Hi everyone! Today I am so excited to welcome back the fabulous Poppy Dennison! Poppy is here to talk to us more about the latest book in her fabulous Triad series, Wild Magic. She has also brought a copy to give away to one lucky reader. And we get a crazy story about her high school love! So please join me in giving Poppy a big welcome!
Never Say Goodbye
So, I have a question for all of you. For those of you who didn’t end up with your high school sweetheart (yes, Lara Brukz and Jay, this excludes you!), do you ever wonder what would happen if you suddenly met up with them again? I’m kind of hoping you say yes. Um, ‘cause otherwise I’m going to feel like a bit of a goober…. Since I just happened to avoid my 20th high school reunion (whew, that was close… I mean, darn it! Why didn’t I know in time to go?), I thought I’d share a little “Poppy History” and a bit of the inspiration for my new Dreamspinner release, Wild Magic.
See, I have one of those high school sweetheart who got away stories. You want to know the real reason I became a romance author? It’s because I have such a great high school sweetheart story! So, picture me, sporting a bit of an early 80s Madonna look. (Okay, so maybe you don’t want to picture that….) But yes, lots of bracelets and neon and mile high bangs….
Problem was, my family moved the summer before my first year of high school! So I was starting all over again, having to meet new friends and try to find my way past the scary world of high school. (It didn’t help that my dad told me that my new high school’s mascot was a gopher. And I believed him. I was traumatized. How could I be all “GO Gophers”????)
I survived the first few weeks of school with only a few minor hiccups. And then came Homecoming. Oh My God. My first big high school dance! So I get all dolled up (with more hairspray and bracelets than usual) and went to the big game….and I forgot my ticket! (Some things never change…) But then… standing outside the door, wondering what on earth to do, this absolutely adorable guy came up to me and offered me his extra ticket. It seemed his girlfriend at the time had stood him up, and he’d heard about my dilemma. Go on, you can awwwww….. I’ll wait….
We went inside and were doing our awkward, um, I mean awesome teenage dancing to the best of the 80s, when…oh yeah…Bon Jovi came on. You know the ones. The power ballad. Yeah. One of those. Never Say Goodbye to be precise. Swoons. I still can’t hear the song without getting that little butterfly thing in my stomach.
Now, being the wild and bold thing I was, I decided to be brave. See, my ticket-saving hero just happened to be standing by himself along the side. So I went and asked him to dance. Oh yeah. I so did. And I even cleverly couched it in “I just wanted to thank you for the ticket”. I’ve got moves, I tell ya, MOVES.
So we danced. And then danced some more. And danced a little more. AND THEN HIS GIRLFRIEND SHOWED UP! OMG! The drama! There was screaming and I felt so awful and it was a MOMENT! But then he glared at her and said that I’d been nicer to him in the short time I’d known him then she’d been in the entire two weeks they’d been dating! So he dumped her right then and there, grabbed my hand, and led me back onto the dance floor!
We dated all four years of high school. *happy sigh* The memories!
So what’s this got to do with anything? Well, in Wild Magic, the newest addition to my TRIAD series, Joseph Anderson meets up with one of his old high school buddies—the one that got away. He’d had a crush on Dominick but then Dominick ended their friendship for no reason. Years later, and the two meet up again when Joseph learns Dominick’s biggest secret—he’s a mountain lion shifter. Joseph wants to help Dominick take care of his recently orphaned nephews, but the feelings from the past are holding him back. What’s a guy to do? Who knows, maybe things will get a little wild!
Now how about a little contest? Answer the following question and give a brief explanation.
Would you want to get back together with your high school sweetheart?
I’ll go first. Yep, because he really was very romantic. I need a little more of that from the men in my life these days!
Blurb
Joseph Anderson was heartbroken when his childhood best friend Dominick Levent moved away. Years later, Joseph is a successful real estate broker with good friends, an easy smile, and a stunning house. When he finds a dying mountain lion who miraculously shifts into Dominick’s sister, Joseph must find Dominick and reunite him with the two young sons she left behind.
When mountain lion shifter Dominick gets a call telling him his sister is dead, he rushes home to protect his nephews and avenge his sister. Seeing Joseph brings back the feelings Dominick tried to bury and he dares to hope Joseph’s newfound knowledge of shifters means they can finally be together.
Bio
A sassy southern lady, Poppy Dennison developed an obsession with things that go bump in the night in her early years after a barn door flew off its hinges and nearly squashed her. Convinced it was a ghost trying to get her attention, she started looking for other strange and mysterious happenings around her. Not satisfied with what she found, Poppy has traveled to Greece, Malaysia and England to find inspiration for the burly bears and silver foxes that melt her butter. Her love of paranormal continues to flourish nearly thirty years later, and she writes steamy love stories about the very things that used to keep her up all night. If her childhood ghost is lucky, maybe one day she’ll give him his own happily ever after.
Visit her on her web site:http://poppydennison.com/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/poppydennison,
- Twitter:https://twitter.com/PoppyDennison
- Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5108648.Poppy_Dennison
Giveaway
Poppy is offering up a copy of Wild Magic to one lucky winner. If you want, you can share with us the answer to her question: Would you like to get back together with your high school sweetheart? Or you can just leave a comment to enter. The contest closes on Saturday, September 28th at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- 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.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
The short answer is no, I would not want to get back together with my high school sweetheart. (too complicated on many different levels! >.<)
I love and adore my husband and would not give him up for the chance to go back to someone I outgrew a long time ago.
Kassandra
sionedkla@gmail.com
Aww! That’s so sweet Kassandra! Nothing like seeing what you have now to make you realize how great you have it! <3 Good luck!
I didn’t actually have a high school sweetheart. I was too busy studying and being terribly shy and awkward. Wild Magic sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win!
I probably should have studied a little more, Antonia! Thanks for entering! Good luck!
I did marry one of my two high school sweethearts, took us going our separate ways until we were 30 but now married for 15 years. He tells everyone he was just waiting for me to grow up and realize what I wanted. Yeah, we will go with that *snorts*
Do not enter me in the contest since I work for Poppy I disqualify myself.
I should have added you to the high school sweethearts list, Annette! I love your story though! <3
I didn’t have a high school sweetheart but your story is really sweet. Count me in for the drawing.
Thanks Kim! I love telling that story. One of these days I’ll share the big dramatic break up. LOL Good luck!
That is a great story!
I didn’t really have a high school sweetheart but I did date someone right after high school that I still know. And no, I would not get back together with him. I broke up with him to date my husband and every day I know that was the right decision. I am very lucky to have had such an amazing and wonderful man in my life all these years!
Sometimes are high school sweeties are just prep for the real thing! I’m glad you’re lucky in love! Good luck.
I didn’t have a high school sweetheart. I went to a single-sex school for my 4 years of high school so there wasn’t much opportunity to meet the opposite sex. Not to add in that I’m horribly introvert .
Wild Magic sounds really good though. Please count me in for the giveaway. Thank you =)
Oh noes! A same sex school! LOL. Good luck in the giveaway!!
No high-school sweetheart for me, since I was pretty geeky! But please count me in…
You’re in, Trix. I was a bit geeky too. 🙂 Good luck!
Hi Poppy,
Alas, lot of friends in high school who were boys, but no sweethearts. Not until the summer I graduated. While we on vacation at my parents’ favorite lodge in central Idaho (we lived in CA), I met Garn, a college student, intern Forest Ranger, and musician. I thought I’d fallen in love. I’m sure it colored my decision to attend college in Boise, ID. 🙂 Met up with him once during my first semester…he was up in Boise from Logan UT (Utah St Uni) on a band gig at a local bar/restaurant. I was very young and naive, but knew he was way to “worldly” for me. That was that.
Would I like to meet him again? Hell no! LOL, I found the Love of My Life at age 42 and married him years ago. I am one of the luckiest women to walk this earth.
Awww! What a great story Kathleen! Good luck in the giveaway, although it sounds like you’re lucky enough as it is! *g*
Well, since I didn’t have one (I am sooooo not a social butterfly), I guess my answer has to be no!
LOL! That’s okay, Ashley! Good luck on the contest. 🙂
There was this awkward boy who had a huge crush on me all through elementary school. He moved in middle school, so I didn’t see him for 3 years, but he moved back just in time for high school and Oh. My. God. He had turned into a total hottie! We were only together for a couple months before we mutually broke it off for lack of passion. I wouldn’t mind getting back with him, but I’m so happy with my man now, I’m gonna go with no (: Thanks for the chance to win this book!
Oh the awkward to hottie! I need to write that story one day! Thanks for sharing and good luck!
I didn’t have a high school sweetheart so no I wouldn’t 😉
LOL. You’re forgiven Penumbra! Not everyone gets to have one I suppose. Good luck on the contest. 🙂
I hope to meet up with him in the next life as he was killed in Cambodia in the late 1960s on a mission with Air America. From what I heard from a mutual friend he is not on the wall as his death does not count for Viet Nam. Damned CIA operations. While I have had a fairly production life I can’t help wondering what might have been.
Awww! My heart just broke for you! I hope you meet him again some day too!
Your book sounds wonderful. I would never want to get back together with my high school sweetheart.
Thank you DebraG! Most of my friends said they’d never get back together either! (And why am I now singing Taylor Swift? NOOOOOO. We-eeee are never ever ever….make it stop!!)
Yes – I would love to! He is one of those people who when I saw over the years it was like we just say each other yesterday. Too bad it didn’t work out. Though we were so young and it’s been so long, I’m wondering if we would even have anything to talk about. 🙂
I worry about the same thing, Susan R! Wonder why mine would say if he found out I’m a romance writer sharing our story on the internet? *he he he*
No high school sweetheart. I would love to win this book, so I have all my fingers and toes crossed.
Last month, I read the first three books straight through in days, which shows how consumed I was about the Triad storyline since I usually take a break after book 2 to read a different type of book.
I didn’t know there was going to be more books, but I’m excited about it. How many books to you expect in the series?
Hey Jbst! Thanks so much for the Triad love. Well…I expected only three and then there were 4….and now I think there’s going to be one more! LOL. I’ve been working on plotting the next (and probably the final) book in the Triad world. It’s tentatively titled “Dark Magic”. I’m hoping it will be out next spring/summer. 🙂
I didn’t have a high school sweetheart, I’ve actually yet to date, I’m shy but also a bitch. This means I don’t meet new people & the old ones don’t like me… I went to prom with my best single female friends and one friend with her boyfriend. Nothing romantic at all has ever happened to me. But having a high school sweetheart sounds great!
You’ll find your sweetheart Juliana! I have no doubt! 🙂 Good luck in the contest!
I wouldn’t want to get back with my high school sweetie…he was a jerk! Hot, but a jerk. Not a good idea 🙂
Michelle
Oh the hot jerk! Yeah….those are common. I have one or two of those in my past as well. 🙂 Good luck in the contest!
I don’t have high school sweethearts but crushes? Definitely, but it may be awkward to hook up now.
Oh yeah. I might have maybe possibly based one of my characters on a former crush. He he he. But yes, awkward. I agree! Good luck in the contest!
I never really had a high school sweetheart. I had one boyfriend in high school, and while I like him and care about him, I don’t think it would work between us. But, there’s a part of me that wishes we could get a second chance, see where it would go.
tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
I’m with you Emily. I don’t think it would work, but a part of me does wonder! Good luck in the contest!!
OH mine, Gerhard! omg he was my first everything, drunk to when it came to that, now he is playing in some heavy metal band and I don’t exist according to his world but if I wasn’t married yes I’d so hook up again i still know which buttons to press to make him go all giddy!
Don’t have to enter me into the competition, Hubby is buying me a copy or he will lose a finger or two.
LOL. I can imagine you with a heavy metal rocker when you were younger! Course now I agree that your hubby is perfect for you. (Even if he has to lose a finger or two! LOL)
Hmmm. Don’t know if this counts. I didn’t have a high school sweetheart but when I was a freshmen in college my boyfriend was a senior in high school. We stayed together and are still together. We have weathered a lot of problems but I wouldn’t change a thing.
That totally counts Chris! Awww! I love your story. 🙂
I didn’t really have a high school sweetheart. I had a best friend. Everyone thought we were a couple but we weren’t. Last I heard he was out of the closet & doing well, so while I might like to hear how he is doing , I think I will stick with my husband.
That’s so cool Traci! I might have to look up my high school bestie now just to see how she’s doing! Very sweet! But yes, stick to your hubby. 😀