This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Growing up on a farm in Brockville, Illinois, did not prepare Colleen O’Brien Adler to be the wife of a wealthy entertainment lawyer living in Chicago. It certainly didn’t prepare her to be Dinah Adler’s daughter-in-law. The stay-at-home mother of two has more than she’s ever wanted—a personal stylist, a prestigious country club membership, a multimillion-dollar home—but she finds herself not only struggling with depression and body image but also failing as a parent and fearing for her marriage. Her life is about to change when an invitation to a wellness meeting arrives in her inbox. With some coaxing from personal coach Kory Stone, she commits to a new beginning. But will she be able to overcome the things that are holding her back?
Excerpt
“How many of you are here to lose weight?” Kory asked.
Colleen raised her hand along with every other woman in the room. Noticing how skinny over half the room was, Colleen wondered why they were raising their hand.
“While your goal is weight loss, my goal is to help you find yourself, your true self,” Kory said.
“What if our true self just needs to lose weight?” Beth said.
The women around the table laughed. Kory smiled at her. “I want to help you see beyond your physical body and dig deep into what makes your heart happy.”
Beth’s smile faded as she considered Kory’s words. Colleen had no idea what made her heart happy. She loved the girls and Jay. They made her happy. They also made her exhausted. Besides her bed, a vanilla latte and a bottle of wine, she couldn’t put her finger on anything that truly made her happy.
“The hardest part about finding out what makes you happy is being truthful about what isn’t making you happy,” Kory said. “In order to lose weight and keep it off, you have to commit to working hard to overcome the things that are holding you back.”
Colleen wasn’t sure she could commit to doing whatever work Kory was talking about. Some things in her life were too difficult to overcome.
Interview
Tell us about your book, what inspired it?
Blooming Into Life is a story about Colleen Adler. She’s a farm girl that grows up to marry a wealthy lawyer living in Chicago. As a stay-at-home mother of two, she has more than she’s ever wanted—a personal stylist, a prestigious country club membership, a multimillion-dollar home—but finds herself not only struggling with depression and body image but also failing as a parent and fearing for her marriage. Her life is about to change when an invitation to a wellness meeting arrives in her inbox. With some coaxing from personal coach Kory Stone, she commits to a new beginning. Some of the things she must overcome seem impossible.
My work as a wellness coach inspired my story. I began noticing how many women (myself included) measure their self-worth by the number on the scales, the price tag of their clothing, and the status of the social group they belong to. I realized this was all in the name of acceptance. So, I decided to write a story about a woman searching for acceptance.
Tell us about the cover and the inspiration for it.
I love flowers and, therefore, so does Colleen. The book begins in the springtime in Chicago. After a long winter, Colleen looks forward to the blooming gardens. Just like the new plants, her seeds are planted and she begins to bloom. I’ve always loved vintage seed packets so I wanted a cover that was similar.
What do you think of “trailers” for books?
I think book trailers are fun. I would love to create one for Blooming Into Life.
Favorite book to recommend?
I’m currently reading Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown. It’s a personal development book that Colleen would have benefitted from.
What are you working on next?
I’m working on a fiction story about a former professional hockey player Matt Klein that dies suddenly, leaving behind his beautiful wife Sydney and ten-year-old son Jack. Sydney wants to be closer to her parents and her late husband’s best friend – who happens to be the director of Chicago’s elite hockey program, so she moves with Jack to Chicago. While trying to navigate the politics of the hockey club, the absurd amount of pressure the hockey organization puts on the kids, and deal with the jealous behavior of fellow parents over her son’s hockey talent, she finds herself in the middle of power couple Dr. Pete and Margo Deveraux’s divorce.
Do you have a favorite quote?
“Embrace the glorious mess that you are.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
Any last words?
Blooming Into Life is meant to be a fun and light read that warms your heart and leaves you feeling inspired.
About the Author
Giveaway
Kristie will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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