Very Special Guest Lesley Kagen Answers My Questions (Giveaway too!)

One of joys of blogging is getting to “meet” authors. You know how much I love to feature authors from my home state of Wisconsin. Last year another Wisconsin author Rochelle Staab recommended a book by Lesley called Whistling In The Dark and I fell hard for the characters and setting. The book brought back many of my childhood memories. Good Graces is the sequel to that book and it was released in paperback on May 1st. As soon as I heard about this release I contacted Lesley and I couldn’t believe she said “Yes!” when I asked her to drop by for a few questions. I did a little research and tried to come up with some good questions to ask her. I hope you agree as we get to know a little bit more about the author the writes these wonderful stories. I will post my review of Good Graces after we spend a little time with Lesley!

Hi Lesley!

Hi Everyone! It’s great to spend a little time here today!

 

1. Is it harder to write from a child’s perspective as an adult? You do it so well.

Thank you! The most important part is slipping on my little girl tennis shoes, so that I can write as authentically as I can. It’s important to me to get it right. I don’t find it difficult. Actually, pretty relaxing. Aren’t all of us adults just kids at heart?

2. How did you decide to visit Troo and Sally again, was it the original plan or did you decide there was more to their story that needed to be told?
I received so many wonderful emails from readers all over the world after Whistling In the Dark was released. Thankfully, they wanted more…more…more of the O’Malley sisters. My standard line was…Thank you, but no way. I’ll write a sequel over my dead body. Ha! After I had written Land of a Hundred Wonders and Tomorrow River, both novels set in the South, I got homesick and wanted to set my next book back in Wisconsin. I yearned to pay the old neighborhood another visit, but was worried that I would be unable to re-capture the characters voices and the setting, but when I sat down to write Good Graces, there my girls were…standing on a Vliet Street corner, blue transistor radio in hand, just waiting for me to show up.

3. You started out in music, what kind of music is your favorite? What would we find on you Ipod or in your CD player right now?

Gosh, depending on my mood…I like blues and R & B, country, and, of course, old school rock ‘n roll. The Dixie Chicks are on my player right now.

4. I can’t believe it, you were on Laverne and Shirley in the episode Take Two, They’re Small where Lenny and Squiggy set up Laverne and Shirley on dates with little people. I tried to find the episode, but no luck there. What part did you play? What was it like being on actress on television?
I guest-starred with another actress, Debbie White, on L & S. We played good-for-nothing sisters. It was fantastic fun. I love acting, but not as much as writing.

5. Can you give us some hints about you next book and when it will be coming out?
My next book is entitled THE MARE’S NEST. It’s a mother/daughter story set in the horse world. After I finish it up (almost) my agent will try to find an interested publisher. Once it’s been sold, it’ll take a little over a year for it to be released.

6. If you are ready to “escape into a good book” who are you reading?
There are so many authors I love! Tough to pick just one, so I’ll tell you what I’m reading now. Alexander McCall’s,The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection: No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Fabulous!

LIGHTNING ROUND

1. Favorite Ice Cream?
Chocolate

2. Favorite Color?
Blue

3. Favorite Restaurant?
Mama Mia’s Pizza, a childhood favorite.

4. Best thing about living in Wisconsin?
Hands down…the people. They’re one of a kind.

Thank you Lesley! I hope you will come back when you new book comes out or whenever you like. You have an open invitation to stop by and chat anytime!

To find out more about Lesley Kagen be sure to visit http://lesleykagen.com/

Now let me tell you about this book!!!

Good Graces
Dutton/New American Library
Published by The Penguin Group

Kagen takes us back to Milwaukee in this sequel to the National Bestseller Whistling In the Dark. One year has passed and Sally is still trying to deal with her escape from a child molester and murderer and the loss of her father. She promised her dad she would take care of her rebel sister Troo and keep her safe. Troo is not making the promise very easy to keep as she gets in trouble at school and sneaks out of their bedroom in the middle of the night.

The neighborhood is having a crime wave with several burglaries. Then an orphan boy goes missing and Troo’s arch enemy has escaped from reform school. Is Troo involved in these incidents? Is she going to hunt down the boy that escaped and try to get revenge? Is she the “cat burgler”? Sally will do anything to save her sister even if it means putting herself in danger.

 

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Life through the eyes of a child. Lesley Kagen is a master at writing from these young viewpoints.

Funny from having to write the charitable story over the summer to turn in on the first day of school to Troo pretending she is French and wanting to be called “Leeze”, visits to the Latour house where they have so many kids an extra one or two is never noticed and the muu-muu wearing granny who looks like George Washington. The childhood games and songs, the old sayings we all heard time and time again going up like “when it rains it pours and “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”.

Sad as the zoo moves across town, dealing with the changes that have come about since their fathers death.

Mysterious as we learn there is something going on at the church.

Kagen takes us on a time back in time. I would love to be sitting with Ethel on the porch or go to all the happenings at the park.

This is a completely charming novel just like Whistling In the Dark. Wonderfully drawn characters with engaging stories that all blend together with perfect precision. I think this one is even better than its predecessor! Escape to Milwaukee 1960 this summer, you will be glad you made the trip!!

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have
one brand new paperback copy to give away.
U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”