The Art Of The Kiss by Holly Schindler

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A young photographer, an old camera, and a bit of magic disturb the dust, setting in motion events that will reawaken a love story fifty years in the making.

This is not your typical love story.

It’s about the guts of a long-term relationship. It’s about dreams and the loss of youth and fame. It’s something of a reinvented fairy tale. It’s a little bit magical.

So sure, it’s about love. But it’s also about much, much more.

The Art of the Kiss is told in snapshots, in a non-linear format, with multiple POVs. This novel demanded it be written in a somewhat non-conventional way.

~THE ART OF THE KISS~

Can you have more than one happily ever after?

Taken in a flash at the beginning of their life together, Sharon Minyard’s portrait of herself and her husband, Michael, hangs on her studio wall as a testament to the possibility of love.

Once drawing crowds to gaze in wonder, it has since become all but forgotten—until a young photographer, an old camera, and a bit of magic disturb the dust, setting in motion events that will revive its meaning…

Showing—in black and white—that in a town named Fairyland, the dream of forever is but a snapshot away.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Holly Schindler is a multi-award-winning and critically acclaimed author of books for readers of all ages. She holds a master's degree in English (creative emphasis), and has taught writing courses at the

collegiate level. Schindler has also mentored extensively: honing students' creative and scholastic writing, and providing developmental edits to both published and unpublished writers for novels in a variety of genres. A firm believer that reading is as creative an activity as writing, she has worked one-on-one with students in grades K-12 to improve overall literacy skills.

Schindler insists that nothing is quite as magical as a good story or an exciting new "what-if." She is currently chasing down her next "what-if" as she writes her next book. She also loves hearing from her readers. If you'd like to get in touch or subscribe to her newsletters, please visit her online at:

                               HollySchindler.com

Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly and Booklist

Silver Medal, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year

Gold Medal, IPPY Awards

MY REVIEW:

I am always all about the "Happily Ever After" in a story. But what happens after Prince Charming and the Princess meet, fall in love and ride off into the sunset?

Michael and Sharon Minyard have had over 50 years together. In their "Once Upon A Time" beginning Sharon, a photographer, took a picture of she and Michael that once stopped traffic in their town of Fairyland. Yes, you read that right! Their town is named Fairyland so of course the reader expects magical things to happen there.

Enter another story featuring a young photographer named Heather, a villain in the form of a best friend, and a dusty old camera, and let the magic begin!

The Art of the Kiss had so many feels for me! I love a story where a couple has been together for such a long time. Anymore that in itself is a fairy-tale filled with magic. I have to say that Michael and Sharon's story resonated with me more than Heather's story. Oh, I understand that Heather was an important part in Michael and Sharon getting back on track, but I loved the exploration of Sharon and Michael's feelings. I loved how Michael set about to wake his princess up again. I loved the exploration of the feelings of being invisible or forgotten just because they now have white hair and wrinkles. I loved all of the photography descriptions. I love that Michael and Sharon get to explore another facet of their Happily Ever After. Because after all...Happily Ever After doesn't mean THE END.

I loved The Art of the Kiss and highly recommend it as it is now going on my favorites shelf!

Come back tomorrow for a guest post by the author on her writing process for The Art of the Kiss.