“Completions and Connections” by Kathryn R. Biel
Blurb: Christine’s list of resolutions contains many clichés. Try something new. Buy a pair of heels. Get a promotion. Fall in love.
Seems simple, especially when Christine meets Patrick, the man who could be Mr. Right. He’s got the right credentials: a job, a sense of humor, a love of all things Indiana Jones, and best of all, he’s actually taller than Christine. But busy schedules take over and gets in the way of Patrick and Christine’s budding romance.
Life interferes, as it has a way of doing, and Christine wants to throw in the towel. Is the magic of the Christmas season enough to renew Christine’s faith in love?
EXCERPT
Me and four kids under four feet tall. I feel even more like a giant than I normally do.
And sadly, most of them are better skiers than I am.
After ninety minutes, I’ve learned to pizza and french fry enough to stop and start. The most challenging thing for me is to stand up once I’ve fallen down.
Wait, check that. The most challenging thing is the damn J-hook bar contraption that drags me up the bunny hill. You can’t sit. You can’t stand. You hang in a weird crouch, praying your skis don’t hit a rut knocking your ass over tea kettle into the other tow-ees, toppling them like bowling pins. Not that this happens. Okay, yes, it totally happens.
In a heap, one ski pointing one way, one ski lost, I’m pretty sure this skiing thing is not for me. And if I can figure out how to stand up, I’m going to go in the lodge and have a hot toddy. Or ten. And hope that this day passes quickly.
It’s just I don’t have a lot of free time. I work crazy hours. Free weekends are a rarity and to waste one on something I hate seems frivolous.
Maybe I’ll read while I’m in the lodge. That’s something on my list. To read three books this year. I’ve been trying to read the same book for about two years now. I never get through more than a page or two at a time, and anytime I get a large chunk of time to read, I have to start again because I can’t remember what I’ve read.
This is what I’m thinking about, lying in a heap, snow creeping down into my snow pants.
“You need a hand?”
I look up through my goggles to see another begoggled face leaning down over me. The face emits a voice with a deep timbre, which makes my belly twist a little bit. A thick-gloved hand extends and I grasp it. With apparent ease, he hauls me up to a standing position. I still only have one ski on. Not saying a word, he retrieves my ski and guides my boot back into the binding.
“Better?” His smile shows a row of white teeth. Just one looks crooked. It’s probably a good thing, though. Otherwise, I have a feeling he’d be too perfect. The best part—he’s looking down on me. Do you know how often the guys I meet are my height or shorter? I swear there’s a shortage of tall men out there.
“No. I’m still out here, making a fool out of myself.”
“I take it this is your first time.”
“Is it that obvious I’m a virgin?”
He lifts his goggles up, eyebrows raised. The bemused expression in his light green eyes highlights my faux pas. “Oh really? I didn’t know we were getting this personal.”
“Oh my God!” My mitten-covered hand, white with snow, flies to my mouth. Which, of course, results in me getting a face full of snow. “That’s um, not, crap. I’m not a virgin-virgin. I meant a skiing virgin. I have lots of experience with the other. Well, not lots. I mean, I’m not loose or anything. Oh crap, I should just stop talking.”
“No, keep talking. It’s quite amusing.”
“I’m going to go bury myself in a snow bank right now. Thanks for the help. It’s been nice knowing you.”
FYI, it’s impossible to storm off in a dignified manner when you’re wearing skis.
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**About the author: Telling stories of resilient women, Kathryn R. Biel hails from upstate New York and is a spouse and mother of two wonderful and energetic kids. In between being Chief Home Officer and Director of Child Development of the Biel household, she works as a school-based physical therapist. She attended Boston University and received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The Sage Colleges. After years of writing countless letters of medical necessity for wheelchairs, finding increasingly creative ways to encourage the government and insurance companies to fund her clients’ needs, and writing entertaining annual Christmas letters, she decided to take a shot at writing the kind of novel that she likes to read. Her musings and rants can be found on her personal blog, Biel Blather. She is the author of Good Intentions (2013), Hold Her Down (2014),I’m Still Here (2014), Jump, Jive, and Wail (2015), and Killing Me Softly (2015).
**Contact Kathryn: Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads Pinterest Amazon Author Central Newsletter
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INTERVIEW
Describe yourself in five sentences: I’m not good at this sort of thing. I put it out on Facebook and my friends gave me sentences that included, “Hugely loveable,” “Has a smile that will slay the devil at 50 paces,” Loyal…sassy…quick…funny…creative,” and “I am one fabulous broad.” These are my friends’ words, but I agree. 😉
What is your writing/editing/publishing process like? I write by the seat of my pants meaning I write what comes to me. I generally have an idea of where the story is going, and then I see if it actually ends up there. I send my book out to one or two trusted friends and take their input. Sometimes they get the work along the way to help me figure out where it’s going. Then, I send it out to 4-5 more people, in rounds, making changes based on feedback along the way. Then, I get it edited. If I could focus, I could do the whole process in a few months. As it is now, it takes me about 9 months from first sentence to release. But I usually have one going while one is being edited.
When did you know you wanted to be an author? About 5 years ago, I started writing, but didn’t think about the word author. I still have trouble with it, even though I have five full-length novels out.
Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? E-books. So portable.
Do you have any writing rituals? Not really. I like to drink green tea while writing. That’s about it. Each book is different in what I do while writing it.
Salty or sweet? Sweet. Unless it’s sea salt caramel. Then both.
If you could meet any other author, who would it be? I’d love to hang with Colleen Hoover, because she seems like loads of fun. I also have huge author crushes on Rachel Hollis and Darynda Jones.
Who and/or what inspires characters from your books? My everyday life. Things I hear, things I see, things I read. Everyday things around me.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books? That life is not a fairy tale, and you do have it in you to rise above and keep on going.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Hopefully fitting into the same size pants. Or smaller pants. That would be good.
Every author must have (a): Team of honest people to tell them when they are writing crap and when they need to keep going.
What are you working on right now? I’m working on my 6th novel, tentatively titled Live for This. It’s rather dramatic and maybe a little dark. I’ve already got a chick lit novel planned for after that to lighten the mood.
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**GIVEAWAY**
**Click HERE to enter to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card, (for 3 winners)
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**Click HERE to see other stops on Kathryn’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours!
**Blurb:Elizabeth Zurlo is lost. She’s a wife, a mother, a teacher, a PTA volunteer—but somewhere along the way, she’s lost herself. Depression and despair can lead to desperate measures and when she is pulled back from the brink of suicide, Elizabeth slowly tries to rebuild her marriage and reclaim her life. Just as she has finally started to put herself back together, a scandalous novel rocks her small town … and costs Elizabeth her social standing, friendships and ultimately, her marriage. However, the man who seemingly destroyed Elizabeth’s life, helps her realize who she is and what she needs to do to become the woman she’s not only capable of being, but the woman she used to be.
