. And certainly for me, feeding my
passion to tell a story is what drives me, and my readers have told me they
feel that when they read my words.
Who
is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?
I’m
independently published, which has made my journey an exciting one. I’ve learned some hard lessons about writing,
promoting and running a business. But
I’ve also had the luxury of making my own decisions about what to write, how to
write it, which way to package my stories and where and when I promote. It can be exhilarating, really.
Is
there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?
I’m not
sure about surprised. Terrified,
maybe? Hitting the button to publish
that first book wasn’t easy. I’m pretty
sure my finger hovered for at least sixty seconds before I pressed it. When sales started happening (I mean ones
above and beyond the copies I knew friends and family were purchasing), I was
thrilled with the realization that a stranger somewhere was reading the fruits
of my imagination.
What
other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?
I’m
working in my urban fantasy world at the moment. This is the fourth book in the Lynlee Lincoln
Series about a witch whose job protecting magical creatures always seems to
land her trouble.
What’s your favorite place to hang out online?
Facebook
is pretty much my hang-out. I have
several writing related groups that offer support and advice on the craft and on
publishing, then I also have a group consisting of my fans called Team OH. The teamsters are lots of fun, and I share
information and teasers with them before the rest of the public gets them.
Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?
I was
about halfway finished with the first draft when the words of my dedication
popped into my head: For You. Yes, You. The one who is perfectly
imperfect. The one who is
beautiful. The one who deserves to be
loved.
I think
this story can be for any woman. I think
most, if not all of us, feel unlovable from time to time. Maybe you think your nose is too long, your
hair is too curly, your legs are too skinny.
Isn’t there always something? For
me, the issue was mostly my weight. I
remember the nickname a group of boys had for me in high school. Fatz was certainly not what a somewhat-shy
freshman girl wanted to hear tossed in her direction. And the hurt of it sank deep as the moniker began
to define who I was in my own eyes.
The
journey of developing self-worth is a never-ending one. I still stand in front of that mirror and
have to tell myself that I’m beautiful.
Because if I don’t see the value in me, then how can anyone else? And that’s the key. Sure, this is a love story, and Jeremy and
Meg have a wonderful romance. But in the
midst of that, Meg also had to learn to love and depend on herself, too.
Thank
you again for this interview! Do you have any final words?
I really
appreciate you having me. Thanks, too,
for all the readers, and please, please feel free to communicate with me. One of my favorite parts of the writing
journey is hearing from people who’ve given me the honor of their time and just
maybe letting me touch their hearts.
About The Book
Title: All For Family (A Rawley Family Novel)
Author: Olivia Hardin
Publisher: Olivia Hardin
Publication Date: August 24, 2015
Format: Paperback / eBook / PDF
Pages: 200
ASIN: B0108UOUJ8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-for-family-olivia-hardin/1121415829?ean=2940151691710
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25997710-all-for-family?ac=1
Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE
Book Description:
Wedding bells will soon be ringing in the Rawley family, but gearing up for Van and Kay’s nuptials revives old insecurities for Kay’s sister-in-law Meg. When she learns that her ex-husband is asking for her from his hospital bed, Meg must confront the painful memories of her past.
Family is everything for Jeremy Rawley. Most important is the one he and Meg created together. But their beginning was tangled in memories he wishes his wife could forget for good. A call from her past brings them back to a place he thought they’d never have to be again.
Forgiveness may be the key, but the first step is finding the locked heart that needs it.
Book Excerpt:
He watched her slide her feet back and forth against
the carpet. “Whew … there’s a reason big girls shouldn’t wear heels.”
Jeremy finished his own drink and sat back down
beside her, this time reaching down and taking her feet to pull them up into
her lap. She made a face as if she would protest, but when he began circling
his thumbs into the arches of her feet, she leaned back against the arm of the
couch and moaned. “Oh, that’s nice. Do they teach that at earl school?”
As he massaged, she pointed her feet in a stretch,
and her toes brushed a feather’s touch against his thighs. Damn, but the woman
could get a reaction from him almost without warning. He continued rubbing,
then slipped his fingers between her toes.
“Oh, no, no, no,” she squealed, jerking to try to
pull away from him. “Ticklish.”
“I figured…” One corner of his mouth turned up in a
grin. He tugged her feet back to his lap, and when he did, the skirt of her
dress hitched up almost past her knees. She immediately took hold of the hem
and tried to push it back down.
He encircled both her ankles with his hands and then
slid them upward along her calves, kneading the muscles of each leg as he went
along.
“Jeremy, you don’t have to …”
“Shh …”
Her eyes were open wide, so many emotions in their
depths that it was hard to figure what she was feeling. Fear? Embarrassment?
Excitement? He pushed one of her legs to the side until it slipped off the
couch, then he scooted forward into the open space between her thighs. With one
ankle still in his hand, he lifted it so that he could sweep his lips across
the creamy smooth skin of her calf, working his way upward.
She was still holding her dress, doing her best to
cover up, but the hypnosis of his stare had her. She never once looked away
from him as he made his way higher. When he nipped his teeth to the tender spot
at the crook of her knee she flinched, then sucked her lip into her mouth.
He was so desperate to kiss her that he almost rose
up to smother her body with his and claim her mouth. But he didn’t. Instead he
let go of her leg and then took her hands, loosening the tight hold she had on
her hemline. The satiny material dropped, sliding down her thighs to bunch at
her waist. Under she had on tight nude-colored shapewear, which she was clearly
embarrassed about.
Gazing up at her, he brought one of her hands to his
cheek. Her fingers stretched long, tentatively touching his lips. When he
sucked two of them into his mouth, she moaned and closed her eyes.
“Jeremy, why are you doing this?” She snatched her hands
away and to her lap where she once again tried to hide herself under folds of
orange fabric.
“I want there to be a day when you won’t ask that
question. Maybe it won’t be with me, but one day, you won’t have to wonder why
a man would worship you and your body.”
About The Author
Olivia has attended three different universities over the years and toyed with majors in Computer Technology, English, History and Geology. Then one day she heard the term “road scholar,”' and she knew that was what she wanted to be. Now she “studies” anything and everything just for the joy of learning. She's also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and she’s sometimes accused of being artistic.
A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband, Danny and their puppy, Bonnie.
Connect with Olivia:
Author Website: http://www.olivia-hardin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviah_writer
Virtual Book Tour Event Page
Thank you so much for the interview. Happy reading, everyone!
ReplyDelete~Olivia
Thanks for hosting Olivia! Great questions. The interview really gives the reader a opportunity to see how important All for Family is with an exciting and fresh approach to the female romantic lead. It's a wonderful story and a great read.
ReplyDelete