Paige Roberts is in the house...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Paige Roberts to CLC today. We featured her debut, Virtually Perfect, last year. Melissa A really enjoyed it (see her review) and is excited to read her latest, The Last House on Sycamore Street. Paige is here today to talk about her novel and thanks to Kensington, we have one print copy to give away!

Paige Roberts is a former journalist who has written for publications such as McSweeney’s, Culinate, and Smithsonian.com. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children, as well as an ever-expanding collection of cookbooks. Visit Paige at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Synopsis:
When Amy Kravitz opts to leave Washington, D.C., behind in favor of a less stressful life in the Philadelphia suburbs, she has a certain kind of house in mind. And on a charming street in a family-friendly neighborhood, she and her husband Rob find it. It’s a perfect brick colonial with plenty of space, a beautiful yard, and great schools nearby. The sellers, Julian and Grace Durant, are eager to make a deal. In an unexpected bonus, the Durants’ young son, Ethan, strikes up a friendship with Amy and Rob’s introverted four-year-old, Noah.

Soon, Amy is unpacking boxes in her new home and arranging play dates for Noah and Ethan. But as weeks go by, Amy suspects something isn’t quite right. Julian’s mail keeps arriving at their old address, and Amy can hardly miss the “Final Notice” stamped on the envelopes in big, red letters. Behind the laid-back veneer projected by the Durants, Amy senses lives reeling out of control. But how much does Grace know, how much is she choosing to ignore—and is there more at stake in Amy speaking up or in staying silent? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is something you learned about yourself between writing Virtually Perfect and The Last House on Sycamore Street?
The one thing I noticed had changed with writing The Last House on Sycamore Street is that I had a lot more trouble keeping the outside world from creeping in. I think most people would agree 2017 was a pretty turbulent year, and there were times I felt my writing got very dark, which reflected the news cycle and my engagement with it. Some days I could feel my mood leaking onto the page in a way it hadn't with Virtually Perfect.

What was the inspiration behind The Last House on Sycamore Street?
A few things. I'd been reading a lot about the opioid crisis around the time I was coming up with the idea for a second book, and I also happened to pick up Sam Quinones' Dreamland, an excellent book about the origins of the epidemic. It got me thinking about the people ensnared by the crisis, directly and indirectly. I also happened to be moving around the time I started writing the book, so I was thinking a lot about owning a home that once belonged to someone else. What would it be like to befriend the seller? Would that be awkward? What makes a "home"?

If The Last House on Sycamore Street were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I'm terrible at this kind of question! Maybe Ellie Kemper for Amy and Olivia Munn for Grace. For the men...I have no idea. Like I said, I'm terrible at this kind of question!

What is your favorite thing about autumn?
Apple picking! And by default...apple cider donuts. There is an orchard near where I live where you can go apple picking and then buy hot apple cider donuts afterward at a store on the premises. They are HEAVEN.

What is the last movie you saw that you'd recommend?
To give you a sense of the life I lead at the moment: the last movie I saw in the theater was The Incredibles 2. And before that...I can't remember (both because my brain is mush and also because it has been that long). But I actually really enjoyed The Incredibles 2! I'm much better at TV recommendations.

Where was the last place you traveled and what was your favorite thing to do or see there?
I just got back from a week in Avalon, NJ with my family (location of Virtually Perfect!). I'm actually not a huge beach person, but there is something about being by the ocean that is very relaxing. There are many fun things to do in Avalon, but I particularly love getting ice cream from Sundae Best. My favorite flavor is It's All Good -- vanilla ice cream with peanut butter swirl and chocolate covered pretzels. YUM.

Thanks to Paige for chatting with us and to Kensington for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends September 26th at midnight EST.