Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Featured Author: Sheena Hutchinson

Welcome Today's Featured Author
 Sheena Hutchinson!!!!

 

Title: Discovering April
Author: Sheena Hutchinson
Publisher: SL Hutchinson Publishing
Release Date: 4/27/2015
Genre: New Adult Romance
ASIN: B00V46MYJ4
ISBN: 1508642222
Word Count: 86,000 apx
Pages: 355


Blurb:
April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.
Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.
But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.
What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A new adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all of the above. 




Book Links:


Excerpt:
My head is still pounding when my eyes flutter open the next day. My brain is throbbing inside my skull and I punch the pillow underneath me, scaring Jinx out of his slumber. He meows in protest before hopping off the bed. Looking around, I’m in my bed. How did I get here? I groan in pain as I prop my pillows up and lean my head back against them. It’s then that I feel the eyes on me. Tilting my head straight again, I glance out my window. My eyes lock with those big brown eyes of Jared’s across the way. He looks down to his phone and back up again. My phone chimes with an incoming text.
“UGHHH!” I moan, blindly reaching for it. It slips a few times before I grasp it between my fingers and look down to read.
How are you feeling?
Closing one eye, I text back, Like someone ran over me with a truck, then backed up and ran me over again.
Lowering my phone, I watch as he smiles from my text and disappears from view. I’m trying to piece last night back together; it’s like a fragmented mirror that has shattered all over the corners of my mind. I remember laughing with Ro about her sexual conquests and then I remember red and blue lights and… Jared. Starting to feel hot, I throw the covers off of me and lay like a starfish, trying to get my mind to focus. Glancing down, I notice I’m wearing my pajamas. Before I can process any further, the door to my room creaks open. Jared walks in with a cup of water and a closed fist.
“How did you get in?!” I yelp, trying to sit up in bed, and pulling the covers back over my braless tank top.
“I left the back door open when I left last night,” he informs me as he opens his fist to show me he brought a hand full of Advil.
“You brought me home last night?” I rub my head before reaching for the pills and water.
“Yup, after you called me to pick you up from the police station.”
“I WAS WHERE?!” I scream as water comes spraying out of my mouth.
“Police station. Apparently, you popped a guy in the face.” He smirks.
I squint my eyes, vaguely remembering the heavyset guy that tried grabbing my ass in front of the bar.
“Whoa!” I have to lean my head back against my pillows when the information begins to become too much for me. “If you took me home, how did I get into pajamas?!”
The smile that crosses Jared’s face is a mixture of a blush and a sly smirk that makes my insides twist with anticipation and excitement. “Jared…”
“That… you did on your own. I had nothing to do with that!” He holds his hands up in surrender.
“What? I just stripped in front of you!”
“Well, once you got your shirt off, there was really no stopping you…” he teases and my eyes widen in embarrassment.
“Oh my God!” I slump down, pulling the covers back up to my face. “Did we… ya know…” I mutter, completely mortified now.
“Uh, that would be a no.”
“Oh, thank God!” I sigh.
“Thanks a lot!” He comes to his feet now, turning to look out the window.
“Not like that, it’s just … I don’t like to do things I’m not conscious for.”
“Yea, completely plastered girls that get arrested and throw up in bushes are really sexy!” His voice drips with sarcasm.
“I threw up?!” This just gets better and better.
“Twice.”
“Twice?” I’m mortified, staring at his amused face.
“Well, after the first time I thought maybe you needed something to eat.”
“Oh no…”
“Yeah… I’ve never seen someone eat a Big Mac that fast before…” He stares at the wall as if remembering my weak moment.
“Oh my God!” I groan, throwing the covers over my entire body. I curl up in a fetal position, planning to never come out again. The room grows silent. It’s starting to get hard to breathe under the sheets when I feel the mattress by my feet cave slightly.
“Come on, it’s not that bad. We all have our moments.” He pats my feet through the sheets.
“Just when I think I’ve reached rock bottom, things just seem to drops out from under me and I’m at an all new low!” I roll over, trying to pull the covers with me, but Jared’s weight prevents it. My head comes peeking out as I roll over, facing away from him.
“April, I think I just determined your major.”
“What?” I curiously twist to look at him again.
“Drama. You’re such an actress. Now, put your big girl panties on and get up!”
I stare at him for a second; did he just say what I think he said? He waits about two seconds before getting up and opening a drawer to my dresser. “Are they in here? Nope!” He closes it and opens another.
“STOP!” I scream, stumbling out of bed, horrified.
“How ‘bout this one?”
“Okay! Okay! I’m up!” I slam the drawer closed just in time to save myself further embarrassment when Jared eyes my plain old undergarments. I sigh when the pounding in my head launches my stomach into action and I collapse onto the corner of the bed.
“You okay?”
“I refuse to puke again!” I respond, taking another deep breath. “Jared…”
“Yea…”
“I could use some donuts.”
“Okay.” He pauses for a few seconds, looking down at his feet before adding, “I’ll be outside then.”
And he leaves me in my room, alone.



Author Bio:
Sheena is a born and raised New Yorker, even her writing can’t hide her hard sarcasm. She claims destiny lead her to writing again. She constantly strives to be a positive role model and write stories that empower and inspire.
Sheena always roots for the underdog, believes in love at first sight, and that everyone should have their happily ever after. While God is currently writing her love story she continues to put all her time into her writing as she is constantly getting new inspiration.
For more on Sheena and her books visit her website www.SheenaHutchinson.com.

Author Pages:
Instagram: @Author_Shea


 Interview With Sheena Hutchinson:

1.    Can you tell us a little about your books?  
I write a paranormal series called The Seraphina Series which revolves around a young girl named Sera who has these strange dreams that make her feel like there's more to life, after a car accident-- she finds out that maybe she was right. There are two books in that series currently out Seraphina: The Awakening & Seraphina: Initiation. I also just recently released a contemporary novel called Discovering April that is about a young girl named April finding her way back from a break up and ultimately finding true love. The story is a standalone, but there are some cross over scenes into The Seraphina Series.

2.    Which book has been your favorite to write? 
Paranormal -- DUH! I just find a world with out a little magic boring. My favorite book to write hasn't been released yet (it's a YA Dystopia) So, I'll save this question for when I can really answer it properly :)

3.    Do you have a favorite character to write about? 
I don't have a favorite character per say- I think I have a favorite "type of character" I love to write about young girls coming into their own and becoming more powerful than they ever could have imagined.

4.    Do you have a favorite spot to write? 
I'm still looking for my favorite spot. Right now, I seem to migrate between Starbucks, the local library and my bedroom floor.

5.    Do you have any “odd” writing habits? 
Well, when I'm writing on paper, I have to use blue pen. Well, it can be any color but black. I don't know why black just looks so depressing to me. Oh, and I need coffee. I literally have a mental block until I'm fully caffeinated.

6.    Do you listen to music while you write?
Yes, especially if I'm in a busy Starbucks. My playlist can range depending on what I'm writing and how many cups of coffee I've had. When I'm hopped up on caffeine and inspired I listen to techno to get my fingers going. But, recently I've been looking for more like women empowerment songs to help me really get into my characters heads. So, I'm really feeling "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten right now.

7.     What's one random fact about yourself that you can share?  
One random fact... hmm, It's funny I can write pages on imaginary characters, but when it comes to writing about myself I draw a blank. Okay, how about: I owe my ability to write long term to my Psychology Major. It definitely prepared me for long papers and helped me hone my writing a little bit. (Plus, probably didn't hurt to help me when getting into my character's heads- literally)

8.    Are you attending any author signing event this year?
This year is over for me. I'm still in an Event-Hangover from Utopia 2015. Expect to see me back there next year as well as Indies in NYC 2016, and Bright Lights Big City Presents: Boardwalk Empire- Atlantic City, NJ 2016.

9.    What are writing projects are you currently working on? 
These days the better question is what am I not working on. But my main focus is Seraphina Book Three, and I have a special anniversary edition coming out later this year for the entire series. ALSO, that Young Adult Dystopia I'm finishing up and getting ready to query agents for it. So I have big things in store for 2016!

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