The 10 Questions Blog Hop
Joanna Gawn, the lovely author of The Cordello Quest and House of the Stormwinds, invited me to take part in a bloghop. It’s my first ever – so as Miranda Hart would say ‘bear with, bear with’ … here we go!
The task is to answer ten questions regarding my book or WIP and then tag 4 or 5 other bloggers or novelists to do the same – unfortunately, I haven’t got a bloomin’ clue how to tag, so I’ll answer the questions first and then hope some dear soul out there can enlighten me on that particular aspect!!! Seriously though, if you do want to join in, just join in, it would be great to hear all about you.
The questions … my answers:
1. What is the working title of your book or project?
The book is called The Runaway Year.
2. Where did the idea come from for the book or project?
The book was inspired not only by its setting – Tintagel in North Cornwall, a place I visit regularly and love but also various relationship dilemmas I see various friends tackle in life.
3. What genre does it fall under, if any?
It’s dealing with 3 very modern girls and their very different romance issues – so probably contemporary romance. I would say chick-lit but I don’t think it is, it seems too frothy a term for my tome. Rather, mine is edgier, down to earth, not much froth at all.
4. If applicable, who would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
Joanna Gawn (who nominated me) chose Scarlett Johansson to play her main character Keira. Well, Scarlett’s in demand again, because I’d choose her to play Penny. As for Layla – Natalie Portman would be nice and Hannah, perhaps Rachel McAdams. For the hero of the hour – Joseph – it’s Channing Tatum, not because he fits the bill particularly, just because I fancy him rotten!
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your manuscript or project?
From bustling Brighton to the wilds of Cornwall – life doesn’t get any easier!
6. Will your book or story be self-published or represented by an agency?
It’s published through Omnific Publishing and is due out in e-book format and paperback on 2nd July 2013.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I pretty much edited as I went along – therefore, making sure each chapter was okay before I wrote the next. I then went back and edited the whole thing in one go before passing to my friend to glance her editing eye over. So, all in all, about 5 months.
8. What other book or stories would you compare this story to within the genre?
It’s been likened to the love child of Bridget Jones/Love Actually/The Holiday. I haven’t seen The Holiday yet, I really must!
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book or story?
As I mentioned above, the landscape of North Cornwall was a huge inspiration – its so wild, rugged and well, romantic I suppose – the ideal setting for any love story. I’ve been married forever but I see so many of my friends deal with romantic dilemmas and often I’m the shoulder to cry on. Whilst the romantic dilemmas of my three female characters are NOT based on any one dilemma or any one person in particular (honestly!), they are a sort of mish-mash of what goes on in real life with real people.
10. What else about the book or story might pique the reader’s interest?
All the characters are loveable (well, apart from one – although I find even him strangely loveable!), it’s got humour in it as well as pathos. It’s not just about romantic relationships either, it’s about relationships of all kinds, particularly between friends and even parents too. I’d also like to think the characters are easy to relate to, that the reader can identify with their emotional journeys.
Okay – the tagging:
Yasmin Selena Butt
Siobhan Daiko
Joff Gainey
Catherine Kirby
