IF YOU STAY by Courtney Cole INTERVIEW!!!

Welcome, everyone! So, a few months back, I read a book called CONFESSIONS OF AN ALLI CAT. I couldn’t gift this book to enough people. To say I ADORED it is an understatement. I laughed, I cried… it was just seriously some good stuff. Little did I know at that time, that this same author would write a book that would move me in ways I didn’t know possible.

Courtney Cole released a book just three days ago called IF YOU STAY. I don’t want to say too much about it yet because I want you to READ IT!! I want you to enjoy every single word of it. It’s just so well-written, I know you’re going to love it. But what I also didn’t know was that this amazing author would also become my friend. J

Look at this cover:

 

I am so excited to host Courtney today on my blog! Like, fan-girl, muppet-flail excited. I get to ask some nosy, invasive questions, and hope she doesn’t throw her coffee at me and run away screaming. Ha!

Ahem.

Kristen:  Good morning, Court! Thank you for being here today, and congrats on the release of IF YOU STAY!

Courtney:  Thank you so much!!  I’m so excited to be here.  *bounces*

Kristen:  If You Stay is so different from Alli Cat. I love how versatile you are! Were you surprised when the idea of IYS came to you?

Courtney:  No… I wasn’t surprised.  I think my muse is schizophrenic.  Or bi-polar.  I have times when I want to read or write funny stuff, but then I have times when I feel the need to write something dark or moody.  I actually thought of IYS while I was working on Alli Cat, but I just waited to start it until I was feeling dark.  Holy crap—maybe I’m the bi-polar one, not my muse…

Kristen:  I’m seriously in love with Pax. Even when he was still an asshole, you made me love him. How emotionally wrenching was it for you to take him through so much dark to bring him happiness?

Courtney:  Oh my gosh.  It was so gut-wrenching sometimes.  Because I seriously love him, tooooo.  I hated some of the stuff I had to do to him, but I had to give him plenty of room to grow.  And gosh, I sure did, didn’t I?  Poor Pax.

Kristen:  What do you find sexy in a hero?  Heroine?

Courtney:  I love alpha males. Which is funny because Pax is the first bad-boy male lead I’ve written.  I usually write perfect men.  But I think I’m kind of digging writing about assholes.   But I digress. I love alpha men.  Arrogant and sexy—I love it.   For a heroine, I like feisty and strong.  I’m not much into the helpless females.  That’s why I like your books so well- you write exactly the characters that I love.  Men who want to save their women and women who don’t really need it.  It makes for a hell of a story.

 

Kristen:  What is a day in the life of the glamorous Courtney Cole like?

Courtney:  Haha.  Well, my day involves Yoga pants, t-shirts, Kona coffee in massive amounts and then usually ends with chocolate, wine and a bubble bath.  A bubble bath at the end of a long day is a must for me. 

 

Kristen:  I know you’re a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of writer, but what is your writing process? Do you have mass scratch paper strewn about the house with ideas scribbled on them like I do?

Courtney:  I am definitely a pantser like you. And holy cow, yes.  I have notes everywhere.  I have post-it notes everywhere in my office, a notebook by my bed, a million notes on my phone and a notebook in my car.  I also have story boards with notes stuck to them.  It’s pretty crazy. 

My process… I start out knowing the beginning and end.  The middle is a mystery.  So, I usually roughly sketch out one chapter at a time as I go.  I sketch it out at night on the couch, then I write it the next day. 

Kristen:  If you were stranded on a deserted island and had to take ONE book boyfriend with you, yours or anyone else’s, who would you take?

Seriously??  This is an evil, evil question, Kristen.  Crraaaaapppp. This is going to take some thought.  Only one??  You’re a mean, mean girl. 

Okay.  *squares shoulders*  Ummm.  I’m not going to choose between my own books because that would be like choosing a child.  And choosing one of yours would be like choosing between god-children.  Haha.  So…. Let’s go with… Gabriel McBain from Saving Grace by Julie Garwood.  That’s my all-time favorite romance.  And who wouldn’t want to be stuck on an island with a sexy highlander in a kilt?

Kristen:  What is your favorite vacation spot?

Courtney:  Florida.  Since I live in the north, by Lake Michigan, winters get nasty.  I love to go to Florida in the winter… I love the sunshine and the smell of salt and palm trees. 

Kristen:  Do you snack on anything special while you write? I’m addicted to cinnamon bears.

Courtney:  Right now I’m eating Reese’s mini peanut butter cups.  I love them because they don’t have wrappers. I’m so freaking lazy. 

Kristen:  Okay, speed round:

Favorite alcoholic drink? (taking notes for Vegas)  Long Island Iced Tea.  It’s my go-to drink when I’m out. And I’m a big strong Kansas girl.  I can handle it. 

Soup or Salad?  Soup.  Salad is for rabbits.

Laundry or Dishes?  Neither. Both should be illegal.

Favorite flower?  Calla Lily

Coffee or tea?  Coffee, in massive amounts.  Kona coffee with splenda and Italian sweet cream.

 

Thank you, so much, Court, for being so patient with me today! I can’t wait to party like a rock star with you in Vegas! I’m still saving up that bail money.

Ohmygosssssshhhhhhh.  I’m so freaking excited about that—I can barely sit still.  We’re going to have SO. MUCH. FUN.  Thank you so much for having me here on your awesome blog. I love you, I love you. 

 

Okay, folks, I’m giving away TEN copies of IF YOU STAY! Comment below about your favorite part of this interview, or how much you love Courtney, and I’ll randomly choose ten winners at noon tomorrow! Good luck!

And if you don't win... GO BUY IT!!

Amazon

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