Ask the Author: Jennifer K. Lafferty
Answered Questions (14)
Jennifer K. Lafferty
One mystery in my life which has been an inspiration for some of my work was an acquaintance of mine who had a very outgoing personality but kept his personal life under wraps to the extent that he was really an enigma. I had fun filling in the blanks with my imagination.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Lisa, thank you so much for your comment, I'm glad you liked Knight of the Purple Ribbon. It must have been great to live in New Bern. If you want to learn more about Christoph deGraffenried there are some amazing resources available including his memoir "Relation of my American Project". I would also suggest going to https://archive.org/stream/historyofd... for a history of the deGraffenried family from 1191 to 1925.
Thanks,
Jennifer
Thanks,
Jennifer
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Hi Lisa,
It's a list I update from time to time in my Movie Dynasty Princesses group. Here's the link. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
It's a list I update from time to time in my Movie Dynasty Princesses group. Here's the link. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Victoria,
Thank you for contacting me. I thought the family was aware of this project prior to publication because the publisher of Irene Selznick's memoir, A Private View, told me that Mrs. Selznick's estate had been informed of the book when I was trying to secure rights to use quotes from the memoir. I was prepared to provide a copy of the manuscript or to discuss the project with anyone who was interested but as far as I know there was never a response from the estate. I ultimately decided to remove those quotes from the book.
I understand why you are upset, and I apologize for not making sure that you were aware of the project prior to publication. My objective in writing Movie Dynasty Princesses, which was originally titled MGM Princesses, was to celebrate the lives of these fascinating ladies. I was careful to be honest and accurate throughout the book and never stated facts without using credible sources.
Although I have written professionally for many years, mainly as a journalist, this was my first biography. Any feedback or suggestions you may have would be more than welcome. I would even consider revising the book with the cooperation of yourself or other family members.
You can contact me through direct message on Goodreads and I would be happy to provide my email address.
Thank you,
Jennifer Lafferty
Thank you for contacting me. I thought the family was aware of this project prior to publication because the publisher of Irene Selznick's memoir, A Private View, told me that Mrs. Selznick's estate had been informed of the book when I was trying to secure rights to use quotes from the memoir. I was prepared to provide a copy of the manuscript or to discuss the project with anyone who was interested but as far as I know there was never a response from the estate. I ultimately decided to remove those quotes from the book.
I understand why you are upset, and I apologize for not making sure that you were aware of the project prior to publication. My objective in writing Movie Dynasty Princesses, which was originally titled MGM Princesses, was to celebrate the lives of these fascinating ladies. I was careful to be honest and accurate throughout the book and never stated facts without using credible sources.
Although I have written professionally for many years, mainly as a journalist, this was my first biography. Any feedback or suggestions you may have would be more than welcome. I would even consider revising the book with the cooperation of yourself or other family members.
You can contact me through direct message on Goodreads and I would be happy to provide my email address.
Thank you,
Jennifer Lafferty
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Paul was dazed and in shock when he woke up in the silent hunting lodge to find all four of his companions dead, following the attack by that lunatic with an ax. Wondering why he alone had been spared, he noticed, written out in blood on his arm, the words: "I've saved the most gruesome death for you," and suddenly heard the sound of a chainsaw accompanied by a deranged laugh.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
One of my favorite books is The Light in the Piazza by Elizabeth Spencer, and reading the book made me want to travel to Florence Italy, where most of the story is set. I would love to travel back in time to 1950's Florence, take in the sights, and try to find someone like Fabrizzio Nacarelli.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
I have an eclectic list for this summer. I'm looking forward to reading "They're Playing Our Song" by Carole Bayer Sanger, "The Ludwig Conspiracy" by Oliver Potzsch, "All I want is You" by Elizabeth Anthony and "The Shadow Queen" by Sandra Gulland.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
My favorite fictional couple is Jane Eyre and Edward Rodchester from "Jane Eyre". In addition to the amazing chemistry, I feel like they really challenge each other and grow emotionally as a result of their relationship.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
My most recent book is Dorothea Duck and Her Little Companion, which is a children's story loosely based on some memories from my childhood. My most recent grownup book is Rebecca: The Making of a Hollywood Classic, which I was really inspired to write because I'm a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock's film adaptation of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. It turned out to be a fascinating behind the scenes story and I loved writing about it.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Inspiration really can come from anywhere: relationships, other authors, movies, music, nature. I try to keep my eyes and ears open for it.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
I'm working on a stage play adaptation of my historical novel Knight of the Purple Ribbon. It's really challenging because I've never written for the stage before but I'm really enjoying it.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Don't be too commercial in your writing. If your goal is to sell lots of books, that will kill the fun. If you're not having fun your writing will suffer. Also, don't pay too much attention to writing manuals or self-proclaimed experts. It sounds cliche but write with your heart, at least the first draft. You can always go back and polish up your work and make it more commercial during the inevitable rewrites.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Being able to create your own world where anything can happen. Like a lot of writers, I spend a great deal of time daydreaming. It's exciting to build stories around those fantasies and share them with other people.
Jennifer K. Lafferty
Go outside of myself to find inspiration. I'm inspired by a lot of different things: music, film, books, nature and more.
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