In this interview, I chat with Hazel Gaynor about Before Dorothy, why this story appeals to everyone not just The Wizard of Oz fans, The Wizard of Oz book is celebrating 125 years, how she was a fan of the book first, the title and cover, why she chose the setting she did, and much more.
Hazel's recommended reads are:
- Elphie by Gregory Maguire
- The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
- Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide here for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings.
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Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.
Before Dorothy can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.
Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly Buzz Reads column with five new recommendations each month.
Link to my article about older protagonists in fiction.
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Hazel Gaynor
Author
Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and internationally bestselling author known for her deeply moving historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A debut recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year, her work has since been shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Awards, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023. When We Were Young and Brave was a national bestseller in the USA, and her most recent novel, The Last Lifeboat, was a Times of London historical novel of the month and a 2024 Audie winner for Best Fiction Narrator. Hazel’s work has been translated into twenty languages and is published in twenty-seven territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.
