Emily Bleeker is lighting the scene...plus a book giveaway

We are pleased to have Emily Bleeker back at CLC today to feature her latest novel, When We Chased the Light, which was published last week. This is a follow-up to When We Were Enemies (featured here), but can be read on its own. However, there may be spoilers for the first book. Thanks to Kaye Publicity, we have a set of both books to give away!

Emily Bleeker is the bestselling author of seven novels. Combined, her books have reached more than two million readers. She is a two-time Whitney Award finalist as well as being on the Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. 

Emily lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband, their kids, and her kitten-muse, Hazel. Along with writing and being a mom, she performs with a local improv troupe, sings karaoke like no one is watching, and embraces her newfound addiction to running. 

Visit Emily online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

A Hollywood legend. A legacy of secrets. An epic and emotional novel about forgiveness, fame, family, and truly unconditional love by the bestselling author of When We Were Enemies.

Christie’s auction house, Beverly Hills. The effects of Hollywood icon Vivian Snow are up for bid. In the collection is a set of hand-drawn postcards spanning six decades. The sender is Antonio Trombello, a soldier, POW, priest, and Vivian’s confidant. Each one sheds new light on a deeply private woman the public only thinks it knows.

It’s World War II. Vivian is a USO showgirl traveling the world when her husband goes AWOL, disappears, and is presumed dead. Facing increasing suspicion, she leans on her dear friend Father Trombello for support. He’s her confessor, her savior, the elusive love of her life, and when it comes to her husband’s death, the keeper of Vivian’s secrets.

As Vivian rises from canteen dream girl to starlet to bona fide legend, she navigates the highs and lows of Hollywood, new romances, and tumultuous family relationships—all in the shadow of her past and the guilt, unmet longing, and buried truths that can still upend the lives of everyone she loves.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
A mom reached out to me after her daughter had passed away from a long cancer battle and she told me that my books were a much needed escape for the many hours she spent in the hospital leading up to her passing. I was touched to know my characters could play such an important part in a stranger’s story and confirmed one of my favorite Stephen King quotes from On Writing: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.”  

If you could tell the debut novelist version of yourself one thing, what would it be?
Learn what your inner voice sounds like then listen to it. I know you’re not used to trusting yourself, but this will help you in so many aspects of your life and career. Some of the biggest and hardest things in your life are still ahead of you. You got this, kid. 

If When We Chased the Light were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

1. "We’ll Meet Again", Vera Lynn
2. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Judy Garland
3. "Old Hollywood Vibes", Tana Harper Rose
4. "Bad Romance", Lady Gaga
5. "Just Like a Pill", P!nk
6. "I Say a Little Prayer", Aretha Franklin
7. "Wildest Dreams", Taylor Swift
8. "The Lonely", Christina Perri
9. "Lucky", Britney Spears
10. "Paranoid", Black Sabbath
11. "Bridge Over Troubled Water", Simon and Garfunkel
12. "Circle Game", Joni Mitchell
13. "Take a Bow", Madonna

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
Dearest by Jacquie Walters – a horror novel about motherhood that had me locked in from page one!

What is your most memorable Halloween costume?
My mom made me and my siblings perfect replicas of the Star Trek uniforms (one red, one yellow and one blue) even ordering metal ComBadge pins so realistic that I was horribly disappointed they didn’t actually work. Yeah. I was THAT cool. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
Ewan McGregor (but only if he sings at least half of it a la Moulin Rouge).

Thanks to Emily for chatting with us and to Kaye Publicity for sharing her books 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 November 3rd at midnight EST.

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