Blissful Valentine Blog Tour for Blissful Tragedy by Amy L. Gale

Title: Blissful Valentine

Author: Amy L. Gale

Genre: Romance

Hosted By: Beautiful Promotions

Straight-laced 19-year-old Brooke Powers has two goals: First, avoid the party scene and all the drama and disaster that go along with it. Second, focus on attaining her Marketing and Business degrees. When her roommate begs her to attend a fraternity party she reluctantly obliges, but gets more than she bargained for when she meets enticingly charismatic fraternity brother, Dean Parker. After a mishap causes her to wake up in the worst possible place she can imagine, she vows to stay away from anything or anyone fraternity related. Staying away from Dean is a daily battle, one she's slowly losing. When her feelings conjure up old demons from the past, her strategically planned future turns into chaos. Brooke is desperate to keep herself on track. Will Dean be her downfall or is he exactly what she needs? 

Valentine’s Day isn't always complete bliss.

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BLISSFUL VALENTINE EXCERPT :

He stops and meets my gaze, then bends down and grabs a mound of snow, packing into a tight ball. He takes a step back and winds his arm, throwing the snowball straight and fast. It smacks against the metal sign on the far end of the small pond near a cluster of benches, breaking off into a multitude of pieces.

He wipes his hands off on his pants. “Give it a try.”

I shake my head. “No way, I throw like a girl.”

His picks up a mound of snow and packs it together, forming a perfect sphere. He hands me the snowball and stands behind me, pressing his body against mine. My heartbeats thump against my chest, causing a surge of adrenaline to rush through my veins. I tremble, holding the snowball in my right hand. At least I can blame the cold for my shaky arm. He runs his hand down to my wrist and pulls it back, up toward my shoulder.

He rests his head on my shoulder and talks softly into my ear. “Pull your arm back to here and step forward at the same time you throw.” He moves to the side.

Goosebumps form on my neck from his warm breath gliding against my cool skin. My stomach flutters. Here goes nothing. I stare at the metal No Parking sign and pull my arm back, throwing the snowball as I step forward. Tiny fragments of snow fly through the air. A direct hit.

I clap my hands and bounce up and down on my toes. “Holy crap, I actually did it. I didn’t think I could hit the broad side of a barn.” Dean comes over and raises his hand to give me a high five. I lunge forward and pull him into a hug, before I realize what I’m doing. My chest tightens and heat creeps across my cheek.

He wraps his arms around my waist and presses his body against mine. I step back and ease away, dropping my arms to my sides. “We better head back, I’ve still got lots of physics studying to do if I plan on passing the semester.”

He rubs the back of his neck and nods.

I slide my frozen hands into my pockets and hold them in tight fists. Note to self: when I think I’m finished embarrassing myself I’m usually wrong.

The perfect untouched blanket of snow moves into an array of chaos as we turn the corner to my apartment. My heart beats faster with each step I take forward. This walk is taking forever. If I don’t get away from Dean soon, I may end up doing something else I shouldn’t. I mean, we’re just friends. I take a deep breath and slowly exhale as we approach my driveway.

I dig in my purse and pull out my keys. “Thanks for my victory celebration.”

He places his hand in the small of my back on our way toward my steps. “First of many.” His hand moves to my waist.

Summersaults take over my stomach. I step onto the first step. My boot slips along the rim of the concrete edge covered in a thin layer of ice and instantly it knocks me off balance. My hands flail through the air, desperately trying to grab onto anything.

Dean jumps into action, catching me before my head smacks against the hard sidewalk. I grab onto his sculpted bicep and pull myself to my feet.

Fire burns through my cheeks, which are no doubt fire-engine red. I drop my chin to my chest and hunch my shoulders. He lifts my chin and gazes into my eyes. My heart pounds against the walls of my chest. Electric shockwaves flows through my veins. He leans in closer. My lips part and lava flows through my body. He tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I knew you’d fall for me sooner or later.” He places a soft kiss on my cheek and takes a step back, turning and walking away.

 Author Amy Gale

Romance author by night, pharmacist by day, Amy Gale loves rock music and the feel of sand between her toes.  She attended Wilkes University where she graduated with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. In addition to writing, she enjoys baking, scary movies, rock concerts, and reading books at the beach.  She lives in the lush forest of Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, six cats, and golden retriever.  

Contact Amy L. Gale:

 

1. Can you tell us a bit about the main characters.

Brooke Powers is goal-oriented freshman who wants to focus on her studies and avoid the party scene along with all the trouble that goes along with it.

Dean Parker is an enticingly charismatic fraternity brother and star player on Lakeview U's baseball team.

When Brooke's roommate drags her to a fraternity party, an unexpected mishap causes her wake up in Dean's bed throwing her strategically planned future into complete chaos.

2. How did you think of this story? What inspired you?

Since Dean and Brooke were already a couple in Blissful Tragedy, I wanted to elaborate on their awesome relationship. I decided to go back in time to the girls college years and tell the story. I have to be honest, I was inspired by some of my great college memories.

3. Is there anything special you would like your readers to know about Blissful Valentine?

Valentine's Day isn't always complete bliss.

4. Do you get writers block? How do you cure it?

I think every writer gets writers block at some point or another. I try and look to other sources to cure it, like music or re-watching some of my favorite movies for inspiration.

5. Top 5 Favorite Books

1. Beautiful Disaster

2. The Notebook

3. Fifty Shades of Grey

4. Dark Love

5. Thoughtless

6. I know you are a huge music fan AND Led Zeppelin fan. What songs help you write?

I usually come up with a play list based on the book I'm writing. When I wrote Blissful Valentine, I listened to Thank You by Led Zeppelin, Love Song by Tesla, Lay it on the Line by Triumph, Caught up in you by 38 Special, I Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore by REO Speedwagon, My Kinda Lover by Billy Squire, and Talk Dirty to Me by Poison.

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Happy Fifty Shades of Grey, I mean, Happy Valentine's Day!

 Finally! Finally it's here. You've been waiting for it and finally the day has arrived in theaters everywhere...The Fifty Shades of Grey has finally opened and women everywhere are having a religious experience.

          Okay, have you stopped laughing yet? Look, I'm not going to bash or demonize the movie. I may end up seeing it myself just for the sake of curiosity and because I still miss my Sheriff of Story Brook from Once Upon A Time (really, Regina, did you have to really obliterate the Huntsman? Gah!). However, I really can't stop giggling at all this craze and news stories going wild about how this movie is going to lead to sexual violence or that it's the new sexual revolution. Really, the new sexual revolution? Say that out loud a few times, I burst out laughing after the first time.

             For starters, if movies like Eyes Wide Shut, The Secretary (I still can't get why no one is crying out the foul of that movie-then again that was pre-social media), The Story of O, Blue Velvet, and my own favorite-91/2 Weeks haven't been shamed, then why Fifty?

           It's not really all that original of a story. It's told in the POV of Anastasia, who is constantly saying "fuck", "Oh Shit!" and her various "sound words" for her passion. Now, let's talk about those words.
    Ana seems to cry out these words a lot in the sack or on the rack:

                    "Aaah" (Did Christian creep up behind her and go "Boo!" Or did a mouse suddenly streak across the floor?) I just keep thinking of that old Nickelodeon cartoon, Aaah! Monsters! 

                      "Ungh" or "Ung"- Now this one, I'm picturing one might use this particular word to describe stubbing their toe or hitting their shin. Then again perhaps Ana stubbed her vag, who knows.

                       "Aarrgh" Ana is a pirate? I mean while she's in the throes of passion, her go to is doing a rendition of Red Handed Jill, the pirate wench?

    So we have "Aaah", "Ungh", and "Aarrgh" plus endless pages of inner goddess dialogue. That's sexy right? Next time you're with your significant other make those noises and note the expression on their faces. I guarantee you that they will look at you like you've lost your gourd. 

                Just about every woman in the USA, right now if they haven't already are visiting the local adult toy store and are buying floggers, whips, canes, creams, gels, and nipple clamps. What I want to know is, when the neighbors end up calling the police and they're arrested for what will be perceived as domestic abuse and poor hubby is going to have see a therapist for his PTSD he's going to end up with, what then? I'm thinking every husband and boyfriend/girlfriend will be throwing and burning the Fifty Shades of Grey books while singing, "We Shall Over Come". Are you still laughing? I mean c'mon, it's a little funny. Picture coming out of your house to see a cop car with its lights going, and your neighbor Mrs. So and So is standing with handcuffs on looking contrite while her poor husband is cringing in his boxers pointing a finger while screaming, "I was all into her sexy little leather outfit. I didn't even mind being handcuffed, but when she told me she wanted to use that....on my......" C'mon, you'd laugh, especially if they were the little church couple.

           Look, I have no real love for the books but it's a fad that perhaps symbolizes how many women are either bored in the bedroom or are looking for some sort of adventure with some drama thrown in for good measure. To each their own. So this Valentine's Day, forget what Christian and Ana are doing and create your own experiences with your someone special. If you're single this holiday, get some girls together and have a night out. Who knows you might even get lucky. Heck, go see the movie and laugh! I know I'll be laughing if I end up going. I mean how can you not when you have "Aaah!", "Ungh", and "Aargh".


                               Happy Valentine's Day Guys and Gals!