NRT: Suzanne Crowley Interview +Contest

Posted June 30, 2009 by shooting in Uncategorized / 60 Comments

Interview: Suzanne Crowley
By: Lauren

http://www.suzannecrowley.com/

The Stolen One is out TODAY!

1. I love the cover for your novel The Stolen One and the last time we talked, you said you had a lot of say on the cover and even found the necklace she wears. What exactly did you help with and where did you find the jewelry?

I’m so happy with the cover. I feel like I hit the jackpot. The photographer is Chris Borgman who does beautiful, otherwordly, haunting work. He provided portfolios of red headed models and I got to put my two cents in on who I liked the best. We all agreed on “Courtney” who graces the cover. They also emailed me different dresses and I got to comment on which one’s were the best.

The week before the photoshoot, I was watching the finale of The Tudors and I googled the title just to read more about the show. But an interesting website came up – Sapphire and Sage. The artist makes reproduction renaissance and Tudor jewelry. I perused her site and saw a necklace that would be perfect fo the cover – an exact replica of what we needed – and I contacted my editor. They contacted the artist and she made one up, shipped it, and it arrived the night before the shoot. Afterwards, my editor sent me the necklace, and now I can wear it at booksignings. And must also acknowledge Paul Zakris, art director at Greenwillow, for his input on the cover and jacket.

2. The girl on the cover is holding fruit (is it a pear?). Does this have anything to do with the story within? Anything you can share at least?

At the beginning of the novel, a young pear farmer, Christian, proposes to Kat my main character. But she chooses to go to London in search of her identity. It was the photographer’s wife who came up with the idea for Kat to hold the pear on the cover, and it’s perfect on several levels. You will just have to read the book to find out why. I’m now collecting vintage pear pins on ebay. And there will be a pear on my bookplates.

My father did a pen and ink of one for me. I’m really having fun with the pear motif. I made little velvet bags filled with pear flavored jelly bellies that were given away to librarians with the advance reading copy. Tied around the outside was a tassel bookmark with a charms that symbolized motifs in the book including of course the pear.

3. How would you describe the genre for The Stolen One? Is it a historical fantasy? Is there romance? A bit of the supernatural?

I would say The Stolen One is a young adult historical romance with a bit of intrigue and mystery. The romance is not dominate as in a traditional romance. In fact, Kat has three love interests to choose from. There is a little bit of the supernational, but not much. It’s just a good story with a lot of lush detail of the era.

4. Will The Stolen One will be a stand-alone novel or are you planning on making it a series or adding a sequel? If not, what are you hoping to write about next?

The Stolen One is a stand along novel. I have a couple of ideas brewing for what I’m going to work on next – another Texas novel like The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous, my first book, and possibly another historical, this one set in the 1700’s in Venice. We’ll just have to which one wins out.

5. What made you pick the setting of Tudor England? Is that where it was always going to be set or did the place come later?

The Stolen One is based on a nugget of real history so it had to be set in Tudor times. However, I have always loved this time period, and I grew up with the family legend that I am very distantly related to the family of Lady Jane Grey, the tragic queen of nine days.

6. If you could wish on a real shooting star, what would you wish for and why?

That’s a hard one. I’d have to say, since I’m a mother, I wish for health and happiness for my three children.

Giveaway-

To Enter: Comment with something about the interview

Open To: U.S. and Canada only!

Prize: One Signed Copy of The Stolen One and a Box of Godiva Chocolate

Ends: Monday, July 13th, 2009

60 responses to “NRT: Suzanne Crowley Interview +Contest

  1. Hi Suzanne,
    This sounds like a great book!
    It is nice that you were able to get the necklace you wanted for the cover. It looks real nice.

  2. I'd love to read this one! I've seen it around and it just looks so good! I loved how they let her have some personal input on what the cover looked like. I asked another author about that and she said the exact opposite. I LOVE the necklace too! The cover just draws you in and makes you interested in whats on the inside!

  3. I can't wait to read this novel. Historical and romantic? And a teensy bit supernatural. Definitely sounds like the book for me. I love that you can now wear the necklace wherever you go for signings and whatnot. Very chic. 🙂

  4. I admit I had been wondering what the deal was with the pear. lol. Not that I don't like it. I absolutely love the cover. I'm so glad to hear that Suzanne got to have a say in the way the cover looked. And the necklace is gorgeous. This books sounds so wonderful and I've read some great reviews on it. Loved the interview and thanks for hosting this great contest!

    ~Briana
    thebookpixie(at)yahoo(dot)com

  5. I really like the cover on this one. I have to admit, the first time I saw it, I thought the pear was an apple, and then I thought it was an Adam and Eve story. The real synopsis sounds much better 😀

  6. I loooove the symbolism for the pear- very subtle! I would like to get my hands on one of those necklaces too!The Tudors are a very intresting and totured family…id really like to get my hands on this book! I bet it has a very wild a steamy plot!

    Christina

  7. I love the setting – books set in England in that time are amazing!
    I also love historical fiction – like history but dont like learning about it in a class(i sat through AP US History this year and it was torture)

    🙂 Erica
    thebookcellar@wi.rr.com

  8. I really like how the pear is being used as a motif… and I really want to know how it factors into the book (other than with the pear farmer from the beginning).
    I'm also looking forward to the book set in Venice – that would be interesting.

    Sara
    grochowskis@hotmail.com

  9. Please enter me, I would love to win this book, I've been hearing such wonderful things about it.

    I love that its set in Tudor times. I took a course in university that was based solely on Medieval Europe and the Tudors were certainly the most interesting group! If only I had a family legend as fun as yours!

    Cheers,
    julie.sherritt[at]gmail.com

  10. I really like the fact that the author was able to be a part of the process of creating the book cover. I love the idea of the pear motiff, so subtle you barely notice it. And this books sounds like it's going to be really good.

    Thanks for this contest,
    two_of_hearts_101(at)yahoo(dot)com

  11. Love the cover! Fairly cool how the pear ties in.
    YA historical romance…sounds great. Have not read many YA books that are historical in nature so this one sounds very promising.

    ibeeeg(at)gmail(dot)com

  12. Wow, I hadn't realized that the cover was actually a photograph; it looks kind of like an artistic rendering from the thumbnail. Aww, the velvet bags of pear falvoured jelly bellies sounds soooo cool! That's such a sweet idea, and it's awesome that the pear motif got incorporated.

    lucidconspiracy at gmail dot com

  13. Dar

    I'd love to enter. I first was attracted to the cover of the book which is the part of the interview which interested me most. The cover is indeed haunting and beautiful. I had even featured this book on my blog a while ago-I'd love to read it.

    bj19662001 (at) yahoo (dot) ca

  14. B@7

    Hi Suzanne! I absolutely love the cover. It's so peaceful it's almost disturbing. I also love the fact that it's a free-standing book with no sequel. It shows a lot about an author if they can sum up a book completely in one reading. That's the classic way to do it. That's how writers used to have to work, when they didn't have such access to mass production like we do now. Kudos! Can't wait to read it!

  15. I love that cover!! And I really liked hearing about how the pear has appeared again and again in your life. I like when things do that and now you incorporated it into your book. It would be interesting to know how pears appear in your life post book!! Thanks. This is a gotta read!

  16. Lee

    This looks like a really interesting book. I love that it is based on a little piece of real history and is set in Tudor times. Thanks for this good giveaway.

    chinook92(at)gmail(dot)com

  17. Pam

    I love how you asked her about the pear because besides the long red hair and haunting look on the model, the pear completely catches my eye every time I see this cover.

    melacan at hotmail dot com

  18. Pears are my favorite fruit, and I like to collect jewelry as well, so I feel like I have something in common with the author! It's also cool to hear about the actual input that an author has on the artistic cover decisions…I didn't think they had any! Thanks for the interview.

    celialarsen(at)gmail(dot)com

  19. Oh, wow, great contest! I really want to read this book, the cover just pops (I love the red hair and the gorgeous colors)! Actually, I was just wondering about the pear myself…thanks for asking, Lauren, and thanks for answering, Suzanne! (:
    I actually did a post today on how much I LOVE this cover and the photographer, Chris actually stopped by and commented! So how coincidental and cool is this contest?!
    Congrats on the release, Suzanne!

    ebcella AT comcast DOT net

  20. Hi Suzanne, congrats on your book release. Have you ever considered writing a book about Lady Jane Grey since you are related to her? The relationship between Mary and Jane leading up to Jane's execution would be so interesting. I've also often wondered what things would have been like had Jane remained queen.

  21. Thanks everyone for your comments and well-wishes. And I'm so glad everyone loves the cover. And Jazz, I'd love to write a book about Lady Jane Grey, just wish I had more time to write about all the ideas of have!

  22. Great interview, loved the questions! I especially loved learning about the cover. I'm definitely interested in the book!

    infiniteshelf at gmail dot com

  23. That is so cool that she got to keep the necklace! I'm curious now about the meaning behind the pear. I know she said that Kat was proposed to by a pear farmer, but I'm curious why it would be "perfect on several levels."

    Great interview! It really makes me want to read the book more. 🙂

    akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com

  24. The cover looks like a young Debra Messing to me. Very pretty cover.
    I wish for the same thing as you for my kids as well.

    msboatgal at aol.com

  25. This book sounds wonderful and I love the cover — it's gorgeous! And how neat that you may be related to the family of Lady Jane Grey! I love the Tudor era so I definitely plan to read this one!

    marielay@gmail.com

  26. Chris

    I'd love to know what nugget of real history The Stolen One is based on! But I know very little about the Tudors.

    danunepthys(at)hotmail(dot)com

  27. I

    I was already interested in reading this book but hearing that there's a hint of the supernatural in it has me really excited to check it out!

    shouldbewritingnow at gmail dot com

  28. Oh, I'm glad to hear that this is a stand alone novel. I've been reading a bunch of serieses lately and need a break, which this could easily give me. The cover looks amazing, by the way. I'm so glad that everything worked out, because I LOVE it. Please enter me into the contest, thanks so much.

    barbrafl737 (at) yahoo (dot) com

  29. This book sounds so good and I love the cover. I think it's so cool Suzanne gets to wear the necklace that was on the cover-how awesome is that??

    And I'm glad its' a stand alone too-I like a book that actually wraps things up (for the most part) when it's done.

  30. I agree with a lot of the other people here. I like stand alone books. I also like series but stand alone books seem to impress me more. And I have never seen a shooting star! I wouldnt know what to wish for if I did.

    -Arielle.

  31. The cover is fantastic! Teens at my library will scoop this one up.

    After reading THE KING'S ROSE recently, I also grew a fascination with Tudor England. All those wives…. 🙂

    Congrats on your new novel!

  32. Oh, my goodness, Lady Jane was one of the most tragic movies I ever saw…I couldn't believe it was a true story when I first saw it in middle school! I really only wanted to see Westley (Cary Elwes)again and got more than I bargained for.

  33. I'm really excited to read this book! It stinks that it's a stand-alone novel I really enjoy reading series, but at least she's working on another novel. Hopefully historical fiction!

    teensatthelibrary[@]yahoo[.]com

  34. I'm really looking forward to reading this book. I love Elizabethan History (I'm getting my PhD in history, actually), and the premise of this novel just sounds terrific. I think it's really cool how you were able to tie in the pear on the cover, and the pear flavored jelly bellies to the novel! Very clever1

  35. I love all the creative ways you've managed to tie in the pear motif, and I'm looking forward to reading the book.

    ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

  36. The cover is gorgeous and they couldn't have picked better. I would love to read a book about 1700's in Venice.

    khal5671 AT mwcc DOT edu

  37. It must be really cool to have the necklace from the cover. The necklace is a bit too big, but it's still cool.

    booklovergal12[AT]hotmail[DOT]com

  38. I also think the cover is awesome, and I hope to get a chance to read The Stolen One soon! I've also read The Very Ordered Existence of Merrilee Marvelous, so I'm especially interested in The Stolen One.

    paradoxrevealed (at) aim (dot) com

  39. I've seen this book and finally clicked on it because curiousity got the better of me. Now I want the book 🙂

    I love the cover though. That's what first got my attention. I think it's a perfect choice for the novel.
    Pls include me in this giveaway.

    sensitivemuse at gmail dot com

  40. Anonymous

    You're very lucky to have so much input when deciding the cover (I've heard many horror stories about great authors and terrible covers). Congratulations!

    A. Hirsh
    ahirsh2@kent.edu

  41. As the necklace designer for the piece worn on the cover, I'm thrilled that the author is still enjoying the necklace, which is a replication of a necklace worn by Queen Jane Seymour of England in the late 1500's. I'm happy to have taken part in the creation of such a beautiful cover photo!

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