Guest Post & Giveaway | Summer at Paradise Ranch by R. Barri Flowers
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Summer at Paradise Ranch
by R. Barri Flowers
From R. Barri Flowers, author of the bestselling teen novels, COUNT DRACULA’S TEENAGE DAUGHTER, TEEN GHOST AT DEAD LAKE, and OUT FOR BLOOD, come the start of an exciting new young adult adventure series, SUMMER AT PARADISE RANCH.
Four months shy of turning sixteen, Lexi Montoya was still trying to come to terms with her parents’ divorce and her mom’s remarriage to a man she met online, relocating to Maui, Hawaii.
Choosing to remain with her dad in Seattle, Lexi had planned to spend her first summer since the divorce hanging out with her boyfriend, Matt, and best friend, Robin. But her dad had other plans, insisting she spend the summer visiting her mom and stepdad at his ranch called Paradise Ranch in Wailuku, in west Maui.
Lexi went there with an attitude. Then she meets a cute Hawaiian guy named Mitsuo, is thrown into a love triangle, become friends with a teen girl living on a ranch next door, April; rides her first horse– an Arabian mare named Poppy– learns to hula dance and surf, and finds herself embroiled in a dangerous rescue mission when Poppy and another horse named Casper go missing from her stepfather’s ranch.
By the time her tropical summer adventure comes to an end, Lexi hates to leave Maui and say goodbye to Mitsuo. But can she stay when Matt is waiting for her back at home to pick up where they left off? Or will he lose her to a summer romance?
SUMMER AT PARADISE RANCH is a great coming of age adventure with young romance and mystery in paradise. Now in eBook, print, and audio.
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Guest Post
Behind the Scenes of Summer at Paradise Ranch
The inspiration for SUMMER AT PARADISE RANCH was my love for Maui, Hawaii, and sense of adventure. As a part time resident of the magnificent, charming island, with its laidback atmosphere and diversity, including working horse and cattle ranches, luxury and not so luxurious homes, sandy white beaches, the vast beauty of the ocean, the merging of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures--and of course, hula dancing--all made for the perfect setting for this young adult romance and adventure novel with a touch of mystery and suspense.
Also, similar to my protagonist, Lexi Montoya, I have lived in the Pacific Northwest, which has its own claim to beauty and charm--making for a great place for Lexi to live (Seattle), before being forced to spend the summer in Maui with her mother, who divorced her dad and remarried a Hawaiian rancher she met over the Internet.
Having Lexi resistant to going to Maui was as much about her love for Seattle and her boyfriend, Matt, as the beef she has against her mom for essentially abandoning. The irony here is that most people would jump at the chance to spend the summer in Hawaii, but Lexi’s feelings in this regard went against the grain initially--till she arrives in paradise and begins to warm up to the idea of the forced vacation.
One of the best things about Hawaii is that it offers so many great activities, such as riding horses, surfing, swimming, hanging out on beach, shopping, eating, and hula dancing. I utilized all of these things in the storyline for Lexi as she gets in touch with the culture and her surroundings -- learning to ride a horse, surf, and hula dance, while also falling for a cute Hawaiian teenager named Mitsuo.
As to the broken home Lexi comes from, knowing that this is all too common in America, I wanted to make her life something that many teens face today with all the angst that comes from it and dealing with.
Finally, no young adult novel would be complete without the protagonist facing a bit of danger. In this case, Lexi and Mitsuo go after some stolen horses, that becomes more than either bargained for.
This was a great novel to write and I am know that readers will love it, as I take full advantage of the incredible Maui setting in creating a realistic, fun, and romantic teen adventure.
About the Author
R. Barri Flowers is the bestselling author of young adult novels, including OUT FOR BLOOD, COUNT DRACULA’S TEENAGE DAUGHTER, TEEN GHOST AT DEAD LAKE, GHOST GIRL IN SHADOW BAY, DANGER IN TIME, andCHRISTMAS WISHES: Laura’s Story. His novels can be found in print, eBook, and audio. In addition to bookstores, many of the titles can be found at public libraries across the country.
The author has also written a number of bestselling teen and young adult related nonfiction books as well, including RUNAWAY KIDS AND TEENAGE PROSTITUTION, KIDS WHO COMMIT ADULT CRIMES, and CHILDREN AND CRIMINALITY.
Follow R. Barri Flowers on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest Goodreads, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, LibraryThing,Flickr,and www.rbarriflowers.net. And learn more about the author in Wikipedia.
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