Doralynn Kennedy

 
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About Doralynn...

 

Before I was thirteen, I was bumping into things because I always had a book in my face. After thirteen, I was bumping into things because I was always plotting some story in my head. Now I just bump into things because I can't see worth a damn... Oh, and because I'm always plotting some story in my head. I hope you'll read some of them. It will make all these bruises worthwhile. 
   
 
Sleeping with Skeletons

 

Former CIA operative Margaret Garrison is not the woman she appears to be when she arrives in rural Ireland, hoping to find a quiet respite from running for her life. The last thing she needs is to catch the eye of Aidan Grimes, the wildly popular Irish actor filming the movie Jane Eyre in Ballyrick.

Rumored to have broken a thousand hearts, Aidan is also a man of many surprises. The very secrecy that shrouds Margaret compels him to want to know more about her, which inadvertently alerts her enemies to her location and threatens not only Margaret’s life, but those of the people around her.

Between Aidan, his father, and a little girl desperately in need of a mother, Margaret discovers a life she has always dreamed of but never dared hoped for. But with the skeletons from her past drawing nearer each day, can love triumph over evil, or is it all just a myth?

 

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Peek inside Sleeping with Skeletons ...

         He wandered aimlessly along the cluttered aisles, gradually winding his way into Margaret’s. He stopped and peered at the shelf, chose a box of condoms, then looked up at her.

“It’s the American,” he said, speaking as if he’d just noticed her. “Remember me?”

She glanced up from her shopping. “Of course. I wasn’t the one who was drunk last night.”

He cocked his head. “So you think me comments were because I was sloshed? I would have said the same things sober. Would ye like me to say them again to prove it?”

She stared at him, struck by how his hometown brought out his Irish brogue. He usually spoke with a British or American accent in his movies.

“No thanks.” She added vitamins to her basket, moved Aidan out of her way, and continued down the aisle.

He followed after her. “I heard you bought Lofton Lodge out from under us. I suppose you’ll be putting a stop to all the hunting and fishing now. Doesn’t sit well with your ladylike sensibilities, I suppose.”

“I wonder you didn’t buy it when you had the chance, Mr. Grimes, since it’s so important to you. Bit of a penny pincher?”

She gathered from his darkening expression that she had hit the mark.

“Property here is usually on the market longer. I hadn’t expected some foreigner to pop up and pay cash without even haggling over the cost. You paid a fool’s price, but that’s an American for you.”

“I guess that’s why we usually get what we want.”

He moved closer and she could sense the anger building in him. He looked down at her mouth and then moved back abruptly, a startled look on his face.

“Not all of you get what you want—though I imagine you do.”

He turned and walked away. Margaret watched him go, wondering what he’d meant by that. Something about it seemed oddly complimentary.

She found the thought more thrilling than she should have.
     
 

 
 
   

Just a few words with Doralynn ...

 

How does one go from being a blackjack dealer to working law enforcement and beyond? With some of the jobs you carried, you must have dealt with some jokers!

By nineteen, I realized I wasn't going to make it rich overnight as a writer, and I was faced with the unpleasant reality of finding a job to pay rent. I decided since I had to work, I would only take jobs that were fun, exciting, or might give me something new to write about -- which explains my strange and diverse resume. Even though all of my jobs are so different, they all have one thing in common: They're fodder for stories. Each job put me in a unique world with unique characters. Because of that, everything I write has some basis in my life. I'm not writing my life, but my life certainly shows up in my writing. Along with the people I've met along the way, both the heroes and the villains.

As a thirteen year old girl, you began writing with the encouragement of your English teacher. What is the most impressionable piece of advice he gave you?

My 8th and 9th grade English teacher was Mr. McIntyre. He is the teacher who made the biggest impact on what direction my life would take. He was different than the other teachers. He was new to teaching. He was passionate, and he had a fresh, bold approach to his job. At the beginning of each school year, he gave his students contracts. We entered into an agreement that was based on what grade we would like to earn. He gave us the option of making an A, B, or C in his class. Each grade placed different demands on us. I wanted an A. One of the things I had to do to earn that 'A' was write several short stories. It was then that I discovered I could write. Much to my amazement, he started reading those tales to the class. It was thrilling for me to hear my fellow students laughing at all of my jokes and cheering my characters on to their ridiculous end. One day I turned in a story, and he shook his head and gave it back. "I know what you're capable of, and you can do better than that. Never do anything less than your best." It was the best piece of advice any teacher ever gave me.

I watched the video for Sleeping with Skeletons and it looks amazing. One of the characters mentioned is an actor who is reported to have broken a thousand hearts. If you had your own actor be your leading man, who would it be and why?

First, thank you for the kind comment on my video. Well, if I could get a leading man to jump off the silver screen and into my arms, like in The Purple Rose of Cairo, it would come down to one of two choices: Bruce Willis, because he seems to be a nice guy and he's just plain hot. Or Clive Owens because, well, he also seems to be a nice guy, and he's just plain hot... Plus he can drive the heck out of a BMW. Have you ever seen his BMW commercials on YouTube? They're awesome. My favorite is the one with Madonna. Ha! It's hilarious.

Because of my husband and his obsession with NASCAR, you say you were a professional driver and I think Daytona 500. Would you ever consider racing a car for a living? Why or why not?

I'd love to race for a living, especially in the Daytona 500... if only I had a stock car. But I grew up around demolition derby, so that's really what I prefer. It's bumper cars for adults. Great fun.

In your blog you quote from the movie, Romancing the Stone. That is a great and funny movie. What are some of your favorite movies?

I love movies, so it's hard to list just a few favorites, but here are some that I always enjoy: Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, What Lies Beneath, Next, and The Illusionist.

I love what you have written on the bottom of your blog page “Don’t despise those small beginnings. They are what make for happy endings”. Can you give aspiring authors any more great advice?

I know there are a lot of people who dream of being published. Many times, people give up their dreams. Don't do that. We miss out on so much because of that. I think the best advice I can give to aspiring authors is, "Don't give up. Keep everlastingly at it." And remember what Mr. McIntyre told me, "Never do anything less than your best."