I’m so pleased to have an interview with Miranda Kenneally for the Racing Savannah blog tour. First, here’s more about the book. Also, check out my review.
They’re from two different worlds.
He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.
With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…
1. I love the way your characters reappear in the Hundred Oaks books. How did that come about? When you started Catching Jordan did you plan to have that happen?
A: To tell you the truth, it sort of just happened. Catching Jordan was supposed to have been a standalone. When I started writing Stealing Parker, characters from Catching Jordan just showed up. I had planned to write stories set in various Tennessee towns, but I’m glad that everything revolves around Hundred Oaks High.
2. Another thing I love about the Hundred Oaks books is that each book has a central sport or activity but the books aren’t necessarily about that. When you’re thinking about the next book do you start with a sport/activity in mind or does that come later in the process?
A: Great question! I haven’t heard this one before. Before I started writing Catching Jordan, Racing Savannah and my upcoming book BREATHE, ANNIE, BREATHE, I knew it was going to be about the sport. But baseball and camping came later for Stealing Parker and Things I Can’t Forget – I figured out the characters for those first.
3. In Racing Savannah we enter the world of training racehorses. Was this something you knew about before writing the book or did you need to research it? Why horse racing?
A: I knew *nothing* about horse racing going in. Here’s how I got the idea for the book. I was out to dinner with a big group of Washington DC-based writers. I wasn’t sure which sport I wanted to feature in my next book, so everybody was throwing out ideas. Of course there were silly ideas like Synchronized Swimming and ping pong, but then Diana Peterfreund pointed out a horse painting on the wall. And then Jessica Spotswood and Andrea Lynn Colt said I should write a book about dressage. I said, “What in the world is dressage?” I guess it involves jumping horses over poles and pools of water. Anyhow, that didn’t interest me so much. But what did interest me is horse racing. I’ve always enjoyed watching the Kentucky Derby every year, even if I never understood the ins and outs of the sport.
4. Of all the books you’ve written, are there certain characters or scenes that stick out? Ones that were harder or more fun to write?
A: Another fun question. I love the hook-up scene in the lake between Jordan and Ty in Catching Jordan. That was the first scene I ever wrote for this series. Characters that stick out for me are: Matt Brown from Things I Can’t Forget. He’s just so open, fun, and honest. I also really love Sam Henry – he was never supposed to be a big character, but he wouldn’t go away. And I really love Rory Whitfield and his silly screenplays in Racing Savannah. Parker is probably my favorite girl character. I love her snark and spark and sass, even if she is a bit misguided. And I’m really excited to introduce you to Jeremiah Brown (Matt’s little brother) in my next book! I think he’s probably the sexiest guy I’ve written.
5. I always like to ask authors I admire what books they’re reading. You can never have too many recommendations, right? So, what have you enjoyed lately or what books are on your “to be read” pile?
A: I’m really excited for a couple of 2014 books: Brown-Eyed Girl by Lisa Kleypas and the follow-up of Into the Deep by Samantha Young (I think the title keeps changing, so I’m not sure what it’s called). I blurbed a book called BOYS LIKE YOU by Juliana Stone that’s coming out next year and you all are going to love it. The best 2013 book I’ve read recently was STIR ME UP by Sabrina Elkins.
Thanks so much for answering my questions. And boy, I cannot wait to meet Jeremiah Brown! If he’s anything like his big brother he’ll be a favorite!
To anyone out there who has yet to pick up a book set at Hundred Oaks High, what are you waiting for?!?! They are well worth the time to read them!
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