We're thrilled to welcome Laura L. Zimmerman to Lands Uncharted today to celebrate the upcoming release of her debut fantasy novel, Keen! I had the opportunity to endorse this book, and you guys, it's SO GOOD! I'll share more about it below, but first, here's a behind-the-scenes feature from the author! Enjoy!
A lot goes into a character. An author often pulls inspiration from several people in their own life to help round out each role in the book. Let’s learn what inspired Caoine Roberts.
Her personality is based on my daughter. They’re both extreme introverts and avoid social situations at all costs. Think it’s odd that Caoine spends her early days at West Lincoln High under a stairwell? Those scenes were inspired by a real life situation when our family was on vacation. I couldn’t find my daughter until a second sweep of the rental house. She was hiding in the bedroom closet scrolling through Instagram. She literally needed time to be away from people and to re-energize. The running joke in our house is that she “hates people.” Even though we know this is far from truth, there are time’s when Caoine truly believes she just can’t like anyone.
When it comes to food, Caoine is all ME! I’ll admit to being a carb-lover--especially those beloved french fries. *swoon* This food is prominently featured throughout the novel as Caoine’s favorite, as well. Also like me, she’s a vegetarian. In the novel, she can’t tolerate meat because she’s part fae. I wish I could say the same for me--wouldn’t it be cool to be part faerie??--but it’s not because I’m supernatural. Just a boring human.
Okay, let’s move onto the most important detail:
coffee. Many of the main characters I create are in love with coffee. (Because coffee is life, right?) And I tried to stop this trend, I really did! Alas, I only got as far as making
Caoine hate coffee. (She prefers tea.) Her sidekick Aubree adores the “liquid gold” (as I call it), and the coffee shop is their spot to hang.
My love of singing is also portrayed through the fact that Caoine is
literally a banshee who sings a beautiful lament each night. Some say I sing a bit too much, but it’s not something I can turn off. I suppose it would be easier if I were a banshee. At least I’d have an excuse!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek into
Keen. Stop by the other blog tour stops to read more Behind the Scenes!
How fun, I love that her inspiration comes from both you and your daughter! Congratulations on your new release, Laura! Thank you so much for joining us today! Here's a little more about the author:
Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, three daughters, and three furbaby felines. Besides writing, she’s passionate about loving Jesus, anything Star Wars, and singing loudly. She takes her coffee black and spends her days pretending to do yoga. This is her debut novel. Find out more about her at
www.lauralzimmerman.wordpress.com.
You can also connect with Laura on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest. And here's the back cover blurb for this fabulous book!
You must walk the darkness to find the light.
Half-faerie Caoine has no control over the banshee lament she sings each night, predicting the death of others. A senior in a brand new high school, she expects the same response she’s received at every other school: judgment from fellow students over her unusual eyes and unnaturally white skin and hair. However, when Caoine arrives at West Lincoln High, for the first time in her life she finds friends. Real friends.
But being a teenager is never easy, especially when the star soccer player, Oliver, sets his sights on her. Allowing him to get close means revealing her curse to the human world. She can’t let that happen. Life spins further out of control when her lament comes out during the day, those whose death she predicts die right in front of her, and a dark faerie known only as the Unseelie prince blames Caoine by leaving her the creepiest notes ever. Her curse is not supposed to work like that.
In a race against time, Caoine must uncover the Unseelie prince’s identity and stop a spell before it unleashes hell on earth, all while trying to control her banshee song and finding a place among her peers.
Senior year just got real.
Keen releases on July 9th, you can (and should!) pre-order it here. Make sure to join in on the Keen Facebook Party on July 11th! And here's the rest of the blog tour schedule:
Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Katherine Vinson,
www.sparksofember.wordpress.com
Monday, July 1st, Guest Post, Rebecca Bruner,
www.rebeccabrunerauthor.com
Tuesday, July 2nd, Visual Post, Kellie Parker,
www.kelliemichelleparker.com
Wednesday, July 3rd, Review, Tammera Ayers,
www.beliedoutcastlegends.com
Thursday, July 4th, Review/Interview, Pam Halter,
www.pamhalter.com/fairiesfantasyfaith
Friday, July 5th, Interview, Jebraun Clifford,
www.jebraunclifford.com
Friday, July 5th, Interview, Medomfo Owusu,
www.writingsfromagodgirl.wordpress.com
Saturday, July 6th, BookTube Review, Gretchen Engel,
www.gretchenekengel.com
Sunday, July 7th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, Laurie Lucking,
www.landsuncharted.com
Monday, July 8th, Behind-the-Scenes Feature, J.M. Hackman,
www.jmhackman.com
Tuesday, July 9th, Release-Day Feature, Laura L. Zimmerman,
www.lauralzimmerman.wordpress.com
Wednesday, July 10th, Interview, Kelly Barr,
www.kellyfbarr.com
Wednesday, July 10th, Review, Vincent Vezza,
www.hiddentreasurenovels.com
Thursday, July 11th, FB Party Feature, Michele Israel Harper,
www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com
Friday, July 12th, Review, Abigail McKenna,
www.novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors.blogspot.com
