JeanzBookReadNReview: BLOG TOUR - A LITTLE BROKEN BY JULI VALENTI

BOOK PROMOTION

Book Information supplied by Girls Heart Books Blog Tours

Title: A Little Broken

Author: Juli Valenti

Genre: Contemporary Romance

BLURB supplied by Girls Heart Books Blog Tours

Jessie Braden thought she had it all. A husband, a new baby – her life was on course, exactly what she always wanted…Until one day, she loses everything.

Ruined and broken, she’s left alone to pick up the pieces of her life. Unable to cope, she spontaneously packs up and moves across the country, hoping that new scenery will help.

Once in sunny Florida, she finds an apartment and a job but while Jessie is surviving, she isn’t living…until one night she meets someone. Dominick.

Desperate for an escape from the pain of her memories, she relents to his unerring determination and agrees to spend time with him.

Through his patience and understanding, she will learn that she’s not ruined…she’s just a little broken.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Juli Valenti grew up in Arkansas and currently resides in Florida with her husband and two boys. Working a full time job, as well as owning her own editing company, along with a full time family, her life is crazy but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Juli is currently working on several other true-life inspired novels.

AUTHOR LINKS

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

Juli Valenti. I was born in Hemet, California and now reside in Tampa (ish), Florida

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?

I self-published so it wasn’t too bad. I started writing in June and published by October

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

A couple actually. I’m the front desk/clinic services lead for an orthopaedic office, own my own editing company (Juli’s Elite Editing) and I’m a full time mom :)

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

A Little Broken. Regardless of the pain/hurt/troubles in life, we’re all survivors. We’re all a little broken.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?

self! :)

What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I’ll probably stick with romance (ish) books. Possibly a paranormal romance that I started before ALB

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

I do have plans for another book - it won’t be part of a series, will be a standalone. It’s top secret so I can’t tell you much except it’s also based on a true story!

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

My favorite character is actually from a short story I’m working on for an Anthology (to be published in February) - Raven. She literally makes me laugh out loud.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?

I’m planning a long stream of novels that are all based on true stories/true struggles that others have survived. I pull inspiration from everything, so be careful what’s said to me! It could become a part of a book!

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

HA! I do! I sit in a specific spot on my couch, reclined, and eat fruit gushers and fruit by the foot :)

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?

Not solely based on reviews, no. I’ll gift my book and ask for a review when finished, but I don’t require it.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?

Unfortunately, I do. I need to stop that.

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?

There’s one on Goodreads, complete with memes that had me jumping up and down. You should read it!

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?

Sort of in between. I’ll start writing and it will generally come to me at some point.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

Since I know ‘who’ the characters will be, I generally just use the first name that correlates for me. It’s the last names that are rough - I have to bounce off a sounding wall for opinions sometimes.

Are character names and place names decided after there creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?

I know the details of the characters before they have names.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?

I’ll put it up, think on it/dream on it. I have a couple people I trust that I’ll bounce ideas off of/talk it out which is all it takes sometimes.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?

Yes. A Little Broken is based on a true story and several people in the book are quite real.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?

It’s unfortunate, but more than likely. E-readers are becoming more affordable and the ease of availability of books is crazy.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?

I’ve been reading since I was tiny! Same with writing (I started with song lyrics, actually)

Do you have a favourite genre of book?

Romance/Paranormal Romance actually - I love me some hot vampire men :)

What do you think about book trailers?

I like them! If you can afford them go for it!

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?

Write. Regardless of if you hate it or love it, write it. Nothing will ever be accomplished if you don’t!

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?

No. I’m very proud of my accomplishment(s) and always want my name on it. I wouldn’t publish if I was ashamed and couldn’t use my own name. I’d debate initialling myself (J.D. Valenti) but never pen name *personal opinion*

Where can readers follow you?

Your Blog Details? N/A

Your Website? (My hubs bought me a website design program for Christmas! This will be coming soon!)

Your Facebook Page? www.facebook.com/authorjulivalenti

Your Goodreads Author Page? www.goodreads.com/bitethevampvamp (don’t ask! HA!)

Your Twitter Details? @thejulivalenti

EXCERPT

“I just sat you a hottie, Jess,” Courtney, one of the diner’s only hostesses, whispered in her ear. “He’s at thirty-four, and he’s alone!”

Jessie raised her eyebrows. It was almost nine o’clock and she was pretty sure she was going to be cut soon. It was a slow night. Nodding, she grabbed her order book and made her way toward her newly, and only, seated table.

“Hello, can I get you something to –”Jessie stopped midsentence as familiar honey eyes looked up at her. In the light, he was even more handsome than he’d been just hanging out his car in the dark. His face was clean shaven, revealing a strong jaw line and a kind smile. She could smell his cologne and it was amazing, manly and musky at the same time.

“Jessie! What a surprise seeing you here. I didn’t know this was where you worked!” Dominick said, smiling up at her. Something in his tone told her that it wasn’t really a surprise to him, and that he was here, in her section, on purpose.

“Donald, right?” Jessie said, secretly enjoying the look of indignation that filled his face as she called him the wrong name. She knew his name, how could she not? She’d been thinking about their encounter for the last two days.

“Dominick. Dominick Wace,” he corrected her, still smiling.

“Ha. You sound like James Bond. Okay, Dominick, what can I get you to drink?”

“Hmm, how about a coffee?” he answered, eyes sparkling.

“Sure, I’ll be right back,” Not giving him a chance to saying anything else, she went in search of Courtney. She found her in the prep area, giggling with Layla, Jessie’s serving partner for the evening.

“Courtney, did he specifically ask to be seated in my section?” Jessie asked as she poured Dominick’s coffee, and gathered sugar and fresh cream from the cold storage.

“Yeah, and good for you, girl! He’s so hot!”

Unsurprised, she walked the coffee over and placed it in front of Dominick.

“You do know that stalking is illegal in all fifty states, right?” she asked him, trying to make it sound tart and unfriendly, but failing.

“Stalking is only illegal if it has malicious intent. I don’t think the law says anything about a man’s determination to get a beautiful woman to agree to go out for coffee. I mean, it’s coffee. Everyone loves coffee, right?”

“I’m allergic to coffee,” she told him. Liar, liar pants on fire a small voice, that sounded a lot like the ‘old’ her sounded off in her head.

“Why, Pinocchio, I believe your nose is growing,” he teased.

“Okay, so I’m not allergic to coffee, you caught me.”

“Go out for coffee with me, Jessie. You won’t regret it. I promise to not hog the cream and sugar.”

Jessie thought about it. For every reason she had to not go, she came up with four more on why she should. If she were to tell the truth, she didn’t really want to go home. Every night she was home alone, with nothing but her own thoughts. Maybe Toni was right, maybe she should get out, make an effort. But with that thought, she was scared. She’d built up a wall between her and the world, and wasn’t sure she could handle it breaking down.

“I can’t,” she said, holding up a hand to stop him when he opened his mouth, “I have to work. You have, after all, come to sit in my table, keeping me from being cut for the evening.”

“Oh, that’s an easy fix,” he said, casually.

“It is?” she asked him, staring. His complete confidence shook her as well as intrigued her.

“Sure it is. UNCLE!” he called out, loudly, causing several of the few customers to turn to look at him. He just shrugged at them, and looked expectant as he sat there. Within a few seconds, Mr. C came out of the back office, walking toward them both with a small smile playing on his face.

“Ah, Dominick, I thought I heard you out here, harassing my staff,” Mr. C. said, laughing as he took Dominick’s hand and clapped him on the back in a familiar hug.

“Now, Uncle, I’m not harassing your staff. We do have a bit of a dilemma here, though. You see, I’ve asked this pretty young lady to accompany me for coffee twice now. The first time, she turned me down flat, if you can believe that! This time that I asked, she said that she can’t because she has to work.”

Mr. C’s smile widened, as he looked from Dominick to Jessie. Jessie was sure that she was turning six shades of purple from the attention, and for not seeing the familiar qualities between the two sooner. She really was off in her world.

“Ah, a beautiful woman turning you down? What is this world coming to?” Mr. C teased.

“A travesty, Uncle. A travesty, I tell you!”

Jessie couldn’t help the grin turning up her lips as she watched the two men banter back and forth. Mr. C chuckled deeply from his throat.

“Well, truth between family and all, I cut Jessie ten minutes ago. She just doesn’t nag me about it like my other employees,” he said, winking at Dominick. Jessie was starting to feel like there may be an underlying conspiracy going on.

“So, Jessie, there’s no reason you can’t go for coffee with me,” Dominick said, his smile lighting his entire face.

“Fine,” Jessie sighed in agreement. She could admit when she’d been beat, and she couldn’t hold a candle to the manipulations of these men.

Mr. C surprised her by clasping her hand gently.

“Have a good time, Jess. You deserve it,” he said softly, before nodding goodbye to his nephew.

Standing, Dominick held his hand out to her. “Come on, pretty lady. Let’s blow this pancake stand.”

Jessie stared at his hand, unsure if she should take it. Her uncertainty must have shown on her face because Dominick stepped a little closer to her.

“It’s okay, Jessie. It’s just a hand. It’s just coffee. No big deal. Well, except for the coffee. Coffee is a big deal.” He wiggled his hand a little bit, and as a small chuckle escaped her, she placed her hand in his. She gripped it, holding on tightly, and wanted, for once, to not just let go.

BOOK SOUNDTRACK

Daughtry - Gone Too Soon

Linkin Park - Castle of Glass

Vast - You Destroy Me

Placebo - Running up that Hill

A Perfect Circle - Vanishing

Lifehouse - Broken

Switchfoot - Dare You to Move

Coldplay - The Scientist

Taylor Swift (featuring The Civil Wars) - Safe and Sound

HIM - Heaven Tonight

Barlow Girl - Never Alone (acoustic)