The Georgia Corbins by Kara Leigh Miller-a review and interview with the author

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / KOBO/ Smashwords

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Release Date June 10, 2013

Ali Philips never thought anything could be more devastating than the day Levi and Tucker Corbin, her two best friends—her only friends—moved away. Three years passed without a single phone call, text message, or email from them and she’s resolved to the fact that she will probably never see them again. Until one morning when she comes face-to-face with Levi Corbin in physics class.

Little does she know, the Corbins have returned to Haldeen with only one thing on their minds: winning Ali’s heart. Ali soon finds herself in the middle of a love triangle she doesn’t want any part of. As she tries to reclaim the friendships she’s lost and to adjust to the unfamiliar feelings she’s having, she struggles with making the one decision that will forever change their lives: Levi or Tucker Corbin?

She’s always had a special bond with Tucker and feels most comfortable when she’s with him. But Levi brings her to life in a way she didn’t think was possible and makes her feel things she didn’t think she would ever feel. Torn between the two, Ali is certain of only one thing–by the time it’s over, she’ll lose one of her best friends.

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REVIEW: When you are young the friendships you make sometimes stay with you forever – that is – at least until they are taken from you. Ali Philips is a beautiful young girl from small town Haldeen, Georgia. Growing up here had been hard for Ali, she had always been picked on and had always been “one of the boys.” She did however have two best friends – her only friends – twins – Tucker and Levi Corbin. They were as close as any three friends could possibly be. Spending their summer days at Old Man Potter’s swimming hole, climbing trees and hanging out in the hay loft of the old abandoned barn. Life was simple and their friendships were forever. That is until Levi and Tucker abruptly announced that they were moving. Tearing Ali’s world apart – she was left with no one. No friends, no one to protect her. Life did continue – and Ali weathered the storm.

Fast forward three years later – Ali is a stunningly beautiful junior in high school. She has a group of friends that she is comfortable with and a life that she is secure in. Until she walks into Physics class and sees Levi Corbin. The Corbin Boys are back. After three years – three years of no contact – no phone calls, no emails, no letters. They just disappeared from her life – and here they are – back again in Haldeen. Ali is unsure of what the future holds now, but one thing is clear – the Corbin boys are all grown up and better looking than she remembers. The question is – will their friendships go back to the way they were and does Ali even want them to?

I found this book very heart-warming and well rounded. I immediately enjoyed the character of Ali Philips and her small town. I found the author’s knowledge of small town living and being a teenager growing up there was spot on. While I am years gone from being a teenager – I found myself remembering and reminiscing about my teenage years while reading this book. There is an abundance of teenage angst – which lets admit it – what teenager’s life isn’t filled with angst. But there is also an amazing amount of true friendship and loyalty, love and understanding. The relationships that Ali begins to explore with Levi and Tucker were very emotional and I could feel the pain that Ali felt. And I will admit to shedding a few tears here and there for the decisions she had to make. The characters of Levi and Tucker Corbin were almost real to me – at least I wished they were. Handsome, adorable, charming Southern boys – who could ask for or want anything more. I thoroughly loved this story – the only thing that I can complain about is (without revealing too much) – while I understand Ali’s choice – I do not agree with it. And I am praying to the book gods that there are more books in the works that will elaborate and continue the lives of these three characters. If you love a good, down home, Southern love story that grips your emotions and tears at your soul then I highly recommend this book.

Copy supplied by the publicist

Reviewed by Erin K.

About the Author:

Born and raised in the small town of Mexico, New York, Kara was an only child who was forced to find ways to entertain herself. Playing make believe with her Barbie dolls and stuffed animals was her first real taste of storytelling before she became old enough to develop a love affair with the written word. In early 2010, Kara picked up her very first erotic romance novel, and she was instantly hooked. She loves to write contemporary romance, erotica, and young adult romance. Currently she has several full-length novels in the works, a series of novellas, and a handful of short stories. Kara is an active member of the CNY Creative Writers Café and the CNY Romance Writers. Today, Kara resides in New Haven, New York with her husband, five kids, and three cats. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s thinking about reading and writing. And when she’s not doing that, she’s spending time with her family and friends.

FOLLOW Kara: Goodreads / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17669136-the-georgia-corbins

 

TRC: Hi Kara and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of The Georgia Corbins.

Kara: Thank you! And thanks so much for letting me stop by. I’m excited to be here.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Kara: Well, I’m a full time stay-at-home mom to five children – four girls and one boy. I was an only child growing up and I hated it, which is why I opted to have more than one child. lol. Writing really is a passion for me and it started out as just something to occupy my time while my kids were in school, but then I realized I was kind of good at it and I decided to try getting published. As they say, the rest is history.

TRC: What difficulties or challenges have you faced as an author?

Kara: There are a lot of difficulties and challenges. The first is finding enough time to write all the stories that are rumbling around in my mind. The second is finding a good balance between writing time and marketing. Trying to get my books in the hands of the readers is a huge challenge, especially when there are so many great authors out there looking to do the same.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Kara: Thankfully, I have a great network of friends and authors I can bounce ideas off, but my go to people are Giovanni Valentino and Nikki Lynn Vale. Not only are they close, personal friends, but they are members of my weekly writers group. Then I have a super awesome beta reader, Louise D. Gornall, whose insights are always spot on and tremendously helpful. I’d be lost without them.

TRC: The Georgia Corbins is the June 2013 release in your new Young Adult series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / KOBO/ Smashwords

Kara: It’s the ultimate love triangle — fraternal twin brothers fighting over their childhood best friend. As if the teen years aren’t hard enough, throw in the need to make an impossible choice and you’ve got a story ripe with tension.

 

 

TRC: Ali and The Corbin Boys is a free download from Smashwords. Should the readers grab a copy before reading The Georgia Corbins?

Click HERE for you free prequel

Kara: I hope they do! I mean, it’s free! Why wouldn’t they? Seriously though, The Georgia Corbins can be read without first reading Ali and The Corbin Boys. This free download gives the history between Ali and the Corbins. It shows how they became friends and the tumultuous relationship between Ali and Shelby, who is the closest thing to a villain in this story. I think it adds another layer to the book and helps to give a better understanding to the complex relationships among these characters.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Kara: It was rather easy to do with this story. From the beginning its pretty clear who Ali wants to choose, but a series of events and realizations lead her to make the opposite choice. From the reviews and feedback I’ve already received, it was something readers didn’t see coming. They’re in for a lot more surprises in book two!

TRC: What difficulties did you encounter (logistical, research, etc) outlining and writing this particular novel?

Kara: The dialect. This takes place in the Deep South and the way of speaking down there differs from how we speak here in NY. I spent some time researching the dialect and the accents, listening to clips of it on YouTube. Then I incorporated all of that into the story only to be told it was too “heavy” and that it made it difficult to read. So, I had to go back and start over. At least now I know for next time. Lol.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?

Kara: The only one I ever had a real image for was Tucker and that was a young Chris Hemsworth.

TRC: How many books do you plan for the series and will the characters and storylines overlap?

Kara: Right now I’m planning on three books. This first book was the story of all three of them and Ali’s choice. The second and third books will focus on each Corbin boy individually, because I can tell you now, things don’t stay happy for the three of them for very long. I’ve considered writing a fourth book that would take place ten years in the future, at their high school reunion, but I’m still letting that idea toss around in my brain a little more. And yes, all of the characters and storylines will overlap. Even though it’s three separate books, it’s one long, continuous story.

TRC: How thoroughly do you plan out your characters and story before you begin the first draft?

Kara: Not much at all. I’m a panster to a fault. Typically I’ll jot down some character names with a physical description and maybe a plot idea or two, but that’s about it.

TRC: Do your characters direct the storyline or do you have a semblance of control?

Kara: I’d like to think I’m in control, but that’s not always the case. I guide them in a certain direction, and then my characters take over. It’s more fun that way.

TRC: You are a writer of several different genres. Do you prefer writing one over another? Which do you find easier?

Kara: Yes, I am a multi-genre writer. I hate to be confined to just one. My favorite genre to write is erotic romance because I feel like I have a lot more freedom with my characters. I don’t have to censor them as much.

TRC: If you could become a contestant on a television reality program, which show would you prefer and why?

Kara: Dancing With the Stars – for several reasons: (1) I’ve always wanted to learn how to dance; (2) I would LOVE to meet Derrick Hough; (3) I wouldn’t have to eat anything nasty like bugs; (4) I could, hopefully, finally lose these few last pounds that just won’t seem to go away; (5) Hello? Have you seen the pretty costumes they get to wear??

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Kara: With lots and lots of chocolate! I always try to break things down into smaller portions because if I look at the big picture, all seems hopeless. If I know I have to write 20K words in a week, I’ll break that down to 3K a day until it’s finished, which is doable with all my other responsibilities. If I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed, I’ll take some time for myself to decompress. I’ll take my dogs for a walk or take a nice hot bubble bath.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Kara: Lots of fun things! The sequel to The Georgia Corbins; the sequel to my contemporary NA romance, Death of a Waterfall; and an erotic paranormal romance.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kara: Thank you to everyone who has bought and read my books. Your support means the world to me. Thank you to The Reading Café for inviting me to stop by to chat. And to all YA, erotica, and/or romance authors out there: I would love to work on a project with you. Contact me if you’re looking for a co-writer or a contributor to an anthology.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Chicken Alfredo with broccoli

Favorite Dessert – Cheesecake with fresh strawberries

Favorite TV Show – The Vampire Diaries

Last Movie You Saw – Iron Man 3

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Milk Chocolate

Favorite Flower — Orchids

TRC: Thank you Kara for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of your new novel.