Laurie here! It's my turn to host the Friday shenanigans on The Alley! First up, in case you missed it:
On The Alley this week, Julia talked about being intentional and making time for your writing in "The Little Word That Destroys Your Writing Life." So much gold right here!
Make sure you catch our interview with Allen Arnold, former publishing executive, encourager for creatives, speaker, and author of the new book, The Story of With.
Now, for our author spotlight! We asked award-winning author Kara Isaac a few questions to get to know her a little bit better:
Kara: I have three bags in operation at the moment, and they are all full of awfully random things as only having a five year old and two year old can create. The most random thing in the bag I've been using today is a lone sock :)
TWA: What are you reading right now?
Kara: I always have more than one book on the go! At the moment I'm reading Made Well by Jenny Simmons, The Seakeepers' Daughters by Lisa Wingate, and The Promise of Rayne by Nicole Deese.
TWA: Your movie snack of choice?
Kara: Ooooh, that is so hard. My favourite movie theatre does incredible gourmet ice cream sundaes, but they're more of a meal than a snack! So if I can't have that, I would have to go for Double Stuf Oreos.
TWA: What's your favorite recent discovery?
Kara: I'm seven months pregnant and this baby is, shall we say, "exceeding expectations" when it comes to size and I'm not exactly the tallest person in the world! My favourite recent discovery has been a cute pair of togs (I think in the US you call them swimmers? [Laurie: swimsuits!]) that I bought at Target for like $20 when I was in Nashville recently that I actually feel good wearing.
TWA: What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to the beginning of your publishing journey?
Kara: Be content in whatever stage of the journey that you are in. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that whenever you make it to that "next" goal that you'll be content then, but there will always be something to steal your joy in the journey if you let it no matter what stage you're in.About Kara:
About her books: We are big fans of Kara's debut romantic comedy, Close to You, about a disillusioned academic-turned-tour-guide and an entrepreneur who knows nothing about Tolkien who fall in love on a Tolkien-themed tour of New Zealand. And we are very eagerly awaiting her sophomore novel, Can't Help Falling, which releases on October 11! In the story, which received a coveted 4.5-star TOP PICK from RT Book Reviews, we will find out how an antique shop, a wardrobe, and a mysterious tea cup bring two C.S. Lewis fans together in a snowy and picturesque Oxford, England.
GIVEAWAY:
On my (Laurie's) website, I'm giving away a copy of Close to You + a $15 Amazon gift card! I'll paste the Rafflecopter below, and you can enter before 11:59 pm on October 1:
9 comments:
I love the fall weather, and Halloween
So fun to get to know you Kara more. Her first book is one I'd really like to read!
So fun to get to know you Kara more. Her first book is one I'd really like to read!
Kara, so nice to have you here today!! I loved your debut novel and I'm ever-so eager to get my hands on the second as well. :) Welcome to the Alley--it was fun to read this interview and think of you and your lovely New Zealand accent narrating it all for me. ;)
Kara, so glad to have you on the ALLEY!!
I LOVE your advice about being content in whatever publishing stage you're in. They're all so different aren't they? With their on rewards and challenges.
(I'd give the same advice to moms too. I've LOVED EVERY stage of my kids' lives. Younger kids are physically draining and older kids are emotionally draining, but each kid brings such depth and beauty to our lives, you know?)
Krista!! I'm SO stinkin' happy for you!! Still celebrating!!! I think you need to come to Asheville and we can celebrate by having tea at the Biltmore :-)
So excited for our Krista!
And I definitely wouldn't even be on The Writer's Alley were it not for Kara. I would probably be holed up in a coffee shop still working on my first draft of my first book or not writing at all, that draft hidden somewhere far away :)
Along with Kara's book, I'm excited for A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay, Wild Montana Skies by Susan May Warren, The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher, and The Sheriffs of Savage Wells by Sarah M. Eden!
Kara, SO EXCITED to read your newest book!!!!!! Thanks for joining us on the alley today!!!
(and Pepper.... a trip to Asheville/Biltmore to celebrate sounds UH-MAZING!)
Thanks so much for having me here today, Alley Cats and for the fun Q&A!!
And Krista CONGRATULATIONS on your book contract. That is SO exciting!!!
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