Five Fun Facts about Makenzie Smith’s latest book release, Free Falling + a signed book giveaway!

 <— JUST WENT LIVE TODAY!! YAY ME!!!

I read Makenzie’s first book in this series, soon after it’s release (back in December 2014) ’cause that cover had my attention. Gorgeous, serene, and it looked like it could be emotionally deep. but it was the blurb that had me. And it delivered! Here’s my review.

SO when I found out she was releasing another book – also a standalone, with an equally gorgeous book cover, and an even MORE intense synopsis that TOTALLY gave me a blurb jolt, I knew I had to read it, too!!

My heart was intact, unbroken, whole.
No man had ever claimed it.
And then I met Wally.
I willingly fell for him, giving myself with eager hands.
He was wild and stunning, the most extraordinary man I’d ever known.
It was perfect. It was beautiful.
And then he destroyed it.

Oomph!!! Boy can this lady can write a blurb, or what?! Short, sweet, to the point but with TONS of angst so readily waiting for us… So before I (or maybe WE!!!) jump in, I asked her to send over a little sneak peek at the author, and the inspiration “behind” the book.

Fun facts/inspiration …for my new book Free Falling by Makenzie Smith

1.) Wally’s love interest, Kristen, is named after my best friend. When she read Starting Fires she became obsessed with him. There was no other way around it. They belonged together.

2.) Wally is a sky-dive instructor. I’ve never been skydiving because I am WAYYYYY to chicken. To do research on it, I watched dozens of YouTube videos and visited every blog I could find. I’m still too terrified, but if I was strapped to him, I might consider it.

3.) I made up his last name. Nikolokakis. I wasn’t even sure it was a true surname, but in my head I’d referred to him as that so often, I couldn’t call him anything else. Later, I did a google search and found two people who shared it. He’s unique. And it was perfect.

4.) Wally’s story was originally very different. I had started and re-started it numerous times before finding the voice it needed. Eventually, I threw out the entire outline and started over from scratch. After that, it clicked. Everything fell into place, and I completed the first draft in just over 30 days. They inspired me.

5.) Two more books are going to be released in this “series”. And I’m already about half-way finished with the third!

My inspiration for Starting Fires and Free Falling has been simple: People. No tricks. No gimmicks. Just people. These stories are about you. Or me. Or the person sitting across from you. They’re about finding the one person in the world who sees through your bullshit and gets you. Falling in love is the greatest force on earth. It doesn’t matter who you are—man, woman—love drives us. It makes us do stupid things. It makes us crazy. But it also gives us purpose, meaning. Capturing that, feeling that, living that…it’s the best feeling in the world. I write because it’s what my heart aches to do. It’s what my mind thinks about when I’m trying to sleep.

I used to make up stories in my head—outlandish, ridiculous, fantastic stories. I thought I was crazy. Weird. I’d spend whole hours daydreaming. Then one day, I put those stories on paper, and there’s no going back. I feel whole when I write, so I’ll continue to. Wally is fascinating to me. He was always easy to love, but harder to keep.

Now for the signed book giveaway!!

Look what the author has for us! Two signed copies of Free Falling, three kindle or nook copies, and a signed copy of both Starting Fires and Free Falling.

How to enter for a chance to win? Just leave a comment below and by 10pm EST, Sunday August 23rd 2015, I will randomly select one winner for the signed set, two winners to each receive a signed copy of this new release, and three winners to each receive an ebook version of this new release.

The winners will be contacted and will have 48hrs to respond with a mailing address (or confirm their email address), so if you are picked, do not delay or you will lose your chance. This book will be sent to the winners directly by the author.

Giveaway open to US only for the mailed signed books, however it’s open to anyone that can receive one of the ebooks if they win.

ALSO! The author says: More opportunities to win on my Instagram @makenzieherself or my facebook facebook.com/authormakenziesmith