LauraKenyon.com

December 18, 2013 · 3:00 AM

Jennifer Laam rewrites history — and offers a holiday gift!

Today, the extremely talented Jennifer Laam joins us to answer some questions about her debut novel, THE SECRET DAUGHTER OF THE TSAR. It is a historical reimagining of the Russian Revolution and the fate of the Romanov blood line, as told through three fascinating women.

After the interview, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of her book!

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1. THE SECRET DAUGHTER OF THE TSAR tells the amazing story of what could have happened if Tsar Nicholas II had a fifth daughter who escaped Russia before the revolution. What attracted you to this period of history and to the Romanov family?

I feel attracted to times of upheaval. I grew interested in Russian History during the events leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union. From there, I started reading about the first Russian Revolution in 1917 and Rasputin and the last royal family. I think I was most drawn to the beauty of their lives, at least on the surface, and the juxtaposition of that beauty with the sad state of the country politically and the family’s ultimate fate. Continue reading →

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December 16, 2013 · 3:00 AM

The Romanovs, Jennifer Laam, and a giveaway!

It’s possible I learned about it in school at some point, but my first memorable encounter with the Romanov family came from a 1997 animated film called “Anastasia.” The protagonist had red hair (always a plus), the songs were catchy (hello, “Journey to the Past”), and I had an embarrassingly large crush on the hero, despite the fact that he was a cartoon.

It was a fun, lighthearted movie that I later found out was as realistic as Santa Claus.

Fast forward a decade, when I stumbled upon a historical documentary about the Russian Revolution and the eventual extrajudicial killing of the entire Romanov family (from the tsar to the maid to 13-year-old Alexei). Continue reading →

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December 11, 2013 · 3:00 AM

Karen Doornebos interview… and Undresssing Mr. Darcy giveaway!

Today I have the absolute honor of hosting the next leg of author Karen Doornebos’ blog tour for her brand new release, UNDRESSING MR. DARCY. I’ve mentioned in the past how much I loved her first book, Definitely Not Mr. Darcy, and am thrilled not only that she chose to make a stop at Skipping Midnight… but also that she will be giving one lucky reader a copy of her spanking new book! (Read all the way through for details.) And now, without further ado, here’s Karen!

Hello from the Floris Perfumery in London!

As an ice-breaker to each leg of my Blog Tour for UNDRESSING MR. DARCY, I’m taking you along for a ride to England, where I traveled during the summer of 2012 to do some research for the book.

Where am I on this stop? The irresistible perfumery to Her Royal Highness—Floris of London. My heroine and her friend visit this shop in a pivotal scene in UNDRESSING MR. DARCY. This is the shop where my English hero Julian Chancellor, buys his cologne, a lime-based scent that had been originally created by Floris in the 18^th century. If you are ever in the St. James area of London, Floris is worth a stop! Read my book and you’ll see why ;)

I’d like to thank you, Laura, for hosting me here on Skipping Midnight.

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A bit about the book:

He’s an old-fashioned, hardcover book reader who writes in quill pen and hails from England. She’s an American social media addict. Can he find his way to her heart without so much as a GPS?

You can read the first chapter here!

Buy now at Berkley Penguin – Indiebound – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – BAM – iTunes

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On to the interview!…

1. Karen, it’s been two years since you released your debut novel, DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY — which, I have to say, I absolutely loved. How has your life changed since you achieved the dream? How has it remained perfectly the same?

So glad you loved my first book. Everyone seemed to enjoy the humor in that one. As for the dream, I’m living the dream…international book tours, wearing sunglasses in the grocery store so I’m not recognized…just kidding! Although, I often wear sunglasses due to the fact that I didn’t put any makeup on! My life has become infinitely busier. Writing my second book became serious business with daily word counts and just sitting down and writing—everyday. I’m still a mom who goes to my teenagers’ concerts and recitals and I still drive them around to their activities. The days are never long enough! Continue reading →

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December 6, 2013 · 11:09 AM

“52 Stories” and a GIVEAWAY!

About a month ago, Melissa Amster, founder of Chick Lit Central, asked me to participate in an interview series inspired by Cecilia Ahern’s One Hundred Names. Dubbed “52 Stories,” the year-long series seeks to prove that everyone has a story to tell by asking thought-provoking questions such as “What part of your personality is now extinct?” and “What is an experience that is legendary for you?”

I had such a great time thinking about my answers, and cannot thank Melissa enough for seeking me out. My contribution went live on Wednesday. You can read it and the 48 previous interviews on Melissa’s other blog, Merryland Girl.

And while we’re on the subject…

I am absolutely thrilled to be hosting author Karen Doornebos as part of Skipping Midnight’s author interview series next Wednesday. After devouring her debut novel, Definitely Not Mr. Darcy last year, I was delighted to find out that she was writing another Austen-themed novel following a brand new protagonist. This second Regency-meets-modernity romp, bearing the provocative title Undressing Mr. Darcy, hit the shelves on Tuesday and is already getting rave reviews.

As part of her whirlwind blog tour, Karen has also agreed to give a copy of Undressing Mr. Darcy to one lucky Skipping Midnight reader! Continue reading →

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December 4, 2013 · 6:00 AM

Author Interview: Emily Liebert

This week, I am delighted to welcome Emily Liebert to Skipping Midnight. A two-time published author and journalist extraordinaire, chances are you’ve seen her on TV discussing Facebook, Bing, or the line of Zoya nail polish that coincides with her latest book.

YOU KNEW ME WHEN, released this past September, is both her first novel and her first book published with one of the major houses. Like Hazel Gaynor last week, she is a true go-getter, breaking down boundaries with hard work and brimming with advice for aspiring writers hoping to do the same.

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1. First off, I have to say that your resume is utterly dizzying! Editor-in-chief of a luxury lifestyle magazine, executive assistant at ABC News, editor of Kerry Kennedy’s bestseller, spokesperson for Bing and Facebook, author of two (soon-to-be three) books, AND mother of two boys. Phew. How on earth do you find the time – and the energy – to keep moving?

For starters, I’ve always had a lot of energy. I like to go, go, go. Relaxation isn’t really part of my agenda, unless I’m reclining on a lounge chair in Anguilla with a cocktail in hand, but even then I can’t sit still for long. Seriously, though, between managing a big career and being a devoted mom to my two boys (Jax, 4 & Hugo, 3), it’s definitely a balancing act. There’s a good deal of planning and strategic thinking that goes into it. I don’t believe in “having it all.” I believe in having as much as you can manage, which in my case tends to be a lot! Continue reading →

Let the games begin!

pitch wars graphic

Pitch Wars began roughly nine hours ago, and will continue until 11:59 p.m. EST today. For those of you participating, best of luck!

For those of you still fuzzy on the details, head on over to organizer Brenda Drake’s website for the latest.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ~ Robert Kennedy

“I am still encouraged to go on. I wouldn’t know where else to go.” ~ E.B. White

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November 29, 2013 · 7:00 AM

“Once in a Lifetime” opportunity

On this glorious post-Turkey Day morning, chances are you’re doing one of three things:

1 – Sprinting through the aisles at Target for the last iPad Air, shouting “Survival of the fittest!” as you snatch a pink leopard print Smart Case from a little girl because, well, your niece would just adore it and you have years of unwanted scarves to make up for.

2 – Sweating off those five glasses of pinot noir, late-night whiskey tasting, and/or and ill-conceived attempt to leave not one single dessert untasted. (After all, Aunt Mildred and Gamma Dot slaved over that hot stove for hours. It’s the least you could have done…)

3 – Diving into a good book, sporadically glancing at your smartphone (just in case those shoes you really wanted go on sale), catching up with family, and generally enjoying the fact that it’s a long weekend and it’s now officially okay to listen to Christmas music. Continue reading →

Author Interview: Hazel Gaynor

She may be Irish, but Hazel Gaynor has plenty to be thankful for on this American holiday eve. After self-publishing her debut novel last year, she wound up attracting the attention of a phenomenal agent* in NYC, scoring a two-book deal with William Morrow (including a reprint of her debut), and becoming one of those stories writers tell each other when they’re in dire need of hope.

This week, she talks about her amazing journey to publication, and reminds us all why giving up should never be an option.

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1. You have one of those publishing stories that thousands of aspiring authors dream about. After several attempts at getting a traditional publishing deal, you decided to self-publish. How did that decision come about and how did you feel at the time?

I was incredibly nervous about self-publishing The Girl Who Came Home and, to be honest, very disappointed that things hadn’t happened the “traditional” way after trying for three years. My agent at the time suggested I self-publish and my family also offered me huge encouragement, but the major factor in my decision was the approaching Titanic centenary in April 2012. I knew that if I published my book to coincide with that event, I would give myself the best chance of success, as it was timely, relevant and based on a subject matter which was seeing a huge resurgence of interest. I felt it was now or never and that was the final motivation to pluck up the courage and send my book out into the world. Continue reading →

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November 25, 2013 · 4:24 PM

Short, sweet & awesome

In case you need a laugh. I’m 99 percent this is intentional:

Pitch Wars is almost here!

Much of the year, writing can be a lonely existence, with faceless paper rejections and long periods of silence. But sprinkled amid the gloom are sparkling opportunities that remind us we’re really anything but alone. There is Pitch Madness, for example, and Twitter’s famous #tenqueries. And just one week from today, PITCH WARS will begin!

What is Pitch Wars?

Pitch Wars is a contest in which agented authors, literary interns and editors (hereafter known as “mentors”) work with aspiring writers to polish their manuscripts and pitches for a participating group of agents.

How do I participate?

For the next six days, hop around to the 47 mentors’ blogs to determine who you’d like to work with. Read their bios, peruse their wishlists, and find up to four who have signed up for your genre/category. Also, polish your query letter and the first five pages of your manuscript. Continue reading →