The heat is on for Dawn Keable...plus a book giveaway

We're glad to have Dawn Keable here to finish up Seasons month. She's a lot of fun and has a great sense of humor. Her debut novel, Settling Down, published this past winter and she has a copy for a lucky US reader!

Dawn L. Keable is a freelance writer (em)powered by the pen, whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Seventeen Magazine, xoJane and the complaint department of many a national company. She's obsessed with the tropics, bangle bracelets and has made peace with the fact that she's quickly becoming the oldest person in the club. Before you start feeling pity that her home base is currently Providence, RI, know that this little historic city has B-I-G food.

While Settling Down is her first novel, her obsession with fiction is nearly four decades in the making, thanks to a whole lot of reading that went down under a cozy tent created using one of Grandma's handmade afghans. (This also kept her out of the sun--and might have discouraged the crow's feet.) Please. Stalk her out on Twitter and Instagram or her website.

Synopsis:
When Dayna Morrison spontaneously treats herself to a diamond ring for her 33rd birthday, she proves to the world that she doesn’t need a man to enjoy the finer things in life. The real question is, can she prove it to herself?

Logically, Dayna knows she can survive solo; she doesn't need anyone to help her apply mascara, start her car or to clean up the messes she tackles daily as assistant to the editor at Mrs. magazine, where 'only wedded women find the ultimate bliss'. But she's always believed once Mr. Right appears, her life could, and would, finally jump start out of neutral and really begin.

Fault those fairy tales: Snow White. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. Their fate until a dude arrived on horseback? Severe food poisoning. Shoeless. In a coma. Then there's Dayna's mom. Whether Soul Train-ing through complete strangers' weddings or giving her daughter the gift of Old Maid cards, personalized with Dayna's face, the memo is the same: No one can do it alone.

The only positive messages of girl power come from her best friend Lydia Chavez. But, since Lydia bought her own home, then found a boyfriend, Dayna's feeling left behind. And a wee bit desperate, especially since that ring, a glittery symbol of singledom hasn't quite given her the confidence she hoped. So when a willing suitor arrives on scene, she can't find any reason not to throw away her soulmate checklist, as well as her J. Lo inspired life map, and try to make it stick.

Settling Down, thoughtful humorous women's fiction, explores what happens to an otherwise strong intelligent woman when she looks outside herself for love and happiness. Told in Dayna’s comedic, witty and often sarcastic voice in the spirit of Jennifer Weiner, Settling Down delves into the universal pressure women face to be part of a couple, and the danger that comes from sacrificing your own needs for someone else's. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Favorite season: Summer

Favorite thing about this season overall: When you hail from the land of long harsh winters, with lowlights like gray skies, slippery sidewalks and dirty snowbanks, summer always seems like a bright shiny reward from the weather gods. It's like killing yourself through a two month intense abs workout, before uncovering the six-pack. It's like getting up at three am to catch that flight to Puerta Plata. For me, summer says: 'Hey, you. Wait 'til you see your treat for hibernating.'

During this season: The world seems so vibrant and awake that even the sun doesn't want to waste a second sleeping. My beautifully diverse urban neighborhood reflects this energy. As the weather warms, our backyards turn into one giant block party of cultural celebration. From my hammock, the soundtrack becomes Dominican bachata or a live mariachi band and plates of Guatemalan steak, Puerto Rican chicken and bottles of imported beer get passed over the fence.

Favorite thing to eat: Everything. (And I only wish I were kidding.) Once upon a time, someone thought I was experienced enough to review restaurants. They were wrong. But that gig pushed me far, far outside of my chain restaurant comfort zone to a place of brave ethnic exploration and fresh, in-season ingredients. If I could only pick one thing to chow, I'd go with my husband's simple grilled pizza, garnished with yellow tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.

Favorite thing to drink: Before 2:00 pm: Iced coffee. (I think this once regional drink, has gone a bit more mainstream, but take it from a native, the proper way to make it does not involve putting ice cubes in hot coffee.) After 2:00 pm: Mojitos made with mint picked from our container garden.

Favorite thing to wear: I'm kinda obsessed with sterling silver bangles. I manage to wear them year round, with one or two sadly peeking out from beneath the scratchy sleeve of a wool sweater. But when my arms go summertime bare, it's time to turn up the layering game, which has the added benefit of providing the most movement, and jangling music. Major bonus points when you have something to clap about, or are waving your arms like you just don't care.

Favorite holiday that occurs: My birthday, September 2nd. It actually sometime masquerades as an official federal holiday too, aka Labor Day, which is exactly how a birthday should roll.

Favorite thing to do: For me, life is about the simple pleasures and basking in unexpected delights. Whether going for a lazy walk that ends on the patio of an Italian inspired plaza, sipping sangria. Or wandering across a live salsa band, and stopping to dance in the street, summer is simply the best season to allow the magic of life to leisurely unfold. And grab it with both bracelet adorned hands. Naturally.

Thanks to Dawn for chatting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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US only. Giveaway ends April 6th at midnight EST.