Book Launch – Elizabeth Barone and the “South of Forever” series
Please welcome a great author to the site – Elizabeth Barone!
Elizabeth Barone writes contemporary New Adult romance and suspense, starring sassy belles who chose a different path in life. She self-published her first novel in 2012 and has since signed with Booktrope. She is the author of the South of Forever series and several other books.Elizabeth lives in Connecticut with her husband, the artist Michael Campbell. Learn more about her books and read her blog at elizabethbarone.net. You can also connect with her on Twitter and Instagram, @elizabethbarone, and on Facebook at facebook.com/elizabethbaronebooks.
She’s got a brand new series out!
Sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll—that was Jett Costa’s old life. After her wildly popular band falls apart, she’s determined to remain sober and rebuild her career. There’s just one problem. The only person who still has any faith in her is her ex-boyfriend Koty, and Jett isn’t sure that she can keep her hands off him. Maybe living together wasn’t such a great idea after all. She may have been sober when she made that decision, but she definitely wasn’t when she agreed to play a show on behalf of a band that no longer exists at one of the biggest bars in Boston. Now she has less than three weeks to get her new band together. Can she ignore the sizzling sparks that fly between her and Koty every time they play? Diving Into Him is the first book in the South of Forever series, a steamy contemporary New Adult romance that follows a fledgling rock band on its way to the top.
Ever since artist Savannah Santos started taking care of her boyfriend’s daughter, she’s had less time to paint. At first, it seemed as if Max and Chloe were the family she always wanted. But as Max grows more distant, Savannah starts to think encouraging him to join South of Forever was a huge mistake.Especially when he’s less than supportive of Savannah’s burgeoning art career.
Something is definitely going on with Max. He’s completely indifferent toward his daughter and Savannah, who is determined to find out the truth. When the secret she discovers is so much worse than anything she ever imagined, it tears her heart to pieces. Can Savannah rescue her family from destruction, or will she lose Max and Chloe forever?
Savannah’s Song is the second book in the South of Forever series, a steamy contemporary New Adult romance that follows a fledgling rock band on its way to the top.
We’ve also got a great interview with Elizabeth!
Who is your favorite author?
Growing up, I was hooked on Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe. There was a long period of time where I refused to read anything else, haha. Now I love anything by Tracie Puckett, J.C. Hannigan, Lindsay Buroker, and Joe Meno.
How do you describe your writing style?I say I write romance and suspense, but I’m really bad at incorporating genre tropes that readers are used to and almost expect. (I’m trying to get better at that, though.) My writing style is more of a telescopic slice of reality, zooming in on one or two people’s experiences. I usually focus on the gritty side of being a twenty-something—those scary years where everything that can possibly go wrong does, and you’re basically stumbling in the dark. I have friends who essentially paint with words, and it’s absolutely stunning. (Check out the poet Chic Barton and author Elliot Wake, writing as Leah Raeder, to see what I mean.) I wish I could do that. I love how quickly Joss Whedon pulls you into his characters and makes you fall in love with them, so my goal is always to emulate that.
Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?Savannah’s Song is about a young artist torn between chasing her career and settling down with a family. I think a lot of us in our twenties feel that way.
Have any of your characters been modeled after yourself?Jett (Diving Into Him and the lead singer in the South of Forever series) has my impatience and temper. Koty balances her out and calms her, kinda like my husband does for me.
If you could exchange lives with any of your characters for a day which character would you choose and why?This was a tough one, because I tend to torture my characters. I’m gonna go with Dev (one of the members of ESX in Playing for You), because he’s always super positive and is a hell of a dancer. Meanwhile I can’t walk without tripping over my own feet.
What books have most influenced your life?How much time do you have? Sharon M. Draper’s Hazelwood High books completely changed my life in middle school. I’ve read Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George and Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine at least a dozen times each—sometimes even back to back. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher kept me up all night to finish it and completely turned my world upside down. I had a serious hangover after finishing Sarina Bowen’s The Year We Fell Down. And Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout really spoke to me, too. Stephen King’s Dark Tower series completely blew my mind, even though Wizard and Glass made me bawl like a baby. I could go on. Man, I love books.
If you could select one book that you could rewrite and add your own unique twist on, which book would that be and why?Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. Though I guess by the end those two deserve each other, I really wish it could’ve been different. That’s another book that grabbed me by the shoulders and changed everything.
Beatles or Monkees? Why?I have to go with the Beatles, even though I’m not super passionate about either. My husband’s brainwashed me over the last 10 years, and any other answer would result in shock and heartache. (Just reading him the question and my answer turned into a monologue about how they’re not even in the same league, and something about how the Monkees were manufactured… Sigh.)
Who should play you in a film of your life?Nobody, I hope, because I plan on leading a life too boring to put on any screen. But I realize that kind of kills the fun here, and I so don’t wanna be that person. So I’m gonna go with Mila Kunis, because I think she’s super hot and I want some eye candy if I have to sit through my own biopic.
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One Reply to “Book Launch – Elizabeth Barone and the “South of Forever” series”
Thanks so much for having me, James!