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There Can Be Love After Grief
Hollyland follows a woman with a passion for the arts and a Hollywood playboy who fall in love and change each other. What was one thing that excited you the most about writing this novel?
I wrote this novel during the pandemic to escape to someplace cheerful, hopeful, optimistic, and full of love. I wanted to remember that there’s always beauty and possibility. The characters in the book are searching for magic—or gold dust—in their lives. They find that magic in each other, in memories of their loved ones, and in the arts. I was excited to follow the trail of gold dust they left along the way.
Was there anything in Deanna and Ryder’s relationship that you pulled from your own life?
Yes. Deanna is an arts researcher. While she’s a fictious character, I did draw from my own experience. In addition to being a novelist, I’ve also been an academic researcher specializing in the arts for over two decades. Beyond that, I absolutely love the arts. My husband does as well, and we spend much of our leisure time at museums, movies, theater, and so forth. Deanna and Ryder also share that love of the arts. Some of the places they visit and specific nods to the arts come from my own life. For example, there’s a scene at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that happens in front of a painting I’ve been lucky to see many times.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
There are two. The big restaurant scene, which takes place in LA and involves a bunch of celebrities, a director, and the head of a Hollywood film studio. That scene unfolds over two chapters and was a blast to write. My other favorite is when Deanna and Ryder exchange special gifts. I don’t want to give anything away, but the gift he gives her is my favorite moment in the book. I cried a mess of happy tears writing it.
What were some ideas that you wanted to explore in this book?
There can be love after grief. The real movie stars in our lives aren’t necessarily famous, but are those we hold most dear. Art matters. Always live and love with passion. Gold dust may be right around the corner.
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Dee Schwartz is a writer and arts researcher. Ryder Field is a famous actor descended from Hollywood royalty. On the night they meet outside a bar, their connection is palpable. Ryder’s mother—legendary actress Rebecca Field, half of Hollywood’s golden couple when she died—was kidnapped and murdered by a crazed fan in a shocking event that forever tarnished Tinseltown. Dee’s mother, too, died when she was young. Bonded by this loss, the two embark on a love story that explores their search for magic—or “gold dust”—in their lives. Everything changes, however, when Dee mysteriously disappears after an awards ceremony. Is history repeating itself? Can there truly be a happily ever after in Hollywood?
Set against the backdrop of contemporary Los Angeles, Hollyweird is a poignant novel that moves fluidly between romance, humor, suspense, and joy.
Hollyland: A Novel
“I began to wonder if it’s even possible to have passion for your work and passionate love at the same time.”
Deanna Schwartz is a timid poetist and contemporary fiction writer who also has a degree in psychology and neuroscience, with a doctorate in art education and an innovative line of research. Ryder Field is a glamorous Hollywood actor and full-time playboy, widely known to the public for his iconic role in a successful action series and for his long list of failed relationships to acclaimed actresses and models.
Their paths cross on a side street adjacent to the entry of a night club in Los Angeles, and they strike up a conversation that has an undeniable spark. A weekend together. Dee teases her companion, goes skinny-dipping and dares to act bold in ways that would leave those who know her with their mouths agape. Rye goes to a farmers’ market, listens to an intimate live reading of her poetry and meets her closest friends on a brunch at her place. At a gala dinner, Rye tries to swoon a prestigious producer for his new series, and the night takes a turn for the unexpected as Rye and his associates discover that professor Deanna, the shy scholar and poetry writer, has some cards up her sleeve that reveal a whole new side to her relationship with arts. One day, though, a tragic event from Rye’s childhood catches up to them in a terrible coincidence, putting everything at stake.
Author Patricia Leavy does an excellent job of building up her characters in this enthralling romance novel. I enjoyed diving into the details of Deanna and Ryder’s characters. While this novel, by the end, utilizes a beguiling and suspenseful mystery to really ramp up the tension, I picked up this book again and again just to see those two together. They are characters that are interesting on their own, but when they’re together the story is alluring and enchanting. Their love for one another is reiterated throughout the story, but I think fans of love stories will still enjoy the story.
Hollyland takes the opposites attract trope to a new level by creating characters that are deep and compelling against an intriguing Hollywood backdrop. This will make a perfect feel-good beach read. The casual language and competent writing make the pages fly by. A bit melodramatic, heavily romantic, and all kinds of fun, Hollyland is a novel that left me smiling.
Pages: 224 | ASIN: B0B8H78CNT
Love Helps Them Heal
Celestial Bodies is the romantic saga of two people who are used to putting others first. When they meet, they discover more about themselves than they could imagine. What was the inspiration for this epic love story collection?
There’s a saying that ‘hurt people hurt people.’ However, sometimes that isn’t the case. Sometimes people in deep pain are able to love others in extraordinary ways without widening the circle of trauma. That’s what Tess and Jack’s love story shows us. These are two innately good people who have suffered trauma and grief. They have given tirelessly to others, but they’ve been unable to find personal happiness until they meet each other. At the core, it’s a story about people with visible and invisible wounds and how love helps them heal. Their love is so strong that I hope it runs off the pages and lives inside readers too. It has certainly done that for me.
What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters?
These are genuinely good people trying to do good in the world. I tried to show this with how they treat others. There’s a gentleness or grace with which the primary characters—friends, lovers, chosen family—treat one another. I was also mindful that these characters have suffered various traumas in their lives and thus are always engaged in the lifelong healing process. So, there’s a balance with their strength and vulnerability, with how they treat others and with how they must learn to treat themselves.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Each novel in the collection explores love and another theme: healing, doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. Together, it is an exploration of love in all its forms and textures. Some people have called the collection a love letter to love. Others have called it a prayer.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel collection?
Originally, I had only intended to write one novel, Shooting Stars, which itself came to me in a burst. When I was done, I felt like there was so much more to explore with the characters, so Twinkle followed, then Constellations, Supernova, North Star, and finally, Stardust. So as a whole, in Celestial Bodies I was able to take the characters on quite a journey and where they end is very far from where they begin. That said, I love, love, love these characters so much and there’s always more to tell, so who knows, maybe someday I’ll return to them.
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Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find happiness in her personal life. Jack Miller is a federal agent who specializes in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself. The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on a beautiful love story that asks the questions: What happens when people truly see each other? Can unconditional love change the way we see ourselves? Their friends are along for the ride: Omar, Tess’s sarcastic best friend who calls her Butterfly; Joe, Jack’s friend from the Bureau who understands the sacrifices he’s made; and Bobby and Gina, Jack’s younger friends who never fail to lighten the mood. Along the way, others join their journey: the female president of the United States, with whom Tess bakes cookies and talks politics; the Millers, Jack’s childhood family; and many others. Celestial Bodies is about walking through our past traumas, moving from darkness to light, learning to live in color, and the ways in which love—from lovers, friends, or the art we experience—can heal us. Written as unfolding action, this collection moves fluidly between melancholy, humor, and joy. It can be read for pleasure or selected for book clubs.
Celestial Bodies
Celestial Bodies is a beautifully written collection of six novels following the two main characters, Tess and Jack, and their love for each other. Written by Patricia Leavy, she details different aspects of their relationship with the different novels in the series. Together they must face different struggles: healing, doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. These stories are more about internal dialogue that stresses the relationship rather than an external force that no one can control. Tess and Jack both have trouble putting their careers aside and finding their own happiness. However, this internal struggle leads them to an understanding and bond. Between the two characters, this understanding blossoms into an epic love story.
This captivating collection of novels combined into one book creates many parallels between the lives of Jack and Tess. Their similarities in life allow their love to come across as believable and likable. Leavy is extremely good at starting her story off strong and hooking readers in from the opening pages. Her ability to have the characters and their interactions feel authentic gives readers a feeling like they are part of the story.
When Jack and Tess first meet in the bar, it demonstrates much about the characters. It shows that Jack is protective and chivalrous while Tess is entirely able to handle herself but appreciates the gesture. Both characters have a painful past, making their stories interweave and mirror each other perfectly. When the two get intimate with each other and Tess first sees Jack’s scars, she is not taken aback or disgusted. She is instead intrigued and tells him something she hasn’t told anyone else. Leavy is showing that both characters are comfortable with being vulnerable with each other despite having just met and, on the surface, having little in common.
Leavy is also very good at explaining little metaphors and simple meanings that are believable to what people would say in real life. For example, Omar calling Tess a butterfly and her not knowing or asking what it means is credible. When the meaning is relieved, it adds depth to the secondary characters, making their presence in the storyline essential, even if they are not the main focus.
Celestial Bodies is an anthology of six contemporary romance novels that tell the love story of Tess and Jack. Each story builds upon the last, giving readers a cohesive and complete saga that focuses more on emotional bonds and self-improvement than physical intimacy and surface-level emotions.
Pages: 802 | ASIN : B09WZGRGML
Learning To Balance Darkness And Light
Shooting Stars follows an author that meets the love of her life and realizes she must face the trauma of her past before they can live happily ever after. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
There’s an expression “hurt people hurt people.” Sometimes that isn’t true. Sometimes people in great pain are able to love others in extraordinary ways, and they only hurt themselves. That’s what I wanted to explore. I wanted to look at how people with both visible and invisible wounds can love each other unconditionally, and how in turn, that may help them heal.
Tess starts off confident but it is a facade, as that shell breaks away she transforms into a stronger person. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Tess is my favorite protagonist from any of my novels. In many ways, she’s an aspirational character. She’s enormously talented and successful, which has afforded her an enviable life on the surface. She’s also deeply kind—she sees the humanity in each person and treats others with grace. Despite all she has going for her, she’s haunted by trauma survived in her childhood, and for a long time she struggles to find any genuine happiness. While the details may differ and be more traumatic in Tess’s case, I think many of us carry deep wounds. So often people see our highlight reel on social media and may have a false sense of our lives, when in fact we may be struggling. So as I developed Tess, I wanted to peel back the layers, from what we see on the surface, to what she’s really dealing with on the inside.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
For me, this is a story about learning to balance darkness and light in our lives. It’s also about the healing power of love in all forms—romance, friendship, love of art, and love of community.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I fell so completely in love with Tess, Jack, and all their friends that after writing Shooting Stars I wrote 5 more novels based on these characters, for 6 in total. Each novel takes place about a year later—so it follows the characters for about 7 years. Each novel has its own story and theme; however, the collection as a whole also has an overarching narrative. It’s an epic love story about balancing darkness and light so that we may ultimately live in full color. There’s romance, laughter, tears, and some unexpected twists and turns. The title is Celestial Bodies: The Tess Lee and Jack Miller Novels and it comes out June 1. I’m so proud of it. Truly, of all my work it’s what I love and revisit the most. Reading it is a bit like being wrapped in a big hug. Here’s the amazon link: https://tinyurl.com/4c5nrtvc
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Shooting Stars
When Author Tess Lee met Federal Agent Jack Miller by chance, the two experienced what many consider love at first sight. The couple became inseparable, and nothing made them happier than to be together. They soon introduced each other to their friends who all agreed that this was a match made in heaven. After a whirlwind romance, the couple gets married. Jack soon discovered that Tess had been traumatized as a child, and the only thing that helped her overcome her trauma was Jack’s love.
Shooting Stars, written by Patricia Leavy, is a beautiful love story about the true value of love and friendship. Tess finally allows herself to love and be loved when she realizes that Jack will never hurt her and will always be there to protect her. Jack soon learns that Tess would not have become the person she did become had it not been for her close friends, who came to know and accept her just the way she is. Life is complicated, and if we can find someone to help us through the tough times, we can consider ourselves fortunate.
In addition to being a love story, it is a story about survival and resilience. Tess must learn about trusting her chosen family and herself. This novel is about healing and overcoming your past to keep it from stealing your future happiness.
I love Patricia Leavy’s succinct and easy-to-read writing style. Each character is introduced individually, and the reader learns more about their background, allowing you to connect with the characters. A few surprises are woven into the plot, which makes the novel more interesting and adds a new dimension to Tess and Jack’s relationship. Anyone who reads Shooting Stars will experience the importance of treating others with dignity and respect.
Shooting Stars is a heartwarming literary fiction novel about finding love, learning to trust, and discovering what it means to live. Anyone that enjoys a feel-good romantic story will find this novel hard to put down.
Pages: 155 | ASIN : B08THRSHPX
LITERARY TITAN 