CLP Blog Tours: Excerpt from A Good Kind of Knowing …
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2013/03/a-good-kind-of-knowing-by-kathy-lynn.html
On Tour: A Good Kind of Knowing by Kathy Lynn …
Kathy will be on tour April 8-22 with her novel A Good Kind of Knowing Sera Taylor’s store is the one place in Lakeville, Texas,…
Future Tour: A Good Kind of Knowing by Kathy Lynn …
Kathy will be on tour April 8-22 with her women’s fiction novel A Good Kind of Knowing Sera Taylor’s store is the one place in…
Blog Tour Sign Up: A Good Kind of Knowing by …
Imagine if Maeve Binchy grew up in Texas and wrote an old-school Larry McMurtry novel. Think Hope Floats meets High Fidelity. That’s how critics are describing A Good Kind of Knowing—from the author of the highly acclaimed and Amazon bestseller, Blue Straggler.
A Good Kind of Knowing is a novel about the power of music and friendship, the relationship two-steps that go on in old Texas dancehalls, and the secret to finding just a little bit of common ground in a world full of distrust.
Sera Taylor’s store is the one place in Lakeville, Texas, where individuals from all walks of life share a universal love for music and a respect for the gypsy-like woman behind the antique glass counter. Readers get a taste of the unorthodox connection between Sera and Mack, a young local cowboy and musician, and Sera’s previously untested devotion to her husband Bill. They learn of her relationship with Ruby D., the vibrant but misguided mother of five; with Louie, the shy high school band director; with Beverly, the religious, upper-class socialite; with Antonio, a local bar owner striving to make a life for himself; with Tommy Lee, a rich and directionless gigolo; and with Wes, the only out-of-the closet gay man for miles. As Sera battles a serious illness, the characters must overcome long-held stereotypes to save Sera’s store, and in the end, large parts of themselves.
Book Review: A Good Kind of Knowing by Kathy Lynn …
I received a copy of A Good Kind of Knowing by Kathy Lynn Harris in exchange for an honest review. Sera Taylor is our main focus, and is a woman who can bring people together. She lives in the small town of Lakeville, Texas and runs a widely popular music store. She’s friends with almost everyone, and the town is hit hard when Sera is diagnosed with cancer. The book weaves Sera’s story and her battle along with the town’s reaction and how they all pitch in to help save her store – and themselves.
This book is really one to pull at heartstrings. I lost my grandmother to breast cancer just a few years ago, and watching someone with an illness is an incredibly hard thing. The book brought me back to the time while reading, and I shed quite a few tears throughout the way. I enjoyed the Texas setting, Sera’s spirit, and the supporting cast who really added a lot to the book overall. At times I felt a bit of a disconnect with the characters, practically Sera and Mack. I’m not sure if I just didn’t get enough of their story to understand their connection or what it was, but something was missing there for me. I adored Ruby D. (and the name!) even though she didn’t always make the best decisions. While Sera’s husband could seem infuriating at times, I got it. I got his way of dealing with his wife’s diagnosis, and overall I thought this novel was extremely well-written. One I recommend – as long as you have some tissues handy!
4 stars
Author Profile: Kathy Lynn Harris
Author Name: Kathy Lynn Harris Blog: http://www.kathylynnharris.com/blog/ Bio: Kathy grew up in rural South Texas — and comes from people who work hard, love the…
Interview with Kathy Lynn Harris
When did you know writing was for you?
I know it sounds cliché, but I think I’ve always known. I was writing “books” and poetry and essays before I reached the ripe old age of 10. In school, writing was easy for me, and something I could lose myself in for hours. I remember in an English class in high school, we were asked to write a brief description of a character, as if we were writing a novel about that character. I wrote a two-pager about a homeless man. The teacher came up to me after I turned it in with great concern; she was certain that someone I knew personally was homeless. It was an awesome moment — that feeling of having created something from imagination that was compelling and real.
Where did the idea for Blue Straggler come from?
I originally wrote a short story about a 30-something career girl who was depressed and directionless. I kept coming back to her character, and the characters of her two friends who were trying to help her through it. I loved those characters (who eventually became Bailey, Idamarie and Rudy in the novel)! But I didn’t really have a plot for them. Then I made my own personal move from Texas to Colorado and realized that I could use that experience to fuel the story. I wanted to answer the question, “How would a change of scenery affect Bailey’s restlessness? How would the oddball friend-triangle work if one of them left town?” And Blue Straggler was born.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Truly for me, the most difficult thing is finding the time to write. I’m not one of those lucky people who can sit down and generate pages of work right away. It takes time for me to get back into the story and characters after being away from them for even 24 hours. I need a couple of hours of writing time to be productive. So, with all the demands of a full-time job and being a mama and wife and friend and sister and daughter, I have a hard time finding large blocks of time to write. Also, my addiction to my Kindle and HGTV doesn’t help matters.
What are your favorite genres to read?
I love literary fiction and women’s fiction. I love a good book of poetry. I enjoy smart memoirs. I don’t typically do sci-fi or fantasy. I think I’m too grounded in reality. Maybe I should try to change that!
What do you want readers to take away from your story?
I’d like them to perhaps come away with a greater understanding of what home means to them, and to realize that sometimes it’s easy to get trapped living a life that everyone, including yourself, thought you were supposed to lead. But maybe that life isn’t the one that is going to fuel your soul. More than likely, though, they’ll just come away with a craving for Cool Whip, enchiladas and/or tequila.
How important do you think social media is for authors these days?
I think it’s become hugely important. I know for a fact that I would not have had the success I’ve had so far with Blue Straggler without Facebook. I have great networks of friends out there who have helped spread the word. I probably owe Mark Zuckerberg a beer.
What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
If writing is really your passion, stick with it. Don’t give up. It took about eight years for me to find a publishing home for Blue Straggler. There’s a lot to be said for tenacity in today’s quick-win world. It’s ironic because I’m certainly not known for having much patience. (Friends, coworkers and family members are snickering right now.) Yet here I am, a poster child for determination. Go figure!
Author Website: kathylynnharris.com
Read Kathy’s blog here: kathylynnharris.com/blog
Connect with Kathy:
Facebook – www.facebook.com/BlueStragglerFiction
Twitter – @KathyLynnHarris
Email – kathy@kathylynnharris.com
Purchase Blue Straggler via Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Straggler-Kathy-Lynn-Harris/dp/0983170142/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris
Bailey Miller isn’t happy with her life Texas, even though she may not fully understand why. She sometimes feels a disconnect from her family (her brother is the Golden Boy, Bailey – not so golden), but she loves her two friends Rudy and Idamarie, and works a well-paying job. But when the well-paying job practically forces Bailey to quit, an old family mystery is sparked, and Bailey tires of her not-so-smart life choices (often involving drinking) she packs up her Honda and heads out of the great state of Texas. Determined to get to Colorado and find out more about her great-grandmother Annie, Bailey doesn’t know what to expect when she gets to the tiny town of Gold Creek.
Once in Gold Creek, sleeping in a barn and driving a tow truck, Bailey realizes it might be harder to find what she is looking for – both with Annie’s mystery and Bailey’s own life. But as she slowly befriends the town and the citizens who live there, Bailey wonders if coming to Colorado wasn’t the best decision she’s ever made. Until she gets the news that Idamarie is in the hospital, and Annie rushes back to Texas. Once there, she gets another bomb dropped on her from Rudy. What decision will Bailey make now?
I really had fun reading and trying to decipher Bailey in Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris. Bailey is clearly dysfunctional, she admits it about once a chapter, but I really connected with her. I think all of us would like the courage to pack up our car and head out on our own every once in a while, and Bailey brings a spirit of adventure to the pages. All the Texas talk and stereotypes was pretty funny, but there was also a seriousness to Bailey and what she was doing with her life. I loved the vintage mystery aspect, and the twist at the end left me a little speechless. Sometimes I felt just a bit of a disconnect with the book, like Bailey was just a tad too off for me, but otherwise, I thought this book was great. Strong dialogue, unique characters, and great little subplots to keep the reader focused. I recommend!
[Rating: 4]
On Tour: Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris
Kathy will be on tour April 16-30 with her novel Blue Straggler A blue straggler is a star that has an anomalous blue color and…
- 1
- 2
- Older Posts
