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Friday, January 02, 2015

Tracy Solheim: A New Year and New Beginnings


It’s here:  2015.  The New Year.  And new year brings with it new dreams, goals and resolutions.  Stroll through one of the big box stores and you’ll find the holiday decorations and treats have been replaced by plastic storage tubs and bulk containers of cleaning supplies as if we need to wash away everything belonging to 2014.  A change in the calendar year means it’s time to get organized, get fit, and break those bad habits.  Store shelves are lined with vitamins and diet drinks to help facilitate the “new” you.  January has become synonymous with a blank canvass on which you can reinvent yourself.

In my upcoming book, BACK To BEFORE (Jan. 6th from Berkley), Ginger Walsh is constantly reinventing herself.  She’s landed in the small coastal town of Chances Inlet where she’s working as a makeup artist on a home restoration show produced by her best friend.  The former ballerina-turned-soap-opera-troublemaker isn’t hoping for a new beginning, but rather a second chance.  The show’s star, architect (and Cosmo’s Bachelor of the Month) Gavin McAlister isn’t interested in reinventing himself so much as he wants to reclaim the life he had before he was forced to return home to the small town he thought he’d escaped. 


New Year’s resolutions are a lot like second chances.  There’s something energizing about pulling out that new, unblemished calendar and loading it up with all the future events, goals and, yes, dreams.  Resolutions are just that:  dreams.  It’s up to us whether or not we get the first—or second—chance to achieve them.  Hey, we all have a few do-overs from our past and what better time to try again then at the beginning of a new year, right?  Just add them to the list of resolutions.

I’m not a big proponent of publically declaring my resolutions.  Mostly because I like to let the characters on my pages do the dreaming while I keep my own goals private.  But each year, my husband and I have the “Solheim Summit” where we both write out our annual goals on a piece of yellow legal paper.  This list can include things that need to be accomplished in our home—clean out the garage; or financially—put more money into retirement; to getting fit.  Admit it, we all have that one on our list! 

A few years ago I decided to add a very personal dream to our list of goals/resolutions:  To write a book.  I can tell you checking that item off the list the following year was one of my biggest accomplishments.  But then I got greedy and I declared on that yellow paper that I was going to get that book traditionally published before I was fifty.  Needless to say, I didn’t get to cross that dream off the following December—but I did twelve months later!  This week as my husband and I plot out our 2015, my seventh book in eighteen months will be released.  My resolution is to try to enjoy the process more.  To live the dream I worked so hard for. 

And if that doesn’t work, February is around the corner with lots of sweet stuff to wash down my defeat!

How about you?  Is there a dream among your list of New Year’s resolutions?  Maybe a second chance or a do-over you’d like?  Let me know.  I’ve got a signed copy of Back To Before up for grabs.


Chances Inlet, North Carolina, has an infamous power for second chances. But its charms are lost on the town’s favorite son—until she comes along…

When his father’s sudden death puts his family’s construction business in serious debt, architect Gavin McAlister is forced to put his dream career in New York on hold. Making matters worse, his fiancée calls it quits. Desperate to return to his big-city life, he discovers an opportunity to save his family, one that has him reluctantly starring in a home restoration TV show.

Former soap star Ginger Walsh hopes this job as a TV makeup artist will lead to better things. So far it’s only brought her to a hamlet full of people who don’t like her—except Gavin. After a wild night out leads to Ginger waking up in Gavin’s loft—and the rest of town talking—the two of them soon wonder if getting back to before is what they want. Because being in each other’s arms certainly feels like what they need.

Buy it here:
AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | GOOGLE | iTUNES

Where to find Tracy:
Facebook: Tracy Solheim Books
Twitter: TracyKSolheim



After years of writing reports and testimony for Congress, Tracy Solheim decided to put her fiction writing talents to better use.  Tracy is the international bestselling author of the Out of Bounds series for Berkley and southern novellas for Tule Publishing.  She lives in the heart of SEC country, also known as the suburbs of Atlanta, with her husband and their two works-in-progress.   When she’s not at the barn with her daughter or working out with friends (i.e. lifting heavy bottles of wine), she’s writing.  Except for when she’s reading, but according to her, that’s just necessary research.  

***Tracy's winner is Melissa McEntrye.!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing address.***

9 comments:

Sue Peace said...

I can't wait to read this! :) I am just hoping 2015 goes a lot smoother than 2014 did! It was a challenging year, but showed us our strenghts. :) Happy New Year to you!

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year, Sue! Please let me know what you think of the book. :)

dstoutholcomb said...

No resolutions for me. But, your storyline for the new book sounds wonderful!
Denise

Jen said...

Not so much a resolution, but I want to pay it forward as much as I can in 2015. I ended 2014 trying to help people as much as possible and I want to continue in 2015. I hope my teenagers will learn by my example.

Carol L. said...

Just hoping 2015 is a better year then last. All we can do is stay positive and have faith. My big goal is to just get through each day. :) I look forward to reading this. Thanks for the post.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Mary Preston said...

I'm not big on resolutions. Past experience tells me I'm not going to keep them. I do hope for a calm & peaceful year though.

Unknown said...

mine is Health & Happiness--loved the start of the new series by Tracy

Michele L. said...

My goal is to learn to have a lot of patience taking care of my elderly mom who has dementia. It sure is challenging at times. You just have to show them a lot of love and patience. When she starts arguing, I have learned to just change the subject. She forgets what she was talking about. She also says things that hurt my feelings but I have learned that she doesn't realize the things she says. Since you can't reason with her anymore, I just shrug things off. It sure gets difficult at times but I have a great hubby who showers me with love!

Happy New Year Tracy! Can't wait to read your new book!

Shari said...

My New Year resolution is to donTe blood every six weeks.