December 2
Day Two
I was first introduced to Sophie Littlefield's novel, A BAD DAY FOR SORRY, at a writer's conference. Sophie's agent was there, and she couldn't stop talking about the book. She was so enthusiastic, I knew I had to read it.
I wasn't disappointed. A BAD DAY FOR SORRY is the first in a series featuring Stella Hardesty, an unlikely heroine who uses some unconventional methods to find justice but entices you to root for her from page one of the first book, right through to the last page in the second book, A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY.
Sophie's BAD DAY has become a series I look forward to with the same anticipation I have for Sue Grafton's ABC books. There is no higher praise than that! And I'm not the only one who likes A BAD DAY FOR SORRY. It was nominated for six first novel awards and won the Anthony Award for best first novel.
Fresh off a December 1 book deadline, Sophie was kind enough to answer some questions for me:
1) What was your first published novel, and is it the first novel you wrote?
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY was my first published, but the 9th I wrote.
2) How long did it take you to write (the first pubbed novel)
…and I wrote it in what can only be described as a six-week temper tantrum after being rejected a couple hundred times on the ones that came before.
3) Name one quality that Stella Hardesty has that you share.
Fierce, unstoppable determination! Also known as "headstrong" 🙂
4) When does the next book in the "BAD DAY" series come out?
The third in the series, A BAD DAY FOR SCANDAL, will be out in June 2011.
5) How will you be celebrating the holidays this year?
I spent Thanksgiving eating grocery-store dinner and worrying about the book that was due December 1, so I am planning to take December off and spend it baking cookies and wrapping presents and singing christmas tunes and basically being kind of like a whisky-soaked Norman Rockwell apparition.
Thanks for stopping by, Sophie!
If that wasn't enough Sophie Littlefield for you, Sophie is having a book giveaway at her blog:
Win a book for yourself or a gift, and Sophie will even show off her mad wrapping skills by gift wrapping it for you.
If you're buying books as gifts this holiday season, please consider purchasing from your local independent bookshop. The level of customer service you'll receive is unmatched, you'll have the added benefit of making new friends of the staff, and you'll help support a local business.
Books featured in this post can be purchased from the Mystery Bookstore in Los Angeles (orders@mystery-bookstore.com).