Posts Tagged ‘Author Interview’

Author Martel Maxwell was kind enough to let us 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.

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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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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 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… it even made it onto our Winters Warmers list! 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.

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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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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.

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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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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.

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