It's no secret that New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah is one of our absolute faves. Any author that can make not one, but two self-proclaimed robots like us cry is a true talent! (You might recall that Firefly Lane really did us in.) And now this uber-talented author has just released her - wait for it- NINETEENTH novel- Night Road. And we loved (and *cough* may have even cried again) over this powerful, complex and very emotional novel.
Synopsis: The central plot revolves around two very different families living in adjacent shorefront towns in Washington State, and the bond that ties them together in the face of horrific tragedy. Jude Farraday is the happily married mother of two bright, happy twin teenagers, Mia and Zach, who devotedly oversees every detail of their near-perfect family life together. Into the Farradays's world arrives Lexi Baill, a former foster child from a neighboring working class town, who immediately befriends Mia and eventually falls in love with Zach during their senior year in high school. Recognizing that Lexi has become inseparable from her own children, Jude welcomes her with open arms into the Farraday household. Everything changes one night when, after a graduation party, the three teens are involved in an accident and fingers of blame are pointed at Lexi- even Jude's.
And here's the part we know y'all are waiting for...If you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of five copies of Night Road. We'll randomly select the winners on Friday, April 15th after 6:00 pm. We know it will feel good to win something on Tax Day!
We're thrilled to have Kristin back again. She first visited us after the release of Winter Garden to share 5 Things We didn't Know about her (we are still in shock that she hand writes her novels on a LEGAL PAD) and now she's revealing her Do's and a Don't (her secret to success in life).
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...KRISTIN HANNAH'S DO'S AND A DO-OVER DON'T.
DO's
1. DO see as much of the world as you can. I am the daughter of a wanderer. As much as I hated this when I was young-and boy, did I hate it; we were always moving, changing schools, being the new kids---I see now the incredible value in seeing different places, experiencing different cultures. You learn profound lessons about the world and yourself when you travel. I was fortunate to study abroad in college, and I truly believe that a year in London changed my life and opened my eyes to the world.
2. DO have a positive outlook. I don't want to sound like some self help guru, but I truly believe that we have the power to shape our reality. We don't choose what we see, perhaps, but we choose what we focus on, what we care about. I think nothing creates a positive life like a positive outlook. 3. DO make time for yourself. We women do a lot in our lives. WE work, we care for our children and our families, we run households; we are the glue that holds our families together. Because we have so much to do, we often forget about our own needs. I know that when my son was young, I was often too tired at the end of the day to do much more than plop onto the sofa with a good book- and I was too "busy" in the middle of the day to go out to lunch. What a mistake. Make time for your girlfriends! Nothing can keep you afloat and change your outlook like an afternoon with friends. And believe me, when your kids are teenagers, or when they leave home, you'll need those friends.
4. DO get your parents and grandparents to tell you their stories. I was young when my mom passed away, and it wasn't until years later--when I became a mother myself that I realized how many questions I'd never asked , how much I didn't know. With the loss of my mother, I lost all the stories of her family, my family. I wish I'd found a way to gather those histories when I had the chance. Hand your parents and/or grandparents a tape recorder and have them talk about what they remember. Better yet, sit with them and write it all down.
DON'T
5. Don't be afraid of anything. Reach for the stars and dream big. It's a big, beautiful, wonderful world out there, and it's waiting for you. Too many people are afraid of failing, but failing is really just another way of revealing your path. Better to jump high and fall than to stand on the ground, afraid. When I first started writing, I never imagined that I would someday be a published author of nineteen novels. I just had a dram and went for it, one word at a time. No matter how often I failed, I got back up, dusted myself off, and tried again. I honestly think it's the secret to success in life.
To find out more about the amazingly talented Kristin Hannah, visit her website and become one of her THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND (and counting) fans on Facebook.
Thanks, Kristin!
xoxo,
L&L