Destined for Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

Review and Giveaway!

If you’ve spent any amount of time on my blog you are well aware of my obsession with Doon (the mythical kingdom and the novel). Give me Jamie and Duncan MacCrae over Edward and Jacob any day.

Now, because of said obsession, it is my great privilege to roll out the royal Doonian carpet for Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon, this week’s featured YA authors! Eeek! I have had such a blast getting to know these ladies over the past several months. They’re stellar writers and sweet gals. Please put your hands together for this amazing Doon duo!

About Carey and Lorie…

Carey Corp wrote her first book, a brilliant retelling of Star Wars, at the prodigious age of seven. Since then, her love affair of reinvention has continued to run amuck. Writing both literary fiction and stories for young adults, she begins each morning consuming copious amounts of coffee while weaving stories that capture her exhaustive imagination. She harbors a voracious passion (in no consistent order) for mohawks, Italy, musical theater, chocolate, and Jane Austen. Her debut novel for teens, The Halo Chronicles: The Guardian, earned her national recognition as 2010 Golden Heart finalist for best young adult fiction. Coming August 20, 2013: Doon (book 1 of the DOON series), a young adult novel loosely based on the concept of the musical Brigadoon, used with permission from the Alan Jay Lerner Estate & the Frederick Loewe Foundation, and co-written with Lorie Langdon.

Find Carey Online: Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, GoodReads

A few years ago, Lorie Langdon left her thriving corporate career with a Fortune 500 company to satisfy the voices in her head. Now as a full-time author and stay-at-home mom, she spends her summers editing poolside while dodging automatic water-gun fire, and the rest of the year tucked into her cozy office, Havanese puppy by her side, working to translate her effusive imagination into the written word. Her co-written four-book series, Doon, a YA reimagining of the Scottish legend of Brigadoon, will release beginning in August 2013 from Zondervan/Harper Collins.

Find Lorie Online: Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, GoodReads

About Destined for Doon…

In this sequel to Doon, Mackenna Reid realizes she made a horrible mistake—choosing to follow her dreams of Broadway instead of staying in the enchanted land of Doon. To make everything worse, she’s received her Calling—proof she and Duncan are each other’s one true love—and it’s pure torment, especially when visions of the very alluring Scottish prince appear right before she goes on stage. So when Duncan tells her an ancient curse threatens to overtake Doon and the new queen needs her to return, Kenna doesn’t have to think twice. With darkness closing in on all sides, Kenna and Vee must battle a world of nightmares in order to protect the kingdom. But it will take the ultimate test of courage for Kenna to salvage her happily ever after.

And if you haven’t read book one, check out my review of Doon.

Q&A with Carey and Lorie…

Kathy asks, “How did you come up with the title for your book? From the story line or from one of the character’s lines he may have said in the book?”

Lorie: The DOON series is inspired by a musical called Brigadoon. In the musical, the town that is accessible across a bridge and only appears to the outside world once every hundred years is called Brigadoon. But when Carey and I began our research for the project we found an actual bridge in Alloway, Scotland called the Brig o’ Doon, which translates to “The bridge of Doon”. So we decided to name the hidden kingdom and our book, DOON!

Flic asks, “Do you ever mold your characters after yourself? Which ones?”

Lorie: I think there are always parts of ourselves in the characters we write. Doon is unique in that Carey and I each write a main character. I write Veronica and Carey writes Mackenna. But there are bits of each of us in these two vastly different, but best friends. Like Vee, I’m tenacious when I set my mind to something and I’m a ‘smile while your world is falling apart’ kind of person. But Vee’s more analytical side comes from Carey. And Carey is theater obsessed and has a flare for the dramatic like Kenna. But Kenna’s goofy sense of humor is a bit more like me.

Karine asks, “If you could go anywhere in the world to write to get a new perspective for a location in your book where would it be and why?”

Carey and Lorie: Alloway, Scotland, of course!

Carey: I also lived in Italy and would go back there in a heartbeat. The Rosetti’s are based on a family I knew in Torino with five sons and one daughter.

Christen asks, “Which heroine do you like better, Katniss or Tris, and why?”

Lorie: That’s a hard one. I love strong heroines who aren’t damsels in distress! I suppose, I prefer Tris because she has more depth of emotion.

Carey: I do like Katniss but I feel like she spends much of her time reacting, so I’ve got to go with Tris. Tris becomes proactive about her situation. Girl Power!

Torri asks, “I am really interested in Biblical parallels and themes. Are there any in your series?”

Carey: Yes. Lorie and I wanted to illustrate spiritual concepts through Vee and Kenna’s journey in the Doon series. At the heart of the first book, it’s a story of a seeker and a skeptic searching for more and the concept that when we are adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven we become children of the King, God’s heirs. Book two has a strong Prodigal Son theme. The third and fourth books will also have prevalent Biblical themes.

Pauline asks, “How do you avoid being distracted by Facebook and Twitter so you can write?”

Lorie: I’m a multi-tasker, so if I get stuck in what I’m writing I’ll check social media and then come back to it. Sometimes just that little mental break is enough to jog my brain and get me unstuck!

Carey: I have a very limited time to write, so I do the opposite. I have to turn everything off and focus on the chapter or I end up wasting too much time. Although I LOVE interacting with readers on social media, it’s one of my favorite things to do. I love how creative readers are – especially on Instagram.

Why I love and Recommend Destined for Doon…

A) The story. I loved the first book–the idea of being Called to something greater beyond your wildest dreams. Veronica is my favorite character, and book one is mostly about her. I think there’s a little of Vee AND Kenna in me. Vee because I’m bookish and Kenna because I have a love for musicals (the part in Destined for Doon when Kenna pulls out her “Wicked” umbrella…yeah, that would be me). I wondered when going into Destined for Doon if I would enjoy book two as much as the first. I knew off the bat I wouldn’t get as much time with Vee and Jamie so I prepared myself. What would I find with Kenna and Duncan?

Another great love story.

Getting to know Kenna and Duncan better this time around was a pleasant surprise. Now I can’t decide! Duncan or Jamie? Jamie or Duncan? Thankfully this isn’t a love triangle, so I don’t have to. I can love both boys because they both have their own girls. Thanks, Carey and Lorie for writing a story where I get TWO, not just one, swoonworthy princes!

B) The world. I love the kingdom of Doon. It’s been an inspiration to me in my own fantasy-driven writing. What’s great about the Doon series is Carey and Lorie manage to write two very different and dynamic female protags while staying true and consistent with their world. I love that Doon has pizza! I want some of that Rosetti pizza so badly I can taste it! I also love that Doon has modern comforts, but remains a magical, medieval type kingdom complete with sword fights and catacombs. It’s very unique, and that’s what I love about it. When I read the Doon books I feel like I’m there. Destined for Doon was a much anticipated stroll back through one of my favorite literary worlds.

C) The humor. I laughed through both books. Destined for Doon specifically tickled my funny bone because Mackenna is such a….how do I put this?…goofball. I mean that in the best sense. She has this sort of awkward sarcasm. I always find myself laughing at her lines. Vee is more serious, but Kenna brings light to each situation, even ones where you might be eaten by zombies. She’s adorable and I just want to hug her! These girls make it easy to get engrossed in this series, not to mention the kissable princes at their sides.

The Giveaway…

Thanks Carey and Lorie for taking time to stop by and chat today. You ladies are the best!

Speaking of being the best, Carey and Lorie have generously offered to send a copy of Destined for Doon to one reader!

To enter please leave a question or comment for Carey and Lorie in the comments section below. Other entries available via the Rafflecopter. You must leave a blog comment to enter. Giveaway ends Sunday, August 31st. One random winner will be chosen and announced in my September newsletter (subscribe via the form in the bottom right corner).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:

I received a copy of Destined for Doon from the authors. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions are solely and completely my own. I received no other compensation other than a copy of the book featured in this post, which is mine to keep or gift as I so choose in exchange for an honest review. This post also contains affiliate links. To learn more, please see my full policy.