Girl on Trial by Kathleen Fine

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Title: GIRL ON TRIAL

Author: Kathleen Fine

Pub. Date: October 24, 2023

Publisher: CamCat Books

Formats:  Hardcover,
Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 304

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/GIRL-ON-TRIAL

Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person?

Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller, knownby the media as Keller the Killer, is accused of causing the deaths of four
family members, including young children. Emily is one of the youngest females to be accused of a crime so heinous, making this the nation’s biggest trial of the year. But what really happened that fateful night―and who’s responsible―is anything but straightforward.

Living in a trailer park in Baltimore with her twin brother and alcoholic mother, Emily’s life hasn’t been easy.
She’s had to grow up fast, and like any teen, has made questionable decisions in a desperate attempt to fit in with her peers. Will her mistakes amount to a guilty verdict and a life in prison? It’s up to the jury to decide.

For readers who enjoy Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll, 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

And Interview

Kathleen Fine received her Master’s in Reading Education from Towson University and
Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from University of Maryland, College Park. She is a member of the Maryland Writers Association, International Thriller Writers, and Author’s Guild. When she’s not writing and selling real estate,she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to the Outer Banks, and of course, reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, three children, and Sussex Spaniel. Her debut novel, Girl on Trial, will be released in the Fall of 2023. 

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I started to experiment at a very early age with alcohol. I understand firsthand the effects that peer pressure can have on a teenage girl. When I think back to my teenage years, I sometimes think what if? What if I had made this choice or that decision? There were so many terrible outcomes that could have occurred in my life.

I wanted to write this novel to show readers a “what if.” What if you caved into peer pressure and made the one bad decision that could alter your future forever?

As social media is a huge aspect of teenager’s self-esteem and decision making today, this novel will help demonstrate the harm in following the crowd.

I want my readers to come out of this story with the lingering big question: Does doing one bad thing make you a bad person? Some choices we make can never be taken back.

 I hope that teens who read this think twice before following a crowd and stand firmly with what they know is right in their heart.

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

Emily, the protagonist, is my favorite character. She is like a lot of teen girls—insecure and wanting to fit in with the crowd. She wants to be liked and is willing to lose her own morals to gain acceptance from her peers.

In the beginning of the story, Emily’s major character’s flaws are being envious and weak-willed. She’s envious of the person she thinks she thinks she’s supposed to be, the influencers, actresses, models, and popular girls at school. That envy makes her weak-willed. She’s unable to say no, even when she knows that the choices she makes are immoral.

 Emily makes mistakes like every human on the planet and loses her innocence in the process. But in that process of losing her innocence, she also becomes a survivor. I love how much Emily changes through the story and she shows teens that they can grow and learn from their mistakes.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel! After finishing it, I was trying to come up with a title and simply thought of the basic premise of the book, a girl is on trial!

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

Hm, that is tough! I would say I love the scene of Emily with her mother on her mother’s bed. It shows the imperfect, but powerful bond between a mother and daughter no matter what their flaws and own traumas may be. 

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I have learned that you have to love your story because you are going to be rereading it MANY times! I hadn’t realized how many edits and new drafts I would make. (Wouldn’t it be so nice if all of our first drafts came out perfectly?) 😊

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?

I like the simplicity of the cover. The first two rounds of covers my publisher had sent, I had said no to because there was too much going on. I just wanted a solid-colored background with a simple clue from the book on the cover. I love how the blue and yellow colors pop!

7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2023?

Hm that’s tough, especially since 2023 is almost over! For 2024, I would say Sally Hepworth’s Darling Girls or Stacy Willingham’s Only if You’re Lucky.

8. What was your favorite book in 2023?

I am an avid reader, so it is so hard to just pick one. A few of my favorites were Demon Copperhead, Good Rich People, The Collected Regrets of Clover, Promise Boys, and The Soulmate.

9. What’s up next for you?

I finished my second novel, The Chesapeake House, in January. Here is a little blurb:

A kidnapping, an affair, and a murder….

 The Chesapeake House, A Home for People with Abilities, is in disarray when their house manager goes missing. So, when Dolores goes on a hunt to find her, what she discovers is more than she anticipated for…

 The Chesapeake House is a brilliant take on finding family in the most unexpected places and reveals that even people with disabilities can do amazing things…

 The Chesapeake House is Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret meets Mark Haddon’s, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of GIRL ON TRIAL, US Only.

Ends November 14th, midnight EST.

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