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| Casey Clifford and Leanna Renee Hieber at Walden Books |
Leanna Renee Hieber visited Milwaukee to speak with the WisWRA writers about theatrical techniques to a blockbuster novel. Afterward was a successful booksigning at the local Walden Book store (Side note: unfortunately this store will be closing January 1).
I was lucky enough to catch up with Leanna at the airport for a quick breakfast before her flight back to New York to ask her a few questions.
BV: With the success of your new book, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy 
Parker, how has life changed for you?
LRH: I have been feeling extremely grateful and thankful with more energy to continue the series with The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persophone Parker, which will have it’s release April 27, 2010. I was also thrilled and honored to have made your "Best of" list for 2009.
BV: You’ve been receiving many kudos for The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, what’s the latest?
LRH: I recently found out that I landed #26 on the Mass Market chart and #32 overall on the Barnes and Noble list. Not bad for a debut novel. And now it’s available in audio form, which I’m thrilled about.
BV: So, what’s next for you?
LRH: I’m currently working on an anthology with author C.L. Wilson, who I consider one of my idols.
BV: And how did you like Milwaukee?
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| Speaking at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts |
LRH: It was wonderful! Great food, good friends and family, super authors and readers. I wish I could take them all back to New York with me. I also volunteered to go speak to the Milwaukee High School of the Arts Creative Writing department this week. Having always wished they had a High School of the Arts in my rural Ohio hometown, I wanted to show my appreciation and value for a public school devoted to the Arts. Because I struggled for so many years to find a publisher for the Strangely Beautiful series I feel called to tell teens never to give up on their dreams, as I’m living proof that your greatest dream can come true if you just persist. Between my theatre background and the publishing world, I’ve become so used to rejection that I just want to be an encouraging voice to youngsters to never give up no matter what. MHSA students were brilliant and wonderful and I was full of hope and joy- not to mention genuinely impressed by their fierce intelligence and obvious talents. Milwaukee has talented teens and that’s a priceless asset.
Oh, and I wanted to mention the Holiday Folk Fair, which was awesome and I just loved it.
Monday Giveaways
From Cindy Proctor-King: Kensington Aphrodisia author Susan Lyons is giving away a copy of SEX DRIVE, the first in her new Wild Ride to Love series, at Muse Interrupted Tuesday, December 1st.
Bottom Line: If you liked the Holiday Folk Fair, you have to come back in summer for all our ethnic festivals.
Just stopping in to say hello to Leanna and Barbara. Great interview and congrats Leanna on all your success. CC
Leanna, it was so fun to have you in Milwaukee. Your talk was a huge success with our chapter, and we’d love for you to come back again.
Hi Barbara! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me, it’s always, always so good to see you. Hi Christie! *hugs* Thanks! And back at you with all your recent successes, my Dorchester sister! Well deserved!! Edie, Thank you so very much for making the events possible, the WisRWA Milwaukee crowd were all so very, very wonderful, I had such a gorgeous time with all of you and would love to do it again.
Great interview with Leanna. Glad that you had fun in Milwaukee but New York is very happy to have you back!
Hi Leanna (and Barbara “g”) – Sounds like you had a great trip to Milwaukee. Congratulations on your debut book – all deserved kudos! Good luck with this series that sounds like it already is taking off at rocket speed.
Elizabeth, thanks sweets! Glad to be back, NYC can’t keep me away for long! Dianna, Hi my dear!! I did have a great trip, thanks. Thanks so much for your kind words and support, you’re such a star. The Lady Jane’s Salon founders and crowd cannot wait to have you (And Barbara!!!) back with us to showcase your wonderful books!
Sharing a book signing with Leanna was a fantastic experience. We both had a very successful day and I appreciated the little tips she passed on to me while we signed books.
Thank you Barbara for this wonderful interview! Wow–authors are people just like you & me! They put their pants (or skirts?) on one leg at a time too!
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