Thursday, February 3, 2022

Jillian Cantor's beautiful new novel...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Galen Evans
Jillian Cantor first visited CLC in 2010, to share a surreal novel she wrote, The Transformation of Things. Since then, she has written some amazing historical fiction novels and she has a new one out now called Beautiful Little Fools, which is a new look at The Great Gatsby. She's here to chat with us about it today, and thanks to HarperCollins, we have THREE copies to give away!

Jillian Cantor has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. She is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 13 languages. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons. (Bio adapted from Jillian's website.)

Visit Jillian online:


Synopsis:
On a sultry August day in 1922, Jay Gatsby is shot dead in his West Egg swimming pool. To the police, it appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder/suicide when the body of George Wilson, a local mechanic, is found in the woods nearby.

Then a diamond hairpin is discovered in the bushes by the pool, and three women fall under suspicion. Each holds a key that can unlock the truth to the mysterious life and death of this enigmatic millionaire. 

Daisy Buchanan once thought she might marry Gatsby—before her family was torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy that sent her into the arms of the philandering Tom Buchanan.

Jordan Baker, Daisy’s best friend, guards a secret that derailed her promising golf career and threatens to ruin her friendship with Daisy as well.

Catherine McCoy, a suffragette, fights for women’s freedom and independence, and especially for her sister, Myrtle Wilson, who’s trapped in a terrible marriage.

Their stories unfold in the years leading up to that fateful summer of 1922, when all three of their lives are on the brink of unraveling. Each woman is pulled deeper into Jay Gatsby’s romantic obsession, with devastating consequences for all of them.

Jillian Cantor revisits the glittering Jazz Age world of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, retelling this timeless American classic from the women’s perspective. Beautiful Little Fools is a quintessential tale of money and power, marriage and friendship, love and desire, and ultimately the murder of a man tormented by the past and driven by a destructive longing that can never be fulfilled. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Jillian Cantor’s shifting kaleidoscope of female perspectives makes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale of Jazz Age longing and lust feel utterly modern. A breathtaking accomplishment.” 
-- Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

"Glittering with intrigue, full of fast-paced tension, and saturated in Jazz Age decadence, this powerful exploration of the women of The Great Gatsby will forever change the way you see the American classic--and perhaps, too, the role of women in all the stories we take for granted." 
-- Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars

“Jillian Cantor beautifully re-crafts an American classic in Beautiful Little Fools, placing the women of The Great Gatsby center stage: more than merely beautiful, not so little as the men in their lives assume, and certainly far from foolish. Both fresh and familiar, this page-turner is one to savor!” 
-- Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing? 
The best compliment is someone saying they couldn’t put my book down. I always crave that experience as a reader myself, so it’s a huge compliment if someone says that about my books. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Beautiful Little Fools?
I’ve always been a huge fan of The Great Gatsby but have always believed there was more to the women’s stories too. The rewards were getting to delve deep into a book I love and being able reimagine it in a new and feminist way. This was also the challenge, though -- figuring out how to tell my own story while also staying true to the original. 

If Beautiful Little Fools were made into a movie, what are some songs that would be on the soundtrack? 
Female jazz singers would definitely dominate the soundtrack. “No Good Man” by Nina Simone, “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald, and “Good Morning Heartache” by Billie Holiday to name a few. 

What is something you learned about yourself during the pandemic? 
I’m truly happiest when I’m spending time with my husband and kids so all the cancelled events and outings for all of us, while sometimes disappointing, weren’t actually always the worst thing. 

What is your most recent binge watch? 
I got obsessed with Korean dramas during the pandemic, so that’s mostly what I’ve been binging for the last year, one series after another. Anything Mindy Kaling does is also a must-watch for me, so I also just binged The Sex Lives of College Girls

What is something you are looking forward to in 2022? 
Beautiful Little Fools finally being out in the world of course! But also, hopefully being able to travel with my family more again. 

Thanks to Jillian for visiting with us and HarperCollins for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here

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Giveaway ends February 8th at midnight EST.

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20 comments:

Amy Vox Libris said...

As a high school English teacher, I’ve taught Gatsby Several times. Kids like it, but I suspect they’ll like Jillian’s book more.

Padmini Rao said...

I have read The Great Gatsby and I’ve seen the movie.

Katherine said...

I have read The Great Gatsby but not watched the movie.

Jess said...

I read the book back in high school (2o something years ago) but haven't revisited it since.
I haven't seen the original or the Baz Luhrmann movie but I did watch some made for tv movie circa 2000 with Paul Rudd in it

Suburban prep said...

I read it in high school which was quite some time ago. I have not watched the movie.

traveler said...

I read The Great Gatsby many yeas ago. I have never watched the movie.

Bonnie K. said...

I've read the book but haven't seen the movie.

Carl Scott said...

Yes, I read the book many years ago when I was reading all the classics. I have not seen the film so far, might check it out some day. Thanks

diannekc said...

I haven't read the book or seen the movie.

Mary Preston said...

I found the book and movie awfully dull and self-important. I did not finish either.

Mary C said...

I have read the book and seen the movie.

holdenj said...

Yes, read the book more than once for various English classes.

bn100 said...

read the book

jtmswim said...

I haven't read the book yet but I enjoyed the movie. Thanks for the giveaway chance. Stay safe and healthy.

Tatum Rangel said...

I read the book, a few years ago, but I didn't enjoy it all that much.

Summer said...

I have read it as well as the graphic novel and seen two movie versions.

Anita Yancey said...

I've seen the movie, but I haven't read the book yet.

Peggy Russo said...

I've seen the movie.

Nancy P said...

Yes, I have read Gasby & a lot of Fitzgerald's other works. I love that time period.

Jeanna said...

I remember reading Gasby a long time ago!