Coming September 2007
From Whiskey Creek Press
www.whiskeycreekpress.com
FOUR OF HEARTS
By: Laurie Lonsdale and Sasha O’Connor
ISBN: Paperback 978-1-59374-899-9
ISBN: Electronic 978-1-59374-900-2
”Twenty one! So long Cincinnati, helloooo Hollywood.”
The turn of a card sends four childhood friends on the gamble of a lifetime, a quest for success in Hollywood, in Laurie Lonsdale and Sasha O’Connor’s upcoming release “Four of Hearts” Whiskey Creek Press, September 2007.
Robin, with a gift for making people laugh; Sierra, with flash and glamour for spotlight and stage; Layne, storyteller and writer; Bobbie, with the vision to bring it to light and life, figure they have a better chance at beating odds of making it in Hollywood than winning the battle to fit in and live up to and with their dysfunctional and uncaring families. Besides, they will have each other. Won’t they?
Juggling school and jobs, dealing with limited funds and cramped quarters strain fifteen years of friendship, but Robin is bringing in the laughs at a comedy club, Layne, posing as Sierra’s agent helps her land a big commercial contract, Bobbie is hanging with a guy from class that gets her into a production company. The girls move into a bigger house and onto the rocky road to success.
The road is filled with plenty of the glitz and glamour, fame and fortune the girls dreamed of, but also with roadblocks and detours. Roadblocks they build for themselves and their friends detour to danger, heartbreak, betrayal, and dead ends. When tragedy strikes can they forgive and forget and overcome the odds, or will this hand be a bust?
Authors Laurie Lonsdale and Sasha O’Connor’s craft tension and intrigue into a journey of self-discovery on a quest for fame and fortune, setting a fast pace and adding a splash of spice to the emotional storyline of “Four of Hearts.” The characters are strong in their weaknesses: likable; unlikable; lovable; unlovable; generous; greedy; shiny and bright, dull and dumb. You and me. “Four of Hearts” is an ace high flush, five card read.
Charlene Austin www.writersandredersnetwork.com
Char: Laurie, thank you for joining us on Writers and Readers Network. Please tell us a little about yourself.
Laurie: I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and now live in a quiet lakefront community about forty-five minutes from the heart of the city. I’m married, nine years next month, with an adorable six year-old daughter – she’s the light of my life. My husband and daughter are very supportive of what I do, as is the rest of my family. For as far back as I can remember I have enjoyed creative writing. When I was five years-old my parents bought me a toy typewriter for Christmas, and after I learned how to spell and type I would amuse myself by the hour, composing poems and little stories. If my astrological profile is to be believed, apparently writing was my destiny.
Char: I really enjoyed "Four of Hearts." Will you share a little about the story with our readers?
Laurie: On the surface it is about four young women that come from dysfunctional homes and bond as best friends. Though they have planned very safe careers and futures for themselves, an impromptu game of Blackjack turns everything around during a post-graduation celebration. Feeling rebellious towards everything that home life represents, they mutually consent to a flip of a card to determine whether or not to pursue their dream careers in Hollywood, and soon afterward find they are headed to LA on a Greyhound, with nothing more than a heartfelt pact to forever maintain their special bond of friendship. But such a promise is naïve, and all too soon they are sucked up into the lifestyle. Friendships take a back seat to careers, and shameful rivalry and outright back-stabbing ensue in the blind pursuit of success. However, underlying the story are much deeper, philosophical issues that warrant questioning, such as: how much of our childhood emerges in later years and drives us to do the things we do? How far would you go to achieve your burning desires of success? How well do you know your friends, and at the end of the day, are the friendships and love relationships we create in our lives, all we really have?
Char: Of all your works, this is the first novel you have ever co-written - your co-author being your childhood friend, Sasha O'Connor. Did each of you work on different aspects of the story? What were the challenges and benefits of working together?
Laurie: Sasha and I are very busy individuals, balancing the demands of family and career, so by far the biggest challenge was finding a mutually acceptable time to write. In the beginning much of it was done via lengthy, late night telephone conversations, absurdly long e-mails, or by trying to squeeze in a lunch date here and there. However, once we had established the direction of the story, along with the characters and their personalities and goals, it became much easier. It was then we were able to map out the entire book, chapter by chapter, including key events that would take place in each one and the character(s) it would involve. From there, we assigned sections based on which one of us had created the character, or which of us wanted to tackle that particular segment of the story. Every so often we would touch base to discuss our progress and make sure we hadn’t stepped on each other’s toes. One would think such a writing style would make for a very choppy and conflicting read; however, the benefit of working together was that Sasha and I know each other very well, and have very similar thought processes and writing styles. Therefore, we managed to create such a consistent flow that even our editor wasn’t able to determine how the book had been divided up between us.
Char: And now I’d like to welcome Sasha. Glad you could join us. Please tell us a little about yourself.
Sasha: I'm a married mother of two, with a full time job in the IT industry - interesting career choice considering that my undergraduate degree was a double major in English and Commerce. The background in English however, did lend itself quite nicely to entering the writing arena. When Laurie offered me the opportunity to co-author the book with her, I naturally jumped at the chance, especially since she had several books under her belt, and I could learn from her experience. We have been friends since the 2'nd grade, so we definitely had a great deal of insight into the subject of women and the intricacies that their friendships often reveal.
Char: Though not a mystery or thriller, you added elements of these genres that spice up the intrigue and step up the pace. Tell us, just a little, about those aspects of the story.
Laurie: We included aspects of mystery and thriller to elevate the storyline and keep the reader on their toes. However, this is not unique for me, as all of my books contain more than one element. I don't want to become staid, nor do I wish for my novels to be pigeon-holed into just one genre. It would limit the potential of my stories, as well as my skills as a writer. Involving many elements not only makes the write more challenging for me, it also makes the story more fascinating and out-of-the-ordinary for my readers.
Sasha: Adding the thriller element to the story was part of the plan from the beginning. We wanted to write a book that would be a total escape for the reader, and nothing keeps the pages turning faster than the element of suspense. Relationships and all of their complexities are all very well and good, but a thrill ride is something we all want from time to time, isn't it?
Char: Hollywood: glitz; glamour; dirt; grit; greed; addictions, success and failure – a perfect setting for the challenges of maintaining a balance in the personal and professional lives of the characters in "Four of Hearts". But what inspired you to set their story and struggle there?
Laurie: Yes,I suspect Hollywood is the most difficult place to maintain balance in all aspects of life, so indeed it was the perfect backdrop. However, there were additional issues that affected the decision. First of all, given that the subject matter of the book is so heavy, I wanted to create a counter-balance – that being the glitz and glamour of celebrity. I think a lot of women enjoy escaping into the lives of the rich and famous and leaving behind the everyday grind. Secondly, it seems the majority of women’s fiction novels I read lately are based in New York, so I wanted to do something different.
Char: Sierra, Layne, Bobbi, and Robin are each strong characters, but the strength of "Four of Hearts" is their weaknesses. I really wanted to hate each of them at times, but found I couldn't. What challenges did these characters create for you and Sasha in telling their story?
Laurie: No one is perfect. We all have our pluses and minuses, our virtues and shortcomings, and we’re all capable of choosing the wrong fork in the road and being short on insight. Therefore, if we had chosen to write the characters as strong, likeable and level-headed ALL the time, they would not have been believable. However, it did present a challenge, because their weaknesses lead to hardcore rivalry, and there was always the risk of readers not feeling empathy for them. We had to make sure to remind the reader every now and again of the inner angst and demons that were driving each of them, and ensure their weaknesses were more to be pitied than hated. Ultimately, we hoped to achieve a unique and unexpected scenario in which readers actually root for such deeply flawed characters, and given the reviews the book has received thus far, it appears we have done just that.
Sasha: Despite the fact that these are fictional characters, they are firmly rooted in real people that we know, and everyone in this world regardless of their success, possesses both strengths and weaknesses. This is the human condition, after all, dating back to Adam and Eve. If we were to ignore this fact of life, our characters would be less human, and the reader would not be able to relate to them. One of the primary themes of the novel is friendship, and how people behave within these relationships. The true mark of a strong friendship is one's ability to love your friend despite their weaknesses, and perhaps even admire them a little bit more because of them.
Char: No knights in shining armour, cops, FBI agents, or even strong, silent heroes in this novel. But there is a heroic battle to save the hero....friendship. This tipped the scales of literary balance in this work for me as a reader. As a writer, why not the easy standard, a knight, cop, agent, individual, one character out-shining the others? What tipped the balance in this direction
for you?
Laurie: For as far back as I can remember I was never satisfied with fairytales and movie premises that depict the woman as being reliant on a man to save her or make her whole. I think the prince-who-saves-the-day routine would have been too safe, and I didn't want the storyline to be so predicable or "easy". Where is the fun or challenge in that? Obvious and unoriginal scenarios are not the ingredients I use to write my books. I want readers to think, to be taken aback, and to keep flipping pages because they are unsure as to how it will all pan out. Despite many a happy ending in my books, most are not the ending readers usually envision. Therefore, they are surprised by them. As was your reaction, I feel most readers will be surprised and perhaps even delighted that the hero in this book is not an obvious choice. As someone who has endured many curve balls and hardships, I can attest to the fact that friendships are often the ‘hero’ in need of celebration, and this book was meant to do exactly that - celebrate friendships and the strong bond between women. As much as I love men and enjoy reading about a love affair that works out, I am infinitely more impressed when that love affair is not the thing that rescues the woman, but instead is the icing on the cake.
Sasha: This is the 21'st century, and women are strong enough now that we don't need knights in shining armour to rescue us. Yes, men are wonderful, and strong, and masculine, and we love them too, but the purpose here was to demonstrate the power that women are capable of, and ultimately, this can destroy them or cause them to succeed. These women are heroes in and of themselves. The men in their lives serve to enhance their happiness, but are not necessary for their rescue.
Char: "Four of Hearts" will be available from Whiskey Creek Press in September, but you have four other novels available now. Tell us a little about them and where interested readers can find them.
Laurie: I have a trilogy with Erica House publishers, comprised of Chasing Rainbows, Catching Dust, released December 2001, Neon Nights released November 2002, and Hollywood Blues released April 2004 (Amazon.com has the release incorrectly listed as October ’04) Initially, this story of a young woman’s pursuit of her dreams and her journey from innocence to experience was meant to be told within the first book. It unexpectedly morphed into a series after Chasing Rainbows was voted Book of the Month by the United Author’s Association and the added exposure gave way to a long line-up of book signings. That in turn helped to develop my readership, and with the popularity of the book, coupled with reader requests to continue the story and further develop the characters, Neon Nights and Hollywood Blues were born. An interesting tidbit about Hollywood Blues is that it has three different versions of the same cover. If you look it up at Barnes and Noble .com, you’ll find an almost translucent, electric blue cover, with black silhouettes of a movie clapboard and pill bottle. Go to Amazon.com and you’ll see the same cover in dark blue, again with black silhouettes. Go to Books a Million, otherwise known as BAMM.com, you’ll find the same cover in jet black, with red pills and a black and white clapboard. My favourite is the black cover and I believe it is the version the publisher has finally settled upon for future print runs. Nevertheless, as a result of the initial release, there are plenty of copies circulating with the blue cover.
My fourth novel, Wild Side, is a fictional rock ‘n’ roll romp, loosely based on some of my observations, conversations and experiences while working in the music industry in the mid-to-late 80’s and early 90’s. I changed the names to protect the not-so-innocent and then spread the incidents over a chick-lit plot about a woman trying to find herself in the chaotic, drug-ridden, sex-obsessed 80’s heavy metal scene. The book received rave reviews from celebs, musicians, and music magazines, and was voted #5 among the Top Ten Fiction Novels of 2004 in an annual international reader’s poll. At the height of the book’s popularity, however, the publisher met with a slew of problems that eventually saw the closure of the company. Thanks to Whiskey Creek Press, Wild Side will be re-released in July 2008, along with an accompanying CD inspired by the story.
The trilogy is available at most on-line bookstores, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, MSN Shopping and several others, and at select bookstores and libraries. Four of Hearts and Wild Side will be available from Whiskey Creek Press at www.whiskeycreekpress.com and from Amazon.com and Authors Den at www.authorsden.com/laurielonsdale As well, it will be found at select libraries coast to coast in Canada.
Char: Laurie and Sasha, thank you again for joining us today. Visit Laurie at :
www.authorsden.com/laurielonsdale or www.myspace.com/laurielonsdale
or www.myspace.com/lelonsdale, and if you like a little background music while you're reading, check out Heidi Propp's debut CD "Strong and Wild" featuring ten songs co-written by Laurie Lonsdale.
Born June 16th, 1963 in Toronto, Laurie received several awards for academics throughout her school career. Though her strength lay in journalism, she was intrigued by the music industry and opted to pursue an upper management position in marketing and concert promo. Happy in her job while meeting a slew of musicians, she never considered leaving it behind until she was diagnosed with a sudden and serious health crisis. While undergoing treatment she returned to her love of writing, securing several publishing successes with short stories, anecdotes and some poetry. Soon she was inspired to write a novel.
Time spent in L.A. helped to further her ideas and two years later ‘Chasing Rainbows, Catching Dust’,the mainstream fiction account of a determined young woman and her rise to the top,was released by Erica House. The novel was subsequently voted ‘Book of the Month’ by the United Authors Association. Positive reader feedback prompted Laurie to revive the characters and create a trilogy. As such, ‘Neon Nights’ was released in November 2002 and the final installment in the series, ‘Hollywood Blues’, made its debut March 2004.
Since then she has broadened her scope to include assignment writing for South Carolina State Magazine, contributing to the vastly popular series of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, and developing an educational picture book series for children’s publisher Journey Stone Creations. The first book in the series of four, ‘The County Fair’ will make its debut in spring 2007. Her 4th novel, 'Wild Side', a fictional rock and roll romp loosely based on random observations while working in the music biz, was reviewed by a handful of fellow authors, as well as several celebs & well-known music personalities, and was voted among the Top Ten Fiction Novels of 2004, placing #5 in an international reader’s poll. Her 5th novel, ‘Four of Hearts’, the sizzling account of female friendship gone awry in the pursuit of fortune and fame, co-written with Sasha O’Connor, will be released by Whiskey Creek Press in the fall of 2007. She has now begun work on a thriller, entitled ‘Revelations’. In 2005 she provided a review for the cover of the rock bio 'Gimme an R' by Brian Vollmer, front-man for the infamous Canadian hard rock band ‘Helix’.
Expanding on her love of rock music, Laurie has entered the business once again, this time songwriting, in particular for up-and-coming female songstress Heidi Propp, winner of the “Best Female Vocalist” title at the 2002 IMTA awards in New York City. Laurie recently opened her music company, Write On Music, and co-wrote ten of twelve songs appearing on Propp’s debut CD, ‘Strong and Wild’ (released Feb. 18/06 by Rosedale Records/RDR Music). The second track on the CD, “Bleary”, will be featured in the soundtrack of an upcoming movie, currently in production in Toronto. As an active member of SOCAN, ASCAP, and CARAS, Laurie enjoys participating in various music conferences in addition to promoting her written works at an assortment of book venues. Between appearances, her novels can be found at select bookstores and libraries, and at all on-line bookstores, including Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and BooksaMillion.com.
Check out Laurie’s website atwww.authorsden.com/laurielonsdale or www.myspace.com/laurielonsdale
E-Mail:poisonpenprod@rogers.com orwriteonmusic@rogers.com