Isabelle Peterson Featured Author!

Buy LINKs

amazon-  http://www.amazon.com/Ditching-The-Dream-Series-ebook/dp/B00FTCUW34

Synopsis

Feeling dead in her marriage of 22 years, Elizabeth Fairchild, in her young forties, ditches the dream of her seemingly perfect life with her husband in search of who she really is. 

She had gone from her parents' house to her husband's home and never learned to stand on her own two feet. Her husband, Greg, isn't abusive or cruel, just rather neglectful. Her kids are all out of the house, off to college. Feeling that not much is left for her at home, she leaves her comfortable life in Napa Valley, California in search of her inner fire in New York City. She didn't leave to find another man, but soon finds herself involved with two very different men: Jack Stevens and Kevin Parker.

Jack is older than Elizabeth by 9 years. He has heart-stopping good looks, is wildly successful, and very much in control of everything around him - especially Elizabeth. 

Kevin is younger, by 14 years. He is carefree, has a heart of 24k gold, is a middle school Spanish teacher, and is quite okay with Elizabeth taking the reins.

Which dream is really Elizabeth's? Her quiet life in Napa? Or her wild ways in New York?


REVIEW

5 Star review for this amazing book. This book is for all the women who think that you can never start over and be happy! Isabelle Peterson got me out of my funk of sad stories and gave me a book that spoke to my heart!! Everyone should be happy and be made to feel appreciated. This a book that every wife, girlfriend anyone in a relationship should have there significant other read. This book is written beautifully once i picked it up I could not stop. Read it in one sitting!! Elizabeth does what most of us have thought about once or twice in our life and when she sets out on this adventure  she doesn't meet one but two amazing men I don't want to say what happens! I definitely need a jack in my life!! I can use a Kevin to forget it can i wrap them in one I would be in heaven!! This book doesn't have one swoon worthy man but two who could ask for more!! This is definetly one of my favorite reads of the year <3


Author BIO

The short story: I'm the wife of a most fabulous man for twenty years.
I'm a mother of 2 busy teens.
I'm a dog lover.
I'm a serious drinker of coffee and wine.
I live near New York City.
My favorite place that I've visited is Monaco.
My favorite color is green (but I look best in pink/salmon).
My favorite food is chocolate.
My favorite kind of music is New Country.

The long story:
I've always been a creative sort of person... I started with my college studies in Advertising Design and Illustration. I'm good at drawing and coming up with clever ideas.
As for story telling - well, that's where I have the most fun!  Ditching The Dream is my first novel, but I've been working on writing movies since, what seems like forever. Way back in high school my friend Aimee and I started writing a movie and I was hooked. We didn't know what we were doing, but we loved coming up with the story. I also like to come up with stories about people I don't know. Like the guy that cut me off on the expressway...He had quite a story - at least in my mind! Who knows? Maybe I've come up with a story about you! ;)

Ditching The Dream is a story that came to me while I was helping two author friends of mine. I was helping them with their books and I would make suggestions to amp up their stories along the way. Bev and Amy encouraged me to write my own story and Ditching The Dream was born.  Is it auto-biographical? No, not in the least. But it sure has been a fun story to come up with (especially when my hubby gets involved with coming up with ideas).

 

Author Interview


 

What were you like at school?

            In high school I was an average student... mostly Cs and Bs - probably because I was too busy socializing. I had friends in all sorts of groups. I was in Drama Club, but had friends who were cheerleaders, swimmers, and football players, and orchestra/band kids, “smarty-pants”, and skater kids. Even a few “burn-outs.” My on-again-off-again boyfriend was a soccer player.

Were you good at English?

            NO! LOL ... which is why I pay good money for a great editor.

What was your most embarrassing moment??

            So, I used to be a realtor. One Saturday I was out showing homes to a lovely couple and their adorable kids. And, as arranged, they went back to their hotel for lunch and let their kids have a nap, and we were to meet up a few hours later for a few more homes to see. During that break, I went home, did a couple things, but before I could get back out of the house, hubby asked for a “quickie”. Well, you know I said, “Of course!” And we did... Well, when we were done, I rolled over and saw the time and realized that I was going to be late if I didn’t get moving.

            I quickly dressed and made it to the office to continue showing homes in the nick of time. It was at the second house, that the couple’s youngest child asked, “Why is your sweater on inside out this time?”

What’s your favorite sweet??

            I’m really crazy for Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels these days.

Do you have any special procedure before you start writing?

            I’m a ‘dot-to-dot’ writer. I write down scenes in my head as they come up, usually in the Notes app in my phone. Then I sit down and sketch an outline with the scenes. And finally I connect the scenes like a bit ‘ole dot-to-dot.  Problem there is sometimes the characters get a little unruly with their path and suddenly i’m getting off the interstate and onto a dirt and gravel road. Eventually we get back on the interstate and usually we end up where were headed to begin with, but the detours are great fun, so I don’t mind.

What was your favorite part of writing your book?

            Well, after quitting four times, FINISHING was my favorite part. I was terrified that people wouldn’t like Elizabeth for her choices. I never expected the response I’m getting.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

            Elizabeth Fairchild married young and forgot who she was. Her husband takes her for granted and doesn’t tend to hear what she says. She’s not a confrontational person and isn’t used to speaking up for herself. So, she (admittedly) takes the cowards way out and just leaves. She doesn’t know if she’ll do well, but she feels lost and is losing ground in her marriage. I know many women (myself included) who’ve thought “I’ve had it!” and feel that they’ve lost who they are. Or maybe they never knew. And just want to escape, not have to answer to anyone. Feel strong. 

What are you working on at the minute?

            Well, in addition to two screenplay projects that I’m working on (one an adaptation of a popular book series, and a project with a German producer), I’m working on Jack’s story (currently called Wildest Dreams) and Phoebe’s story (currently called Chasing The Dream). Kevin’s story has a few scenes sketched out, too.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

            I wrote the character of Elizabeth Fairchild with Anne Hathaway in mind.

When did you decide to become a writer?

            I was actually helping two writer friends of mine with their stories, Amelia Hutchins and Beverley Hollowed. Both of them asked me what I would write a story about - and Ditching The Dream was born.

Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors.

            I never used to be much of a reader. I wanted to be. I would try reading Wuthering Heights and Tale of Two Cities and Pride and Prejudice. But ADD always got the better of me and I never finished. Even in high school, I usually ended up getting by with Cliff Notes.

            When the whole Fifty Shades of Grey came along, a friend pushed me to buy it. I did. I tried to read it... my friend kept pushing me, “Have you gotten to chapter eight yet? You need to get to chapter eight!” It took me, no lie, 2 months to get to chapter eight. When I did - I couldn’t put the book down. And I finished reading the Trilogy in the next 6 days. Laundry, and housework went undone. Meals were haphazard. And I was exhausted from reading until two a.m. on my iPhone.

            After FSoG, I couldn’t get enough and downloading books left and right. I was reading three to four books a week. And all the controversy over casting Christian Grey led me to starting the Fictional Boyfriends facebook page.

            Favorite? I cannot choose. It would be like choosing between wine and chocolate. Among my very favorites (in alphabetical order by last name): Maya Banks, Sylvia Day, Nicole Edwards, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Raine Miller, Sylvain Reynard, S.C. Stephens and Samantha Young. And many up and coming (again alphabetical): Beverley Hollowed, Amelia Hutchins, Skye Turner and A.L. Zaun.

            But I have (literally) HUNDREDS of books I’m trying to get to. There’s probably a few new favorites in there.

What book/s are you reading at present?

            Chasing Dreams (Nicole Edwards) and The Do Over (A.L. Zaun). And 2 beta reads.

How do you relax?

            Manicures, playing with my 9-pound dog (a shit tzu) and I’m a knitter - going to learn how to knit socks this winter. I’m not very good - my sweaters never fit - but I find the activity relaxing. I’ll post my socks if/when I finish one.

What is your favorite motivational phrase.

            “Only the mediocre are always at their best.” (Jean Giraudoux)

What is your favorite positive saying??

            “What goes around comes around.”

            (which is why I always lend a hand, because it seems I’m always needing one!

What is your favorite book and why?

            Shel Silverstein’s Where The Sidewalk Ends - I can still recite nearly all of the poems.

What is your favorite quote?

            Anything by Mae West!

What is your favorite film and why?

            “Some Kind of Wonderful” by John Hughes - one of the best love stories. I cry every time.

Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

            Marilyn Monroe. She was so misunderstood, from what is being said today... I want to understand.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

            NOT the Fifty Trilogy - the money would be fabulous, but the pressure Ms. James is under with this whole movie business... no thank you.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

            Just write - don’t make it be perfect the first time around. That’s what a second draft is for. Use alpha and beta readers.