Author Interview: Paige Toon

Today it is my absolute pleasure to be welcoming the fantastic Paige Toon to the site for an author interview!! I have been a fan of Paige ever since I read and loved her debut novel Lucy In The Sky a few years ago now, but I eagerly await each of Paige's books every year, because I just know they are going to be amazing reads, and she's never let me down yet! Paige was kind enough to answer some of my burning questions for her, so do enjoy, and I once again thank Paige for taking the time to answer these for me!

Q1. Let's kick off with a hard question... could you possibly pick any of your books as your favourite?! If you can't, which was your favourite to write and why?

Paige: Lucy in the Sky has always had a very special place in my heart because it was my first book and I wrote it in two and a half months with a full-time job – I was massively into the story and the characters, and I was so happy to have a book deal. But I have to say, my new book One Perfect Summer (out May 2012), could actually top it. I absolutely loved writing it – I’m still thinking about the characters every day.

Q2. Your fans always wanted a sequel to Johnny Be Good, which you kindly gave us with Baby Be Mine. How easy was it to go back to writing those characters after a gap of several books, and did you always intend to give them the ending that you did?

I always intended to give them that ending. I wasn’t sure for a while how I was going to get to that point, though! For a year after Johnny Be Good, I wondered how I could do that to Christian – I even wondered if killing him off might be a kinder option!! But that would have been a cop-out. It was hard – and emotional – writing that scene where Meg tells Christian – and later when he has to say goodbye to Barney. But it was nice to revisit the characters. I read Johnny Be Good again to make sure how they were in my head was how I had written them on paper – and they were. And I loved getting to the point where Johnny returned to the story – I’d missed him!

Q3. Now that there is an ending to the question of who fathered Meg's baby, do you think you will ever go back to those characters again, or do you feel you've put them to bed now and it's time to move on?

I actually have a story idea for a few years time if my readers are still reading! And I’m sure I’ll drop in on them from time to time in future books. They get a small mention in One Perfect Summer.

Q4. If 'Johnny Be Good' and then 'Baby Be Mine' were ever to be made into movies, who do you see playing the lead roles of Meg, Johnny, and Christian?

This is a hard one! I actually asked my Facebook and Twitter readers this question recently. In my mind, Johnny looks a bit like a cleaner-cut Kurt Cobain – those beautiful piercing green eyes. Readers have suggested everyone from Johnny Depp to Russell Brand and Josh Holloway (the latter is my preference, I think!) – I’m honestly not sure, so you if have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them! As for Meg, she was based on a character I remember watching on Home & Away YEARS ago! She had leukemia and, ahem, died. She was called Meg as well. And Christian kind of reminds me of the boy from Entourage – Adrian Grenier. A British version though, obviously. They have the same hair.

Q5. Your latest book cover for 'Baby Be Mine' has come under criticism from quite a few bloggers for not matching your previous covers, and being a bit too bland compared to your other books. What is your opinion of it, and were you happy with the change when you first saw it? Also, which is your favourite book cover of all of yours? I have to say mine is probably Pictures of Lily!

I absolutely loved my old covers – I think Chasing Daisy might be my favourite, or Lucy in the Sky. Lucy was different to anything else when it came out, but then other covers came along and seemed to imitate it a little, and it didn’t feel as fresh, so my publishers thought it was time for a change. I was sceptical at first, if I’m honest, but I do like the Baby Be Mine cover – I actually think it’s very pretty. I was a bit shocked when I saw the cover for One Perfect Summer – because it’s VERY different AGAIN! It’s classy, pretty and unique – and that’s the thing about my publishers, Simon & Schuster, they want to make sure my covers are standing out on the shelves and looking unlike anything else out there at the moment. I have a very strong fanbase and I’m very, very lucky, and S&S strongly believe that my books should be getting out there to an even wider readership. They hope that my loyal readers will come with us on the cover journey – because my writing style is unchanged, and everything my readers have come to expect from me is still present and correct. But we’re hoping we might pick up some new readers who might have been put off by the younger, glittery look of my first four books.

Q6. Who are some of your own favourite authors? Could you pick your top 3 'desert island' reads?

Anything by Marian Keyes – I absolutely love her! I adored the Twilight books, so Stephenie Meyer is right up there, too, and I’m always a fan of Lisa Jewell. Sadly I don’t have much time to read – maybe when the kids are in school, but for now all my spare time is taken up with writing or spending time with my husband.

Q7. When you aren't writing books, what do you enjoy doing?

I’m a full-time mum so my days are taken up doing kiddie things – playdates, playgrounds, feeding the giant geese down by the river, zoos, parks etc. We moved to Cambridge in the summer so I also just love parking near the city centre and wandering through the colleges and across the River Cam, armed with an enormous two-seater buggy! In the evenings I usually chill out in front of the telly with my husband. I love going to the movies, too. When I was Reviews Editor of heat magazine, I used to go all the time – sometimes during the day, too! I miss that, sometimes.

Q8. What do you think of the bashing that the term chick lit is getting lately, and what's your opinion of its usage when its applied to female fiction? Do you mind your books coming under the 'Chick Lit' umbrella?

I don’t mind at all. Chick-lit is MY favourite type of book to read, so it is of course the sort of book that I would feel most at home writing. It’s no different to calling a film a chick-flick – which is basically a romantic film aimed at young women. That sums my books up, too, so I’d never be offended by the term.

Q9. You have recently joined Twitter, and you're active on Facebook also. Do you enjoy the interactions these social networking sites allow you to have with your fans, and what would you say is the best compliment you've ever received from a fan about your books?!

I absolutely love interacting with my readers. Nothing makes me smile more than getting messages on Facebook from them. The messages come through to my main email address so I read them as and when they appear, but it can take me a long time to go onto Facebook and reply to everyone individually. When we moved in August, we were without broadband for five weeks, and then my deadline was looming so I’ve only just now replied to everyone from the summer! Now I’m up-to-date though so I should get onto it every few days. I’m still getting the hang of Twitter… In terms of the best compliment, it’s too hard to pinpoint one. The most heartwarming thing is when people tell me they’ve recommended me to their friends – there’s no better compliment than that, and I love the idea of them talking about my books between themselves.

Q10. You have a book coming out this summer, One Perfect Summer, (cannot wait!!) but can you reveal if you're working on a 2013 release just yet?!

I certainly am! I always have the idea for the next book I’m going to write, while I’m writing the one before, so in the next couple of weeks I’ll tackle the synopsis, but I won’t actually start writing until the new year. My head is still so full of One Perfect Summer – I don’t want to let it go, yet!

Thank you so much, Paige!

Author Interview: Clare Dowling

Yesterday, I reviewed Clare Dowling's latest book Too Close For Comfort, and thought it was a great read. I was also given the opportunity to interview Clare and ask her a few questions about the book and a few other things as well. I'd like to thank Emily from Headline for organising the interview and of course Clare for agreeing to be interviewed by me! I hope you enjoy the interview :)


Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'Too Close For Comfort'.

It’s about sisters, and how they can drive you mad, but also end up being your biggest cheerleader.  In ‘Two Close For Comfort’, sisters Ali and Emma have lived separate lives on different continents for years – then are thrown back together when their relationships simultaneously implode.  But the big question is, can they recapture the closeness they had? 

Q2. I found Ali and Emma to be complete opposites, and if I'm honest I found Ali quite hard to like, disagreeing with how she went about coming back to Ireland with her children. How was it writing about Ireland from Ali's point of view as someone who is coming back after many years away, and did you agree with Ali's choice regarding her marriage and children and coming back home?

Ali’s decision to leave the way she did was a disaster!  But I love characters with flaws, and she certainly has her fair share.   She’s ended up trapped in a bad marriage, and her decision comes out of a desperation to escape.  I really felt for her, being so far from home, and so culturally alienated in the deep south of America, and I really wanted to explore her loneliness and need to get back to where she feels she belongs.

Q3. Emma goes through quite a harrowing time in Too Close for Comfort, and I certainly didn't expect that particular storyline to appear in the book. What made you want to include this topic in the book, and how much research had to go into it to ensure you covered it correctly?

We tend to think that really bad things only happen to other people, or at least only certain types of people, and I wanted to look at that with this particular storyline.  Emma is a middle-class, educated high achiever, and the last person you would think would land herself in this particular mess.   I’m a bit of a medical anorak – I’d be a doctor in another life! – so I already knew a lot about the subject matter.  But I’ve tried to address the impact on Emma’s life rather than get into the nitty gritty of medical detail. 

Q4. Your books all seem to revolve around family dramas, be it pregnancy, affairs, divorce, or having a baby alone. Where do you get the ideas for your stories, and do you ever find it hard to write about the topics that you do, and the emotional situations your characters find themselves in?

Great ideas never occur to me while I’m on the bus, unfortunately, or at the supermarket check-out.   It’s always a case of sitting down with a notebook and trying to figure out what interests me for the next book; then, how to put an original slant on it.  I think that women make the world go round in terms of sustaining relationships and family ties, and for me, that’s where the real stories lie.  There’s nothing I like better than getting stuck into a messy emotional situation – in my books anyway; not so sure about real life...

Q5. You've now had 8 books published, with your 9th out in 2012. Do you have to be strict with yourself to get your books written on time, and do you find it easy to write a book a year?

I really need to hire somebody with a whip to stand behind me for five hours a day.  I’m terrible for making cups of tea, checking the post, and going online ‘just to check’.  Then I realise two months have passed and I’ve achieved very little.  I tend to be very, very slow to start a book, as it takes me ages to get to know my characters, but then I’ll speed up, and towards the end I’ll be working fourteen hours a day, mostly because I’m wildly behind deadline.  Luckily, I have a wonderful and patient editor!

Q6. Your book covers have been redesigned so that they all match each other, albeit in different colours and slight design differences. Do you like the new look that your books have been given, and do you think book covers are more important than ever?

I absolutely love my new look.  We wanted a clean, fresh design, and I think the Headline team have really pulled it off.   Covers are vital – if readers aren’t tempted to pick up your book, then you’ve lost them straight away.   It’s really tricky getting the look right, but it’s your calling card, and as important as what’s inside.

Q7. What is your opinion of the term 'chick lit' and how do you feel about your books being classed as such?

I get very irritated when the term is used in a derogatory fashion, to imply that these books are only about women who shop and seek out men.   The genre is a very, very broad one, and a vast array of women’s experiences are covered by the books in this field, a lot of the time expertly, movingly, intelligently and in a way that enriches the reader.  So to dismiss them as fluff is to say that what happens to real women doesn’t matter.   It does, so chick-lit detractors, button up. 

Q8. How do you feel about the fact that your books are doing well in the UK as well in Ireland? Do you think Irish women's fiction is becoming more popular in the UK, and why do you think this is?

I’m thrilled to be making an impact in the UK.  I think Irish authors have always been really welcomed by UK readers, and there’s no sign of that letting up, thankfully.   We share the same sense of humour and way of looking at things, I think.  In turn I love books by UK authors such as Jill Mansell and Katie Fforde.  I ‘get them’ and I think UK readers feel the same about Irish writers. 

Q9. You have recently joined Twitter (www.twitter.com/clare_dowling) and also have a fan page on Facebook too (http://www.facebook.com/claredowlingauthor). Are you enjoying using social networking so far, and do you think it's an important tool for authors to use to keep in touch with readers?

I was petrified starting out.   I’m a keep-my-head-down kind of person, and the idea of announcing to the world what I had for breakfast made me go weak.  But of course it’s not about that at all, and now that I’ve got the hang of it, I find it a completely invaluable way of keeping in touch with colleagues, friends, readers and anybody interested in books.   It’s the perfect antidote to writing at home all day long, and having worryingly long conversations with yourself. 

Q10. You have your next book Would I Lie To You already due for release in 2012, but are you working on a 10th book yet?!

Yes!  I’ve wanted to write a ‘stalker’ book for years.  I used to have this weird guy who’d ring me up religiously wanting to know the colour of my undergarments.  I hadn’t a clue who he was, and I thought it was funny, but also a little disconcerting.  He’s stuck in my mind ever since.  Stalking is, unfortunately, on the rise, and a real problem for many women, and it’s the subject matter of my next book. 

Thanks so much, Clare!

You can buy Too Close For Comfort in paperback and on eBook/Kindle now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Author Interview: Amy Silver

After recently reading and loving my third Amy Silver novel, One Minute to Midnight, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask Amy some of my questions about the book, herself and her thoughts on things such as the term 'chick lit' and about her next book as well! My thanks go to Amelia at Random House for arranging the interview, and of course to Amy for answering my questions. Enjoy!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'One Minute to  Midnight'.

The book tells the life story of Nicole Blake through her New Year’s Eves past and present. In the present day, Nicole is preparing for a dream New Year trip to New York with her husband, but she’s also dealing with the ghosts of New Years’ past: former lovers, old friends and her father from whom she’s been estranged for many years.

The story is about the difficult – sometimes impossible – choices that we need to make in order to take our best shot at a happy and fulfilling life, as well as about the changing nature of friendships, and the way that love can endure through even the most hurtful of betrayals.

Q2. I loved the way you wrote the story, with alternating chapters between Nicole in the present day, and Nicole's previous New Year's experiences. Did you enjoy writing the book this way, and was it fun creating Nicole not just as an adult, but young teen as well?
I did enjoy it, although the structure of the book presented its own challenges, because it isn’t always easy to tell a character’s story when you’re dipping in and out of their life at irregular intervals. It was certainly fun to go back to Nicole’s teenage years though, to try to remember what we music we were all listening to, watching and wearing back in those days.

Q3. I found Nicole to be a very realistic character, even if I didn't like some of her choices. She's also been through a lot in her life, especially regarding her relationship with her father. Did you have to do a lot of research to write about this topic realistically, and are any of Nicole's relationships (i.e. with Alex, Aidan or Julian) taken from real life?
I think the fact that Nicole makes plenty of bad choices is what makes her realistic. I wanted to create a slightly more difficult central character this time around - I think that makes the book a more interesting read - although I know that some readers may warm to her less than they did the characters in my last book.

As for the relationships, none of them are taken directly from my experiences (my Dad is a very nice man, for example...) but I have taken bits and pieces of past relationships and friendships and used those to help create what I hope to be believable characters and situations.

Q4. The cover for 'One Minute to  Midnight' is absolutely stunning - do you think it's perfect for the book, and do you have a favourite amongst your three book covers so far?

Yes, I think it’s lovely. Very festive. Definitely my favourite so far.

Q5. What is your own personal favourite New Year's celebrations you've ever had?!

Like Nicole, I went to a party on a houseboat in Paris when I was nineteen which was very glamorous and lots of fun. I also enjoyed some fairly raucous house parties when I was in my twenties, though I have to say the details of those are (thankfully) rather hazy. Lately I’m more likely to be found sedately sipping champagne with a few friends.

Q6. I have to say my favourite book of yours is 'All I want For Christmas' - I found Bea's story to be really touching and it was a lovely Christmas tale. Would you ever consider revisiting these characters again for a sequel, or do you prefer writing stand-alone novels?

I don’t have any plans to revisit the characters from All I Want for Christmas at the moment, but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out. I loved writing those characters and I can think of plenty of interesting directions in which I could take them.

Q7. The term 'chick lit' seems to be forever taking a bashing by both critics and readers - what is your personal view of 'chick lit' and how do you feel about your books being classified as this?
The term ‘chick lit’ is now used to cover so many different types of books – it is applied to pretty much any commercial fiction written by a woman which doesn’t fall into a particular genre such as crime or science fiction – that I think it’s become almost meaningless. The other problem with the label is that it is often, though not always, used in a sneering, derogatory way: if something is chick lit it must be trivial and silly, yet many of the books which are placed in this category deal with the least trivial of subjects – love and loss, careers and families. Unfortunately these books are not taken as seriously as those written by men, like David Nicholls, for example, who deal with similar subjects.

Having said all that, I don’t object to my books being classified as chick lit, since this places me in very good company: the likes of Marian Keyes and Helen Fielding and dozens of other brilliant, witty authors.

Q8. What do you do when you aren't writing books?

I do a bit of freelance journalism, although a lot less than I used to. If you mean in my spare time, I’m currently trying to improving my woeful culinary skills and learning to speak Italian. I also enjoy watching football, preferably with a glass of strong liquor to hand.

Q9. Who are your own favourite authors? What would you say are your top three books of all time?

I’ve been reading quite a bit of crime lately – there are some really interesting modern takes on the crime genre by authors like Tana French, Belinda Bauer and Erin Kelly. I am also a huge fan of Kate Atkinson’s crime novels, which I think are close to perfect. If you really want me to come up with my top three books of all time, you’ll have to give me about a year to think about it – off the top of my head though: Regeneration by Pat Barker, The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst, A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry, We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver and When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson would all be up there. I’m woefully bad on classics, but I did love Wuthering Heights.

Q10. Are you working on your next book yet? If so, can you tell me anything about it?

I am: the story takes place during a snow storm in a chalet in the French Alps where five friends who haven’t seen each other for ages are tricked into an unexpected reunion. When the storm hits, they find themselves trapped, forced to confront the all their unresolved issues, their frustrated passions and broken friendships, as well as dealing with their guilt over the terrible incident which separated them all those years ago…

Thanks so much, Amy!

You can buy One Minute to Midnight in paperback and on eBook/Kindle now! (Links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Blog Tour: Ali McNamara

Today I'm delighted to welcome the lovely Ali McNamara as part of her 'Breakfast with Ali' blog tour to celebrate the release of her new novel Breakfast at Darcy's! I reviewed the book last week, so today Ali is here to answer some of my burning questions for author interview! Thanks to Hannah at Little,Brown for setting this up, and of course to Ali for answering my questions!

Q1. Please tell us about your new book Breakfast at Darcy's.

 
Breakfast at Darcy’s is about a girl called Darcy who finds out at a funeral she’s the sole beneficiary of her Aunt’s wealthy estate. But the terms of her Aunt’s will state before Darcy can inherit any of her money she must go and live on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland for a whole year, and set up a new community of people to live there with her.

Being a city girl, Darcy doesn’t find the switch from high-heeled boots to wellington boots an easy one, or for that matter any of the other many changes that the island of Tara has in store for her…

Q2. Where did you get the idea for Darcy setting up a new community on a remote island? It's not a concept I've ever come across in chick lit before, but it worked really well! 


I got the idea when I was on a touring holiday of Ireland and my husband and myself were parked up one day overlooking the island of Great Blasket in County Kerry. We were having a conversation about how you might go about living on an island as remote as the one in front of us, and all the problems that might arise from doing so, when I began to realise what a great plot it would make for a novel.

Q3. The island of Tara sounds absolutely beautiful - did you base it on anywhere you have been to yourself? Also, the legends of Tara that appear in the book - are they made up by you or are they real legends from other places?!



Yes as I said above my fictional island of Tara is based on the real island of Great Blasket off the West Coast of Ireland. We went back and visited the island with our children so I could research the book after my initial idea was formed. All the legends mentioned in the story are genuine Irish myths and traditions. I enjoy researching my books as much as I love writing them. The research process inspires so many of the ideas that you find in the final story.

Q4. I loved that there were so many different kinds of characters within the book, and that they were each important to the story in their own way. Did you base any characters on anyone, and do you have a favourite amongst the characters in your book (mine was Dermot!!)?


Ah now that would be telling… I can tell you Dermot’s extensive practical knowledge definitely comes directly from my husband though. He’s very clever like that and I couldn’t have written the book without his technical help in answering my many questions about how I would begin re-building a deserted island!

Q5. The cover for the book is absolutely stunning - what did you think of it when you first saw it? Do you get much say in your covers, or is it all down to the publishers and designers?



I’ve been very lucky with my covers so far, and loved this one just as much if not more so than my first novel, From Notting Hill with Love…Actually.

No, I have no direct say, but when they’re as lovely as this why would I need it!

Q6. Breakfast at Darcy's is your second book, following the success of your debut novel From Notting Hill With Love... Actually. How have you found being a published author, and what have been the highlights for you so far?


Definitely hearing from my readers. I’ve had so many messages and emails over the last year from people not only telling me how much they’ve enjoyed my first book, but how much they’ve identified with Scarlett, the main character. Some of the best emails have come from people that say they don’t usually read, or they’ve lost their love of reading, and my book has encouraged them to start again!

Q7. What do you do when you aren't writing books? When you are writing, do you have to be strict with yourself in terms of a writing schedule to get things done?!



I’m usually a really organized person, but when it comes to my writing I’m awful at organising my time. But I think it’s pretty impossible to treat writing as a 9-5 job, as it is any creative profession. Otherwise the things you’re attempting to create would come across as forced and uninspired.

Q8. You are very active on Twitter and Facebook - do you think social networking is important to authors, and do you enjoy being able to interact with your fans online?



Yes, I love it. Although I’m very much on Team Twitter, Vs. Team Facebook ;-)

Q9. This is a question I like to ask all authors - what is your opinion of the term chick lit, and how do you feel about your books being classified as chick lit?


I just write the way I write. If someone wants to label the way I put words on a page and stack me neatly into an appropriate box, then that’s up to them. People will always try and define you as something so it fits in with their way of thinking, I’ll always try and be a little different. Watch out for it in the future….

Q10. Finally, are you working on a third novel? If so, can you tell us something about it?!


Yes! A sequel to ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ due out in 2012! 

Scarlett gets to go a bit further afield than London this time when she gets a chance to visit New York …
I went there this year on a research trip and had a fantastic time. But Scarlett’s trip is even better… ;-)

Thanks so much, Ali!

You can buy Breakfast at Darcy's in paperback or on eBook/Kindle right now! (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Author Interview: Miranda Dickinson

Today, I welcome the lovely Miranda Dickinson to my blog for an author interview following my review of her fabulous new book It Started With A Kiss! This is Miranda's third novel and it was a joy to read, and I definitely recommend it to anyone. Miranda was kind enough to answer some of my questions so without further ado, welcome Miranda!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'It Started With A Kiss'.

It Started With a Kiss is a romantic comedy about following your heart. It’s the story of Romily Parker, a local radio jingle writer who sings with a wedding band at weekends. On the last Saturday before Christmas (shortly after disastrously declaring her love for her best friend Charlie), Romily has a brief encounter with a handsome stranger. They share a kiss and then he is gone – so Romily decides to spend the next year trying to find him again. She’s helped by her friends in The Pinstripes wedding band and her crazy Auntie Mags and Uncle Dudley.

Q2. The idea of being kissed by a stranger and then spending a year hunting for him is a new one on me! Is Romily's story inspired by a real life story at all and if not, where did you get the idea from?!

The idea for Romily’s quest came from a conversation I was having with my friends about our ‘what-if’ moments. You know the ones I mean – when you catch someone’s eye in a crowd and, for a fleeting moment, there is the possibility of something coming of it, but then the moment passes and you’re left wondering what might have happened if you’d pursued it. During the writing of It Started With a Kiss, I spoke to a lot of people about these moments and so many people had similar experiences. For example, one of my twitter friends (and a brilliant author himself), Tom Cox, had a ‘what-if’ moment on a tube train when there was a girl he wished he’d given his number to. And my favourite ‘what-if’ moment was from my friend Kim, who had a complete stranger give her a full, Shakespearean bow in Covent Garden before he left. That one made it into the novel because I love the romance and possibility of it. What would have happened if he hadn’t walked away? That’s what fascinated me and I wanted to write about someone who decides to pursue the possibility.

Q3. Romily is a wedding band singer, as are you! Are any of The Pinstripes gigs based on any that you've had with your own band, and are any of the Pinstripes based on your own band?

Thankfully, we’ve never done a wedding gig with bunny ears! A lot of the detail of rehearsals, setting up at gigs and the camaraderie between the band is based on my own experience and my band’s favourite gig stories. I’ve read several books featuring characters that play in bands where it’s quite clear the author has no experience of what it’s actually like, so I wanted to provide a faithful portrayal of the work that goes into playing for weddings. Being a wedding singer gives you a unique perspective on other people’s weddings and it’s a great opportunity to people-watch. My real-life wedding band, The Peppermints, will recognise traits of themselves in all of the characters (I think they’re all a bit nervous about how I’ve portrayed them!)

Q4. The cover of It Started With A Kiss is gorgeous! Do you have much say in your book covers? They have all been gorgeous wintry scenes so far - do you think they are perfect for your books?

Generally, authors don’t have a lot of say in their covers, but I’ve been quite lucky in that the team at Avon always asks my opinion. I adore the covers that Nicky, the cover designer, has designed for me – all three are so warm and sparkly and inviting!. When Fairytale of New York came out, no other books had covers like it, so it was then really interesting for me to see how that cover started a trend, just like I’d seen with famous book covers like the Dan Brown series. All my covers have a wintry feel because they’re published in November, but with the exception of It Started With a Kiss, none of them are set at Christmas, although they all have a Christmas scene in the story. It would be interesting to see what a summer cover for Fairytale of New York and Welcome to My World might look like – designed by Nicky, of course!

Q5. Your debut novel 'Fairytale of New York' was released after you were discovered on 'Authonomy'. Now you've had 3 books published by Avon/HarperCollins... how does it feel to see your books on the shelves and know you are now a Sunday Times Top Ten Bestselling author?!

Put simply, it’s just nuts! I get tingles every time I go into a bookshop and see my books there – and more so with every new book. Earlier this year, I saw Welcome to My World in the window of Waterstones and I was so excited I couldn’t speak for about five minutes! It was so fab to see it next to books by David Nicholls, Lee Child and Ian McEwan. I have a photo of me pointing at it excitedly like a loon! From being discovered on Authonomy.com (where I never expected anyone to notice my book, let alone want to publish it) to now publishing my third novel has been a breathtaking rollercoaster of a ride and I’m constantly amazed by what my writing has achieved in such a short time. Being a Sunday Times Top 10 Bestselling Author is completely crazy, too. It feels completely unreal most of the time but every now and again I have a little sparkly moment where I remember and I feel incredibly lucky to have had so many lovely people reading and loving my books.

Q6. How has your life changed since you've become a published author?

It’s become a lot busier! I’ve gone from working a nine-to-five day to working almost non-stop, but I love the variety of my week. I work three days a week writing reports for a food research company, with two days to write, plus evenings and weekends. When I have a deadline looming, I’ll even write in my lunch break at work and have been known to write through the night. I think as a writer I’ve grown in confidence since I became a published author – I’ve certainly learned a lot and I feel like I’m still learning. I hope that shows with each successive novel I write.

Q7. You recently launched your own writing prize, the New Rose Short Story Prize 2011. What gave you the idea to launch your own award like this, and how important do you think opportunities like this are for budding authors?

I wanted to create opportunities for unpublished writers. Before I was published, I was always hoping that someone, somewhere would open a door for my writing and it was frustrating that people who became published authors then never seemed to do anything to help other people. Now I’m in the amazing position of being able to open a door for other writers, so I want to make the most of it. My influence is very limited – I would love to be able to do more – but by launching the New Rose Prize I hope I’ve highlighted the wealth of incredible talent out there. It might not be a publishing deal, but at least I can over some recognition that could boost a writer’s confidence. It’s vital that opportunities exist for unpublished authors and I will do everything I can to do this.

Q8. Who are some of your own favourite authors? Do you have an all-time favourite book that you can read again and again?

I adore Sarah Addison Allen, Cecelia Ahern, Jill Mansell, Isabel Wolff, Jasper Fforde, Neil Gaiman, Charles Cumming and Sir Terry Pratchett – they are all incredible writers and reading their books is like opening presents for me! As for my all-time favourite book, it would have to be Pride and Prejuduce by Jane Austen – it’s just the perfect novel.

Q9. What do you think of the negative press that the term 'Chick Lit' is getting in the media at the moment? How do you feel about your books being classified as Chick Lit?

I think it’s a lot of fuss over nothing, fuelled by lazy journalists jumping on a very decrepit bandwagon. Chick-lit (in the sense that readers of the genre understand it) is full of wit, originality and real-life issues tackled with humour and hope. It’s not all about shoes and shopping and sex – there’s very little of that in my novels – it’s about love in all its forms, hopes, aspirations, relationships and life in all its frustrating brilliance. I don’t like the term, largely because it’s used as a derogatory tag-all by the media, but as far as readers are concerned, I’m happy to be a chick-lit author.

Q10. Finally, are you working on your next novel? If so, can you tell me anything about it?!

Yes! My fourth novel will be called When I Fall in Love and it follows the story of Elsie Maynard, who finds herself setting up a choir after a crazy incident at a beach café. It’s going to be full of laughter, surprises, rivalry and maybe the odd jazz hand, together with the last item on a very important list… I’m going to continue my vlog about it next year, so keep watching for exclusive sneak-peeks as the novel progresses!

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Chloe!

Thank you, Miranda!  

You can buy Miranda's new book It Started With A Kiss in paperback and on eBook/Kindle (links go to Amazon).

Blog Tour: Carole Matthews Interview!

Today, I'm taking part in my first ever blog tour (eek!), and I'm absolutely delighted to welcome the ever-lovely Carole Matthews to the site! Carole's latest novel, Wrapped Up In You, came out last week, and it's a lovely festive tale to enjoy on these cold, dark winter nights! So without further ado, I introduce to you my interview with Carole Matthews! Thanks go to Sally at Little,Brown for inviting me to be part of the tour :)

Q1. Please tell me a little bit about your latest novel 'Wrapped Up In You'.

It’s my nineteenth book and probably my most romantic to date. It features Janie Johnson a thirty-something hairdresser who feels that life is passing her by. To try to create some adventure in her life, she books her first solo trip and goes out to Africa. Not only does she fall in love with the sights and sounds of the Maasai Mara, but also with the man who’s her tour guide - a fully-fledged Maasai warrior named Dominic. My readers are saying that it’s my best book so far, which is lovely. 


Q2. The setting of Africa is one you don't expect to find in many chick lit novels, especially Christmas ones. What made you choose Africa, and how was it visiting the country to find out more about it?

I wanted to do a Christmas novel, but not a standard one. So I looked for something that would provide a contrast to the typical English snowy chocolate-box cottage and a Maasai village in Africa seemed perfect. You can’t get much more different! I also wanted to explore how relationships work when they’re long distance and with people from very different cultures. It was a lot of fun to write.


Q3. Dominic was my favourite character in the book, he's so kind-hearted and lovely. Was he based on anyone you met in Africa? How much research into the traditions and things relating to Maasai warriors did you have to do for his character?

My partner, Lovely Kev, and I spent a week out in the Maasai Mara , on safari and visiting a Maasai village. The villagers were so kind and showed us their homes and how they live on a daily basis. Lovely Kev was very brave and joined in with a jumping ceremony, something that the Maasai men do on a frequent basis. They were very impressed by his prowess!  Dominic isn’t based on anyone in particular, but his warmth and charm reflects perfectly the villagers we me when we were there.


Q4. You recently moved publishers to Sphere after many years with Headline Review, Are you enjoying the experience of working with a new publishing team? And is it true you will now be publishing 2 books a year - a summer read, and a winter/festive read?! 2 books a year must be such hard work!!

It’s fantastic being with a new team. The move was very difficult as I’d been at Headline for so long, over 16 years,  and loved everyone there. But already, I feel so at home with Sphere. They’ve made sure that the transition was very easy for me. They have so many plans for the books that I feel it has injected new life into my writing.  I’ve done two books a year for some time now. I just work standard office hours  9 to 5, or maybe 6 or 7. It’s amazing how much work you can get through by being disciplined!

Q5. The cover for Wrapped Up In You is gorgeous. Do you like the new design you've been given, and how important do you think book covers are in this day and age with such a large market out there?

The new cover look has had a fantastic reception, so I’m thrilled by that. Covers are always important. It’s the first thing you look at on a book. I think the new trend is to build a brand, but refreshed the covers more frequently so that they don’t become stale.

Q6. I've seen you really enjoy using Facebook and Twitter to connect with your readers. Do you think social networking is a good tool for authors to use to keep in contact with their readers, and do you think it's growing more important in this technological day and age?!

I love Facebook and Twitter and it’s great to be able to connect with so many readers. It’s lovely, they become friends and it’s now led to several ‘real life’ friendships too. I do think it’s important as a writer, just as it is to have a website. But it also eats up masses of time as it’s very addictive! 


Q7. This is a question I like to ask authors at the moment due to its prominence in the media - what do YOU think of the term chick lit, and how do you feel about your books coming under this genre?

I don’t mind the term at all. The only thing that I mind is the assumption - usually by people who haven’t read any - that chicklit books have no substance to them. In my books I’ve covered bankruptcy, single parenthood, bereavement - all subjects that women have to deal with these days. I do it in a light-hearted and funny way, but it does reflect life.

Q8.What would be your top three desert island reads? And do you have any favourite chick lit authors yourself?

Current favourite is David Nicholl’s One Day, closely followed by The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and, last but not least, Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl.

There aren’t many chicklit books that I read that I don’t enjoy. But among my favourite chicklit authors are Katie Fforde, Marian Keyes, Jenny Colgan, Lisa Jewell.

Q9. Finally, can you tell me a little bit about your next book, presumably a more summery release!

Yes, the next book is called Summer Daydreams and will be out in May 2012. It’s the story of a woman who’s trying to make her way in the world of business whilst juggling the demands of a young family and a relationship. I think it’s something a lot of women will relate to. Plus it features lots of gorgeous handbags! 

Thank you so much Carole!

You can buy Carole's book Wrapped Up In You on Amazon in both paperback and on Kindle/eBook (Links go to Amazon)

Author Interview: Scarlett Bailey

I reviewed Scarlett Bailey's debut novel The Night Before Christmas a few days ago, and I've been lucky enough to ask Scarlett a few questions about it, amongst other things, too! My thanks go to Scarlett for answering my questions!

1. Please tell me about your new book, The Night Before Christmas.

Well, its set in the few days before Christmas right up until The Night Before Christmas, so its a proper Christmassy book, with all that entails. And its about less than perfect Lydia, who can't wait to experience her first every proper Christmas, with her first proper boyfriend and her friends in a beautiful country house in the Lake District. Obviously things do not go according to plan! There are twists and turns, surprises, some kissing, some laughs, some more kissing and a one eared dog called Vincent. Oh and a lot of snow.

Q2. Lydia is a lovely character, even if she does make a little bit of a mess of things when she starts her Christmas break! Did you base her, or any of your other fab characters, on anyone in particular?

I like that Lydia is a little flawed, we all are, I think, and so its nice that although she makes a hash of things to start out with, she finally gets a grip! I think she's a little bit like me, perhaps, maybe a mixture of my friends and all the stories we've shared over the years. The only character I say for sure is based on fact is Vincent Van Dog. He based on a real dog. With one ear.

Q3. The old house where the action of the book takes place sounds simply stunning, especially in the snowy scenes you write about. Does this place actually exist, and if so, where is it?!

It does!!! Its in Keswick, Cumbria. I went to stay there for a research trip. It's a little different from the book, because the setting isn't quite so remote now, although when the house was built it was in the middle of nowhere, now the town has grown up around it. But it was a pair of houses built for two sisters, and although I made up the spooky ghosty bit, it was quite an atmospheric place! I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if I had bumped into a ghost.

Q4. The cover of The Night Before Christmas isn't necessarily what you'd consider a traditional Christmas chick-lit book cover, but I absolutely love it! Did you have any say in the cover, and what did you think when they first revealed the cover to you?!

Ebury asked me what I would like and I said 'Make it LOVELY' and they did. I just can't imagine it being any more perfect, I adore it.

Q5. The Night Before Christmas is your first book. How did your book deal with Ebury come about, and how did it feel to finally get a copy of your own book in your hands?

It was sort of a bit of luck really, I was lucky enough to have an agent already, and lucky enough to be writing about Christmas, at exactly the same time that Ebury was looking for a Christmas book! A very harmonious meeting of minds.

Q6. I'm a massive fan of festive chick lit, would you say the same about yourself? Do you have any favourite festive reads you like to bring out again and again?

I am a massive fan of Christmas full stop, so every year I wheel out my favourite Christmas ghost stories, I love The Turn of The Screw by Henry James (not very Christmassy, but very scary) and I love to dip in an out of A Christmas Carol. I love Trisha Ashley, and I just ready Cally Taylor's book which was fab. Also Ali Harris's book, which has my second favourite cover of the year (after mine) - all these books are great Christmas reads. But what I really love over Christmas is to curl up in front of a good Christmas movie. Yes, yes probably The Sound of Music is my all time favourite. 'The hills are alive....'

Q7. What do you do when you aren't writing books? Has your life changed much since you became a published author? 

At the moment I am quite busy working on the next book, so I seem to always be writing books, which is lovely, its the best job in the world. Life hasn't really changes that much, I've always been writing away in every spare minute as long as I can remember!

Q8. There has been a lot in the press slating the chick lit term lately, and there have been a lot of strong views about it being aired. What do you think of your books being put under the chick lit label, and what do you think of the fact the genre is constantly taking a battering?

I think its an easy target for some people to get hot under the collar about, but honestly I couldn't care less what label my books comes under. I just want to write fun, entertaining, satisfying fiction and if people, chicks or not, enjoy it - then I'm thrilled!

Q9. I've noticed you are now active on both Facebook and Twitter - do you think Social Networking is important for authors, especially debut authors like yourself, and do you enjoy being able to interact with your readers easily?

I really, really do. It lets me meet people like you, first hand, which is great and also hopefully when the book is out i might hear from some people who've read it, which would be incredibly exciting. Unless they didn't like it. That would be awkward.....

Q10. Finally, are you working on a second book? If so, could you tell me anything about it?!

I am, I am and I can't tell you too much except that I'm hoping for a research trip to New York this time! Bloomingdales at Christmas? Hello!

Thanks so much, Scarlett!

Author Interview: Ali Harris

I have the pleasure of welcoming the fantastic new author Ali Harris to my brand new blog today in an exclusive interview! Ali's debut novel Miracle on Regent Street was one of my favourite festive reads of this year, (you can read the review here!) and one of my favourite books overall too, it was just so fantastic, I couldn't put it down. I had a chance to ask Ali some of my burning questions about the book and her road to becoming published, so here we go! Welcome Ali!

Chloe: Tell us about your new book Miracle on Regent Street.

Ali: With pleasure! But I can't tell you how weird it is being interviewed - it's usually me asking the questions! Miracle on Regent Street is about a sweet stockroom girl called Evie Taylor who lives an invisible existence unpacking endless boxes in the basement of Hardy’s – a department store that has seen better days. The stockroom has become her comfort blanket, where she can bury her past heartbreak and hide from her future. All that is threatened when Evie overhears that Hardy's is at risk of being sold unless it seriously increases its profits by December 26th – just 3 weeks time. Evie and Hardy's are both looking for a Christmas miracle to turn their fortunes around, but will it be in the form of the handsome American who has swept into town, along with the snow?

Chloe: 'Hardy's' sounds like a beautiful shop - did you base it on any shops you've ever visited, or is it entirely from your own imagination?!

Ali: It really is the shop I wish existed, especially at Christmas time so a lot of it is from my own imagination, but I drew inspiration from wonderful old department stores in London like Liberty’s and the sadly departed Dickens and Jones. I wanted to write about a place that had once been great back in ‘the old days’ but had lost its way. I like to think that Hardy’s is as much a character as Evie is, and actually, they’re a reflection of each other. They both just need someone to uncover their true potential.

Chloe: I absolutely loved Evie and her love of vintage clothes too - is Evie based on anybody, and are you a bit of a vintage clothes fan yourself? Did you have to do a lot of research into vintage to write about them so well?

Ali: Ahh thank you, I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for her myself! She is actually loosely based on someone I worked with many (many) years ago.  My first job out of University was at Selfridges and at our morning staff meetings I was always intrigued by the stockroom girl. I didn’t particularly enjoy working there and I found myself envying the freedom of her job that meant she came and went as she pleased and didn’t have to deal with all the petty problems and politics of the shop floor. It occurred to me that although she probably felt invisible, she knew the stock better than anyone else. She was in the engine room, the heart and soul of the store and we all relied on her, whether we knew her name or not. And that’s where the idea for Miracle On Regent Street came from. And I definitely share Evie’s love of vintage clothes.  Being a teen in the 90s (the decade that fashion forgot) I always longed to wear clothes from the past – when an outfit was a statement and you didn’t need an excuse to dress up. My sister and I used to spend weekends scouring antique centres and charity shops for vintage pieces just like our mum used to wear (who was a successful hairdresser in the swinging 60s) – and that’s never left me. I have lost count of the number of beautiful vintage frocks I have in my wardrobe but as much as I love the clothes themselves, it is the stories of lives lived before that appeal to me as much.


Chloe: Miracle on Regent Street is your debut novel - how did your book deal come about and how did you feel to finally see your first novel in print?

Ali: Oh my goodness, it feels completely amazing! I know it’s a cliché but it’s honestly a dream come true. After a lifetime of writing, wanting, hoping and dreaming about it, I finally got my book deal last June when my now-editor (the utterly wonderful Maxine Hitchcock from Simon & Schuster) offered me a two-book deal after reading the first fifteen chapters of Miracle on Regent Street. Sounds like it was easy, doesn’t it? Don’t be fooled! I’m the girl that’s been rejected by practically every literary agent and publisher in London (including S&S!). But the day after I received my last rejection on a book I’d worked on for three years and had secured a literary agent with (and after crying buckets of tears) I started writing Miracle on Regent Street. Three months later I had a book deal. I am living proof that if you want something badly enough and don’t give up, you will absolutely get there in the end.

Chloe: The cover for Miracle on Regent Street isn't what you would call a traditional Christmas cover, but now I've read the book, it suits it so well. How much input did you have into the cover, and is what you imagined the cover to be like?

Ali: It is better than I could ever have imagined and I adore it! Right from the start my editor, agent and I were on the same wavelength and it was a totally collaborative process. We wanted to give a nod to the time of year without putting the focus on the Christmas element of the story, as we didn’t want that to overshadow the story itself. Personally what was important to me was how Evie looked and that Hardy’s should feature on the cover as I see Evie’s main love affair being with the store (although, don’t worry, there are a couple of hot male love interests too!)

Chloe: What do you think about the whole press barrage on Chick Lit at the moment? Are you proud for your novels to be classed as 'chick lit'?

Ali: I am an unashamed, unsurpassed SUPER-fan of chick lit and I’m absolutely honoured to be a part of this genre. It upsets me how over the past few years, critics have turned ‘chick lit’ from a fun, positive way to describe a popular genre into a derogatory phrase that is used a weapon to criticize what is, unquestionably, still a hugely successful and exceptionally important part of the fiction market. No other genres are treated with the same disdain as the chick lit market now receives. But I guess that’s what happens in all of popular culture; pop music and rom coms still live on – as will chick lit! No matter what the naysayers think. So there! (sticks out tongue at critics)

Chloe: What do you do when you aren't writing books?

Ali: Um, right now? Potty training and pureeing! (my life is SO glam!) I’ve got two young children, my little boy is 2 ½ and my daughter is 7 months – so every minute I’m not writing, I’m mum – and sometimes I’m doing both. I also still freelance for magazines, so I’m currently juggling writing articles with writing my next book, The First Last Kiss whilst the baby naps and my boy is at nursery. When I have any spare time at all I can be found with my head buried in a book (or a glass of wine. Ok, mostly the wine).

Chloe: What would be your three desert island reads, and who are some of your favourite authors?

Ali: Ooh this is hard! They’d have to be a) really long and b) a mixture of old favourites and something new. I’d take Swallows and Amazons, which is one of my all-time favourite childhood books (and handily appropriate reading matter), Lord of the Rings which counts as one book as you can buy them in a volume! (I know - cheat!) I’m pretty sure I’m the only person in the world who hasn’t read the books OR seen any of the films as I can’t ever watch a film adaptation if I think there’s even a slim chance of me reading the books one day as it would totally spoil the experience. A desert island would be a brilliant place to finally read that trilogy. And my last book would be Riders by Jilly Cooper because it’s the ultimate beach read. As for my favourite authors – there are so many! I adore Marian Keyes, (who doesn’t?!) Jennifer Weiner is a long-time favourite and I also love Lisa Jewell, Cecilia Ahern and Kate Mosse. All brilliant writers.  But there are a gazillion others I could mention too!


Chloe: Finally, are you working on your next book, and if so, could you please tell us anything about it?!

Ali: I am and it’s called The First Last Kiss. It’s a love story that focuses on Molly and Ryan, a young couple in their 20s who have always seemed destined to be together. It follows the ups and downs of their relationship and each chapter of the novel is a memory triggered by a kiss. The book examines if you can ever hold on to a love that you know slipping away from you. I’m really excited about it and hope lots of other people will be too!

Thank you so much Ali!! You can follow Ali on Twitter here and become a fan of her on Facebook!

Author Interview: Martel Maxwell

Author Martel Maxwell was kind enough to let me ask her a few questions after the release of her debut novel Scandalous which was a fun read. If you enjoy books set in the world of showbiz, it might well be the book for you. I really appreciate Martel taking the time to answer my questions, and we hope you enjoy the interview!

Q1. Tell us about your new book, Scandalous.

Scandalous is a romantic comedy following half sisters Max and Lucy Summers, lifting the lid on London’s showbiz scene.

Q2. The book is set in the world of journalism - how much did you draw on your own experiences as a journalist/broadcaster when writing the book?

Not so much from broadcasting but I poured my experiences as a showbiz reporter (I used to work on The Sun’s Bizarre desk) into Scandalous. One of the best things about the reviews (like chicklitreviews) has been the feedback that’s it offers such an accurate portrayal of the showbiz scene. Piers Morgan, who started out as an entertainment reporter, said it was a ‘waspish, funny and insightful portrayal of the mad, bad world that is Planet Showbiz.’ That’s me showing off! Max is a showbiz reporter and every A-list party she crashes, the things she does for a scoop, it’s all based on the many and varied things I used to do.

Read more »

Author Interview: Melanie Rose

Author Melanie Rose first came to my attention when I read her fabulous debut novel Could It Be Magic? and loved it. I was also intrigued by Melanie's road to becoming published by HarperCollins, and was lucky enough to ask her about her experience when she agreed to do an author interview with us. I've recently read Melanie's second book Coming Home and also loved that, so if you haven't picked up one of her books yet, make sure you do!

1. Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book, Coming Home, is my second novel published by Harper Collins and it is passing all my expectations with wonderful reviews and a slot in the top 20 Bookseller list!

I just love to write - and seeing my books in print and knowing people are enjoying my work is both gratifying and humbling.

Coming Home is actually based (loosely)on a true story. The Kitty in the story is my late grandmother, who really did have to wait for her first love to make his fortune before he married her and who sadly lost a son to illness. She really did visit relatives by the sea and almost lost her siblings on the cliff edge, and her stories are what make the characters so real.

The Kitty story is one strand in the weave of the book. I think of writing a novel as compiling a jigsaw with all the pieces fitting closely together to make the finished picture and the pieces just pop into my head and whirl around until they slot perfectly into place.


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Author Interview: Patricia Scanlan

Patricia Scanlan is one of the biggest names in women's fiction, and has held her place at the top for a good many years now. I first heard of Patricia because my mum absolutely loves her books, and is always trying to get me to read the City Girl trilogy which I must find the time to read! I recently had the pleasure of reading Patricia's latest book, a Christmas themed title called Coming Home. It was a lovely read, and Patricia was kind enough to do an interview with us, so here it is!

Q1. Tell us about your latest book "Coming Home".

Coming Home is about two sisters who have different perceptions about each other’s lives, Alison Dunwoody’s high flying financial career is on the skids when she’s made jobless due to the financial melt-down, her Upper East Side apartment is now way beyond her means and she’s far from financially secure. But pride prevents her from telling her family back home. Her sister Olivia is finding it difficult to juggle family, career, caring for their elderly uncle, trying to make preparations for Christmas and organize a surprise party for her mother’s seventieth birthday. She envies and sometimes resents Alison whom she thinks has a great life in New York. Coming home is the last thing Alison wants to do especially now that she’s met a rather dishy, sexy, down to earth neighbour who doesn’t believe in ‘non exclusive dating’ unlike her wealthy boyfriend, Jonathan. But family ties are strong and Alison comes home and gets to really know her family again especially her young nieces who are having a magical time, stirring the puddings and making wishes, lighting the candle in the window on Christmas Eve, performing their Nativity play in Church on Christmas Morning, after the excitement of Santa’s arrival, and having a very merry Christmas dinner. Alison comes to realise that the love of her family is far more important than wealth and success, Olivia recognizes how lucky she is to have a happy marriage and three lovely children and how great it’s been to have her sister home to share good times with their parents. At the end of the day, family is more important than anything.

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Author Interview: Lucy Dillon

Author Lucy Dillon first came to my attention when I read her brilliant debut novel The Ballroom Class and loved it. Since then, I've been waiting for a new release from her, and it's finally (almost!) here. Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts is due out on 26th November, and looks like a fabulous read! Lucy was kind enough to grant us an interview, so have a read to get an insight into Lucy and her life!

1. Tell us about your latest book.

My latest book, Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts, is set in Longhampton's dilapidated dog rescue, and is the story of broken-hearted Rachel's mission to pair up her late aunt's collection of waifs and strays with new owners. Rachel starts off her rehoming drive just to get the rescue emptied, so she can sell Dot's house and move on, but by the end of the novel she's discovered that there was much more mystery in Dot's life than her family ever realised, and that her real future - and a real love - might lie in a very unexpected place. You don't have to like dogs to enjoy the story - there's a big cast of friends juggling romances, dramas and laughs - but it's the sweet, silent unconditional love between Rachel and her aunt's faithful collie, Gem, that made me cry (and smile!) most when I was writing it.

2. Your brilliant debut novel The Ballroom Class was based around dancing. Is this something you enjoy doing yourself? How did you come up with a plot around a dance class?

I absolutely love dancing - it's the best escape you can have from everyday stresses and worries. You feel glamorous, energised, uplifted - a bit like a night on the champagne but without the hangover next morning. And I'd really encourage anyone who loves Strictly to book some proper ballroom lessons: knowing the steps takes some of the 'fear' out of getting up onto the floor, especially for men. The lessons I took with my husband inspired the story - we had a fantastic teacher called Diana, who told us all sorts of great dancer gossip, and we met lots of different couples and professionals while we were stumbling about, getting our feet in a muddle. My husband was a bit like Ross to begin with - not that keen, but willing to give it a go - but after a month or two, he was the most majestic waltzer I've ever seen. It sounds a bit corny, because it's exactly what happens in the novel, but we honestly did see a whole new romantic side to each other, and now you only have to show us a dancefloor for us to get our foxtrot on.

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Author Interview: Matt Dunn

I've always read books by women because generally male authors don't tend to write the sort of books I like to read. However, that changed for me when I picked up a copy of From Here to Paternity by Matt Dunn, I loved it! I then seeked out more of his books and loved both The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook and Ex-Girlfriend's United, and Leah just read and loved his latest book The Good Bride Guide. Matt's books are funny, easy to read and very enjoyable and Leah and I would thoroughly recommend them if you haven't already stumbled across Matt's books! I was thrilled to find out Matt was willing to do an interview with us, so here it is... with a little gossip about his 6th book too and the possible return of Ed and Dan!

Q1. Tell us about your latest book.
It's called The Good Bride Guide. Ben Grant is a struggling artist - and struggling to find a woman he can settle down with. With his best friend Ashif about to enter into an arranged marriage, Ben decides to enlist the help of his parents and asks them to find a bride for him. With some interesting results.

Q2. According to your website, you've had lots of jobs before becoming an author? What made you turn your hand to writing novels?
I always knew that I wanted to write. The other jobs were just a way of gaining a bit more life experience (and money!) until I could finally concentrate on writing.

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Author Interview: Fiona O'Brien

Fiona O'Brien emailed us a while ago saying she wasn't aware people in the UK knew her books existed, but I reviewed her third novel None of My Affair, and loved it. Fiona's latest book is called No Reservations and was released earlier this year! We also managed to get an interview with Fiona which you can read below.

1. Tell us about your latest novel (No Reservations).

No Reservations began as a idea of a restaurant chasing its first Michelin Star. But then the characters who frequented it kind of took over the story......here’s preview of what’s going on:

Newly opened Dominic’s is the hottest restaurant in town.
On any given day, rock stars, fashionistas, politicians, and celebrities can be found drooling over the food or the latest gossip - and the most delicious item on the menu is its divinely handsome proprietor, Dom Coleman-Cappabianca.

But Dom has rather a lot on his plate: his Italian mother Cici for starters - a glamorous Sophia Loren lookalike, who’s behaving very naughtily indeed.
Then there’s his blonde PR exec girlfriend Tanya, who seems hell bent on promoting her own interests.

Enter Italian American beauty Carla Berlusconi fleeing her native New York to escape her old fashioned father and three macho brothers. Arriving in Dublin, she hides out in Dominic’s as a waitress. But who is she? And what is her real story?

P.J. O’ Sullivan is always getting himself into hot water: the sexiest doctor in town, he loves good food, good company, and his adoring dog Bones.  But can he ever forge a relationship with his resentful son Alex? And will he ever heal from his beloved wife’s death and find true love again?
Charlotte Keating is the perfect daughter, the perfect mother and now, the perfectly behaved divorcee . But her daughter Candy is about to change all that.  Thanks to her indulgent and very rich father, Ossie Keating, Candy knows there’s nothing money can’t buy – until having too much of it proves a recipe for trouble.

From loquacious Dublin, to the eternal delights of romantic Rome, and New York, the city that never sleeps, a series of sizzling revelations ensure Dominic’s glamorous patrons discover that some things are definitely better off the menu.

And while Dominic’s chases its first Michelin Star, more than one person is forced to admit – that when love is the dish of the day, and family fidelity is tested to its limits - there’s always second helpings when it comes to love.

2. Your stories revolve about relationships. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Life. People and relationships fascinate me – particularly family dynamics.  Also, while a lot of fiction delivers happy endings, it’s important to remember that in real life, any happy ending involves a lot of compromise or indeed sometimes heartache to get there.  Life is never black and white – its shades of gray. I like to take a situation whether its a family, a marriage or a relationship and say to my reader: you might think this appears to be this way – but in fact, if we scratch beneath the surface, we’ll see that things are not quite what they appear.

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Author Interview: Claire Allan

Irish author Claire Allan recently caught my eye when I read her second book, Feels Like Maybe. I loved it, and was excited to see that Claire has another book out this month, Jumping In Puddles. Claire was nice enough to grant us an author interview and we chatted about her experience of motherhood, where she gets her ideas and her new book too! Read on...

1. Tell us about your latest book in a sentence.
Feels Like Maybe is all about friendship, babies, infertility, sexy gardeners and feckwit exes.

2. In 'Feels Like Maybe', you approach the journey of motherhood from two very different viewpoints. How much did you draw on your own personal experience to write these storylines and characters?
Aoife's birth scene was scarily like my own first time around - although I did have my husband standing beside me.
I think experiences of motherhood, especially in those early days are universal in a lot of respects. You feel sore, exhausted, paranoid about your appearance and yet a little blissed out by your knew baby. With Beth's story I spoke to several woman who had experienced or were experiencing fertility problems to make sure I set the tone just right. My first book 'Rainy Days and Tuesdays' examines post natal depression - and I did use my own experience to write that.
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Author Interview: Sheila O'Flanagan

Sheila O'Flanagan, one of Ireland's best authors, has been writing books since 1999 when her first title Suddenly Single was published. 10 years and 15 books later, Sheila's new book The Perfect Man is due for release next month in the UK (September 2009), and the paperback of her 14th novel Someone Special (which I loved!) shot to the top of the UK bestseller's list! We had a chance to ask Sheila some of our burning questions, and she was lovely enough to answer them for us. So here is the our author interview with the lovely Sheila O'Flanagan!

Q1. Tell us about your latest book in a sentence.

Romy is very happy working in Australia and away from her difficult extended family, but having to come back to Ireland to take care of her mother after an operation means that the problems she'd left behind have to be dealt with.

Q2. What inspired you to write about an archaeologist in 'Someone Special'? Do you have an interest in this subject?

Actually yes. - I'm very interested in ancient civilisations like the Romans and the Egyptians. Programmes like Time Team have made archaeology more relevant to a lot of people too. But it can be very painstaking work and I don't really have the patience for it. I went to Egypt a number of years ago and there was something amazing about seeing all those ancient monuments and tombs, knowing that they were part of such an advanced society. And more interesting than tombs of the pharoahs  were the tombs of the workers which were painted with pictures of them going about their daily lives - so there were paintings of bakers carrying sheafs of wheat, for example. But the research I did for Someone Special was on the type of dig Romy does, which are very common in Ireland and the UK. Most local/national authorities now commssion digs before they allow new building projects or roads etc to go ahead so that historical remains aren't destroyed. As I mention in the acknowledgements, the archaeologists at the site were very helpful, but I visited in February which was really cold and not very glamorous but nevertheless very, very interesting.

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Author Interview: Lindsey Kelk

Lindsey Kelk's first novel I Heart New York hit bookshops in July and has been a hit. I loved the book, and could fully imagine myself in poor old Angela's shoes, although I bet my luck wouldn't have been as good as hers! We were thrilled to see Angela's next adventure I Heart Hollywood is coming in January 2010, followed by the third installment I Heart Paris later that year. We managed to get an exclusive interview with Lindsey herself, and she gives fans a fab bit of news about her I Heart... books, read on to find out what!

Q1: Tell about us about your latest book in a sentence!
I Heart New York is a funny book about a girl who loses everything in London and has to find it all over again in New York.

Q2: Where did you get the inspiration for I Heart New York? Is Angela based on you and your experiences?
Unfortunately for me at the time, it was more based on what I wished was happening in my life rather than what was actually happening! I'd just got back from a holiday to New York, it was cold and horrible in London, I was broke after Christmas and everything in my life was just a bit generally rubbish and so I started writing the story as a way of escaping my every day life. I love New York, I love shopping and I love boys so it just made sense. Also, I think my bank manager was happier with this than another flight to New York ending up on my credit card.

Angela and I started out quite alike, we had the same job and the same hair but she went shorter and lighter and I went longer and darker. Weirdly, we're more alike now, two years after I wrote the book. I got dumped by my boyfriend of seven years and have moved to New York, so maybe I'm based on Angela? Life imitating chick lit. Although I'm not sure that's very healthy.

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Author Interview: Veronica Henry

To coincide with the review of her latest book, Marriage and Other Games, the lovely Veronica Henry said she would do a little interview with us for the blog! In case you haven't heard of her (where have you been?!), Veronica's written 7 books which have all been really successful, and she's also a scriptwriter for TV shows as well. So let's see what Veronica has to say in her interview...

1. Can you describe your latest novel in a sentence?
The theme is forgiveness - should you always be expected to forgive in a marriage, or are there times when you should forget your vows and move on?

2. How easy was it to make the transistion to writing novels from scriptwriting?
They are two very different disciplines.   Scriptwriting is collaborative, you are very much part of a team, but there are also more restrictions - time limit, budget, continuity - that have to be taken into consideration.  It also teaches you the craft of plotting, which was useful when I jumped ship.  With novels you have more freedom, but you have to motivate yourself.  I love both, but feel I am able to put more of myself into my novels.

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