|
Spotlight on Kerrelyn
Sparks By Cheryl Bolen Kerrelyn Sparks' brief writing career has been nothing short of a Cinderella story from its start to this month's publication of her first book, FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY. Consider that she had been an RWA member for less than two years when she made her first sale. And that first sale was the first book she wrote after joining RWA. (She had written one before that was a 600-page disaster with 17 points of view.) Also consider that the first book, previously titled INSATIABLE AND SAUCY, finaled in nine RWA-sponsored contests before selling. Consider, too, that her agent Carolyn Grayson auctioned the manuscript among six interested publishers before Tor outbid the others for this first book. Kerry's advance was five times the usual (low) first-book advance at Leisure, one of the company's offering for it. (She got Grayson after mass querying seven agents once a publishing house requested the full manuscript.) Capping all the hoopla over this first book is Tor's impressive promotion. The company bought a full-page color ad in Romantic Times magazine, sent advanced review copies to several prestigious romance reviewers and has arranged for Kerry to take a four-day Levy Bus tour through Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts in August. Levy Entertainment is a book distributor. Now, after Kerry's almost two-year wait, she's able to sit back--or should we say float--and glow over the sensational reviews FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY is collecting. Accolades include four stars and a KISS award from RT; five roses from Escape to Romance which called it "sexy, saucy, and sinfully scrumptious;" Detra Fitch (the Huntress) ranked it five stars, saying, "FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY shoots off sparks like the Fourth of July;" Reader to Reader said, "I . . . can't wait to read more from this exceptional new author. Ms. Sparks is an original who will have you hooting with laughter;" Wordweaving said "Kerrelyn Sparks promises to be one of historical romances' rising stars;" The Romance Reader Connection gave the book 4 1/2 (four plugs and a star), saying Kerry's "debut is a blockbuster." RT did an article on Kerry. In it, she said, "When I first told other writers that I was writing a historical set in the American Revolution, they shook their heads and commiserated with me. 'No one will buy that time period,' they warned me. That summer the movie The Patriot came out, and suddenly, the American Revolution was acceptable. A lucky break, and I owe Mel Gibson a big kiss." Kerry is able to write full time, when she's not chauffeur, cook, dishwasher, laundress and homework drill sergeant. She's been married 13 years to her second husband and is the mother of an 11-year-old daughter, a 19-year-old son, and step-mother to a 20-year-old son. Though she has not inked a contract on the sequel to FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY, her Tor editor has said they definitely want it. A native Houstonian, Kerry received a degree in French from the University of Houston, where she minored in history. She later taught those subjects at the high-school level. Kerry is an energetic volunteer for the chapter. During one of these volunteer efforts, Kerry called Emily finalists and was surprised when one of the authors she called commented on Kerry's accent. "What accent?" Kerry wondered. "I don't have an accent. It's those other people who have accents." Her sense of humor, coupled with her talent, is sure to bouy Kerry for years to come. |