Thankful Author 2016- Carrie Pulkinen

I am thankful for so many things in my life: my family, friends, all the wonderful opportunities I've had to travel and learn new things. But for this post, I'd like to focus specifically on the people who have helped me make this year a successful writing year.

My first book was published in 2010. I had six stories published with the same small press, but they went out of business in 2015. Life had happened in between, and I hadn't written anything new in a few years. And when the press went under, I felt a bit lost. I wasn't a published author anymore. I wasn't even a writer.

So in January 2016, I decided to do something about it. I signed up for a creative writing class at a local community college, and I started writing something completely new. I'm very thankful for my husband, Michel, because he encourages me to keep writing and provides me with the wonderful opportunity to work on my books full-time.

I'm also thankful for my friend Missy. She's a fantastic cheerleader and helps keep my spirits up when the rejections roll in (I'm trying to get an agent, which is no easy task), and she introduced me to my critique partner, Erin.

I don't think my year would have been a quarter as successful as it has been if it weren't for Erin. She encouraged me to send my previously published work to another press, and now I'm not just a writer, I'm a published author again. I can trust Erin for an honest critique of my stories, and she sandwiches the negative comments in between plenty of positives to keep me from giving up.

I'm thankful for The Wild Rose Press for taking a chance on my writing and for my editor, Eilidh for putting up with all the changes I wanted to make. I'm also thankful for my friend Jeana, who has read every word I've ever written and found more typos than I thought I could ever make.

 This has been a great start for getting my writing career back on track, and I can't wait to see what next year brings!

Title: Reawakened

Author: Carrie Pulkinen

Release Date: November 18, 2016

Blurb:

Jules Hume lives in a world where magic is a myth and supernatural creatures are fiction—or so she thinks. As a strong, independent woman, a relationship is the last thing she needs. Then she meets Ian Kincaid, a mysteriously sexy bachelor with otherworldly charm. She's instantly enamored of him, drawn by an inexplicable magnetism. Ian awakens something magical inside her, opening her mind to things she never thought possible. Things that shouldn't be possible. But Ian has secrets Jules is better off not knowing. The truth will tear her world apart, making her question everything she once knew to be real.

Excerpt:

“Who is that?”

Beth looked up to see who I was talking about. “Oh. Umm…that’s just Ian. He owns the place…So, Mom. Have you worked on any interesting cases at work?” She was trying to draw my attention away from the gorgeous man.

“He’s beautiful.” I wasn’t interested in talking about work. I wanted to know more about Ian. “Is he married?”

“No, but Mom. Seriously. Don’t waste your time.”

“He doesn’t…date,” Cameron added.

“Is he gay?” I spared a glance for Cameron to see his reaction but quickly fixed my gaze back on Ian.

“No. He’s definitely not gay.” Cameron chuckled. “He’s just very…picky.”

“Picky. Hmm…”

And then it happened. Ian looked right at me. Our eyes met, and something inside me burned. It started in my core, and a heat pulsed out through me. My body ached to be close to him. I shivered, and he smiled. I smiled back, then looked away; the intensity of the eye contact was too much for me. If I believed in love at first sight, I would have said this was it. But I didn’t…believe in love at first sight, that is.

“He’s coming over here,” I whispered to Beth.

“Uh-oh.” She looked at Cameron.

“Beth, Cameron, it is so good to see you,” Ian said. He looked at each of them, and then his eyes focused on me as he spoke. “You must introduce me to your friend, Beth.”

I felt electricity prickling my skin, and it gave me goose bumps. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Even under the dress shirt and tie, I could tell his body was exquisite. My fingers twitched with the urge to touch him.

“This is my mom, Jules. Mom, this is Ian.” She looked at him incredulously; then she looked at me and back at Ian again.

“May I join you?” Ian asked as he pulled out the empty chair. He didn’t wait for an answer. “Is Jules short for another name?”

“It’s Juliann, but everyone calls me Jules.”

“Juliann.” The syllables rolled off his tongue like music. My heart melted when he said my name. “Cameron, will you please go tell the kitchen to make two of whatever Juliann has ordered?”

“Of course,” Cameron said, and he hurried off obediently.

“Beth, you did not tell me you had such a beautiful mother. How could you keep such a secret from me?” He smiled beautifully as he spoke, and I was enamored. Beth was shocked.

“Umm…Sorry?”

He laughed a deep, masculine laugh and touched her shoulder. “Do not apologize, Beth. I’m only teasing you.” Then he turned to me and took my hand. He raised it up to his mouth and gently kissed it. “You are a vision of beauty, Juliann. I must get to know you better. Are you free tomorrow night?”

I felt my eyes growing wide as I tried to force myself to speak. I couldn’t get the words out; I was so flustered by the magnificent man sitting next to me. Luckily, the waiter brought out our food, so I had a little time to compose an answer…or at least to compose a coherent sentence.

“Umm…Yeah, I think I’m available.”

“Wonderful,” he replied with a dazzling smile.

Buy Links: 

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0HIKM6

The Wild Rose Press: 

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4675-reawakened.html

Author Bio:

Carrie Pulkinen has always been fascinated with the paranormal. Of course, when you grow up next door to a cemetery, the dead (and the undead) are hard to ignore. Pair that with her passion for writing, and you've got the perfect recipe for an exciting storyteller. 

Carrie spent the first part of her professional life as a high school journalism and yearbook teacher. She loves red wine and chocolate, and in her free time, she likes to read, take pictures, and play with her kids.

Website: http://www.CarriePulkinen.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CarriePulkinen

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CarriePulkinen