Do you hate your job? #giveaway #pnr #NOLA @AuthorKarlaB

By Karla Brandenburg (Guest Blogger)

Have you ever had a job you hated? I’ve been very fortunate in my career to work with great people. I’m a firm believer that a job is a job, and it’s the people you work with who make the difference. For that reason, I’ve been at the day job a looooong time. My bosses have been mentors and have worked with me to make me a better employee, giving me opportunities, and making me a better boss myself (or at least I’d like to think so).

There was one stretch several years ago where we had a boss who was out of touch. He had a very high opinion of himself and looked for ways to make people look bad. The working theory is they brought him in to do the dirty work and “clean house,” a period we affectionately refer to as the reign of terror. As an author, I was able to vent my frustrations by killing him off in one of my novels, but other people weren’t as lucky. Yes, I survived.

People ask me when I find time to write (the day job can be very demanding). My pat answer is that after a particularly stressful day, writing is an escape, a way to relax and unwind. I can empty my head of all the things that are caught inside onto the page, or clear all those things warring for my attention by focusing on something else instead. Reading works the same way. For an hour or two or three I can become someone else, look into someone else’s world. Does the day job cross over into that escape time? Sometimes, for sure (like with our dictator). No, the character I killed off doesn’t even resemble that man, especially after edits, but I know who he represents.

The thing about conflict at work (or anywhere else, for that matter) is it makes for a good story. When someone or something brings about such a strong visceral response, it is likely to resonate with someone else, and the other beautiful thing about being an author is that I can solve those problems! Wave a magic wand and make it all better (but not before it gets much worse!). In a way, I’m like that dictator who presided over our reign of terror. My “night job” is to put my characters in peril, be it physical or emotional. Unlike the dictator, my intentions are good. Like a good boss, I’m challenging my characters to rise above and overcome. I strive for personal growth, not a twisted sense of power brought about by belittling someone else. (My. Does that sound bitter? I guess one never truly gets over a “reign of terror.”)

I have a new release this week, THE ARCHITECT, that focuses on the workplace. No, there are no parallels to my own life with this novel, although in the heroine’s words, her boss is a jerk. Except he’s not. Not really. Well he is… but there’s that character growth thing I was talking about. And it doesn’t help that the heroine has a fiery personality. Let me tell you a little about it:

A high-profile contract in the famed New Orleans Garden District can bring architect Kathleen McCormick’s dream of owning her own home that much closer, but she’ll have to stifle her fiery temper while she’s on location. The senior project manager is a notorious workaholic and the last associate to work with him got fired amid controversy. Still, Kathleen can’t resist the urge to push his buttons.

Sebastian Brooks’ father likes to remind him that he founded his own firm by the time he was thirty. As Sebastian nears that same milestone, he's checking off the boxes for promotion at a more prestigious architectural firm, including contemplating an engagement with an acceptable socialite. The pursuit feels hollow, especially when his boss lobs an attractive, unpredictable new associate into his path to derail his promotion, a woman who reminds him of all the compromises he’s made in the interest of living up to expectations.

A mischievous ghost in a NOLA hotel decides to play matchmaker, but with a strict non-fraternization policy at work, getting involved could get both Kathleen and Sebastian fired. Caught up in the city’s steamy atmosphere, their unexpected connection throws all their plans into a tailspin.

Want to read it? I will gift an e-book version of THE ARCHITECT to one random commenter. Tell me about something that throws chaos into your life, or just stop by to say hello! I love to hear from people!

You can buy THE ARCHITECT at:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077W3NMP4

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-architect-karla-brandenburg/1127572761

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1320052883

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-architect-16

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/763371

About the Author

Karla Brandenburg is an Award Winning Author of contemporary romance. Raised on the gothic romances of Victoria Holt and the horror of Stephen King, she is an avid reader and is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Karla is a card-carrying cookie-holic, enjoys baking and travel.

Connect with Karla:

Web page: https://www.KarlaBrandenburg.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarlaBrandenburg
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AuthorKarlaB