I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the GIRL ON TRIAL by Kathleen Fine Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my
post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Kathleen
Fine
Pub. Date: October
24, 2023
Publisher: CamCat
Books
Formats: Hardcover,
Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 304
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/GIRL-ON-TRIAL
Does doing one bad thing make you a
bad person?
Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller, known
by the media as Keller the Killer, is accused of causing the deaths of four
family members, including young children. Emily is one of the youngest females
to be accused of a crime so heinous, making this the nation’s biggest trial of
the year. But what really happened that fateful night―and who’s responsible―is
anything but straightforward.
Living in a trailer park in Baltimore
with her twin brother and alcoholic mother, Emily’s life hasn’t been easy.
She’s had to grow up fast, and like any teen, has made questionable decisions
in a desperate attempt to fit in with her peers. Will her mistakes amount to a
guilty verdict and a life in prison? It’s up to the jury to decide.
For readers who enjoy Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus.
Excerpt:
She glanced around her mom’s room, trying to take it all in. What if the jury convicts me and I go to jail for the rest of my life? What if this is one of the last nights I sleep in this house? How can I ever live with myself again for what happened to those little girls? Does one mistake make me a bad person even though I’ve lived all my life being a good person? Can good people do bad things to good people? Why did those little girls have to die? Where are those little girls now? Is there a heaven? Is there a God and, if so, why would God kill those little girls? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. God didn’t kill those little girls . . . I did.
She wanted to tell her mom all her worries. She wanted to tell her that she hadn’t been able to sleep for the past two months and when she did, all she saw were Sophie’s and Katie’s faces. She wanted to tell her mom that all she wanted to feel was nothing at all. But instead, she closed her eyes and tried to stop the tears from falling.
As if she were reading Emily’s mind, Debbie whispered, “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace.”
Emily raised her brows at her mom’s words of wisdom. She wished her mom had been there for her a few months before when she’d needed her. She wished they could’ve done this then. Now it was too late. Emily thought back to her favorite childhood book that her mom used to read to her, The Runaway Bunny. No matter where the bunny went, the mommy rabbit was always going to find her.
But didn’t everyone know that rabbit mothers immediately leave the burrow after giving birth and only stop by for a few minutes each day to feed the litter? After less than a month, the bunnies are left to fend for themselves.
***
Review: Emily Keller A.K.A. Keller the Killer was standing trial for the murder of a family. How could she intentionally kill all those people? She couldn’t have. Through a series of back-and-forth channels, we get the scoop of what really happened that sent Emily to trial.
In the past, Emily was so shy,
nice, and truly genuine. She just wanted someone to be her friend. We
constantly keep transitioning from past to present and present to past. The
trial consisted of lawyer statements and witness accounts, making the whole read
long and slow. Of course, you wanted to get to the events of the murder, but we
were a long way from that and the details were presented in such a cut-and-dry
way—basically like a trial, which made sense since this was a trial. I honestly
didn’t really get too much from reliving the past, especially so many months
back. The only thing I got was the through impression of what Emily’s life was
like living in a trailer with a useless, addict mom. The premise was certainly
alluring, but I guess I just expected to get into this more. I expected more of
a mystery to figure out. But this really is a girl on trial, which was not bad.
In fact, this would be good for people that like court dramas.
This is a fairly interesting read overall.
Rating: 3 stars
Q&A with Author
1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I started to experiment at a very early age with alcohol. I understand firsthand the effects that peer pressure can have on a teenage girl. When I think back to my teenage years, I sometimes think what if? What if I had made this choice or that decision? There were so many terrible outcomes that could have occurred in my life.
I wanted to write this novel to show readers a “what if.” What if you caved into peer pressure and made the one bad decision that could alter your future forever?
As social media is a huge aspect of teenager's self-esteem and decision making today, this novel will help demonstrate the harm in following the crowd.
I want my readers to come out of this story with the lingering big question: Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person? Some choices we make can never be taken back.
I hope that teens who read this think twice before following a crowd and stand firmly with what they know is right in their heart.
2. Who is your favorite character in the book?
Emily, the protagonist, is my favorite character. She is like a lot of teen girls—insecure and wanting to fit in with the crowd. She wants to be liked and is willing to lose her own morals to gain acceptance from her peers.
In the beginning of the story, Emily’s major character’s flaws are being envious and weak-willed. She’s envious of the person she thinks she thinks she’s supposed to be, the influencers, actresses, models, and popular girls at school. That envy makes her weak-willed. She’s unable to say no, even when she knows that the choices she makes are immoral.
Emily makes mistakes like every human on the planet and loses her innocence in the process. But in that process of losing her innocence, she also becomes a survivor. I love how much Emily changes through the story and she shows teens that they can grow and learn from their mistakes.
3. Which came first, the title or the novel?
The novel! After finishing it, I was trying to come up with a title and simply thought of the basic premise of the book, a girl is on trial!
4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
Hm, that is tough! I would say I love the scene of Emily with her mother on her mother’s bed. It shows the imperfect, but powerful bond between a mother and daughter no matter what their flaws and own traumas may be.
5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
I have learned that you have to love your story because you are going to be rereading it MANY times! I hadn’t realized how many edits and new drafts I would make. (Wouldn’t it be so nice if all of our first drafts came out perfectly?) 😊
6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?
I like the simplicity of the cover. The first two rounds of covers my publisher had sent, I had said no to because there was too much going on. I just wanted a solid-colored background with a simple clue from the book on the cover. I love how the blue and yellow colors pop!
7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2023?
Hm that’s tough, especially since 2023 is almost over! For 2024, I would say Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls or Stacy Willingham’s Only if You’re Lucky.
8. What was your favorite book in 2023?
I am an avid reader, so it is so hard to just pick one. A few of my favorites were Demon Copperhead, Good Rich People, The Collected Regrets of Clover, Promise Boys, and The Soulmate.
9. What’s up next for you?
I finished my second novel, The Chesapeake House, in January. Here is a little blurb:
A kidnapping, an affair, and a murder….
The Chesapeake House, A Home for People with Abilities, is in disarray when their house manager goes missing. So, when Dolores goes on a hunt to find her, what she discovers is more than she anticipated for…
The Chesapeake House is a brilliant take on finding family in the most unexpected places and reveals that even people with disabilities can do amazing things...
The Chesapeake House is Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret meets Mark Haddon’s, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
10. Is there anything that you would like to add?
11. Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
Any of the trial scenes were difficult for me to write. It was hard to delicately discuss such disturbing events (the death of the family), while still trying to keep the reader empathetic towards their alleged killer.
12. Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
Probably the character I deleted! Lol. In my first few drafts, Emily’s mom had a best friend named Madge. I didn’t give her a huge role, but she was just in and out enough for my editor to tell me to either add her as a more integral part of the story or get rid of her. So, I chose the latter 😊
13. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?
I would definitely say drafting since you only do it once! Every time I revise, I think, “This is it”, and then am told by an editor it needs more changes. It can get discouraging!
14. What would you say is your superpower?
My superpower would probably be my ability to multitask and my efficiency. I can get things completed super-fast! (Although my weakness is not taking my time on things 😊) So I guess I contradict myself!
15. Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
My second novel’s setting is in a home for adults with disabilities. A reason for this is because advocating for people who have disabilities is very close to my heart. https://www.pwdf.org/ (People with Disabilities Foundation) is an amazing organization that provides education and advocacy for people with disabilities so that they can achieve equal opportunities in all aspects of life.
About Kathleen Fine:
Kathleen
Fine received her Master’s in Reading Education from Towson University and
Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from University of Maryland, College Park.
She is a member of the Maryland Writers Association, International Thriller
Writers, and Author’s Guild. When she’s not writing and selling real estate,
she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to the Outer Banks, and of
course, reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently lives in
Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, three children, and Sussex Spaniel. Her
debut novel, Girl on Trial, will be released in the Fall of 2023.
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Giveaway Details:
1 winner
will receive a finished copy of GIRL ON TRIAL, US Only.
Ends November 14th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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10/16/2023 |
Interview |
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10/17/2023 |
Guest Post |
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10/18/2023 |
Blog Spotlight |
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10/19/2023 |
IG Post |
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10/20/2023 |
IG Post/TikTok Post |
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10/21/2023 |
IG Review |
Week Two:
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10/22/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/23/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/24/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/25/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/26/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/27/2023 |
IG Review |
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10/28/2023 |
IG Review |
Week Three:
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10/29/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/30/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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10/31/2023 |
IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post |
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11/1/2023 |
Review |
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11/2/2023 |
IG Review |
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11/3/2023 |
IG Review/TikTok Post |
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11/4/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Four:
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11/5/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/6/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/7/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/8/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/9/2023 |
IG Reviews |
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11/10/2023 |
Review/IG Post |
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