THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA Launch Week: Deb Linda’s Q & A with Molly!

This has been an exciting week here at the Ball—our own Deb Molly’s debut novel, THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA, was officially released on Tuesday.

Congratulations, Molly!!!!

But, of course, one day of celebration isn’t enough for such a momentous event. We think a book launch deserves at least a whole week of hooplah!

I’ve been telling all my non-pixelated (you know the kind–those strangely “solid” people who are a part of our non-internet existence) friends what a wonderful book it is, because, yanno, it IS. And now I’m telling you, too.

If you’re a young adult, or have ever been a young adult, this book should be in your TBR (To Be Read) pile.

Seriously, y’all—it’s a compelling read. It really kept me turning the pages, not only because I wanted to find out what happened, but also because I became so engrossed in the characters. I just had to learn what made Paige–and the others–tick. Good stuff.

 

And never let it be said that Deb Linda isn’t doing her part for the launch celebration! Why, every evening this week I’ve lifted one of these in honor of the release:

 

Because that’s just the kind of friend I am. Cheers to PRINCESSES!

 

My question for Molly:

I love that Paige spent time in Paris as an au pair before coming home to reassemble her high school life after the accident. I especially liked your take on her time there–definitely not sunshine and roses. Did you draw on a real life experience for Paige’s Paris sojourn? (If so, I hope you had a better time in the City of Lights than Paige did!)

I did spend time in Paris when I was 17, actually! Unlike Paige, I was only there for a few days, I wasn’t working or babysitting, wasn’t there against my will, & in fact had a lovely time. I was there with my parents, who were nice enough (or sick enough of me) to let me wander off on my own a bit, so I spent quite a bit of time in the Jardin du Luxembourg writing in my journal, watching people do tai chi in the woods, and explaining to a man that just because I was from the United States did not mean I drove a Cadillac. (Actually, I drove a Renault, which he flat-out refused to accept.)

I also spent quite a bit of time at the amazing Shakespeare & Co bookstore, dreaming about the day when I’d run away to Paris and live in the bookstore. I bought myself a copy of Van Gogh’s letters, which contain some of the most beautiful meditations on art and becoming an artist that I’ve ever read.

Nevertheless, I think we’ve all experienced the weirdness of reuniting with friends after a long separation to find that they’ve changed, or you’ve changed, and somehow your friendship isn’t clicking like it used to. And I’m sure we’ve all had trips that didn’t quite match up to the brochure version, too!

 ~*~

Absolutely, Molly. The biggest shock to me after my semester abroad in Stockholm was the culture shock I felt upon my return to the States. I hadn’t anticipated that. Glad you turned your time in Paris into such a great part of your book.

And don’t forget! Deb Molly will be giving away a signed copy of THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA to one lucky commenter this week so be sure to leave your thoughts any day this week to be entered to win!

21 Replies to “THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA Launch Week: Deb Linda’s Q & A with Molly!”

    1. It was so weird to see all my usual haunts through new eyes. Kind of like when you get new glasses, and everything looks just a little off until you’re used to them.

  1. Hasn’t it been a great week? Launch weeks are so much fun! And we still have two more to go! (I’m lookin’ at you, Deb Joanne and Deb Linda!) I hope it’s been as much fun–no, MORE–for you Deb Molly as it’s been for us. I’ve been doing my part to toast PRINCESSES from here every evening too but I can’t boast such worthy glassware as Deb Linda’s–Wow, I need to get me one of those!

    1. I has been fun!

      Glad you like my Manhattan glass. It’s nice and sturdy, and doubles as a martini glass. 😉

      1. Speaking of which I had to some, um, research on cocktail glasses for my WIP–I had no idea there were so many specific glasses for specific drinks–I mean, I knew there were some, but, whoa! What fun! It was one of the more enjoyable rabbit holes I’ve tumbled down recently 😉

        1. Gotta love those rabbit holes. Isn’t great that so much of the playing around on the web that we’d likely do anyway can now legitimately be labeled as “research”? Have to admit, I love that about this gig.

  2. I had more than my fill of kugel last night, so I’m happy to be celebrating with a beverage today, although I’ll save it for at least lunchtime. HAPPY LAUNCH WEEK, MOLLY – hope it was everything you dreamed of and more.

  3. What a fun question. I’m glad you loved Paris, Molly (I do too!). And Linda, I can relate to the culture shock. After both my times in Oxford, it was downright strange to come back home where everything felt the same but I didn’t see it the same way.

    1. What I remember most about Paris is extremely sore feet (we walked everywhere) and very hot water at our hotel (it was heavenly).

  4. happy launch week, molly!

    very interesting bit about culture shock, linda. i studied abroad in london (part of my junior year in college) and i too know what you mean about culture shock upon returning to the US. i sort of felt like i belonged nowhere (for a little while. then i got re-acclimated just in time for a raucous senior year of college. ha.)

  5. Well, darn. I’ve been a broad for many years, but I’ve never been abroad. (Unless you count Hawaii or New Jersey.) This sounds like a terrific book. Interesting, I never read YA, even when I was one, but more and more, I’ve been enticed into reading them because of recommendations via the blogosphere. Hmm, maybe I’m going into my second childhood.

    1. Ha! I’ve been a broad for years, too.

      I mainly started reading YA because so many of my friends write it. I kind of got hooked on it.

    1. So true. It’s never the same. If you’re lucky, though, maybe you can catch a whiff of what it was, and remember… 🙂

  6. I have run into friends who I haven’t seen in a while and the fun part is that it feels just like “old times”. We just talk about whatever and it feels comfortable. Sometimes I meet someone who I see ha changed and I image I have as well over time 🙂

    1. Those are the best kind of friends, aren’t they? The physical changes don’t matter when the things that connected you to begin with are still there. 🙂

  7. Congratulations Molly… I stumbled over this book few days back on a book blog and read the blurb there… It sounds a wonderful read… 🙂

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