Book Review & Interview: Paper Castles by Terri Lee

Paper Castles

By Terri Lee

Genre: Romance/Women's Fiction

Book Review:

Paper Castles exceeded my expectations! I’m not normally into main characters who are wealthy because they don’t feel relatable, but the author dug deep into protagonist Savannah and showed a woman who was like us despite her privilege.

The story was full of mystery, emotion, and suspense. I am really impressed with how the author maintained the flow of a women’s fiction novel while including a nail-biting murder case! I give this book five stars!

Interview: 

What inspired you to write Paper Castles?

Like all my stories, the story COMES to me. At first it's just a mere hint. A baby's breath on the back of my neck. In the case of Paper Castles, I saw Savannah, my protagonist, standing in the shadows. I get a sense of place that goes along with the first picture and I knew she lived in the south. Day by day the tale starts to unfold, as if the character is waiting to see if she can trust me with her story.

How long did it take you to write your book?

The initial storyline of Paper Castles came to me in July 2013. I was writing The Bootlegger's Wife at the time. I wrote down everything I had about Paper Castles and set it aside. From that point bits and pieces come to me at random times and I just keep adding to my files. Once I start getting detailed bits of dialogue pouring out then I know it's time to start writing. The story pushes and pushes, demanding to be written. The actual writing probably took about 9 months, then it's handed off to my editor for another round or two.

How long have you been publishing your work?

Since 2013

What does your writing environment look like?

It's my favorite place. A giant desk for me to spread out all my notebooks and files. Family photos on one wall, an ancient map of Rome on the other. A swivel chair, because I like to spin around. And a comfy sofa for my muse ( my yellow lab, Elizabeth Bennett.)

Do you have any routines to help you write?

I wouldn't say routines...but I'm SUPER organized. Files and notebooks, all color-coded. Graphs and charts. I always have to have everything in order before I write.

Author Bio:

ROMANCE MAY BE PRETTY BUT LOVE STORIES ARE REAL.

Down every road is a story. The telling of my story has a distinct before and after quality to it. My life before, was a love story. A Hallmark movie. With a couple of I Love Lucy episodes thrown in for good measure. Boy meets girl in High School. Sweeps her off her feet and marries her. But after 41 years of love and laughter the bottom fell out with the uttering of one little word. Cancer. A love I thought I'd grow old in, slipped away in the middle of the night. Leaving me to ask, what now?

Thankfully the writing that sustained me through my entire life was there to catch me when I fell. At first I poured it all out onto the pages of my journal. A mix of words, ink, and tears tucked safely between the leather covers. 

Here I am in the after part of my story. But the after is also the NOW. Eventually the purging of emotion led me back to another story that had been pushed to the back burner during trying times. Characters who had been waiting patiently began to nudge and push. It was time to sit down at the computer and let the story be told. Let the healing begin. 
When I ask the question, who am I now?...I realize though the road may have changed, I'm still a storyteller.

If it's one thing I know about, it's love. But I'm not interested in simply writing about; boy meets girl. My tag line is: Romance may be pretty but love stories are real. And that's where I want to be when I'm writing...down deep where the real story lives. Because love is messy. And glorious. I want to roll around in a story and fall in love. Want to come with me?

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