Home and Away with Kelly Harms....plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane....try saying that 10 times fast! This tongue-twister is the title of Kelly Harms' debut novel, which was published this week! It's about two women who share a name and live in the same town finding out that they won a dream home in Maine. But which one truly is the lucky winner? I'm reading this book now and enjoying the descriptions and dialogue. It's a fun summer read to add to your beach bag!

After meeting Kelly through The Debutante Ball (who's there along with Dana Bate and Amy Sue Nathan), I knew she'd be a great fit at CLC and am excited for you all to meet her. Since her book involves both a house and traveling, answering our "Home and Away" Q&A should be a cinch for her! Needless to say, her answers are fun and revealing! Speaking of places to live, she and I are both from the midwest, although she still lives out there, residing in Madison, Wisconsin with her toddler son.

For some lucky girls (or guys) in the US, she has THREE signed copies of her novel to give away.

You can find Kelly at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Home:

Favorite place you liked to hang out at when you were a kid?
My childhood home is surrounded by beautiful oak trees, and some maples, and a few had conveniently toppled in a small cluster to make a perfect place for a little girl to read. It was my hundred acre wood and my adventures were just as fanciful as Pooh's.

What is your neighborhood like?
Now I live in a cute little street on the lake, lined with white 1940s cape cods with pretty windowboxes, one after another. On front porches and stoops you'll find young families, grad students, and, in one case, a feisty 80-something who won't let me do a damn thing for her no matter how I try.

What would you do on a "staycation?"
Sleep! I'm the mother of a toddler, knee deep in her debut launch. I am a full-fledged member of the walking drowsy.

Away:

What is the craziest thing that ever happened to you while traveling?
I fell in love. It happened a lot, actually. After a few times in a row it didn't seem so crazy anymore.

Have you ever been on a cruise or to an all inclusive resort? If so, what was your experience like? If not, which would you rather do?
No, I haven't! I've always dreamed of an Alaska cruise. When my toddler is old enough to enjoy it, I think that would be an excellent way to see bears and whales and blow his little mind.

Though I would like to be the sort of person who enjoys all-inclusive lazy beach vacations, I am not actually one of those people. The longest I have consecutively relaxed on a vacation (or otherwise) for is two days, and I was eight months pregnant at the time. I doubt I could replicate that experience without having another six pound parasite growing inside me.

What is a must-have when you stay at a hotel?
Room service! I was raised to believe room service was one of the most over-indulgent, wasteful things a person could choose to spend money on. It probably is. And nothing makes me feel more luxurious than sitting on a big king bed bent over a $20 burger and fries while I watch one of the gazillions of cable channels I don't let myself have at home. Three hours of Teen Mom 2 plus those tiny bottles of ketchup and mustard? Yes please!

Thanks to Kelly for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. If you have questions on how to use it, e-mail us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

US only. Giveaway ends July 16th at midnight EST.