On tour with Prism Book Tours…
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*If you missed
yesterday’s post about how American Idol inspired Lancaster House, sneak
through this hidden passage to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. . . but, watch out for ghosts along the way . .
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Lancaster House
by Taylor Dean
Paperback, 304 pages
Published June 7th 2012 by Createspace
Premise:
Zoe Grayson needs a change. So, she moves to another state, purchases an old, dilapidated 1920s Victorian Mansion, and sets out to restore it to its former glory. As she begins the restoration, she finds herself falling in love with the old house . . . not to mention its illustrious builder, Mr. Lancaster. Zoe becomes obsessed with the house as she discovers its secrets; hidden rooms, secret passageways . . . and a mysterious man who seems to think the house is his. Who is he? More importantly, how does he live in her home unseen and unheard?
The unexpected answers leave her reeling—and questioning everything she’s ever known. To her dismay, Zoe’s actions land her in the local psychiatric hospital, scheming for ways to return to Lancaster House . . . and the love of her life.
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The Middle Aisleby Taylor Dean
Paperback, 356 pages
Published November 26th 2012 by Create SpacePremise:
Zoe Grayson is back in Lancaster House, ordered to bed rest for the duration of her unexpected pregnancy. Doctor Wade Channing, her overzealous psychiatrist, is living in Lancaster House, taking care of her, waiting on her, and tending to her every need. It seems to be the perfect arrangement.
There’s just one catch.
She has to tell him her story—everything that has happened in her life since the moment she escaped from Serenity Hills. It’s been quite an adventure to include renovating another home and a walk down the middle aisle.
But, that’s all over now. Nothing is real. It never was.
How did she end up in this miserable situation?
GUEST POST
Lancaster House contains many secret passageways and hidden rooms. It’s definitely part of its charm. The house itself is a main character in the book without me intentionally writing it that way. But Lancaster House isn’t the only one keeping secrets. I couldn’t resist adding a couple of secrets of my own into the writing of this book.
First I need to explain. I vividly remember sitting in my California Lit class in high school, listening to my teacher explain the hidden meanings John Steinbeck placed in the Grapes of Wrath—the types of things that are in Cliff Notes. I was mesmerized. I was impressed. Like the preacher’s name was Jim Casy. Initials: J.C. By no mistake did Mr. Steinbeck choose those initials—he chose the name Jim Casy to mimic the initials Jesus Christ. At least this is what my teacher taught me. Did Mr. Steinbeck confirm this? I have no idea. I’ve always wondered if these types of things are made up by people who study classic literature or if the author really intended it that way! Still, the concept fascinated me. Next I learned about East of Eden. The father’s name is Adam, and his son’s names are Caleb and Aron. (Father Adam=C for Cain and A for Abel) At any rate, you get the whole initial idea thing. To a young student of literature, this was intriguing and I never forgot it. (I grew up living only an hour away from John Steinbeck’s infamous Cannery Row, hence the obsession with Steinbeck.)
With the above thoughts in mind, I set out to name my hero. Since the visual of Adam Lambert was the image that inspired my main character, I decided to stick with A.L. as the initials. Andre Lancaster. Yes, I’ll put secrets in my book just like John Steinbeck, I thought. Brilliant.
Okay, so it’s not that amazing. But it felt amazing. The kind of thing that made me smile to myself whenever I thought about it.
There is one other similarity to Adam Lambert and American Idol placed in Lancaster House. During the American Idol season, Adam Lambert would show up on stage dressed in his casual attire, with his hair flopping over one eye, looking like an anime rocker. In the next performance he’d show up with his hair slicked back, dressed in a classy suit, singing “Tracks of my Tears.”
To view Adam’s performance of “Tracks of my Tears,” click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc2lXKuXUD8
A total transformation. I couldn’t resist having my main character do the same.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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TOUR-WIDE GIVEAWAY
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5 WINNERS will receive….
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*To learn of another American Idol performance that inspired a certain scene in Lancaster House,come back tomorrow and visit my study at Proud Book Nerd. . . you won’t bedisappointed . . .
THE TOUR:
– A Buckeye Girl Reads – Guest Post
– Tressa – Goodreads Reviewer
Related articles
- Taylor Dean – The Middle Aisle – EXTREME Promo Blitz (fundinmental.wordpress.com)
- Fanged Mania #5 Spotlight on Taylor Dean (fuonlyknew.wordpress.com)
- Fanged Mania #7 – Review of the middle aisle by taylor dean (fundinmental.wordpress.com)
was no reason she shouldn’t take care of normal hygiene.
4 STARS – Would Highly Recommend To Others
Terri Bruce has been making up adventure stories for as long as she can remember and won her first writing award when she was twelve. Like Anne Shirley, she prefers to make people cry rather than laugh, but is happy if she can do either. She produces fantasy and adventure stories from a haunted house in New England where she lives with her husband and three cats. Her second novel, Thereafter (Afterlife #2), will be released May 1, 2014.
