Sit Down Saturday with Kate James


 Today we’re celebrating the release of The Truth About Hope.


What do you hope readers take with them when they read The Truth About Hope?

I would like readers to feel good about the story’s conclusion, and believe that no matter what hardships we may face, we can overcome them with faith, perseverance and—of course—love!

       Luke                                 Hope       

Is the setting of your book, Canyon Creek, Texas fictitious?

My husband and I have good friends in Texas. Canyon Creek is loosely based on the general area where they live. During a stays with our friends, we visited a breathtaking promontory close to their home. I remember vividly the spot where my husband and I stood on a brilliant May morning, and I knew I’d have to write that setting in a book at some point. The Truth About Hope gave me the perfect opportunity! It is an important setting in the story as the event that precipitates the circumstances related to Hope’s departure from her hometown as well as her reconnection with her high-school sweetheart, Luke, occur there.

We understand you had to make an interesting revision to your book? (To read the full story behind this revision, please visit author D.G. Driver's blog, Write and Rewrite)

In the original manuscript, Hope has a large, gangly, good-natured mutt that resembles an Irish Wolfhound. Imagine my surprise when I saw the cover for the book, and rather than a Wolfhound the dog featured prominently is most definitely a black Labrador Retriever and looks exactly like one of our black Labs, Logan, curly fur along his back and all!

I had to edit all references to the dog to fit the cover image. The net effect: I rewrote about a dozen scenes, Logan lorded it over our other Lab Harley, he wanted a share of the royalties in the form of extra kibble, and Harley now would like to know when he can expect to be a cover model, too!

With this bit of back story, I hope you enjoy getting to know Einstein, the mostly black Lab, in The Truth About Hope.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My advice to aspiring authors is to not give up and keep pursuing your dream. The reality is that in today’s world of publishing, the odds of getting published are ever more daunting. It's easy to see why so many aspiring, talented authors may get discouraged. The fact is, if you have a passion for writing and don't keep trying, you will never know if you could have succeeded. Have fun and please keep at it!

What's next for you?

I’m currently working on a K-9 squad trilogy. The books involve three San Diego Police Department K-9 squad police officers, their canine partners and—of course—their love interests. The first book, When the Right One Comes Along, is scheduled for release on October 1st. Here’s a teaser:

In the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, San Diego Police K-9 search and rescue officer Cal Palmer and trauma surgeon Jessica Hansen are thrown together. Will their shared concern for Cal’s canine partner and the plight of a young girl orphaned by the disaster allow them to put aside their personal torments and discover the power of love?


The second book in the trilogy will follow in January 2016.

Finally, you still have time to enter our Mothers Deserve to be Spoiled Mother's Day giveaway to win books, a gift card for a mother/daughter brunch or spa, and Harlequin My Rewards points.


Visit our blog tomorrow to find out who the lucky winners are!


I welcome your questions or comments to this post. I also look forward to connecting with you on my website, Twitter or Facebook.

Best wishes and happy reading!

Kate

The Truth About Hope


Who is Hope Wilson?

Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved—and maybe still does?

When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her father’s last wishes, there’s only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father’s fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek—but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.

Purchase links:
Harlequin (e-book and paperback)
Amazon
Chapters (Kobo)
iTunes
Barnes and Noble

The Truth About Hope is currently in the grand finale stage of a blog book tour with Prism Book Tours. You can still join the tour to win books and an Amazon gift card.


Reviews for The Truth About Hope


~ Kim T.
“The Truth About Hope was so outrageously sweet and so utterly perfect that I cannot find the words to adequately express how wonderful I thought it was. I adored this story! 100% of my heart was captured.”

~ Rockin' Book Reviews
"The story of love, family struggles, faith, hope and forgiveness had me captivated from the beginning."

~ Write from the Heart
"What I enjoyed most about The Truth About Hope, was the refreshing honesty of the characters."

~ Julie
“If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would!”

~ Katie's Clean Book Collection
"I loved the way the characters value each other and aren't afraid to admit their mistakes. With a blend of mild suspense, hard work and values, and a sweet romance, this one is a hit!"

~ Lisa Tompkins
“A great read from cover to cover (I challenge you to put it down).”

~ Anniebug
"Luckily the guy next to me fell asleep"
"The Truth About Hope is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I was reading it on a plane and biting the inside of my cheek so that I wouldn’t look silly crying. (Luckily the guy next to me fell asleep).”

~ Kate's Reads
"You Can Go Home Again"
"…a wonderful story of going home again and second chances. This was a great story that truly was ‘heartwarming’. The characters James created are both real and easy to relate to.

~ Amazeballs Book Addicts
“This is the second book I have read by Kate James and just like the first I read, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.”

~ Joan Ingram
“I am from Texas and Kate did an amazing job of making me feel as if the locations were 'just down the road a bit'. The characters were so engaging it was hard to pull myself away.”

~ Sheila Robinson
“It was a very riveting story and I found that once I started reading it, I could not put it down. Another great read from Kate James.”

~ Laurie Hoffman
“What I enjoyed most about The Truth About Hope, was the refreshing honesty of the characters. Sometimes, past mistakes are too big of an obstacle to overcome. So what is the truth about Hope? I encourage you to pick up the book and find out for yourself.”

Comments

  1. I love your pictures, Kate. Good luck with the new release.

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    1. Thank you, Liz. I can hardly wait to see who the winners are for our Mother's Day giveaway!

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  2. Ahhh, Kate! I love how you had to change all the references to Hope in the book! (Well, as a dog owner, I love it. As a fellow author, you have my sympathies. lol) Don't let Logan let his newfound fame go to his head! Congrats on the release!

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    1. Thanks, Cerella. The full story (on the Write and Rewrite blog) is actually much funnier. Logan is a good-natured dog so hopefully he'll take it all in stride!

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  3. Kate, I feel your PAIN! But, loving Labs and Goldens as much as I do, this will be a change you'll be happy about for years to come. Your new series sounds fascinating! Good luck on the writing and have a Happy Mother's Day!

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    1. Thank you, Catherine. True, the revisions were no great hardship . . . and I have a funny story to tell about it!

      Happy Mother's Day to you, too.

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  4. Kate, I'm about to start reading this story, so now I really can't wait. Your cover art story made me smile. I once had a black lab in a book and on the cover he looks more like a "lap" dog. But it came too late for changes. Your new series sounds fantastic. I love stories that have animals in them.

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    1. Roz, once you've had a chance to read it, I would love to know how you enjoyed it.

      Which of your books are you referring to? It will go high up on my TBR pile!

      Have a great weekend!

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    2. LOL, it's an old, old Superromance called: Welcome To My Family.

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    3. I'll find it! Thanks, Roz.

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  5. Wow, what an amazing giveaway! I smiled when I read your doggie dilemma :) I also have a black lab. Aren't they wonderful animals? Mine's a service dog and I couldn't get by without her. I can't wait to read The Truth About Hope.

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    1. Dogs give us so much in so many ways and even more so in your case, Vivian, if your Lab is a service dog.

      If you are interested in reading the story of how Harley and Logan came to be a part of our family, you can find it here: http://heartwarmingauthors.blogspot.ca/2014/09/a-dogs-life-by-kate-james-and.html

      If you do get a chance to read THE TRUTH ABOUT HOPE, I would love to hear how you enjoyed it.

      Best wishes and happy reading!

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  6. Love the pictures and your advice to aspiring writers. I'm looking forward to reading The Truth About Hope. It was really something reading about how you had to make revisions to many of the scenes in your original manuscript to match the dog portrayed on the cover. Congratulations on your Heartwarming debut novel.

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    1. I'm glad you like the pictures and the advice, Laurie. I look forward to hearing how you liked THE TRUTH ABOUT HOPE.

      It's actually my second Heartwarming book. My first, A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS, was released in November 2014.

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comment.

      Happy reading!

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    2. Oh yeah, I knew that Kate. My brain is still asleep. You did send me that bookmark of A Child's Christmas. Congrats on your SECOND Heartwarming book. Sorry about that.

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    3. Thanks again, Laurie. You are so wonderfully supportive of all of us, I don't know how you could possibly keep track of all our books! :-D

      I hope you are having a nice weekend, and best wishes for Mother's Day (and for our giveaway)!

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  7. That is a truly funny story, Kate--even in its abbreviated version. I can only imagine how horrified you must have been when you first saw the cover without your Irish Wolfhound! Love your titles, by the way. Best of luck with this new book. And the canine series.

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    1. Actually, I laughed! I have to take a picture of Logan from the back (although his collar and lead are a cornflower blue) to demonstrate the resemblance. Harley, our other Lab, is silky smooth and shiny, but Logan has that coarser, wavy fur along his spine.

      I'm glad you like the titles, and thanks for the good wishes, Leigh.

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  8. Love the cover and the book sounds really good. So glad Logan got his due recognition. :-)

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    1. Oh, Patricia, please don't encourage him!! Our pups are spoiled enough as it is!

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  9. Looks and sounds amazing! thanks for sharing! What a fun story about having to change the dog :) Hope your fur baby enjoys his moment of glory!

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    1. Oh, my gosh! I'm actually loving the picture of your fur baby, Erin! What an absolutely adorable pic! If you haven't read the longer version of the story on D.G. Driver's blog, please do. It tells the full story.

      Tail wags from Harley and Logan! In case you're interested, here's the story of how they came into our lives: http://heartwarmingauthors.blogspot.ca/2014/09/a-dogs-life-by-kate-james-and.html

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  10. I'm looking forward to reading this book!

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    1. Thank you, Heidi. If you do get a chance to read it, I would love know how you liked it.

      Happy reading, and good luck with the contests!

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  11. I loved "The Truth About Hope". The town seemed like it was "just down the road". OK, I know that is a relative term here in the great State of Texas but I could honestly see it in my mind. I was sad to leave it and the characters at the end of the book. Thanks Kate!!

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    1. I am so glad you enjoyed the book Joan! I LOVE Texas, and can look forward to being back!

      Enjoy the weekend, and happy Mother's Day!

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  12. Great post! :) Setting is so important to me, when reading or writing so thanks for giving a visual in the few pictures you provided :)

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the post, Marissa.

      Happy Mother's Day and happy reading!

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  13. Congrats, Kate! It sounds amazing, as does the K-9 series! I grew up in TX and it really has some amazing scenery. You photos brought back memories! Especially the blue bonnets :).

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