Monday, January 20, 2014

Straight Chatting from the Library: Emelle Gamble


Emelle Gamble stops by The Library on her virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions to talk with us about books. Emelle will be awarding a $100 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter. You can see the other stops on the tour here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/06/virtual-nbtm-tour-secret-sister-by.html.

READ THE INTERVIEW


What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

I loved all Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. The mystery, the suspense, the boys! Clearly remember being glued to the chair for about 4 hours reading The Password to Larkspur Lane.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Secret Sister is sexy, scary, thought-provoking, surprising and fun. (10! Gold star for Emelle…yes, I am that competitive!)

E-Reader or print? and why?

I did a whole blog on my website about this but the bottom line answer is both. I love, love, love the smell and feel and look of paper books. I love the covers, they’re like portable art. I love the book title and author name on the page, and I LOVE PAGE NUMBERS vs ‘percentage read’. But my Kindle is stuffed with books which I read constantly. But I always reserve part of my budget for books, real books. Books like on the shelves in a library!

One book at a time or multiples?

I read books like I write books, one at a time, beginning to end. I just can’t keep track of two plots, and I love the continuity of being lost in one book’s world.

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

Sorry, dear Judith, I do dog-ear. I have been given and or have bought 10,000 book marks over my life. When it’s time to use them, I can never find one.

Least favorite book you've read this year?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I know, I know, it sold a bazillion copies. A very favorite author of mine, Tana French, thinks it’s perfect. But I hated every character, almost every scene, and especially the last chapter. Good thing there are different strokes for different folks, yes?

Favorite book you've read this year?

The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve. I reread it to see if I still loved it as much as I did the first three times. I did. Every writer should read it. It is about writing, teaching every thing an author should know about character, dialogue, voice, theme and setting. It is not a craft book; it is a novel about a writer. It takes my breath away just to think about how perfectly it ‘shows not tells’ what writing is.

Favorite genre?

Mystery and women’s fiction. HA! See why my books are ‘blended’, meaning they don’t follow the genere rules? I am a child of the sixties. I rest my case.

Favorite book to recommend?

In the Woods by Tana French. It is magnificent. Scary. Unresolved. Perfect. It will make you think about nearly everything.

Keep books or give them away?

I used to keep them all. Then about twenty years ago, I started going through my collection and giving some away every year to the local library or second hand store. I still do this. And when I find a book I really love, I give it away by buying a copy for my 5-10 best reader friends so they can have jammed bookstores too. Emelle Gamble loves books. That will be written on my tombstone.


MEET THE AUTHOR


Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry and took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She has contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Website ~ FaceBook ~ Twitter: @EmelleGamble


READ THE BLURB


To their friends, Nick and Cathy Chance have the perfect marriage. High school sweethearts who’ve been together for ten years, they’ve weathered challenges and are as committed as they were when they first fell in love. Cathy trusts Nick, Nick’s world revolves around his wife, and the future looks golden.

To everyone who knows them, Cathy Chance and Roxanne Ruiz have a perfect friendship. They connected in grade school and since then have been each other’s confident and trusted advisor. Cathy loves the gorgeous Roxanne like a sister, Roxanne has fun-loving Cathy’s back in every situation, though lately there’s been tension between these two best friends…

And then, on a sunny summer morning, the unthinkable occurs, throwing into doubt the truth of what each of these people really know about themselves and one another.

Will Roxanne’s sacrifice be too little, and too late? Should Nick’s love for his wife be strong enough to risk trusting his heart more than logic? Can Cathy’s devotion to Nick give her enough strength to convince him to see her for who she really is?

Secret Sister proves how strong, how stubborn, and how trustworthy love can be as Nick and Cathy and Roxanne are challenged to overcome the secrets, the lies … and one extraordinary twist of fate that turns their lives upside down.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


45 comments:

  1. Thanks so much Librarian Judith. This is my last stop on the Goddess Fish blog tour for Secret Sister. It's been a blast meeting readers and sharing about myself and Secret Sister. I hope your readers will give this book a look. Everyone comment! Last chance to enter to win the $100 gift card...go!

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  2. Added it to my TBR list. looking forward to it.

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  3. learning the hidden secrets of the main characters and seeing what twist are involved.

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    1. Thanks for posting, Melinda. Yes, Secret Sister is plenty twisty. And everyone who has read, even the few (very few, HA!) who didn't like it so much said they couldn't put it down. Let me know what you thought if you read it!

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  4. Looks awesome will have to go get the book looks very interesting cannot wait to read,

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    1. Thanks for posting Joe Hawk. Did anyone ever tell you that's a great name for a hero? If you get a chance to read Secret Sister, do leave me a review. I'd love to hear what you think. Good luck in the drawing!

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  5. Love, love, love this book and encourage everyone to read it. It's about family, friendship, love and hate. Just like real life.

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    1. Thanks for the post, Mary Blayney. And if you can still like this book after having to read it in its 20 iterations, you are a friend and a fan! XXX

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  6. I was so glad to see you say this story was sext]y scary. I thought it sounded that way, but haven't read it yet.

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    1. Good to see you here, MomJane! Yes, it is a bit scary in that 'ohnowhatwouldIdo' kind of way. And a bit sexy. So I do hope you read it. If you do, be sure and leave me a review. Authors love hearing from readers. Good luck in the drawing.

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  7. I loved your interview! I too am a book hoarder; I've abot 300 paperbacks/hardbacks and over 2600 on my kindle. What's even nuttier is I also have a nook w/another 167 books. Yours is on my tbr, so I'll get there soon!

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    1. HA! Book Hoarders Anonymous could be an organization. Thanks for posting, Elise-Maria. Good luck in the drawing, and do let me know what you think when you do read Secret Sister.

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  8. Thanks to both Goddess Fish Promotions and Emelle Gamble for theater some giveaway! :)

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  9. I enjoyed the interview, it's fun to learn more about the author. When I was young I was a huge fan of Enid Blyton and the Secret Seven Series.

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    1. Wow, Rita! I have never heard of this series, but what a great looking one! I just googled it and saw there are 15...gorgeous covers. Reminds me of many I read in the 60s growing up. Thanks for the tip. And good luck! I hope you get to read Secret Sister as I'd love to hear what you think about that mystery...maybe as good as "Secret Seven Mystery". XX

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  10. Nice interview. I have so many books, I have to keep track of them in Xcel. I go between my paperbacks and e-reader. I love the e-reader for traveling so I don't have to fill half my suitcase with paperbacks.
    I truly enjoyed "Secret Sister."

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    1. Thank you for posting, Tina Susedik. Wow, are you organized, I can't even keep favorite titles straight, LOL, so I could use that excel sheet! And thank you so very much for your kind words about Secret Sister. As a fellow author, I know you understand about those 'books of our heart'...Good luck in the drawing!

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  11. The secret the plot twists sounds so fun to read!!! I love a good twist in my books. Thanks for the giveaway :)

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    1. I think Secret Sister is for you, Miss R! It's got a lot of surprises. Good luck in the drawing, and if you get a chance to read Secret Sister, do let me know what you thought!

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  12. Emelle, I've been the lucky beneficiary of many of your bookshelf-cleaning stints, not to mention your you-have-to-read-this enthusiasm - so how have I never noticed that you dog-ear books?!?! OH! the HORROR! ;)

    Nobody will dog-ear Secret Sister, however, and not just because it's an e-book - but because it's impossible to stop reading it!!

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    1. Dear Elaine Fox, I think I get as good (and as many) books from you as I give you. And to think you recommended Tana French's In The Woods a year before I read the thing! Yikes, I need to pay closer attention to you about everything you recommend, not just your brilliant copy edits in our beloved critique group. Thank you for posting. XXX

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  13. Excellent interview, Emelle! I'm putting "Secret Sister" on my TBR list. :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Joanne Guidoccio! I love the support from fellow SoulMate authors. Good luck, and do let me know what you think of Secret Sister if you get a chance to read her.

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  14. "Secret Sister" is on TBR pile for Donald. Catherine has already read it. As to book marks I(Donald) was gifted a long time ago by my grandmother with a triangle shaped leather pocket that fits over the edge of a page of a book that has in gold lettering "This is where I fell asleep" printed on it. Works great and it always goes to the first page next book to read. Easy to find as it's always sticking out.

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    1. Thanks for posting, my favorite SoulMate team, C.D. Hersh! And I'm going on record now as saying I want Donald's book mark! I mean, I won't steal his, but what a great gift from your grandmother. And what a great giveaway for a writer to have for readers. I probably wouldn't even lose it. HA! Good luck in the drawing.

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  15. I have to chime in with the other book hoarders. I've stacks of books in the office. I could read forever and not run out of books now, thanks to Kindle. The premise of your book sounds interesting, Emelle. Good luck with it.

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    1. Thank you, Catherine Castle. I'll recommend your book to all those readers out there, it's The Nun and the Narc...great adventure and wonderful characters. Thanks for stopping in, and I agree that Kindle keeps your TBR pile in the 100s...but we like that, right?

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  16. Love mystery, suspense & twists! Will pick up your book:) I read all the Nancy Drew books as a child. They were passed down to me from an aunt and are pushing 85 years old---love that smell!

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    1. Anne, thanks for your post! What a wonderful gift, to get those books from your Aunt! I so wished my mother saved all of our books, but I trust other young women got my Nancy Drews. Good luck in the drawing.

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  17. It sounds like a great read. I'll definitely add it to my list at Goodreads and look for it next time I'm at Amazon.

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    1. Thanks Nina Mason. I hear from most readers they couldn't put it down once they started Secret Sister...a lot of secrets! HA! good luck in the drawing.

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  18. Always love to find new authors to read. As for doggearing or bookmarks, never, never deface a book always always use a bookmark. PLEASE!!!!!!!

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    1. Like I said on my FB page, Deb. I promise. Really. And I love how much you love books! Good luck in the drawing!

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  19. I'm a dogear person, I can't find my bookmarks either

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    1. You and I need to hide from Deb and Librarian Judith, Angel. I am using post it notes these days, so you need to try harder too. LOL. Let me know if you get a chance to read Secret Sister, I'd love to hear what you think. Good luck!

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  20. Emelle, Even though "In the Woods" was MY least favorite book last year, I am still going to have to pick up "The Last Time They Met" now. How is it you've never rec'd that book to me before?!? :-)

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    1. Really? I generally harangue every writer I know about this book, Ms. Owens. So go get you one and then we'll discuss. As for Tana French, there is no accounting for taste. But I love you any way. And anyone reading this post, alert. Go get a copy of Once and Forever, an anthology collection, and read The Psychic Detective. It is Evie Owens first, and it is hands down FABULOUS. Thanks for posting, Evie. XXX

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  21. Wow, tha last paragraph: "Secret Sister proves how strong, ho stubborn, and how trustworthy love can be as Nick and Cathy and Roxanne are challenged to overcome the secrets, the lies … and one extraordinary twist of fate that turns their lives upside down."

    Now I definitely cannot wait to read it! :)

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    1. Sweet Aleksandra, thanks so much for that post! It really does have a lot going on, so I hope you'll read Secret Sister. It's the book of my heart...I struggled for years to get it published and I'm really proud of it. If you do pick it up, please let me know what you think. And great good luck in the drawing!!!!

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  22. I keep all my books - I like having a "library" of books tos hare with friends and family but I also liek the idea of giving them to the local library. I might just have to go thru my older ones :-)

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    1. I hear you Stacy. I love my library. All three of them! One stuffed in my den closet, the huge one downstairs, and the one in the bookcase in the guest room. Really hard to give them away, but I must! And yes, give to the library first. Right Judith? :>)

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  23. Emelle I too am s fan of both bound and ebooks. Can't wait to see your next book.

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  24. Emelle I too am s fan of both bound and ebooks. Can't wait to see your next book.

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    1. Thanks Cindy O! I'm doing a individual offer for Duets, the prequal to Molly Harper. Watch for it this week. And one of my fav things I ever wrote, a lighter and fun romantic book titled Dating Cary Grant will be out in March. A girl. Her hubby. And a ghost! Thanks for posting.

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