Sunday, January 4, 2015

Spotlight: Author Interview and Review of Unscripted by Christy Pastore

Rating: ★★★★ stars
Date Published: December 9th, 2014
Publisher: Christy Pastore Publishing
Synopsis: “His gaze on me was intense, I couldn’t look away. I felt as if I was revealing my entire soul to him in this moment.”

The range of emotions I had experienced with Ronan felt like a topsy-turvy spinning roller coaster. Suddenly I was awake for the first time in what felt like years. Every fiber of my being was filled with heated desire, passion, lust and fear, and all I wanted was more… more of everything, more of him. How had I just lived these past few years only going through the motions? But, as glorious as all of this was, was I kidding myself? Could it be real? Or just a moment in time - a few days of thrilling and scary excitement rolled into one? The moment before you hit that first big drop on your favorite coaster, you fall, and then it's over.

This isn’t your typical Hollywood fairy tale where the typecast ordinary girl next door meets the famous handsome actor and they fall in love. Despite the emotional and physical scars that serve as reminders of Holliday Prescott’s past, she has evolved into a strong young woman. Ronan Connolly has loved and lost, but he’s never been in love. The weight of Hollywood’s expectations and the scripted games people play have left him bruised but not broken.

He's always followed everyone else's script and she wrote her own. That was until fate swept in with other plans.

MATURE CONTENT
This story contains sexually explicit material and is intended for mature individuals over the age of eighteen.
 
Author Interview

How did you come up with the idea for this story? 

The story for Unscripted was an idea that transpired from a dream. I woke up with this fantastic idea for a story, and I immediately put notes on paper somewhere around two in the morning. The next day I went in to my office, checked my notes and just started typing away. The story flew from my mind so quickly—the whole process was amazing. 

Where do you find your inspiration?   

Sometimes getting inspired to write is as simple as talking to one of my fellow author friends or even re-reading some of the story I have written. Music, fashion, pop-culture, film and photography all inspire my writing. Some days, just hovering around Pinterest sparks inspiration. I will see a quote or a picture that sets the wheels of creativity in motion.  

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?  

You mean besides staying off social media and just focusing on writing!!?? Sometimes, I think I don't always let myself go. I have a comfort zone that often times I am afraid to venture out of… then with a few shoves from my most trusted Beta Reader and Editor, I do, and it ends up being great!  

What are your current projects?   

So many projects happening! I am in the midst of working on a novella for Fifteen Weekends (my debut novel)... it will be something special for the fans of the series. Earlier this fall, I put together some notes for a sequel to Fifteen Weekends that will be told from Emily's POV. I know that readers are excited to hear more of her story. I already have five chapters completed for the second book in The Scripted Series.  

Tell us about your first book. What would readers find different about the first one and your most recent published work?  

My debut novel, Fifteen Weekends was released earlier this year. Simply, it's a twisty sexy story that follows the lives of three unique women: Ashleigh, Emily and Amanda. Each one is trying to overcome adversity while finding their way. You can expect lots of descriptive details such as fashion, places and spaces. It's a tale of revenge and forgiveness, of changing and moving on. It's a real, human romance novel that will make you laugh and keep you guessing.  Fifteen Weekends is told in third person and it is much “tamer” than Unscripted as far as the romance goes—this book is far more erotic.  

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?  

There are a few themes readers will take away from Unscripted. The main message will be pretty obvious, and it will come from our heroine, Holliday Prescott. I think readers will love her strength, maybe even identify with her character on certain levels. 

Does music play any type of role in your writing?  

Absolutely! Music is a huge part of my writing. I have playlists for each of the books I have written. Music for me just adds another layer to the story. Most of the songs remind me of a certain scene or just happened to be playing while I wrote the book. Sometimes I will listen to a song over and over for inspiration. Songs from Coldplay, U2, Snow Patrol, The Fray and Blake Shelton all made their way to the playlist for Unscripted.  

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your life? 

Nope, Unscripted from beginning to end was a story I just made up. Now Fifteen Weekends on the other hand, each of the female characters in that book were influenced by several women I have met throughout my life.  

What books have influenced your life most? 

Captivating storytelling is one reason I am big fan of the romantic suspense genre. Sidney Sheldon’s books have stayed with me over the years. There is something hypnotic about his writingMichael Crichton is an ingenious storyteller, and there is no better example of that than his book, Disclosure.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn –  what can I say – I loved this book from beginning to end. Gone Girl was such a mind trip, it actually inspired me to write the suspenseful parts in my first book. When an Author can surprise me in more ways that I ever thought, you have found a fan girl for life.  

Are there any new authors that have grasp your interest? 

As a matter of fact, I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with a group of newbie Indie Authors, like myself whom are all trying to navigate through this crazy emotional business. We all support one another—professionally and personally. The bonus is that I’ve developed wonderful friendships with these women— Rachel Blaufeld, TC Matson, Fabiola Francisco, KL Shandwick, Terrie LyndieSalem Archer, Susan Ward, Nicky D. White and C J Wells {Christa Gibbs and Jill Syed}.  

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness and support, you all mean the world to me.  

How can readers discover more about you and your work? 

Social media – I am always on Facebook {https://www.facebook.com/ChristyPastoreAuthor}, Instagram {http://instagram.com/christypastoreand Twitter (https://twitter.com/christypastore. It’s kind of a ridiculous obsession—pretty sure I may need rehab one day. Readers can always chat with me or ask questions. Most likely you’ll find me talking about the hotness that is, Richard Madden or Chris Pine. You can find me on Pinterest too, I’ve created boards for both of my books, complete with character inspiration, items you might find in Holliday’s closet and Ronan’s favorite whiskey brand.  

Thank you Christy!

Review

The blurb is what initially interested me in reading this book.  Once I started reading, I couldn't stop.  I wanted to know what had Holliday so spooked and Ronan's secrets.  The story was fascinating and so good!

I really liked Holliday and Ronan.  Actually when it comes to Holliday, like is a weak word.  I admire her.  She's so strong and has overcome so much, even though sometimes she may seem weak.  I admired Ronan for sticking by his women, in as much as he could. There was a moment, when my admiration wavered, but it was temporary.

Parts of this story were dark, but I'm hoping Holliday and Ronan can find a way to turn that painful time into a happy one.  I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel because there are certain people who I'd like to see get their comeuppance.  There were some really sad moments, some really hot moments, some very funny moments, and some really sweet moments.  This book isn't just a romance, there's mystery and suspense.  My first book by Christy Pastore has really impressed me.  While the story doesn't end on a cliffhanger, I'm still really eager to read the next book and find out what happens!


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About the Author
Writer Christy Pastore grew up in the lakeside community of Syracuse, Indiana writing short stories that usually involved characters who loved to travel, had a passion for fashion and were often times swept up in boy crazy crushes. Many of her first stores also dealt with coming of age situations with their best girlfriends.
Christy gave up reading books for several years, disillusioned with the annoying characters and predictable plot lines. Upon the recommendation of a friend, Christy picked up a much buzzed about popular romance novel which reminded her of why reading was such an enjoyable guilty pleasure.
Writing has been a constant in Christy’s life, leading her to create a popular fashion blog, Fashion Wrap Up. This endeavor allowed Christy to have the wonderful experience of working and collaborating with many talented models, designers, makeup artists and photographers in the Fashion Industry. While Pastore still writes about fashion and celebrity style in her spare time, her passion for story development, more specifically creative writing, publishing and content creation has taken her on a new journey and career path: Author.
Her debut novel, Fifteen Weekends will be out May 2014 just in time for you to add it to your summer reading list.
Additionally, Christy enjoys a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a warm cup of coffee, Gummi Bears, traveling and tweeting her thoughts on her favorite TV shows.
Christy and her husband Kevin currently reside in St. Louis, Missouri in the popular Italian Neighborhood, The Hill, with their two lovable dogs and cooler than cool cat.
*Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for them in any manner.*

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