We want Loretta Nyhan in our family...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Loretta Nyhan back to CLC today. Her latest novel, The Other Family, sounds like a real treat and we can't wait to dig in. Loretta has one e-book for a lucky reader!

A reader before she became a writer, Loretta Nyhan devoured everything she could get her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and the instructions booklet for building the Barbie dream house. Later, her obsession with reading evolved into an absolute need to write. After college, she wrote for national trade magazines, taught writing to college freshmen, and eventually found the guts to try fiction.

Most of her novels center on women finding their true selves. She previously wrote Digging In and All The Good Parts. When Loretta is not writing, She's knitting, baking, and doing all kinds of things her high school self would have found hilarious. Loretta lives in the Chicago area with her wonderfully blended, "Brady Bunch" family. (Bio adapted from Loretta's website.)

Visit Loretta online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

Synopsis:
With a dissolving marriage, strained finances, and her life in flux, Ally Anderson longs for normal. Her greatest concerns, though, are the health problems of her young daughter, Kylie. Symptoms point to a compromised immune system, but every doctor they’ve seen has a different theory. Then comes hope for some clarity.

It’s possible that Kylie’s illness is genetic, but Ally is adopted. A DNA test opens up an entirely new path. And where it leads is a surprise: to an aunt Ally never knew existed. She’s a little wild, very welcoming, and ready to share more of the family history than Ally ever imagined.

Coping with a skeptical soon-to-be-ex husband, weathering the cautions of her own resistant mother, and getting maddeningly close to the healing Kylie needs, Ally is determined to regain control of her life. This is her chance to embrace uncertainty and the beauty of family—both the one she was born into and the one she chose. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing? 
A stranger said that reading my books was like making new friends. I loved that!

What kind of research did you have to do in preparation for writing The Other Family? 
I spoke with many people facing autoimmune illnesses. I also contacted parents who were willing to speak with me about their child's experience with desensitization therapy. They were so open and detailed--I'm forever grateful. Alternative medicine and complimentary therapies are interests of mine, but I bolstered my knowledge with substantial research.

If The Other Family were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? 
Oooooh! This question is always hard, because the physical appearance of the characters is etched into my brain. If hard-pressed, though, Sandra Bullock for Ally (I know she's older by a decade, but maybe a Sandra Bullock-type?), Charlie Hunnam for Sawyer, Emma Thompson for Aunt Micki, Ryan Gosling for Matt, Willow Smith as Radha, and Jason Momoa as...I don't know. Can't we fit him in somehow???

What is something that would surprise people to learn about you?
I was obsessed with wrestling when I was a teen. My dad took me to matches and I LOVED them. I saw Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant, and many more--they were really tremendous athletes and expert choreographers.

What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 
I whipped through Emily Carpenter's latest, Until the Day I Die. Highly recommend!

What song is an earworm for you? 
"Groove is in the Heart," baby!

Thanks to Loretta for visiting with us and for 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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Giveaway ends April 19th at midnight EST.