(Panther Player, #1)
by Tori Kron
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: June 23rd, 2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Sports
Slapped with court ordered community service for brawling—again, Miller Cassidy, the Indianapolis Panther’s star player, is forced into laboring under stodgy non-profit supervisor, Kate Gallagher. Her saving grace—she happens to be best friends with Stella, the woman he’s been chasing for years.
Despite the masses falling for his charm, Kate doesn’t care for Miller’s notorious reputation or his flippant behavior. But wanting to impress her strict boss, she agrees to a trade that could give them both a shot at success.
Propelled into an unlikely alliance, Miller finds himself taking a defensive stance when he sees beyond Kate’s hard exterior. And Kate is equally thrown off guard when she discovers there’s more to Miller than games.
But is love worth sacrificing friendship? And can Miller let go of the feelings for Stella he’s held onto for years?
In love and basketball, it’s five fouls and you’re out, and every play counts.
~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Tori Kron~
1) What gave you
the inspiration for the storyline?
Courting Kate was
inspired by several factors in my personal life.
To begin, my cousin died
at a young age, but my aunt and uncle chose to find good in the midst of
tragedy by donating her viable organs. Then, a good friend of mine started
working at an organ donation facility. Through her experience, I was able to
understand the vast impact they have in the community. It was important to me
to highlight their need for funding and to help draw attention to the
importance of organ and tissue donation.
On a lighter note, I hail
from Indiana where basketball is THE sport. Combine that with several years of
sitting on the sidelines as a cheerleading coach, and it simply became part of
who I am. My seventh grade classroom has an annual bracket challenge, and this
spring, I went so far as to temporarily depart from a bachelorette party to
watch the final minutes of Purdue playing in the Elite Eight.
2) Are there any hidden (or not so hidden) themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?
I wouldn’t call it a
theme, but I hope that readers leave my book more curious about organ donation.
I would love to inspire readers to register as organ and blood donors.
3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?
Kate’s assistant, Erin, is
named after my friend who works in the industry. I used her name as a nod to
all she and her co-workers do to support organ donors and recipients.
4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?
While I’m inspired by
every book I read, my editor has most influenced my writing and style. She’s
helped me grow as a writer and creator.
5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?
Without a doubt, I would
select the Bridgerton siblings. There are more than three of them, but it would
be rude to leave any out of the gathering. In their stories, they play a game
similar to croquet, and it becomes quite competitive, so I would definitely
want in on that fun. After, we’d have a traditional English tea service.
6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?
There is no such thing as
too many books! I’m a voracious reader, so my library ebook allowance is always
maxed out!
Tori Kron has spent ten years educating middle school students in the art of English writing. She is a proud graduate of Purdue University, where she discovered a love for nearby Chicago and the adventures that awaited within. When Tori isn’t in front of the classroom, you can find her working with fellow authors in the Midwest Writers Guild or traveling the world with friends. In between excursions, she happily resides in Evansville, Indiana with her husband and son.
Thanks for being on the tour! :)
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