Fade to Blue by Julie Carobini and Giveaway!!!

Let's welcome Julie Carobini today and see what she has to share about herself and her new book,
   

Fade to Blue.

Hi Julie! I'm so excited to have you here today.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

 Sure! I write seaside stories filled with faith, flip flops, and waves of grace. My family and I make our home on California’s central coast, and I’ve written five novels plus hundreds of published articles on everything from parenting, to team building in the workplace, to Christian surf dudes on a mission.

 Living on any coast sounds good to me :-) How did you become interested in writing?

 My father wrote magazine articles on the side, including interviews with entertainers such as Fred Astaire and Fred MacMurray. Always loved that! I too became an article writer almost twenty years ago, but I always yearned to create fiction. I wrote two novels that did not sell, but as they say, third time’s a charm, and my debut novel, Chocolate Beach, released in 2007 (re-released with recipes in 2011 as an eBook). By that time, I had a renewed faith in God as well as a redefined focus on the kinds of stories he was leading me to write.

I'm so glad they bought your novel! What compelled you to write a book on this subject?

 

Hearst Castle

 Ever since the inception of the Otter Bay Novels with Sweet Waters, I’ve wanted to set a book with the famed Hearst Castle as its backdrop. So much intrigue and mystery about that real castle on the hill and its eccentric, yet astute owner. Of course, novels are more than their location. So after writing the 2nd of these stand-alone novels, A Shore Thing, even I longed to know what happened next for the big-hearted, single mom from that story. Fade to Blue satisfies that curiosity …


That's some castle! What is the main theme or point that you want readers to understand from reading your book? Are there any other themes present in the book?

Writing this story was much like holding a seashell, constantly turning it over in my hand. Though they’re often tossed into the sea with nary a glance, seashells are intricately beautiful—even when broken. The more I examined the shattered life of Suz—the heroine of Fade to Blue—the more beauty I found. Only the One who restores our souls can make that happen.

 Amen! Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

 I hope readers get lost in the story and the beautiful setting, that they revel in God’s creation as much as I did while writing it. I also hope they experience the Good Shepherd’s gentle leading (Psalm 23), and fall in the love with the concepts of forgiveness, sacrifice, and grace—as much as they do the breathtaking locale.



  
 

sea anemone

I know I loved the scenes depicted, especially the anemones!

What makes your book different than any other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

Although I’ve been compared to some amazing writers—something that humbles me—I also know that God made each one of us uniquely. I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5. One unique aspect of my books is the focus on God’s creation of the sea and everything in it. My characters have loved dolphins, sea lions, otters—even giant, glowing sea anemones. But they take that admiration a step further by drawing closer to the God who made such beauty.

You describe it so beautifully, too! How does the book intertwine with God’s call on your life and how you are currently serving Him?

 This story reminds me not to dwell on the past, but to prayerfully, joyfully—and ‘hope’fully— move forward. Such lessons there! Suz Mitchell made mistakes in her past—so have I—yet healing brokenness and restoring souls is God’s business. Praise him for that!

He is the Restorer! Do you have a favorite Scripture verse?

I have more than one favorite, but this one’s been spinning in my mind again lately: Psalm 19:14 NIV, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Wonderful verse. When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

I love to comb the beach, to jog the sand with Charlie the Dog, and take coffee breaks with my husband—so adore that man!

I love walking on the beach and feeling the power of the sea! As we close, is there anything else you would like to add?

Just that I hope people reading this are encouraged to follow their heart’s desires with the Good Shepherd as their guide. God took all the lows and highs in my life and created something new with them. Although I’d always wanted to write, I had no inkling that I’d be writing beach- themed novels one day. I just kept praying and writing and seeking until an idea popped into my head. I followed that idea, and now find myself talking about my fifth novel filled with ‘waves of grace.’ Be encouraged!

About the Book

How do you restore a soul? One brush stroke at a time …

Suz Mitchell is a determined dreamer, and won’t allow her ex-husband’s jail sentence to ruin their young son Jeremiah’s life. An accomplished artist, Suz moves with her child across the country to California’s central coast, and lands a job restoring priceless art for the historic Hearst Castle overlooking the sea.


But even dreams have shocking twists. To her surprise, a serious old flame, Seth, works at the castle and jumbles the new aspirations in Suz’s heart. While sorting through their past and a palette of spiritual differences, an even bigger brush with yesterday awaits. Suz must learn to let God be the true restorer of all that once seemed lost.



My Review

This was my first book by Julie that I've read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It's a relaxed read full of stunning coastal details. I could just picture those sea anemone when Suz was at the beach. I loved how she road out on her bike each morning for exercise, but getting that much needed quiet time to contemplate all of life's twists and turns. She's an amazing character who has suffered many losses and the way Julie depicts her enduring faith is quite real. 

Former beau, Seth, mysteriously starts appearing every where she goes and she doesn't quite know what to think of that. He's not the same impulsive young man he once was since he's dealing with his own ghosts of the past. His faith has been shaken and he doesn't know how to deal with the anger and grief. During his quiet and contemplative moments you just want to reach out and give him a hug, telling him Who to lean on. 

Julie does an excellent job of weaving contemporary issues into an intricate story of love, loss and restoration.

Thank you, Julie and B&H Publishing for providing me with an ARC! I was under no obligation to write a positive review. It is my honest opinion.

To purchase: B&H Publishing Group, Amazon

To Read an Excerpt: Amazon

Website: http://www.juliecarobini.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fade-Blue-Otter-Bay-Novel/dp/0805448748/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_5

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Fade-to-Blue/Julie-Carobini/e/9780805448740/?itm=2

CBD.com: http://www.christianbook.com/fade-to-blue-otter-bay/julie-carobini/9780805448740/pd/448743?item_code=WW&netp_id=864211&event=EBRN&view=details

I know contemporary fiction lovers will enjoy this book. Julie is giving away a copy, so be sure and leave a comment.

MANDATORY - PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT About the interview for your name to be entered in the drawing.

DRAWING WILL BE - JUNE 4th


For an EXTRA CHANCE to win this book you can


Become a FOLLOWER of my blog (1) entry - please make a separate comment.
(Use (At) and (dot) so that people won't be able to spam your email address) - I will contact the winner and need to hear from them within 48 hours to claim their prize!
Winners chosen using Randomnumber.org.

Photo credits:
 
Hearst Castle~ Art Works Magazine
sea anemone~ National Geographic
rocks/waves~ Public Domain - Jon Sullivan
beach~ Public Domain - Leon Brooks

~no copyright infringement intended~

PLEASE REMEMBER to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win !

Ready to go to the beach yet?

Have a great day in the Lord!