Episode #10: "I Have An Ulterior Motive"
On this episode, we're excited to bring you Natasha Lester and Priya Parmar
Natasha Lester is the multi-award-winning and New York Times best-selling author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS, THE PARIS ORPHAN, THE PARIS SECRET, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD, and THE MADEMOISELLE ALLIANCE. Her new novel, THE CHATEAU ON SUNSET, is a reimagining of Jane Eyre set in the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. Natasha's books have been translated into twenty-one different languages and are published around the world. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children.
Priya Parmar is the author of the novels EXIT THE ACTRESS and VANESSA AND HER SISTER, a New York Times Notable Book, as well as co-author of the musical SYLVIA (London Old Vic) nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Original Musical. Her newest novel, THE ORIGINAL, focusing on the extraordinary life of Katherine Hepburn, has just been released and has already been chosen as an Editor's Choice pick by the New York Times and called "an addictive read" by People Magazine. She lives between London and Connecticut with her family and 4 rescue dogs.
Read Along!
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A sheltered young woman living at the Chateau Marmont falls under the spell of a scandalous, secretive man as all of Hollywood’s glamour swirls around her—a stunning feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre from the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress.
“A clever, compelling midcentury Gothic . . . a can’t-miss read for the madwoman in all of us.”—Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites
In 1957, newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent to live with her aunt, a fading star who hides away in Hollywood’s infamous Chateau Marmont. There, two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take the grieving Aria under their wing.
But the Marmont isn’t meant for small girls with big hearts, and Aria’s first few nights reveal an insidious secret that continues to haunt her as she grows up in the hotel’s halls, where the bright lights of Hollywood cast even darker shadows. If Aria can just stay invisible and invite no trouble as she saves money, then she can leave the Marmont and live life on her own terms—alone but free.
Her carefully laid plans fall apart when the hotel is bought by Theo Winchester, a reclusive rock star turned unexpected caretaker of his daughter, Adele, and unlike any man Aria has met before. To earn the last bit of money she needs to escape, Aria becomes Adele’s tutor, which brings Aria closer to Theo and ignites a passion she never expected.
Suddenly, Aria finds herself wondering if she still wants to remain invisible—and if inviting trouble is a risk she’s willing to take to pursue what she truly desires.
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This stunning novel plunges into the tumultuous life of screen icon Katharine Hepburn, a star whose fierce independence, passionate spirit, and fluid sexuality shattered Hollywood’s rules and redefined what it meant to be a woman in film.
“Filled with intrigue and old Hollywood glamour . . . An addictive read!”—People
“A riveting and unputdownable journey through fame, rebellion, and the relentless pursuit of authenticity.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline
When young Katharine Hepburn loses her beloved brother, she makes two decisions: she will become famous, and she will never let anyone hurt her again. Leaving home at twenty-one to pursue an acting career Kate is lured to Hollywood, accompanied by her lover, Laura.
Los Angeles in the early 1930s is a town full of secrets and Kate has plenty to hide. Soon she is scooped into the studio system and launched as a star—but stars must play by the rules and Kate, brilliant, bisexual, and strong-willed, refuses to conform.
Surrounded by a legendary circle of intimates, including the powerful David and Irene Selznick, charming and romantically conflicted actor Cary Grant, ambitious director John Ford, and millionaire tycoon Howard Hughes, Kate navigates a web of sex, ambition, and betrayal. As her career ascends, she faces an agonizing choice: be the star everyone wants her to be, or risk everything to become the woman she always was.
The author of New York Times Notable Book Vanessa and Her Sister has created a propulsive, emotionally charged novel exploring the cost of fame. With sharp prose and unforgettable characters, The Original is a story of love, aspiration, and the price of living authentically.
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