Another Side to Celebrity in Life of Privilege
Hi Elodie, thanks for once again hosting me on your
wonderful blog. I’m very pleased to be here today discussing my new release Life
of Privilege, released by Totally Bound Publishing. The novel is the newest
in their best-selling What’s Her Secret? imprint, which are books that focus on
a woman with a secret.
The tagline for this novel is Living the life of a
celebrity isn’t always as perfect as it seems. As that short sentence
alludes to, this is a story that shows there’s another side to being a celebrity
beyond what the public sees. I know nothing about being a celebrity. I’m happy
just being regular ol’ me, but when I set out to create this story, I did what
writers do best: I used my imagination.
I envision celebrity worlds being not as glittering and
glamorous as they’re often made out to be in media. When celebrities and
reality TV stars end up in the news because of ill-behavior or some sort of
scandal, I often wonder if there’s not a deeper reason for their actions beyond
what the media reports. That mode of thought was the real jumping off point for
me in creating this story and the book opens with a rather scandalous
situation: a woman leaving a man at the altar.
Of course, since my heroine is a celebrity, it’s not as easy
as just slipping out the back door of the church and going on her merry little
way. The wedding takes place at one of the most prominent cathedrals in New
York City and it’s being televised. The paparazzi is camped out in front of the
church and in order for her to escape the situation, Katherine has to go
through what I very well believe hell may look like. The path from the
cathedral doors to the limo waiting to take her away is lined with members of
the media, armed with huge cameras and tons of spectators.
I’ve brought along an excerpt from the beginning of the book
and I hope your readers enjoy the opening of my novel.
Blurb:
Living the life of a celebrity isn’t always as perfect as
it seems.
Katherine Dawson was born into a life of privilege as the
heiress to an apparel dynasty. Between judging a reality TV competition for
budding fashion designers and having been the face of her family’s clothing
line for most of her life, she’s one of the biggest celebrities in her field.
When she becomes engaged to up-and-coming television
producer Nathan Taylor, she appears to have it all. To any outsider, she has a
picture-perfect life, so when Katherine leaves her groom-to-be at the altar and
disappears, the tabloids are full of speculation over her sudden departure.
Fleeing New York to hide out in Seattle, she quickly finds
that living the life of an heiress in hiding isn’t as easy as she thought,
especially after she meets a magnetic writer named Royce Reynolds. In her new
life on the West Coast, she struggles to keep her anonymity, and experiences a
relationship with a man who wants her for the person she is, not the celebrity
she used to be.
Excerpt:
“Daddy?”
Katherine Dawson’s voice echoed off the stone walls of St.
Patrick’s cathedral. As one of New York City’s oldest churches, the
structure had enough prestige and beauty to hold Sunday service, memorials, and
it provided the perfect setting for storybook weddings.
When her father didn’t answer right away, Katherine gathered
the heavy material of her wedding gown in her hand and walked the few steps to
reach her dad. She looked down at the enormous bouquet of flowers in her hand
and almost lost her nerve. Yet the longer she stared at the arrangement of
white roses, calla lilies and orchids, the more it reinforced her gut reaction
to this day. Like the stunning flowers arranged so perfectly in the bundle, she
was also trussed up and made to look pristine. She too was arranged at her
peak, the moment in her life when she was likely most attractive. She knew if
she went through with this decision that just like the flowers, soon she would
wither and lose her beautiful essence. Through the heavy wooden doors, she
heard the faint strains coming from the fifteen-piece orchestra. They were
preparing to play the wedding march. It was now or never. If she had any chance
at escaping the glamorous affair, it was in this moment.
“Daddy.” She stood in front of her father and knew she must
look as panicked and frightened as a wounded animal. “I have to get out of
here. I can’t go through with this.”
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked fast to push them
away. Once the waterworks started, she didn’t know when they might stop. She
dropped her hold on the dress and reached for her father’s hand.
“I’m leaving. If you want to stay and deal with mother’s
temper tantrums when she finds out I left Nathan at the altar, so be it. Daddy,
I just can’t do this. Well, won’t you say something?”
Her father cleared his throat and it was then she noticed
the tears that had formed in his eyes. She hated that she’d let him down, but
she couldn’t go through life with such a momentous lie hanging over her head.
She stood on tiptoe, wrapping her arms around him for a quick hug. “I’m sorry
I’ve hurt you. I don’t want to be a disappointment to you, but I have to stay
true to myself. You won’t see me for a while. I’m going away, but I don’t know
where yet. I’ve got to go find out who I really am without all the pressures of
being Katherine Dawson hanging over my head.”
“Kitty Kat,” he whispered, using her childhood nickname, “I
could never be disappointed in you. I’m crying because you’ve made me happy. Go
find yourself. Follow your dreams. That’s what I’ve always wanted for you. I
love you.”
“Daddy, I love you, too.”
She turned her head toward the heavy wooden doors again. The
wedding march was playing. She had to go now. Preparing for the sprint she knew
she’d have to do to make it to the limousine that waited outside, she kicked
off her silver-sequined Louboutin heels. Dropping her bouquet on the ground and
gathering her skirt in her hands, she hurried out of the front door and down
the church steps.
In her haste to escape the wedding, she’d forgotten about
the crowd of reporters and spectators gathered along the sidewalk and in the
street. At least fifty black cameras took aim at her and several eager members
of the paparazzi stood right in her path, their camera flashes going off. She
refused to look into their lenses, even as they called out to her by name. Her
gaze was locked in on the back door of the limousine. Once she got there, she’d
be home free.
“Katherine! Katherine! Why are you running?”
“Have cold feet, Katherine?”
“Where’s the groom?”
Ignoring the inane questions from the media, she opened the
door to the back seat of the car. Franklin, her family’s driver, jumped from
the front seat, prepared to help her into the vehicle. Katherine met his gaze
and she shook her head. He took her unspoken command and hopped back behind the
wheel. She could handle the paparazzi. After all, she’d been dodging the
vultures since she’d been a teen. Pulling the door closed behind her provided a
moment of peace. However, her relief was cut short as half of the
camera-wielding men formed a semi-circle around the limousine while the rest
scattered to nearby cabs. The car had to move before they got trapped—or
worse—were followed by the bloodthirsty press.
“Where to?”
Buy Life of Privilege in ebook and print
TotallyBound.com: https://www.totallybound.com/life-of-privilege
All Romance ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lifeofprivilege-1801222-149.html
There’s currently a contest being held by Totally Bound
until May 18, 2015. Enter to win a copy of Life of Privilege + 3 other
What’s Her Secret titles of the winner’s choice. Contests can enter the prize
draw here: https://www.totallybound.com//life-of-privilege-giveaway
Also, I’m going to be taking over the Totally Bound Facebook
page on Friday, May 15 at 9pm EDT/6pm PDT. During the hour-long event there
will be prizes, discounts and lots of fun. To join in, just ‘like’ Totally
Bound on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TotalEBound
About Amanda:
In addition to
being an author of contemporary, historical and erotic romance, Amanda Bretz
holds a degree in communication from Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort
Myers, Florida. She has worked as an online and print journalist, but her first
love is creating romantic stories with a happy ending. When not writing, Amanda
can be found whipping up something delectable in her kitchen, spending time in
nature or getting lost in a good book. She resides in the beautiful Pacific
Northwest with her husband.
Where to find her online:
Website: http://amandabretz.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/realamandabretz
