Sit Down Saturday....with Carol Ross


It’s Saturday! I’m super excited to sit down and answer a few questions about my latest book, Summer at the Shore.

This is what the back cover says:

Saving lives is who they are
Risking his life for others is all in a day's work for Coast Guard petty officer Jay Johnston. Until he comes to the rescue of Mia Frasier after her small plane goes down. Maybe it's because the empathetic blue-eyed vet wants to save the world just as passionately as Jay wants to create a safe haven for his five younger siblings, but there's no denying their bond. Despite his growing feelings for Mia, a romantic relationship isn't on Jay's radar. How can two people always on the move stay in one place long enough to create a family of their own?

Where did you get the idea for this novel?

Coast Guard officer, Jay Johnston was introduced in the first Pacific Cove book, Christmas in the Cove. In the first draft of that book, there was a love triangle involving the heroine and hero and Jay. Ultimately, it took up too much space and I had to cut it. But I totally fell for Jay! So, here he is getting his own story.

What is your favorite scene?

Heroine, Mia, is a veterinarian so there are a lot of fun scenes in this book involving cats and dogs. There’s one funny scene where Jay and his teenaged siblings are trying to trap a stray cat that is hunkered down under an old shed. Jay crawls in to try and nab the cat and, well, as tough as our Coast Guard hero is, he loses his first cat fight. I laughed out loud when I was writing it. (Love it when that happens.)

In looking at the cover, if you could add a caption, what would it say?

“Sometimes in life, love is all about meeting in the middle.” Jay and Mia only live a short distance apart in “beach miles.” It’s much farther in road miles and the homes they live in are kind of symbolic of how different their lives are. Mia lives in a million-dollar ocean view dream home with her mom and Jay lives in a run-down, rat-infested, rental shack with his teenaged brother and sister. In the story, Jay and Mia head to the beach from their respective homes and walk along the shore until they “meet in the middle.”



What does this book mean to you in a personal way?

Like so many of our Heartwarming authors and readers, I’m an over-the-top animal lover. I’ve adopted numerous rescue cats through the years and I’m currently the proud dog-mom to a rescued mini-dachshund named Lucky. I’m a huge proponent of adopting rescue pets. And, this is probably a little out there but “Coastie,” the dog that Jay rescues in this book, is inspired by my first border collie, Mishka (rest her soul.) Mishka was even smarter and more amazing than Coastie but I was afraid if I wrote her that way no one would believe it.

Adopt a rescue pet today! (Sure, you can have them both.)

What do you plan to work on next?

I am currently finishing up book seven for Heartwarming. It’s number five in my Seasons of Alaska series. I’m excited about it. But also a little nervous because it features a hero who has made an appearance in every single Seasons of Alaska book. His story is by far the most requested by readers and I don’t want to disappoint.


For more information about Carol and a list of all her books, please visit her website:


Now, who's ready for some summer reading?

Summer at the Shore can be purchased here:







Thanks so much for stopping by and have a fabulous Father’s Day weekend!


Comments

  1. If I wasn't already a fan, Carol, you'd certainly have hooked me with the animal rescue/veterinarian heroine angles. I'm looking forward to getting to know Coastie along with Jay and Mia. (It's nice that our beloved fur-kids can live on in our stories in addition to our hearts.)

    I wish you much success with your new release!

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    1. Thank you, Kate. It's always so fun to write about a subject you feel so strongly about, isn't it? Learning about stray and feral cats was heartbreaking but also heartening. There are a lot of people out there who care about these poor little guys.

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  2. Terrific sit down, Carol. Aw...I love the name, Coastie! With that gorgeous cover, I'm definitely getting the hard copy of your book. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jill! It's kind of cute how she gets the name, too. And thank you so much for your support! Hope you enjoy the story.

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  3. Oh Carol, I'm so glad you shared details about Summer at the Shore. I'm definitely going to order it. I laughed when I read what you said about the scene with the cat. Cat's definitely are tricky. You should see when we're trying to catch ours to take him to the vet. I don't know how he senses it, but he disappears every time. It's always a tricky process trying to scoop him up when we find him.

    Congratulations on your 7th book!! I'm looking forward to reading Summer at the Shore.

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    1. Thank you so much, Laurie! I've had some pretty harrowing cat experiences myself trying to catch stray kittens and lure in cats, So, it wasn't much of a stretch to write about it. Isn't it weird how sensitive cats are about the vet? It's always amazed me. No matter how hard you try to be sneaky, they just know.

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  4. This is a terrific book Carol! I enjoyed Jay and Mia and especially loved how George, Coastie and even that crazy ol' cat wormed their way into a man's heart that didn't even think he liked animals! :) It's amazing what the love of an innocent pet can do for your soul.

    Have a great weekend everyone! <3

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    1. Thanks so much, Lynn! I enjoyed writing about them all. And yes, it is amazing what the love of and from an animal can do for a person. I can't imagine my life without them! I love those therapy programs where pets are trained to visit the sick and elderly. I'd like to do that when I retire.

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  5. Congratulations on your release! Another winner. And I love that you crack yourself up when you write! That's why I love you so :)

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    1. Thanks, Amy! I will admit to cracking myself up a lot. It's nice how easily amused I am, isn't it? Counting down the days until I'm laughing with you - one month!

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  6. It's fun laughing (and crying!) when you write a scene. Talk about being emotionally invested in your work! Congratulations on your series.

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    1. Thank you, T.R. It really is. I remember the first time I made myself cry. It was in book 2 and felt like such a huge milestone.

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  7. I loved Coastie, and the way she sneaked into Jay's heart. Truth is, I loved all the characters, Jay and Mia and the kids and her mom. And all the animals. Great story.

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    1. Oh, Beth, you are such a sweetheart! Thank you much and thanks for reading.

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  8. I'm a little late to comment here, but wanted to say how much I was drawn to your cover and story line. Just gorgeous. And the characters sound dynamic and so real. May we always laugh and cry with these people we call "characters." We all know they simply live in a slightly altered dimension and aren't visible to everyone. That's where we come in.

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    1. Thank you, Virginia! Lol, well said about these friends, um, I mean characters that we create (and live our heads.) I'm definitely a character-driven writer who agonizes over plot.

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  9. I'm looking forward to this summer read, Carol! Animals add so much to stories and to our lives in many ways. Their humorous antics and quirks are a big part of our enjoyment. All the best with the upcoming Alaskan series!

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