CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!
AND THE WINNER IS…
ALLYSON BRANN!!! CONGRATULATIONS!
Welcome to the Girly Book Blog hop!! It should be a lot of fun. When you’re finished here, just click on the link below to go back to the list of participating hoppers to find your next blog!
Now on with the hop! Today we’re all chatting about those characters that sometimes get missed in the discussion—the secondary characters. These are the best friends, the coworkers, the ex-boyfriends and anyone else who is important to our main character. But just because they are secondary characters doesn’t mean they don’t play an important role in the book. They are often the confidant, the support system, and the person who helps to get our main character into sticky situations!
In my newest release FALLING FOR YOU, my favorite secondary character is Paige. She is another one of the girls who goes on the dating reality show in the hopes to find true love. She doesn’t find love, but she does find a best friend. Paige and Cassidy become quick friends, deciding that staying together is a better plan than facing Zoe Oliver, the blonde bombshell with a size-two jiggle-free ass, alone. Zoe is every girl you’ve ever hated. Together Paige and Cassidy stave off Zoe’s sarcasm and try to survive competing for the affections of the same guy.
And here’s a little secret…Paige is getting her own book!! On Feb 11, 2013, STUCK ON YOU releases featuring Paige in an all new reality TV romance. It’s not a dating show, but there’s lots of behind the scene steaminess! Love to hate Zoe? She’s back and you’ll never believe what she’s up to now!
How about a little excerpt?
Cassidy followed Paige and sat beside her on the sofa in the middle of the room, balancing the plate of food on her knees. She glanced at Paige’s plate wondering how a person could choose strawberries and celery when you had fancy sandwiches, tortes, pies, and salads to pick from.
“Not hungry?” Cassidy asked.
“Oh no, I’m starved. But there’s no way I’m eating all those calories when I have to go on television tomorrow. I’ve heard the camera adds ten pounds and I really don’t need any extra. Well, unless they could add it to my boobs.”
Cassidy evaluated her own plate. It wasn’t overflowing, but it wasn’t celery, either. “Hmm, you’re probably right.” She took a bite of chocolate cake. “But if I starved myself, I’d be cranky and trust me, no one would want to see that on TV.” She savored the taste of the creamy chocolate as it melted in her mouth.
“Maybe you should follow her lead and put your fork down,” a voice said, dripping with disdain.
Cassidy swallowed her bite. Of course, the voice belonged to the prettiest girl in the room. She had long blonde hair, vibrant blue eyes, and legs that could walk across the pages of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
“Why, exactly?” Cassidy paused, her fork poised above the cake.
“She’s right about the camera.” The girl eyed Cassidy up and down as she stirred a tall glass of iced tea. “But I guess you’re not much competition anyway, are you? You may as well enjoy your cake while you’re still here.” The girl snickered and sauntered away.
“Wow. Who was that bitch?” Cassidy stabbed the cake and took another bite just to spite the bitchy blonde’s jiggle-free, size two ass as it walked away.
“That’s Zoe Oliver. She’s some big-shot singer or something. I bet she’s going to win this whole thing.”
“Well she can’t be that big if we’ve never heard of her.” Cassidy watched Zoe laughing with another girl and tried to decide if she’d ever heard of her before. “Although there is something sort of familiar about her—like I’ve seen her picture on a magazine in the checkout counter at the grocery store or something. But that can’t be right, can it?”
“No. It wouldn’t be fair to put someone famous on here with the rest of us.” “You’re probably right,” Cassidy said, deciding she really didn’t recognize the girl.
Zoe glanced up and caught Cassidy staring at her. A smile slowly spread across Zoe’s face as she turned to whisper to the girl next to her who laughed in response.
“We better watch out for her,” Cassidy said, setting down her plate on the cocktail table.
On to the prize!!! The best part of a blog hop, right?!
Enter via Rafflecopter below. Each entry has a different point value. You can increase your chance of winning by completing the trickier tasks! I know, I know… I’m mean making you work for it! 🙂 If rafflecopter gives you trouble, I’ve listed the different tasks you can complete and their point value below. Thanks for being a part of the blog hop and good luck to all!!
1. Leave a comment (+1)
2. Become a fan on Facebook (+1)
3. Tweet: “Heather Thurmeier’s contemporary romances are an auto-buy for me.” http://amzn.to/PCyqGg (+1)
4. Tweet: “@hthurmeier writes sweet, funny romances that capture your heart!” — bestselling author Jennifer Probst http://amzn.to/PCyqGg (+1)
5. Follow me on Twitter (+1)
6. Friend, Fan or add my books to your TBR pile on GoodReads (+3)
7. Leave a REVIEW of one of my books on Amazon, B&N, iTunes, ARe or Goodreads. (+10)
***Reviews must be genuine!! False reviews do not help authors or readers so please be honest and only review if you have actually read the book.
8. Email me a picture of Chapter Five from FALLING FOR YOU to heatherthurmeier@gmail.com. (+10)
***Please DO NOT include any payment information. I do not want to know!!
34 pings
Eline says:
September 27, 2012 at 4:19 am (UTC -4 )
Thanks for the giveaway and for writing a great book! At least I think it’s great 😀 I will find out one day! Looking forward to read it 🙂
Kristina Knight says:
September 27, 2012 at 8:53 am (UTC -4 )
love the excerpt, Heather! Fun blog hop!
Tracie Banister says:
September 27, 2012 at 9:09 am (UTC -4 )
Ooooo, I hate Zoe Oliver already – evil! And I’m totally intrigued by Cassidy and Paige. How great that Paige is getting her own spin-off book! Great post and excerpt, Heather!
No need to enter me in the giveaway as I am a blog hop participant! 🙂
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Tracie! Thanks for stopping by! Yes, Zoe is quite a piece of work, but strangely, I LOVE her character!!
Trix says:
September 27, 2012 at 11:37 am (UTC -4 )
I always end up falling for the secondary characters…I love the twists and turns of side stories, and the other people are always so intriguing and mysterious because we have no expectations as to how their arc should go.
susan platt says:
September 27, 2012 at 11:56 am (UTC -4 )
I love secondary characters for a few reasons. In some books they are the people who help make the main character choose a path, they are also the character who they can be themselves around and jokester or serious!
susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com
Yazmin Rangel says:
September 27, 2012 at 12:38 pm (UTC -4 )
Love the excerpt. Thank you for the blog hop. 🙂
yazmin593 AT msn DOT com
Amanda says:
September 27, 2012 at 2:16 pm (UTC -4 )
They help mold the main characters into the people they need to be! Looking forward to your books!
sue brandes says:
September 27, 2012 at 3:37 pm (UTC -4 )
I like the secondary characters how they are loyal or sometimes trying to get the main one to do the right thing. I agree with others have already said also. And they are also wonderful they get their own story. Thanks for being part of the hop.
Melinda Dozier says:
September 27, 2012 at 3:46 pm (UTC -4 )
Reading Falling for You right now! Can’t wait to see what happens between Cassy and Evan! 🙂 Zoe is quite a hoot, too.
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:43 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Melinda! Glad to hear you’re enjoying Falling for You! You’ll have to check out Stuck on You (Paige’s story) when it releases in Feb 2013! And if you like Zoe, I can tell you from an inside source 😉 that she is in all three books…
Cindy Roesel says:
September 27, 2012 at 3:55 pm (UTC -4 )
Fun post. Looking forward to reading your novel. Hope you’ll hop on over and check me out, too during the next few days! Lots of fun to be had all around. I’m discovering a bunch of new author friends! xo cindy
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:39 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Cindy! Thanks for dropping by. I’ll try to stop at everyone’s blog this weekend!
Dawna Newman says:
September 27, 2012 at 4:08 pm (UTC -4 )
I love secondary characters because usually they provide the comic relief .
Brandi Franklin says:
September 27, 2012 at 6:29 pm (UTC -4 )
Thanks for the giveaway….I love secondary characters and always love when a book is a series and the secondary characters are made into main characters!
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:41 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Brandi, Then I’d have to say I think you might enjoy both my Meadow Ridge Romance series and my new reality TV trilogy. Both series have secondary characters becoming the main characters in the sequels. Check them out and let me know what you think. I always love to hear from readers!!
Libby Mercer says:
September 27, 2012 at 8:31 pm (UTC -4 )
Great excerpt! I can’t wait to read Cassidy’s story and now I can’t wait to read Paige’s either! And I really look forward to seeing how you’ll torture Zoe in Falling For You. Because surely she’ll have to pay for her obnoxiousness, right? 😉
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:38 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Libby, You’re comments about Zoe made me giggle! You’ll have to read it to find out what happens to Zoe. I loved writing her character!
Cat Lavoie says:
September 27, 2012 at 8:47 pm (UTC -4 )
Love the excerpt!
I love secondary characters because sidekicks often get the funniest lines! 🙂
rubyswan says:
September 27, 2012 at 9:47 pm (UTC -4 )
ThanX 4 the great hop!
redz041@yahoo.com
deb p says:
September 27, 2012 at 11:42 pm (UTC -4 )
I like it when the secondary characters has a sense of humor.
deb p
r.d1@myfairpoint.net
Allyson Brann says:
September 28, 2012 at 1:18 am (UTC -4 )
I think that the secondary characters sometimes can make the book! And I love when secondary characters end up with their own story:). I have read all of your books and loved them all! The only one I have left is falling for you and I can’t wait to read it!
Heather says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:37 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Allyson! Thank you so much for the compliments on my books!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them. 🙂 !!!
Elizabeth H. says:
September 28, 2012 at 9:55 am (UTC -4 )
I love my secondary characters to be the comic relief in the story. While the hero or heroine might be facing tough obstacles, they can still rely on their bff to help lighten the mood and help them out with a laugh! Thanks for the hop and for the chance to win!
ehaney578 at aol dot com
Meredith Schorr says:
September 28, 2012 at 6:21 pm (UTC -4 )
Falling for You sounds like such a great book! Adding it to my TBR. Not sure I am allowed to participate since I am also a blog hop participant but count me in if I can. And I will tweet for you anyway 🙂 I already follow you!
Shannon G. says:
September 28, 2012 at 7:25 pm (UTC -4 )
I think secondary characters can really show more about the main characters, so that is great. But often I like the funny side-kicks.
Tobi H says:
September 28, 2012 at 10:39 pm (UTC -4 )
I love that a lot of times they’re comic relief. And sometimes I just fall in love with a character that’s secondary! I convinced a friend of mine to have a spin off of a secondary character from her first novel!!!
Thanks for the amazing giveaway! <3 Tobi
Dovile says:
September 29, 2012 at 8:39 am (UTC -4 )
I like that they can be a comic relief when the main hero can’t.
Beth Gal says:
September 29, 2012 at 11:52 am (UTC -4 )
I like the humor secondary characters provide.
bn100 says:
September 30, 2012 at 12:13 am (UTC -4 )
I like that they’re funnier than the main characters.
ST Bende says:
September 30, 2012 at 1:20 am (UTC -4 )
Hi Heather,
Great excerpt. And congratulations on your USA Today post – that’s huge! Your description of Zoe made me laugh – size two, jiggle free… yep, I can’t stand her either. 😉
No need to enter me in the giveaway as I’m a fellow Hopper and want other visitors to win.
Malvina Beatrice says:
October 1, 2012 at 1:44 am (UTC -4 )
I love secondary characters because most of them are opposite from the main characters which tends to be funnier and they somehow helps out the main.
Cassandra Hicks says:
October 1, 2012 at 6:22 pm (UTC -4 )
I love how they can make me smile and laugh 🙂
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com
Samantha Stroh Bailey says:
October 1, 2012 at 10:36 pm (UTC -4 )
Great excerpt, Heather, and Falling For You sounds like my kind of book! Great to be on the hop with you.