Silicon Valley investor Ryn Brennan is on the verge of
achieving everything she’d dreamed. She’s proven herself in the male-dominated
venture capital world, benefits from the support of her successful husband, and
is about to close the deal of her career.
Everything is going exactly as planned, until she meets
Carly, her husband’s mistress, across the negotiating table.
Carly clawed her way back from being a teenage runaway to
become an accomplished scientist, loving single mom, and co-founder of her startup.
Once she marries her perfect fiancé, she’ll secure that ‘normal’ life she
craves. But she’s blindsided to discover her not so perfect fiancé is already
married—to Ryn, her company’s biggest investor.
In an industry full of not-so-subtle sexism, can the two
women rise above, and work together to overcome heartbreak and ensure their
success?
This book debuts July 8, 2020!
This book debuts July 8, 2020!
"Timely
and provocative with ripped from the headline themes, you'll want to rise up
and cheer on Cameron's witty and ingeniously crafted characters." -
Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal bestselling author
"A rollicking read complete with lightning-fast pacing, witty prose, lovable characters. Unputdownable!" - Samantha Vérant, author of Seven Letters from Paris
"In the spirit of Katherine Center with Liane Moriarty- style twists. A rallying call for women to believe in themselves and join together." - Leah De Cesare, author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons
"An uplifting tale for turbulent times. Cameron...forges an unshakable female alliance that aims to do what women do best: change the world, one heart at a time." - Kathryn Craft, author of The Far End of Happy
"A #MeToo story powered by real life, real hope, and an unlikely friendship. Cameron brings warmth and emotion to this Silicon Valley story of power, ambition, and friendship." - Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author
"You will want to finish the book over a weekend." - Sweta Srivastava Vikram, author of award-winning novel, Louisiana Catch
"...Silicon Valley tale of bad choices, deceit, sexism, but ultimately, POWER. Specifically, the power of women, who raise their voices, instead of remaining silent." - Amy Impellizzeri, Award-winning author of The Truth About Thea and Why We Lie
"...you'll cheer for Ryn and Carly as they navigate self-doubts, forge a solid friendship, and fight the status quo in this page-turner." - Rebecca Hodge, author of the award winning novel, Wildland
Some Q & A with Lainey ~
"A rollicking read complete with lightning-fast pacing, witty prose, lovable characters. Unputdownable!" - Samantha Vérant, author of Seven Letters from Paris
"In the spirit of Katherine Center with Liane Moriarty- style twists. A rallying call for women to believe in themselves and join together." - Leah De Cesare, author of Forks, Knives, and Spoons
"An uplifting tale for turbulent times. Cameron...forges an unshakable female alliance that aims to do what women do best: change the world, one heart at a time." - Kathryn Craft, author of The Far End of Happy
"A #MeToo story powered by real life, real hope, and an unlikely friendship. Cameron brings warmth and emotion to this Silicon Valley story of power, ambition, and friendship." - Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author
"You will want to finish the book over a weekend." - Sweta Srivastava Vikram, author of award-winning novel, Louisiana Catch
"...Silicon Valley tale of bad choices, deceit, sexism, but ultimately, POWER. Specifically, the power of women, who raise their voices, instead of remaining silent." - Amy Impellizzeri, Award-winning author of The Truth About Thea and Why We Lie
"...you'll cheer for Ryn and Carly as they navigate self-doubts, forge a solid friendship, and fight the status quo in this page-turner." - Rebecca Hodge, author of the award winning novel, Wildland
Some Q & A with Lainey ~
Tell us a little about yourself and how you
started writing.
Until four years ago I was a full-time executive in the tech
industry, working 80-hour weeks and racking up two million airline miles flying
around the world (No joke on the miles–over the course of my tech career I flew
the equivalent of four round-trips to the moon).
After I left my last job as head of marketing for a Silicon Valley
startup, I had this idea for a novel, and I realized that if I didn’t stop and
take the time to write it, I’d be eighty years old telling friends that I, too,
once had an idea for a book…
So I decided to rely on my savings and take six months, then a
year, to see if I had an entire novel in me. After a ton of classes and
coaching, a good dose of writerly angst, winning two awards, and ten plus
versions later, that same book is releasing on July 8th.
Is anything in your book
based on real-life experiences?
Absolutely! Like I said, I’m a recovering tech industry executive.
I explain in the author’s note in the book that although the core story of my
two main characters is fiction, the background of the continued sexist
climate in the tech industry is not.
A good part of my inspiration was a desire to share my
personal experience of not-so-subtle sexism and how it feels to be the only
woman in the board room. What I say in that note is that, for credibility, I
actually toned down quite a lot of the sexist incidents in the book.
Do you have a favorite chapter or scene?
There’s a scene in The Exit Strategy where the husband in the book
fills the house with flowers, to beg his wife for forgiveness. At several
points that scene almost got cut, but it’s one of my favorites, perhaps because
it’s cinematic and plays out so clearly in my mind.
I’m so glad it made the final version. At one point, an alternate
title of “Blue Roses and Other Lies”, was in consideration for the book, based
on that one scene.
What are some things you enjoy when not writing?
The biggest is travel and
experiencing new cultures. Since I became a writer, my hubby and I have turned
into digital nomads, meaning we pick locations to live for up to six months at
a time. Few things give me more joy than making a connection across cultures
and learning something that opens my eyes to different ways of living.
Also, it’s probably the
Scot in me (I’m originally from there), but I’m a big fan of good malt whisky
and rooftop bars. I have a popular blog on the rooftop bars of San Miguel de
Allende, in Mexico, where hubby and I now live part time.
Is there a particular
author or book that influenced or inspired your writing or decision to write?
For the last decade I’ve
been a big fan of women’s fiction, in fact, before I even knew what that term
meant. Liane Moriarty and specifically her book “The Husband’s Secret” is an
author who first inspired me to think “Maybe I, too, could write that type of
story?”
Since then, I’ve met so
many amazing and supportive writers in the genre. Among the best-sellers in
contemporary women’s fiction, Kerry Londsale, Camille Pagán, and Rochelle
Weinstein are some of my favorites. Each time I read something by one of them I
see a way to improve, or it sparks ideas for my own writing.
Can you tell us about your challenges in
getting your first book published?
Oh boy, can I speak to this! When I started looking for a path to
publication for The Exit Strategy, several agents and one publisher told me
they didn’t see a readership for women’s fiction set in the workplace. But as
women, most of us spend more than half our lives at work. So was I seriously
being told that books about women’s lives can only be about motherhood or
romance?
To me that just didn’t seem right, so after 135+ rejections from
agents, I was thrilled when several smaller publishers made offers for this
book. I talked to a lot of authors with those smaller publishers and based on
their insight I chose The Wild Rose Press to bring this debut novel to the
world. I’ve been super pleased with their collaboration in the entire process,
including marketing.
For me to see that early readers are enjoying it (so far I’ve
heard the book called "timely and provocative", a
"page-turner", and "unputdownable"), has warmed my soul.
Luckily, my experience in the corporate world must have taught me not to take no
for an answer!
What would your job of
choice be if you didn’t write books?
This is a funny question, because authors are supposed to hate
marketing, but I’d probably help other writers with marketing and technology.
I’ve been an active volunteer with Women’s Fiction Writers Association for the
last years applying my tech and leadership skills, and few things give me more
pleasure than helping promote other authors’ books. I even produce a TV show
for Instagram called The Best of
Women’s Fiction, where I interview some of the best and most interesting
authors in the genre.
Place you’d like to travel?
Pre-pandemic, my hubby and I had booked tickets to the eclipse
festival in Argentina, close to the border with Chile for late this year. Both
countries were high on my list of places I’d like to visit, as is the city of
Ushuaia, right at the tip of South America.
I’m not sure those plans will come to fruition now, but the idea
would have been to spend up to 6 months working remotely in that part of South
America. Maybe next year?
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
First, I’m not a fan of using the term “aspiring” to describe
ourselves as writers. I actually wrote a whole blog
post about how, from my perspective, the term saps creative confidence
and plays to our writerly insecurities.
What I explain in that post is that one of the biggest challenges
as a new writer is finding confidence in the value of our own work. Sure, we
will always have craft learning to do, but in what other career do we call
those new to the field, but already doing the work, call themselves “aspiring”?
Aspiring implies a lack of capability and skill, that you’re not a
“real” writer yet. Unless you are sitting at your desk day after day, failing
to put fingers to keyboard and write a single word, let me assure you that if
you write, you are a writer., I’d be happy to see the term aspiring obliterated
from our joint vocabulary. J
What are you working on now?
I’ll admit that a good chunk of my time is going into book
marketing and launch activities, but I’m looking forward to getting back to my
work in progress, which draws inspiration from my life as a digital nomad. It’s
about an adventure travel instagrammer living under a new name to hide her dark
past. Given her new-found fame, she fears her identity will be exposed and
she’ll be forced to face a history she’s fought valiantly to escape.
Is there anything you’d
like to say to your readers and fans?
Being a debut author has
been inspiring, thrilling, and has sure taught the class of 2020 (who are doing
online pandemic book launches) to roll with the punches!
But what makes a
writer’s life worthwhile is when we get to see reviews and hear how readers
enjoyed our books. I’m even starting to receive the odd email about how women
relate to the elements of sexism in this novel, and those give me such joy,
knowing that something I wrote made a connection.
So I’d like to say the
hugest thank you to everyone who is reading or about to read my book, and
especially to those readers who make time to leave a review for any author.
Even a one liner makes a world of difference and helps keep us motivated to
stick with the lengthy task of writing the next one!
Bio:
Lainey Cameron is a digital nomad and author of women’s
fiction. A recovering tech industry executive, her award-winning novel, The
Exit Strategy, was inspired by a decade of being the only woman in the
corporate boardroom.
A digital nomad—meaning she picks locations around the world
to live (and write) for months at a time—Lainey is an avid instagrammer, and loves to
share her travel tips and insights with readers.
Originally from Scotland, Lainey has a soft spot for men in
kilts and good malt whisky.
To
connect with Lainey:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lainey_cameron
Follow Lainey on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lainey-cameron
No comments:
Post a Comment