Review and Q&A: Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

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Happy Pub Day to Lisa!!!!

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Happy Book Birthday to KEEP QUIET!!!!

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New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award winning author Lisa Scottoline is loved by millions of readers for her suspenseful novels about family and justice. Scottoline delivers once again with Keep Quiet,an emotionally gripping and complex story about one man’s split-second decision to protect his son - and the devastating consequences that follow.Jake Buckman’s relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater.　 On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all. Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

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What lengths would you go to in order to protect those you love?  How far would you then go to protect your secret and to keep quiet?  These are just a few of the interesting questions posed in Scottoline's new novel KEEP QUIET.  This novel was a twisty turny journey that started with a hit and run on a dark road that then lead you on an emotionally driven ride through hidden secrets, moral dilemmas and ultimately truth and justice!!!  What an amazingly nerve wracking book, which I recommend and rate 4 stars!!!

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BIOGRAPHY

Education

Lisa Scottoline graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, in 1976. Her B.A. degree was in English with a concentration in the Contemporary American Novel, and she was taught by professors such as National Book Award Winner Philip Roth. Lisa then graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1981, where she served as an Associate Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review.

Legal Career

Lisa began her legal career with a clerkship for President Judge Edmund B. Spaeth, Jr. of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. When the clerkship ended, she joined Dechert, Price & Rhoads in Philadelphia as an associate. In 1986, she left the firm to raise her newborn daughter and began writing legal fiction part-time. In 1994, Scottoline re-entered the legal world as an administrative law clerk to Chief Judge Dolores K. Sloviter of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, while beginning a new career as a fiction author, with the publication of her first novel.

Writing Career and Novels

Lisa's writing career began with her first novel, Everywhere That Mary Went, published in 1994 by HarperCollins Publishers. The novel became a bestseller and was nominated for the Edgar Award, the most prestigious award given in crime fiction, awarded by the Mystery Writers of America. Lisa's second novel, Final Appeal, was also nominated for and received an Edgar Award. Since then she has written eleven more legal suspense novels, all of which have appeared on bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, and Publisher's Weekly. Scottoline presently has nine million copies in print in the United States, not including audio, e-book and various large print editions. Internationally, Lisa is published in 23 countries. A list of her novels in chronological order is: Everywhere That Mary Went (1994);Final Appeal (1995); Running From the Law (1996); Legal Tender (1997); Rough Justice (1998); Mistaken Identity (1999); Moment of Truth (2000); The Vendetta Defense (2001); Courting Trouble (2002); Dead Ringer (2003); Killer Smile (2004); Devil's Corner (2005); Dirty Blonde (2006), Daddy's Girl (2007), Look Again (2009), Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog (2009), Think Twice (2010), My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space (2010), Save Me (2011), Best Friends, Occasional Enemies (2011), Come Home(2012), Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim (2012), Don't Go (2013), Accused (2013), and Keep Quiet(2014).

Lisa has also joined the faculty as a visiting professor at The University of Pennsylvania Law School to teach a course she created entitled "Justice and Fiction."

Additional Short Publications

Murder is my Racquet, Mysterious Press (June, 2005)

A Century of Great Suspense Stories, Berkley Prime Crime (2001).

Naked Came the Phoenix, St. Martin's Press, a mystery anthology to support Breast Cancer Awareness (2001)

Legal Briefs, Ballantine Books, a legal anthology to support The Nature Conservancy (1998)

"Civil Rights Attorneys' Fees in Cases Resolved on State Pendent and Federal Statutory Grounds," 130 U.Pa.L.Rev. 488 (1981)

In the Shadow of The Master, (2008); Lisa wrote a chapter of this anthology tribute to Edgar Allan Poe, proceeds to benefit the Mystery Writers of America

The Chopin Manuscript (Winner, Audiobook of the Year); Lisa wrote a chapter of this serial novel, proceeds to benefit the International Thriller Writers Association

The Copper Bracelet (forthcoming 2009), Lisa wrote a chapter of this serial novel, proceeds to benefit the International Thriller Writers Association

Film

All nine Rosato and Associates books have been purchased by Fox TV Studio for development into a TV series. 

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Where did the idea for Keep Quiet        come from?

The idea for this novel was a classic what-if, which occurred to me as I was driving down a street similar to the one in the book, which is near my house. Every time I round the curve of this particular street, which has a dangerous blind curve, I think, what if somebody was here and I hit them? What if my kid were driving and my kid hit them? What would I do? What should I do? What I love about this novel is that it concerns a decision that a parent could make at any time, which raises a predicament that they never would have anticipated.

There is a big theme of choices throughout the book, why did you feel it was important to choose to take on such a moral topic of right & wrong?

I love to write about choices, because I feel that every day life contains so many of them, which turned out to be no-win. This novel’s a perfect example of that, because Jake has to make an emergency decision and he is damned if he doing damned if he doesn't.  The choice he makes can be looked at in so many ways, from a moral, legal, or ethical point of view, and that's what makes this book and so many of my standalones perfect for book clubs, because those are the choices and topics that engender the most discussion and there are no right answers.

Which character do you relate to the most in this book? Why?

I relate to all of the characters, and I think every novelist has to be able to channel each of the characters to make their position believable. That is particularly true in this novel, because Jake's position is diametrically opposed to his wife's position. The son has a different perspective, as well. This novel is really the anatomy of a decision and its aftereffects, in addition to being a family story and a crime thriller.

Were there aspects of the story that were inspired by real news stories or personal stories?

Except for the experience above, no. I never base any of my novels on news stories were actual facts, because I think that is so derivative, and like to be original.

Do you have any special rituals or traditions when you begin writing a new novel?

I have tons of rituals most of which unfortunately concern food, which is why am on a perpetual diet areas I'm always nibbling on something while I write, when there is something supposedly good for me like pistachios and almonds, where the stuff I really love, like M&Ms.  I must have Dunkin' Donuts coffee every day, extra large, and I keep the TV on all day in my office, so I have a steady stream of Hoda & Kathy Lee, the View, the Chew, Dr. Oz, Queen Latifah, and my favorite of all time, Dr. Phil.

As far as writing rituals per se, I write 2000 words a day, and I think this is really important to stick to. I like it because it gives me a goal every day, but the best thing about it is that also gives me a limit. When I hit 2000 words I get to stop working, ride a pony, or walk the dogs. Writers, like everybody else, need a way to turn work off and for some reason, I need help to give myself permission to do that, so the word count really works. I am writing two novels in year, and the 3rd book every year, which is a memoir I write with my daughter Francesa Serritella, and I have to be very disciplined to keep up that pace. But it's important to say that I don't regard this as a bad thing, or onerous in the least. On the contrary, I'm living my life’s dream. I've been writing whatever stories both fictional and nonfiction, I want to tell for the past 20 some years, and all of them are bestsellers. How lucky am I?

What advice do you have for other writers?

I have a lot of advice for writers, like any blowhard, and much of it is on my website in little videos that I made. But the bottom line is that they should just do it. I stole that from Nike and it's really true. I find that there is a behavioral way to finish a novel and that begins with routine, a word count, and a set time that you work. Even if you still work a day job, as I did for several years when I was 1st published, a new writer needs to set time aside each day to write, even if it's only 15 min.

But my real advice is softer and gentler, and it has to do with not getting in your way own way. I would tell new writers to just give it a shot and not doubt themselves, particularly women.  There are no right answers in writing, as in life, and you really just have to give it a go and keep going, and not stop until you finish the novel and they publish it. Take time to nurture yourself and your dreams. I believe they really can come true, because that is the story of my life.

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Showcase: We'll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter Adventure by Jennifer Coburn

New York Times best-selling author, Jen Lancaster, recently had this to say about the memoir:

"I'm profoundly in love with Jennifer Coburn's memoir We'll Always Have Paris!  From Coburn's picture-perfect travelogue to her hilarious observations, she's woven together a powerful narrative with a heartfelt and thoughtful examination of what truly makes a family.  I was enthralled from the very first page and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  I want to read this again, tell all my friends about it... and then renew my passport."

About the book:  

How her daughter and her passport taught Jennifer Coburn to forget about dying and truly live

Jennifer Coburn has always been terrified of dying young. It's the reason she drops everything during the summers on a quest to travel through Europe with her daughter, Katie, before it's too late. Even though her husband can't join them, even though she's nervous about the journey, and even though she's perfectly healthy, she spends three to four weeks per trip jamming Katie's mental photo album with memories. In this heartwarming generational love story, Jennifer reveals how their adventures helped relinquish her fear of dying...for the sake of living.

"We'll Always Have Paris reads like a sweet stroll through Europe with a funny friend who shares touching stories of her parent-child relationships. A great escape." -Janice MacLeod, author of Paris Letters

"I am recommending this to all my friends and family and especially to my own daughter. It’s simply fantastique!” -Jamie Cat Callan, author of Ooh La La! French Women's Secrets to Feeling Beautiful Every Day

In passages powerful, tender and funny - often in one sentence - Coburn proves as adept at describing the terrain of the human heart as she is the gardens of Alcazar or the streets of Paris. 

-Claire and Mia Fontaine, authors of best-selling Comeback and Have Mother, Will Travel

Q.  What inspired you to write to memoir?

A. My mother came up with the idea that I should write “We’ll Always Have Paris.” It was Christmas Eve and we were having the most fabulous lazy day: shopping, walking on the beach and gabbing in Coronado. At lunch I was sharing travel stories about my last trip with my daughter Katie, and my mother told me I really ought to write a travel memoir.

Q.  What was your favorite part of writing the memoir?

A. It was such fun reliving my travels with Katie – and remembering parts of my own childhood that I wrote about.

Q.  What was the toughest part of writing the memoir??

A. It was sometimes painful reliving parts of my own childhood and seeing them through the eyes of an adult. There were evenings when I had to walk away from the keyboard because the memories of my father dying were overwhelming. But pushing through the discomfort, and speaking about issues like death and drug abuse, was extremely therapeutic. I highly recommend writing a memoir, not necessarily to publish it, but to reflect and process one’s own history.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. That’s a tough one because I am head over heels in love with so many books. I adore absolutely everything Jen Lancaster, Jane Green, Marian Keyes, Emily Giffin, and Kim Grunenfelder write. Janet Fitch’s “White Oleander” and Sue Monk Kidd’s “Secret Life of Bees” are beautiful books. And Diablo Cody’s “Candy Girl” is both hilarious and insightful.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. There is an element of me in my fictional protagonist Lucy Klein from “Tales from the Crib” and “The Queen Gene.” I also really identify with Suzanne Finnamore’s protagonists.

Q.  Which book would you love to take a weekend vacation inside of?

A. I would love to spend the weekend in Jamie Cat Callan’s “Ooh La La” so I could learn about the beauty and style of French women from her fabulous Parisian friends. I just read that she’s organizing Ooh la la tours through Paris, which I’d love to take some day!

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Hands-down it’s summer. Longer days, vacation season, sundresses…what’s not to love?

Q.  What inspired your book cover?

A. Catherine Casalino, an artist for Sourcebooks, designed the book cover and I absolutely love how whimsical and sweet it is.

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

A. I went to Barnes & Noble a week after a book signing for my first novel “The Wife of Reilly,” and I saw a woman walking around the store holding a copy. I gasped and pointed at her book, and said, “That’s my book!” She clutched it to her chest and told me, “No, it’s mine.”

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. I’ve decided to take a break from writing books for the remaining 500 or so days before Katie goes to college. I am working on several articles for magazines and newspapers, but I am waiting until Katie’s off to school before I start another book.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  Thank you for taking the time to read about my upcoming travel memoir “We’ll Always Have Paris.” The book will be out on April 8^th. If you would like to pre-order it, I will donate my royalties from the first thousand early orders to the American Cancer Society.

Jennifer Coburn is an award-winning writer of the travel memoir, WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS, a mother-daughter adventure through Europe. She is the author of six contemporary novels and contributor to four
literary anthologies. Jennifer has written for U-T San Diego, Miami Herald, Mothering magazine, The Huffington Post, Salon.com, and numerous other newspapers and magazines. She lives in San Diego with her husband William and their daughter Katie.

SheReads Blog Network: Review: THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin

I am part of the amazing SheReads Blog Network! Which means that I am fortunate enough to partner with some of the most savvy, talented, and intelligent book bloggers in the business. Every month we wonderful women read our selections and review them on our personal sites. We are kind and witty and love books more than air. We would love for you to visit each of us online and follow us on our blogs, Facebook and Twitter. You don’t want to miss all the book goodness we have to offer! 

THIS MONTH'S SELECTION:

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Read more reviews and enter giveaway HERE

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The official summary:  In the spirit of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Gabrielle Zevin’s enchanting novel is a love letter to the world of books–and booksellers–that changes our lives by giving us the stories that open our hearts and enlighten our minds.  

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto “No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island–from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

Gabrielle Zevin’s writing career began at 14 years old when an angry letter to her local newspaper about a Guns ‘n’ Roses concert resulted in a job as a music critic. Over several novels for adults and young people, she has written about female soldiers in Iraq, mafia princesses in retro-future New York City, teenage girls in the afterlife, talking dogs, amnesiacs, and the difficulties of loving one person over many years. She is probably best known for her first novel, Elsewhere, which has been translated into over 20 languages. She is also the screenwriter of the cult hit Conversations with Other Women.

In the Age of Love and Chocolate, the latest in the the saga of Anya Balanchine, will be out October 2013.

Her eighth novel, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, will be published in April 2014 by Algonquin in the US and by Little, Brown in the UK (as The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry). It will also be published in 18 other languages.

I fell in love with the writing of Garbrielle Zevin when I read ELSEWHERE.  The ability that Zevin posses to transport you to another time and place with her words is quite remarkable.  She writes original and engaging literature.  She become an instant favorite with that first novel of hers that I read.  I was so excited when I read the blurb of THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY and was told the SheReads network had chosen it for our April pick.  

I adored THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY.  The characters were so well drawn out and the setting was so warm and welcoming.  Who doesn't love spending time inside a bookstore with a mixed group of compelling characters??? Meeting A.J. as a broken man in the beginning of the story and seeing his transformation throughout the book was heartwarming...special.  It shows how connections, losses and acceptance all mold who we are and what we become. THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY will renew your faith in the importance of the written word, the power of community and the power of love over all else.  I seriously devoured this novel. There was such heart within the pages...sadness, growth, laughter, honesty and just plain GREAT writing!!!  I highly recommend this novel and rate it 5 stars!!!!

Showcase: Faith Departed by Elizabeth Maddrey

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Christian Women's Fiction.

Starting a family was supposed to be easy.

Twin sisters June and July have never encountered an obstacle they couldn't overcome. Married just after graduating college, the girls and their husbands remained a close-knit group.

Now settled and successful, the next logical step is children. But as the couples struggle to conceive, each must reconcile the goodness of God with their present suffering.

Will their faith be strong enough to triumph in the midst of trial?

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“Stop stop stop stop.” June breathed the words as the digital readout on the bathroom scale flickered up. She cringed when the hateful thing finally followed her directions. One forty. One hundred and forty pounds. She stumbled backwards off the scale and dropped onto the cold edge of the bathtub. At five foot two, she was used to numbers much more in the range of one ten. But the last six months had added thirty pounds…that was five pounds a month. She buried her head in her hands. What was going on?

“Morning, baby.” Toby shuffled into the bathroom, rubbing his eyes. He stopped to give her an appreciative look and waggle his eyebrows. “Careful, you’re going to make me late for work.”

She chuckled in spite of herself. “You’re insane.” And blind. There was no point in drawing his attention to her ever expanding girth. She was on her way to being twice the woman he married four years ago. He hadn’t signed on for a two-in-one special.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her close, burying his nose in her neck. “I can’t help it if I have the world’s most enticing wife.”

He couldn’t possibly mean it. Her fat rolls squashed against his still-firm abs as he tightened his embrace. She fought the urge to push away and put on a robe. She forced her tone to be light. “Now, now. Didn’t you say you had a big meeting this morning?”

He pressed a kiss to her head and eased back, eyes still hinting at his interest. “I did…sadly, I did.”

She crossed her arms over her belly as he turned on the shower and tossed his towel over the door.

 “Any news, June?”

 She swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head.

“We’ll just have to practice more.” He shot her a wicked grin and stepped into the steaming shower. 

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About the Author:  Elizabeth Maddrey 

Elizabeth Maddrey began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of math and organization steered her into computer science for college and graduate school, she has always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace.

Elizabeth lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys. She invites you to interact with her at her website www.ElizabethMaddrey.com or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMaddrey

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Q.  What inspires your writing?

A. Really it's the little things of every day life that get things started. I'll overhear a conversation or work with someone and it'll trigger ideas. So really, it's not all that safe to be my friend - you're very likely to end up in a book one way or another.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

A. Having the chance to put the stories in my head down for other people to share. But even if I wasn't published, I'd still write just for me - the reality in my head is usually more pleasant than the real world.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being a writer?

A. Now that I'm published it's deadlines. I don't have a problem sitting down to write every day, but when the pressure of a deadline starts to loom, I can psych myself out pretty easily and that just makes me feel more behind and then more stressed and...I just really have to work to stay well ahead of deadlines so the cycle doesn't start.

Q.  If you could not be writer, what would you do/be?

A. I'd be happy being what I am when I'm not writing - a homeschooling mom.

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. Simple Pleasures - I have a pretty ordinary life, and I'm okay with that.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. This is like choosing a favorite child. Let's go with Persuasion by Jane Austen.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. I guess I'm a little like Ann Elliot from Persuasion - fairly steady and responsible.

Q.  What character from all of your books are you most like?

A. Probably June in my most recent release, Faith Departed.

Q.  Which book would you love to take a weekend vacation inside of?

A. I've always loved Anne McCaffrey's books - I'd love to go to Pern for the weekend as long as there was a dragon who would take me around.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Autumn

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)?  Or what is your favorite book cover and why?

A. My publisher is really good about trying to tie the book cover into the story - for Faith Departed, the main characters spend a lot of time meeting for lunch in a little courtyard park, so that seemed like a natural way to go.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. I'm working on the follow up to Faith Departed, called Hope Deferred. It's a continuation to their story.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A. Just thanks for reading - it's been lots of fun!  

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