Peeking Between the Pages

...escape into the pages of a good book

Guest Post & Giveaway with Catherine McKenzie, author of Spin

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I’m really excited to welcome author Catherine McKenzie to Peeking Between the Pages today. Her debut novel Spin is fantastic! (check out my review). I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from Catherine in the future. In the meantime Catherine is here with us today to share her thoughts on How her Ideas for her novel Spin came About…

The initial idea for Spin came to me in the fall of 2007. Certain young, female celebrities were going in and out of rehab and the paparazzi were going crazy. I read a story about one actress hooking up with someone while she was in rehab. Either a fellow patient or a staff member had leaked the story. I remember watching footage of a hoard of paparazzi sitting outside a rehabilitation center, hoping for a glimpse of her. I had a thought. “I wonder why no one’s ever followed a celebrity into rehab. Imagine the stuff they’d hear!” This was soon followed by another thought. “What a great idea for a book!”

That night I had trouble sleeping. Ideas were coming fast and furious. Why would any journalist accept this assignment? How would they get picked for it in the first place? OK, wait. What if the journalist kind of needed to be in rehab herself? But how would the magazine know that? What if she showed up drunk to a job interview, not for this job, but for a related job … etc. The next morning, I do what I always do when I get an idea for a book – write the ideas down in a computer file, and let them germinate. Some premises seem great but don’t lead anywhere. Others don’t seem big enough to fill a whole book. I can only tell after I spend a couple of months thinking about it, collecting pieces, stringing them together.

This one stuck. The ideas kept coming. All of my books contain a lot of music and cultural references, but I’d been wanting to take it to another level for a while. Really, I wanted to write a book that was a musical, if that makes any sense. I wanted to use music in a book the way it’s used in the movies. So the main character, Katie, became a music-writer, obsessed with music. I also wanted to explore our fascination with celebrities and how it seems OK to us, as a society, to know the personal details of strangers’ lives simply because they’re famous. Sounds serious, right? But I didn’t want to write a super-serious book. I wanted it to be funny, fun, but not so light that I skipped the whole point of the book.

And so. One day in early January, 2008, I sat down to write. Katie was speaking to me, loud and clear. Other characters appeared – some planned, some organic. I laughed, I struggled, I listened to a lot of music. Six months later I had a first draft. Four drafts later I had a book deal. And now it’s in your hands, gentle reader. Enjoy.
__________

Thank you Catherine for sharing with us today! Best of luck to you in the future! Be sure to take a peek at Catherine’s website and check out the Browse Inside feature for Spin at HarperCollins Canada to learn more about the novel.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have two copies of Spin to share with one of my lucky readers. One copy is courtesy of Diane and HarperCollins Canada (thank you!) and open to Canadian residents only! and the other is my very gently read copy and that’s open to everyone! What do you need to do to enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you please. Please le me know if you are a Canadian entrant as you will be going on a separate list.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. Let me know in your comment if you already do.
  • For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

I will draw for the winners of this giveaway on Sunday, February 7, 2010. Good luck to all!

AGAIN PLEASE NOTE THAT WHILE 1 COPY IS CANADA ONLY, THE OTHER IS OPEN WORLDWIDE!

Be sure to check both of my sidebars for other great giveaways!

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Comments

  1. I love the way Catherine's idea came to her whilst watching tv.

    I would love to be entered for this one Dar. I love the whole idea of this story, especially as it covers something that we are witnessing more and more of.

    Already a follower.

  5. After reading the review on this site I had to enter. Sounds so interesting. Count me in.
    cmashlovestoread.blogspot.com
    Msh1195(at)aol(dot)com

  7. Oh, this sounds good. Love that Catherine has merged music into the story. Please include me.

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

  8. I'd love a copy! Sounds like a great book. 🙂
    I'm a follower.
    baileythebookworm at gmail dot com

  15. What a great idea for a book – can't wait to read it!
    rae_sunshine4(at)yahoo.com
    I'm already a follower. 🙂

  19. Great post! The book sounds awesome.

    I'm Canadian and would love to read this book.

    Your blog is in my Google Reader.

    mparke[at]mts[dot]net

  20. Great contest. I'm curious about this book… as it deals with contemporary issues. I'd love to win a copy.

    I'm a Canadian (Go Canada!) and I've been a follower for awhile now. 🙂

    carmenalexistsang[at]gmail[dot]com

  23. Good luck everyone! I hope that those who don't win will pick up a copy and enjoy! Thanks again, Dar.

  24. This is such a cool inspiration story! I'd like to be entered.

    I'll post this in the sidebar as well.

    I follow.

    savvyverseandwit AT gmail DOT com

  26. Please enter me in the giveaway.
    THank you.h

    I am an international entry.

    +2 I am a Follower via google.

    Carol

  31. Already a follower + 2

    I'd love to be included in the draw. I am from Sri Lanka so am in the "other" group.

    mystica123athotmaildotcom

  32. I would love to read this book! Enter me please!

    +2 I am already a follower.

    emily DOT wittenberg @ gmail.com

  41. Interesting story to read ! i'd really like to have my chance to win this book Darlene. Count me in 🙂

    # 1 leave comment

    # For 2 an old follower of your blog

    uniquas at ymail dot com

  42. Hi Dar! Thanks for hosting this giveaway! I would love to win a copy of this book after reading your review.

    I'm also already a follower. 🙂

    teh (dot) alice (at) gmail (dot) com

  46. Great interview! I find it interesting that no one has ever thought of writing this kind of book before, and really like that it has a musical bent to it. Please do enter me into the list for your giveaway, and thanks for hosting it!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

    I am also a follower of your blog!

  50. This sounds really intriguing!

    *hersilentmusings@yahoo.com
    *follower
    *Tweeted giveaway – @hersilntmusings

  55. I am in Canada, so please add me to the Canadian list!

    Great premise – it's interesting how these ideas form. I love hearing about how authors spark ideas.

    I follow your blog =]

    alannakurt at gmail dot com

    Thanks!

  62. I would love the chance to read this book. Count me in, please! I'm American.

    I subscribe with google reader.

    Thanks!
    librarygrinch at gmail dot com

  64. You don't have to enter me.

    Just wanted to say what an interesting idea for a book. What happens behind those doors? I'll be adding this to my tbr.

  66. This book really sounds intriguing…I would be so thrilled to win! (I am a U.S. resident)
    Aimee
    sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

  76. I'd love to be entered in your giveaway! Thanks for your review and thanks to the author for her post – it's always cool to find out where plot ideas come from!

    I'm a follower.
    shiloki(at)gmail(dot)com

  77. Loved the author's comments… and this sounds like a book I won't be able to put down. I'm Canadian. Please accept this as my entry. Thank you!

    Aliya D.
    aliyadaya(at)shaw(dot)ca

  87. Me please! And I am a Canuk.

    christinegordonmanley [at] yahoo [dot] ca

    And I tweeted (@cgmanley)

  89. I liked reading about how Catherine was just inspired with an onslaught of ideas for the book, like the book was demanding to be written. I've had similar experiences with creating stories. Anyway, this novel has an unusual premise. Would like to read it.

    wakeupangel at gmail dot com

  92. This book has Peeked my curiosity! Sounds like a good book to read. Thank you for this giveaway and please count me in.

    I am Canadian

    chinook92 at gmail dot com

  106. Count me in. Her essay in the Globe and Mail piqued my interest.

    (I'm Canadian.)

    You can get in touch with me here: august[at]vestige.org

  109. This sounds amazing! I'm so glad she had the idea!

    LauraKeyes[at]pecschools[dot]com

    And I'm a follower on Bloglines.

    Laura

  111. Oh man, Catherine is a genius. Why can't I think of stuff like that. Ah, I know, because I am not a talented writer. So, if I can't be a talented writer, I will assume the role of avid reader, of said talented writer. Please enter me, I really want to win this book.

    dizzybloom@gmai.com

  115. I have often thought about this very topic myself. I am a follower.

    copperpenny12(at)hotmail(dot)com