Interview with Orly Konig + #DebBallGiveaway of THE DISTANCE HOME

Today on the Debutante Ball, I’m excited to welcome Orly Konig, a fellow author with Tor/Forge, whose book THE DISTANCE HOME is was such a delight to read. I found this novel to be so authentic and real, which is something I love when reading (I mean, who doesn’t?). Here’s what it’s all about:

Sixteen years ago, a tragic accident cost Emma Metz her two best friends―one human and one equine. Now, following her father’s death, Emma has reluctantly returned to the Maryland hometown she’d left under a cloud of guilt.

Sorting through her father’s affairs, Emma uncovers a history of lies tying her broken family to the one place she thought she could never return―her girlhood sanctuary, Jumping Frog Farm.

Emma finds herself drawn back to the stable after all these years. It’s easy to win forgiveness from a horse, but less so from her former friend Jillian, their once strong bond destroyed by secrets and betrayals. But despite Jillian’s cold reception, for the first time in years, Emma feels at home.

To exorcise the past, Emma will have to release her guilt, embrace an uncertain future, and trust again in the healing power of horses.

Orly Konig’s THE DISTANCE HOME is a powerful and sparkling women’s fiction debut novel of second chances, friendship, and healing.

Who’s ready for an interview? And also your chance to win a hardcover? To enter to win, simply retweet on twitter:


And you can enter by sharing our post from Facebook. We will select and contact the very lucky winner on Friday, June 2nd at noon (US Only).

Now, on to the interview!

Talk about one thing that’s making you happy right now.

Seeing the “in-the- wild” pictures of my book. What a crazy thing … I spent so many years working toward this and I still have to do a double take every time I see my name tagged in a social media post with the cover of my book.

Jenni: Enjoy it! The Distance Home released on May 2nd, so she’s all fresh and new!

Which talent do you wish you had?

I wish I could dance. Classical ballet and the Argentine Tango. I took ballet as a kid but anything that kept me away from the stable got shelved back then. These days, I’m pleased when I do a chair squiggle to a favorite song and don’t hurt myself.

Jenni: haha, nobody keeps baby in the corner?

Do you have any phobias?

Snakes. When I was a little kid I had a book called “The Encyclopedia of Animals.” I glued together the pages that included snakes. I once took my Great Dane on a hike and after two hours of walking we were almost back to the parking lot. You could actually see our car. Then I noticed a snake on the path. I turned and ran the entire way we’d just come from with the dog panting behind me. He wouldn’t go to the park with me for weeks after that.

Jenni: l bet your dog gave you such side eye as well 😉

Have you ever tried writing in a different genre? How did that turn out?

I have and still do, sort of. I love kid lit. I fell in love with it long before I had kids or even wanted kids (shhhhh, that’ll be our secret). I’ve written several picture books and have a draft of a middle grade novel underway. While I queried one of the picture books early on, my focus has always been women’s fiction and I didn’t pursue the kid lit far. I use the picture books and middle grade manuscript as my “break” writing. When you have 300-400 words for an entire picture book, it really forces you to look at what’s most important and, since I’m not writing these for publication (at least not yet – a girl can always hope), there isn’t the same pressure, which means I feel freer to explore. That creativity then spills over to my women’s fiction.

Jenni: I love how your writing inspires more (but different) writing! 

What’s your next big thing?

Book 2 is about uncovering family secrets. And a historic carousel. I love carousels and I always wanted to work in art restoration, so I got to live vicariously through my character. This book is very dear to me and I’m excited to see it come to life.

Jenni: me too! I can’t wait to read it!

Thanks so much for joining us, Orly! And congratulations again on your debut of THE DISTANCE HOME!
After years in the corporate world (most of it in the space industry), Orly Konig took a leap into the creative world of fiction. She is the founding president of the Womens Fiction Writers Association and an active member of the Writers in the Storm blog. She lives in Maryland with her family. THE DISTANCE HOME is her first novel.

For more information about Orly and THE DISTANCE HOME, please visit OrlyKonig.com. You can also catch Orly on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Author: Jenni L. Walsh

Jenni L. Walsh spent her early years ​chasing around cats, dogs, and chickens in Philadelphia's countryside, before dividing time between a soccer field and a classroom at Villanova University. She put her marketing degree to good use as an advertising copywriter, zip-code hopping with her husband to DC, NYC, NJ, and not surprisingly, back to Philly. There, Jenni's passion for words continued, adding author to her resume. She now balances her laptop with a kid on each hip, and a four-legged child at her feet. BECOMING BONNIE (Tor Forge/Macmillan, 5/9/2017) is her debut novel that tells the untold story of how church-going Bonnelyn Parker becomes half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo during the 1920s. SIDE BY SIDE, telling Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree story, will be released in the summer of 2018. Please learn more about Jenni's books at jennilwalsh.com.

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