She’s America’s hottest new celebrity. But her identity remains a secret.
Lily Machara is a wisecracking auto mechanic. She’s never cared for glitz or drama. But when Ryder Flynn, a rising star in the world of commercial art, adopts Lily as his muse after a random sighting, Lily discovers herself painted into his hot new pieces … and becomes America’s newest — anonymous — celebrity.
The only problem: The woman Ryder imagines isn’t the true Lily.
Or is it?
Now, as Lily and Ryder give in to mutual curiosity and a budding romance, Lily’s life — secrets and all — fall victim to a pop culture with one question on its mind: Who is the woman in Ryder Flynn’s art?
In the spirit of Cyrano de Bergerac and Pretty Woman, MONA LISAS AND LITTLE WHITE LIES is a delightful new romantic comedy from John Herrick, bestselling author of Beautiful Mess.
Excerpt
Ryder rubbed his eyes. No wonder they felt so sore—one glance at his watch told him it was almost two in the morning. Although he could still hear well, the loud music seemed to have whittled his sensitivity to about 85 percent, as though he’d wrapped his eardrums in cotton.
After dinner, he’d allowed Chase to drag him to a nightclub, which was where Ryder had last seen his friend before returning to the hotel alone by way of a taxi. They would find each other before the art show opened that morning at ten o’clock. Chase might push his limits, but he was never late.
Now, upon entering the hotel, he found the lobby empty except for a concierge at the front desk. The room’s silence rivaled that of a funeral parlor. Ryder made a beeline for the elevator bank and pushed the round button to hail a ride upstairs. With a glance around the corner, he found the doors to the art show shut and locked. He detected no pulsating rhythms, which meant the wedding reception had ended, as well.
Ryder heard the elevator tone—followed by the swish of fabric coming from his left. He halted. Listened.
Another swish, like the chiffon of a bridesmaid’s dress.
When the elevator doors opened, Ryder wasn’t standing in front of them. With one eyebrow furrowed and his ear cocked upward, he eased toward the far end of the elevator bank, then peered around the corner.
More rustling of fabric, then tiny sobs. Step by step, he followed the sounds. On his right, he noticed someone had left open the door to a dark room. Another sob came from inside that room. A female voice.
“Hello?” Ryder whispered. His eyes adjusted to the dark as he brushed his hand along the wall in search of a light switch. At last, he located the switch and flipped it on.
The room was small. He wandered to a far corner, where a desk topped with random clutter sat, a four-star hotel’s answer to a dumping ground. When he peeked behind the desk, he discovered a young woman. Weeping, she sat crumpled on the floor with her back against the desk. A peach-colored rose trampled by life.
Interview
What should readers expect when they pick up your book?
Expect to have fun, laugh a little (if I’ve done my job well!), find a sweet love story, yet find the rich character development you can find in all my novels. I kept this novel lighthearted, but I also dedicated myself to capturing the psychological aspects of my characters. I owe my readers a solid story.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
During the planning process, I knew who the characters were, I knew what would unfold during the story, and I knew how it would begin and end. But something was missing. Lily has very low self-confidence and self-esteem. I realized I needed an explanation for why she was that way. Someone must have hurt her in the past. So before I had all the pieces for this puzzle of a novel, I needed to search for something deeper for her character. And that takes the novel from being a mere romantic comedy to a testimony that everyone has a story. Everybody has a past.
Which character is your favourite and why?
I enjoyed Lily, the auto mechanic, the most. Likely because she’s the opposite from me. And she knows much more about cars than I do. I had a lot of fun stepping into her character’s shoes and speaking through her mouth.
Have any hidden talents you would like to share?
As a teenager, I taught myself songwriting. I spent years working on that hobby, poring over the lyrics of people like Diane Warren, who have mastered the craft of writing a Top 40 song. Specifically, Diane is a genius at capturing emotion through accessible language. She’s written songs like Unbreak my Heart, When I See You Smile—hundreds of songs. Songs are a snapshot in time. They teach you how to capture a story and emotion in two verses and a chorus. They teach you how to select each word with care. If I have the ability to capture emotion or dialogue, I can trace it to those years I spent writing songs.
Where’s your favorite place to write?
These days, I love waking up before dawn, grabbing a table at Starbucks, and watching the sunrise as I write. I was never a morning person, but once I rescheduled my daily routine and started the day with book work, it was like I had discovered a beautiful new facet of life.
What are you working on next?
I’ve finished the first draft of a family drama with a touch of the paranormal, based in Manhattan. I’ve broken new ground with it as an artist and hate having to wait to share it!
Any last words?
Thanks so much for letting me visit! Readers, find out more about Mona Lisas and Little White Lies and my other books at www.johnherrick.net. If you enjoy modern-day fairytales or lighthearted romantic comedies along the lines of the Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman, then Mona Lisas should be a perfect fit!
Thanks...
John Herrick is best known as a chronicler of the human heart. His complex characters and earnest tone prompted Publishers Weekly to write, "Herrick will make waves." When he is not writing, he loves long drives on the interstate. He is a sucker for 1990s music. Herrick lives in St. Louis.
In addition to novels such as BEAUTIFUL MESS and FROM THE DEAD, he authored the nonfiction bestseller, 8 REASONS YOUR LIFE MATTERS.
Visit his website at www.johnherrick.net.
You can find John online at:
Giveaway
John Herrick will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHi Edgar! Thanks again for letting me drop by the blog!
ReplyDeleteLoved the interview. Are you a full-time writer, or do you have another job which pays the bills, but interferes with writing?
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I appreciate getting to find out about another great book. Thanks for all you do and for the hard work you put into this. Greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI liked the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that there will be a sequel to the book?
ReplyDelete