“A vivid and original story... McMorris brilliantly chronicles the way in which a moment’s fateful choice can result in a lifetime of harrowing consequences. A masterpiece that poignantly echoes universal themes of loss and redemption, SOLD ON A MONDAY is both heartfelt and heartbreaking.”
Kristina McMorris
Kristina McMorris is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author published by Sourcebooks Landmark, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books. Her novels have garnered more than twenty national literary awards, as well as a nomination for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, RWA's RITA® Award, and a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historical Fiction.
At age nine, she began creatively expressing herself when she embarked on a five-year stint as the host of an Emmy® and Ollie award-winning kids' television program. Being half Japanese, Kristina jokes that she discovered a genetic kinship with the camera early in life and continued to nurture that relationship by acting in many independent and major films while living in Los Angeles.
In 2001, deciding sleep was highly overrated, she compiled hundreds of her grandmother's favorite recipes for a holiday gift that quickly evolved into a self-published cookbook. With proceeds benefiting the Food Bank, Grandma Jean's Rainy Day Recipes sold at such stores as Borders and was heavily featured in regional media. It was while gathering information for the book's biographical section when Kristina happened across the letters her grandfather mailed to his "sweetheart" during his wartime naval service—a collection that years later inspired McMorris to pen her first novel, a WWII love story titled Letters from Home.
Since her debut released in 2011, Kristina's published works have expanded to include the novels Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, The Pieces We Keep, and The Edge of Lost, in addition to her novellas in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central. Her forthcoming historical novel, Sold on Monday, was inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers across the nation amid Depression-era breadlines, bank runs and impossible choices. Kristina explores the tale within the frame and behind the lens—a journey of ambition, love, and the far-reaching effects of our actions.
A frequent guest speaker and workshop presenter, McMorris holds a B.S. in International Marketing from Pepperdine University. She lives with her husband and two sons in Oregon, where she is still sleep deprived but eagerly working on her next novel.
Talks and Topics
- Sold on a Monday and the Dark Side of American History
- The Depression, Prohibition, and Shocking Scoops from the Newsroom
- The Edge of Lost and Other Stories from Alcatraz
- Bridges of Scarlet Leaves and the Japanese-American WWII Experience
- The Accidental Author: An Unexpected Literary Journey
- Innovative Promotion: Creating a "Big Book" Campaign on a Not-So-Big Budget
- Fact to Fiction: From Real-Life Inspiration to Hands-on Research
- Daily Dozen: 12 Writing Tips I Wish I'd Known From The Start
(Topics above all include multi-media presentations)
Check Kristina's Availability
Previous & Upcoming Events:
- Sept 12, 2018: Hometown Launch Party for Sold on a Monday - Clackamas Town Center Barnes & Noble, Portland, OR
- Sept 14-15, 2018: Southern Indie Bookseller's Alliance - Tampa, FL
- Sept 18, 2018: Vero Beach Book Center - Vero Beach, FL
- Oct 12, 2018: Lunch in the Loft - Seaside, OR
- Oct 20, 2018: Literary High Tea - San Diego, CA
- Nov 6, 2018: Gaston County Library Luncheon - Gastonia, NC
- Nov 7, 2018: Holcomb Reading Club Monthly Luncheon - Spartanburg, SC
- Nov 8, 2018: Peachtree City Library - Peachtree City, GA
- Nov 10-11, 2018: Louisana Book Festival - Baton Rouge, LA
- Nov 17, 2018: Kentucky Book Fair - Lexington, KY
In the News:
- "The Edge of Lost Will Pull You In" - Daily Herald (Dec 2015)
- "Coming of Age Novel has a Dark Twist" - Portland Tribune (Dec 2015)
- "A Mystery on Alcatraz," - Bookpage (Dec 2015)
- "Bestselling Author Calls her Career 'Accidental'" - KOIN.com (May 2016)