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Monday, September 23, 2013

Lorraine Zago Rosenthal Interview


What is one of your favorite Myths/legends to write about?
Not applicable
If you could live back in time, what time period would you choose and why?
I would love to have lived in the 1920s. The clothes, the glamour, and the music of that era are spectacular.
Have you ever come across a song that might fit the theme of one of your books?
Absolutely! My first novel, OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE, was set during the 1980s so I immersed myself in the music of that decade while I was writing. There are several ‘80s songs that fit the novel, but one that isn’t from that era especially fits the theme: "Breathe Your Name" by Sixpence None the Richer.
What was the most creative pick up line you've ever used on someone or someone used on you?
LOL! I never used any pickup lines during my single days…and I’ve been married for a long time, so I can’t remember any lines that guys might have used on me!
When writing do you have a playlist of music you like to listen to? What are a couple songs on it?

Definitely! As previously mentioned, I listened to a lot of 1980s music while writing OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE because the story takes place between 1985 and 1989. Some of the artists on the playlist for that novel are New Order, Spandau Ballet, Genesis, The Pet Shop Boys, and The Psychedelic Furs.


When writing my upcoming novel, NEW MONEY, I listened to classic jazz (especially Ella Fitzgerald), contemporary country, and New York-themed songs like Alicia Keys/Jay-Z’s "Empire State of Mind." I find it helpful to listen to music that reflects the story, setting, and aspects of the characters’ personalities and emotions. It functions like the soundtrack of a movie.
What was your favorite childhood book?
I had so many favorites! Two of them are STARRING SALLY J. FREEDMAN AS HERSELF by Judy Blume and THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton.
What is your favorite addition to chocolate?
Strawberries.
What does your husband/significant other say about your writing erotic stories? What about your family and/or do they read your books?
Not applicable
Besides your own, what is one of your favorite series to keep up with?
I don’t have a favorite book series at the moment…but I have always learned a lot about writing not only from reading but from watching quality films and TV series. Currently, my two favorite series are BOARDWALK EMPIRE and THE WALKING DEAD.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren't writing?
I have always wanted to write and I can’t imagine not doing it; however, I am a major TV/movie buff with a ton of useless knowledge about celebrities and the entertainment business, so my dream job would be to work as an entertainment reporter.
Do you have any hobbies or activities you enjoy doing?
I like to read, exercise, and cook.
What is something you do to de-stress?
I always enjoy seeing a great movie with my husband and then discussing it over dinner. To me, that’s a relaxing day!
We all know about muses...what do you think inspires you to allow your creative juices flowing?
It’s difficult to determine exactly where inspiration originates, but I think it is generally a combination of observation, experience, and imagination. Music can be very inspiring, too.

 
In NEW MONEY by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal, twenty-four-year-old Savannah Morgan yearns for something more than her menial job as an assistant librarian filing books and dealing with obnoxious teenagers.  She longs to become a writer and escape her small-town life in Charleston, South Carolina where snooty debutantes look down at her for not having a closet-full of Lilly Pulitzer and a sparkling engagement ring. But even a big dreamer like Savannah could never imagine what would happen after a fateful phone call she receives one evening…
Over the phone, a New York City attorney by the name of Mercedes Rawlings Stark tells Savannah her billionaire father, Edward Stone, died tragically in a car accident. Mercedes asks Savannah to fly out to New York City immediately to discuss the fortune she inherited.  Savannah leaves the very next morning, outraged at her mother for having kept her father’s existence a secret all this time. But once in New York City, Savannah learns why her mother wanted to keep her father and his ostentatious yet complicated life far from her.
Suddenly, Savannah’s boring life becomes anything but when she learns the father she never knew was a billionaire media mogul who left her his fortune, on one condition—that she move to Manhattan and work at his global news corporation.  The catch? Edward’s other children, the evil, egotistical Ned, his miserable sister, Caroline, and their ice-cold socialite mother are on a mission to get rid of Savannah.  They are not pleased with the details of their father’s will and stop at nothing to push Savannah out of New York City in order to regain their father’s fortune.
Savannah’s love life is also complicated by the big move and she must decide between Jack, a smooth and charming real estate executive who smells of cinnamon and scotch, and Alex, a handsome bartender and aspiring writer/actor. Both are equally gorgeous and attentive, qualities Savannah hasn’t found in a man since she broke off her engagement to quarterback and high school sweetheart, Jamie, two years ago. Now Savannah must navigate an electrifying but untrustworthy society full of deceit, gossip, and fabulous parties while she tries to figure out who her father truly was.
Can Savannah manage this thrilling and complex new life or will she return to the safety of her Southern roots?
NEW MONEY offers a scintillating glimpse into the glitzy New York City social scene with a winning heroine at its center.  Fans of Gossip Girl and The Nanny Diaries will love this exciting start to a brand new series, which has already been optioned by Sony TV.

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