Kristin Rockaway is keeping it real...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Kristin Rockaway to CLC today, to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, She's Faking It. Melissa really enjoyed this story, as you can see from her review. Thanks to Graydon House, we have one copy to give away!

Kristin Rockaway is a native New Yorker and recovering corporate software engineer. After working in the IT industry for far too many years, she finally traded the city for the surf and chased her dreams out to Southern California, where she spends her days happily writing stories instead of code. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, browsing the aisles of her neighborhood bookstores, and trying to catch up on sleep. Her previous novels are How to Hack a Heartbreak and The Wild Woman’s Guide to Traveling the World. (Bio adapted from Kristin's website.)

Visit Kristin online:
Website * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Bree Bozeman isn’t exactly pursuing the life of her dreams. Then again, she isn’t too sure what those dreams are. After dropping out of college, she’s living a pretty chill life in the surf community of Pacific Beach, San Diego…if “chill” means delivering food as a GrubGetter, and if it means “uneventful”.

But when Bree starts a new Instagram account — @breebythesea — one of her posts gets a signal boost from none other than wildly popular self-help guru Demi DiPalma, owner of a lifestyle brand empire. Suddenly, Bree just might be a rising star in the world of Instagram influencing. Is this the direction her life has been lacking? It’s not a career choice she’d ever seriously considered, but maybe it’s a sign from the universe. After all, Demi’s the real deal… right?

Everything is lining up for Bree: life goals, career, and even a blossoming romance with the chiseled guy next door, surf star Trey Cantu. But things are about to go sideways fast, and even the perfect filter’s not gonna fix it. Instagram might be free, but when your life looks flawless on camera, what’s the cost? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a favorite compliment you've received on your writing?
Just the other day, someone told me that reading my book helped her through a really dark, difficult time in her life. To me, this was the ultimate compliment. I write fun, funny stories with “HEAs” because I want to make people laugh, to ease their burdens, and to provide them with a temporary escape. Whenever someone tells me that my book made them happy and allowed them to forget their troubles for a while, then I know I’ve done my job.

How are you similar to or different from Bree?
In some ways, I was similar to Bree in my twenties. I’d been chugging along with my life, unsure of what I was doing or why I was doing it, allowing others to dictate my goals instead of defining them for myself. While I certainly don’t claim to have it all figured out by now, I’ve at least determined what’s important to me and why, and I always strive to work toward becoming the best possible version of myself I can be.

Also? Just like Bree, I’m afraid of the ocean. I’ve lived in San Diego for close to twelve years now, and though I go to the beach quite often to lay on the sand, I rarely venture out into the water past my ankles.

If She's Faking It were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
This is always such a tough question for me! But I’ll give it my best shot:
Bree: Kaitlyn Dever
Natasha: Alexis Bledel
Trey: Diego Boneta
Mari: Francia Raisa
Rob: Lucas Hedges
Demi: Jennifer Connelly

What is your go-to social media app?
Instagram, and that’s almost completely because of the #bookstagram community. Bookstagrammers have really built a strong, supportive group, posting gorgeous photos and thoughtful reviews that foster a love of the written word with everyone who follows them. Through Instagram, I’ve been able to connect directly with readers, including participating in Instagram Live chats. Plus, I’ve found a lot of book recommendations, and discovered new authors!

Who is the most famous person you've ever met face-to-face?
The most meaningful celebrity encounter I’ve ever had was with Meg Cabot. I met her during a book signing at a writers’ conference last year, and she was extremely kind when I told her that she’s one of the reasons I decided to write the kinds of books I do. Her Queen of Babble series is classic chick lit gold.

What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a pretty advanced knitter. I’ve made everything from socks to sweaters to Estonian lace shawls. While it’s been hard to find the time lately to work on any substantive projects (momming + writing = no knitting!), it’s one of my goals to get back into it this summer after I’ve turned in a draft of my next manuscript.

Thanks to Kristin for visiting with us and to Graydon House 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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends July 6th at midnight EST.