Monday, December 22, 2014

If You Believe by Mya O’Malley Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway


Today I get to be a  part of the If You Believe by Mya O'Malley Blog Tour organized by I'm A Reader Book Blasts & Blog Tours. Today's post includes a great except, an awesome giveaway and an Interview!  If you haven't figured it out yet, my favorite tour post are interviews.  I love getting that glimpse into how authors think because these are the minds that are bring us these wonderful stories to read.  Running a little late in the day on my post, so I'm going to stop babbling and let's talk about the book so we can read the interview!


If you believeIf You Believe by Mya O'Malley

Sometimes love only comes once in a lifetime. For some lucky people, it is possible to love again.

Melody and Jack had shared an unforgettable love story that abruptly came to an end. Melody, left picking up the pieces, finds herself alone years later, with no hope or desire to date again. With the holiday season approaching, Melody finds it particularly difficult to get Jack out of her thoughts.

Jack isn’t sure if he’s an angel or a ghost, but his mind is set on one thing only, finding a new love for Melody by Christmas Eve at midnight. Easier said than done, with many obstacles to tackle, Jack underestimates how difficult the task is. With conflicting emotions, Jack takes it upon himself to find a man for a woman he still loves.

With the clock ticking as the holidays approach, this charming story of finding love the second time around will have you laughing and crying, but ultimately, it will have you believing in true love.  

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An Interview With Mya O'Malley

Can you tell me more about the book beyond what it says on the back cover or blurb and what inspired you to write it? 

My inspiration for writing this book involves the concept that true love knows no boundaries. I wrote a short feature titled, All I want for Christmas, from main character Melody’s point of view that tells more about the heart of my story:

All I Want for Christmas- Mya O’Malley

Inspiration for Story- Inspired by the idea that true love knows no boundaries.

*Based on character Melody’s point of view from new release- “If You Believe”

All I Want for Christmas:

Once upon a time, not so long ago, my heart was filled with Christmas cheer and joy around each holiday season. As a child, my eyes sparkled with happiness as I felt the magic of the season. Years later, as an adult, Jack and I would share the season, Jack made me feel the delight and magic that I experienced as a child. Now, with Jack gone, I find myself surrounded by family and friends, but without Jack my heart is empty and the light has gone out of my eyes.

All I want for Christmas? For years, all I’ve wanted was my husband, Jack back in my arms. Forget about fancy gifts, the parties and decorations, the only thing on my mind around the holiday season is Jack’s smiling face, his sparkling blue eyes and warm smile. Will my Christmas wishes come true? I know in my heart that it’s not possible, it can never come to be. But this year, the air seems to be filled with magic and intrigue as I am lucky to have met not only a new friend, but also a man who is slowly warming my heart.

Will I let love in? Will I keep Jack in my heart but make room for another? My feelings run deep and I’m torn. Will I get my Christmas wish? Will I finally experience love and everything the most special gift in the world has to offer? Somewhere deep in my heart, I know there’s still hope…I’m wishing for a Christmas miracle.

Have a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season.


Which character is your favorite and why?
That’s a tough one. I love both of the characters, Melody and Jack. I would say that the character of Jack intrigued me more, he had such depth and emotion. Jack went through joy and heartache, my heart broke for him as he had difficult decisions to make that were selfless and admirable. Jack always put Melody first and I think the readers are going to love him for it.


What has your writing journey been like and what advice do you have for aspiring writers?

My journey in writing has been eventful, challenging at times, but overall it has been an exciting and rewarding endeavor. I’ve learned a lot during my journey, but I know that I have so much more to discover.

I’ve always loved to write and I started creating my stories for my grandmother around the age of eleven. My first series of short stories revolved around a mermaid theme, which is interesting because I’ve just finished writing a young adult mermaid book. My grandmother was so excited to devour these tales of mythical creatures that it encouraged me to write more. I wrote plenty, more short stories and poetry. Flash forward many years and my poetry continued, although I never really considered publishing any of my poems, perhaps because I considered them to be my own private thoughts.

I focused on a career as I received a bachelors’ degree in special education and became a teacher. Before long, I had a beautiful young daughter to enjoy. Writing was always in my thoughts, but I was busy creating a place for myself and writing was pushed to the side for a while. Throughout the course of my career, I maintained the belief that one day I would write a novel. I wanted to convey my passion for my experience as a special education teacher, making a difference in the life of others. With the dream still in mind, I pursued a graduate degree in reading and literacy and then thirty additional graduate credits. I was in the routine of writing essays for my courses and truly enjoying the process. I remember feeling pride when I was finally finished obtaining my graduate credits. I was proud of my accomplishments and I knew right then and there that I would start that novel because I was back in the writing mode. This time, my writing would be for myself and I could finally pursue my dream of creating a novel.

Where There is Love initially took me over two years to write. I felt lucky to have my summers off to focus on my writing. My main character is Mia, a special education teacher. I wanted Mia to help a troubled high school girl reach for her dreams. In the process I wanted Mia to experience a sense of fulfillment and purpose. It hit me that Mia should have a challenging past, one that she struggled with in her adult life. I like the idea that as a teacher, Mia served as a role model for her student and that sense of responsibility enabled Mia to reach for her own dreams and overcome her past obstacles in the process. I submitted my story to many publishers and agents, only to be turned down. I realized that I would need to develop a thick skin if I wanted to publish a book. Because writing is my passion, I kept at it, considering and implementing some of the suggestions that I received during the submission process. The story changed many times, even after I received a contract for publication. I revised it until the manuscript stands as it is now, a story about a young woman facing her past and opening her heart to love. Although Where There is Love, published by Solstice Publishing, is not my first novel to be published, it will always be special to me since it was the first novel that I wrote.

My very first novel to be published is At First Sight. This is a fun story of a divorced young woman out in the modern dating world. Pressured by her friend to give online dating a try, my character Annie initially resists the idea, only to find herself giving in. Annie’s experiences are hilarious and disheartening. Annie would like to believe that love at first sight truly exists. The question is, will Annie find it? I was thrilled when Astraea Press offered me a contract for this manuscript and even happier to see my story out there for others to enjoy. Working with so many wonderful authors in the company was a great experience for a new author, I’ve learned so much about writing and marketing from fellow Astraea Press authors.

Discovering that writing contemporary romance was something that I was so passionate about, I wrote a paranormal holiday romance in which a widow is visited by her late husband in disguise. This story is absolutely one of my favorites, it’s sweet, funny and heartbreaking all at the same time. Astraea Press offered me a contract and If You Believe released on November 18, just in time for the holidays.

Once I gained more experience in the writing and publication process, I found that I had many stories to share with my readers. I’m excited that another manuscript of mine was accepted by TouchPoint Press. The Calm After the Storm is another one of my favorites. I got the idea for this story several years ago during Hurricane Sandy. I had some time on my hands because school was cancelled for days and my house lost power for over a week. Looking around, I saw the devastation, it was all over the news. An idea struck me when I noticed utility trucks coming to help restore power in my area. These vehicles were workers from down south, Georgia, Florida and Texas. It was wonderful that these workers traveled to help those affected by the storm. I thought to myself, what if one of these workers fell in love with someone in the northeast? This book took me about a year to write and was put on hold for a while as I was revising and working on other projects. When was I was offered a contract by TouchPoint Press, I was excited to accept. The Calm After the Storm is due for a February release.

My journey in writing has been filled with many emotions, happiness, frustration and excitement. I would tell aspiring authors to keep at it. Have others critique your manuscript, accept advice, don’t be discouraged. There’s nothing quite like holding your own book in your hands, it makes up for all of the challenging times. My journey in writing has filled me with happiness and a sense of purpose. I now spend a big chunk of my writing time marketing my books and thinking up creative ways to reach my readers. I have recently started writing another contemporary romance and I look forward to experiencing the entire process once again, starting right from the beginning sparks of an idea.


What's your favorite fan memory? (An interaction online or in person with a fan you found memorable and why it's so memorable for you)

I’m a new author, my first release was published this past August. I’m really enjoying the process of reaching out to readers. I’ve received several comments from readers on blogs that have been positive and I have to say it makes me feel great to share my stories with others and to know that readers are enjoying them.

If a fan wanted to meet you where & when would they do that? If they wanted an autographed book and couldn't make an event is there somewhere they can order them?

I’m excited to start reaching out to local libraries and bookstores. I would make myself available to readers by advertising any signings or appearances ahead of time. If a reader wasn’t able to attend a book signing event, I would ask that they contact me at mya@myaomalley.com to send an email.

Is there anything else you'd like to add about yourself or your novels that you'd like fans to know?

I participate in many social media sites, including my own website, you can find me at:

Website Twitter Facebook Pinterest Blog Email Amazon


The Trailer



An Excerpt From If You Believe


He stood, watching her, feeling every ounce of her pain, her anguish. He was probably the only one who understood what it was like to lose the person you loved, the person who was everything in the world to you.

If only he could just touch her, reach out to her, make her feel happy again. But that was just selfish on his part, wasn’t it? It wouldn’t be fair to Melody. Anybody could see that even three years later, she was still struggling. Hadn’t he always told her that if something happened to him, he would want her to fall in love again? It saddened him to think that if she continued down this cold and lonely path, she would be alone forever.

Melody had wanted it all, a home filled with children, a loving marriage. Thinking back to how happy they had once been, it broke his heart to see her this way, and it was always saddest to see her like this around the holidays, which were quickly approaching.

Jack’s mind was whirling with ideas, if only...He wished that he could talk to her just one more time, but alas, that was against the rules. If only there was some way, if only he could help her see the light. The corners of Jack’s mouth crept up as his mind took hold of an impossible thought. Would he be able to pull this off? If he did, could he ever be the same again? …

The electricity was undeniable. It was something that he should have considered, knowing how powerful their attraction and love had been in life. The look on Melody’s face was shock, confusion and curiosity all rolled into one. He would have to remember not to touch her again, it was simply too much of a risk to take. He knew that if his cover was revealed, the rules stated that he could never make contact with her again.

“What was...did you feel?” Poor Melody peered at him with those gorgeous light brown eyes of hers. There was something different about her eyes now; once they had been filled with spark and mischief, but now they were sadder, as if the light had somehow gone out. The same eyes that had looked at him with varying degrees of emotions for all those precious years they had shared together. The same eyes that held him spellbound right now. Jack didn’t know what to expect; he had no way of knowing how hard it would be to not reach out and touch this woman who was his wife, the love of his life. She evoked so much emotion in him that he had to turn his head before she saw the tears that sprang from his eyes. He had known this would be hard, but Melody took his breath away. Melody was always beautiful, but now she also appeared slightly sad and fragile. Looking down at her so many times before, he knew of her sadness, of course, but standing right here beside her, Jack could practically feel her strong emotions within his own heart.

Since he had gone to great lengths to disguise his true identity, Jack would have to do better than this. There was no way that she could recognize him by his appearance. He was once tall, standing six foot three inches tall, maintaining a trim physique with messy light brown hair. He now stood barely five foot seven with wavy dark hair and a stocky build. The only thing about his appearance that Jack wasn’t able to change was his eyes. Nobody could change their eyes, because it was a fact that eyes were the windows to the soul.

Melody stood before him, her mouth gaping open as if she were caught in a spell. Think of something, quick, he told himself.

“Melody. I heard great things about your store. You see, I’m new to this area and I was just walking around and I figured I’d come check out your store.”

Melody appeared as if she had composed herself slightly. Clearing her throat, she finally spoke. “Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking.”

He really should have been more prepared, how could he have forgotten how inquisitive Melody was?

“Um, I’m from down south, Florida.”

“Whereabouts? I have a friend from the Orlando area.” He should have also remembered her old college roommate from Orlando. Was Miami far enough away to field off further questions?

“Miami.”

“Miami? What brings you all the way up north to the New York area?”

Wow, she should have been a lawyer instead of owning a business. “My job. I work in the city now and live here in the suburbs.”

“What do you do for work?”

Thinking quickly on his feet, Jack steered away from his real occupation in life, working for an insurance company.

“I work for a pharmaceutical company. I’m in sales.” That ought to do it. He was reminded of a time when Melody had quizzed him nonstop when they had first met, he had felt like he

was interviewing for a job. They had laughed many times together over that memory.

“Oh. Well, who is it that recommended you to my store?” Her eyes peered cautiously through her striking auburn hair. The long hair that was always slightly out of place, always in her eyes. Wishing that he could reach out and touch her beautiful hair just once more, he reeled himself back in.

“Just some guy at a diner recently. He raved about the selection of books and the coffee. Hmm, if I recall, he also said that you have the best cheesecake in town.” That should do it. Melody loved to bake and could go on and on about her desserts.

And that she did, thank goodness for the distraction of a good cheesecake. When Melody had stopped gushing about how she prepared her cheesecake, she caught herself and chuckled.

“You must think I’m something, rambling on like this. I’m sorry, I just realized that I didn’t catch your name.”

My name, my name. Something unusual perhaps, but fitting for a friend. “Oliver.” Where did that come from?

“Oliver. Well, Oliver, I don’t usually do this because we are closed, but would you like to try some of the cheesecake? We happen to have some left over.”

“Oliver” could tell that he had gotten on Melody’s good side. She wasn’t a particularly outgoing person. As a matter of fact, she was usually pretty shy, but he was delighted to see that he had made an impression on her. Or perhaps it was just good business sense. Either way, Oliver had succeeded in completing the first step of his mission: meeting Melody.

****

Melody couldn’t recall the last time that she had felt so comfortable with a total stranger. It wasn’t like she was even physically attracted to him, Oliver wasn’t her type at all. He was

the complete opposite of Jack in every way. Well, in every way except for those captivating blue eyes. It was uncanny how much Oliver’s eyes reminded Melody of Jack’s eyes. It wasn’t just the color or the shape, but it was the intensity of his gaze. That was probably why Melody had felt so comfortable with him from the start.

“I know that you’re going to think this is forward, but would you mind showing me around town sometime?”

Melody sucked in a breath and inwardly panicked.

“My girlfriend is coming up in a few weeks and I wanted to show her around a bit.” He finished.

Melody’s shoulders visibly dropped as she let out a sigh. “Sure, yes, Oliver, I think that would be fine.”

Two finished slices of chocolate cheesecake and decaf coffees later, Melody realized this was the best evening she’d had in, well, just about three years.



Mya Omalley
Author Mya O'Malley

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers; Destiny and Dolce and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya currently has two new releases: At First Sight, a contemporary romance about dating in the modern world, published by Astraea Press, and Where There is Love, a contemporary romance in which a woman struggles with past obstacles, ultimately faced with whether or not she will open her heart to love. Where There is Love is published with Solstice Publishing. Mya is excited to say that Astraea Press will be releasing her contemporary holiday paranormal romance titled If You Believe on November 25, 2014. Due to be released late January is The Calm After the Storm, published by TouchPoint Press. This novel is a contemporary romance taking place in the setting of Hurricane Sandy. The story revolves around the idea of a utility worker from Georgia falling in love with a woman in New York.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. Mya spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel; she has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico and Costa Rica. Mya is currently working on her sixth novel.

Find Mya O'Malley Online At:
Website Twitter Facebook Blog Pinterest Tumblr Email Amazon



Blog Tour Giveaway 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/4/15 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. 

This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored sponsored by readinglight.com. 

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The Blog Tour
Check Out The Rest of These Great Tour Stops

December 15th
I Am A Reader – Spotlight
A Writer’s Life – Spotlight
The Book Bag – Guest Post
Katie’s Clean Book Collection – Review
Cherry Mischievous – Spotlight
Enter Here Canada – Spotlight

December 16th
Bunny’s Review – Spotlight
The Avid Book Collector – Spotlight
Susan Heim on Writing – Spotlight

December 17th
Mythical Books – Excerpt
Wishful Endings – Review
Cassandra M’s Place – Spotlight
Practical Frugality – Spotlight

December 18th
A Writer’s Dream – Excerpt
A Casual Reader’s Blog – Review
Indie Author How-to – Spotlight
Maureen’s Musings – Spotlight
Christy’s Cozy Corners – Spotlight

December 19th
deal sharing aunt – Spotlight
Hearts & Scribbles – Spotlight
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Spotlight

December 21st
Cuzinlogic – Interview
Kelly P’s Blog – Spotlight
Corazones Literarios – Spotlight

December 22nd
Bookish Events – Interview
CBY Book Club – Spotlight
A Journey Without Map – Spotlight
Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews – Spotlight

December 23rd
Bookhounds – Interview
Mel’s Shelves – Spotlight
Gustosa Giveaways – Spotlight

December 24th
Coffee Books & Art – Spotlight
Lori’s Reading Corner – Guest Post
The Book Lovers’ Lounge – Review

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