Set in New England at the time of the American Bicentennial, BEST SELLER is the poignant story of a displaced young woman struggling to figure out who she is within the context of her hometown and the carefully masked dysfunction of her family.
"Everything can be fixed by writing a check." Words to live by for Robin Fortune's wealthy father, until he can't buy her way back into college after she's expelled for dealing pot. Now he chooses not to speak to her anymore, but that's just one of the out-of-whack situations Robin's facing. At nineteen, she feels rudderless, working in a diner by day and sleeping with a buddy from high school by night - all so strange for her because she was always the one with the plan. While her college friends plotted how to ensnare husbands, she plotted a novel, which she scratched out into a series of spiral-bound notebooks she hides in the closet. But now, there's nothing. No vision, no future, no point. In fact, the only thing she feels she has to look forward to is that her favorite author, Maryana Capture, is paying a visit to the local Thousand Words bookstore. Robin surmises that if she can convince Maryana to help her get her novel published, she'll finally get herself back on track. Except that life never takes a straight path in this intensely satisfying coming-of-age novel.
She and her husband live in Rhode Island, never far from the ocean.
October 6
The Mad Reviewer (Review)
The Book Binder's Daughter (Review)
Yeah Books! (Interview)
October 7
Dauntless Indies (Top Ten List)
October 8
Wining Wife (Review)
Coffee Talk Writers (Top Ten List)
Dab of Darkness (Interview)
October 9
Laurie Here (Review)
The GreatReads! (Guest Post)
Book Snatch (Interview)
Bookingly Yours (Guest Post)
October 10
3 Partners in Shopping (Review)
Room With Books (Interview)
Boom Baby Reviews (Top Ten List)
October 11
Hott Books (Guest Post)
Books Direct (Excerpt)
October 12
Girls That Read (Review)
The Quintessential Bibliophile (Guest Post)
October 13
Deal Sharing Aunt (Interview)
To Read or Not to Read (Promotional Post)
Interview:
Where are you from?
I was born in Rhode Island, and have lived here for
most of my life, with the exception of a year abroad in Switzerland while a
college student, and a short time in Washington, DC.
Tell us your latest news?
My most recent novel, Best Seller, was released this past June, and I’m currently working
on a romantic comedy with a holiday theme, titled A Wedding at Jingle Valley Farm. Writing furiously in the hopes to
have it completed in time for Christmas!
When and why did you begin writing?
Like many authors, I feel as though I’ve been
writing all my life, but my serious effort as a full-time writer of novels began
in September 2011, after I’d left a career as a fraud investigator. While I
enjoyed the work, and was a good investigator, I can say that I’m now doing
what I’d always wanted to do.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I typed ‘The End’ on my first manuscript, it
felt real to me. Of course, once my editor took a look at that manuscript,
there was a lot of work still to do! And with the publication of my first
novel, I knew I was truly a writer.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Many aspiring authors write semi-autobiographical
first novels. I was no different. As a college student, I spent my junior year
in Switzerland, and while I was abroad, my father died unexpectedly. This was
before cell phones and the internet. I always knew I wanted to write about that
year, because it was so pivotal and meaningful for me. But I didn’t really have
an exciting story to tell, so I created a character and sent her on an
adventure of a lifetime.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I’ll copy what someone once wrote about my writing:
“She lives under the skin of her characters.” And I write what I call “Real
True Fiction.” While my stories don’t always have a happily ever after, I hope
to provide a satisfactory ending, with themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and
growth through change.
How did you come up with the title?
For Best
Seller? Well, I might call it cheeky, or simply hopeful and optimistic
(haha). It’s every writer’s dream to pen a bestselling book, and in this case,
the title is appropriate to the story (no spoilers!). I can only hope it will
be appropriate to my sales!
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Although the story takes place in the 1970s, the
character of Robin Fortune could be any young woman today, trying to find her
place in the world, anxious to be on her own, unsure how to navigate through
relationships, both personal and professional.
How much of the book is realistic?
I drew on my own memories of growing up in a small
New England town (with a real Main Street), but other than the setting, it’s
purely fiction.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
The setting is based on my hometown, and I tried to
imagine myself writing a novel in the 70s, when the publishing industry was so,
so different from what it is today. I’m grateful that the opportunities are
there for authors to write and publish their books.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Someone recently tagged me (in a Facebook post) to
list ten books that have influenced and/or inspired me. Only ten? So, I can
list those ten for you now, but understand that there are many more, and these
are in no particular order:
1. The Great Gatsby
2. The Yearling
3. The Thorn Birds
4. A Moveable Feast
5. The Sun Also Rises
6. A Room with a View
7. The Color Purple
8. Manchild in the
Promised Land
9. To Kill a
Mockingbird
10. Down and Out in
Paris and London
If you had to choose, which writer
would you consider a mentor?
I’ll list three. Anna Quindlen, Wally Lamb, and
Claire Cook.
What book are you reading now?
Right now I’m reading The Expats by Chris Pavone, and it’s great! Thrilling, and I love
the European settings.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Definitely. I’m a big fan of authors Brea Brown,
Jackie Bouchard, and KC Wilder.
What are your current projects?
I’d mentioned earlier my new novel, A Wedding at Jingle Valley
Farm. I want to finish it up before beginning another novel that I’ve
been plotting – as yet untitled, but more serious and darker than a romantic
comedy.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
I hope your readers don’t laugh at this, but Amazon
supported me! Without Amazon, I don’t think I’d be a published author (of five
books).
What would you like my readers to know?
Know that I pour myself into my writing. I try to
touch the reader – somehow – through these stories. And I put forth my best
work, because it’s not only what readers deserve, but it’s what creates loyal
readers.
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