Wednesday, October 16, 2013

*BLOG TOUR* Cora Carmack's Finding It - Interview with Jackson + Review + Giveaway



Yesterday was the release day for Finding It and to get you all a little more excited (and to give a little extra to those who've already read it) I have an exclusive interview with none other than Jackson Hunt!

But before we begin, let's get the lowdown on the book, shall we?

Finding It by Cora Carmack
Publication Date: October 15th, 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life . . . or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.




* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Guys. Guys. In just a few short moments, one of my latest and forever book boyfriend crushes will be here to talk...to me!! Oh, puh-lease don't let me pass out from pure unadulterated...oh crap, here he comes! Act natural. Be calm. Be cool.

Hi Jackson! (damn it, that came out like a squeak *smacks forehead*) Sorry, you apparently make smart girls go stupid. And awkward. Haha. Thanks for meeting up with me today!

Thanks for having me. This is a nice, um, internet place you have here.

Haha, it's my home away from home!  I absolutely loved reading about you and your story. But, I don’t want to give too much away, so I’d like to just get a little random to let me and my readers get to know you a little better. Are you game?

Oh, honey. I’m always game.

*nervous giggles* *Ahem* You're pretty bad ass, I've got to say. You always seem so cool and unflappable. Is there anything that makes you turn geeky? Or awkward? Embarrassed, even?

I wouldn’t say I’m unflappable. (Actually… I think that’s the first time I’ve ever said that word, period). I just know how to keep a level head. You have to, when you’ve lived a life like mine. But that doesn’t mean that some things don’t get under my skin. Kelsey is particularly good at that in fact.

What was your impression upon seeing Kelsey for the first time?

The first time? I thought she was gorgeous. She was damn hard to look away from in fact. But my second thought was that she was one hundred percent off limits.
I guess you know how that turned out. Still think I’m unflappable?

Now that you’ve really gotten to know her, what's your favorite thing about Kelsey?

I can only pick one? Well, then, my favorite thing about her hasn’t changed. From the very beginning, I noticed that she has these moments where she forgets about everything around her and just let’s loose. It’s this sort of unbridled wonder for the world that makes her face light up. She seems to make the whole world brighter by comparison. My second favorite thing? Making sure those moments happen as often as possible.

And if she were asked the same thing about you, what do you think she'd say?

My abs.
Just kidding… mostly. I think… I would hope… that her favorite thing is that we can be ourselves together. Those days we spent in Florence (you know what I’m talking about) were the first moments we really relaxed around each other and just let ourselves be.

If you could sum up your life on a bumper sticker, what would your life motto be?

Keep going.
There have been times—days, weeks, months, even—when there was so much weighing me down that giving up was an awful temptation. But you never know what’s right around the corner. You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then who knows? Maybe you’ll wake up one day in Europe with a gorgeous blonde by your side.
(Disclaimer: I cannot promise you a gorgeous blonde. Sorry. And you definitely can’t have mine).

What is your most prized or treasured possession and why?

My dog tags. I owe the Marines everything. Absolutely everything. I wouldn’t be me without them.

Tell us something about yourself that we wouldn’t find out in the book.

I love to sing karaoke. I’m awful at it. Really, really bad. But it reminds me of good times.

Ok, time for a little quickfire round…

Calm relaxing vacation on the beach? Or adventuring into the unknown?

Do you really have to ask? Adventure and unknown are my middle names.

Sweet or spicy?

Spicy. Definitely.

Celebrity crush?

For my own health, I think I should refrain. Kelsey has a terrible jealous streak, even when it comes to imagined crushes.

Favorite Sleeping Attire?

Uh… can I say a lack of attire? Like all of it?

Yes. Yes, you can.  *ahem* Your pet peeve?

People who love to hear themselves talk.

Your go to comfort food?

Barbecue. It’s the Texas boy in me.

The best sound in the world?

You’re going to make me get all cheesy, aren’t you?
I like it when Kelsey laughs. In fact, I like just about every noise Kelsey makes. *grins*

And lastly, you're going to have the chance to tell your story at the beginning of next year. Can you give us any hints for what we can expect? I can’t wait to get into your head!…..Um...yeah, sorry, that sounds weird….please just ignore that last part.

Well, I can’t say much without giving away parts of Kelsey’s story. But let’s just say, for me, that time was all about temptation. And how bad I was at resisting.

Ok, well Jackson, it has been wonderful talking to you! Thank you for stopping by and putting up with my awkward! Come back anytime! Mind if I get a hug before you go? I’m a hugger!

*pats my back awkwardly*

*tries not to faint*



And for those of you who missed it yesterday....my review!
My review:
"Adventure doesn't seem like a big enough word for what this has been."

Before I get to my review, I'd like to just take this one moment to stand up and slow clap for Ms. Cora Carmack. I had every faith in her and her mad writing skills, but somewhere in my mind, there was that niggling fear that there was no way that she could top Losing It and Faking It. But with Finding It, she proved that all those doubts were groundless. She just keeps getting better.

Finding It is the story of wild Kelsey Summers and her quest to explore the world, and explore herself in the process. She's impulsive, and brash, and so very real. She is so different than the protagonists of the other two novels, and it is in this that I feel that Carmack excels. There are no cookie cutter formulas to be found here. While I personally didn't connect to Kelsey in regards to what she was going through, I did get immersed in her experiences and empathized her, which is all I can ask for in a novel.

Then comes Jackson Hunt. Once again, he breaks the mold, he certainly has his faults, and is just so very appealing to me. And while I understand why the choice was made, I really wish that we could see things from his perspective a bit more! But we'll finally get into Jackson's head in his novella, Seeking Her, coming at the beginning of next year. So, there's that little ray of hope!

Both of these characters along with the storyline imbue the novel with humor and depth that has become Cora Carmack's trademark. But,if you're looking for another novel exactly like Losing It or Faking It, you won't find it here. What you will find instead is novel that breaks the mold and an engaging and well written story that takes you on an incredible adventure of both experiences and of the heart.

Rating:




About the Author: 


Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.







And now for it's GIVEAWAY TIME!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz brought to you by the FAB:





all the best, dear readers!


9 comments :

  1. Nice giveaway. Well, I'm looking forward to read Kelsey's story.

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  2. I actually read Finding It already. It was absolutely amazing. Jackson Hunt managed dethrone Garrick as my favorite Cora Carmack character.

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  3. I am looking forward to Kelsey finding her happily ever after. Thanks for the giveaway :)

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  4. Great giveaway! Looking forward to it!

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  5. I really loved this book and I agree it was a nice change from a lot of the other NA books out there. Kelsey was so different, and at first I thought I wouldn't like her, but she really grew on me and I just loved how much she learned about herself as the story progressed. I am dying to read Jackson's novella too - his POV is sure to interesting! :)

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  7. I am looking forward to Kelsey finding her happily ever after.

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