I had the pleasure of having Becky Monson join me on my blog today as part of her CLP Blog Tour for her wonderful chick lit novel, Thirty-Two Going On Spinster. Please read on for her interview, excerpt and my review plus a chance to win. Here is the
Chick Lit Plus tour page.
Interview
Tell me about your latest book:My latest (and only book so far) is Thirty-Two Going on Spinster. It’s about Julia and the rut she is stuck in… and how she gets out of it.
What inspired you to write this story?I came up with the story a long time ago. It evolved over time to what it finally became. But it started out with a work crush I had once. That was the beginning. I did love a good work crush when I was working in an office. It made work much more enjoyable!
Tell me a little about your Works in Progress:I’m working on a sequel to Thirty-Two Going on Spinster, which will most likely be called Thirty-Three Going on Girlfriend… Very original of me, I realize. It’s the next book in the Spinster Series, more of Julia and Jared. I’m having fun with it! I’ve also got a bunch of ideas in the works – other chick lit ideas and a YA idea for a book that came from a dream I had (how very Stephenie Meyer of me, right?).
Do you have a favourite writing snack?Chocolate. But that is my favorite snack for anything, really.
If a movie was made about your book, who would be in your ideal cast?Oooh, good question! Here is my ideal cast:
Julia – Drew Barrymore (Julia needs to be someone who can look a bit frumpy when not made up, but then look totally adorable with some make-up and cute clothes).
Jared – Ryan Reynolds (yummy)
Brown – Kate Hudson
Anna - Leighton Meester
Do you have a character you’ve enjoyed writing the most?I do love writing Julia. Of course, she is a little bit of me. She is sarcastic, and I am too. She can tend to be a bit of a pessimist. I’m not really that way now, but I think I was (at least in my head) when I was single and living in that world. I do not miss it! Okay, sometimes I miss it… a little.
What do you do for fun when you’re not writing?I have lots of hobbies. Reading, photography, graphic design, crocheting, baking. I don’t get to do many things for myself these days as my babies are still, well, babies. So most of my time is spent being their mommy. But I do love it! Well… most days.
What sort of books do you like to read?I love Chick Lit. I love that it, for the most part, will give me a happy ending. It can be predictable, and I don’t honestly care. I enjoy that it’s predictable actually. A good dystopian novel will really take me away, but those are incredibly unpredictable. So I definitely have to be in the mood for that.
Do you have any advice for people wanting to write their own book?Just do it! But make sure you have a clear outline and detailed back stories for your characters. Once you have back-stories, they will come to life in your mind, and the dialogue will just come to you. Oh, and another thing – make sure you have a great eye-catching cover. People judge a book by its cover. Sad, but true. So make sure you have a good one. I’ve seen a lot of truly bad covers out there.
What parts of the writing process do you love and hate the most?I love writing dialogues. I love it when the characters have conversations in my head. This was something I made fun of when I heard other authors talk about their characters as if they were real people. I totally get it now. I still think it’s crazy, but I get it. The part I dislike is writing the outline. But it’s a must for me. Some authors can just write – but I have to have it all outlined before I can start, or I feel as if I will miss out on something. Outlining is a long and arduous process for me, but a necessary one.
Do you have a favourite Chick Lit author?
I do love Sophie Kinsella. I think she is the queen of Chick lit, honestly. She just knows how to write the type of books I want to read. I love happy endings, and she always writes them.
Shoes or handbags, which is more your guilty pleasure?Oh gosh… can my answer be both? I go back and forth, really. I will be totally into shoes for a while, and then I will get over that and move on to handbags. Then I will find a handbag that I adore and won’t want to keep looking so my focus will then move back to shoes. Sometimes, I am totally into both at the same time. That is when my hubby has had to intervene… darn him…
Chick Lit as a genre has apparently died a few times, which we know isn’t true. How do you see the future of Chick Lit?
It’s funny you mention that because I had my book reviewed recently and the headline for her review said “The Reappearance of Chick Lit”, and I thought really? I didn’t know it ever went away! Chick Lit is what I prefer to read the most. I want something to escape with, something I can count on to have a happy ending. I know there are more of us Chick Lit Lovers out there! I think as a whole, the future of Chick Lit looks bright. With all of these new indie authors coming out, I think we will see more and more. I’m excited!
Do you have a signature lip colour?I must admit, lip colour and I have had our ups and downs. I was totally into that bright red that was popular in the last few years. I bought some from MAC, and I wore it all the time. Then I saw a picture of myself. Yikes. So I’ve gone back to lip gloss. There is one called Diamonds and Pearls from TIGI and it’s the best stuff. I never get more compliments then when I wear it. I usually end up kissing it off on my babies cheeks though, so it doesn’t last long for me.
Ultimate chick lit love interest?(either from an existing novel or just your ideal)I really loved Sam Roxton from Sophie Kinsella’s I’ve Got Your Number. There was something about him that I just found so attractive. And there is a scene in that book that is one of the most romantic scenes I have ever read. One of my favorite books, for sure.
Thirty-Two Going On Spinster
Summary:
Julia Dorning is in a rut. She has lived in her parent's basement for ten years, been at the same mundane boring job for ten years and she has no self confidence.
When handsome hunky Jared Moody is hired in HR at her company, her life begins to change in ways she never saw coming. Is Jared the catapult to get her moving again?
Author Bio:
By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.
Purchasing my book:
http://www.amazon.com/Thirty-Two-Going-Spinster-Series-ebook/dp/B00AMS2L0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375244816&sr=1-1&keywords=becky+monsonOther Links:
www.32goingonspinster.comhttps://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeckyMonsonhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7056358.Becky_Monsonhttps://www.facebook.com/ThisChickReads (this is a bookclub I run on facebook)
Win!
Excerpt
“I feel that, as a friend, I need to tell you something,” Brown says to me as we go outside to the smoking area. It’s near the end of the day and Mr. Nguyen had a meeting, so I figured I could take a little break.
“What is it?” I say, not truly caring. I am still annoyed with her. I want to say something, but there is no point. She wouldn’t care anyway.
“Friends do not let friends go around with that,” she says pointing to my upper lip.
“What do you mean? Is there something on my lip?” I say, walking over to the door to see if I can see my reflection in the glass. I can’t see anything.
“Yes, there is something on your upper lip… hair.”
Whaaaaaaaaat? “Are you serious? I have a moustache?” My hand immediately goes up to my mouth, covering it and my upper lip. “But…. I….. how bad?” Somehow this is very fitting. A spinster with a moustache.
“Look, it’s not bad. And we do not call it a ‘moustache’, it’s referred to as ‘upper lip hair’,” says the perfectly-put-together prom queen. “You have sort of… always had one. But it was always blonde hair, so I never said anything. But now, all of the sudden, there are brown hairs as well as the blonde.”
I guess right now would be a good time to die. I mean, I recently had a conversation with a good-looking man and this hasn’t happened in, well, over a decade. And I realize it wasn’t a real conversation since I couldn’t say more than three word sentences. But he was talking to me up-close and - oh my gosh, he could have seen it. Of course he did because that is how my life goes. I am a under-a-conference-table-hiding-deaf-mute-possibly-slow-spinster… with a moustache. Next comes sagging boobs and trailer parks.
Review
4.5 Stars
This book was very Sophie Kinsella in style but also had a Bridget Jones feel which started from the definition of spinster and developed into a continuously funny and entertaining story with a few awkward and endearing moments thrown in. Julia, the main character was likeable and easy to relate to, as well as being a character you could really barrack for, especially with the entry of new office hottie, Jared. A highly recommended, light, easy chick lit read.
About the Author
