ISBN: 1466443723
What’s that saying about the devil you know? For Bernadette Murphy, it's the devil she never expected that changes everything. Her father’s sudden death leaves a gaping void in her life and is one in a series of events that rock her world. But with the discovery of her father’s book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded lessons in living may be exactly what she needs to survive.
When Bernie finds
herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a
confrontation at the cosmetic counter, she discovers what her father always
knew. In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don’t.
For Bernie, the
singing is about to begin.
RED the EXCERPT?
BLUE
RIBBON KATHLEEN
Kathleen Long is a
RITA® nominated, RIO Award and two-time Gayle Wilson Award of
Excellence winning author of fourteen novels of contemporary romance, romantic
suspense and women’s fiction. Her additional honors include National
Readers Choice, Holt Medallion, Booksellers Best, and Book Buyers Best award
nominations. After a career spent spinning words for clients ranging from
corporate CEOs to talking fruits and vegetables, she finds great joy spinning
words for fictional characters, places and plots. She divides her time between
suburban Philadelphia and the Jersey shore.
GREENING INFORMATION
ANGI: How often to you get lost in a
story?
KATHLEEN: Every day! There isn’t a moment in which my brain’s not working my latest WIP or plotting a new adventure. In the quiet before bedtime each night, I turn the pages of someone else’s story and lose myself. I think there’s no better way to quiet my mind and relax.
ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
KATHLEEN: Wow, tough question when your memory is as horrible as mine! I’m sure it was something by Dr. Seuss. Probably GO, DOG, GO. One of my favorites. I know that once I started reading like crazy, I was all about Nancy Drew. All Nancy Drew, all the time!
ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
KATHLEEN: Cinderella. No question. A dream is a wish your heart makes...how can you beat that?
ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
KATHLEEN: I’ve been exposed to many, many, many, many hours of SpongeBob, and I have to say I adore SpongeBob’s snail, Gary. That little guy is the most effective communicator I’ve ever seen. He says so much with every “Meow.” He tends to be a bit snarky, too. Extra points for that!
ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
KATHLEEN: Rude people. Impatient people. People who can’t be bothered to hold a door or say thank you. People who can’t be bothered to make eye contact and smile. People who don’t remember that a little kindness goes a long way. How do I really feel about this topic, right? ;o)
ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
KATHLEEN: Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, before having a five-year-old, I read everywhere and anywhere I could. Now, my only reading time is just before I call it a night. Early mornings are saved for writing, so reading gets the late-night time slot. As for how often? Every night!
ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
KATHLEEN: Both. I go back and forth and love both! Much like my writing, I’ve been known to go on a romantic comedy reading binge, followed by a suspense/thriller binge. Lately I’m devouring big stories of friendship and life and learning...all with heartwarming character growth and happy endings, of course.
ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
KATHLEEN: It’s a Wonderful Life. Sigh. Internal conflict, external conflict, life, love, loss, doubt...this story has it all. I love nothing more than stories that remind us life is what we make it, and often, the greatest adventure of all is the one we’re living each day. Every life has a story and every life matters. Love this movie!
ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
KATHLEEN: Hannibal Lecter. He’s evil, brilliant and oh-so-creepy.
ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
KATHLEEN: I’d have to say sometimes yes and sometimes no. If she’s similar to me at all – neurotic, middle-aged, slightly-warped – then, yes. Otherwise, no. I enjoy the story for the story. I enjoy the characters, if well-developed, for who they are and for how they play out on the page.
ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
KATHLEEN: I’d love to tell them to grab life every day and do their best to enjoy each moment. Have fun. Laugh until you cry. Love until your heart aches. Get out there and live life!
KATHLEEN: Every day! There isn’t a moment in which my brain’s not working my latest WIP or plotting a new adventure. In the quiet before bedtime each night, I turn the pages of someone else’s story and lose myself. I think there’s no better way to quiet my mind and relax.
ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?
KATHLEEN: Wow, tough question when your memory is as horrible as mine! I’m sure it was something by Dr. Seuss. Probably GO, DOG, GO. One of my favorites. I know that once I started reading like crazy, I was all about Nancy Drew. All Nancy Drew, all the time!
ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?
KATHLEEN: Cinderella. No question. A dream is a wish your heart makes...how can you beat that?
ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character? KATHLEEN: I’ve been exposed to many, many, many, many hours of SpongeBob, and I have to say I adore SpongeBob’s snail, Gary. That little guy is the most effective communicator I’ve ever seen. He says so much with every “Meow.” He tends to be a bit snarky, too. Extra points for that!
ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else?
KATHLEEN: Rude people. Impatient people. People who can’t be bothered to hold a door or say thank you. People who can’t be bothered to make eye contact and smile. People who don’t remember that a little kindness goes a long way. How do I really feel about this topic, right? ;o)
ANGI: Where do you read and how often?
KATHLEEN: Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, before having a five-year-old, I read everywhere and anywhere I could. Now, my only reading time is just before I call it a night. Early mornings are saved for writing, so reading gets the late-night time slot. As for how often? Every night!
ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?
KATHLEEN: Both. I go back and forth and love both! Much like my writing, I’ve been known to go on a romantic comedy reading binge, followed by a suspense/thriller binge. Lately I’m devouring big stories of friendship and life and learning...all with heartwarming character growth and happy endings, of course.
ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
KATHLEEN: It’s a Wonderful Life. Sigh. Internal conflict, external conflict, life, love, loss, doubt...this story has it all. I love nothing more than stories that remind us life is what we make it, and often, the greatest adventure of all is the one we’re living each day. Every life has a story and every life matters. Love this movie!
ANGI: Who’s your favorite villain?
KATHLEEN: Hannibal Lecter. He’s evil, brilliant and oh-so-creepy.
ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
KATHLEEN: I’d have to say sometimes yes and sometimes no. If she’s similar to me at all – neurotic, middle-aged, slightly-warped – then, yes. Otherwise, no. I enjoy the story for the story. I enjoy the characters, if well-developed, for who they are and for how they play out on the page.
ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
KATHLEEN: I’d love to tell them to grab life every day and do their best to enjoy each moment. Have fun. Laugh until you cry. Love until your heart aches. Get out there and live life!
In CHASING RAINBOWS, Bernie learns to do just this. There is so much truth behind Bernie’s story, yet the journey is pure fiction. That being said, I hope readers will come away from the story inspired, smiling and hopeful.
I’d also like to tell my readers I’m hard at work on new stories – more Body Hunters and a new small-town series full of quirky characters and poignant moments. I hope they’ll keep an eye out for both.
ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: I adore
the title of your book, Kath. Tell us a little about how you came up with the
idea for your story.
KATHLEEN’s GOTTA ANSWER: After my father died, we discovered a manuscript he’d written sixty years earlier. That got me to thinking about the treasures our loved ones leave behind, and it also got me thinking about a book of cryptogram quotes my father had given me several years before he died. I’d asked him to keep a journal of family stories, and he’d given me cryptograms...just like Bernie’s father in Chasing Rainbows.
In Chasing Rainbows, however, Bernie’s dad inscribes the journal with his favorite saying. “In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow or you don’t.”
KATHLEEN’s GOTTA ANSWER: After my father died, we discovered a manuscript he’d written sixty years earlier. That got me to thinking about the treasures our loved ones leave behind, and it also got me thinking about a book of cryptogram quotes my father had given me several years before he died. I’d asked him to keep a journal of family stories, and he’d given me cryptograms...just like Bernie’s father in Chasing Rainbows.
In Chasing Rainbows, however, Bernie’s dad inscribes the journal with his favorite saying. “In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow or you don’t.”
I find a recurring theme in my writing deals with making the most of the life you have. Maybe that’s why I love “It’s a Wonderful Life” so much! But seriously, everyone has “stuff” in their life.
Everyone has heartache and disappointment, just as everyone has challenges and hope and joy.
Working through the grief of losing my dad helped me work
through other issues I'd denied for a long time, like the loss of our first
daughter. Much of Bernie's story is my story, so this truly is the book of my
heart. That being said, the "what if" for this book hit me one day
when I thought about my husband and I wondered, what if I didn't have a husband
who hung in there through the messy times? My husband would like a disclaimer,
by the way, that he is nothing like the husband in Chasing Rainbows. ;o)
Bernie's story was born. And while much of the subject matter is serious, the book is full of the quirky characters and warped humor I love so much. There’s a very sexy new neighbor, a dog who chases airplanes, a teenager who shaves off her eyebrows and eats peas as comfort food, and more.
I hope Chasing Rainbows will leave readers with a smile and
the knowledge that life goes on, sometimes in the most unexpected ways!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment! Thank you, Angi, for hosting me today on Get Lost In A Story!
ORANGE you glad you stopped by? Kathleen is giving away three copies of Chasing Rainbows -- winner's choice of print or digital!
YHELL-OW FANS… Kathleen Asks: What treasures have your loved ones have left you? Photo albums? Keepsakes? Journals? Recipes? What treasures from the past inspire you today?
UP NEXT: Look for more Body Hunters suspense
titles as well as a new contemporary small-town series, coming in early 2012!
