PARTING THE VEIL by Paulette Kennedy - Interview
Follow along with Eliza as she communes with restless spirits and uncovers the mysteries of Havenwood Manor, one gaslit room at a time.
Parting the Veil
Some houses hold secrets that are meant to be kept forever…
Parting the Veil, a suspenseful gothic romance about a scandalous Gilded Age heiress who meets a charming British lord with a tragic past, only to discover dark family secrets hidden within his haunted manor, is coming to you from Lake Union Publishing this fall.
When Eliza Sullivan inherits an estate from a recently deceased aunt, she leaves behind a grievous and guilt-ridden past in New Orleans for rural England and a fresh start. Eliza arrives at her new home and finds herself falling for the mysterious lord of Havenwood, Malcolm Winfield. Despite the sinister rumors that surround him, Eliza is drawn to his melancholy charm and his crumbling, once-beautiful mansion. With enough love, she thinks, both man and manor could be repaired.
Not long into their marriage, Eliza fears that she should have listened to the locals. There’s something terribly wrong at Havenwood Manor: Forbidden rooms. Ghostly whispers in the shadows. Strangely guarded servants. And Malcolm’s threatening moods, as changeable as night and day.
As Eliza delves deeper into Malcolm’s troubling history, the dark secrets she unearths gain a frightening power. Has she married a man or a monster? For Eliza, uncovering the truth will either save her or destroy her.
Q&A with Author
Paulette Kennedy
PARTING THE VEIL is a suspenseful Gothic romance about a Gilded Age heiress named Eliza Sullivan who travels to England to collect an inheritance and begin afresh. Upon arrival, she meets an eccentric viscount with a tragic past that mirrors her own. After a whirlwind courtship, they marry, only for her to discover his house is haunted by deadly family secrets.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
I think it made me more organized and helped me learn to write on a deadline. Before I published PARTING THE VEIL, I was a “pantser” who would write only when I felt like it. It would take me years to draft a manuscript. Now, I’ve developed a set of skills that enable me to complete a novel more quickly with fewer revisions. I have every confidence that I can complete at least one novel a year now, and my current work-in-progress is ticking along really well.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a writer and a teacher. I homeschool my daughter and write full time, so I think my childhood dream has finally come full circle—at the age of 47!
“An American heiress with a scandalous past meets a mysterious British lord in this swoon-worthy gothic thriller. Parting the Veil takes familiar plot elements—a ruined mansion, family secrets—and gives them a sexy, modern twist. This stunning debut from Paulette Kennedy kept me guessing until the very end!” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of Red Mistress and On a Cold Dark Sea
Which character was most challenging to create?
I think Malcolm was the most challenging, because I wanted him to be nuanced and complex—a bit of a morally gray hero with many oppositional facets to his personality. I really tried to see him through Eliza’s eyes as I crafted his rather dramatic arc. Readers tell me that they have a love/hate relationship with his character, so I hope that means I pulled things off the way I intended.
Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book?
Eliza’s character arc changed the most dramatically between the first draft to publication. I really dove deep with her characterization after I got some early feedback that she was unlikeable. Now, readers seem to connect with her vulnerability, her trauma, and her resilience. She was a bit of a spoiled brat before, and now she’s a woman who has clearly defined principles and a wounded but passionate heart. She wants to believe the best about people and would do anything for those she loves.
“A beautiful, crumbling mansion in the English countryside; a charming but enigmatic viscount; ghosts; rumors; and a labyrinth of dark secrets, lies, twists, and well-executed turns…As if that wasn’t enough, add rich atmosphere and an American-heiress heroine determined to settle her own future. Kennedy has crafted a delicious, romantic gothic mystery that will keep readers guessing even as they’re feverishly turning the final pages.” —Megan Chance, author of A Splendid Ruin
The Author
Writing historical fiction for the romantic-at-heart reader who craves page-turning twists and a touch of the supernatural, Paulette Kennedy infuses her stories with realistic detail to create a cinematic, immersive experience for the reader.
As a history lover, she can get lost for days in her research—learning everything she can about the places in her novels and what her characters might have experienced in the past.
Originally from the Missouri Ozarks, Paulette now lives with her family in a quiet suburb of Los Angeles. In her free time, she enjoys tending to her garden, knitting, and finding unique vintage treasures at thrift stores and flea markets
Publication Date: November 1, 2021
Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Historical/Gothic/Romance
Content Rating: PG-13
Tour Giveaway
Enter to win a copy of Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy!
The giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends November 12, 2021. You must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is sponsored by the author and hosted by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours.
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