Blog Tour: A Friendly Engagement by Christine Warner (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Title: A Friendly Engagement
Author: Christine Warner
Series: Friends First, #1
Publisher: Entangled
Publication Date: June 23, 2015

Synopsis: What's a little engagement between friends? 

Omar Esterly is married to his job. But when Omar sets his sights on a potential, family-oriented client, his confirmed bachelorhood becomes a problem. Fortunately, his friend and employee, Devi Boss, has the perfect plan...

Okay, so it wasn't exactly Devi's plan to become her friend's fake fiancée. Lies aren't her style. However, Omar offers her a big, beautiful raise - enough to track down the missing father she's never known - and Devi reluctantly agrees to the whole engagement hoax... 

This was supposed to be a no-strings-attached win-win for both Devi and Omar, but when they cross the line between friendship and...well, something more, Devi realizes she's made a huge mistake that just might cost her both job and friend - falling for her fiancé.

About the Author: Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends. Besides laughing and a good round of humor, Christine enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines. A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, Christine enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Guest Post:

Today I’d like to talk about dedications. I think it’s one of the little features in almost every book that is often overlooked. I always check out the dedication page when I sit down with a new book. 

Why?

Because I love reading those passages, and I marvel at how a few well chosen words can say so much about the author and the people they dedicate their work to.

After my first book was accepted for publication I didn’t have to think twice about who would get the coveted dedication page. The hard part was deciding what to say without getting to wordy or to sappy. (Both bad habits of mine) My sister was the tank of strength in the bumpy journey I jumped on in the pursuit of becoming a writer and then taking the final plunge into publication. I couldn’t have done any of it without her encouragement and support.

My second book, I had no other option but dedicating my work to my awesome daughter. As a baby she was my pride and joy, as she grew to a pre-teen and then a teenager we had our share of battles. She’s now a young adult, making her way out in the world. Through all the changes we’ve held one steady constant—our love for each other that has carried us through trying times and into a strong friendship.

My third book was dedicated to two very important people in my life that left this earth to soon—my mom and dad. I miss them every day.

The fourth book I wrote was dedicated to all my wonderful readers. And every time I think of this dedication I smile. There’s nothing better than hearing from readers, and knowing that I might have brightened their day with one of my stories.

Now that my fifth book has burst onto the scene—and a sixth and seventh are on the horizon—I didn’t have to think too hard to decide who I’d dedicate my books to. Although, I do admit about worrying if I’ll get the words right.

I won’t reveal the dedications for books two and three in the Friends First series, but I do want to share my dedication for book one, A Friendly Engagement:

To my very special niece and nephew who have given me many smiles through the years as I’ve watched them grow into the amazing people they are today. 

My beautiful niece, Cassandra Devi Rianna Singh-Suwal, who has the strength to do things her own way, and my awe-inspiring nephew, Cristendra Raj Singh-Suwal, who has the biggest heart of anyone I know. 

I love you both. 

If you’ll notice my heroine in A Friendly Engagement shares my niece’s middle name of Devi. Besides dedications, I love “borrowing” traits, names, and characteristics from those in my life.

Are you like me and look forward to that sneak peek into an author’s thoughts by reading their dedication? Or do you skip the dedication page altogether?

I bet after reading this, you’ll check out a few if you haven’t before.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-Kristen ♥