Inspire to Read: Blog tour: Perfectly Perfect by Alison G Bailey. Perfection is an illusion fueled by the perception of others. Author Interview is included.

SYNOPSIS:

Perfection is an illusion fueled by the perception of others.

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Tweet was my heart, my soul, and my purpose.

She was my everything.

Neither of us were perfect. We both made mistakes. Looking back, that was okay, because every choice brought us to where we needed to be at the time we needed to be there. The one constant, our love and friendship.

There are two sides to every story and I wouldn’t trade our sides for anything in the world.

Here's the GR link for Presently Perfect

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21588076-presently-perfect

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

1. Are you famous is the general question I get when family and friends introduces me to their friends. It always left me with a pause as quick comebacks filters through my mind but ending up saying something like ….”Oh gee thanks” and give a shy smile, silly I know but the idea unsettles me. (a)Does this happen to you and (b) what do you say? I don’t ever remember being asked if I’m famous. I’m always floored and delighted when people know who I am and what I do.

2. In general do you like to talk about you writing and published books or are you very close-lip about it? If no why? I’m not a very good self-promoter. I like to discuss the stories and answer questions readers have. I enjoy discussing the craft of writing with other authors.

3. What book/s are you currently writing and what is it about? I’m pretty closed lip about my next project, especially early on. So many things can change.

4. Why this particular genre? I enjoy reading all genres, but NA/Contemporary is the one I read the most. I also feel there is a wide variety of topics you can cover in this genre.

5. What inspire or motivate you to write? I’ve always loved creating/writing scenes or rewriting scenes from TV shows or movies the way I wanted to see them play out. My inspiration, I want to tell unique stories about subjects that aren’t always touched on. There has to be a purpose to my stories.

6. What is the writing process like for you? Once I get the main idea of the story I start working on scenes. I usually do a rough outline to guild me from point A to point B. I don’t always follow the outline completely but it’s a start. I listen to lots of music and visualize scenes and dialogue. Once I get to the computer I try to just get the scene out and then go back an edit and tweak. I have to force myself not to edit while I’m working on the first draft of the story. One day while writing Presently Perfect, I spent 45 minutes on one sentence before I got it right.

7. How did/do you teach yourself to write? I had a good educational foundation and then minored in English in college. I majored in theater and wrote several one act plays. Also, taking refresher courses. Also, from my first book to my 3^rd, I learned a lot from my editor and agent. There is always room for improvement no matter how long you’ve been at this.

8. What aspect of the craft do you think is most difficult to learn? Telling a story that draws the reader in and makes them feel all the emotions. You can teach a person how to write a well crafted sentence, but I’m not sure you can teach a person how to tell a story. Hope that makes sense.

9. What has been the most encouraging comment someone has made about your writing? I’ve had so much support from readers. I love when a reader tells me they’ve read my books more than once and still feel the emotion. I get a kick out of a bad review, when the reviewer still says they are a fan of my writing style.

10. What is the best and/ or worst part of being a writer? Best part of writing is when my stories touch a reader’s heart and mind. The worst part of being a writer for me is probably the marketing aspect.

11. Any advice for struggling writers? Keep writing and learning the craft. Also, stay true to who you are and what you want your stories to be about. Don’t latch on to the latest trend or fad, those disappear as soon as they appear. Know if you want it to be a career, it will take time to build a solid readership. Respect yourself, readers, other authors, and colleagues in the industry. Be professional.

12. What is your favorite genre to read or write? I like different genres, as long as the story is well written.

13. Favorite author? I have a handful of different authors I like to read on a regular basis and the list grows.

14. Do you have a favorite spot to read and write? Favorite spot to read is in my overstuffed chair in my family room. Favorite spot to write would be in my office.

15. What did you do before you became a writer? I worked as a stage manager in regional theater, then a medical transcriptionist, and right before becoming an author I managed the custom cake business I owned with my husband.

16. Was it a life long dream or triggered recently? I always loved to write but never thought of making it a career until about 2 years ago.

17. What do you like to do when not writing? I like to listen to music, watch TV and movies, spend time with my friends, family, and 2 dogs, and read.

18. Do you have a bucket/ to-do list and would you share at least two things on it? I don’t really have a bucket list. I’d love to go to England, Scotland, and Venice some day.

19. Most daring thing or experience you have done you would like to share? I published a book. J

20. This or that questions:

· Coffee or Tea – Tea, but ultimate would be Diet Pepsi.

· Sweet or savory – Sweet.

· Home make meal or takeouts – Currently takeout.

· Winter or summer – Winter.

· Night-owl or Early-Bird – Night owl.

· Telephone or visits – Prefer visit.

· Which social network do you prefer? I’m most comfortable with Facebook. I try my hardest to keep up with Twitter and Instagram. Twitter does confuse me, though.

· Blogger or website? I don’t understand the question. J

· What does your family say about your career? Supportive or Clueless. My family has been extremely supportive with my career. My mom and sister were at my very first signing. It was also great to have my sister and niece join me when I did my first New York signing.

And Finally

Moto/wisdom in life you live by. Trust your gut. Be unique and different. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dream.

AMAZON ** B&N

EXCERPT:

I was standing one step below Tweet when she broke free from Brad, twisting her body in my direction. I let go of her other wrist and caught her as she fell toward me. Her arms wrapped around my neck as I grabbed hold of her hips, trying to keep her steady.

Tweet’s head tilted back as she clung to me. “Look, Brad! It’s Noah! My Noah!” Her voice was ear-splittingly high. “He’s so sweet and sexy. He’s swexy. He licked my thigh under my parents’ dinner table.” She straightened her head, bringing her forehead to rest on mine. The look in her eyes had turned smoldering, her voice husky when she asked, “You remember licking me, Noah?”

We had a huge fight just a little over an hour ago and now she was completely wasted; her clothes were rumpled, she had pieces of sand stuck to her face, her hair was a tangled windblown mess, and she reeked of tequila and the ocean. But she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. My expression teetered from snarling at the Smurffucker to wanting to smile at Tweet.

God, even drunk she’s adorable.

I was either the biggest idiot known to mankind or so beyond in love with this girl that all my common sense and self-preservation got obliterated when I was around her. My heart was pounding against my chest while the temperature in the room soared. The tension in my muscles was beginning to disappear and I was getting lost in teal eyes. I needed some distance.

My hands moved to Tweet’s shoulders and I helped her stand upright. “I’m taking you home.”

“But Brad was going to do some things to me on purpose. I don’t know what, but I’m having fun. Hey! You want to come with us?” she asked, hooking her arm around mine.

My gaze zeroed in on Brad glaring down at me, his jaw clenched tight. My priority was to get Tweet home safe. I’d deal with this asshole later.

I snaked my arm around Tweet’s waist and led her down the steps. She was abruptly yanked away from me. I whipped around and saw Brad clutching Tweet’s arm.

“Haven’t you done enough to her tonight? She’s having a great time with me, so get your fucking hands off of her,” he growled.

Tweet smiled up at him, then turned to me, and said, “I really am having fun. He’s not a Smurffucker at all.”

Glaring at Brad, I grabbed Tweet’s hand, and led her toward the front door. We had taken two steps when I felt her being tugged away from me again. I let go of her hand, walked over to Brad, and punched him in the stomach. His hand fell from Tweet as he doubled over and dropped to the floor. I picked up Tweet, tossed her over my shoulder, and finally headed out uninterrupted.

Just before reaching the front door Tweet grabbed the waistband of my pants, lifting herself up slightly, and yelled, “Bye-bye, Brad! Thanks! Maybe you can lick my thigh next time! Bye-bye!”

Once we were at my truck, I lowered Tweet off my shoulder until her feet touched the ground. Her eyes struggled to stay opened, losing the battle, right before she passed out. I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her body against mine while I unlocked my truck. I placed her in the seat and leaned over to fasten her in. The click of the seatbelt caused her to stir. Reaching my hand up to her face, my thumb brushed away the dusting of sand that clung to her cheek.

Her eyes stayed closed as a lazy grin slowly appeared across her pink lips. “Mmmm…,” she moaned. “Noah.” She sounded breathy.

“Yeah, Tweet?”

“You’re my knight in plastic armor.”

A slight chuckle escaped me as I remembered our Halloween costumes from when we were six years old.

“You always take care of me and make sure I have candy,” she said, her voice trailing off.

I stared at her for several seconds, simply enjoying the view. As I inched away from her, she shifted in the seat.

Another slight moan flowed over her lips, and she whispered, “I love you Noah.”

I knew she wouldn’t remember saying those words to me tomorrow, but that didn’t matter. The only thing that counted was that for the first time she let go of her heart, her head, and allowed herself to love me. There was nothing better than when the girl of your dreams made all of yours come true.

AUTHOR BIO:

Alison was born and raised in Charleston, SC. She attended Winthrop University and graduated with a major in Theater. While at school she began writing one-act plays, which she later produced. Her debut novel, Present Perfect, landed on Amazon's Best Seller List and appeared on many "Best Reads of 2013" Book Blogs. The novel won Best Book at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention Awards. The second book from The Perfect series, Past Imperfect, was published in February of 2014 and hit many Top 100 category lists on Amazon

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website - http://alisongbailey.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlisonGBaileyAuthor

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7032185.Alison_G_Bailey

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AlisonGBailey1

Instagram - http://instagram.com/alisongbailey

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/alisongbailey/present-perfect-by-alison-g-bailey/