The superawesome Readers Appreciation Giveaway (put together by 10 of your fave authors) continues today with more chances to win and a message from Kara Isaac to you, the readers! Aaaaaand it’s Kara’s BIRTHDAY today (and Jennifer Rodewald’s) so show her some bday love!
As a lifelong reader before I ever started writing I always thought that authors never needed to hear from me. Surely they had plenty of people who mattered more than I did telling them how amazing their books were! Now with my debut novel, Close To You, out there in the big wide world I can’t even begin to tell you untrue that is and how much I love my readers. The ones I know about and the ones I don’t! Every Tweet, or Facebook like or comment, or message telling me how much they enjoyed they writing is what keeps me going through the times of staring at a computer screen with obstinate characters and tangled plots.
It’s readers that make this crazy writing journey so so worth it!
Have you entered the Reader Appreciation Giveaway yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!? 😉 One of the books that someone will win is Kara’s debut novel Close To You.
A disgraced scholar running from her past and an entrepreneur chasing his future find themselves thrown together—and fall in love—on a Tolkien tour of New Zealand.
Allison Shire (yes, like where the Hobbits live) is a disgraced academic who is done with love. Her belief in “happily ever after” ended the day she discovered her husband was still married to a wife she knew nothing about. She finally finds a use for her English degree by guiding tours through the famous sites featured in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. By living life on the road and traveling New Zealand as a luxury tour guide, Allison manages to outrun the pain of her past she can’t face.
Jackson Gregory was on the cusp of making it big. Then suddenly his girlfriend left him—for his biggest business competitor—and took his most guarded commercial secrets with her. To make matters worse, the Iowa farm that has been in his family for generations is facing foreclosure. Determined to save his parents from financial ruin, he’ll do whatever it takes to convince his wealthy great-uncle to invest in his next scheme, which means accompanying him to the bottom of the world to spend three weeks pretending to be a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, even though he knows nothing about the stories. The one thing that stands between him and his goal is a know-it-all tour guide who can’t stand him and pegged him as a fake the moment he walked off the plane.
When Allison leads the group through the famous sites of the Tolkien movies, she and Jackson start to see each other differently, and as they keep getting thrown together on the tour, they find themselves drawn to each other. Neither expected to fall in love again, but can they find a way beyond their regrets to take a chance on the one thing they’re not looking for?
Kara Isaac is an award-winning writer who lives in Wellington, New Zealand, where her career highlights include working in tourism as Private Secretary for the Prime Minister. She loves great books almost as much as she loves her husband and two Hobbit-sized children. She also loves Double Stuf Oreos, cheesecake and Mexican food and tolerates running in order to indulge in the former. Connect with Kara online at her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.
Kara will be attending the big author/reader event that I’m co-hosting on August 24th in Nashville!! If you’d like to fangirl over her in person (lol), go here for more info or send me an email via my contact form!
I love stories about people who have given up on love and are able to find it again. Thank you.
Jan, Aren’t those great? Maybe because we’ve been there at some point. At least I can remember feeling that way.
Thanks, Jan! I love those kind of stories too. Both reading and writing them 🙂
I love the part of your bio that says you tolerate running so that you can indulge in the things you love to eat. I have a headband that I wear when I run that says “I run so I can eat.” ?
Cara, I need to put that on my mirror to get myself to run!
Oh, Cara! I so need that headband!
I love the cover! Even though the old saying says not to judge a bok by its cover I’m totally guilty of it. Looks like a great book.
Isn’t it a great cover?!?
I’m so glad you love the cover, Rachel! When my publisher first sent me the long list of cover images that one grabbed me straight way. I was so happy when it was chosen!
That cover is lovely!
Thanks, Sarah! So glad you like it 🙂
This book looks really good. I love Lord of the Rings.
i think so too!!
Jill, I love C.S. Lewis and Tolkien and cannot wait to get to the beach to get a chance to read this one for fun!! It’s waiting on my kindle! 🙂
Jill, I’ve had friends who are HUGE Lord of the Rings fan who have said they love Close To You. When I was writing it I was constantly trying to find that balance between writing something that would appeal to fans but also not be inaccessible to those who weren’t. Hopefully I’ve managed to get the balance right 🙂
You did great, Kara! I don’t know much about Lord of the Rings, and I felt you struck a good balance. I loved this book. It’s definitely going on my keeper shelf. I’m anxiously awaiting your next one!
You had me at Lord of the Rings!
right?!?
Me, too, J’nell! I can’t wait to read this!!
Hurray! 🙂
KARA, CONGRATULATIONS on your debut! SQUEEEEE!!!!! Lord of the Rings…I am so excited!!! 🙂
SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Me too!!! 🙂
Thanks, Caryl! So lovely to see you here 🙂
Happy birthday, Kara! What a fun place to celebrate 🙂 and a happy birthday to Jennifer too!
Carrie, how exciting is it to host this awesomeness? 10 fabulous authors!
I’m still a little in awe LOL. It’s SO fabulous & I am SO honored <3
Thanks, Beth Erin! I was so thrilled when I saw that Carrie had managed to schedule my appearance for today. And SO thrilled to be part of this with nine other amazing authors 🙂
Happy Birthday to you both!
Love these books. Cannot wait to add them to my ever growing TBR pile.
Thanks so much, Sonnetta. I hope you enjoy Close To You when you have a chance to read it 🙂
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kara! I hope this day is great.
I don’t know if I’ve read any of your books. Now i have a new author to read.
CARRIE,
I truly enjoyed your funny video on Facebook yesterday. You are hilarious! Loved the Chu Baca look!
LOL LOL That wasn’t actually me, Marilyn but it cracked me up nonetheless 😉
I missed that! I’ll have to go search it out!
Thanks so much, Marilyn! I feel like I’ve had two birthdays. With the time difference it was my birthday yesterday here in New Zealand and then today in the US 🙂
Close To You is my debut novel (very nerve wracking!). I hope you enjoy it 🙂 My next one, Can’t Help Falling, releases in October.
I appreciate the appreciation giveaway. Thanks and good luck everyone.
😀
Good luck to you too, Debbie!
These are all fantastic fangirl stories lol Mine would probably be close to Nicole Deese I would cry haha! Thank you so much for this fabulous opportunity 🙂 How amazing, so many new to me authors here 🙂 Love it!!! Good Luck To all 🙂
Thank, Lori! So glad you stopped in. I think I was the only crazy fangirl who asked for a pic on that whole list, ha!
I meant Thanks, Lori…
I so loved Nicole’s story too, Lori!
Kara, I really, really loved your book. 🙂 AND looking forward to your next one. AND I hope you’re writing one now, so I can read it after Can’t Help But Falling. 🙂 🙂 🙂 ……:) Just incase you needed 4 smiles.
Thanks so much, Megan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jackson and Allie’s story. They’re actually back as secondary characters in Can’t Help Falling too 🙂 Right this instant, I am about to start writing the dedication and acknowledgements for CHF otherwise it won’t have any. But once those are done I’ll start working on a new project in a couple of weeks 🙂
Happy, happy birthday, Kara and Jennifer! I loved, loved, loved Close to You! It’s such a super-fun story. I can’t wait for the next one. Kara, I’m sorry but I told Carrie about your awesome chocolate in New Zealand, so she’ll probably be stalking you for some. I did mention a possible Oreo-chocolate trade, though! 😀
LOL!
Did someone say chocolate?? I’m there.
Same here, Janet! I really wish I didn’t like it so much. I have a hard time resisting it. 🙁 It’s kind of strange that I have two daughters and neither of them like it that much–unless it’s in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Winnie, so lovely to see you here! I can’t deny that New Zealand does have the best chocolate in the world but I’m always willing to trade for a large package of Double Stuf Oreos 🙂
I might have to come to New Zealand to try some more of the chocolate there! I must say, though, that Switzerland also has some mighty fine chocolate. You really don’t want to know how much I brought home with me when I went–although I did share some of it and ration out the rest!
Thanks so much for having me here today, Carrie, and for all of you for dropping by. It’s Sunday morning in New Zealand and I’m hustling to get my two little people to church but I’ll be back later to chat!
happy birthday to Kara and Jennifer! Sounds like a good book. I love Tolkien, too 😀
Becky, I’m lucky my son was at the right age when the movies came out. We watched them many times together.
Thanks, Becky!
Happy Birthday Kara!
I’ve only read part of your book in “The Best Fiction Sampler Ever 2016. Now I can’t wait to read the rest.
You like Double Stuff Oreos, have you tried Mega Stuff Oreos?
My niece got a package of Double Stuff for Christmas last year, as we were opening gifts she sat with a cup of milk and a fork in her hand. I couldn’t help but wonder why. When she opened the Oreos she stuck the fork into the filling then dunked it into the milk. I had never seen them eaten that way before. How do you prefer yours?
Happy Birthday to Jennifer too!
I think it’s worth a try to dunk them. I’m brave that way… Except I’m supposed to be on a diet… Sigh
Oh my word, Andrea. I feel like my world may have just tilted on its axis. There’s MEGA stuff Oreos? Does that mean what I think it does?
My favourite favourite way is an Orea parfait. But I have to limit myself! You chop up the Oreos and layer them with Greek or Vanilla yoghurt and berries. Best thing ever 🙂
Happy Birthday! Sounds like an good book! It’s going on my ridiculously long “want to read” list! 🙂
Thanks, Julie! I know what you mean by the loooong “want to read” list 🙂
What a tremendous giveaway. Thank you for this contest. Every book involved looks terrific.
Marilyn
Marilyn, Don’t they all look great!! I’ve read several already, and I was so honored to be included!!! I mean like pass out on the floor honored!!
Thanks, Marilyn! I’m thrilled to be part of such a great giveaway with so many great authors. Best of luck with the giveaway.
Happy Birthday (and to Jennifer too)!
I won your book on a blog earlier this month and am awaiting its arrival. It looks really good. My daughter is a big Lord of the Rings fan so I’ll probably pass it on to her when I’m finished.
Pam, Your daughter is going to be so happy! My daughter is 23 and we share books, too!
Hi Pam. Congratulations! I hope it gets to you soon 🙂 I’ve heard from people 16-70 saying how much they enjoyed Close To You so I hope both you and your daughter will find common reading ground too 🙂
I pre-ordered this book MONTHS ago (the minute I heard about it) and was so delighted when it finally came. Now, despite my HUGE TBR stack (made exponentially worse by Miz Carrie herself!) I am reading it. Having such a good time. Loving the LOTR/Hobbit references and the wonderful New Zealand setting.
As a writer, Kara, I know how you feel about treasuring each and every mention from readers and reviewers. Aren’t they the best?
I hope we get more books from you soon!
😀
DeAnna! I remember because you fell into that few day gap where Amazon had the Kindle version up but not the paperback for some reason and I was like WHY CAN’T PEOPLE PRE-ORDER THE REAL THING?!
Readers are so the best 🙂 Speaking of which, I’ve heard such great things about your newest release. I can’t wait to have some sanity time to get reading!
My next one, Can’t Help Falling, releases in October. It got brought forward six months which is great for the books but wow has kept me busy 🙂
Oooh, great. Looking forward to that!
I just got to the horse incident. Was totally not expecting that. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
BTW, I’ve really enjoyed how the uncle’s costume indicates his real function in the book. That’s such a neat plot device. 😀
I’m so glad you’re enjoying it 🙂
Kara is a new author to me. Happy Birthday! Thanks for this giveaway. I’m looking forward to reading your books.
Thanks, Donna! Best of luck with the giveaway.
Kara, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I’m DYING right now because your book is on my Kindle, but I have “have-to-read” books to get through first. UUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Sooooo looking forward to reading your novel! <3
I have the same problem!!
Thanks, Mikal! I SO know how that feels. I just recently got a stack of new books that I am DESPERATE to read but have ended up passing onto friends first because alas, the must-do list before I can get to them is sooooo long. So it’s better not even having them sitting by my bed tempting me 🙂
Kara is another new author to me. Her debut book looks intriguing. I appreciated her comments about how beneficial encouragement is to authors.
Thanks so much for dropping by, Elizabeth. I definitely couldn’t survive this writing gig without encouragement. I hope you enjoy Close To You if you ever have a chance to read it 🙂
I love hearing about new authors. I hope this is an enjoyable journey!
Thanks, Rachael! It’s been a lot of fun so far 🙂
Kara, Happy happy happy Birthday!!!! Close to You is on my MUST READ TBR list! Close to you needs to get close to me! 😉
Can’t wait to meet you this summer!
I can’t wait to meet you too, Annie! Three months and counting!
Whooohoo!!!!
Kara, I’m so excited about your book. I love the synopsis, but I’m a little worried because I’ve never read Lord of the Rings. (Shielding my head with my arms now to prevent blog-flying-tomatoes or spitballs from anyone who reads that! I believe someone who loves DoubleStuf wouldn’t harm an ignorant soul!) I’m looking forward to reading a new and new-to-me author. I hope your birthday was wonderful, and congratulations on this debut, which seems to be receiving rave reviews.
hahahahaha Amanda!
Hi, Amanda! Thanks so much for dropping by! One of the reasons that in Close To You I made Jackson, the hero, a know-nothing about Lord of the Rings (or anything Tolkien) was because I wanted to try find a balance between a story that LOTR fans would enjoy but also still be relatable to people who hadn’t read the books or seen the movies.
Some of my favourite reviews have been the ones from people who knew little or nothing about Lord of the Rings but have still loved Close To You 🙂 Like this one: “I’m not a huge Tolkien fan — don’t speak Elvish and wouldn’t know how to outsmart a troll under the direst of circumstances. I read The Hobbit in my teens but never could get into the Lord of the Rings and…gasp…I haven’t seen the movies! BUT I still loved this book.”
No worries, Kara. I’m sold even without LOTR knowledge. I can’t wait to read it. If nothing else, I can’t wait to “visit” New Zealand through this story. I think the hero and heroine will remind me much of mine and my husband’s personality dynamics based on the synopsis, which will be even more fun. And I’m a sucker for a swoon-worthy, clean romance!!!!
Kara!!! I just finished Close to You through NetGalley and I had so much fun reading it! I laughed, I cried, it was a fantastic story. I even learned about Tolkien. Can’t wait to read the next one! Great job on your debut.
Thanks so much, Pam! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Blog-bombing here (is that a thing?), but thank you all for the birthday wishes…so fun! Kara, happy birthday, and I’m just itching to get into close to you!
Great cover. I can’t wait to read it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I am so looking forward to reading Close to You! Sounds like I’m going to get all the feels!
Kara-I cannot wait to read your book this summer. Congratulations on your debut,
I enjoy sharing my love of story with the authors that write them. Glad to know how much encouragement it is!
It’s nice that now that there is Facebook there is a chance to learn about authors and their books. Your book sounds interesting and I’m adding to my TBR list.
Happy Birthday Kara! Haven’t read any of your books. Looking forward to!
Blessings
I love to read books set in other countries especially somewhere as pretty as New Zealand. I want to visit there someday.
me too!!
Congrats on the debut novel. I can’t wait to read it!
I am glad to hear that authors enjoy hearing from their readers. I remember the first time I emailed one of my favorite authors several years ago. I was shocked to receive a response. It was a surprise that he took the time to answer.
Happy Birthday, Kara.
Another story for me to read. This is exciting! 🙂
so many great authors and books in this giveaway – yes!!
Well, in that case, I have to say how much I completely loved Close to You, Kara! I was engrossed from the start and loved getting to meet the characters and follow them on this awesome journey. Your home sounds so beautiful and I now hope to visit some day!
Kara, you are a new author to me but looking forward to reading your book
Kara I love this:
“Every Tweet, or Facebook like or comment, or message telling me how much they enjoyed they writing is what keeps me going through the times of staring at a computer screen with obstinate characters and tangled plots.”
Especially the “obstinate characters and tangled plots”….I had to laugh out loud! I’ve read several blogs and posts where authors have said that their characters don’t cooperate with them. Or wont’ talk to them because the writer is making them do something they don’t want to do. Or want to go a completely different way then the author wants them to 😀 I think the characters would be a lot like real people, we sometimes don’t want to be told what to do, where to go, how to do something, etc! Eventually it turns out all right!
Hope you had a wonderful and lovely birthday! I can’t wait to read your book- the cover immediately caught my eye (it’s one of my favorites!) and it sounds like a story I will really enjoy 🙂
This book is actually on my books to read list.
Kara, this book looks so good. Love the cover. Thank you, Carrie for featuring this. God bless you both.
I’m so excited to read this book. It sounds so intriguing!
Can I just say from the moment I saw the cover of this book I have been dying to get my hands on a copy! 😀 LOVE IT!!! Thanks for the giveaway with so many fantastic books!!
I’m newly introduced to Kara, but I’ve got this book on my list. Love the description and love the cover!
Kara is new to me but LOVE this cover!!! And adding this to my list for sure!!!
Another book I remember reading about when it came out and wanting to read. And I still do! It sounds lovely! And set in New Zealand! Yes! I’m so excited for August! It keeps getting better!
You are another new author to me. I had fun reading everyone else’s comments. I noticed that Amazon calls you a romantic comedy writer. I can hardly wait to read your books!!!!
Your book sounds like a good one. I don’t know how I’m ever going to read all of the books I want to read. Maybe God will let me have a long life. Thanks for the opportunity to win a free book!
I’ve not yet had a chance to read your books – but this sounds like a good one! Thanks for a chance to win!
Definitely on my list of what to read next!
sounds like a good read.
What a great story. My pastor is from New Zealand an I love Lord of Rings since reading it in middle school. With so many elements to look forward too I can’t wait to read Close To You.
Love Lord of Rings especially hobbits. Lol. Your book sounds like a great read! Thanks.
Good intro. Now I want to know why she is disgraced. Want to read.
Love your cover picture, putting this on my to read list.
I don’t think I’ve read your books but look forward to it.
I’m adding your book to my wishlist and can’t wait to read it.