Showing posts with label A. L. Jackson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A. L. Jackson. Show all posts

Tour Stop & Giveaway: Pulled by A. L. Jackson

Name of book: Pulled
Author: A. L. Jackson
Publication: 5th April, 2012 by Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Provided by author/tour host

For nine years, they drift through life, unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their hearts. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. Now, when their lives intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and do they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart? Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.



-- My Rating --

-- My Thoughts --

     When I read "Take This Regret" by A. L. Jackson (here's my review), last month. I HAD to get my hands on any other book of hers. A. L. Jackson is a really fantastic author; I LOVE her writing style and her characters.
     Melanie and Daniel shared a love many would die for. Everyone believed that they were made for each other. But when their beloved daughter dies, misunderstanding and misjudgment clouds their lives and they are separated.
     Nine years later, Melanie is trapped in a loveless marriage with her abusive husband, Nicholas. Daniel is living his dream, he is the huge doctor he has always wanted to be but it means nothing without Melanie by his side. When their paths cross, the love they share consumes them both.  But Melanie is married and one of Daniel's one-night-stands is turning into much more than that.
     Why did Melanie and Daniel separate, nine years ago? How will they overcome the boundaries? And will they ever forgive each other? Find out much more when you read Pulled, which is emotional, touchy, and one of the best romantic novels out there.
     I liked this book a lot! I love A. L. Jackson's writing style. It is so simple but different, she engages you with the events and the characters; you will never want to stop reading. Her characters are SUPERB; she makes you feel with each one of them. This book was from 2 POVs, one of Melanie, and one of Daniel. It flowed smoothly and I fell head-over-heels in love with both the main characters. Like many other novels, their relationship starts as the bizarre-connection thing, but the love they share is so romantic and cute, that I didn't care whether it was love at first sight or not.
     If you want an emotional but very enjoyable book, then you SHOULD read Pulled. It will make you smile with some pages and cry with some others, but trust me, you will never want to leave Melanie and Daniel's world. I will recommend this to every hopeless romantic who believes in the power of love (which includes every girl in the world, I guess).



-- Giveaway --


-- Interview --

Me: Hello, and welcome to my blog. I am so happy to have you here. I would love to know, how long have you been writing?

A.L.: I began writing back in college. Back then, my writing looked a lot more like poetry than stories. Writing poetry definitely has had an effect on my writing style.

Me: Did you feel like there was a difference in your writing style between "Pulled" and your other books (like, Take This Regret)? Was writing "Pulled" easier or harder than writing your other books?

A.L.: Definitely. I seem to grow with each book I write, learning more and more from my editors and critique partners each time. It’s so cool to look back and see the difference.

Writing “Pulled” was much easier than anything else I’ve written. It was the first novel I wrote, and it was done without a lot of expectations, so I completely poured myself into it without much outside influence. That had both its benefits and drawbacks, since it was much, much too long, so almost a quarter of it had to be edited out. But I loved every minute of writing it, so that extra editing was worth it.

Me: Which character is your personal favorite? Which character did you put more "you" in? 

A.L.: Oh, I love Daniel. When I read, I’m drawn to dark, broken men, so he was the perfect protagonist for me. The character in “Pulled” who I’d say is the most like me is probably Daniel’s sister, Erin. She loves her family and is there to support her brother through anything, though she doesn’t hesitate to point out the mistakes he’s so clearly making, which she does only because she cares about him.

Me: Do you have any other works on the way? Spare us some hints?

A.L.:  I actually have a couple of things in the works.  “When We Collide”, my third contemporary romance, is set for release on November 2, 2012.  I also have a WIP that I’m hoping to see released some time next summer or fall.

Me: And now for some quick Q & A

    Favorite book?

            White Oleander.

    Favorite singer / musician?
           
            Brian Aubert of Silversun Pickups

    Favorite blog on the web?

            Oh gosh, this is really hard, because there are so many fantastic blogs.  The one I follow closest is probably Bob Mayer’s blog, just because he has so much fantastic insight and I like his casual, but direct style.

Me:Thank you very much for being here with us today, it's a great pleasure. Any last words?

A.L.: I just want to thank you for having me on, and to everyone for taking the time to stop by and say hello. I appreciate you all! ♥

-- About The Author --


A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.


  
Links to Buy




Tour Stop: Take This Regret by A. L. Jackson

Name of book: Take This Regret
Author: A. L. Jackson
Publisher: Sapphire Publishing - 5 April 2012
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Source: Provided by the kind author...



There are some mistakes we make that we will regret for the rest of our lives.  For Christian, it was the day he betrayed Elizabeth.



Christian Davison has a plan for his life.  He is determined to become an attorney and to one day take his place as partner in his father’s law firm.  Nothing will stand in his way, not even Elizabeth Ayers and their unborn child.


After Christian cuts her from his life, Elizabeth spends the next five years struggling to provide for her daughter and willing to sacrifice anything to give her child a safe, comfortable life. 

For five years, Christian has regretted the day he walked away from his family and will do anything to win them back just as Elizabeth will do anything to protect her daughter from the certain heartache she believes Christian will bring upon them.

When Christian wrestles his way into their lives, Elizabeth is faced with asking herself if it is possible to forgive someone when they’ve committed the unforgivable and if it is possible to find a love after it has been buried in years of hate.  Or are there some wounds that go so deep they can never heal?

They say everyone deserves a second chance.




-- My Rating --
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review.*

-- My Thoughts --

     I got hooked by this book from the very start, the first time I read the blurb, It's not something I would usually read but why not give it a try? And I don't regret reading it, not a little bit. 
     We all have something we regret, and for Christian it is the day he left Elizabeth when she told him she's pregnant. Christian had a plan laid out for his life, and that plan didn't include a child to take care of. He couldn't afford to lose his chance to be an attorney so he left the only woman he loved, Elizabeth.
     It's been five years, Elizabeth had struggled very hard to provide for her child, to give her a safe, comfortable life. But when Christian sees a little five-year-old girl in a supermarket, he just knows that she is his child. And now, Christian wants his family back. Although he admits he has caused much harm, he still wants Elizabeth and her child, Lizzie, back.
     But will Elizabeth let him back into her lives? Will she allow Christian to cause the same heartache for her daughter? And will Elizabeth be able to forgive the unforgivable? Find out much more in this breath-taking, astonishing contemporary romance novel, Take This Regret...
     Take This Regret, revolves around Christian and Elizabeth. Describing their lives through their point of views, it was a very refreshing experience to be able to read both of their POVs. I sometimes don't like to read more than one point of view, I feel like it spoils the book, but for this novel, I think it was required to be two POVs so we can understand the characters better.
    A. L. Jackson has written an unforgettable novel, the pace is pretty quick, and the characters are captivating. Elizabeth had been through too much, but she still loves Christian very much, she is so loyal. Christian is so regretful and lovable, he melted my heart. And Lizzie, the little girl who wrapped both of her parents around her finger, she is amazingly adorable and sweet.
    The description is pretty good, A. L. Jackson doesn't describe the setting very much, she gives room to your imagination. The plot and the idea are very strong, real love can overcome anything. The hard work of the author is obvious on the book. If you want an enjoyable, romantic, read then Take This Regret is definitely the one for you!


And guess what? We have the author, A. L. Jackson here today, and she has a post for us:

-- Guest Post --
Why Covers are so Important

Hey All! I’m A. L. Jackson, author of Pulled and Take This Regret. I just wanted to thank Insomnia of Books for allowing me to share with all of you today, and on such a cool topic, Why Book Covers are so Important.

 So let’s be honest…how many of you have purchased a book based on the cover alone? I have!  Most of us are very visual creatures, our attention caught by the beautiful, the unique, and at times, the incredibly strange. We’re drawn to color and style, sharp lines, and bold words.

But what does that mean for covers?  They say you only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention on the internet, and when 80% of books today are sold on Amazon and with the massive number of titles that are listed there, it’s now more important than ever for covers to catch a potential reader’s eye.  

There are a few key elements every book cover should have. The first and foremost is it should be pleasing to the eye—something that makes someone browsing titles stop and think, Wow, that’s an amazing cover. This is the point where your cover has done its job in making someone take a closer look at the book itself. The cover should also tell the potential reader something about the story inside, the design consistent with the genre of the book, although it should be unique enough that it stands out from the crowd. It should also give the reader a hint at the amazing story they will find inside.

Covers are so important because it’s the first thing someone sees—the main thing that will tell a potential reader to move or to take a closer look.

So what is it about a cover that draws your attention?



--About the author--


     A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student.  She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

     Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.