Becoming
His by Mariah Dietz Promo Blitz –
Title: Becoming His
Author: Mariah Dietz
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release
Day: December 1,
2014
Synopsis:
Sometimes life’s unforeseen paths lead us to
discovering sides of ourselves we never knew existed.
Ace Bosse has always found solace at home, but when
she returns for the summer from college she builds an unexpected relationship
with the reckless Max Miller.
Three years ago, Max left for Alaska to find what
he thought he’d lost, but now he realizes just how much he left behind.
Max teaches Ace that sometimes a little crazy is
exactly what life needs while learning that some chances are worth taking,
regardless of the risks.
But how do you know when you’ve met the right
person? And will they be prepared to experience one of life’s biggest
obstacles?
Falling in love isn’t easy, but holding on to it is
where the real challenge lies.
Amazon:
Excerpt
“Why did you go
to Alaska?” Max looks over at me, his eyes wide. “You don’t have to tell me, I
just always wondered why you left.”
“No, no, it’s
just that people only ask me why I came back, like they forgot I had a reason
to go.” He pauses and adjusts the radio as the band that we’d listened to
together in his kitchen after the TP incident streams softly through the
speakers.
“I went to find
my dad. I needed to know why he
left.” Max sits quietly as my heart breaks a little for him. I can’t imagine
having lost my father, especially to have him just walk away one day and never
look back.
“My grandma had
heard that he and my uncle ended up in Alaska. When I got there I met this guy
that told me this long story about my dad and how he used to be a fisherman
with his brother for this company that went out for Chinook Salmon and King
Crabs. So I went and tried to find the ship that they had worked for. My dad
was long gone, but they offered me a job and the chance to go to more ports
where he might still be working.”
His eyes
flicker to me, and the right side of his lips quirk up before he turns back to
the road. “That’s where I met Jameson. We spent seven months out on the ocean
together. Few people remembered my dad. So when we docked I got off and
enrolled at the University of Alaska and continued looking for people that
might know something. Jameson and I met Landon there. He’d just gotten out of
the Army and was going to school. Every once in a while someone would swear
they knew who I was talking about and would tell me where to go, but they were
all a bunch of loose ends. Who knows, he’s probably dead.”
Max’s fingers
clench the wheel. “He was a heavy alcoholic that liked to gamble and use his
fists to make his hard-headed points. He’s been gone a long time.”
I work to
swallow several of the words I want to say. “I feel sorry for him.”
“What?” He
looks at me with a grin I know is forced.
“I feel sorry
for him, for missing out on seeing who you are.” Max raises an eyebrow as he
balks. “I’m serious. You’re pretty great, Max.”
As we pass a
well-lit stretch, shadows dance across Max’s bare chest. I’ve seen him
shirtless several times now, from both running together and swimming, yet the
image still distracts me. My eyes slowly trace over the planes of his chest and
the contours that accentuate his abs, over to his tattoos.
“What are you
thinking about over there, Ace?” My eyes flash to his and I feel my face flush
as I turn to look away, trying to formulate a comprehensive sentence.
Thankfully his
phone rings saving me. We both glance down to see the name ‘Megan’ light up
across the screen. I glance at the clock and see that it’s nearly two in the
morning.
“You can get
that if you want,” I say, folding my hands in my lap and regretting my earlier
admission.
“That’s
alright,” he says, clicking ignore as we pull into his driveway.
I wrench the door
open as soon as the engine shuts off and slam it behind me, trying to convince
myself to not care that a girl is calling him at two in the morning, and the
reason for it. He stops me at the back of his Jeep.
I open my mouth
to say a forced thank you when Max’s frustrated tone stops me in my tracks.
“Why are you still dating him?”
This is not
where I had anticipated the conversation going, and it makes me feel defensive
since he’s been ignoring me to hang out with Felicia, and possibly Megan. I
take a breath and close my eyes. I don’t want to fight with Max. I miss his
friendship.
“Why does it
matter?” My voice comes out quiet as I work to keep it level and calm from the
rush of conflicting emotions.
“Are you
kidding me? Why does it matter?” Max lifts both of his arms in the air like he
wants to grip something, and then lets his hands fall behind his head tilting
up. He stares at the sky for a long moment. “Why are you doing this?”
“You’re dating
Felicia!” The words come as an accusation. I’m not even positive that he’s
referring to us; I’m hardly ever certain because he dances on this gray line so
often it’s making me go half insane.
“What do you
want me to do?” His voice is raised with frustration. “You confuse the shit out
of me, Ace!” He quietly growls as he runs his hand over his head which is now
dipped to the ground.
“I’m tired of
trying to read through the lines, Max!”
“This isn’t
about me. It’s about you! As your friend, I’m telling you, you should dump the
fucker and get it over with. He’s a complete dick.” And with that he’s done it
again, bringing me back to a lighter shade of gray as we return closer to the
friendship line. “You deserve better than him.”
“I appreciate
your friendly advice, Max,” I say dryly, taking a wide step around him.
“Ace …”
I turn, waiting
for him to say what I need to hear. His lips part, but before he says anything,
his phone rings piercing the moment.
“It sounds like
she’s looking for you,” I say, looking at him, willing him to object or deny
it. He stares back at me for a long moment before I turn around and make my way
to my house.
“Dammit!” I hear Max growl in frustration,
but I don’t turn around. I know if I do right now, I will reveal too much.
Mariah Dietz lives in Eastern Washington with her
husband and two sons that are the axis of her crazy and wonderful world.
Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland,
Oregon where she spent the majority of her time immersed in the pages of books
that she both read and created.
She has a love for all things that include her
sons, good coffee, books, travel, and dark chocolate. She also has a deep
passion for the stories she writes, and hopes readers enjoy the journeys she
takes them on, as much as she loves creating them.
Author Links:
Describe Ace in one
sentence. A girl with self-doubt and beauty that we can all relate to.
Describe Max in one
sentence. Misunderstood and cautious about others.
Favorite and least
favorite scene to write in Becoming His?
My favorite scene was the first chapter and the Janes’ house and meeting the
family. I know that to some, this is a little overwhelming because I’ve thrown
readers into a really large family. As crazy as this sounds, I did it
intentionally. I want readers to really experience what it’s like to initially
meet a large family. The Bosses are a large group. My least favorite scene to
write was also another one of my favorites, it’s the scene with Ace and Max
going to see Pretty in Pink. It was
difficult to build the right level of angst I wanted to translate with so
little touching, and no sexual references.
What’s your guilty
pleasure? Pregnant in Heels and Starbucks.
If you weren’t an
author what would you be doing right now? Working toward opening a bakery. I
really love to bake.
What do you consider
your greatest achievement? My Littles. They are without a doubt my greatest
achievement, and always will be.
If you could meet
anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why? Susan B. Anthony. Her
strength and knowledge is so admirable and the advances she made for women is
amazing. I think it would be really inspiring to talk to her about all of the
things she was obviously so passionate about.
What is your go to
snack food when writing? Dark chocolate and sunflower seeds.
If you could sit down
face to face with any of your characters, who would you choose and why?
David Bosse
What are the top 3
things on your bucket list? 1- Live in France for a year. 2- Travel to
Spain. 3- Go to every Disney Resort.
If you could live
anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I would like to
experience living in several states in the US, as well as multiple countries. I
am a firm believer that you learn a lot about the world, as well as yourself
when you experience different cultures. I find travelling to be hugely
rewarding.
Favorite Word and
Least Favorite Word? I feel like I ought to have a favorite word since I
spend so much time reading and writing, but I really don’t. Though, I do find
the words vindictive and synonym to be fun to say! My least favorite word is
butt because it’s the hardest word to say in an eloquent manner.
Biggest fear?
I’ve always been a worrier. It’s something I struggle to not do because I find it pointless to worry when there’s nothing
you can do but waste time and energy with it. However, I really don’t like
heights.
Deepest regret?
This feeds into my belief of fears. There’s no point in regretting things. I
try to work on focusing on improving myself and letting the past go.
Favorite memory?
I grew up in a really tiny town in Oregon, at the base of Mt. Hood. Each winter,
our power used to go out, sometimes for a week or more at a time. We used to
spend the days sledding down a big mining hill, and then go inside to warm up
by the wood fire that we used as a cook stove. Then we’d play games with
kerosene lamps. It was all very Little
House on the Prairie meets Grizzly
Adams.
Worst flaw? I am
a perfectionist.
Most annoying pet
peeve? Fakeness.
If you could change
one thing about yourself…what would it be? My hair. I have this crazy hair
that would be great if it was still 1980.
Either/Or Questions:
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
Ace or Max? … Ace
Warm or Cold? Warm
Early Bird or Night Owl? Early Bird
Pain or Pleasure? Pleasure
Outdoor or Indoor? Outdoor
Blondes or Brunettes? Brunette
Ketchup or Mustard? Ketchup
Coffee or Cocktail? Coffee
Texting or Calling? Texting
What
inspired you to write the His Series? This is difficult to answer without the next two
books being released. As vague as this will sound, some of my own fears and
what I’ve learned through my own friendships largely shaped this book.
Top 5 things you didn’t know
about becoming a published author:
1- That I would meet some of the
best friends I could have imagined by taking the journey.
2- There’s so much more to it
than writing books. Everyone told me that was the hardest part. It isn’t.
3- How amazing it feels to have
a reader tell me that I’ve touched their heart.
4- There’s a lot of time and
work you put into finding the right editor.
5- Although I was aware going
into it that not everyone will like or understand my work, and that it isn’t
personal; it can still hurt sometimes.
5 Reasons to
love my main characters:
1- This is a
journey for them. Although in Becoming His they have some immature tendencies,
those are intentional. In order to see growth, you need to see flaws.
2- Their strong
family
3- Their humor
4- The strength
behind their vulnerabilities
5- Max is HOT!!
5 facts about the His Series:
1- I wrote most of the story on
my cell phone.
2- I completed the end of book
three before book one.
3- Although I think book three
is probably my strongest novel, book two has a very special place in my heart.
4- All three books were complete
before I looked into publishing.
5- I didn’t know where the story
was going when I started writing it.
How do you make your
characters believable:
I
feel like my characters really are real! Haha. Before I started writing the His
Series, and now with the additional books I’m working on, I live with my
characters for a while. I don’t focus on creating an outline, or knowing the
plot, I just think about the individual characters and how they interact. I
think that strong characters are the most important part of a story. If you
can’t relate to them, or like them, it’s hard to like the book.
Authors you admire:
J.K.
Rowling, Colleen Hoover, Gayle Forman, Beth Flynn, and John Green are just a
few of so many that I love and admire.
Five things you wouldn’t know
about Mariah Dietz.
1-
I moved 11 times over three years.
2-
Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women was a
distant relative.
3-
My maiden name is a city in Poland, though my
great grandparents emigrated from Austria.
4-
David Bosse was largely depicted by my
grandfather, who spoke several languages and was one of the kindest people I’ve
ever known.
5-
I have never been on roller skates or roller
blades.
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