Today I am so pleased to welcome Meg Harding to Joyfully Jay. Meg Harding has come to talk to us about her book Accepting the Fall. She has also brought along some books to give away. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

Everyone loves a firefighter, right? They’re a popular romance hero, a television dramas bread and butter, and an animal rescues wet dream. If you’re not reading about them in a book, chances are you’re watching one of the many nighttime dramas that revolve around them or you’re viewing a video on Facebook of them holding a bunch of tiny puppies and kittens that are up for adoption. It’s hard not to like them. They’re men in uniform who frequently save the day. They’ll get you out of a burning building, and they’ll rescue your cat from the tree it’s stuck in. That’s heroic and sweet. It’s a pretty irresistible package.

So where did the inspiration for Zander come from? As an author you’d think my answer would be I was inspired by the no doubt thousands of fictional firefighters out there. Alas, I fall into the too cute Facebook video category. If you put animals and a guy with a body that could rival Thor’s together, I’m a goner. So somewhere between the Charleston calendar (https://bit.ly/2IXtU2V) and this Australian calendar (https://bit.ly/2GXJVcG), I got a little addicted. I’m not normally a sucker for a man in uniform, but firefighters have always been an exception.

Zander was a challenge for me to write—perhaps the biggest one I’ve given myself. My knowledge of firefighting goes about as far as a show I watched maybe seven years ago and a few works of fiction that I can honestly barely remember. This meant I had to do research, which if you know me, you know I don’t like doing. This was the least challenging aspect of his character, however. Zander’s a father, a single one at that, and that was difficult to write. I wanted him to be a good parent, but I didn’t want it to be easy. His daughter isn’t a background character, she’s a main character. She’s shaped who Zander’s become as a person. It was important to me that I do their relationship justice. And his career, life risking that it is, plays a huge part in their dynamic.

I’ve never written a kid as more than a very minor background character before, and I found with Zander I wanted his story to be more than just him and Cole. His job played a big part in that. Being a single parent is easy, but being a single parent whose shifts last for days and whose job includes putting his life on the line? That’s a lot to deal with. It was important to me that I showed the conflict that created—a conflict that plays a big part in Accepting the Fall. Zander is a lot more than just his career.

Don’t worry, though. Zander has plenty of Alpha moments throughout the novel and he’s seen in uniform several times. You even get to see him with puppies. In a very typical fashion for how I write, Zander is a little bit of all the tropes I like, and I truly hope I did him justice.


Blurb

eAcceptingtheFallConfronting the past is never easy.

Cole Whitaker is happy. He has the job and boyfriend he always wanted. His heart’s in no danger of being broken, and he can’t ask for more from life. As a kindergarten teacher, he sees it all; however, one troublesome student has him reaching out to the parent, wanting to help. There’s something about Savanah that tugs at his heartstrings.

He never expected her father.

Zander Brooks hasn’t had an easy life, and he’s made some mistakes. Freshly retired from the military and working as a firefighter, Zander thought he’d left Cole in the rearview mirror. He’s not expecting him to appear in St. Petersburg, Florida, of all places, teaching his daughter’s kindergarten class. Suddenly, his biggest mistake is being shoved in his face.

This is Zander’s chance to close a door he’d never fully shut, but time with his former flame might change his mind.


Bio

IMG_1684Meg Harding is a sucker for things on four legs and works as a pet sitter when she’s not writing. She’s an editor and a lover of fanfiction. She enjoys the theatre, concerts, and lazing about in front of the TV. Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF and Anglia Ruskin, with a bachelors in Psych and a masters in publishing. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

Connect with Meg Harding: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Giveaway

Meg has brought two backlist books to give away along her tour. Just follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • By entering you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions set out by Rafflecopter for entries.
  • Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
  • Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
  • By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
  • Void where prohibited by law.
FILED UNDER: Giveaway, Guest Post
TAGGED: