Kicking off a new month (and year) with Barbara Rachel...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

We are excited to have Barbara Rachel at CLC today! I know Barbara in person because we live somewhat nearby each other and her family visits my neighborhood a lot during the Jewish holidays. Our kids even became friends after they met at camp. We also discovered we have a lot of common interests, especially with our love of books and musical theater. I'm excited to read her debut novel, Alarm Fatigue, and hope to get a chance to pick it up soon. Barbara has THREE copies for some lucky readers!

Barbara Rachel is the pen name for Barbara Chalom (pronounced Shalom), a native Washingtonian who lives in suburban Maryland with her husband, children, and a dog named Biscuit (as in the cookie, not the breakfast side).

When not agonizing over writing, Barbara may be found working overnight at a local hospital, hiking with her dog, chasing after her children, combing through family genealogy records, or hiding out at home—lost in a cozy romance book or movie.

Visit Barbara on Facebook and Instagram.

Synopsis:
Rachel Lazarus is perfectly content with her life as it is.

She lives for her family, her best friend, and her two cats. Admittedly, she does not lead an exciting life, but it is a good life, firmly grounded by her faith. Rachel is a survivor – of loss, of trauma – so everyone should cut her some slack and leave her alone. Of course, her world has become rather small – she works the night shift and spends much of her free time in her safe place at home, watching her stories. Life is just how she wants it—safe and quiet. That is until the women in her life decide she needs to get out more.

Agreeing to go out on three dates sounded simple enough, but Rachel's life is soon turned upside down as she's swept into a whirlwind of feelings and insecurities, revealing layers within her she'd long since forgotten. Rachel's journey isn't just about dating again; it's about rediscovering herself, sometimes facing the trauma of the past, and reigniting a passion for life she thought she had lost. 

Alarm Fatigue invites you to a story of second chances, where sorrow and joy combine to awaken a closed heart.

Will love be the ultimate cure for Rachel Lazarus, or is facing the world outside her comfort zone a door she simply cannot walk through? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you? 

The road to publishing Alarm Fatigue was an incredible learning experience, and I mean that in every sense of the word. 

How is Rachel similar to or different from you? 

The most distinguishing difference between Rachel and myself is that she has experienced more trauma and loss than I have. I have had brushes with trauma compared to Rachel's history. She subsequently compartmentalizes her past in a way that I am not sure I am capable of--I'm a bit more of a heart-on-my-sleeve type of person. I do identify with her pull towards introversion and feeling frustrated when the people in my life don't recognize my need to isolate on occasion. I also love a happy ending and adore rewatching cozy romance movies/rereading cozy romance books, so she and I are the same that way.

If Alarm Fatigue were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?  
What an idea, this as a movie -- Rachelle Lefevre as Rachel Lazarus, Melanie Laurent as Amalie; and for Dr. Mark Levy: Adam Brody; not quite a leading role but I imagined Michael Vartan as Seth Aaronson. 

What is the last book you read that you would recommend? 
May I pick two? -- it is a tie between All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay, it is transcendent. In the romance category it would be Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez -- I loved it.  

What is your favorite autumn activity? 
Again it is a tie. I love rewatching Practical Magic with a slice of pumpkin bread and a pumpkin spice latte. As far as something more outdoorsy -- I love hiking year round but really I do enjoy the cooler weather. It feels less like a work out and infinitely more satisfying. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?   
Olivia Colman, hands down. She, like me, is accidentally hilarious and I adore her voice. 

Thanks to Barbara 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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends October 6th at midnight EST.

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