Interview and Giveaway with Beth Bolden: Author of THE LUCKY CHARM

*5 years ago: what were you doing?

Five years ago, I’d just started my accounting job, which was great then, but would later turn out to be horrible and almost completely kill any creative impulse I had. Back then, I was still pretty active writing Twilight fanfiction, but I was beginning to really stretch my writing muscles. Shortly after that point, I’d start Sins of the Father, the last novel-length fanfic I wrote—and it was a complete and total departure from anything I’d written previously. It was dark and bleak and had nothing whatsoever to do with Twilight, except of course, the names. It was while writing Sins of the Father that I began to realize I could write original fiction if I wanted to. And after I finished Sins, that’s exactly what I started doing.

*Do you have a certain writing ritual?

If I’m writing, I absolutely have to have two things: concentration and music. You would think the two wouldn’t exactly go hand in hand, but they do. Music gives me a rhythm somehow and without it, I’m totally sunk.

*What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

I got a handful of those bizarre terrible reviews when I was writing fanfiction, but they never really bothered me. My mom was the first person to read The Lucky Charm besides me, and she had some really tough things to say. The one I remember specifically was her comments about Izzy, the heroine, during the first read-through. “I just don’t like her,” she said. “She’s not very likable.”  Which was obviously a huge problem, and one that I worked really hard to try to fix. I still don’t think Izzy is a really easy person to like, because she’s so self-contained and so focused on the job she’s trying to do, but she’s definitely better than she was.

*Ever fangirled over another author? Who was it?

Julia Quinn did a signing at a Powell’s near my house. I pretty much slobbered all over her and told her that her Bridgerton series made my entire life.

*Is there an author you'd like to meet?

I’d have to say Susan Elizabeth Phillips, probably because her Chicago Stars series was so influential on me. I feel like sports and romance go together so well and not many people really take advantage of that. When I first started writing The Lucky Charm, I wanted to write the baseball equivalent of her Stars series. Plus she seems so down to earth and relatable on Facebook.

*Biggest writing pet peeve?

The Big Mis. Characters that don’t communicate for any other reason other than the plot would evaporate if they did. Characters that make stupid, bone-headed decisions that are totally opposite of their normal personality all for the sake of the plot. Plot should blossom directly out of who the characters are as people. And for god’s sake, if your character is an adult, he/she should act like an adult.

* Do you read other's reviews of your books?

I probably will. Bad reviews don’t bother me the same way they do some other authors because of all the time I spent writing fanfiction. Bad reviews were kind of par for the course in that community and you just dealt with them.

Fun Five:

Fav Color 

Turquoise. That was like the #1 direction I gave my website designer. Color and lots of it!

Fictional Character you'd like to spend the day with? 

I think Lizzie Bennet (from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries) would be so much fun to hang out with. Plus I might meet Darcy!

Fav food 

Guacamole! We’re going to Mexico in July and I am definitely planning on eating my weight in guacamole and chips.

Fav song and/or singer 

Florence + the Machine. I freaking love her. Right now I’m also seriously digging on Sam Smith, Lana Del Ray and Ed Sheeran. I still think Ed Sheeran’s video for “Give Me Love” is a story I’d love to write someday.

Guilty pleasure 

Sleeping in. I know I shouldn’t do it. I know I should get up and get stuff done on the weekends, but there’s nothing more glorious than lying in bed with my sweetie and the cat and just dozing.

IT’S THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH . . .

Izzy Dalton’s about to strike out. Her new job as the sideline reporter for the Portland Pioneers major league baseball team is problematic on several levels:

1. Baseball is her least-favorite sport. Falling behind golf, tennis, and maybe even curling.

2. What Izzy knows about baseball could fill about three minutes of airtime.

3. Her last experience in front of a camera was in college. Six years ago.

4. The Pioneers’ second baseman has a wicked sense of humor and even wickeder blue eyes.

AND A FULL COUNT. . .

Jack Bennett couldn’t be more uninterested in a little sideline action. He just wants to show up at the park and win baseball games. Izzy is the one woman he should steer clear of, but she’s also the key to his success–and his heart, too.

All Izzy has to do is convince her misogynistic boss she’s competent, learn what the heck an RBI is, and stay away from Jack Bennett. Izzy tells herself it’ll be a snap, but 162 games is longer than she ever imagined and Jack more irresistible than she counted on.

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Beth Bolden lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat and one fiance. She wholly believes in Keeping Portland Weird, but wishes she didn’t have to make the yearly pilgrimage up to Seattle to watch her Boston Red Sox play baseball. If only the Portland Pioneers weren’t only figments of her imagination.

After graduating from university with a degree in English, Beth unsurprisingly had no idea what to do with her life, and spent the next few years working for a medical equipment supplier, a technology company, and an accounting firm. Now Beth runs her own business as a Girl Friday for small business owners, assisting them with administration, bookkeeping and their general sanity.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. Her first novel, The Lucky Charm, is now available.

In her nonexistent spare time, she enjoys preparing overambitious recipes, baking yummy treats, cuddling with the aforementioned cat and fiance, and of course, writing. She’s currently at work on the The Lucky Charm‘s sequel, featuring Noah Fox. She hopes he’s a lot easier to wrangle than Jack Bennett was.

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