New Release YA: According to Audrey, by Happy LaShelle. Q&A with the Auhor. **Excerpt-Giveaway**
According to AudreyHappy LaShelle
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: April 30th 2018
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Cautious and introverted, seventeen-year-old Dove spends most of her free time pursuing her one true passion: painting. The twinkling lights of Balboa Island, the ferryboat to the peninsula, the fire pits on Big Corona Beach…these have long been the subjects of her canvases as she daydreams about finding an Audrey Hepburn-film kind of romance.
A hotshot jock is exactly not the type of guy she’s been looking for—but when Leo Donovan drops his cool act to show his vulnerable side, Dove begins to question everything. But first she’ll have to navigate her way through claim-staking mean girls and disapproving parents—and still keep her focus on attending the art school of her dreams.
Being in love turns out to be more complex than the average silver-screen classic. Can Dove follow her heart (and Audrey’s cues) to create her own perfect Hollywood ending?
Q&A with the Author
This is your debut novel. How does it feel?
Pretty thrilling, honestly. It’s been several long years of writing, learning craft, rewriting, learning more craft, revising some more – not to mention coming to understand the ins and outs of the writing world and the publishing business. This novel is my first book baby, and in the end, I’m glad it took me so long because all of that investment of time and process has given me a book that I’m sincerely proud to share with the world.
Tell us about Newport Beach, California as the setting for your book. Why did you choose it?
It was important to me that the setting of the story would jump off the page and come alive as though it were its own character in the book. Newport Beach was my childhood hometown, so I know it well, and I’m partial to its allure and charm! I was excited to bring to life on the page all the places that are so rich with Newport’s storied culture and history – Balboa Island, Newport Bay, Lido Island, the Peninsula, to name just a few. I also gave myself artistic license here and there for the sake of storytelling purposes – the fictional Bayport High for example, as well as its baseball field, which I imagined near the present-day Castaways Park, on the Back Bay cliffs. I also introduced fire pits at Pirate’s Cove in Corona Del Mar – a few small things to that effect. What was paramount for me was to portray the essence of the town in a way that captured for the reader the true spirit and character of Newport Beach.
What were the books/authors that influenced you as a child?
The first novel I remember reading was A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and I just loved the heart of that book. It’s set in Victorian London, and despite the simplistic title, Sara is a complex little character with a strong sense of herself and a wise compassion for others. When all goes pear-shaped, the dire circumstances really test her mettle, and I love the strength she shows through it all. I also loved The Boxcar Children books, Misty of Chincoteague, The Swiss Family Robinson, and we had this colorful, thick version of The Arabian Nights that I would flip through for hours. It was the quintessential, perfect storybook with all of those magic-filled short stories from faraway lands. As a young adult, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, and Bryce Courtenay’s The Power of One really made an impression on me… and honestly, I was obsessed with V.C. Andrews as a teenager. The Flowers in the Attic books and the Heaven series were hard to put down. I loved her style.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
Not really. My name is a bit unusual, so I tried to tone it down by using my initials, H.M., during the query process to agents and editors. I didn’t want the name Happy to be a distraction from my work, and I wanted to be taken seriously. After my book sold, my publisher really encouraged me to use Happy – they loved it. I’ve always liked my name, so I was excited to embrace it as my official author name. Actually, when I was deciding between H.M. and Happy, I asked my son’s opinion, and he thought I should definitely use Happy LaShelle… he said, “That literally sounds like a made-up writer name, Mom.” Ha! So in the end, Happy it is.
What’s your coffee house drink of choice?
I’m into tea lattes lately. At a local haunt here in Santa Barbara there’s one called a Magic Bowl - chamomile mixed with honey and steamed milk – oh my, it’s like comfort in a cup! I also love the London Fog made with earl grey - so perfectly British tasting. Then there’s my stand-by iced mocha, and the go-to hot chocolate on a rainy day.
Any advice for a writer just starting out?
Keep going. The process can take a long time, but let your passion propel you forward. Let the rejections make your work better, and don’t take no for an answer. Do something for your writing every day – for me, reading about writing and the writing life is hugely inspiring. One of my favorite writing mentor books is Page after Page by Heather Sellers. Her funny, straightforward style is charming, and her wisdom is so encouraging to everyone on the author path. Don’t forget - you are not an aspiring writer – you are a writer!
Scroll down for an excerpt from According to Audrey.
Excerpt
Leo gently took the bag from my nose and wrapped the ice in the washcloth. “This will be more comfortable,” he said, eyeing my nose like an expert. “It doesn’t look swollen at all, that’s good.” He put the ice into my hand and helped guide it back to my face.
It was not possible to feel any more un-pretty than at this moment. Pain and embarrassment had now mingled into one big uncomfortable feeling. But another feeling was creeping up. I stole another glance at him. He looked like a Hollywood film star from the 1950s—chiseled, with a squinty stare.
I summoned the nerve to look into his eyes and finally spoke. “Thanks, I think I’m okay.” My attraction clashed with my desire to hide. Suddenly I wanted him to go away and stay all at the same time.
His brown eyes locked onto mine, and his mouth turned up at the corners. Was he enjoying my embarrassment? I had no choice but to laugh. “What?” I asked, pulling the ice away from my face.
He grinned and sat down next to me. “Dove, you need to keep the ice on it,” he said, placing it back onto my nose.
The gentle way he said my name made my heart race faster and I searched his face, drinking in its sincerity: his deep gaze—somehow it made me feel safe, and his lips seemed to be just waiting to… kiss me.
All at once, my enamored thoughts screeched to an abrupt stop.
No way.
My stomach twisted into a painful knot. How could I have fallen for the sensitive, caring act? Was I really lame enough to get all dreamy-eyed over a few sweet words and a pack of ice? There was no way I was going to end up as one of his conquests. With the ice still held to my nose, I stood with as much dignity as possible.
“Thanks, I’m fine now.” I lowered the ice and looked straight into his dark, concern-filled eyes, shooting him a glare. “I have to go.”
About the Author
Happy LaShelle is a writer, mom of three, and wife to a Basque baker who brings home loaves of crusty sourdough everyday. She lives near the mission bells in sunny Santa Barbara, but loves the cold, rainy banks of London's Thames River just as much as the sandy shores of her Newport Beach hometown. She studied History at UCLA and enjoys taking pictures of old stuff. Because everything has a story.
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