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Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

Friday, February 21, 2014

Landry Park Blog Tour {Guest Post and Giveaway}

I'm thrilled to have the Landry Park Blog Tour stopping by today with a Guest Post by author Bethany Hagen and an awesome Giveaway... 

Landry Park
(Landry Park #1)
by Bethany Hagen
2/4/14
Dial/Penguin

Downton Abbey meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.


by Bethany Hagen

One of my favorite parts of writing Landry Park was imagining the massive houses and their grounds (I’m a sucker for a good garden.)  Though this novel is set in a futuristic America, I looked back to the English stately homes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries for inspiration.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Blenheim Palace


Hardwick Hall



And of course, Downton Abbey itself, Highclere Castle


But in the end, the real Landry Park exists only in my mind.  I imagine it made of stone, three stories tall and punctuated with tall windows (much like Hardwick Hall) but with a large glass observatory on the very top, where a person can see out over the entire city or spend the night staring at the stars through a brass telescope.  Inside, the home is floored in marble and studded with dramatic chandeliers and silent statues, and a massive library holds an enormous collection of old manuscripts and forgotten books.  (I think it’s safe to say that the library from Beauty and the Beast had a big impact on me as a child.)




I'm a born and bred Kansas Citian, meaning I can tolerate jazz for brief amounts of time and I'm offended by dry rub barbecue. I grew up reading Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, and all things King Arthur. When I’m not working at the library or running around with the kids and the husband, I’m writing or thinking about writing.

Win a hardcover copy of Landry Park!
Thanks to the awesome people at Penguin, I have one copy for one lucky winner.
DETAILS
-US only
-ends 2/28
-must be 13+, one free entry per person
-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-Word Spelunking is NOT responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen prizes
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9 comments:

Kat said...

Thank you for the giveaway!

Courtney said...

I can't wait to read this! I love Downton Abbey and was hooked as soon as I read the blurb.

Unknown said...

I have waited for what seems eons for the release of this book. I have read such wonderful things about it and am really looking forward to reading it myself.

Unknown said...

(This is Darith L)

So excited to read Landry Park! :D It sounds like something I would enjoy. :D

bookworm said...

Thank you for the giveaway!

Irene said...

Thanks for guest posting for this, Bethany! Can't wait to get my hands on your book.

Unknown said...

Landry Park is definitely in my top 3 most anticipated books of 2014 and I have been looking forward to it and trying to win ARCs for a looong time, but no such luck. I would just buy it now, but I have no money for books at the present time.

I love the pictures in the guest post - it's neat to know that you pictured something similar to these when writing LP. And yes, the Beauty and the Beast library is amazing!!

Christina Fiorelli said...

Christina R. in the rafflecopter

Love how she changed the manors that inspired her and added her own room at the top!

Thank you:)

Clever Girl said...

Excellent inspiration. Love the cover! Can't wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway