Julie Carobini In For a Visit also See How You can win a Set of Two Adirondack chairs

Winner of one copy of Sweet Waters is:

Congrats jblanton41

You may have desired chocolate with her first book Truffles by the Sea, but you will long to be curled up by the beach with Otter Bay Novel Sweet Waters.

Watch this cute video!

Courtesy of Christian Book Video

The video tells you what the book is about, but I wanted to share that I enjoyed getting to know Julie’s character Tara Sweet. Tara is addicted watching her favorite soap opera star Eliza Carlton, little does Tara know that her own life was going to turn upside down and turn into a soap opera itself. Julie Carobini does an excellent job in her faith based beach fiction book Sweet Waters. I am excited Julie stopped by for a visit!

1. Julie thank you for joining us here, please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’d be happy to, Lori. Thank you so much for having me! Okay, I’m a California girl, born in Los Angeles. These days, I live along the central coast with my husband, Dan, and our three kids. As for writing, it’s in my blood—my grandfather was an entertainment reporter, and my parents are both published writers. Seeing my father’s interviews of such luminaries as Fred Astaire and Fred MacMurray lit the writing spark, for sure.
In addition to mothering and writing—Sweet Waters is my third release—I like to jog the beach (when my bum knee cooperates).

2. I love that each of your books Chocolate Beach, Truffles by the Sea, and now Sweet Waters all have a beach theme. What is it about the beach that inspires you?

To me, the sea represents God’s infinite creativity. Just think about all the life that’s swimming around in those waters! Or how the sea stretches and lolls toward the horizon.

The tagline on my website is “Faith, Flip Flops, and Waves of Grace.” That’s an intentional description of the types of stories that I write; stories that intertwine faith with my own God-given love of the sea and our constant need for grace.

3. How much of Tara Sweet is in Julie Carobini?

I can relate to Tara being the first born of her family, because I have two younger brothers myself. As a teen, one of them called me ‘the sergeant’, which I think was grossly unfair.  Seriously, I knew what it was like to feel that responsibility down in my bones to help my parents and younger siblings. So in that way, I guess there is a bit of her in me.

4. Tara Sweet left everything behind in Dexton, Missouri to return to Otter Bay where she grew up as a child. How many times have you moved?

I moved for the first time on the day I left for college. From there, I’ve moved six times, including a stint in a cabin in the Southern California mountains. Thankfully, I’m near the beach now

5. Can you explain Eliza Carlton, Tara Sweet’s favorite soap opera character?

Eliza is a headstrong, confident, beautiful, smart, vixen. She represents our need as humans to put our trust in something. The question we (I!) should ask is, am I trusting in the truth? In Tara’s case, when the normally sensible gal finds herself in a quandary, she often wonders what “Eliza” would do. Hmm…

6. What spiritual insight would you like your readers to gain?

I hesitate to say more than I already have because readers come away from books with different insights. My job is to write the story, believing that God will use it as he desires. Funny thing, I’ve had people write to me and tell me how God has used a particular story powerfully in their lives—while others have noted the same story’s spiritually “light” touch. Go figure.

7. What does a typical writing day look like?

With three kids, I prefer deadlines during the school year—although with Sweet Waters, that didn’t happen. I have a tough time pulling my mind away from the story, so the best writing days are when I can work without interruption (nearly impossible). So back to your question, after getting the kiddos off to school, I generally warm up my mind with a blog post, some Twittering and another cup of coffee. Then I write until I can no longer comfortably sit in my chair.

8. What encouragement can you give women who desire to become an author?

Keep learning and don’t give up. I know, you’ve heard that before, but let me add something personal to that. About six years ago I gave up writing. I was in a funk and tired of so much rejection. As a longtime freelancer, I had published only one article the year before—just one! So I took another job and threw myself into learning something new. Within a month of starting
that job, I received nine writing assignments and a request for a full-length manuscript. So much for giving up—writing found me anyway. And in that process, I found a new writing direction.

So pray, learn—I recommend Jim Bell’s Plot and Structure, and keep moving. I wish you the best!

9. Is there any thing in the works that you can share with us here today?

Yes, the second of the Otter Bay Novels, A Shore Thing, will be released in June of 2010. The story centers around Callie Duflay and her fight to keep a huge development from destroying the central coast—while also protecting her heart from the charming architect on the proposed project. You can learn more about this and other stories on my website: www.juliecarobini.com

10. Thank you for spending time with us, is there any bible verse the Lord has laid on your heart lately?

“He (who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked) is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalm 1: 3 NIV

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Julie Carobini is offering up one copy of “Sweet Waters.”  Please leave a comment to be entered and I will select a winner at the end of the week.

If you don’t win, Sweet Waters can be purchased on Christianbook.com or Sweet Waters: An Otter Bay Novel on Amazon.com.

B&H Publishing Group is offering a giveaway for “Sweet Waters” readers:

At B&H Publishing Group enter for the chance to win a set of two Adirondack chairs similar to those on the cover of Sweet Waters, the new novel by award-winning author Julie Carobini. Simply snap a picture of where you’d put these chairs (in your office, at the beach, by a tree, etc.), then e-mail the image along with your name to SweetWaters@BHPublishingGroup.com.

Deadline to submit entries is August 30. Winner will be notified by e-mail. Chairs will be shipped directly to winner. Entry into this contest grants B&H Publishing Group permission to add you to its Book & Bible Update and Fiction News e-newsletters (unsubscribing is easy). B&H respects your privacy and will never share your e-mail address with other companies. Retail value of this prize is $250.

Official Rules…