Happy Friday:
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
I had the chance to speak with author Arlene Lomazoff-Marron about her book Beneath A Blanket of Snow. Check out what she had to say below ⤵️.
Blurb
Jonathan Perkins had it all: a successful business, a stunning home, a wonderful family. He was on top of the world—until he nearly threw it all away. Meredith Perkins lived a life of luxury, courtesy of her husband’s hard work and diligence, but was isolated from the realities of the working world. Her days were spent decorating their spacious home, lunching with affluent friends, practicing yoga, and shopping in boutiques… Until her husband’s crime turned her world upside down. Meredith found herself hounded by the media, deserted by friends she had counted on for support, and struggling to reconstruct a life for her and her children. … But her friends kept their own secrets… How much do you trust your spouse? Do you keep secrets from your partner?How much do you trust your friends? Is everything what it seems on the outside?
Purchase
5 Questions with Author Arlene Lomazoff-Marron
Arlene, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.
1. I am left on the edge of my seat after reading the blurb of your new book Beneath A Blanket of Snow. What was your inspiration for this story?
I believe that the image we project to others is not always the truth. The people driving the luxury cars and living in fancy houses may seem like they are carefree and happy, but if we could see inside of them, we would likely find some things that would surprise us. It was during a low period in my life that I decided that many people who seemed to have it all likely had problems, too. We think we know our friends and family, but what are they hiding?
2. What did you edit out of Beneath A Blanket of Snow?
I edited a few non-essential sentences, words, and paragraphs, but nothing I felt was integral to the story. In fact, after I finished the initial draft, I actually added some dialogue and details.
3. What is the significance of the title?
I don’t want to give anything away, because I think it becomes obvious as the story unfolds. But we just don’t know what others are hiding.
4. Arlene, what is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book?
I realized that I had projected my voice in the story. Someone in my family started reading my draft, disagreed with some of the particulars of the book, and suggested several alternatives. Any of these changes would have changed the story in a big way. It was at that point that I realized I wanted to tell my story, not someone else’s story, and I kept the original story in its entirety.
5. You mentioned you enjoy reading. Who is your favorite author and why?
I was asked by someone to describe an author to whom I could compare my writing style and my book. I picked Anita Shreve. I not only like her style, but she writes drama—about families with problems—and that is what I do. I am currently working on my second novel, with a tentative title of “If We Had Known”, and again, it focuses on families and people facing adversity. It’s actually not surprising that this is what I choose to write, because I’ve always enjoyed reading books like that.
About Author
In December 2019 I retired from a job in the healthcare field. About a week before, a coworker commented that I should do something from my bucket list. I immediately replied that I would write a novel. I wondered why I had replied so quickly and with such conviction. I took a few writing courses in high school and considered college and a career in writing, but decided to go to nursing school instead. I hadn’t thought about writing a book since my adolescence. I didn’t realize writing a novel was on my bucket list.
I planned to try my hand at writing a novel from March through December 2020, but when COVID-19 kept me indoors, I started writing every day. Beneath A Blanket Of Snow is my first novel. I wrote it in ten weeks. After a short break, I will start working on my second novel.
I live in the Philadelphia, PA area with my husband Gerry. We have a blended family of four boys and one girl, and seven grandchildren. I also enjoy bicycling, playing Mah Jongg, reading, and playing piano.
BooksBooks&More 