Today, as part of a tour to celebrate her latest novel, I get the pleasure of welcoming Lauren Baratz-Logsted to WORD!
Lauren has published over fifteen novels - eighteen, if we want to be specific! - but today, we're focusing on her newest, The Twin's Daughter. I had the pleasure of reading it a few weeks ago and I must say - it is FANTASTIC!
Here's a brief summary, for those of you who don't know what it's about.
Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day…a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?
Besides The Twin's Daughter, Lauren's written The Education of Bet, Crazy Beautiful, Angel's Choice, Secrets of my Suburban Life... and that's just in the YA category!
You know the drill. Click read more to learn about her favorite donut flavor, the amount of research she did for The Twin's Daughter, and what we can see on shelves from her next!
N: Welcome to WORD, Lauren! How well do you relate to Lucy, your heroine in The Twin's Daughter?
A: We both love books, so there is that! And while I wasn’t an only child as she is, I am a writer, meaning I spend a tremendous amount of time alone and in my own head.
N: Both The Twin's Daughter and The Education of Bet, your two latest novels, are historical fiction. How much research did you have to do?
L: Less than one might think. I’ve spent a lifetime reading British historical fiction and watching Masterpiece Theatre, plus I did a lot of research on Victorian England – the setting for both books – when I researched the adult novel Vertigo several years ago. So the biggest things I had to research for these two was reading material for both heroines, since they’re both big readers; and fashion for The Twin’s Daughter; plus I re-read Tom Brown’s Schooldays for The Education of Bet.
N: Do you prefer writing historical fiction to the more modern stuff you've written in the past?
L: I love both, just like I love writing for adults and young children in addition to teens. As a writer, I’m something of a chameleon and I let each story idea dictate what time period, setting, tone or even age group best suits that particular idea.
N: In college, you worked as a donut salesperson. Do you have a favorite donut flavor?
L: Chocolate crème filled.
N: You've visited schools and done quite a few book signings. Do you have any interesting stories to share?
L: There was that time at Book Expo America that I got Al Franken, who’s since become a U.S. senator, to hold up my book and tell everyone in his line to get in my line next.
N: Epic win! Say you were arrested for killing your husband. (After all, it's happened in two of your books.) What would your last meal be?
L: You did not just ask me a killing-my-husband question. Oops! Looks like you did! OK, fine. I ask for shrimp prepared in a diversity of ways and a really good glass of Pinot Noir.
N: I love the fact that you answered that question. Do you have a SECRET you're willing to share?
L: Gosh, I wish I could accommodate but after 18 published books, as far as Google is concerned I’m pretty much an open book. Shall I make something up? I know! When I was a kid, I briefly tried to get people to call me Andy. Does that count as a secret?
N: I'd count that as a secret. What can we look forward to from you next?
L: In October, the sixth book in The Sisters 8 series for young readers, Petal’s Problems, will be published. And my next YA novel, The Middle March, will come out sometime in 2011.
Thanks for stopping by, Lauren! Don't forget to pick up The Twin's Daughter - or any of Lauren's other YA books! - in your local bookstore, or order them online.