Interview
I was lucky enough to have Sarah agree to do an interview with me so read on to learn more about Sarah and her wonderful books. (Plus I think I've been convinced to read Paige Toon)
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Tell me about your latest book:
Izzy is about to marry Greg, but she’s got
cold feet. Does she really love him? She takes the reader on a journey through
her past, sharing the tales of her past loves and comparing each to each other.
We occasionally return to the present, where Izzy is preparing for her wedding
day and asking herself who she loved most and who she’d be happiest with.
Izzy’s sister has also been missing since
Izzy was twelve, so she’s had a traumatic life thus far and really just wants
to settle down and have some sort of normality. But which man is the right one
for her, Greg, or one of the others?
What inspired you to write this story?
I am not sure where it all came from!
Daydreams and snippets of notes I’d written all came together to form the
complete story.
Tell me a little about your Works in
Progress:
My next book is really just in note form
right now, but I am going to start working on it very soon. I have about fifty
notes, all with contradictory ideas so we’ll see what works and what doesn’t!
For any new readers who would like to read your
work, please tell me a little about your past books. (could be beneficial if you have a series or
if people might be interested in reading your earlier work)
My first novel, Amy & Zach, is about a
British girl who moves to the US and meets an American, and they fall in love
fast. But they both have secrets with the potential to destroy what they have.
It’s told in the first person, alternating between the two characters, so you
get both Amy and Zach’s point of view.
Do you have a favourite writing snack?
I tend to forget to eat or drink while
writing! I get so absorbed into what I’m doing, then I end up de-hydrated and
starving hungry! My husband usually brings me glasses of water and has to
remind me to drink every so often.
If a movie was made about your book, who
would be in your ideal cast?
For Izzy’s Cold Feet, I’d have to say
someone like Emily Blunt perhaps for Izzy. Someone British and gorgeous! :) I’m
not sure about the male leads, but I guess they’d have to look a little like
the characters are described. I recently started watching the US TV show Sons
of Anarchy, and Charlie Hunnam, who plays Jax, looks kind of how I’d imagined
Ewan, one of Izzy’s ex-boyfriends to look. So he can be in it :)
Do you have a character you’ve enjoyed writing
the most?
I’ve enjoyed writing all my characters but
Izzy is probably my favourite so far. She has a little more depth to her
perhaps than, for example, Amy or Zach. I think (or hope!) you can understand
her actions a little more, knowing what she’s been through.
What do you do for fun when you’re not
writing?
I love to cook. I’m always trying new
recipes and experimenting. I’m also keen on walking, I have a dog so like to
get out every day. I read a lot too, as every writer should!
What sort of books do you like to read?
I have quite varied tastes but my favourite
genre is chick-lit. I like a bit of romance and comedy with intelligence and
that feel-good factor. I guess that’s why I write in the same genre I enjoy
most. My favourite authors right now are Jane Austen (the original romantic
comedy writer!) and Paige Toon.
Do you have any advice for people wanting
to write their own book?
Just write. Don’t analyse whether you feel
like it or worry about the household chores or anything but the writing. Write,
write, write. With every word you get better, and you must commit to finishing
it, or you never will.
What parts of the writing process do you
love and hate the most?
I love when a character takes on a life of
their own. I had originally intended a different ending for Izzy’s Cold Feet,
but Izzy didn’t agree with what I had in store for her and I had to go a
different way.
I don’t think there’s anything I hate,
other than that I don’t always have enough time to write as much as I would
like to.
Do you have a favourite Chick Lit author?
Paige Toon. It’s best to read her
books in order because they all link in some way (although you don’t need to
read in order, either). I love her style; direct, fast-paced, sad, funny,
happy, romantic, feel-good reads.
Shoes or handbags, which is more your
guilty pleasure?
Handbags. I don’t have many shoes but I
have far too many handbags. I have a rule: if I buy a new one, I have to throw
an old one out. I don’t often stick to it though ;)
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?
I think it has a strong future. I hear from
readers all the time who enjoy this genre and I don’t think it’s going
anywhere. I’ll be a chick-lit reader forever, I know that!
Ultimate chick lit love interest?(either
from an existing novel or just your ideal)
Any of Paige Toon’s hero’s work for me.
They’re all sexy, gorgeous, exciting men!
Thanks for joining me, Sarah!
Izzy's Cold Feet
One bride to be. Three ex-boyfriends.
Izzy is engaged to Greg, who is everything
a girl could want.
The trouble is – all she can think about is
the men she loved before she met him: sexy Ewan, the first love of her life;
dependable Jason, who loved her more than she deserved; and irresistible
Dexter, who broke her heart…
Then there’s the fact that her sister has
been missing since Izzy was twelve. After such a traumatic childhood all Izzy
wants is a normal, happy, settled life, but love is never simple.
In the week leading up to her wedding day,
Izzy is forced to ask herself who she loves the most. And, given the choice,
who would she want to spend her life with?
Links:
Sarah’s website/blog: www.sarahlouisesmith.com
You can purchase the paperback or
e-versions from all the usual online book sellers.
Sarah Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahSmith16
Sarah Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahlouisesmithauthor
About
Sarah Louise Smith
Sarah Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes,
UK, with her husband, two cute cats and a loopy golden retriever. She has an
extremely lovely step-daughter and spends most of her free time writing,
reading, cooking, and taking long walks.
She’s the author of two chick-lit novels:
Amy & Zach and Izzy’s Cold Feet, both published by Crooked Cat. Read Sarah’s blog at:
www.sarahlouisesmith.com.
Where to find Sarah's first novel, Amy & Zach
(read
more about it: http://sarahlouisesmith.com/my-books/amy-and-zach/)
Amazon UK:
Amazon US:
