#GuestPost: Inspiration Behind Chasing Invisible By Karen Pokras Toz
Thanks so much for inviting me to talk about what inspired me to write Chasing Invisible.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be famous. Specifically, I wanted to be Marie Osmond. I can’t sing or dance, but I thought she had nice hair and teeth and she got to stand on stage next to Donny every Friday night, so it had to be a good life, right?
As I grew up, I became infatuated with celebrities. I loved watching all those red carpet award shows. Not for the awards, but for the red carpet parts: the fashion, the hair, the smiles, and the interviews. Everyone – male and female looked so happy. They seemed to have the perfect life. They were as close to royalty here in the U.S. as we had.
Speaking of royalty, I was one of the many who got up early to watch Diana marry Prince Charles in the 1980’s. When I had an opportunity to live in London for a semester as a college student, I did all the “royal stops” in hopes of getting a glimpse of the princess. But then something happened. I started feeling sorry for Diana. She always looked so sad, and the press always seemed to be reporting things about her and her children that were really none of our business. I began to think about the ethics of it all – at what point did her celebrity give us a right to this level of knowledge? And did we even have any right at all?
While my main character is much different than Princess Di, her image and life as we knew it was a huge inspiration and always in the forefront of my mind while writing Chasing Invisible.
Synopsis:
Could you handle life in the spotlight?
Julia Alexander is a quiet girl from a small town. Content to spend her days with her small group of friends and a pile of books, Julia thinks her future is set. When she unexpectedly meets Chase, a fellow college student and budding musician, she is unaware of just how drastically things are about to change.
Suddenly thrown into the limelight, her life is no longer her own. Relentlessly followed by the paparazzi, Julia is forced to make tough decisions about fame, love, family, and relationships. But just how much will Julia have to sacrifice to become invisible…
About The Author:
Karen Pokras Toz, recently discovered her love for writing. Karen writes middle grade and adult contemporary fiction. Her middle grade children’s novels have won several awards including the Grand Prize in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards and First Place for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her family. For more information, please visit www.karentoz.com.
Connect With Her Online:
Website: www.karentoz.com
Blog: http://kptoz.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenptoz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karentoz
Amazon: http://amzn.to/11wuyqn
Barnes & Noble:
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325554
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009570.Karen_Pokras_Toz
Giveaway Prize: $25 amazon gift card, tote bag, key chain, bookmarks, notebook, postcard
Disclaimer: A GWR Publicity event paid for by the author. Giveaway is sponosored by the author and is responsible for prize fulfillment. YOUR BLOG NAME received no compensation for this post.
Tour Schedule:
June 18 In the Land of Dreams http://inthelandofdreamsreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ Excerpt
June 19 Tyrneathem http://www.tyrneathem.com Top Ten List
June 20 Cu’s e-Book Giveaways http://cuskindlegiveaways.blogspot.com/ Character Guest Post
June 21 Muddying the Waters http://www.muddyingthewaters.com Review & author interview
June 22 Rayborn rambles Raybornrambles.blogspot.com Review
June 23 The Journey Continues http://jaimiehopejourneycontinues.blogspot.com/ Review & Author Guest Post
June 24 The Book Connection http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/ Review
June 25 Pavarti K Tyler http://www.PavartiKTyler Excerpt
June 26 Library Girl Reads & Reviews http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com Author Guest Post
June 27 Lubs Book Chatter www.lubsbookchatter.blogspot.com Review and Character Guest Post
June 28 Fiona’s Book Review Blog Http://nannyfi71.wordpress.com Author Interview
June 29 Kats Read Katsread.blogspot.com Author Guest Post
June 30 From the Bootheel Cotton Patch http://fromthebootheelcottonpatch.blogspot.com Book Promo
July 1 fuonlyknew http://fuonlyknew.com Excerpt
July 2 Fresh Pot of Tea www.alisondeluca.com Excerpt
July 3 lindsay and janes views and reviews http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/ Review & Character Guest Post
July 4 Girl Who Reads http://www.girl-who-reads.com Tips on Thursday
July 5 The avid Reader www.tarmyblogspot.blogspot.com Book Promo
July 6 Lissette E. Manning http://www.simplistik.org/lissetteemanning Review & Author Guest Post
July 7 Ohana Day Academy http://ohana-school.blogspot.com.au/ Review
July 8 Ali’s Bookshelf http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/ Review
