Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on in life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing.
This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.
Interview:
Author Bio:
Amy Harmon knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, so she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Amy Harmon has been a motivational speaker, a grade school teacher, a junior high teacher, a home school mom, and a member of the Grammy Award winning Saints Unified Voices Choir, directed by Gladys Knight. She released a Christian Blues CD in 2007 called "What I Know" - also available on Amazon and wherever digital music is sold. She lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband and four kids, and doesn't plan to ever move somewhere, because nowhere is sublime. She has written Running Barefoot, and the Young Adult books Slow Dance in Purgatory and the sequel, Prom Night in Purgatory. A Different Blue is her fourth novel.https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.authoramyharmon.
http://www.goodreads.com/
Buy Links
smashwords
GIVEAWAY:
2 - signed copy of A Different Blue plus a blue bracelet with charms from the book and some signed swag
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Interview:
Where did you get the idea for the novel?
I really wanted to write a book about a girl who is very different from me. But, as the book progressed, I discovered we weren't so different after all. I came to understand Blue on a very deep and personal level. She is sassy, smart, funny, and very loyal. I really grew to care about her, and hope everyone else loves her too.
Your title. Who came up with it? Did you ever change your title?
I always come up with my own titles. Often a line from the book will stand out to me, almost like the book names itself. Usually it's a phrase or a response that rings especially true. My first novel, Running Barefoot, was named after a metaphor I used in the opening chapter. This book, A Different Blue, was named early on as well.
Why did you pick this genre? What do you like about it?
I love YA books because there is an innocence that is expected and accepted that isn't always welcomed in other classifications of literature. A Different Blue is more New Adult, simply because of the subject matter and the age of the main characters, but it retains some of that innocence that I think is refreshing. And I love romance. All of my books are romantic. If there's no kissing, I'm really not interested.
Since becoming a writer, what’s the most exciting thing to ever happen to you?
I've honestly been a writer all my life. I used to write song lyrics. I think having Gladys Knight listen to a song I wrote is one of the highlights of my writing career. But honestly, the most awesome part of being a writer is reading a really, really good review and thinking “That person is talking about my book!!” Coolest thing ever.
What book are you currently reading or what was the last book you read?
I used to read three or four books a week. I've never been a big TV watcher – I grew up without one, so that's probably why. But this year I wrote and published three books, and I can't seem to read other people's work when I'm writing. It just messes with my head. So this year I've read very little, just a handful of books. But I did really like Susanna Kearsley's Winter Sea.
What is your writing process?
Hmmm. For me, a mom of four kids, I write whenever I can. Usually at the kitchen table, usually in the middle of the night or early in the day when the three oldest are at school. I don't allow myself to have writer's block. If I get stuck I start writing inane dialogue. There is a part in A Different Blue where the main character demands that the nurse give her back her pee.... yes. I said pee. That scene started with me writing silly dialogue because I didn't know what came next. It sparked a very, very important moment in the book.
At a book signing, do you just sign your name or do you write a note? How do you come up with stuff to say?
I try to make it personal, but it really depends on what the line dictates. I always write the person's name and a quick salutation. As far as coming up with stuff to say...I am absolutely brimming with stuff to say most of the time. It's hard to get me to shut up, honestly.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I am very average in so many ways, so I don't have any exciting love affairs in my past or any superpowers. I really want to be able to wiggle my nose and have my house be clean! However, I did sing with a gospel choir for seven years and we actually won a Grammy. Pretty cool moment for all of us.
How do you react to a bad review?
I ain't gonna lie. It hurts, it throbs, and it bothers me for days. However, I realize that every book is not for every body. It's important to not let the good reviews go to your head and the bad reviews go to your heart. Either way, I'm going to keep writing.
How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
Honestly? I didn't! The day Running Barefoot was released, it sold a bunch of copies simultaneously, and I just squealed every time I checked my numbers. That whole first week is just a blur now. Actually, the ride has been wild and bumpy every step of the way. And I'm loving every minute of it.
Playlist:
Author Bio:
Amy Harmon knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, so she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Amy Harmon has been a motivational speaker, a grade school teacher, a junior high teacher, a home school mom, and a member of the Grammy Award winning Saints Unified Voices Choir, directed by Gladys Knight. She released a Christian Blues CD in 2007 called "What I Know" - also available on Amazon and wherever digital music is sold. She lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband and four kids, and doesn't plan to ever move somewhere, because nowhere is sublime. She has written Running Barefoot, and the Young Adult books Slow Dance in Purgatory and the sequel, Prom Night in Purgatory. A Different Blue is her fourth novel.https://www.facebook.com/
http://www.authoramyharmon.
http://www.goodreads.com/
Buy Links
smashwords
GIVEAWAY:
2 - signed copy of A Different Blue plus a blue bracelet with charms from the book and some signed swag
