Rochelle Weber--Author

at 11:30 PM

I’d like to welcome Claire Marti, author of the Finding Forever in Laguna series to my blog today.

RW: Tell us about yourself, your family, where you live, etc.

CM: I’m married and have three furry children. I live in Encinitas, California, a sleepy beach town about twenty-five miles north of San Diego. I majored in English at the University of Virginia, practiced law briefly, and transitioned into teaching yoga and writing full-time over the last few years.

RW: Who are your favorite characters among the books you’ve written?

CM: I’m editing my third book now. I adore all my characters, but my favorites so far are Alyssa and Brandt, the hero and heroine of At Last in Laguna, the second book in my Finding Forever in Laguna series.

RW: What makes a good book? A great romance? Is humor important in fiction and why?

CM: A good book has to transport you. I read primarily to step into a different world and I want to read something that forces me stay up late. I enjoy humor in fiction and think it has a place in all genres. Life’s a wonderful ride, with highs and lows. Humor’s a great way to navigate all of it.

RW: Would you like to write a different genre or sub-genre than you do now?

CM: Yes. Currently, I write contemporary fiction. I love history and am tackling a Regency series next, with three French sisters who are orphaned and must move to England to live with a guardian they’ve never met. I also plan on writing a mainstream novel with romantic elements set in 1920’s Paris.

RW: Who are your favorite authors? Who influenced your writing?

CM: I love Nora Roberts’ trilogies and have fallen in love with several of the Irish heroes. I also love The Highlander by Kerrigan Byrne.

RW: If I were a first-time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

CM: I’d start with Second Chance in Laguna because it is the first in the Finding Forever in Laguna series and will set the stage for the next two books. That being said, I love At Last in Laguna, which will be coming out later in 2017.

RW: If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

CM: Paris, Antibes, Kauai, and San Diego. I’d split my time between them all. I’ll have a private jet to transport the cats and dog too!

RW: What song would best describe your life?

CM: Eminem’s Lose Yourself. It’s about seizing opportunity and living each moment as if it is your last. I’m a big believer in doing it all now!

RW: Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?

CM: Love this question! I love yoga, animals, reading, the beach, and nature. Oh, and sweets. So, we’d have lots of yoga goodies, books in several genres including yoga/meditation/holistic health, romance, mainstream fiction, non-fiction travel and history and animals. Beautiful journals and writing implements. Treats for the cats and dogs. Delicious cupcakes, cookies, and chocolate. Did I mention cupcakes?

RW: Tell us about the scariest thing that ever happened to you.

CM: Several years ago, I attended a wedding in beautiful Banff, Canada. I rented a car and drove to the Chateau Lake Louise, where I would be Maid of Honor. On the journey, I hit black ice and my rental SUV spun into several 360’s across the highway. I hit a small divider and if it hadn’t been there, I would’ve rolled into a snow-filled ravine. By some miracle, I was uninjured. The car, however, was totaled. I’m forever on Budget Rent-a-Car’s blacklist. The shock set in later that day. Luckily, the champagne flowed freely at the wedding reception. To this day, I don’t like to drive in snow.

RW: Hunky heroes or average Joe?

CM: Hunky heroes all the way.

RW: Those are all the questions I have for you. Thank you for speaking to me.

CM: Thanks!

SECOND CHANCE IN LAGUNA

The Plot

When Sophie Barnes’s fiancé jilts her at the altar, her carefully-planned life implodes. Considering her ex’s betrayal to be a rude wake-up call, she leaves everything she knows in San Diego and flees to Laguna Beach. She vows to transform her life by avoiding men for a year and by fulfilling her dream of writing a wildly-successful novel.

Sophie’s new landlord, Nicholas Morgan, is a gorgeous, successful architect with a player reputation. He makes it tough for Sophie to remember that she’s sworn to be single. Nick’s avoided the intimacy of a long-term relationship—until Sophie’s independence, courage, and beauty touch his guarded heart. Both Sophie and Nick are terrified of being hurt again, but can they resist the pull of true love?

An Excerpt:

Nick arrived right on time, looking gorgeous in faded jeans and a plain white t-shirt. How did he always manage to start the butterflies fluttering in her stomach? Just by standing there with the setting sun framing him? She was in trouble.

“Hi beautiful, ready to go?” He clasped her face in his hands and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

Returning his kiss, Sophie wound her arms around his neck and deepened it. She couldn’t resist. His strong arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her close to his broad chest.

“Mmmm, feel free to greet me like that every time I come over,” he said, lips curved up into a sweet smile.

Heat washed her cheeks and she returned his smile. “Let’s go. Prepare to be blown away by the movie snack of the century.”

Determined to keep things light and enjoy the movie before “the talk,” Sophie thrust down the lick of panic bubbling in her gut. She’d accomplished next to nothing all afternoon, instead wrestling with whether she needed to tell him about Doug.

The angel on her shoulder whispered to tell him because if they were going to have any kind of relationship, even a friends-with-benefits one, honesty and trust were vital.

The devil urged her to zip it. They’d only known each other a few weeks. What if he lived up to his “Player of Laguna” reputation and expected only a fun fling? Even though he seemed deeper than that. What if she scared him off with a premature talk?

ABOUT CLAIRE MARTI

Claire Marti started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.

Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga. Her debut, Second Chance in Laguna, released from The Wild Rose Press on March 31, 2017 and is the first in the Finding Forever in Laguna series.

Book Links:

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.:

http://bit.ly/2jk8iQY

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2q4w6yP

BN: http://bit.ly/2mpGgq9

Contact Claire:

Website: http://www.clairemarti.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ClaireMartiAuthor/

Twitter: @clairepmarti

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Claire-Marti/e/B01N9VOWLL/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

E-Mail: mailto:claire@clairemarti.com