Author Interview/Giveaway: Christy Hayes - Misconception

Good morning, lovelies! It's a brand new week, and I have a fantastic interview and giveaway lined up for today! Christy Hayes, author of many novels including Misconception, answered some questions for the blog. Plus she's offering up a Smashwords coupon code for the winner's choice of one of her ebooks! So check out my review of Misconception by clicking the link below, read the interview, and enter the giveaway at the bottom. I hope all enjoy!!

Christy Hayes - Misconception

• Pub. Date: June 20, 2011
• Publisher: Christy Hayes
• Format: Ebook
• Genre: Adult Fiction (Women’s)

MISCONCEPTION is the story of suburban Atlanta stay-at-home mom Pace Kelly and what happens when an unplanned pregnancy three years after her husband's vasectomy rocks her happy marriage. When her husband Jason turns up sterile, Pace tries to explain the unexplainable. Her patience wears thin while Jason struggles with his suspicions and her two young sons look at her as if she's to blame for their problems. As rumors of trouble with their marriage begin to circulate through the neighborhood and Pace begins to feel the sting of isolation from people she thought were her friends, her once perfect world begins to crumble. To top it all off, her overbearing mother's insistence on creating a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving during the biggest crisis of Pace's life is making her crazy.

Despite Pace’s insistence that she hasn’t cheated, Jason Kelly is left to wonder if his blueblood wife has finally grown tired of his humble background and their middle class lifestyle. When he finds Pace in a compromising position, he ignores the advice of his brother and the marriage therapist who have warned him about jumping to conclusions and makes arrangements to have Pace followed. But the truth he discovers is a heavier burden to carry than the innuendo that was eating him alive. Now the tables are turned and he’s left holding a smoking gun.

An innocent wife. A desperate husband. A no-win situation. When the smoke clears, will their marriage survive?

Mickey: Welcome to the blog, Christy! Please introduce yourself :o)

Christy: I’m Christy Hayes. I live outside Atlanta, Georgia. I’m a wife, mother and a writer. I’ve published five romance/women’s fiction novels this year: Angle of Incidence, Misconception, Shoe Strings, Heart of Glass and Dodge the Bullet.

Mickey: Your novel, Misconception, is a very emotional novel. Did you draw from personal experience when writing it?
Christy: I’ve been married for almost eighteen years, so I certainly drew from that experience. It was not hard to fathom what it would be like to have a surprise pregnancy and how that would affect a marriage.

Mickey: Most of this book is about trust and faith in a relationship. If you were in Jason's shoes, with all the proof going against faith and trust, could you move past the situation to save the marriage?
Christy: I think that is the tricky part of the book, where both husband and wife are struggling to understand how the other is feeling and reacting to her pregnancy. Men and women are very different species and they think about and react to situations differently. I think Jason is overly cautious, but he’s also very proud and guarded because of his upbringing and he can’t dismiss the evidence against Pace simply because his gut is telling him she didn’t cheat.

Mickey: Tori tries to stand by her man after finding out about a terrible secret. I've been in Tori's shoes, and it takes a strong woman to make her choices. Where did you get the strength to write Tori's character?
Christy: I’ve known several women who have stayed with their husbands after they’ve been caught cheating. It is a situation where you always wonder what you would do and how you would react. In some situations, the marriage survives and becomes stronger, but in some the cheating never stops and the marriage eventually disintegrates. I tried to provide valid motivations for Tori’s decision to stand by her man and hopefully that will ring true with readers.

Mickey: How long did it take you to write this novel? Did you have rituals or music/background noise while writing?
Christy: I need absolute silence in order to write so no music or background noise. This novel started out in first person and then I changed it to third person, so it took much longer than my other books to complete. Misconception has a different feel than my other novels and I think it is because of the tense change.

Mickey: Do you have a favorite place to write?
Christy: I have a very nice office in the basement of my home. It is a disorganized mess to anyone other than me, but I love it! I have a nice view of the backyard and a door for my dogs to go in and out several hundred times a day.

Mickey: You've published a handful of novels. They're all general adult fiction, right? Any plans on moving to a paranormal genre or YA audience?
Christy: My books all straddle the romance and women’s fiction genres. My kids would love for me to write a YA novel, but I just don’t think like a teenager any longer and I don’t think my voice is suited for a younger audience. I’m not a paranormal fan, so writing a paranormal book would seem disingenuous. There are plenty of fish in that sea already!

Mickey: What drove you to write your first novel? What inspired you?
Christy: Honestly, I read a book and thought I could do better. I decided to put my money where my mouth was and wrote an absolutely terrible romance novel. The accomplishment of writing “the end” propelled me forward to learn the craft and keep writing.

Mickey: Okay, less business. Time for fun. Besides books, what's your favorite form of entertainment?
Christy: I love movies, although I don’t indulge as much as I’d like. I used to be a TV addict when I was younger and mini-series were a big deal (I’m really dating myself now). I love college football and watching my kids play sports. Time spent with friends and family is the best form of entertainment.

Mickey: If you could change one thing about your favorite novel, what would it be?
Christy: Being a writer has changed the way I read and enjoy books. If I love a novel enough to keep it, there isn’t anything I’d change. It takes a lot for me to love a book.

Mickey: Which book do you wish you'd written or thought of first?
Christy: I love Marissa de los Santo’s books and wish I could write characters the way she does. I also love After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell. I’m a shameless Nora Roberts fan and wish I’d written any and all of her books. She’s the best!!

Mickey: What music would I find on your iPod/in your CD player right now?
Christy: A weird mix of country and pop music that I run to.

Mickey: Do you have any pets? If yes, what kind? If no, do you want them?
Christy: We have two rescue mutts, Hershey and Snickers. I just wrote a blog post about my dogs. We are a dog loving family and have always had and will always have dogs.

Mickey: What was the first movie you went to see in theaters?
Christy: Wow, that’s a hard one! Probably a Disney movie. My mom said she stopped taking me because I’d cry too hard during the sad parts. I’m still a big movie crier!

Mickey: Last question: favorite junk food?
Christy: Chocolate, of course, and I adore ice cream.

Mickey: Any final thoughts for my readers?
Christy: I’d just like to thank them for considering my work and for their love of books. I would like to point out that I donate half of all proceeds to charity. I’ve picked five charities so far and links to their websites can be found at my website.
I’d like to thank you, Mickey, for hosting me on your blog and for the review. I’m amazed at the time and dedication book bloggers give to others—both followers and authors. You’ve created quite a lovely community of book lovers and we’re all better for it.

Big thanks to awesome authors like YOU, Christy!!

About the Author:

My husband and I live outside Atlanta, Georgia, with our two children and two dogs. I have a journalism degree from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and I’m a member of Atlanta Writers Club, the Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers and the Women’s Fiction Chapter of Romance Writers of America. I’ve been writing seriously since 2004 and made the decision to indie publish in 2011.

I write romantic women’s fiction from my little basement office in the South. I’ve cooked up all kinds of trouble for my flawed characters when I’m not driving my kids to one sporting event or another or walking my pesky rescue mutts through the neighborhood.

Please note that a portion of the proceeds from each book sold will be donated to charity.

Find Christy: website | blog | twitter

Giveaway Alert!!

Christy has generously offered up one Smashwords coupon for the choice of one of her novels. The winner will be emailed and asked to choose which book and then will receive the coupon. Please use the Rafflecopter menu below to enter the giveaway!! The giveaway is open until 10/3/11. Questions? Comment here with a way to get back to you or email me at imabookshark AT yahoo DOT com. Thanks!