GCC Presents: Eileen Cook!

Looking for new books to read in the new year? Well you are in luck! One of my gals from the girlfriends cyber circuit has a new release that sounds AMAZING! Let's talk to Eileen Cook about UNRAVELING ISOBEL, shall we?

Here's the lowdown on it:

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet
only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong
reasons.

Q: Please tell us what your new book is about and what inspired you to write it.

Eileen: I work as a counselor and am interested in mental health issues. I think one of the most difficult things about having mental illnesses is that you can’t trust your own perception of reality. How do you cope when you aren’t sure what you see and hear is real? I decided I wanted to write about Isobel who struggles with trying to figure out if she’s seeing a ghost, if she’s going crazy, or if her step dad is trying to make everyone think she’s crazy so he can get rid of her.

Plus, I’ve always loved gothic novels. I love creepy old houses, buried family secrets and the potential for a ghost or two. Not to mention a cute boy in the picture.

Q: If there was a soundtrack for your book what are five songs that would be on it and how do they relate the story?

Eileen: These songs match the mood and tone of the book. There is something sort of eerie about them that keep you off balance.

Mad World by Gary Jules
People are Strange by the Doors
Hey You- Pink Floyd
Unwell- Matchbox 20
I Will Remember You- Sarah McLachlan

Q: Even though music plays in so heavily into my storytelling, I rarely can actually listen to it while I'm writing. Can you? How does music fit into your writing process?

Eileen: I can’t listen to music while I write. I tend to start singing along and that’s not good for anyone- in part because I can’t sing at all. I sound like someone stepping on a cat.

Q: What is next for you? What are you working on now?

Eileen: I am working on a book that we’re currently calling Shady Sadie (stay tuned I suspect the title will change!). It’s the story of Sadie, who is a teenage con artist. When she realizes that she looks like an age enhanced photo of a missing child she decides to pull the ultimate con… until she begins to suspect she may actually be the missing child.

Eileen's books are so amazing. I love the mental health/ghosts combo of this one so it is going on my to-buy list for sure! And the one she is working on now sounds incredible, too!