Have a Cupa with my latest characters, Oliver and Juni & Enter to win

In my upcoming release, What the Heart Knows my main characters, Oliver and Juniper met in her family owned coffee shop, called Cupa Tea. In honor of this I’m kicking of a contest.

It runs from today July 16th to July 23rd

One lucky winner wins a copy of What the Heart Knows on release day

Four others win my home made Cupa Tea blend & a heart shaped tea infuser

All you have to do to enter is leave your comment about the interview below…easy enough, right? Here we go 

A bit about, What the Heart Knows

Widower, Oliver Young has been a mess since his wife died. But a chance encounter at a coffee shop on the anniversary of her death, changes that. Juniper Juni,” Bloom, is like a beacon of light in the darkness. His heart recognizes her as a kindred spirit, and he clutches onto her youth and vitality like a lifeline as he rediscovers what it means to truly live and love again. Will he lose her when she learns the truth about his wifes’ death?

Juni is a woman with a hidden past. A near death experience has given her a new lease on life and a parting souvenir. From the moment she meets Oliver, she knows he’s the man she’s been waiting for. Now she just needs to convince him.

Unbeknownst to either a malevolent force is at work, ready to tear them apart.

Interview with Oliver & Juni

“Juni, what did you think of Oliver the first time you saw him?”

“I thought, he was lost.”

I couldn’t hide the laughter that burst forth. I gathered my

“Why?” I asked.

“ Because, I thought, there’s no way, a man that gorgeous is spending a stormy night like this one alone in a deserted coffee shop instead of be cuddled up with his significant other.”

“I’m flattered,” Oliver said.

“Hush,”Juni whispers.

Juni playfully pushed against his chest and Oliver chuckled. It’s a delicious sound, low and tinged with sincerity it made me smile. The love between them was clear to anyone who bothers to pay attention.

I want to turn this question over to you now, Oliver. What did you think of Juni?

“You have to remember, I was still grieving then—” Oliver said.

“That means it’s going to be mean,” Juni said. Her interruptions makes me choke down a laugh. Oliver rolled his eyes and sighed.

“No, not mean, per say, just not very romantic. I was looking for a place to hide, and the coffee shop seemed perfect. My only thoughts at the time were on solitude and anonymity. I have to admit once I saw her face, everything changed.”

“My face huh?”

“Among other things.”

He flashed her playful wink and she giggled.

“I hate to bring up a painful subject, but you said you were grieving. Can you expand on that?”

The smiles slip from their faces, and the atmosphere in the room sobered. It almost made me want to take back my question.

“It was my wife.”

I gasped.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay; I’ve made my peace with things now. The night I entered the café was the two year anniversary of her death and the wound was raw and bleeding.”

Juni twined their fingers, and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Oliver offered up a brave smile, and a part of me fell a little bit in love with him. I could see his appeal. His has a quiet charisma that creeps up on you when you’re not looking.

“I was like a lion with a thorn in its paw, roaring at everyone who came within a mile of me, and going through life with a sour disposition.”

He lifted his gaze to look at me, and his green eyes bore into mine. There’s an age there that far surpasses the one listed on his bio.

“Sometimes when you’re swimming in the deepest point of the ocean the only thing you can do to survive is float, because swimming against tide get’s damn tiring. I was ready to give up and let the waves take me when Juni showed up with this brilliant, blazing light inside her that encompassed me. One look, one conversation and I knew my life would never be the same.”

A chill ran down my spine as the intensity of the moment crawled under my skin.

It sounds terribly cliché, but I swear, that’s how things happened,” Juni said. Her voice was airy and light and I have no problem imaging how this woman could be a life line for a broken man on the edge.

“In his own way, Oliver saved me. My life growing up was very difficult, and even when I received a second chance to live how I saw fit, I was stuck in the shadows of my past. A part of me didn’t believe things could be different once those I cared about leaned my history. He showed me how wrong I was.”

“All relationships hit bumps in the road, but you have to admit yours were a dozy.”

“ Now you’re just being kind,” Juni said. She rolls her large, brown , doe eyes and I arched an eyebrow.

“Do tell.”

“ Well if I did that, there’d be no need to read our story,” Juni said. Her eyes are bright and her lips are curved upward into a smile that screams mischief.

“Give them a hint at least,” Oliver said.

“Baggage from past relationships has nothing on a pissed off entity,” she said.

They broke into laughter and I couldn’t help but join in. They have that effect on people.

“Thank you for coming by and letting us pick your brains.”

“The pleasure was ours.”

End Interview

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Oliver, and Juni better. Look for their adventure next Monday!