Pretend With Me (Beacon Hill) Romantic Comedy by Emily Mayer ➱ Book Tour with Guest post and Giveaway
Synopsis (from Amazon):
One phone call was all it took to upend
my entire life in completely unexpected ways.
Whoever said that you can’t go home again
was a lair. After the senior year from hell, I had spent a decade trying to
avoid Beacon Hill and its residents. My luck came to a sudden end after daddy
had an incident with a rotted floor. In and out, I promised myself. I was just
there to help my parents for a week or two tops.
Things in Beacon Hill hadn’t changed much
since I’d been home last. Mama still worked at the hub of gossip known as
Trixie’s, Mrs. Thomas still made the best chicken salad in all of Georgia, and
my sister was still the devil in a pushup bra. And of course, the St. James
family was still local royalty. Our very own version of the Kennedys.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered
that, not only is my sister back in town after a failed modeling career, she’s
also engaged to Macon St. James. The golden boy of Beacon Hill, and the star of
every single one of my teenage fantasies.
The biggest surprise of all was Holden
St. James. I thought he would be one of the villains in this story, but I was learning
that I had been wrong about a lot of things. And Holden just might be worth
coming home for….
Excerpt
Once
he was all settled, I got into the front seat and took a fortifying drink of my
coffee.
“Okay,
big guy, let’s set some ground rules for this drive.” I met his narrowed gaze
in the mirror and smiled widely. “I don’t want to hear one single word about
where my hands are on the wheel, the speed limit, the space between cars, or
motion sickness. Got it?”
“Sutton
Louise Buchanan, I was there for the day you took your first breath and I
can — ”
“Good
enough.” I turned the engine on and put the truck in reverse. “Why are you
working on a Saturday anyway?”
“I
want to make sure my crew stays on schedule while I’m laid up.” Daddy leaned
forward and reached between the seats to grab his coffee. “It’s a real big job
so I don’t want to fall behind right out of the gate if it can be helped.”
I
nodded. “Makes sense. Where are we headed?” I came to a stop at the sign just
at the end of our street.
“To
the old Bradford place.”
My
eyebrows rose in surprise as I turned the truck in the right direction, memory
taking over. The old farmhouse had originally been built in the mid-1800s and
had been renovated sporadically until the owners abandoned it in the 1980s. It
was a beautiful old house — or it had been — with big porches and a sunroom
that had been added on at some point. Something about that house had always
called to me. I’d daydreamed about being the one to finally breathe life back
into it, restore it to its former glory. Of course, all that was before Sissy
had made staying here seem impossible.
There
were always lots of rumors circulating about why the Bradfords had abruptly
moved away after living and farming on the land for centuries, but no one
really knew the reason. Beacon Hill loved its gossip. A local favorite was that
one of the Mr. Bradfords had killed his entire family, and their ghosts haunted
the house. Every Halloween, high schoolers would break in and try to spend the
night inside. I had never been invited.
“Someone
finally bought that old place?”
“Sure
did, and it’s a total gut job. There were structural issues.” Daddy sounded
practically gleeful at the prospect. I pictured dollar signs floating around
his head like little cartoon hearts.
“I’m
really happy to see that house get the love it deserves, but whoever bought it
either has too much money or is an idiot.”
Daddy
was silent, his fingers playing a rhythm on his Thermos.
“Well,
I’d say it’s probably the former.” Daddy paused. “I don’t think anyone can call
Holden St. James an idiot.”
“What?”
I screeched, whipping my head around to look at him and jerking the steering
wheel in the process, causing us to briefly veer off the road and onto the
shoulder.
“Eyes
on the road, Sutton!” Daddy yelled, bracing himself. “Jesus remember me, how
many times can a man almost die in one week?”
Car
in the proper lane, I took a deep breath.
“Did
you just say Holden St. James bought the old Bradford place?”
“If
I answer that question, are you going to be able to maintain control of the
vehicle?”
I
rolled my eyes, but kept them facing forward — both for safety and so Daddy
wouldn’t see it.
“You’re
getting dramatic in your old age. I was just surprised. It doesn’t seem like
someplace Holden St. James would be interested in living. I pictured him in a
sterile, ultra-modern penthouse where every single piece of furniture makes a
statement and is uncomfortable.”
“Think
highly of the boy, do you?” Daddy drawled, his voice thick with sarcasm.
I
shrugged, reaching for my coffee. Daddy cleared his throat pointedly, and I
immediately returned my hand to the wheel.
“I’d
be a better driver if I was fully caffeinated,” I mumbled. “Oh! I bet he’s
going to flip it. That makes sense. The property value on that place will
probably be insane once you’re done with the renovation, especially with all
the land it sits on.”
Guest Post
Picture it. The year is 1994, and this family
does not have cable television. There is one computer, three kids, and two
adults. The math ain’t mathing. Your fifth-grade self is busy writing the next
great American novel on the top of the swing set with nothing but some notebook
paper tied together with string and a number 2 pencil. Not even the mechanical
kind, because your mom thinks they’re bad for the environment. Don’t even get
her started on gel pens. The story is about a group of female pirates. Reruns
of Baywatch have just hit one of the
local stations, so it’s obviously a romance. The story is never finished,
because your sisters need you to compete in the balance beam event to secure a
gold medal for team USA in the Olympics.
We won gold.
Picture it. The year is 2004 and you have your favorite English teacher, Cheryl Huffer, for the second time. She hands you back an assignment with “I am so jealous of all the papers your college professors will get to read” in bold black ink at the top of the page. You think to yourself “I wish I could do this for the rest of my life.” Spoiler Alert. You’re about to make some big decisions about your future that will absolutely not work out. Also, your migraine disease is about to go from episodic to chronic and intractable. Best wishes.
Picture It. The year is 2014 and you’re a lawyer now. Feels like it kind of came out of left field, huh? Yeah, you’re not really sure how you got here either. The good news is that you met your future husband while you were in law school. The bad news is that being a lawyer is slowly crushing your soul, and you now have chronic migraine and chronic anxiety. #thriving. You spend a lot of time laying in a quiet, dark room making up stories in your head to pass the time. Your future husband says that you should start writing these stories down. A few weeks later, you jot down a scene about a lawyer who realizes she hates being a lawyer while your boss does push-ups in front of your desk. Again. You write almost 1000 words about how awful being a lawyer is, turns out you are very passionate about this subject. The lawyer you work for does 100 push-ups. It’s a new record.
Picture It. The year is 2023, and you’re sitting on a couch in a hotel room. Your husband has a lot of trade shows to attend this year, so you’ve been tagging along since you can write from anywhere. You’re spending the morning trying to organize all the book signing events you want to attend in 2024 as an author. There are three messages from readers asking when the next book in the Beacon Hill series will be released. Oh, and is Gabe from Everything Girl ever going to get his own book?! You’ve cried zero times today. It’s a new record.
If you made it to the end of this post and are
wondering what the point is, I’m guessing that you’re not alone. The point is
that life is crazy and will take you places that you wouldn’t even dare to
imagine. So, keep daring; keep imagining; keep dreaming, and your own happily
ever after might just surprise you!
Author Interview
On writing:
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Everywhere!
Sometimes I’ll hear a story on the news or song and think “oh that would make
such a great story!”
What advice would you give budding writers?
Don’t
shoot for perfection with your first draft! Just keep writing. I think a lot of
newer authors myself included) get so caught up in the idea of writing the
perfect first draft that they end up never finishing it.
If you could put yourself as a character in your
book, who would you be?
I
think that I relate most closely to Sutton. I definitely feel like I grew into
my own person after I moved away from home. Although, unlike Sutton, I have the
best sisters!
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I
am a recovering lawyer. I spent about ten years working in criminal defense and
a year as a prosecutor.
How long have you been writing?
I
published my first book in 2019, but I’ve always written stories. I used to tie
notebook paper together with yarn through the punched holes and make them into
books.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you
overcome it?
Of
course! I usually have to step away and do something else like read or clean.
What is your next project?
I’m
currently working on the third book in the Beacon Hill series. I’m so excited
about it too that it’s really hard not to give away any spoilers.
What genre do you write and why?
I
write romance. I love that romance novels are written about mainly females or
those who identify as female. It’s great to have characters you can identify
with and to write them. I also love that you know, no matter how much the
author puts you through, the story will have a happily ever after at the end.
What is the last great book you’ve read?
The Brood
by Devney Perry
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing
like?
The
road to publishing was long, and widening, and there were many wrong turns.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an
aspiring author?
Don’t
get discouraged! It will take a while to find your audience, but you’ll find
them.
Which authors inspired you to write?
Mariana
Zapata was a huge influence for me. Her stories always felt so real and
uncomplicated. Her writing made me feel brave enough to try writing.
On rituals:
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Oh
definitely! I will usually snack on cheddar rice cakes or hummus and veggies.
If I’m really into writing a scene or super snuck, I go for the hard stuff like
chips or cookies.
Where do you write?
All
over. I usually start at my desk but end up on the couch or the comfy chair in
my office.
Do you write every day?
No.
I have chronic migraines, so I have to take time off from looking at a screen
pretty regularly.
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a
computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
Oh
absolutely! I mentioned above that I have chronic migraine, so I write on paper
a ton.
Fun stuff:
Favorite travel spot?
My
husband and I love going to Ibiza.
Any hobbies?
I
have a problem with starting and abandoning new hobbies. My current hobby is
embroidery, so we will see how long that lasts!
What is your theme song?
“Break
My Soul” by Beyonce
What is a favorite Christmas tradition (or
memory)?
I’m
all about Christmas! I love the entire season, and it’s the only time of the
year I appreciate snow.
What is your go-to breakfast item?
Greek
yogurt. I hate making breakfast, so I reach for something easy.
Author
Bio:
Emily Mayer is a part-time lawyer, full time
storyteller, and an aspiring writer. She lives in Central Ohio with the two
loves of her life; her husband and her dog. If she isn’t working, you can
usually find her somewhere with a book in her hand.
Website: https://emilymayerbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymayerauthor
Author
Marketing Experts:
Twitter: @Bookgal
Instagram: @therealbookgal
Amazon: http://amzn.to/3PoO1fq
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196714708-pretend-with-me
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