Lyn Liao Butler has done it all...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Dave Cross
Photography

Today we welcome Lyn Liao Butler to CLC to talk about her recently published debut novel, The Tiger Mom's Tale. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!

Lyn Liao Butler was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. In her past and present lives, she has been: a concert pianist, a professional ballet and modern dancer, a fitness studio owner, a personal trainer and instructor, an RYT-200 hour yoga instructor, a purse designer with an Etsy shop and most recently, author of multi-cultural women’s fiction. Lyn did not have a Tiger Mom. She came about her over-achieving all on her own.

When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), two stubborn dachshunds, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet.

Visit Lyn online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

Lexa Thomas has never quite fit in. Having grown up in a family of blondes while more closely resembling Constance Wu, she's neither white enough nor Asian enough. Visiting her father in Taiwan as a child, Lexa thought she'd finally found a place where she belonged. But that was years ago, and even there, some never truly considered her to be a part of the family.

When her estranged father dies unexpectedly, leaving the fate of his Taiwanese family in Lexa's hands, she is faced with the choice to return to Taiwan and claim her place in her heritage . . . or leave her Taiwanese family to lose their home for good. Armed with the advice of two half-sisters (one American and the other Taiwanese, who can't stand each other), a mother who has reevaluated her sexuality, a man whose kisses make her walk into walls, and her self-deprecating humor, Lexa finds the courage to leave the comfort of New York City to finally confront the person who drove her away all those decades ago.

With fond memories of eating through food markets in Taiwan and forming a bond with a sister she never knew she had, Lexa unravels the truth of that last fateful summer and realizes she must stand up for herself and open her heart to forgiveness, or allow the repercussions of her family's choices to forever dictate the path of her life. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Sharp and humorous, The Tiger Mom's Tale is a scenic, debut novel with a cast of complicated characters sure to bring laughter and discussion to your next book club. I can't wait to read what Lyn Liao Butler writes next!"

—Tif Marcelo, USA Today Bestselling author of The Key to Happily Ever After

"The Tiger Mom's Tale is a breathtaking debut from a compelling new voice in women's fiction. With captivating characters and vivid descriptions of mouth-watering meals, Lyn Liao Butler whisks us from the bright lights of New York City to the bustle of Taichung. A story of belonging, betrayal, and the bonds between family that can never be broken, The Tiger Mom's Tale is a deeply emotional and satisfying read."

—Kristin Rockaway, author of She's Faking It

"The Tiger Mom’s Tale has it all—family drama, scorching love, vivid transcontinental settings, and culinary scenes that made me drool. A charming, engrossing debut from Lyn Liao Butler."

—Kimmery Martin, author of The Antidote for Everything

"With a keen eye for detail and a lush appreciation for the joys and comforts of food, Lyn Liao Butler delves into the complicated bonds of family, the endurance of sisterhood, and the fundamental yearning to connect with our heritage."

—Allie Larkin, internationally bestselling author of Swimming for Sunlight

In one sentence, tell us what the road to publishing was like for you.
My road to publishing was long, bumpy, filled with so many rejections and tears, but I stubbornly pushed through and finally signed with my agent.

How is Lexa similar to or different from you?
Lexa and I are both personal trainers who lived on the Upper East Side. But she is half Taiwanese/half Caucasian, whereas I am full Taiwanese. We both struggle with reconciling the two halves of us (looking Asian on the outside, but feeling American on the inside).

If The Tiger Mom’s Tale was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
For the Asian characters, I’d want to cast new, up and coming, or even unknown actors and actresses. It’s so hard for Asian actors to break out in Hollywood, that I’d love it to be an opportunity for actors who haven’t been given many options in the past to breakout and show America who they are. 

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I just read Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier and I absolutely loved it. It’s a thriller, but it’s so much more than that. It delves into any parents’ worst nightmare—having your child be kidnapped and not knowing what happens to him. 

I also just finished Little Pieces of Me by Alison Hammer and it was an excellent read. A woman finds out from a DNA test that her bio dad is not who she thought it was all her life. It is so expertly written from multiple POVs, and each POV is so distinct and the characters so developed, they felt like real people to me. I can’t wait to read what Alison Hammer writes next!

What are you looking forward to doing this summer?
I am a summer person, so I will be living in shorts, tank tops and flip flops all summer. We live on a lake right next to the lake beach, so I’ll be spending a lot of time there letting our eight-year-old run around with his friends, and also hanging out by the lake on our property with my two dogs, writing my next books. There’s nothing better than sitting by the water, two dogs by my side, to stir my creative mind.

What is something you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
That I am the WORST homeschooling teacher EVER. My son actually asked if he could “retire” from my school. I don’t know how teachers do it. I am his mom, not his teacher, and I am so grateful he is back in school!

Thanks to Lyn for visiting with us and to Berkley 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends July 18th at midnight EST.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. 

Book Review: Jenn Reinvented

By Sara Steven

Jennifer Colby-Kittler is the boss. They even call her The Jenneral. But married life is hard, even when you call the shots. When the sizzle in her and husband Russ' romance goes AWOL, Jenn calls in the big guns. They're going to forge ahead and have a second child whether Russ likes it or not. The only problem is that Russ is leaning toward not.

When the Kittler's new baby mission doesn't go according to Jenn's plan, the tension grows, and a mutiny in their marriage unfolds. Jenn's sister (the lovable Kait from Project Kaitlyn, book one in the Sweet Water Circle series) and friends intervene, forcing her to explore her inner being by attending yoga classes hosted by a dreamy new instructor. Jenn reluctantly agrees, needing to learn to how to let go of control before a civil war leads to divorce. But when the guru falls for her (desperately wanting to also explore her inner being) and an old flame finds out that Jenn's marriage is under attack and attempts to plant his flag, Jenn doesn't know which path to choose.

Can Jenn learn to let go before her life spirals out of control? Should she save her marriage before it's too late, start over with someone new, or go it alone? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

Having read the first book in the Sweet Water Circle series, I couldn’t wait to find out more about Jenn’s experiences. We’re given a glimpse of the discontentment she feels within Project Kaitlyn, but nothing could have prepared me for “The Jenneral” and her Peter Pan-like husband, Russ! I couldn’t help but relate to the situation, having experienced something similar myself in a former life. On the one hand, Jenn feels as though her husband isn’t attracted to her anymore, and is choosing everything else over her. Yet, she isn’t delving deep enough into the situation to find out where his reactions stem from. 

At the very beginning, I thought, “She should totally leave Russ.” But through the majority of the story, what I felt the most was compassion for this couple, and at times, heartbreak. We get to know more about Russ as the pages go by, and even through the Peter-Pan exterior lies a man who has had to live his life under The Jenneral’s thumb and has many charming qualities that go unnoticed and under-appreciated. Yet, those same attributes can be said about Jenn, too. And in the center of it all is Cooper, their adorable son. 

I really love the dialogue between the characters in Jenn Reinvented. It’s not overly-flowered or fancy. It made me feel like I was right there in the room with the couple, or sitting with the Sweet Water Circle, trying to talk some sense into Jenn while she watches her regimented life slip away from her. And through it all, there is humor. I loved the quips and witty comebacks, the inside jokes that are shared with the reader so they’re in on it, too. It is through the humor where Jenn really shines, trying to navigate a life that might include Russ, someone else, or no one at all. 

No matter what, Jenn will always have her Sweet Water Circle, and I think that was my favorite aspect here. The bonds of friendship, and sisterhood. They are going to be there to support her, no matter what, and it made me even more appreciative of the wonderful girlfriends I have in my life, too. I laughed a lot, I even got a little teary-eyed here and there, and ultimately, I felt like I learned a lot about Jenn and Russ, in unexpected ways. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! A well-deserved five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple * Barnes & Noble

Grayson Avery is the author of The Sweet Water Circle Series, a romantic comedy series that focuses on childhood friends in their 30s and 40s as they help each other navigate the stormy waters of dating, marriage, divorce, and a whole lot of inappropriate, naughty, and downright hysterical situations.

Visit Grayson online:
Website * Facebook * Amazon * Goodreads

Visit the stops on Grayson's blog tour:

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. 

What's in the mail

Melissa:

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson from Sourcebooks (e-book via NetGalley)

The Trials of Adeline Turner by Angela Terry from Smith Publicity  (e-book via NetGalley)

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca from Berkley (e-book via NetGalley)

Starstruck by Beth Miller from Duckworth Books (e-book via NetGalley)

A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe from St. Martin's Press

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox from Putnam

Impersonation by Heidi Pitlor from Algonquin Books (e-book via NetGalley)

Nowhere Girl by Cheryl Diamond from Algonquin Books (e-book via NetGalley)

The Way We Weren't by Phoebe Fox from Berkley (e-book via NetGalley)

In Just One Day by Helen McGinn from Boldwood (e-book via NetGalley)

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle from Emi Battaglia PR

Yoga Pant Nation by Laurie Gelman from Henry Holt  (e-book via NetGalley)

Wait for It by Jenn McKinlay from Berkley (e-book via NetGalley)

Sara:
The Night We Burned by S.F. Kosa from Kaye Publicity (e-book via NetGalley)

The Dating Game by Sandy Barker from Rachel's Random Resources  (e-book via NetGalley)

Fool Me Twice at Christmas by Camilla Isley from Rachel's Random Resources  (e-book)

A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King from Putnam (e-book)

Jami:

A Million Things by Emily Spurr from Berkley (e-book via NetGalley)

Three Sisters by Heather Morris from St. Martin's Press

In Another Light by A.J. Banner from Get Red PR (e-book via NetGalley)

Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillipi Ryan from Get Red PR (e-book via NetGalley)

Spotlight: What a Happy Family

Nestled in the suburbs of Atlanta, a family learns the funniest punchlines can hide the hardest truths in this evocative women’s fiction novel from the author of Well-Behaved Indian Women.

From the outside, the Joshi family is the quintessential Indian-American family. Decades ago, Bina and Deepak immigrated to America, where she became a pillar of their local Indian community and he, a successful psychiatrist. Their eldest daughter, Suhani, is following the footsteps of her father’s career and happily married. Natasha, their middle daughter, is about to become engaged to the son of longtime family friends. And Anuj, their son—well he’s a son and what could be better than that?
 
But a family scandal shows that nothing is as it seems. Bina’s oldest friendship starts to unravel and she finds herself as an outsider in the community she helped build. Suhani discovers that her perfect marriage isn’t as solid as she thought. Natasha faces a series of rejections that send her into a downward spiral. 
 
As they encounter public humiliation, gossiping aunties, and self-doubt, the Joshi family must rely on each other like never before. But sometimes, family has to fall apart in order to come back stronger than before.

 "A full, big hearted novel."
—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six

“In her wonderful follow up to Well-Behaved Indian Women, Saumya Dave is quickly becoming a go-to author for complex stories of love, relationships and family, all told with her now trademark humor and heart.”

—Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing

"Dave writes insightful, compelling characters who readers fall in with and root for on their journeys balancing love, family, mental health, careers, and belonging. What a Happy Family is a vivid portrait of family life and I was captivated by the stories of the Joshi clan from the very first page."

—Sonya Lalli, author of Serena Singh Flips the Script 

Purchase What a Happy Family.

Courtesy of Saumya's website

Saumya Dave is a writer, psychiatrist, and mental health advocate.
 
As a writer, she enjoys exploring the unique dynamics that exist in families.Her debut novel, Well-Behaved Indian Women, was featured in The New York Times Book Review, ELLE, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. Saumya's essays, articles, and poetry have been in outlets including The New York Times, ABC News, Refinery29, and HuffPost, among others.
 
Saumya has a passion for women’s mental health and wellness. She and her husband, Samir Sheth, founded thisisforHER, a nonprofit which uses art therapy to improve mental health awareness and education for women and girls in low- and middle-income countries. She is a practicing therapist, as well as an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai, where she teaches Narrative Medicine. 
 
Saumya was born in India and grew up in Atlanta. In her seventh-grade journal, she wrote: "I will be a psychiatrist and writer someday". She is a graduate of Georgia Tech and the Medical College of Georgia, where she was an inductee into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She completed her Psychiatry Residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where she was a Chief Resident and an inductee into the AΩA Medical Honors Society. She completed a Psychoanalytic Fellowship with the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. (Bio adapted from Saumya's website.)

Visit Saumya online: 
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. 

Book Review: Secrets on the Italian Island

 

By Sara Steven

Her work has got in the way of relationships before – but never like this

Anna’s job as a geologist takes her all over the world, including to the beautiful island of Elba, where she’s sent to look for precious metals. And the island isn’t the only thing that’s gorgeous – she can’t believe her luck when she meets windsurfer Marco and sparks fly.

But Anna must keep her role on Elba a secret to avoid upsetting the locals, which means lying to Marco even as they grow closer. When her old friend Toby visits, Anna suddenly finds herself torn between the attentions of the two men. However, Anna’s not the only one keeping secrets.

Is Marco being entirely honest with her? And why did Toby really come to visit? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

T.A. Williams has mastered the art of love triangles. There are moments for Anna when she refers to herself as “Naughty Anna,” particularly where Marco is concerned. But then there’s Toby, a man she’s known through familial channels--their connection evident. And as is often the case, you want to somehow meld the two potential love interests together to remake one perfect character, but ultimately, where’s the fun in that? I loved the back and forth and Anna’s “Will I, or won’t I” attitude as she’s fighting her own inner urges, and as the synopsis indicates, who is being honest, and who can she really trust?

I also enjoyed the uniqueness behind Anna’s occupation. It’s not often that you’ll find a protagonist deep in the trenches of tunnels, attempting to find something rare and unexpected. It was neat to read about her experiences as a geologist, but that later throws a wrench into things. If she were to find precious metals on Elba, what would that mean for the local conservation efforts? It was an interesting conundrum and something I found myself focusing on and thinking more deeply about, considering it’s a real-life issue that is relevant. 

There are unforgettable characters within Elba, like George the dog and his owner Jack. Jack is very familiar with geology, considering that had been his former profession before he decided to retire and delve more into conservation after seeing what mining could do to the environment around it, and it places Anna into this tough spot. It is obvious how much respect and admiration she has for Jack, but what would he do if he knew the truth about her reasons for being on Elba? I felt as though her friendship with Jack, as well as the bond she forms with his dog was a nice balance to the love triangle with Marco and Toby.

This isn’t the first time I’ve cited my love of scenery in a T.A. Williams novel, and I imagine it won’t be the last. As with each and every one I’ve read, scenery becomes another primary character, and this island is no exception. When Anna swims in the warm blue sea, shakes sand from her shoes, or when Jack offers to let her stay in his idyllic guest house on his property, I yearned for my own special guest house, too, surrounded by tall grasses and quiet, and peace. I enjoyed Secrets on the Italian Island, a definite five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Author Bio

I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

The fact that I am now writing romantic comedy is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations, even if travel to them is currently difficult.

Visit me online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. 

A word from Kerry Lonsdale...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Chantelle Hartshorne

We're pleased to welcome Kerry Lonsdale back to CLC today to talk about her latest novel, No More Words, which is the first in a new and exciting series. See what Melissa thought of it here. Kerry has TWO copies for some lucky readers!

Kerry Lonsdale is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Amazon Charts & #1 Kindle bestselling author of standalone and series-based emotionally charged domestic drama. A mash-up of domestic suspense, family drama, and contemporary romance, her novels straddle genres, and with over twenty-seven foreign language translations, they appeal to a wide, global audience. She lives in Northern California with her husband, teenage son and daughter, and two cats. When Kerry’s not writing, she can be found binge-watching anything with big CGI effects or high drama. She’s a sucker for stories about second chance romance, strong women overcoming odds, and families with dark secrets. (Bio courtesy of Kerry's website.)

Visit Kerry online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

Forced to choose between abortion or adoption, Olivia Carson’s younger sister, Lily, runs away from home. Sixteen and pregnant, she never returns. But she writes. Once a year, Lily mails a picture of her son, Josh, to Olivia until his thirteenth year. Then it’s Josh himself who arrives at Olivia’s house, alone, terrified, and in possession of a notarized declaration from Lily. It begins, “In the event I go missing…”

Josh has difficulty talking. He can’t read or write, but he’s a prolific artist, exhibiting skill beyond his age. His drawings are as detailed as they are horrific. Olivia soon realizes Josh’s artwork tells a story. There’s more to his arrival and to Lily’s untimely disappearance than it seems. Using the drawings as a road map, Olivia traces Josh’s path back to his mom. Each drawing sheds light on Lily’s past and reveals a darkness that forces Olivia to question everything she thought she knew about her family. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Lonsdale is at her best with this multilayered story about three dysfunctional siblings and the secrets they keep. What a ride. I’m still a little breathless. This one was an addictive page-turner—impossible to put down. Fans of domestic suspense will EAT THIS UP.” 

—Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Good Sister and The Mother-in-Law

“Kerry Lonsdale is back and better than ever with this multilayered tale about three siblings torn apart by a series of tragic events. Nuanced and smart, filled with characters with real emotion and depth, No More Words is everything you’ve come to love from the master of domestic drama. A mesmerizing beginning to a new trilogy that will have you one-clicking the next in the series.” —Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Stranger in the Lake

“Full of suspense, romance, and drama, No More Words is a powerful story about what it means to be a family. Emotional and honest, it tells the story of three siblings each dealing with demons from the past. I fell in love with all three Carson children and look forward to the second and third installments of this series. Kerry Lonsdale is a master storyteller of family drama, and this is Lonsdale at her best.” 

—Suzanne Redfearn, #1 Amazon bestselling author of In an Instant

What is something you learned from writing your other novels that you applied to No More Words?
Patience. Because writing is rewriting.

How are you similar to or different from Olivia?
Oh, that’s a tough one. I don’t smoke. We’re probably a little similar in regards to trusting people. It doesn’t come easy.
 
If No More Words were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I’d love to see Jessica Chastain as Olivia. She’s edgy like my character. Jai Courtney would make a good Blaze. Noah Jupe was great in Ford v. Ferrari. He might be too old now, but could have been great as Josh.
 
Which TV series are you currently binge watching?
Mare of Easttown. The first episode had me hooked. I’ve heard great things about this one.
 
What have you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I was already stuck at home for a year prior to the pandemic recovering from an injury. Having to stay in place for another  year taught me that I get stir crazy very easily. But I found I’m more patient than I realized.
 
If you could switch places with anyone for a day, who would it be?
My daughter, but not in a Freaky Friday-ish way. I always want to know what goes on in my kids’ heads, and what they do when I’m not around. But don’ t we all?

Thanks to Kerry for visiting with us and 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends July 12th at midnight EST.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. 

Kristin Harmel's star is rising...plus a book giveaway

We are thrilled to have Kristin Harmel back at CLC today to celebrate the publication of her latest historical fiction masterpiece, The Forest of Vanishing Stars. Melissa said that it's one of her 2021 top picks and has been recommending it to everyone she knows. See her review. Thanks to Gallery, we have TWO copies to give away!

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling, USA Today bestselling, and #1 international bestselling author of The Book of Lost Names, The Winemaker’s Wife, and a dozen other novels that have been translated into twenty-nine languages and are sold all over the world.

A former reporter for PEOPLE magazine, Kristin has been writing professionally since the age of 16, when she began her career as a sportswriter, covering Major League Baseball and NHL hockey for a local magazine in Tampa Bay, Florida in the late 1990s. After stints covering health and lifestyle for American Baby, Men’s Health, and Woman’s Day, she became a reporter for PEOPLE magazine while still in college and spent more than a decade working for the publication, covering everything from the Super Bowl to high-profile murders to celebrity interviews. Her favorite stories at PEOPLE, however, were the “Heroes Among Us” features—tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

In addition to a long magazine writing career (which also included articles published in Travel + Leisure, Glamour, Ladies’ Home Journal, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and more), Kristin was also a frequent contributor to the national television morning show The Daily Buzz and has appeared on Good Morning America and numerous local television morning shows.

Kristin was born just outside Boston, Massachusetts and spent her childhood there, as well as in Columbus, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Florida. After graduating with a degree in journalism (with a minor in Spanish) from the University of Florida, she spent time living in Paris and Los Angeles and now lives in Orlando, with her husband and young son. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. (Bio courtesy of Kristin's website.)

Visit Kristin online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.

Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel from the #1 internationally bestselling author whose writing has been hailed as “sweeping and magnificent” (Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author), “immersive and evocative” (Publishers Weekly), and “gripping” (Tampa Bay Times). (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Fascinating, meticulously researched, and utterly unique."  
~Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan

"A powerful and compelling masterpiece, a significant story for our present time." 
~Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis 

"With breathtaking natural descriptions, vivid historical details, and a brave heroine worth cheering for who must fulfill a destiny prophesied since birth, this novel is not to be missed!” 
~Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author of The Next Ship Home 

"What a triumph! Not since Alice Hoffman's The Dovekeepers, have I read such a spellbinding and immersive tale of a people's will to survive." 
~Stephanie Dray, NYT Bestselling author of The Women of Chateau Lafayette 

What did you learn from writing your other novels that you applied to The Forest of Vanishing Stars?
I think in the journey of any writer, each novel is a step forward. We push our limits, test our boundaries, and learn new things about research, storytelling and detail with each book. I don't think that there was necessarily anything specific that I learned from my previous novels that I applied to Forest other than just a general improvement (I hope) in storytelling, which isn't an intentionally applied lesson, but rather a natural step result of pouring myself into each book (as most writers do) and learning a bit more each time about myself, and my style, along the way.

How are you similar to or different from Yona?  
With the exceptions perhaps of my first novel (How to Sleep With a Movie Star, 2006, which was probably some reflection of who I was in my mid-twenties) and my first WWII novel (The Sweetness of Forgetting, 2012, which reflected a bit of my own relationship with my grandmother), there's never anything deliberately "me" in my protagonists, though I think it's inevitable that a piece of the writer slips into the main character, since those characters spend nine months or more living in the writer's head. In the case of Yona, I certainly didn't write her as a reflection of me, but I'm sure there's some of her grit and resilience, as well as her propensity for self-introspection, that I'd like to think are pieces of who I am, too. I think when authors write main characters we genuinely like--and I genuinely liked Yona--we tend to write them with personalities that are compatible with ours in some way -- as if we're writing someone we can see ourselves being friends with.

If The Forest of Vanishing Stars were made into a movie, what kind of music would be on the soundtrack?
You always ask great movie questions, Melissa! I think I would leave that to the professionals, but I think in general, it would be reflective of the time and place the book takes place -- 1940s Eastern Europe -- and the Jewish culture that is an integral part of the plot. It would probably be heavy on stirring violin solos! Speaking of music, though, our Friends & Fiction launch for THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS (which will air live on the Friends & Fiction group page on July 7 at 7pm ET) will actually feature a 14-minute musical I wrote about the book! I know that sounds nuts (and it is!), but I think it will be fun. I hope you'll join us!

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
My five-year-old and I just watched Luca, on Disney Plus, and it was wonderful. It's an animated Disney Pixar film, and it tells the story about a boy who is -- literally-- a fish out of water. It was perfect for my son's age group, because it was full of adventure and laughter, but it also has a deeper message about inclusion and the dangers of treating people as outsiders. 

What is something you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
That I don't have to always be running a mile a minute to find fulfillment. When my world got smaller, I realized that I had been missing the joy of slowing down and simply being with my husband and son.

Where is the next place you'd like to go for a vacation?
Paris. Always Paris! But since that's probably not terribly realistic for my next trip at the moment, perhaps New York or LA. I miss both places very much. 'll be setting off on a regional book tour soon -- just Florida, Georgia and South Carolina -- and though that won't be a vacation, I'm looking forward to getting back out into the world again!

Thanks to Kristin for visiting with us and to Gallery 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends July 11th at midnight EST.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.