Peeking Between the Pages

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Guest Post with Patricia Selbert, author of The House of Six Doors & Giveaway (US only)

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Good day everyone! Today we’ve got Patricia Selbert, author of The House of Six Doors with us at Peeking Between the Pages. I’m just reading The House of Six Doors right now – my review will be up on Thursday. I’m about halfway through and really enjoying it – I’d describe it as a coming of age story. Patricia joins us today to talk about What Inspired her to write The House of Six Doors…

The main inspiration for The House of Six Doors was my mother who was emotionally unstable.

Living with her was somewhat like the Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.” Although it was disturbing to live with the real mama, it was also very rich, especially as writing material.

The real Mama was dramatic and overbearing in both her manic and depressed states. During my younger years, I was horrified I had her as a mother. But once I left home and the drama subsided I was able to get some perspective and a sense of myself.

It took many years to find my voice. At first my writing served as a reflection, then slowly my writing took on a life of it’s own. I found inspiration in everything around me. I learned to live by the metaphor in the novel, “three doors to let in wisdom, compassion and gratitude and three doors to let out ignorance, anger and greed.”

Curaçao, the island I am from, was the second main inspiration for The House of Six Doors. Contrasting Curacao to Hollywood in the 70’s was too good to pass up, it was so extreme.
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Thank you so much for this guest post Patricia! I always love to hear what the inspiration or meaning is for someone behind their writing.
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About the Book (from Patricia Selbert’s website)

Thirteen-year-old Serena is torn from everything that’s familiar on her island home. “Everything will be better in America,” her mother tells her. They arrive in the US to find nothing as they expected. Speaking fluent Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamentu (the coloquial language of Curaçao), but limited English, Serena learns to pretend that everything’s fine while struggling to live up to her mother’s impossibly high expectations; always afraid to send her mother into another downward spiral of depression. She juggles responsibility for her mother’s well-being with school, a secret boyfriend, and a growing desire for independence, in a foreign land: Hollywood.

The wisdom of her grandmother, a mixed-race mystic, gives her solace, which she clings to tenaciously despite the thousands of miles between them. Coming of age in a foreign land, faced with enormous obstacles, Serena finds her own feet and the acceptance that sets her free.

About the Author (from Patricia Selbert’s website)

PATRICIA SELBERT was raised on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, speaking four languages. She immigrated to California at age 13, later representing the Netherlands Antilles in equestrian events at the World Championships and the Pan American Games.

Her work has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines. Currently, she’s promoting her novel, The House of Six Doors, which launches on February 1, 2011. She lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband, two sons, and three dogs.

To find out more about Patricia Selbert you can find her at her website and her personal blog!
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GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of The House of Six Doors by Patricia Selbert up for grabs courtesy of the publisher. To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries follow my blog. If you already do, thank you, and let me know in your comment as the extra entry is yours as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Good luck everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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Comments

  5. The House of Six Doors sounds like a moving read. Its always interesting to get a peek into what inspires the author. Great post.

  8. Though the inspiration for this story must have come at a huge price, I am glad that she was able to cull something good out of a hard childhood. I would love the chance to read this one, so please enter me!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

  13. This sounds so different from my mother! It does sound like a college professor that I used to have for my internships. I would like to read this book.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  18. It does seem that if you can manage to live through a childhood with an emotionally unstable parent, you have lots of stories to tell. Thanks for the giveaway.

    I subscribe in Google Reader.

    milou2ster(at)gmail.com

  21. Please enter me, it sounds like a great read! I am a blog follower (2) please!

    ladybook21 at yahoo dot com

  22. This is the first time I've heard of this book but it sounds interesting.
    seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

  26. This sounds like a great read.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam
    pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

  27. Sounds like an interesting read! Please, count me in!!

    Yes I'm a GFC follower and a subscriber.

  32. Sounds like a very interesting read. Please enter me. Thanks!

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

  40. Thanks for the giveaway! I love stories drawn from personal experience. Count me in!

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom