HEIST by Laura Pauling

Celebrate Summer 2013 Children's Author Blog Hop

HEIST by Laura Pauling

Author Laura Pauling knows how to write thrilling fiction. Her latest novel, HEIST, continues the tradition. The inspiration for HEIST came about because of her interest in the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist.
Can one decision change the past?Jack Brodie has a sixth sense that someone has been watching him. Following him.
One night Jack travels back in time to one of the world’s largest art thefts, known as the Gardner Heist. Why that one moment in time? And what does it mean for Jack?

When he returns, his world is different. His best friend is rougher, meaner. His dad hasn’t been around in years. And then there’s Jetta. The girl who took over his heart the moment she stepped into his life. No one is safe.

Each time Jack goes back to the heist to fix his mistakes, he returns to face the fallout. Disaster strikes in the present until Jack must make a choice. His family and his own happiness. Or the girl he loves. Except, he learns that his sixth sense was right.

Someone has been watching him and wants him dead. <div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Pauling explains:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I love heists - any and all kinds: art theft, diamonds, bank robberies, con stories…etc. Some of my favorite movies and books involve a heist of some sort. So a few years back, I decided to write about one. But which one?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I turned to my best friend in times like this - Google. I plugged in the words, famous art heist. And on the very first page I found the <a href="http://www.gardnermuseum.org/resource..." target="_blank">Gardner Heist</a>. I still didn’t think much of it, but I clicked on it, and the word, Boston, flashed on the screen. What? There was a famous heist in a museum in a city near me? The decision was made.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, I knew absolutely nothing about the museum or the heist.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, the research started. I read nonfiction books and learned the ins and outs of the crime. It truly was fascinating. At that point in time, the heist was coming on twenty years - and it had never been solved! That hooked me even more.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This was an amazing opportunity for me. My books have been set in Paris, Greece, Prague, and the ruins of the ancient Maya. I had to learn what I could of those settings from blogs, books, Youtube videos…etc. It was incredible to go to Boston, walk through the museum, stroll through the Public Garden, ride the T - all settings in my story. Of course, soaking in the atmosphere and scribbling down details I’d be sure to forget otherwise. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">You’ll find all those details in Heist. Plus, you’ll walk through details of one of the most famous art heists.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ysvKa46FMY..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ysvKa46FMY..." width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Interview 101 with Laura Pauling:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yYtco5UFIP4..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yYtco5UFIP4..." width="192" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Have you always known you wanted to be a writer?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">No, I haven’t. I’d love to say I’m one of those writers that wrote her first story when she was 3 months old. But, I’ve always loved a good story. It wasn’t until I was home with my kids that I got the urge to create my own. Before then, though, I always had a creative outlet. I loved putting together small photo albums. I quilted - for a little bit, even finishing a wall hanging. And I put a lot of time into the children’s ministry at my church, planning events. The earliest creative memory I have is designing a line of cards to sell in the neighborhood. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What’s a recent book you’ve read that you absolutely loved? And what will you be reading?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The last book that I couldn’t put down and loved was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Eight-Wi..." target="_blank">Twenty Eight and a Half Wishes by DeniseGrover Swank</a>. A book I’m looking forward to reading soon is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nomad-J-L-Bryan..." target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nomad</i> by J.L. Bryan</a> - another time travel thriller.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What do you like to do in your free time? Any other creative pursuits?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Right now, outside of writing, my time is spent with my family and my kids. I enjoy hanging with them, especially because every time I blink, they seem to get a year older. I still participate in my church, co-leading the middle school youth group too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Will there be a sequel to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heist-ebook/dp/..." target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heist</i></a>? Or will you be working on something new?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Right now, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heist </i>is a stand-alone novel. If I were to write a sequel it would be from Jetta’s point of view on one of the alternate time lines. When I hit this alternate time line in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heist</i>, I realized there was a lot more to tell there. And, of course, other heists to write about. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m eagerly planning, plotting and outlining an adult light-hearted romantic mystery. We’ll see what happens when the writing starts. I’d love to turn it into a series.<br /><br />Read an excerpt of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heist-ebook/dp/..." target="_blank">HEIST</a> now!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGNX_KGDnmE..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGNX_KGDnmE..." width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span> <style> <div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>At the bottom step, I hesitate. Moonlight reflects off a metal napkin holder and a half-finished puzzle left out for customers. It’s a small shop, and the faded smell of cinnamon clings to everything. Even our upstairs apartment. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>I breathe in the scent, drawing courage from all that is familiar. Times like this I wish for Dad. He’d know what to do.</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>The floor creaks from the other side of the room. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>My heart crawls into my throat, choking me. My knees weaken and my sweaty hands slip on the handle of the bat. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>Step up and be a man. Those were Dad’s words, spoken into a telephone on the other side of the glass partition. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>I think back to that day, the visit Mom knows nothing about. The smeared glass, the stubble on Dad’s chin and the fierce look in his eye that said he’d be outta there next week. But the next week turned into months and then years.</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>As my eyes adjust, the vague outline of a man appears in front of a painting on the wall. He reaches out and traces his finger down the gilded frame. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>My pulse pounds so loud against the inside of my head, I can’t think. I stumble forward and raise the bat above my head. “Who’s there?” My voice shakes.</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>With his back to me, the intruder hesitates, his finger at the bottom of the frame. He doesn’t turn or flinch or seem to care who’s behind him. His black suit is tailored to fit his body and much too fancy for this time of night. </i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>Sweat beads on my forehead and it feels like hours before the man clears his throat to speak. My arms shake. I debate whether to whack the guy in the legs with the bat and then take him out with one good punch.</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>“You been behaving yourself, kid?”</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>I freeze. The bat drops with a thud.</i></div><div class="textbody" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><i>The words, the tone of voice, remind me of lazy spring afternoons when Stick and I would find my dad and uncle under the hood of their latest piece-of-shit car. I can taste the cold iced-tea and homemade cookies. I can feel the warm air against my face and smell the gasoline and grease. That was when I was thirteen and thought my dad was perfect. At sixteen, I know better. </i></div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dad turns and steps forward, his thumbs hooked into the pockets of his tuxedo. All suave and elegant, he looks like a star from the old black and white movies Aunt Fiona watches. His parole is tomorrow. Did they let him out early? Or did he break out?</span></i> </div><div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Book & Author Details:</span></b></div><div>Heist by <span class="il">Laura</span> <span class="il">Pauling</span><br />Genre: YA Psychological Thriller</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goodreads: </b><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17..." target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>goo...

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Published on September 09, 2013 14:39

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