Author Interview & Giveaway: Lorena Bathey


We are excited to welcome author, Lorena Bathey, to the nest today. She's here to discuss her novel, The X. Be sure to check out the giveaway details at the end of this post.


Andrea @ Reading Lark: How long have you been writing? 

Lorena: I wrote my first book in 2004, it was released in 2005. I didn't actually start to write a book, I was merely venting and working through the changes that were happening in my life. As a stay-at-home-mom losing her mother, father remarrying, and husband leaving I had to process somehow. I call my first book, Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother the 'real woman's' Eat, Pray, Love because I did go to Italy but for a realistic ten days rather than six months. 

 Deciding to self-publish this book came from the fact that I wanted women to see that you can survive, that a woman's happiness should be important, and that if I could do it then so could you. I didn't want to wait to have to find an agent and publisher to get that message out. Then everything aligned to make my book come to life and so I went with it. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Can you describe your novel in five words? 

Lorena: Woo...that's a tough one. Okay...let's try this: 
 Life is meant to be kicked....damn, that's six. 
Women are tougher than they think.....damn, six again. 
Mom won't let X win. There... I did it! 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Where did you get the idea for this novel? 

Lorena: Hmmm... well it started with my own X and me being pissed off at him. Then the story just took on a life of its own. No, my X isn't the guy in the book. But thing about authors is, don't piss us off or you'll end up in our books. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Which character is your favorite to write? 

Lorena: Wow, that's like saying, 'which of your kids is your favorite?' Okay maybe not that extreme, but every character I write has their own personality and reason in the story. 

 But if I was being tortured, like there was a bowl of chocolate pudding and I couldn't have it until I picked a name...I'd say Jeffery and Beatrice was a tie. That's because I really liked who they both were. They were both real, edgy, confident, and probably the epitome of who I wanted to be. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What was the road to publication like for you? 

Lorena: I decided with my first book to self-publish. Once I decided to proceed this way I met people who helped me put it together. It was a great process and the book has become one that women have really liked and learned from, which of course is the reason I wrote it in the first place. 

 In 2010 when my fiancée and I decided to follow our passions I decided to focus on writing novels and I created a new company, http://www.LorenaBBooks.com . I self-publish because I don't want someone telling me when a book is done, take out characters, or really changing things in my stories. Plus, I believe it is the wave of the future for writers. I like the control I have and while it's hard work, it's work I love. I have a plan so everything I do is on schedule of where I want to be later on in my career. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What is your favorite bird? 

Lorena: Hawk. Is that still considered a bird? Or is that a raptor? Well, I'm gonna say it's my favorite bird. I love the strength that it epitomizes for me. In fact, my first tattoo was on my 45th birthday and it's a hawk. I seem to see them at times in my life when I need strength and support. And the funny thing is that hawks very rarely sit together but almost every time when I'm with my fiancée we see two hawks together. Love that. 

About the Author


 Growing up in Northern California, Lorena Bathey attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga graduating with a degree in English. Lorena started writing her first book, Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother when her world fell apart and she needed to process the massive changes in her life. Lorena found characters were visiting her mind and wouldn't leave. She was introduced to Marissa, Andrea, Lily, Deidre and Beatrice and her first novel, Beatrice Munson, came to life. After finishing that book she was inspired to write more novels and she knew that pursuing her passion was the best way to live her life. So a writer she became. Today Lorena has written three novels, Beatrice Munson, House on Plunkett Street, and The X. She has two more novels in editing and is beginning research on a historical novel. 


About the Novel

Clarissa Hadonfield had it all. She lived in a lovely home surrounded by affluent intellectuals, had a successful husband, and two phenomenal teenage boys. With the ring of a doorbell she finds her life substituted by one where she has to fight for her children against an evil she never knew existed and had been sleeping next to for the last twenty years. When Clarissa's X shows his true colors, she finds she must become a strong woman who cannot only grow prize-winning flowers but can place a devastating roundhouse kick. Teaming up with Bryce Brightman, an ex-FBI agent, she uncovers a woman whose only goal is to save her children. This story is about what a woman can do when she put her brains, her brawn, and her boots into changing the course of her life and protecting the ones she loves.



We have ONE SIGNED copy of The X up for grabs. Thank you, Lorena Bathey, for providing the book for the giveaway. The giveaway is open to US Residents only. In order to win you must:

* Be 18+ years old
* Fill out the Rafflecopter below

The giveaway runs from June 1-8. The winners will be contacted via email on June 9. Reading Lark is not responsible for prize delivery.


Comments

  1. An empowered woman defeating an evil X! Count me in! Thanks for a chance to win this awesome book!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to read this over the summer. It sounds thrilling and smart.

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  3. Dazzling Lark, Thank you for the enormous honor of gracing your blog. I loved your questions and the thought they made me go through. Thank you for your support of my work and get ready cause my new novel, Coaster is coming out in June. Those interested should go to my website at www.LorenaBBooks.com and put their name in so they can know when it comes out.

    Lorena Bathey
    Author

    ReplyDelete

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