Fueled by K.Bromberg-Blog Tour and Interview with the Author

Fueled (Driven Trilogy #2)
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: August 2013
Blog Tour and Interview with the Author

TRC: Hi Kristy and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the success of the Driven series.

Kristy: Thank you so much for having me! It’s all still a bit surreal that people are reading about the voices talking to me in my head—and liking them no less!

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

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Kristy: I am a working mother that lives in Southern California with my husband and three young children. I spend my days wrangling children, driving them to and from practice and school all the while doing my “real” job before tucking them in and spending time on my “dream” job of being an author.

TRC: DRIVEN is your May 2013 release and first book in the Driven Trilogy. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Order:  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

Click HERE for our review of DRIVEN (Driven #1) by K. Bromberg

Kristy: Driven is a book that revolves around the irrefutable attraction between two people who appear to be opposites but have more in common than one might think. They find each other at a time in their lives when they need each other the most despite either of them thinking that. The story follows their battle of wills, the challenge and chase, along with seven little boys that will steal your heart.

TRC: Are any of the characters or situations in the storyline based in reality or an amalgamation of your imagination and current headlines?

Kristy: None of the characters are based from reality. They all reside strictly in my imagination.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters in the series, which models or actors would be represent your projected image?

Kristy: That’s a hard question because I don’t think I’d ever find that image I have in my head of Colton or Rylee in real person. Yes—someone can have dark hair and green eyes…but it’s not Colton. And besides, even if I did know someone, I prefer not to say because I don’t want to ruin one of my readers’ images in their heads—does that make sense? For instance, everyone disagrees who should play Christian Grey—and in all honesty, I don’t think they’ll ever cast the correct person because in my head he is an image only I have conjured up.

TRC: FUELED is your second installment and August 2013 release in the Driven Trilogy. Please tell us something about the premise?

Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

Click HERE for our review of FUELED.

Kristy: Fueled is the journey of Rylee and Colton. As the story unfolds we see a myriad of things: forgiveness, understanding one another, the building blocks and sometimes knocking down of the foundation of a relationship. Their growing love (well, what Rylee would define as love) is tough. It’s not always easy or pretty—especially when you have baggage that you bring to the table like they do—but Fueled is their story and aabout figuring their place together in the midst of all of it. Oh, and you also get to see things through Colton’s eyes for several chapters.

I’ll finish by saying that Fueled is a roller coast of extreme emotions. If you thought Driven made you feel, Fueled will make it seem like the kiddie ride.

TRC: Many of the recently popular adult series, once labeled as trilogies, are now going beyond into 4, 5 and 6 books. If the DRIVEN series continues to be a success, will you continue the storylines e.g. novellas or full length novels, or have you an ending in mind for the series?

Kristy: When you read the last page of Crashed, Rylee and Colton’s story will be told in completion. I promised that from the beginning and will stick by that. I will say that I’ve pondered writing a short novella that goes back and covers a few events between the last chapter and the epilogue…but we’ll see how I feel when I finish writing Crashed. I’ve been questioned if I plan on writing any spin-off books of other characters such as Haddie or Becks…there are possibilities there but I’m focusing strictly on Crashed right now and giving Rylee and Colton the respect they deserve by writing a story that will knock your socks off.

TRC: FUELED is a storyline that is heartbreaking, frustrating, painful and a roller coaster of emotions. The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

Kristy: Wow! Tough question. In my case, I just write how I think I would feel in a situation, luckily it works (or at least that’s what I’m told by readers). I think part of drawing people in, and it’s just how I do it, is I throw grammar out the window (it drives people crazy—especially my editor). Thoughts and emotions that run through your head are not always complete. Sometimes they are repeated or incomplete. That’s how I write. When Rylee is angry I write it short, sharp sentences clumped together. When she’s content, it’s more fluid with longer sentences that are more flowery. That’s just me though—I’m super wordy and I have a habit of saying the same thing in different ways in a short span so the editing process is longer for me. So in short, I think an author needs to write how someone really thinks/talks/feels when they are in the emotion they are trying to portray.

I think author’s fall short when they don’t invest time in building their characters. When a reader is invested in the character, it’s easier for them to relate and feel the character’s plight.

TRC: Will you tell us how YOU were able to handle the more disturbing and heartbreaking aspects of this particular storyline? Did you get emotionally involved with the events of this novel?

Kristy: Of course I am emotionally involved in the storyline since these people are my creation and I most definitely care about them. I think as an author you look at things a little differently—of course the emotion is engaging—but my focus is how to make you feel that emotion…how to draw you, the reader, in. What actions or descriptions are going to make you react and feel. It’s one of those things that when you are in the middle of a situation you aren’t as affected as someone on the outside, looking in.

The funny thing is that I’ve read the story during the editing process so many times that I’m kind of numb to the emotion in it now…and I forgot how powerful some of the scenes were until I started hearing from the bloggers who were reading their ARCs. Their reactions were pretty eye-opening to the honest and raw emotion in the book.

TRC: Rylee and Colton’s ‘catharsis’ scenes are fraught with tears, anxiety and misunderstanding. What do you believe will have to happen before our
couple is able to move forward?

Kristy: I think in order for Colton and Rylee to move forward, all of the cards need to be thrown on the table. In Fueled, the reader sees a lot of the cards or can make intelligent inferences from things, but that doesn’t mean the other character does. For instance, Fueled has some chapters that take place from Colton’s POV. We see his thoughts and know things about him that Rylee can guess at but doesn’t whole-heartedly know. So I think that everything needs to be laid out bare – souls, hearts, fears, pasts—and that will allow them the fortitude and trust to move forward.

TRC: CRASHED is the third installment. Have you started writing and if so, can you hint at the storyline or is it best to remain secretive at this point? 😉

Kristy: Crashed is heavily outlined but not written yet. I released Driven and Fueled three months apart…luckily Fueled was basically written when I published Driven or I would have never finished it in that short amount of time. Editing takes forever and I never took into account the time consumption of marketing the books…so when I finish up the promo stuff for Fueled, I’m diving head first into Crashed…I’m antsy to get writing again! With that said, I’ve spent a lot of time with the computer glued to my fingertips as of late, and I’m going to take a little time to play with my kids a little more because I’m starting to have that mother’s guilt creep in that I’m not doing enough with them…if that makes sense.

TRC: Do you have a projected date of release for CRASHED?

Kristy: In my head, yes—but I am not saying yet. I’d rather give a date I know that I can hit rather than give one now and keep moving it because that’s frustrating to readers. I’m being realistic that the holidays are coming up soon and family comes first so I need to make sure they are taken care of…but rest assured, Crashed is getting written. I don’t want to rush something out that is less than par just to finish the book in a set time frame.

TRC: When writing a storyline, do the characters direct the writing or do you direct the characters?

Kristy: I like to think that I direct the characters but I think a bit of both happens. There are plenty of times that I have a scene set a certain way and all of the sudden the character does or says something in my head that’s completely off course. It’s those times that I start typing furiously to catch up to my thoughts because the character screams at me to do something else—and usually, those end up being the best parts of the book.

TRC: Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Kristy: I’m definitely a plotter—You have to be when writing a trilogy because you have to weave ribbons in Book 1 that will take hold and come to light in Book 3. I think my outline for Crashed is something like 78 pages written in longhand. But here’s the thing, no matter how detailed an outline, when I write, sometimes the best things in the book happen on the fly as I mentioned before…all of the sudden they hit and then I go backwards to make it work.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (research, logistics, car racing lingo) did you encounter writing this particular story/series?

Kristy: I had to research some terms. There is a scene in Fueled where Colton is testing his race car and he’s throwing out jargon—I definitely had to research the terms but it wasn’t anything too detailed. I did have to research how the boys would react in certain situations in order to stay true to the trauma/experiences in their lives. Luckily I’ve had some readers who do this for a living and they’ve contacted me and helped out with terms or reactions to circumstances.

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

Kristy: No one. I know. It sounds odd but I don’t really have anyone here that I bounce anything off of. At home I have three small children and a husband. To them, this world doesn’t really exist other than me sitting with the computer glued to my fingertips. I’ll mumble something to my Mom every now and again but other than that, most people don’t even realize that I write. For instance when I published Driven, only three people even knew I wrote it before I hit publish if that tells you anything.

I will say that this time around I had beta readers—some bloggers and some other people that I met online through groups that had experience beta reading for other authors. That was a big help because I received some feedback on what worked or didn’t work for them while reading it…so in theory, I bounced some ideas off of them. I ended up making some revisions off of their comments, but other than that, no one really.

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

Kristy: That’s the best thing about a plot…it can change and adjust as you’re writing. I’ve left enough open threads in both Driven and Fueled that I can always move or adjust things in Crashed if I need to. Sometimes when you write, the plot evolves differently that I had never expected. Look, almost every story has been told out there a million times—as an author you have to try and make the same tried and true plotline and twist it enough to make it unique. It’s not always an easy thing to do.

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines while still having time to raise a family?

Kristy: That’s a very good question. My husband says it’s like I have three jobs—my real job (day job as a bookkeeper), running the house and dealing with the kids, and then my writing. When I first started writing Driven, my husband was travelling constantly for work so once the kids went to bed and talked to him on the phone, I’d write. Since then, he’s switched positions so that he can be home more and now I find that balance very difficult. I try to write once everyone goes to bed, but sometimes that’s hard because my brain doesn’t function when I’m tired (and I’m not a coffee drinker). Luckily my two youngest will start preschool three days a week in the next month and so for the first time in almost eight years, I will have some days where the house is empty. After doing my work for my ‘real’ job, then I’ll try and use that alone time to crank out some pages without interruption.

TRC: If you could be a contestant on a reality television program, which program would you chose and why?

Kristy: Jeopardy. I have quirky knowledge and I retain things really well so I can answer a lot of the questions that make my husband go “How in the hell did you know that?”

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Kristy: It would be easy to say that I take both with a grain of salt, but I’d be lying. Of course good reviews make you feel validated in your writing and bad reviews eat at you and make you wonder what you could have done differently to make them like the story…but in reality, not everyone is going to like the same thing. There are going to be haters and there are going to be people that try and jump on the love train—so you really do have to take it with a grain of salt. I will say though that some of the toughest reviews I received from blogs made me a better writer when it came to Fueled. I didn’t dismiss their comments but rather looked at them objectively and tried to see how I could make the story better. Regardless, as an author you have to write for yourself first and foremost or else your story is not going to come from the heart.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Kristy: I am currently working on Crashed. Once I finish that I have a stand alone that I’ve started called Strike Out that is more New Adult with a twist of explicit that I think will surprise some people.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Kristy: Just that I’d like to thank all of the readers for their astounding support when it comes to Driven and now Fueled. I’m floored on a daily basis that somewhere in the world someone is reading something I wrote and liking it enough they are telling a friend or posting a review on Amazon for it. It’s a very surreal feeling, so I want to make sure to thank them…and say I really hope they love Fueled and that I surpassed the expectations they set for it.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food:
pizza

Favorite Dessert:
cheesecake

Favorite TV Show:
I’m so busy writing at night I don’t watch much TV anymore, but I’d have to say Grey’s Anatomy is one I try not to miss.

Last Movie You Saw:
Despicable Me 2 (can you tell I have young kids?)

Dark or Milk Chocolate:
dark

Favorite Flower:
dahlias

Last Vacation Destination:
camping at the beach

Pet Peeve:
pretention and chewing with your mouth open

Secret Celebrity Crush:
Can I tell you how hard this one is? I’m rather picky….My gosh….I’m going to step aside from the typical Channing Tatum, David Gandy’s because that’s everyone’s answer….I like Ben Affleck. There’s something hot about him – the mixture of good dad, intelligent, creative, not too pretty boy….that’s sexy to me.

TRC: Thank you Kristy for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the success of DRIVEN. We cannot wait to see where you take Colton and Rylee next.

Kristy: Thank you so much for taking the time to get to know me! I hope you enjoy Fueled!

He breaks from the kiss with a tortured groan and pulls away from me. “Colton,” I murmur, “let me take care of you.”

“Not here,” he tells me, smoothing my skirt down and smirking as he stuffs what’s left of my panties further down into his pocket. “I want to hear you scream out my name when I take you. I want to hear it when you fall apart from the things I’m going to do to you, Rylee. I want to claim you. Make you mine. Ruin you for any other man that dares to think of touching you.” He grimaces from the conviction of his words.

“You already have, Colton,” I breathe out without thinking, reaching out to place my fingertips to his lips. “I’m yours…” My voice trails off as he stares at me, his jaw working overtime as he absorbs the words I’ve said.

A ghost of a smile mixed with an uncertain disbelief plays on his lips before shaking it away and pushing it aside. “I—we can’t continue here with what I want to do, but this,” he says, motioning to me and the wall, “will tide me over.” He flashes a quick grin at me before grabbing my hand and climbing the last flight of stairs.

I follow him, knowing my heart and body are far from recovered from that little episode. Haddie’s words flash through my head, and I can’t help but disagree with her. When it comes to Colton, I don’t just have it bad. I’ve drowned, been consumed, and am utterly and undeniably his.

DRIVEN
Series: Driven #1
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: May 2013

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca

Rylee Thomas is used to being in control. But she’s about to meet the one man that just might make her enjoy losing it…

I am the exception to the rule.

In a world full of willing women, I’m a challenge to the roguish and achingly handsome Colton Donavan. A man used to getting exactly what he wants in all aspects of life. He’s the reckless bad boy constantly skating that razor thin edge toward out of control, on and off of the track.

Colton crashes into my life like a tornado: sapping my control, testing my vulnerabilities beyond their limits, and unintentionally penetrating the protective wall around my healing heart. Tearing apart the world I rebuilt so carefully with structure, predictability, and discipline

____________________________________________________

FUELED
Series: Driven #2
By K. Bromberg
Release Date: August 28, 2013

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

What happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?

Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.

Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.

How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep?
He steals my breath, stops my heart, and brings me back to life again all in a split second of time. But how can I love a man who won’t let me in? Who continually pushes me away to prevent me from seeing the damaged secrets in his past? My heart has fallen, but patience and forgiveness can only go so far.

How can I desire a woman who unnerves me, defies me, and forces me to see that in the deep, black abyss of my soul there’s someone worthy of her love? A place and person I swore I’d never be again. Her selfless heart and sexy body deserve so much more than I’ll ever be capable of giving her. I know I can’t be what she needs, so why can’t I just let her go?

We are driven by need and fueled with desire, but is that enough for us to crash into love?

_________________________________________

Giveaway runs from 12 AM CDT (US), August 28th to 12 AM CDT (US), September 6th

Prizes – (1) $50 Amazon gift card, (4) $25 Amazon gift cards, 5 e-copies of Fueled, 2 signed paperback copies of Driven

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour promoter.

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Click HERE for the complete FUELED tour schedule

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