Susan Buchanan's Blog, page 20
February 14, 2013
A Special Valentine's Post
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you enjoy it, whether you are shirking the commercial nature of the day, being inundated with roses and chocolates, or celebrating singledom and happy about it.
I thought it might be fun to ask Gill's dates what they would get her for Valentine's Day, if they were lucky enough to still be with her then, and where they would take her on the night itself. So let's hear what the guys from The Dating Game had to say. Enjoy!
First up - Anton!
Well, I would probably buy her tickets to a Shostakovich concert, or perhaps Stravinsky, as I know she loves classical music. If money were no object, I'd love to take her to Vienna, to the concert hall there. In reality, perhaps I'd take her to a Russian restaurant, to see what she makes of our cuisine and culture. It's not all borscht you know. That's beetroot soup, to those who don't know.
Next- Charlie.
Well, depending on how well I knew her by then, it might be lingerie from Agent Provacateur - expensive, I know, but worth it. I can just picture her curves in a little number I saw in their window recently.
I'd take her to a spa hotel, where she could be pampered and we could stay overnight and eat seafood and drink fine wines. Of course, it would have to be a few days before or after the day itself, as I spend Valentine's Day with my daughter.
Sean - Hmm. Let's see. I don't really know her well enough yet to decide, although I'd like to, so I might try and get her some Irish handmade chocolates and a huge A2 size card.
If there were any good gigs on, I'd take her to one of those, after a meal at a traditional Scottish restaurant. In fact, I still have some contacts in the music industry, let me see what tickets I can get.
Gary - Oh wow, what a question. What do women like? I'd probably go to Frasers or Debenhams and ask the sales assistant's advice on the 'in' perfume to get. And I love to get girls soft toys - all women like teddy bears, don't they? I'd go to Build A Bear and design one specially. And roses never go wrong do they?
I'd take her to a fine dining restaurant, preferably small and intimate, but nothing too flashy.
Liam - I'd like to buy her a dress. She has a beautiful figure and she covers it up far too much. She has great legs. I'd also buy her a bracelet, necklace or some other piece of jewellery - not too expensive - don't want to scare her off - it's early days yet.
I'd take her to a restaurant far from the city, or perhaps I would cook for her. Yes, in fact, I would cook for her. I love to cook and without boasting, I'm pretty good. I'd set my dining room up like a small restaurant, to show I had made the effort and to have everything perfect.
Well, guys and girls, these are just some of the men Gill dates in THE DATING GAME. So which do you think she should choose? And which scenario interests you most?
Tune in tomorrow for an interview with US chicklit author Meredith Schorr and enjoy the rest of Valentine's Day.
Sooz
I thought it might be fun to ask Gill's dates what they would get her for Valentine's Day, if they were lucky enough to still be with her then, and where they would take her on the night itself. So let's hear what the guys from The Dating Game had to say. Enjoy!
First up - Anton!
Well, I would probably buy her tickets to a Shostakovich concert, or perhaps Stravinsky, as I know she loves classical music. If money were no object, I'd love to take her to Vienna, to the concert hall there. In reality, perhaps I'd take her to a Russian restaurant, to see what she makes of our cuisine and culture. It's not all borscht you know. That's beetroot soup, to those who don't know.
Next- Charlie.
Well, depending on how well I knew her by then, it might be lingerie from Agent Provacateur - expensive, I know, but worth it. I can just picture her curves in a little number I saw in their window recently.
I'd take her to a spa hotel, where she could be pampered and we could stay overnight and eat seafood and drink fine wines. Of course, it would have to be a few days before or after the day itself, as I spend Valentine's Day with my daughter.
Sean - Hmm. Let's see. I don't really know her well enough yet to decide, although I'd like to, so I might try and get her some Irish handmade chocolates and a huge A2 size card.
If there were any good gigs on, I'd take her to one of those, after a meal at a traditional Scottish restaurant. In fact, I still have some contacts in the music industry, let me see what tickets I can get.
Gary - Oh wow, what a question. What do women like? I'd probably go to Frasers or Debenhams and ask the sales assistant's advice on the 'in' perfume to get. And I love to get girls soft toys - all women like teddy bears, don't they? I'd go to Build A Bear and design one specially. And roses never go wrong do they?
I'd take her to a fine dining restaurant, preferably small and intimate, but nothing too flashy.
Liam - I'd like to buy her a dress. She has a beautiful figure and she covers it up far too much. She has great legs. I'd also buy her a bracelet, necklace or some other piece of jewellery - not too expensive - don't want to scare her off - it's early days yet.
I'd take her to a restaurant far from the city, or perhaps I would cook for her. Yes, in fact, I would cook for her. I love to cook and without boasting, I'm pretty good. I'd set my dining room up like a small restaurant, to show I had made the effort and to have everything perfect.
Well, guys and girls, these are just some of the men Gill dates in THE DATING GAME. So which do you think she should choose? And which scenario interests you most?
Tune in tomorrow for an interview with US chicklit author Meredith Schorr and enjoy the rest of Valentine's Day.
Sooz
February 13, 2013
Grand Prize Winners - Heartbreaker Blog Hop
Just a quick note to announce the Grand Prize Winners for the Heartbreaker Blog Hop -
Kindle Fire Winner - Ashley M
$100 Amazon voucher winner - Jess987
Swag Pack - Meghan Stith
Congratulations!
Kindle Fire Winner - Ashley M
$100 Amazon voucher winner - Jess987
Swag Pack - Meghan Stith
Congratulations!
The Liebster Award 2013
Many of you will recall that I received this award in 2012 - well, we made it to Feb 2013, without me being nominated again!
Anyway, thanks to fellow author Sandra Nikolai for the nomination.
As required by the Liebster nominee, I’ve pasted the Liebster award in my blog post and will provide a link back to the nominator's blog. In my case, it's Sandra at http://sandranikolaiauthor.blogspot.caNext I have to list 11 random facts about me, then answer the 11 questions asked by the person who nominated me.
I then proceed to nominate 11 bloggers to follow after me and come up with 11 new questions for them. I post the whole thing on my blog, hoping to bring new readers to it. Of course I am giving 11 random facts which are different from last year's!Right, let's get out of the starting blocks then! 1) I have 3 nephews, who I like to refer to as Hewy, Dewey and Louie, although they are more crazy!2) I'm currently 7 months pregnant with my first baby - at 40!3)I have published 2 novels and already have another 7 in the pipeline - never a shortage of ideas4) I ran the Glasgow 10K in 53 mins 36 seconds in 20115) I am very accident prone, or I would have been running in the Great Scots Run half-marathon - but had to pull out a few weeks before through injury6) I love food! Pretty much any food, most cuisines - I once ate crocodile in a cream sauce - didn't like it much! 7) I get really ratty when I get bad customer service and I am not slow to point it out! (used to work in customer service aeons ago - there's no excuse for bad service!)8) My dad was a gymnast and I have a cousin who was an Olympic boxer. Myself and my two sisters were track athletes.9) I've been to Japan twice - once there was an earthquake and the other time a typhoon - I'm not in a mad rush to go back.
10) If I were to write a non-fiction book, it would be a travel guide, as I am travel daft. 11) I really don't like reality TV programmes. I can handle house makeover programmes (sometimes) and cooking programmes, but celebrity for celebrity's sake 'does my head in'! Now for the 11 question posed by author Sandra Nikolai:-1) Are you a morning person?Yep, but not a 5 o'clock riser, but even at the weekend I am up at pretty much the same time. 2) What inspires you to blog?I initially started blogging when I published my first book, Sign of the Times and I wanted to have somewhere readers could find me and find out about my work. I originally posted progress reports and 'tips' for writers, but then I decided to do book reviews and interviews with other authors, as I was so busy writing, I had no time to read. The only way I could read was if I set myself a book to review! 3) What is your current or next WIP about?My next novel, due out Nov 2013 is called What If and is about a guy called Cameron who wakes up one day and wonders if he's living the life he's supposed to be. He then sets out to change things, revisiting his past, to see if he can work out the future.4) What is the one thing you’d like to do but haven’t had the opportunity?I'd like to have either my own language school - I speak five languages - or my own writing workshop/bookstore.5)Name one of your favorite fictional characters and explain your choice.I love Bridget Jones. When the book first came out, everyone said she was based on me! I figure I am not the only person who has ever been told that! Blue soup was something I could aspire to!6) What is your pet peeve?Lateness in others. Unless there is a really good reason why they are late, it's pretty much saying, my time is more important than yours. It bugs me no end!7) What would be your ideal holiday getaway?If a beach holiday, Bora Bora is somewhere I would love to go and never been. Being a travel nut, hard to pick just one. I'd love to go on safari to South Africa and also go to the Masai Mara. I'd also love to go to New Zealand to the Marlborough wine region and tour all the vineyards, hic!
8) Who/what did you want to be when you grew up?I wanted to be a linguist - a translator/interpreter. I didn't quite do that exactly, but since I left university 17 years ago, there have only been two years where I haven't used my languages. I worked in European and then International Sales.9) What is your biggest regret?Not winning the Scottish athletics championships when I was teenager. I came fifth.10) Name two of your favorite cities in the world.Barcelona - I used to live there and in fact, part of my second novel, The Dating Game is set there - it's so cosmopolitan, but with such history and the food is amazing and the Catalan people are so hardworking.
New York - I've been three times and love it. My fave place is Bryant Park. I love the people, the food (surprise!) the restaurants, and the fact there is so much to do. I love the bookshops and cafes of Greenwich Village. Plus I love the theatre aspect. 11) What are the best five words that would describe you?Chatterbox, outgoing, determined, impatient and loyal And now for my questions to my nominated bloggers who are: Carol Hedges - author of Jigsaw Pieces among others - www.carolhedges.blogspot.comVanessa Wester - author of Hybrid - www.vanessawesterwriter.blogspot.comSamantha Stroh-Bailey - author of Finding Lucas - www.samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.caLibby Mercer - author of Unmasking Maya - www.libby-mercer.blogspot.comKat at The Book Tart - excellent book reviewer - www.thebooktart.comMonique McDonell - author of Hearts Afire - www.moniquemcdonell.weebly.comCarol Wright - another amazing book reviewer - www.dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.comNE David - author of Feria and Carol's Christmas - www.nedavidauthor.com/blog-1Estelle Wilkinson - author of It Started With A Click - www.estellewilkinson.wordpress.comMeredith Schorr - author of A State of Jane - www.meredithschorr.comMarina Stevkovska - book reviewer of varied tastes - www.chicklibrarycat.blogspot.co.uk 1) I have a penchant for Rupert Penry Jones - who is your Rupert Penry Jones?2) Countryside, seaside or mountains?3) Soap operas, dramas or comedies?4) If you're a writer, which genre would you like to write in, which you haven't yet? If a blogger, which genre would you consider reviewing, which you haven't yet?5) If you were a sport, what would it be and why?6) Chocolate or cheese and which type? - yes, you really do have to choose between them!
7) Wackiest activity you have ever participated in (eg bungee jumping)8) Describe your ideal house/home?9) Any pets? Tell us about them. If not, would you like to have a pet if circumstances were different? Which? Why?10) Favourite Valentine's activity - keep it clean!11) In your opinion, where is the most romantic place in the world. That's it folks! Hope you nominees enjoy it! Tune in tomorrow, Valentine's Day for a special post.
February 12, 2013
A Taste of Tuesday - tapas on Monique McDonell's blog
Afternoon chaps and chapesses! I did tell you it would be a busy week here on the blog.
I was invited by fellow author, Australian Monique McDonell to participate in her Taste of Tuesday pieces - in my case a recipe chosen to tie in with the girls' trip to Barcelona in The Dating Game. Oh and I gave Monique a few bits of info about myself and my tastes too!
Enjoy!
http://moniquemcdonell.weebly.com/2/post/2013/02/taste-of-tuesday-with-susan-buchanan.html
Tune in tomorrow, for the Liebster award post - what did I answer, what questions did I ask and who did I nominate...
Sooz
I was invited by fellow author, Australian Monique McDonell to participate in her Taste of Tuesday pieces - in my case a recipe chosen to tie in with the girls' trip to Barcelona in The Dating Game. Oh and I gave Monique a few bits of info about myself and my tastes too!
Enjoy!
http://moniquemcdonell.weebly.com/2/post/2013/02/taste-of-tuesday-with-susan-buchanan.html
Tune in tomorrow, for the Liebster award post - what did I answer, what questions did I ask and who did I nominate...
Sooz
The Dating Game on Chicklibrarycat Blog
Morning everyone - just a quick post for now and I'll be back again later.
First of all, congratulations to Lisa O who won The Dating Game ecopy from the Heartbreaker Blog Hop. The Grand Prize winners will be announced in the next few days, once I have heard back from the organisers.
AND, I was lucky enough for Marina at Chicklibrarycat Blog to read and review The Dating Game - here is her review and a special excerpt pre-Valentine's Day of Gill and how life is going for her.
http://chicklibrarycat.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-dating-game-by-susan-buchanan.html
http://chicklibrarycat.blogspot.com/2013/02/excerpt-dating-game-by-susan-buchanan.html
Enjoy!
Sooz
First of all, congratulations to Lisa O who won The Dating Game ecopy from the Heartbreaker Blog Hop. The Grand Prize winners will be announced in the next few days, once I have heard back from the organisers.
AND, I was lucky enough for Marina at Chicklibrarycat Blog to read and review The Dating Game - here is her review and a special excerpt pre-Valentine's Day of Gill and how life is going for her.
http://chicklibrarycat.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-dating-game-by-susan-buchanan.html
http://chicklibrarycat.blogspot.com/2013/02/excerpt-dating-game-by-susan-buchanan.html
Enjoy!
Sooz
February 8, 2013
Heartbreaker Blog Hop
Morning everyone and welcome to the Heartbreaker Blog Hop. Lots of prizes to be won, so stay tuned after my Heartbreaker post on how to get your mitts on them.
Since it's Valentine's Day (nearly), myself and the almost 300 participating authors and book reviewers/bloggers have chosen to talk about heartbreakers in our books or books we have read. Enjoy!
I will also be giving away an ecopy of THE DATING GAME (fitting really!)
What constitutes a heartbreaker? Is it always a motorcycle-riding, leather jacket-wearing James Dean lookalike?
No.
The truth is in real life and in fiction, it can be anyone, as everyone’s taste is different. Yes, it can be the typical bad boy, but it can also be the person who doesn’t share your feelings, or who might not even know you exist or realise how you feel.
These comments work just as well for men as for women. In Sign of the Times, Lucy is a heartbreaker, as she doesn’t believe in monogamy, although she has a long-term boyfriend. Dario also is a heartbreaker, but without meaning to. His very presence, although he is basically a decent guy, makes women fall at his feet. Ben is too scared to tell his new girlfriend about his past, causing a rift between them. Tom, had other events not unfolded could have left Holly’s heart shattered. As it is he breaks someone else’s. Even Oscar, although provoked, and with cause, breaks his wife’s heart.
A heartbreaker can also be someone who does have feelings for you, but is unable to show it in the way you need - perhaps they are not particularly demonstrative, or cover their lack of ability to display their feelings with humour or sarcasm, meaning you think they are being cruel.
My favourite contemporary heartbreaker is Daniel Cleaver in Bridget Jones’ Diary. Who didn’t feel for Bridget then?
In The Dating Game, after sharing a rather intimate evening together, what happens next is most unexpected between Gill and Anton, the sexy, sophisticated, kind Russian research scientist she likes. Gill’s heart is definitely in pieces.
Charlie, poles apart from Anton, is a quintessential heartbreaker. He hasn’t been truthful with Gill from the start, but has been charming and oozes sex appeal, including that pre-requisite leather jacket à la Tom Cruise in Top Gun! He sets his sights on Gill and nothing, but nothing will get in his way.
Sean, the Irishman with the twinkle in his eye, could have been cause for heartbreak, too, if he hadn’t revealed his true colours early on, since Gill really liked him and his sense of fun, plus she’s a sucker for an accent.
Liam broke Gill’s heart for totally different reasons, but I can’t share those with you here, as that would be a major spoiler. But let’s just say it brings me back to even the good guys can break your heart.
So what do our heartbreakers have to do to not break our hearts? Be truthful, but not insulting. Be open, tell us how they feel. Be sensitive to our feelings. Be aware of how their comments can affect us. Be aware of what behaviour is acceptable. Be able to read us.
It’s not asking much is it...?! Hope you find your Valentine. Sooz You can hop over to the other 300 blogs on this blog hop and enter on each one if you wish, to give yourself even more chances of winning the Grand Prizes. Everything except the Swag Prize is international. The Swag Prize is US only, as it would cost the GDP of a small country to send it outside the US! To visit the other blogs click here:- http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/ Now to the prizes!
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet2nd Grand Prize: A $100 Amazon or B&N Gift Card3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more! To enter the Grand Prize draw simply leave a comment on my blog post.
To be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Dating Game leave a comment or use the Rafflecopter form below to have more chances of winning.
Or if you can't wait that long, as always The Dating Game can be bought here:- http://amzn.to/RuSl7Y (UK) http://amzn.to/WZQtZK (US)
and Sign of the Times can be bought here:- http://amzn.to/GKqZGd (UK) http://amzn.to/IYN0Fc (US)
a Rafflecopter giveaway Tune in on Tue 12th for the winners and for an interview with US chicklit author Meredith Schorr.
February 6, 2013
Review of A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr
Morning all
Is it still snowing where you are?
Well, if you're snowed in or not, and fancy something lighthearted to read, you could do a lot worse than today's book - A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr.
And, you're in luck, as Meredith has kindly offered a Kindle copy of her book to one lucky reader - yay!
All you have to do is leave a comment on the blog post to be in with a chance of winning. Good luck!
Jane Frank is ready to fall in love. It's been a year since her long term relationship ended and far too long since the last time she was kissed. With the LSAT coming up she needs to find a long term boyfriend (or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her father's law firm. There's just one problem: All the guys in New York are flakes. They seemingly drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation. Should she join her best friend Marissa in singlehood, making cupcakes and watching True Blood? Or should she follow her co-worker Andrew's advice and turn the game back on those who scorned her? As Jane attempts to juggle her own responsibilities and put up with the problems of everyone around her, she starts to realize that the dating life isn't as easy as she originally thought.
So what did I think?
Does what it says on the tin - great chicklit!
I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the author and in exchange I am happy to offer an honest review.
I had loved the cover and the dippiness it supposed about the protagonist straight from the off.
I read this book over a few days and the highest accolade I can give it is that I put down my Marian Keyes' hardback in favour of reading this on Kindle.
Jane having split up with her previous partner, Bob, over a year ago, is now ready to start looking for Mr Right again. But she is too formulaic about it - has too fixed an idea of how it should happen. She forgets to register for a really important event, so caught up is she in finding Mr Right. She goes through a wide variety of Mr Wrongs along the way.
The most truthful thing I took away from this book and which I am sure many of us can relate to, whether now or in the past, is how you can become completely self-absorbed either in the search for that someone special, or when you finally find them, that you ignore everyone else around you, to the detriment of your platonic and familial relationships. Jane is really selfish for much of the novel. There are also hilarious escapades, such as becoming a daredevil and creating an alter-ego Frances, or unleashing a statement at her ex-boyfriend's housewarming party, which she immediately wishes she could take back. I particularly liked the scene with the old lady on the bus and the poignancy of how that related to sisters. There was one big twist right at the end, which I saw coming but with a different person and for different reasons, but twist there was and very well executed. There were also plenty of red herrings along the way and it was interesting to learn about Eharmony and how vetting a potential mate on these sites works.
Jane's relationships with her friends and work colleagues, also felt very real and seeing some of the roles reversed along the way and/or Jane taking some comments too literally only added to the enjoyment of the novel.
Good solid chicklit. Would be happy to read another by this author.
You can pick up your copy of A State of Jane here: http://amzn.to/VOSd5G (UK) & http://amzn.to/11FcgJ2 (US) It's also available in paperback.
B&N :http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-state-of-jane-meredith-schorr/1112799844?ean=9781935961697
iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-state-of-jane/id562887940?mt=11
Stop by on Friday for the Heartbreaker Blog Hop - lots of prizes to be won. You've got to be in it to win it, after all!
Is it still snowing where you are?
Well, if you're snowed in or not, and fancy something lighthearted to read, you could do a lot worse than today's book - A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr.
And, you're in luck, as Meredith has kindly offered a Kindle copy of her book to one lucky reader - yay!
All you have to do is leave a comment on the blog post to be in with a chance of winning. Good luck!
Jane Frank is ready to fall in love. It's been a year since her long term relationship ended and far too long since the last time she was kissed. With the LSAT coming up she needs to find a long term boyfriend (or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her father's law firm. There's just one problem: All the guys in New York are flakes. They seemingly drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation. Should she join her best friend Marissa in singlehood, making cupcakes and watching True Blood? Or should she follow her co-worker Andrew's advice and turn the game back on those who scorned her? As Jane attempts to juggle her own responsibilities and put up with the problems of everyone around her, she starts to realize that the dating life isn't as easy as she originally thought.
So what did I think?
Does what it says on the tin - great chicklit!
I was given an Advance Review Copy of this book by the author and in exchange I am happy to offer an honest review.
I had loved the cover and the dippiness it supposed about the protagonist straight from the off.
I read this book over a few days and the highest accolade I can give it is that I put down my Marian Keyes' hardback in favour of reading this on Kindle.
Jane having split up with her previous partner, Bob, over a year ago, is now ready to start looking for Mr Right again. But she is too formulaic about it - has too fixed an idea of how it should happen. She forgets to register for a really important event, so caught up is she in finding Mr Right. She goes through a wide variety of Mr Wrongs along the way.
The most truthful thing I took away from this book and which I am sure many of us can relate to, whether now or in the past, is how you can become completely self-absorbed either in the search for that someone special, or when you finally find them, that you ignore everyone else around you, to the detriment of your platonic and familial relationships. Jane is really selfish for much of the novel. There are also hilarious escapades, such as becoming a daredevil and creating an alter-ego Frances, or unleashing a statement at her ex-boyfriend's housewarming party, which she immediately wishes she could take back. I particularly liked the scene with the old lady on the bus and the poignancy of how that related to sisters. There was one big twist right at the end, which I saw coming but with a different person and for different reasons, but twist there was and very well executed. There were also plenty of red herrings along the way and it was interesting to learn about Eharmony and how vetting a potential mate on these sites works.
Jane's relationships with her friends and work colleagues, also felt very real and seeing some of the roles reversed along the way and/or Jane taking some comments too literally only added to the enjoyment of the novel.
Good solid chicklit. Would be happy to read another by this author.
You can pick up your copy of A State of Jane here: http://amzn.to/VOSd5G (UK) & http://amzn.to/11FcgJ2 (US) It's also available in paperback.
B&N :http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-state-of-jane-meredith-schorr/1112799844?ean=9781935961697
iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-state-of-jane/id562887940?mt=11
Stop by on Friday for the Heartbreaker Blog Hop - lots of prizes to be won. You've got to be in it to win it, after all!
February 4, 2013
NEDavid Interviews me on The Dating Game
Happy Monday! Well, I hope you are all feeling great today, as I seem to have a crappy cold. Have just resurfaced after going back to bed for 3 hours. The howling wind up here in western Scotland isn't conducive to getting a good sleep either...
Anyway, without further ado, here's the interview NE David pushed me for, on The Dating Game.
Enjoy!
http://www.nedavid.com/blog-1/
Tune in on Wed for a review of chicklit novel, A State of Jane, by US author Meredith Schorr.
Have a good start to the week, folks!
Sooz
Anyway, without further ado, here's the interview NE David pushed me for, on The Dating Game.
Enjoy!
http://www.nedavid.com/blog-1/
Tune in on Wed for a review of chicklit novel, A State of Jane, by US author Meredith Schorr.
Have a good start to the week, folks!
Sooz
February 1, 2013
Interview with Emma Gray aka EJ Greenway
Morning!
Where has the week gone? I am so behind, but there are some great events coming up soon on the blog, so stay tuned. There are already lots of posts scheduled for February, so make sure you don't miss out.
In the meantime, let's check out this week's interview - I was dying to do this one, as it's about politics, albeit fiction-based and so just a little different for me.
Clearly you have worked in Westminster, so tell us, truthfully, what percentage would you suggest could be factual and how much fiction in the novel? (even though I realise not drawn from real events.)As a politician might say, ‘I’m glad you asked me that!’ Obviously much is exaggerated for dramatic effect (nobody has been shot in Westminster since the Spencer Percival assassination, as far as I know!), but nothing would really surprise me about Westminster life, so I would suggest quite a high percentage! Often it could be quite frustrating, because I’d put something in the book, and something very similar would happen in real life, so that’s why I ended up putting in a disclaimer!
Are any of the characters modelled on anyone you know? If so, you don’t need to tell us who!
I take bits from some real people, and bits from others, then put them together to create a character. Many people have asked me who Colin Scott is based on, and will try to guess! I will just say that it is pure coincidence the reader might spot characteristics from current politicians in my fictional ones!
There are a lot of twists in Party Games. How did you go about setting these up and did they come to you as you wrote, or did you have them planned from the beginning?I actually wrote the book over a ten year period, and gained inspiration from real events as time went on (the downfall of Iain Duncan Smith as Tory leader was one), but as I say above, things happened in real life which were similar to some plot lines, so I had to alter them slightly. The main theme of the book was always there from the start: young, charismatic leader fights jealous deputy, but I have allowed myself some freedom, as I suspect most authors do.
Although there is one key female in the novel, the protagonists are generally male. Do you find that Westminster is still very much a male-dominated environment?Firstly yes, Westminster is still very much a male environment. The sitting hours, the feel of the place, and general attitude may be changing, but it is still not enough. There are more women MPs now, and often they are very young, but whether they will stick it out in the long term remains to be seen. The changes to the allowances has had a very negative impact on women, both for current MPs and those who might wish to stand for Parliament, because being an MP is very expensive and family-unfriendly. I don’t want to be an MP at the moment, certainly!Turning to the book, yes, I only have one key female character (although Jeremy’s wife, Linda, is really the ‘power behind the throne’ in their relationship), but she is pivotal to the book, both on a political level and personal level, and has more balls than all the men in the book put together!But it is, I think, quite hard to write a heroine politician. A man can be ruthless and come across as authoritarian, commanding respect, whereas a Machiavellian woman can simply come across as a bitch. It’s so incredibly sexist, but I have found Anthea one of the hardest characters to write because of this. I didn’t want her to come across as mousey either, without clout and simply swooning at the feet of the main character, I wanted her to be tough, highly intelligent, highly motivated and ambitious, but without seeming cold and unfeeling. She is 38 and does want children, so of course that is a major concern for her in a way that it isn’t for a man. For some reason, even today, it is less acceptable to have a scheming woman than it is to have a scheming man, and even less acceptable to have her sleep around. A man would be a stud, a ‘ladies man’, whereas a woman is just a slut! It is worth noting, however, that Anthea is really the only character who gets anything done politically. Without giving out spoilers, she is the one going places and one of the more interesting characters. Yes, she has tough choices to make, but at least she haschoices, unlike many of her male colleagues! As one of my favourite characters, Anthea will continue to be a key player in the sequel.
The role of The Press surprised me in the novel, ie I wasn’t aware they had such power. Is this totally fictional, or do you think in real life this is also the case?Well, when you consider the Leveson Inquiry, I too was surprised at the power the media have! I wrote that aspect of it with pure fiction in mind, only to discover that actually the press involvement in Party Games is actually pretty mild in comparison! Although I think the Leveson report will have some sort of impact, I don’t think the relationship between the media and politicians will change to the extent politicians say it will. They will always want – and need - the media on their side, and if the media want the good stories, they will continue to court politicians. It may be done more transparently, but I think it will still be done, certainly! So, in that context, the interconnections between journalists and politicians in Party Gamesis, I believe, largely realistic.
Lots of deals and compromises were reached within the novel, with a considerable amount of backstabbing going on. Is this a good reflection of life in Westminster?Definitely! Westminster politics is all about compromise and deals, but nobody really, truly trusts one another as everybody is ambitious with their own agendas. Politics between the staff can be just as compelling, if not more so! (Ooh, perhaps I’ve just given myself another book idea..!)
If you could make Party Games into a film, who would you have play the main characters?My favourite question, but also quite hard! I see it more of a BBC4 mini series rather than a film, so I'm not about to suggest Brad Pitt for Rodney! Not that I've thought about it a lot, of course! Matthew Macfadyen (currently the lead in Ripper Street on BBC1) would HAVE to be Rodney. He's got that slightly rugged quality but also scrubs up pretty well! Perhaps his wife (Keeley Hawes) could be Anthea! As for Colin, there's an actor called Roger Barclay, currently in Holby City. When I see him I think he would be perfect. As for the others, I'm still thinking!
I believe you’re writing a sequel. What can you tell us about that, without giving too much away and without giving any spoilers to Party Games?Yes - I am most excited about the sequel (it is actually a trilogy, so I’ve got my work cut out!), with a working title of Power Play. It takes on a very different tone to the first book; a feeling that everything is going wrong and only a miracle can fix it. What happens in the sequel will, of course, set up the ‘grand finale’ in the third book, but I have introduced a few new characters and made a minor character from Party Games a major character.
One of the messages I took away from the book is that politicians are just people at the end of the day, with the same foibles, weaknesses and needs as all human beings (I know to us laymen it doesn’t always seem that way!) . Who do you think this is most true of in the novel and for whom is it most important that the reader realise this?Oh, I tough one! I have tried to make my characters as realistic as possible. The idea is that the book could be set in any hierarchy - a school, a hospital, a bank, an ad agency! Parliament is merely the backdrop, the vehicle for the characters. I think really that actually Tristan is one of my most realistic characters, while I've tried to make Colin the most believable antagonist as possible, with a back story which can vaguely justify his actions. Politicians are human, after all! Nobody is perfect, least of all them! It's important to realise that both of my central characters aren't black and white and, in some ways are similar, in that they are both emotionally repressed, finding relationships with women difficult. It interested me the way the bill over Cornish devolution was dealt with, with the key female‘having control’, but others having more than their finger in the pie. Is this a reflection on what actually happens and/or how does it differ in real life?Yes, I would say so, although this particular storyline was to highlight the growing fractious relationship between Rodney and Anthea. It's far different in Opposition than in government, of course, as policy making in Opposition is very party-focused without the Whitehall machinery that ministers have. So, in that way, it's quite an insular world, containing a lot of power struggles and internal politics. Why nobody has written about being in opposition before I don't know, it's far more interesting on a very human level than government!
Fun stuff As always my first question, who is your Rupert Penry-Jones (I am daft about him!)Well, I'm such a nerd I have politicians on my 'list', but that's far too embarrassing for any blog! But Matthew Macfadyen is rather yummy. I don't really go for the classic stud though, I'm more about a man in a nicely tailored suit sat on those green benches than a six-pack in a gym!
House of Cards or The Thick of It?I'm going to be a total cop-out and say both. They are both very different, one showing how scheming politicians can be while the other showing how stupid. I do also love Borgen at the moment; it's gritty with a feisty female lead.
US or UK politics/legal shows/series? eg West Wing v House of CardsAgain, both, although I am more interested in UK-based political dramas. West Wing was awesome, and House of Cardshas just been made into a US show with Kevin Spacey, so that will be interesting. I also loved Spooks. I would just love my book to be on TV too!
Fave politicianof all timeErm, tricky! I loved studying Lloyd George, he was brilliant, and probably one of the best politicians of his age. I’m not a huge Maggie fan, although I can see why some are, as her impact on politics was huge. I have a massive soft spot for John Major though, as without him I wonder whether I would have been so interested in politics when I was younger. Yes, I was that nerdy (and still am)!
Takeaway or fine diningTakeaway!Fave holiday destination been to and not been toWashington/Boston were my definite favourites, although I’d love to go to New York and drive across America. I’m not a very ‘beachy’ person, I much prefer city breaks. Favourite genre (outside of your own) to readI like mysteries (Dan Brown etc), but also love the Detective Agency books. I don’t mind a bit of adventure either. I LOVED the Hunger Games trilogy. Definitely NO vampire stories though, it’s been done to death (if you pardon the pun!)!
Sci-fi or romantic comedies? (movies)Erm...I do like a good rom com, but sci-fi can be good on a big screen!
Do you play any sports? Which? or watch?No, totally not sporty! Apart from the Olympics last year, I usually watch Wimbledon. That’s my bit of sport for the year!Can you cook? If so, what’s your best dish and if not, what would you most like to be able to cook?I can cook a bit, but I don’t love doing it, it’s more a means to an end! I do make a mean lasagne, though, and I’m usually quite proud of my sweet and sour chicken! Well, thanks for joining us today and for sharing all that. You can keep up with Emma on her blog - http://emmajgray.blogspot.co.uk/and you can pick up a copy of Party Games at http://amzn.to/11ckadr (UK) & http://amzn.to/TjMzd8 (US) Tune in on Monday, as I will be giving an interview on The Dating Game - some very well thought out questions were asked of me. I like those! Have a great weekend, Sooz
Where has the week gone? I am so behind, but there are some great events coming up soon on the blog, so stay tuned. There are already lots of posts scheduled for February, so make sure you don't miss out.
In the meantime, let's check out this week's interview - I was dying to do this one, as it's about politics, albeit fiction-based and so just a little different for me.
Clearly you have worked in Westminster, so tell us, truthfully, what percentage would you suggest could be factual and how much fiction in the novel? (even though I realise not drawn from real events.)As a politician might say, ‘I’m glad you asked me that!’ Obviously much is exaggerated for dramatic effect (nobody has been shot in Westminster since the Spencer Percival assassination, as far as I know!), but nothing would really surprise me about Westminster life, so I would suggest quite a high percentage! Often it could be quite frustrating, because I’d put something in the book, and something very similar would happen in real life, so that’s why I ended up putting in a disclaimer!
Are any of the characters modelled on anyone you know? If so, you don’t need to tell us who!
I take bits from some real people, and bits from others, then put them together to create a character. Many people have asked me who Colin Scott is based on, and will try to guess! I will just say that it is pure coincidence the reader might spot characteristics from current politicians in my fictional ones!
There are a lot of twists in Party Games. How did you go about setting these up and did they come to you as you wrote, or did you have them planned from the beginning?I actually wrote the book over a ten year period, and gained inspiration from real events as time went on (the downfall of Iain Duncan Smith as Tory leader was one), but as I say above, things happened in real life which were similar to some plot lines, so I had to alter them slightly. The main theme of the book was always there from the start: young, charismatic leader fights jealous deputy, but I have allowed myself some freedom, as I suspect most authors do.
Although there is one key female in the novel, the protagonists are generally male. Do you find that Westminster is still very much a male-dominated environment?Firstly yes, Westminster is still very much a male environment. The sitting hours, the feel of the place, and general attitude may be changing, but it is still not enough. There are more women MPs now, and often they are very young, but whether they will stick it out in the long term remains to be seen. The changes to the allowances has had a very negative impact on women, both for current MPs and those who might wish to stand for Parliament, because being an MP is very expensive and family-unfriendly. I don’t want to be an MP at the moment, certainly!Turning to the book, yes, I only have one key female character (although Jeremy’s wife, Linda, is really the ‘power behind the throne’ in their relationship), but she is pivotal to the book, both on a political level and personal level, and has more balls than all the men in the book put together!But it is, I think, quite hard to write a heroine politician. A man can be ruthless and come across as authoritarian, commanding respect, whereas a Machiavellian woman can simply come across as a bitch. It’s so incredibly sexist, but I have found Anthea one of the hardest characters to write because of this. I didn’t want her to come across as mousey either, without clout and simply swooning at the feet of the main character, I wanted her to be tough, highly intelligent, highly motivated and ambitious, but without seeming cold and unfeeling. She is 38 and does want children, so of course that is a major concern for her in a way that it isn’t for a man. For some reason, even today, it is less acceptable to have a scheming woman than it is to have a scheming man, and even less acceptable to have her sleep around. A man would be a stud, a ‘ladies man’, whereas a woman is just a slut! It is worth noting, however, that Anthea is really the only character who gets anything done politically. Without giving out spoilers, she is the one going places and one of the more interesting characters. Yes, she has tough choices to make, but at least she haschoices, unlike many of her male colleagues! As one of my favourite characters, Anthea will continue to be a key player in the sequel.
The role of The Press surprised me in the novel, ie I wasn’t aware they had such power. Is this totally fictional, or do you think in real life this is also the case?Well, when you consider the Leveson Inquiry, I too was surprised at the power the media have! I wrote that aspect of it with pure fiction in mind, only to discover that actually the press involvement in Party Games is actually pretty mild in comparison! Although I think the Leveson report will have some sort of impact, I don’t think the relationship between the media and politicians will change to the extent politicians say it will. They will always want – and need - the media on their side, and if the media want the good stories, they will continue to court politicians. It may be done more transparently, but I think it will still be done, certainly! So, in that context, the interconnections between journalists and politicians in Party Gamesis, I believe, largely realistic.
Lots of deals and compromises were reached within the novel, with a considerable amount of backstabbing going on. Is this a good reflection of life in Westminster?Definitely! Westminster politics is all about compromise and deals, but nobody really, truly trusts one another as everybody is ambitious with their own agendas. Politics between the staff can be just as compelling, if not more so! (Ooh, perhaps I’ve just given myself another book idea..!)
If you could make Party Games into a film, who would you have play the main characters?My favourite question, but also quite hard! I see it more of a BBC4 mini series rather than a film, so I'm not about to suggest Brad Pitt for Rodney! Not that I've thought about it a lot, of course! Matthew Macfadyen (currently the lead in Ripper Street on BBC1) would HAVE to be Rodney. He's got that slightly rugged quality but also scrubs up pretty well! Perhaps his wife (Keeley Hawes) could be Anthea! As for Colin, there's an actor called Roger Barclay, currently in Holby City. When I see him I think he would be perfect. As for the others, I'm still thinking!
I believe you’re writing a sequel. What can you tell us about that, without giving too much away and without giving any spoilers to Party Games?Yes - I am most excited about the sequel (it is actually a trilogy, so I’ve got my work cut out!), with a working title of Power Play. It takes on a very different tone to the first book; a feeling that everything is going wrong and only a miracle can fix it. What happens in the sequel will, of course, set up the ‘grand finale’ in the third book, but I have introduced a few new characters and made a minor character from Party Games a major character.
One of the messages I took away from the book is that politicians are just people at the end of the day, with the same foibles, weaknesses and needs as all human beings (I know to us laymen it doesn’t always seem that way!) . Who do you think this is most true of in the novel and for whom is it most important that the reader realise this?Oh, I tough one! I have tried to make my characters as realistic as possible. The idea is that the book could be set in any hierarchy - a school, a hospital, a bank, an ad agency! Parliament is merely the backdrop, the vehicle for the characters. I think really that actually Tristan is one of my most realistic characters, while I've tried to make Colin the most believable antagonist as possible, with a back story which can vaguely justify his actions. Politicians are human, after all! Nobody is perfect, least of all them! It's important to realise that both of my central characters aren't black and white and, in some ways are similar, in that they are both emotionally repressed, finding relationships with women difficult. It interested me the way the bill over Cornish devolution was dealt with, with the key female‘having control’, but others having more than their finger in the pie. Is this a reflection on what actually happens and/or how does it differ in real life?Yes, I would say so, although this particular storyline was to highlight the growing fractious relationship between Rodney and Anthea. It's far different in Opposition than in government, of course, as policy making in Opposition is very party-focused without the Whitehall machinery that ministers have. So, in that way, it's quite an insular world, containing a lot of power struggles and internal politics. Why nobody has written about being in opposition before I don't know, it's far more interesting on a very human level than government!
Fun stuff As always my first question, who is your Rupert Penry-Jones (I am daft about him!)Well, I'm such a nerd I have politicians on my 'list', but that's far too embarrassing for any blog! But Matthew Macfadyen is rather yummy. I don't really go for the classic stud though, I'm more about a man in a nicely tailored suit sat on those green benches than a six-pack in a gym!
House of Cards or The Thick of It?I'm going to be a total cop-out and say both. They are both very different, one showing how scheming politicians can be while the other showing how stupid. I do also love Borgen at the moment; it's gritty with a feisty female lead.
US or UK politics/legal shows/series? eg West Wing v House of CardsAgain, both, although I am more interested in UK-based political dramas. West Wing was awesome, and House of Cardshas just been made into a US show with Kevin Spacey, so that will be interesting. I also loved Spooks. I would just love my book to be on TV too!
Fave politicianof all timeErm, tricky! I loved studying Lloyd George, he was brilliant, and probably one of the best politicians of his age. I’m not a huge Maggie fan, although I can see why some are, as her impact on politics was huge. I have a massive soft spot for John Major though, as without him I wonder whether I would have been so interested in politics when I was younger. Yes, I was that nerdy (and still am)!
Takeaway or fine diningTakeaway!Fave holiday destination been to and not been toWashington/Boston were my definite favourites, although I’d love to go to New York and drive across America. I’m not a very ‘beachy’ person, I much prefer city breaks. Favourite genre (outside of your own) to readI like mysteries (Dan Brown etc), but also love the Detective Agency books. I don’t mind a bit of adventure either. I LOVED the Hunger Games trilogy. Definitely NO vampire stories though, it’s been done to death (if you pardon the pun!)!
Sci-fi or romantic comedies? (movies)Erm...I do like a good rom com, but sci-fi can be good on a big screen!
Do you play any sports? Which? or watch?No, totally not sporty! Apart from the Olympics last year, I usually watch Wimbledon. That’s my bit of sport for the year!Can you cook? If so, what’s your best dish and if not, what would you most like to be able to cook?I can cook a bit, but I don’t love doing it, it’s more a means to an end! I do make a mean lasagne, though, and I’m usually quite proud of my sweet and sour chicken! Well, thanks for joining us today and for sharing all that. You can keep up with Emma on her blog - http://emmajgray.blogspot.co.uk/and you can pick up a copy of Party Games at http://amzn.to/11ckadr (UK) & http://amzn.to/TjMzd8 (US) Tune in on Monday, as I will be giving an interview on The Dating Game - some very well thought out questions were asked of me. I like those! Have a great weekend, Sooz
January 28, 2013
Dating Dilemmas - Shaz's Book Blog
It's late in the day, but better late than never. Check out my Dating Dilemmas post over at Shaz's Book Blog - enjoy!
http://www.shazsbookboudoir.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/guest-post-susan-buchanan-talks-about.html
Tune in on Fri for an interview with EJ Greenway, author of Party Games
Sooz
http://www.shazsbookboudoir.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/guest-post-susan-buchanan-talks-about.html
Tune in on Fri for an interview with EJ Greenway, author of Party Games
Sooz
