LauraKenyon.com

July 16, 2014 · 1:00 AM

Q&A with Hilary Grossman, author of the memoir Dangled Carat

I bumped into Hilary when I finally started finding the author’s side of Twitter and Facebook. The title of her debut novel, Dangled Carat, instantly caught my eye (so clever!), and I can’t wait to read her book this summer … hopefully while lounging on a beach :)

I was delighted when she agreed to stop by Skipping Midnight and answer some questions about her writing life. So without further ado:

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Dangled Carat is all about taking that giant leap when the time (and the person!) is right. How would you describe the story?

Dangled Carat is a memoir but it reads like chick lit. It is about my attempt to convert the ultimate commitment-phobic man into a doting husband with a LOT of help from his family and friends. But it is also a funny but tender coming of age story that will make you laugh and cry.

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Gosh, I didn’t even realize it was based on your life! That must have been tough. What do think people will love most about your story?

This is a hard one to answer :) While elements of my story were unique (multiple faux engagement parties for example) the situation is very common — dating a commitment-phobe. I think that a lot of people have either been in this situation themselves or have a close friend who has. I think the fact that readers could relate to what I was going through would be what they would love most. But then again, there is an amazing first date scene :) Continue reading →

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July 14, 2014 · 1:00 AM

My Writing Process blog tour

A few weeks ago, author RG Dole tagged me in this Writing Process Blog Tour. RG is the author of a supernatural star-crossed lovers book called Immortal Longings (as a fan of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, I hope to get to it soon!), and I’m honored she thought of me for this.

I’ve been struggling to find the time to pick up the torch, so without further ado:

What am I working on?

Damsels in Distress, the sequel to Desperately Ever After, is due out next month. It’s hard to say too much about the story because the first book is still brand new and I don’t want to give anything away! I’ll just say that Damsels in Distress continues Belle’s struggle and also adds Sleeping Beauty (Dawn) into the mix. Dawn is a background character in Book One for space reasons, but her story is actually one of my favorites. I really can’t wait for everyone to get to know her better. There are so many questions people never ask about the Sleeping Beauty tale: What kind of man would discover a comatose woman in the woods and decide to kiss her? How would she feel waking up covered in dust with a stranger’s tongue in her mouth? What if she had been in love with someone else before the curse hit? How would she reconcile her old life with her brand new existence?

After that, I’ll be diving into the third installment in the series, as well as writing my first Desperately Ever After novella. The latter will tell the story behind Grethel, the woman who took Rapunzel as a baby and kept her in that tower. There are so many minor characters in the series that I’d love to explore further, so I hope it’s the first of many side projects. Continue reading →

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Filed under Blog Hops, Desperately Ever After, Writing Process

July 9, 2014 · 1:00 AM

Q&A with CeCe Osgood — and a giveaway!

When I finally got my act together and joined a chick lit writer’s group on Facebook, CeCe Osgood was the first of many lovely ladies with whom I connected. She is a former HBO script analyst turned novelist, and the title of her debut novel is one you simply can’t ignore!

Exploring life after divorce, The Divorced Not Dead Workshop is a romantic comedy about dating after divorce. After the interview, leave a comment for the chance to win a copy!

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Hi CeCe and welcome to Skipping Midnight! Your debut novel, The Divorced Not Dead Workshop, is described as a romantic comedy about dating after divorce. What else can you tell us about the story?

It’s an opening-your-heart-again story. Going through a divorce can make you wary about getting back into dating or even considering the possibility of looking for a partner again. I believe finding out who you are and what you want is the first step: I call it your “me skills” in the novel’s workshop. I wanted to deal with serious subject of divorce in a funny and, I hope, helpful way. Another aspect of the story is the friendship with Dorsey and her BFFs, Pilar and Mimi. They’re the kind of friends we all want to have: true blue, forgiving and yet they can kick your butt when you need it. Especially Pilar!

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What inspired you to write it?

Frankly, it came like a bolt out of the blue. I woke up one morning with the notion of a dating workshop on a cruise ship and Dorsey Bing, the main character, came ambling toward me in her kitten heels. I liked her so much I couldn’t help but fashion a plot for her. It took a few drafts before I worked out the nuances of the romance and how it threaded into the dating workshop.

Continue reading →

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July 8, 2014 · 1:00 AM

Cover reveal & 99-cent countdown sale

The cover reveal for Damsels in Distress is here! And it’s coinciding with a 99-cent Kindle Countdown deal … so you can get acquainted with all the ladies of Marestam before their stories continue!

In this second installment of the Desperately Ever After series, Belle, Dawn, Snow, Penny, and Rapunzel struggle with love, obligation, old flames, new flames, disappointments, triumphs, and plenty of secrets. (Cinderella takes a bit of a breather in this one, but rest assured she’ll be back!)

About the series:

Imagine what might happen if our most beloved fairy tale princesses were the best of friends and had the dreams, dilemmas, and libidos of the modern woman. How would their stories unfold after true love’s kiss? Set in a fictional realm based on New York City, the Desperately Ever After series sprinkles women’s fiction with elements of fantasy, and encourages readers to rethink everything they know about happy endings.

About Damsels in Distress:
(Warning: If you haven’t read the first book yet, there are some spoilers!)

After watching her fairy tale go up in flames, Belle is finally starting over. With a baby on the way, a business to run, and a new love interest she just can’t shake, things are finally looking up. That is, until she learns her independence might revive broken curses the world over. Could “happily ever after” really mean staying with her unfaithful husband? Or will Belle and her steadfast friends find another way?

Meanwhile, Dawn still longs for the life she had three centuries earlier—before her sleeping curse ended in two kids, an unfamiliar era, and a husband she barely knows. So when she encounters the childhood sweetheart she believed to be dead, Dawn must suddenly choose between the past she once wanted and the present she never knew she did.

As both women struggle between love and obligation, they fail to see a great danger brewing in the capital–one that could change everything forever.

Damsels in Distress takes a whimsical look at our most beloved fairy tale characters several years down the road. Part Sex and the City, part Desperate Housewives, and part Brothers Grimm, it’s ultimately about a group of friends coming to terms with how their lives have turned out. They just happen to live in castles.

Click here to read an excerpt from the upcoming book, or here to find out what reviewers are saying about the series.

And don’t forget to take advantage of the Kindle Countdown sale at Amazon! The price just dropped to 99 cents, but will slowly creep back up over the next few days. The clock is ticking!
(Note: The link will take you to the US site, but the sale is available worldwide.)

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Filed under Desperately Ever After

July 2, 2014 · 1:00 AM

Q&A with indie author RS McCoy — plus a giveaway!

When RS McCoy’s thyroid cancer returned last spring, writing became her mental break from treatment. In the past year, she’s published three novels, two novellas and several short stories. She describes her works as falling into the genres of fantasy, science fiction, romance, paranormal, and supernatural.

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

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According to your blog, writing was initially your way to mentally escape cancer treatment. Can you talk a bit about this and how it helped?

OOoo girl, you’re brave! All you have to do is mention the C word and people go running. I appreciate you asking! I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in August of 2012. For the next few months, I dealt with surgeries and radiation, and I can honestly say, it was easily the worst experience of my life. By spring, I was in a better place. I was a cancer survivor, it was in my past, I had lived. The following April, I received that horrible phone call that my cancer was back with a vengeance, and I would have to start over with treatment. For several weeks afterward, I struggled to wrap my mind around my daily life. Dealing with my cancer’s return didn’t seem to fit in with sitting in traffic and going to work. My head was spinning and I needed something to ground me in a positive way. Writing ended up being that outlet for me. In the past year, I’ve written three novels, two novellas and a handful of short stories as well as guest blog posts and other articles. The crazier my life gets, the more I write!

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Your first novel, Sparks, is part of a paranormal fantasy series. What can you tell us about it?

Sparks isn’t the traditional PNR, and my readers (as well as myself) have struggled to truly define it within a genre. I really enjoy reading paranormal fantasy, and I enjoyed Twilight and other popular books in the category. When I was developing a new idea for a book, I knew I didn’t want to use vampires, werewolves, zombies or any other creature that seems to be overused in the last few years. Instead, I chose to write about a series of young people who have gifts that allow them to manipulate the environment, read minds and affect time. It was really a lot of fun to write!

Continue reading →

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July 1, 2014 · 9:44 AM

My turn to do the talking

The wonderful Zanna Mackenzie, author of IF YOU ONLY KNEW and fellow dog lover, interviews me on her blog today.

It’s nice to turn the tables once in a while and talk about my experience ;)

Check it out here: http://t.co/P9I3mKXYAi

All good things must come to an end

Today marks the end of Desperately Ever After’s blog tour, with a double stop at Tracy Riva’s Books & Reviews, and Deal Shaing Aunt.

It’s been fun, with a month-long price drop to $2.99, giveaways galore (read on to see which are still ongoing), interviews, guest posts, and some pretty darn fantastic reviews that left me smiling almost every day.

Here are some of the highlights. The red asterisk indicates sites that are still offering free copies. Keep in mind that the price drop is only temporary, and the sequel will be out in August … so now’s the perfect time to get acquainted with Rapunzel, Belle, Cinderella, and the rest of the gang as they cope with life after true love’s kiss!

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“It’s the perfect book to be reading this summer and it’s completely unputdownable!” ~ The YA’s Nightstand *** Giveaway ends July 1!

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“An explosive cocktail that will have you laughing out loud and wanting more and more! … Laura’s style is witty and flirty and had me turning page after page devouring this little gem.” ~ Lost in Chick Lit

“No more damsel in distress, useless without her prince, but modern day woman struggling with and enjoying love. Desperately Ever After is a wonderfully sarcastic, romantic and heartwarming tale about love and friendship with witty conversations, juicy cliches and a healthy dose of humor. I cannot wait to read the sequel!” ~ M’s Bookshelf Continue reading →

Q&A with Suzy Turner, author of all genres — plus a giveaway!

Like me, Suzy Turner began her writing career as a journalist. But there is something to be said for the imagination, and when the fiction bug bites, it’s extremely hard to resist! Since 2010, she’s completed six novels for young adults (The Raven Saga trilogy and The Morgan Sisters series), as well as her first women’s fiction novel, Forever Fredless. She gets extra points in my book for being a self-published author, and I’m delighted to have her here today!

After the interview, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Forever Fredless!

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For someone who only began writing fiction in 2010, you’ve published a crazy number of books—ranging from paranormal thriller to romance, and from YA to adult. Which is your favorite?

LOL I’m very fortunate that writing is pretty much my day job now so I have plenty of time to dedicate to it. As for my favourite, that’s a tricky one. I absolutely love writing both YA urban fantasy and chick lit so I really can’t choose between them! Sorry!

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In October, you released your first “chick lit” novel, Forever Fredless. What can you tell us about the story?

Here’s a brief synopsis: Kate Robinson has spent the past two decades yearning to find her soul mate, the boy she found and then lost during a family holiday. Shortly after her twenty-eighth birthday, however, she inherits a fortune from an old family friend and becomes something of an overnight celebrity. Can her new-found fame lead her to him after all this time?

The idea for the book has been with me for many years because the beginning (when Kate ‘meets’ her soulmate for the very first time as a child) kind of happened to me. Although I wasn’t as smitten as Kate was, I do remember the moment quite clearly and I never forgot it. There are other embarrassing moments in the book that have also featured in my life!

Continue reading →

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June 18, 2014 · 1:00 AM

Q&A with author Zanna Mackenzie — plus a giveaway!

For months, Desperately Ever After’s Amazon page has included a link to pretty pink and white book by Zanna Mackenzie, called If You Only Knew. Apparently, Zanna and I shared similar readers. When I finally moseyed over to her website in April, however, it became instantly clear that we shared a lot more than that! A freelance writer and editor, a dog lover, a gardener … she even understood my “eh” feeling about shopping! All that stood between us was the way we spelled “color/colour.” Oh, and an ocean.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled to welcome Zanna here today to talk about her writing career and her latest release. After the interview, answer her question for a chance to win an e-copy of her other novel, How Do You Spell Love?

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In just a few years, you’ve published three contemporary romance novels, a novella, and two short stories—in addition to working as a freelance writer/editor and taking care of three dogs! How do you find the time?

I’m not sure! The day starts off with walking the dogs (we have 4 now, the latest edition Cassie – pictured below – is just over a year old now) with my husband, then we start work. He’s self-employed too so we have some degree of flexibility with regards to how we schedule the work aspect of our days. First priority once I’m seated at the computer with a cup of tea is the day job – I’m a freelance writer, editor and proof reader for a chamber of commerce. After that it’s on to the book promotion, blog and social media jobs for the day. I hope to try to fit in some writing but don’t always manage it depending on all the other jobs on my list for each day. In the spring, summer and autumn evenings we still have daylight to walk the dogs again and maybe catch up with some gardening. Each day is pretty busy but I love my work so consider myself to be very lucky!

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What can you tell us about your latest, If You Only Knew?

I’ve always been intrigued by the concept in books and films of the first love coming back and complicating life all over again! This happens to Faith in If You Only Knew – she risks getting involved with new-in-town Zane who has taken over the extreme sports centre in the village. Faith is nervous about relationships anyway thanks to having her heart broken, add to this the fact Zane is strangely reluctant to talk about his past and naturally she’s a little unsure if she’s doing the right thing by getting involved or not. Zane and Faith are both just getting to know each other when Zane’s business partner Matt arrives from Austria and complicates everything. Matt just happens to be Faith’s first love.
Continue reading →

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June 13, 2014 · 12:36 PM

Just a quick thanks

As an indie author, I’ve been so humbled, inspired, and motivated by the phenomenal reviews & support Desperately Ever After has received over the past few months.

I set down this road expecting cutthroat competition and closed doors, but instead have found so many amazing writers, readers, and bloggers quick to offer advice, support, and virtual fist pumps.

So here’s just a quick thanks for all of your blog comments, book reviews, tweets, features, interviews (on both sides), blurbs, Facebook likes, Goodreads adds, and general excitement for the women of Marestam. Because of you, I’m approaching the release of my second novel with an ear-to-ear smile and much calmer nerves!

Thanks for giving me a new happy place :)