Camilla Isley's Blog - Posts Tagged "interview"
Guest Post for Whispering Stories
Originally posted at http://whisperingstories.com/guest-po...
Getting to Know – Camilla Isley
1) In your book, "I Wish for You", Ally visits a flea market, where she first notices the magical box. Have you ever been to a flea market, and if so what was your best purchase?
Yes, I love flea markets. Actually last time I went it was with my mom, it’s what gave me the idea in the first place.
She was really looking for a flower rack… Also I like to collect old, rusty keys. The weirdest the better. I use them sometimes to make place cards. You can print or write the name on the card, cut it in the shape you prefer and tie it to the key with a colored ribbon.
2) Talking about flea markets, are you any good at haggling?
I love to haggle, it’s part of the fun. Also in my previous job I was a Purchasing Manager, so negotiating really is in my blood.
3) When the box is opened, Arthur magically appears. If you could have anyone famous magically appear in your house, who would it be and why?
Well Arthur is from the past, so if I could really summon everyone to my living room I would create a writing group with Jane Austen, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens, Bram Stoker, and Mark Twain.
I would also invite Cleopatra along to give us some inspiration.
4) Arthur is hundreds of years old. If you could time travel back in time, which era would you like to visit?
Since I was young I’ve always been fascinated by the Middle Ages.
One of my favorite classics is "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court" by Mark Twain, and I love to read historical fiction set in those times (The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is another one of my favorite books).
I am sure that like many others, I am probably over-romanticizing the era. Living in the Middle Ages must have been tough. However, for fantasy-travelling it’s just perfect… there are impervious castles, valiant knights, gentle dames, and battles to fight.
Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, UK
I love a good intrigue, and when I was searching for a character that came from the past, I wanted him to be from the Middle Ages. Arthur of Brittany really disappeared mysteriously without leaving any trace. He was the perfect match for my story.
5) After visiting the past, you are taken on a journey in to the future. What futuristic gadgets would you hope had been invented?
Mmm, let me see. My first choice would be a teleportation device. Wouldn’t it be awesome to just enter inside a box in your home and be transported wherever you like in the world?
Then I would like a phone that gets charged by movement, no more battery cord.
A cleaning robot that could dust not only the floor but also furniture, clean the kitchen, bathrooms, do the laundry, and iron too.
Finally, I would like a gravity bag. A shoulder bag that you can fill to the brim, but that will always feel light as a feather. The natural evolution of this product would be in gravity luggage.
I really had fun with this answer, I love thinking about crazy stuff.
Read full post at http://whisperingstories.com/guest-po...
Camilla Isley
Getting to Know – Camilla Isley
1) In your book, "I Wish for You", Ally visits a flea market, where she first notices the magical box. Have you ever been to a flea market, and if so what was your best purchase?
Yes, I love flea markets. Actually last time I went it was with my mom, it’s what gave me the idea in the first place.
She was really looking for a flower rack… Also I like to collect old, rusty keys. The weirdest the better. I use them sometimes to make place cards. You can print or write the name on the card, cut it in the shape you prefer and tie it to the key with a colored ribbon.
2) Talking about flea markets, are you any good at haggling?
I love to haggle, it’s part of the fun. Also in my previous job I was a Purchasing Manager, so negotiating really is in my blood.
3) When the box is opened, Arthur magically appears. If you could have anyone famous magically appear in your house, who would it be and why?
Well Arthur is from the past, so if I could really summon everyone to my living room I would create a writing group with Jane Austen, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens, Bram Stoker, and Mark Twain.
I would also invite Cleopatra along to give us some inspiration.
4) Arthur is hundreds of years old. If you could time travel back in time, which era would you like to visit?
Since I was young I’ve always been fascinated by the Middle Ages.
One of my favorite classics is "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court" by Mark Twain, and I love to read historical fiction set in those times (The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is another one of my favorite books).
I am sure that like many others, I am probably over-romanticizing the era. Living in the Middle Ages must have been tough. However, for fantasy-travelling it’s just perfect… there are impervious castles, valiant knights, gentle dames, and battles to fight.
Bodiam Castle, East Sussex, UK
I love a good intrigue, and when I was searching for a character that came from the past, I wanted him to be from the Middle Ages. Arthur of Brittany really disappeared mysteriously without leaving any trace. He was the perfect match for my story.
5) After visiting the past, you are taken on a journey in to the future. What futuristic gadgets would you hope had been invented?
Mmm, let me see. My first choice would be a teleportation device. Wouldn’t it be awesome to just enter inside a box in your home and be transported wherever you like in the world?
Then I would like a phone that gets charged by movement, no more battery cord.
A cleaning robot that could dust not only the floor but also furniture, clean the kitchen, bathrooms, do the laundry, and iron too.
Finally, I would like a gravity bag. A shoulder bag that you can fill to the brim, but that will always feel light as a feather. The natural evolution of this product would be in gravity luggage.
I really had fun with this answer, I love thinking about crazy stuff.
Read full post at http://whisperingstories.com/guest-po...
Camilla Isley
Guest Post for Agi & Suze's Christmas Countdown
Originally posted at:
Suze's blog http://bit.ly/1PgjJ7D
Agi's Blog http://bit.ly/1YwcyKT
Agi & Suze's Christmas Countdown: Interview with Camilla Isley
1) What’s your best Christmas memory?
My best Christmas memories are definitely from when I was a kid, there’s nothing like the enthusiasm of when you’re little and open your presents to find all the toys you liked the most. Christmas makes me want to go back in time like no other holiday.
2) What are your 3 favourite Christmas reads?
The Night of Wishes by Michael Ende, it’s not really a Christmas story, more of a New Year’s one but it always gets me in the festive mood and it’s a book I love.
Around Christmas I get a craving for Harry Potter, I’ve re-started the series many times around this period of the year. Sometimes I binge read the entire series, sometimes just one book, and sometime just some of my favorite passages.
I always re-read Twas the Night before Christmas A Visit from St. Nicholas…
3) If you could choose one person, dead or alive, to celebrate a one time special Christmas with, who would you choose and why?
It would be my grandmother Maria. She left us a couple of years ago and I miss her a lot especially at Christmas. This was her holyday, she still cooked the meal from scratches for the entire family when she was ninety one years old. She was the best person in the world, so kind, so generous. I love her so much.
4) What are your thoughts about Santa?
What can I say, I wish he was real!
5) What are your best and worst Christmas gifts and why?
... Read the entire post here:
Agi's Blog http://bit.ly/1YwcyKT
Suze's blog http://bit.ly/1PgjJ7D
Suze's blog http://bit.ly/1PgjJ7D
Agi's Blog http://bit.ly/1YwcyKT
Agi & Suze's Christmas Countdown: Interview with Camilla Isley
1) What’s your best Christmas memory?
My best Christmas memories are definitely from when I was a kid, there’s nothing like the enthusiasm of when you’re little and open your presents to find all the toys you liked the most. Christmas makes me want to go back in time like no other holiday.
2) What are your 3 favourite Christmas reads?
The Night of Wishes by Michael Ende, it’s not really a Christmas story, more of a New Year’s one but it always gets me in the festive mood and it’s a book I love.
Around Christmas I get a craving for Harry Potter, I’ve re-started the series many times around this period of the year. Sometimes I binge read the entire series, sometimes just one book, and sometime just some of my favorite passages.
I always re-read Twas the Night before Christmas A Visit from St. Nicholas…
3) If you could choose one person, dead or alive, to celebrate a one time special Christmas with, who would you choose and why?
It would be my grandmother Maria. She left us a couple of years ago and I miss her a lot especially at Christmas. This was her holyday, she still cooked the meal from scratches for the entire family when she was ninety one years old. She was the best person in the world, so kind, so generous. I love her so much.
4) What are your thoughts about Santa?
What can I say, I wish he was real!
5) What are your best and worst Christmas gifts and why?
... Read the entire post here:
Agi's Blog http://bit.ly/1YwcyKT
Suze's blog http://bit.ly/1PgjJ7D
Interview with Petra at Words Have the Power
Meet Camilla Isley, the author of I Wish For You!
When I finished reading Camilla Isley debut novel,
I invited the author for a virtual cup of Skinny Caramel Macchiato and a chat about her dream career and her idea of a perfect romantic day in Chicago. Enjoy!
Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Camilla?
I’m a mechanical engineer who would have never dreamed to become a writer. I was used to dealing with numbers and formulas, not words. But books have always been my favorite escape, I’ve always liked to invent stories, only, until now, they’d stayed hidden inside my head. It’s so great to have them finally out in the open.
Is writing books your dream profession?
It is now, but never in a million years I would have imagined this future for myself. I often joke about it with my husband, if someone five years ago had come to me and said: “Five years from now, you’d have quit your job, you’d be married, you’d be living in the United States, and you’d be writing books.” I would have thought there wasn’t a more unlikely prediction about my life, and yet, here I am…doing exactly that and loving it.
Do you prefer Tea or Coffee when you write/ read?
Coffee, coffee, coffee. I actually dislike tea to death, like really hate the taste. My favorite Starbucks drink is a Skinny Caramel Macchiato.
Have you got any favourite Romagic books?
Absolutely. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, it’s not exactly magic, but I’ll include a romantic ghost story in the category. Don’t You Forget About Me by Alexandra Potter, loved this one. I also enjoyed Yours Truly by Kirsty Greenwood.
What are your favourite places in Chicago?
I always tend to orbit near the downtown area, Gold Coast, Near North and sometimes Loop and Lincoln Park. I love walking up and down Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, or visiting the free Lincoln Park Zoo. There are so many great bars and restaurants I can’t possibly name them all.
Describe your idea of a perfect romantic day and night in Chicago?
Let’s make a big assumption first by saying we’re in warm—or at least not-freezing-to-death—weather, which in Chicago can be a big if.
I would start my date with a brunch at le Café Des Architectes a contemporary French restaurant inside the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel. Their croissants are to die for, and I just love the food there. If you’re in the mood for something more American, I’d suggest The Original Pancake House in Bellevue Place. I love their pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries, but really you can find all brunch classics there. You can’t book a table and in the weekends it might get busy, but the turnaround is pretty quick and I never waited in line for long.
Then, I would walk down Michigan Avenue and just enjoy the city and the shops’ windows. I would stop at the Chicago River and take a historical boat tour; Chicago is so beautiful seen from the river. Or, if you’re more sporty, you could rent kayaks and paddle your way up and down the river. I’ve tried it and it’s fun. However, being used to kayaking in an un-trafficked lake, the Chicago River was a bit too busy, with all its boats and currents, for me to relax. (I also might have bumped into my husband’s kayak full frontal almost knocking him off in the river and risking a serious conjugal incident.)
After the river, I would take a walk in Millennium Park, see the bean, and then I’d be ready for some early pre-dinner drinks. I’d choose Pops for Champagne where you can order a glass of Champagne and some nice food to nib along.
After the brunch and the sliders I don’t think I’d have any room left for dinner…I would end the day with another walk around the block and a goodnight kiss.
What are you plotting for next year?
I have a couple of ideas buzzing in my head. I hope my next book will be a “Sliding Doors” kind of story, but I still have no idea how to write about parallel universes, so we’ll see.
Thank you Petra for hosting me...
When I finished reading Camilla Isley debut novel,
I invited the author for a virtual cup of Skinny Caramel Macchiato and a chat about her dream career and her idea of a perfect romantic day in Chicago. Enjoy!Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Camilla?
I’m a mechanical engineer who would have never dreamed to become a writer. I was used to dealing with numbers and formulas, not words. But books have always been my favorite escape, I’ve always liked to invent stories, only, until now, they’d stayed hidden inside my head. It’s so great to have them finally out in the open.
Is writing books your dream profession?
It is now, but never in a million years I would have imagined this future for myself. I often joke about it with my husband, if someone five years ago had come to me and said: “Five years from now, you’d have quit your job, you’d be married, you’d be living in the United States, and you’d be writing books.” I would have thought there wasn’t a more unlikely prediction about my life, and yet, here I am…doing exactly that and loving it.
Do you prefer Tea or Coffee when you write/ read?
Coffee, coffee, coffee. I actually dislike tea to death, like really hate the taste. My favorite Starbucks drink is a Skinny Caramel Macchiato.
Have you got any favourite Romagic books?
Absolutely. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, it’s not exactly magic, but I’ll include a romantic ghost story in the category. Don’t You Forget About Me by Alexandra Potter, loved this one. I also enjoyed Yours Truly by Kirsty Greenwood.
What are your favourite places in Chicago?
I always tend to orbit near the downtown area, Gold Coast, Near North and sometimes Loop and Lincoln Park. I love walking up and down Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, or visiting the free Lincoln Park Zoo. There are so many great bars and restaurants I can’t possibly name them all.
Describe your idea of a perfect romantic day and night in Chicago?
Let’s make a big assumption first by saying we’re in warm—or at least not-freezing-to-death—weather, which in Chicago can be a big if.
I would start my date with a brunch at le Café Des Architectes a contemporary French restaurant inside the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower Hotel. Their croissants are to die for, and I just love the food there. If you’re in the mood for something more American, I’d suggest The Original Pancake House in Bellevue Place. I love their pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries, but really you can find all brunch classics there. You can’t book a table and in the weekends it might get busy, but the turnaround is pretty quick and I never waited in line for long.
Then, I would walk down Michigan Avenue and just enjoy the city and the shops’ windows. I would stop at the Chicago River and take a historical boat tour; Chicago is so beautiful seen from the river. Or, if you’re more sporty, you could rent kayaks and paddle your way up and down the river. I’ve tried it and it’s fun. However, being used to kayaking in an un-trafficked lake, the Chicago River was a bit too busy, with all its boats and currents, for me to relax. (I also might have bumped into my husband’s kayak full frontal almost knocking him off in the river and risking a serious conjugal incident.)
After the river, I would take a walk in Millennium Park, see the bean, and then I’d be ready for some early pre-dinner drinks. I’d choose Pops for Champagne where you can order a glass of Champagne and some nice food to nib along.
After the brunch and the sliders I don’t think I’d have any room left for dinner…I would end the day with another walk around the block and a goodnight kiss.
What are you plotting for next year?
I have a couple of ideas buzzing in my head. I hope my next book will be a “Sliding Doors” kind of story, but I still have no idea how to write about parallel universes, so we’ll see.
Thank you Petra for hosting me...
Interview and Giveaway Guest Post
Originally posted at www.withloveforbooks.com
Check out my interview and enter for a chance to win a 10$ GIFT CARD (open internationally)
Reading in the Sun - Interview with Camilla Isley & Giveaway
1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi, I’m Camilla and I’m a Bookaholic. My passion for reading came from my parents and I started very young. My mom is to praise for handing me my first Sophie Kinsella book and—drum roll here—my first Harry Potter. My dad is responsible for my addiction to historical fiction. I’m responsible for my own fantasy obsession. Becoming a writer came naturally from reading so much I think.
2. What kind of books do you bring with you when you go on holiday?
I like to mix. I usually bring some chick lit or romantic comedies and usually something more middle ages, be it historical fiction or fantasy. For example on my latest vacation I read First Comes Love by Emily Giffin and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Of course I’ve already put on hold Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at my library, I’m third in line and I can’t wait.
3. If you could spend a sunny day anywhere how would your perfect day look like?
Wake up at dawn—possible only when I travel west and have many hours of jetlag on my side. Walk on the beach toward a coffee shop. Eat breakfast watching the sun rise over the ocean. Another romantic beach walk with my husband. Relax all day: reading, swimming in the preferably-warm sea, sun bathing. Out to dinner. Back to bed—the same jetlag makes you sleepy super early.
4. Could you tell us about your hobbies (when you are not writing or reading)?
...
View the full post and enter the giveaway here!
Check out my interview and enter for a chance to win a 10$ GIFT CARD (open internationally)
Reading in the Sun - Interview with Camilla Isley & Giveaway
1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi, I’m Camilla and I’m a Bookaholic. My passion for reading came from my parents and I started very young. My mom is to praise for handing me my first Sophie Kinsella book and—drum roll here—my first Harry Potter. My dad is responsible for my addiction to historical fiction. I’m responsible for my own fantasy obsession. Becoming a writer came naturally from reading so much I think.
2. What kind of books do you bring with you when you go on holiday?
I like to mix. I usually bring some chick lit or romantic comedies and usually something more middle ages, be it historical fiction or fantasy. For example on my latest vacation I read First Comes Love by Emily Giffin and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Of course I’ve already put on hold Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at my library, I’m third in line and I can’t wait.
3. If you could spend a sunny day anywhere how would your perfect day look like?
Wake up at dawn—possible only when I travel west and have many hours of jetlag on my side. Walk on the beach toward a coffee shop. Eat breakfast watching the sun rise over the ocean. Another romantic beach walk with my husband. Relax all day: reading, swimming in the preferably-warm sea, sun bathing. Out to dinner. Back to bed—the same jetlag makes you sleepy super early.
4. Could you tell us about your hobbies (when you are not writing or reading)?
...
View the full post and enter the giveaway here!
