Scarlett Bailey, author of The Night Before Christmas is my guest today. The Night Before Christmas is Scarlett’s debut novel; I’m reading it at the moment and very much enjoying it. Scarlett is also doing her own Countdown to Christmas in the form of  a brilliant online advent calendar which contains a short story called Santa, Maybe. Scarlett is posting part of the story every day until 24th December – you can read it at: http://adventcalendr.com/scarlettbailey/ Welcome Scarlett!

Your debut novel, the festively-titled The Night Before Christmas is out now, could you tell us a little about the story and your inspiration for it please?

The Night Before Christmas is the story of Lydia, who is hoping to experience her first perfect Christmas ever, in a beautiful house in the Lake District surrounded by her friends and her boyfriend, who she happens to know has packed an engagement ring. But when an old flame turns up out of the blue, as her best friend’s latest beau, Lydia isn’t sure of how she feels about anything any more…. I hope there are a lot of laughs, the odd tear, a large amount of Christmas and a good deal of kissing. Oh and snow.

Your book is all about the perfect Christmas; what is your favourite Christmas tradition?

Interesting, like Lydia I didn’t really have many perfect Christmasses as a child, my family split when I was quite young and no matter where I was at Christmas there was always someone important missing. As an adult I think my favourite tradition is to just be with the people I love and who make me laugh, and to have a very large glass of Bailey’s (What else) at least once or twice a day.

Imagine you are settling down with a lovely Christmas read … what is your perfect Christmas reading setting/scenario?

A few years ago I stayed with some friends in a cottage in Suffolk for Christmas (this is where the turkey story in the book comes from) it was a sweet cottage, but freezing as the central heating was broken, (oh another story from the book!) We huddled together for warmth in front of a huge fire, there was no TV, so it was all talking, drinking and reading. That was pretty perfect.

What is your top tip for surviving the Christmas party season?

Remain slightly tipsy at all times, and make sure you’ve broken in your new high heels around the house for a few weeks before the big party. Oh and also keeps some mistletoe handy, you never know when you might bump into a likely candidate for kissing.

What is or would be the best book-related Christmas gift that Santa could deliver?

I have a yen to do some writing with a fountain pen. Its pure whimsy, I’m sure I’d get fed up with it quite quickly, but I’d rather like a fancy fountain pen to flourish.

Who is your favourite Christmas book/novel character?

I love a ghost story at Christmas, so although it is not strictly a Christmas book I love reading The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. Hard to think of a more atmospheric and unsettling ghost story to keep you up all night on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa.

You’re a fan of old movies; which is your must see Christmas film?

An Affair to Remember staring Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant. Oh my god, if you have never seen this film you must see it now. Its pure melodrama and romance and I adore it.

And finally … what can we expect next from Scarlett Bailey?

My second novel, which has just been retitled ‘Married by Christmas (there’s a scoop for you) will be out this time next year.

Thank you Scarlett.

Today I’m welcoming debut novelist Ali Harris to One More Page. Ali’s novel ‘Miracle on Regent Street’ is out now and is a wonderful festive read focussing on a vintage and timeless Christmas glamour. Ali is a self-confessed lover of all things Christmassy and kindly agreed to answer my festive questions. Welcome Ali!

Your debut novel, Miracle on Regent Street is set at Christmas and has a lovely festive feel to it; how did you get yourself in the festive spirit when writing out of season?

It was easy! I just plugged in my ipod and played my ‘Christmas playlist’ on a loop. It features solely Rat Pack Christmas classics and ‘Vintage Christmas’ tunes  – not a single Slade, Wizard, Cliff Richard or David Essex song in sight! I also switched on my many strings of fairylights that I have draped around the house (in my opinion fairylights are for life, not just for Christmas!) and I transported myself away into the most wonderful time of year! I actually came up with the idea for Miracle on Regent Street in November so I was able to wander around gorgeous department stores, snapping pictures of their windows and going to vintage Christmas fairs and call it ‘research’ for a couple of months before I started writing it in January 2010.

Miracle on Regent Street is largely set in a wonderful Department store; what  are your top tips for surviving Christmas shopping?

I’m the festive freak who saves all my Christmas shopping till the week before Christmas and does it all at once because I want to get that gorgeous feeling of walking round the sparkly streets of London, clutching handfuls of bags! It’s the only way to properly get me in the festive mood! For that reason I will never EVER be an internet Christmas shopper. It just isn’t the same! I also do all my wrapping on Christmas Eve whilst sitting in front of a roaring fire watching It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s a little tradition I have and my husband just accepts it now. So my only advice is to make a list and really think and plan what I’m getting each person before I go shopping so I’m not wandering around aimlessly. I do end up being a bit spontaneous as well, as I love that little moment of magic when you go into a store and happen upon the perfect gift for the perfect person.

What is your favourite children’s Christmas book/story?

There are so many at the moment as I’m reading them to my almost 3 year-old son. This is the first year he really gets Christmas so it’s really exciting. Our current firm favourite is The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. It’s such a classic, and my son loves it even without having ever seeing the beautiful film! I do have to stop myself singing Walking in the air as we’re reading it as I know this will seriously spoil his enjoyment! We also love Stick Man by Julian Donaldson which features a supporting role by Father Christmas as the end of the book. It’s a gorgeous story about a Stick Man trying to find his way back to ‘the stick family tree with his Stick Lady love and stick children three!’ It’s really poignant and I love the message about the importance of being with your family at Christmas.

What is or would be the best book-related Christmas gift that Santa could deliver to you?

Ooh, if he could magically retrieve all my old, original 1970s Enid Blyton hardbacks and deliver them to me I would be the happiest girl alive as I stupidly got rid of them all when I was a teenager! Luckily I kept some of my other favourite childhood books, like Anne of Green Gables, the Little House on the Prairie books and The Chalet School series, as well as all my Judy Blume’s – but I’ve spent the last few years scouring charity shops and vintage markets to try and find those lovely ‘70s Enid Blyton editions again so I can pass them on to my little boy and baby girl when they’re old enough to enjoy. I’ve got about 10 so far, but more would be lovely! And if they were my ones from childhood, even better!

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

Um, all of them? As you can probably tell, I love Christmas. But if I had to pick one it’d have to be carol singing on Christmas eve. I love a good sing song! Ooh but also, now I’ve got children I am totally getting back into the leaving a mince pie and a glass of something (red wine in our house) for Santa on the hearth!

You use vintage themes a lot in your novel; if you could spend Christmas in any era which would it be and where?

1950s New York. Can. You. Imagine…?!

Imagine you are settling down with a lovely Christmas read … what is your perfect Christmas reading setting/scenario?

Ok, picture the scene… It’s 7pm. My two little ones are in bed asleep and I’m in the lounge in front of a roaring fire. I’m already wearing my pajamas and I’m clutching a book in one hand (let’s see, maybe The Gift by Cecilia Ahern…) I have a large glass of cinnamon and spice infused mulled wine in the other, with a tin of newly opened Quality Street sat on my lap (with all my favourite purple and toffee ones all present and correct and ready for me to eat). Michael Buble is crooning Christmas songs softly in the background, my husband is preparing a roast dinner in the kitchen (I’m imagining it, ok?!) and my little dwarf lop eared bunny rabbit, Lulu is sitting on my feet. PERFECTION!

And finally … what can readers look forward to next from Ali Harris?

My second novel is going to be out in January 2013, I know it sounds a long way off but I promise it’ll be worth it! It’s called The First Last Kiss and it’s a sweeping love story about Molly and Ryan, a young couple who seem destined to be together until something unexpected tears them apart. The story follows the ups and downs of their relationship and switches between the past and the present day. Each chapter of the novel is a memory triggered by a kiss and the book examines if you can ever hold on to a love when you know it is slipping away from you. It’s a departure from Miracle on Regent Street in the sense that isn’t necessarily the follow-up novel that people may expect, but I hope they will love it all the same!

Thank you Ali!

You can find out more about Ali and Miracle on Regent Street at: http://www.aliharris.co.uk/ and at http://booksandthecity.co.uk/

Read my review of Miracle on Regent Street

Today I’m very excited to be interviewing the fabulous Lindsey Kelk, author of the ‘I Heart…’ series and The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Lindsey is originally from England but now lives in New York. Not only does she write excellent books but she also has a column for Marie Claire UK, a beauty blog (http://beautymecca.blogspot.com/) and edits children’s books! Today sees the publication of her fifth novel, I Heart Vegas so please join me in wishing Lindsey a very happy Publication Day!

Your latest novel, I Heart Vegas is set at Christmas but to have a book released at this time of year you must be writing/editing during the summer months; how do you get yourself in the festive spirit when writing out of season?

I love Christmas. Seriously. From January 6th when the tree comes comes down, I count down the days until I can put up my tree, so it wasn’t a hardship. I am constantly in the festive spirit. It’s harder to put yourself in a Vegas spirit when you’re not there, so obviously, I had to go.

What is your top tip for surviving the festive season?

Pace yourself. It’s always been a hectic time for me as my parents divorced when I was little so I’m used to spending a lot of the holiday period in a car. Now I’m in the US, it’s even more crazy, and if that wasn’t enough, I’m usually working on a book at this time. Try not to spread yourself too thin, make some time for yourself and prepare early. Online shopping helps, drink lots of water in between parties and remember, it’s a fun time of year!

What is or would be the best book-related Christmas gift that Santa could deliver to you?

I love the elves to have finished I Heart London for me. Last year I was so busy working on The Single Girl’s To-Do List, I literally took Christmas Day and Boxing Day off. I even stayed in and worked New Years Eve. I’d like that not to happen this year…

You live in New York; what’s your favourite thing about the city at Christmas?

Everything. Everyone is in such a good mood and we really take advantage of the city at this time of year – ice skating at Rockefeller, Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, all the store windows on Fifth Avenue… it makes me SO happy.

Which Christmas tune would be your choice for Karaoke?

Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. I like to challenge myself.

Imagine you are settling down with a lovely Christmas read … what is your perfect Christmas reading setting/scenario?

This year it’ll be snuggled up on a plane, heading back to the UK, my head buried in all the books I’ve missed over the year – I’ve had The Tiger’s Wife to read, forever. I actually don’t get a lot of reading done at this time of year because I’m out and about so much.

Who is your favourite Christmas book character and why?

I used to work on Dr Seuss when I was in publishing so it’s got to be The Grinch. Love.

And finally … what can readers look forward to next from Lindsey Kelk?

If I ever get it finished, I Heart London! I’m also working away on my Marie Claire column which should tide you over between books and then… lots of exciting new projects on the horizon…

Thanks Lindsey – have a great Christmas!

You can find out more about Lindsey and her books on her website: http://lindseykelk.com/and at: http://www.iheartnewyork.co.uk/

Today I’d like you all to welcome Talli Roland to One More Page and help her to celebrate the official e-book launch of her latest novel Build a Man. Talli has three loves in her life: chick lit, coffee and wine! Talli’s debut novel, The Hating Game was an Amazon Top 100 bestseller and shortlisted for Best Romantic Read at the UK’s Festival of Romance, and her second, Watching Willow Watts was selected as a 2011 Amazon Customer Favourite. Welcome Talli!

In addition to your three novels, you also have a short story published in the Christmas anthology Madness Under the Mistletoe; please could you tell us a little about it?

I was inspired to write my short story ‘Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts’ after reading about Zagreb’s Museum of Broken Relationships in the Guardian. I thought it would make a fascinating setting! My story follows chief romantic Rose Delaney, who scores her dream job at the museum. She finds it a little depressing dealing with relics of failed relationships each day, but she’s determined not to let it break her ‘love conquers all’ spirit. After discovering the museum’s handsome curator is nursing a broken heart of his own, Rose steps in to fix it. Can Rose heal the rift in time for the holidays, or will this Christmas crush her fantasies forever?

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

If I’m in London, my husband and I always take a Christmas stroll along the South Bank, across the Millennium Bridge, and over to St Paul’s, stopping for mulled wine and roasted nuts along the way. If I’m visiting my relatives in Canada, Christmas afternoon is usually spent curled up with a new book in front of the fire. Bliss!

What is or would be the best book-related Christmas gift that Santa could deliver to you?

Oh, I would die for a Kindle Fire. But seeing as how they’re not in the UK yet, that’s probably not going to happen. Failing that, an Amazon gift certificate would be fantastic! My bank account and I would be very grateful.

What is your top tip for a happy Christmas/ for surviving the festive season?

Wine. When you’re feeling stressed, sit down and slurp a glass or three. In fact, that would be my top tip for any season! I’ll make that mulled wine for Christmastime.

Imagine you are settling down with a lovely Christmas read … what is your perfect Christmas reading setting/scenario?

I love reading in my parents’ house in Nova Scotia, in an old armchair right in front of the fire. Looking out onto the quiet street, with snowflakes drifting through the soft glow of the streetlight . . . it really couldn’t get better than that. Now I’m missing home!

Who is your favourite Christmas book/novel character and why?

Hmm, now this is a tough question. Can I cheat and pick a film character? I love Jamie, Colin Firth’s character in Love Actually. He gets kicked in the teeth when it comes to love, but he regroups on Christmas Eve and makes a spontaneous dash to propose to the real love of his life. I’m a giant sap, and that scene gets me in flood of tears every time.

What is your favourite Christmas song?

I love The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’. It captures Christmas perfectly and you can’t help jigging along to it.

And finally … what can readers look forward to next from Talli Roland?

Up next is Construct A Couple, the sequel to Build A Man. It will be released in Spring 2012, and I can’t wait!

Thank you Talli!

You can find out more about Talli and her novels on her blog at: http://talliroland.blogspot.com/

Talli is very generously providing TWO e-book copies of Build a Man for me to give away!

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she’s a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients’ liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie — the hang-dog man determined to be Britain’s Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between — giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London’s biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy’s progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy’s life. But when Jeremy’s surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

To enter leave a comment in the box below telling me which celebrity would be your ‘perfect’ man (you can pick different bits of different celebrities if you really want to have fun with this and ‘Build  a Man’ )

I’ll draw two winners using random.org after the closing date.

This giveaway is open internationally. Entries will close at midnight on Friday 9th December. Good luck!

Day two of my Countdown to Christmas finds the lovely Carole Matthews visiting One More Page again. Carole’s Christmas novel this year is the excellent Wrapped up in You and she kindly volunteered to answer some Christmassy questions for me. Welcome Carole!

You have a fab Christmas novel Wrapped up in You out now but to have a book released in time for Christmas you must be writing/editing during the summer months; how do you get yourself in the festive spirit when writing out of season?

I work quite a long way ahead with my publisher Little, Brown and so I’m actually writing my Christmas novel from January to June for the following year. So, when I start, I’ve got a lot to draw on from the Christmas that’s just passed. Does that make sense? It confuses me sometimes!  But in January, I’ll be starting my book for  Christmas 2013. I don’t even like to think about that. I always keep a stash of Christmas recipe books and festive magazines to hand just in case I start to run out of festive cheer. The only downside is that I spend most of the year craving mince pies.

What is your top tip for surviving the festive season?

I buy everything pre-prepared from Marks & Spencer – even the carrots. No one should be peeling carrots on Christmas morning! It works out more expensive, but is totally stress-free. I love to cook and bake, but at Christmas there’s too much else to do. I always try to keep a glass of something chilled and fizzy to hand too, then I can float through it all on a mellow cloud.

What is or would be the best book-related Christmas gift that Santa could deliver to you?

I should like the entire collection of Philippa Gregory historical novels please, all signed by the author.

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

If there’s a nice frosty or snowy day over the holiday, we drive out to a local beauty spot,  Ivinghoe Beacon, and take mince pies, hot chocolate and a little tot of something to have up there. I love it most when the trees are white and sparkling.

Imagine you are settling down with a lovely Christmas read … what is your perfect Christmas reading setting/scenario?

This year we created a little snug/library at home. It’s my favourite place in the house now. It has a big, squashy sofa, all my to-be-read pile and a furry throw. Bliss.

What is your favourite Christmas party tune?

‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ sung by Judy Garland. I love it, but it does make me sob outloud.  On the hand, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a bit of Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’.

Who is your favourite Christmas book/novel character and why?

I don’t think that you can beat Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol. It’s a timeless classic and I’m sure that Ebenezer Scrooge must undergo the biggest character transformation ever written! It’s said that Dickens completed the book in just six weeks. Wow.

And finally … what can readers look forward to next from Carole Matthews?

I’m now going to be writing one Christmas book and one summer book each year.  So my next novel is out in May 2012 and is called Summer Daydreams. It’s the story of a young mum who’s trying to make her way in the world of big business while trying to juggle a family and her relationship. I think it’s a book that a lot of women who go out to work will empathise with!

Thanks Carole – have a great Christmas!

You can find out more about Carole and her books on her website at: http://www.carolematthews.com/

Read my review of Wrapped up in You and find out more about how Carole researched the book.

Wrapped up in You is available in paperback and for Kindle (Links go to amazon.uk)

I’m delighted to be interviewing Ali McNamara today as part of her ‘Breakfast With Ali’ blog tour to mark the launch of her second novel Breakfast at Darcy’s later this month.

Your second novel, Breakfast at Darcy’s is released on November 24th, please could you tell us a little about it?

Breakfast at Darcy’s is about a girl called Darcy who finds out at a funeral she’s the sole beneficiary of her Aunt’s wealthy estate. But the terms of her Aunt’s will state before Darcy can inherit any of her money she must go and live on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland for a whole year, and set up a new community of people to live there with her.

Being a city girl, Darcy doesn’t find the switch from high-heeled boots to wellington boots an easy one, or for that matter any of the other many changes that the island of Tara has in store for her…

How does it feel to have your second book published?

Fantastic! For a long time while I was being rejected by agents and publishers I wondered if I’d ever get one book published, let alone to have people wanting to read more of my stories!

The title and cover of Breakfast at Darcy’s give a nod to my favourite Audrey Hepburn film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – are there other film links in the novel as there were in your first novel From Notting Hill with Love …. Actually?

An odd one or two, but not very many this time, Breakfast at Darcy’s is a stand alone novel, it just so happens the title is another twist on a very famous movie

Please could you describe lead character Darcy in five words?

Kind, trusting, determined, brave & inspired.

In the book, Darcy has to populate a remote island for a year; if you had to choose three celebrities to live on an island with you for a year, who would they be?!

Oh! I’ll keep it clean…

Jamie Oliver – so he could cook lovely things for me!

Michael McIntyre – To make me laugh.

I have to have one… Bradley Cooper – to look rather fantastic with his shirt off

How did you go about researching Breakfast at Darcy’s?

I got the idea when I was on a touring holiday of Ireland and my husband and myself were parked up one day overlooking the island of Great Blasket in County Kerry. When my initial spark of an idea began to turn into a plot for a fully formed novel, we later went over and visited the island with our children so I could do some proper research. My island of Tara is based very heavily on what I found on that trip and on Great Blasket’s own history.

Darcy gives up city life to live on the remote island of Tara; are you a city chick or country girl at heart?

Difficult one this; I’d like the best of both worlds, to live on the outskirts of a big city like London or New York, but close enough to the countryside so I could just step outside, grab some fresh air and walk my dog.

This is your second romantic comedy; what drew you to this genre?

I don’t look on it as picking a genre. I just write in a way that comes naturally to me, what you read on the page is very much the way I am in real life.

When you’re not writing what do you like to read?

All sorts! Seriously, I can’t pick just one genre or author; it varies all the time depending on what I’m writing at the time or how busy I am…

And finally … what can we look forward to next from Ali McNamara?

A sequel to ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ due out in 2012! All I can tell you is Scarlett gets to go a bit further afield this time when she gets to visit New York …

I went there this year on a research trip and had a whale of a time. But Scarlett’s is even better…

Thanks Ali!

Breakfast at Darcy’s is released on November 24th. Please stop by on release day for my review and do check out the other stops on Ali’s blog tour.

You can find out more about Ali and her books at: http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in paperback and for Kindle (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Today I’m very excited to be interviewing Keris Stainton. Keris started out as a blogger and has fully embraced Twitter with a brilliant online presence. Earlier this year she set up Authors for Japan in response to the devastation caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami raising over £12,000 in the process. On top of that she’s Mum to two gorgeous boys and author of two fab young adult novels; Della Says OMG which came out last year and her latest release Jessie Hearts NYC.

Amanda: Jessie is your second young adult novel; why did you decide to write for this audience?

Amanda: How does it feel to have your second book published and if your sixteen year old self was reading it what do you think she’d say?

Keris: A love letter to New York, first love and fate. And food. There’s lots of food.

Keris: Oh wow. My ideal day. Um, it would start with breakfast in a diner – maybe the Tick Tock Diner on 8th Avenue, which I’ve been meaning to go to for years, but still haven’t managed. I’d eat enough to keep me going until mid-afternoon (in theory) and then I’d get on a bus tour. I’ve been to New York five times and so shouldn’t really keep doing the touristy things, but I love ‘em. The bus tours are great and such an easy and entertaining way to get around. I’d get off in Greenwich Village and have a wander and then I might have a mooch around Central Park before popping to Serendipity III for a frozen hot chocolate mid-afternoon. I’d have to go to Top of the Rock again because it’s just so glamorous and gorgeous and then if there was one showing I’d see a film in Bryant Park and eat a picnic tea from WichCraft. Would a martini and oysters at Grand Central Station be too much late at night? (Would they even still be serving?) It’s my perfect day, so let’s pretend they are. And then a cab back to Hotel on Rivington, which I’ve been gazing at online for a few years now. I’d like this room please.

Keris: If It Kills Me by Jason Mraz, which inspired the character of Finn. Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys, which inspired me to write when I couldn’t get going. New York by They Might Be Giants, which is just perfect for Jessie and Finn’s story: “But the best thing about New York City is you and me.”

Amanda: Jessie and Finn’s story is so romantic; who are your favourite literary romantic hero and heroine and why?

Keris: Oh I’m going to be boring again and go with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Just perfectly swoonworthy.

Amanda: I agree! Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing?

Keris: My favourite YA author is Meg Cabot. I’m not sure how she’s influenced my writing but I love her enthusiasm, support of other writers, and outrageous range of ideas. My favourite adult author is Armistead Maupin. His Tales of the City series got me through a very difficult time in my life.

Amanda: And finally … what can we expect next from Keris Stainton?

Keris: I’m afraid I can’t say yet … but almost certainly romantic locations and hot boys will be involved.

Can’t wait! Thanks Keris and good luck with your next projects!

You can follow Keris on Twitter @Keris and find out more about Keris and her books at: http://www.keris-stainton.com/

Nicola May lives in Ascot in Berkshire. Her hobbies include watching films that involve a lot of swooning, crabbing in South Devon, eating flapjacks and enjoying a flutter on the horses. Her favourite authors are Milly Johnson and Carole Matthews and she is currently working hard to promote her latest book release, Working it Out.

I reviewed Working it Out earlier this month and Nicola kindly agreed to be interviewed for One More Page and is also providing a copy of the novel for me to give away to one lucky winner (details on how to enter at the end of the interview).

Working it Out is a fun and original addition to the Chick Lit genre; have you always wanted to write chick lit and do you think you’ll dabble with other genres in future?

Writing chick lit just happened really and I am going to run with it for now as readers are certainly enjoying Working it Out. However, I do have some other ideas up my sleeve for the future, including a dark comedy.

In Working it Out, Ruby makes a New Year’s resolution to try out twelve jobs in twelve months to see if she can stumble upon her ideal career; where did the inspiration for the plot come from?

I have actually never enjoyed being tied to the 9-5, even though I did it for years. So many times I sat in jobs that I didn’t enjoy as was too frightened to take the plunge and try something new. When I was made redundant it gave me the ideal opportunity to try different things with some very amusing consequences, and so the plot developed.

Ruby’s twelve jobs are very varied covering waitressing to fortune telling; if you had to pick one job from Ruby’s twelve to do long term which would it be and why?

I’d love to be an actress.  I won’t spoil the plot and say what it is, but definitely not the role Ruby gets landed with! When Working it Out becomes the Working Title film I want it to be then I certainly want a cameo role.

I could see Working it Out on the big screen; who would you cast for the roles of Ruby, Gorgeous George and Ruby’s fab neighbour Margaret?

Kim Tiddy, ex Bill now Hollyoaks would make a fab Ruby, I think she would add the beauty, quirk and slight laddetteness required to bring out her character. Scott Neal would have to be George, he would pull out the east end lad really well and is definitely handsome enough for Ruby to fall for. Margaret would have to be Brenda Blethyn.

Ruby meets a great set of characters as she works her way through the year; who was your favourite character to write and why?

I love Daphne du Mont who runs Piaf’s cafe. Her whole appearance and demeanour and the fact she sings Edith Piaf songs all the time made me laugh a lot whilst writing her. I can see her black dress and bright red lipstick as I type this. She is so carefree, that she just had to be given a handsome toy boy to play with.

Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing?

Marian Keyes, Carole Matthews and Milly Johnson are all favourites of mine and I like to think my writing is a mix of all three.

Working it Out is the most professional self published book I’ve seen this year and is making a big impression; what are your top tips for other aspiring authors on getting your book noticed?

Thank you for saying that. The feedback I am receiving is certainly astounding. Getting your book noticed takes hard work, but getting the cover right is key. Also nowadays use social media as much as you can. Twitter has really got me where I am today for various reasons. You can find me @nicolamay1

And finally, what can we expect next from Nicola May?

My ambition is to get on the Times bestseller list, and yes of course seeing it out there as a film. I am already writing my fourth novel, so watch this space for book number two coming out before Christmas.

Many thanks Nicola and good luck with the next book! You can find out more about Nicola and her novels on her website at: http://www.nicolamay.com/

Giveaway!

Nicola will send a copy of Working it Out to one lucky reader. To enter this giveaway just leave a comment below telling me about the best, worst, funniest or most unusual job you’ve done and I’ll pick a winner using random.org following the closing date. This giveaway is open worldwide! The closing date for entries is midnight on Sunday 24th July – good luck!

Victoria Fox’s debut novel, Hollywood Sinners was released last week and is a brilliant read. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to interview Victoria for One More Page …

Hollywood Sinners is a glamorous rollercoaster of a ride and feels very much like an insider view of the lives of rich and famous celebrities; how did you go about researching the book (did you get to visit Vegas and Hollywood?!)?

Thanks! That’s lovely of you to say. I have visited Vegas and Hollywood, though not as recently as I’d like! I went once when I was a teenager, but was too young to get up to anything naughty like gambling or hitting the bars or anything like that. But the places stayed with me – LA, all clean lines and glass and palm trees; Vegas like a colourful circus springing up from nowhere in the desert – and I drew on those for the locations. Plus we’ve all seen so many films and read so many magazines that it’s not a stretch to fill in the blanks. I must admit the bulk of my research came from celeb magazines like Heat and Now – I read far too many of them! I’m a bit of a conspiracy theorist at heart and a lot of what I was reading encouraged me to wonder if we were seeing the full picture. An idea I had about an A-list Hollywood couple inspired Hollywood Sinners. I just thought, There’s a novel in that.

This is your debut novel and has been described as both ‘Scandalous’ and ‘Sexy’ ; did you always want to write a ‘bonkbuster’ and what drew you to this particular genre?

Bonkbusters have always been dear to me. When I was growing up I LOVED Jackie Collins’ books, Jilly Cooper’s, too, and I always kind of wondered if one day I’d get to write one; if I could write one. When I hit my twenties I struggled to find a bonkbuster I could relate to in quite the same way, one that was genuinely exciting and surprising and made me laugh and gasp in equal measure (because some of those early ones were actually really funny). I figured, if I couldn’t find one, I should write one. So I did!

Hollywood Sinners is set in a world of celebrity with characters who are at the forefront of the film, music and luxury industries; if you had to choose between being a film star, a rock star or a multimillion pound casino owner which would you choose and why?

I love this question! Hmm. OK, I think I would choose to be a casino owner, but only if I could do it in the seventies or something, when Vegas was still Sin City. I’d wear a leopard-print cat suit with huge shoulder pads, a diamond knuckle-duster and blast myself with so much hairspray it made passers-by choke. I’d sit on my leather bar stool sipping a dirty martini and intermittently shouting, ‘Honey, I demand another drink!’ (I’m sure there’s more to it than that, but such is my fantasy.)

Who was your favourite character to write and why?

My favourite character in Hollywood Sinners is Cole Steel, because I find him the most interesting. He was meant to be really nasty, a proper villain, but I think there’s more to him than that. He’s not all bad, he’s just weird and misguided and so far lost to celebrity that he doesn’t know who he is any more: he’s terrified of the illusion crashing down – an illusion so well maintained that he believes it himself. That’s a dangerous stage to get to. I feel sorry for him: once upon a time he was a normal guy. I’d like to return to Cole further down the line.

And finally … What can we expect next from Victoria Fox?

Ooh. You can expect another big, ambitious, glitzy bonkbuster, scheduled for publication in Spring 2012. This one’s going to be even more daring and sensational than my debut, with plenty of sex and surprises. Another big cast of characters, a fast-paced plot packed with twists and turns, and more top-secret celebrity shenanigans . . .

I can’t wait – thank you Victoria!

Alma Katsu’s debut novel, The Taker is published today. It’s a gripping and dark immortal love story which leaves you thinking about its characters and their actions long after you’ve closed the final page and I was thrilled when Alma agreed to answer some of my questions for One More Page.

This is your debut novel and a complex and epic historical paranormal romance. What led you to write a book in this genre and how does it feel to be a published author?

When I started writing this book in 2000 and then talking to literary agents in 2001, it was much closer to “Interview with the Vampire” and all the feedback I got was that it would never sell. Despite the popularity of Laurell Hamilton and Chelsea Yarbro, agents said these types of books were dead. But it seemed to me that the types of emotions these books appeal to – the classic gothic sentiment – was timeless. That dark, romantic, somewhat nihilistic outlook resonates with people of every generation. So, I continued to work and work on it, hopeful that when the book was ready, there would be people who would find it spoke to them.

As for being a published writer, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m waiting to see if, on the 14^th, I’ll feel wildly different.

The Taker has some very dark and complex characters in it; who was your favourite to write and why?

Thank you for that compliment – if there’s one thing I would want readers to say about the characters, it’s that they’re dark and complex! One funny thing I learned from writing the book (for better or worse) is that every main character gets some piece of the author’s psyche. So, as close as Lanny is to my heart, I have to say Adair, the villain, was the most fun to write. He got the worst of my temper. In him, I’m able to see what it would be like to push the limits, to be as bad as possible. He’s the kind of villain that just takes over a scene, like Hannibal Lechter. He’s very comfortable with himself, with his lack of inhibitions. I hope he’s as much fun to read.

I loved the historical elements to the story – if you could live at any time in history when would you choose?

It’s hard to choose, isn’t it? The Goth in me leans towards the Victorian era, but there are things about the Regency era that appeal as well. Oddly, though, I find myself drawn to the Silk Road, and its influence has stretched for centuries though I’m most drawn to the Mongol era and what various countries on the road experienced during the era of Colonization. I’m drawn to the wildness of it, the variety of cultures it touches, the confluence of outsiders and native societies.

I saw from your website that you love fairy tales and that the story in The Taker has a folktale at its heart; do you have any plans to incorporate any further legends into your future work?

Yes! Without giving too much away, the fairy tale at the heart of the next book is ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ It’s pretty easy to spot which character is the Beauty, and you can imagine which one is the Beast. Will she be able to tame this Beast?

The Taker focuses on immortal love. What are your favourite literary love stories and did they have any bearing on your work?

That is a great question! Funny thing is, when I think of my favourite stories, they’re more about the individual’s quest to understand herself (of course, that is part of love—you really can’t love someone else fully and truly until you know yourself. I wouldn’t say you have to love yourself but you must at least accept yourself) than great love stories. The tale of Tristan and Isolde would be one. I loved the Time Traveller’s Wife, too. I’m drawn to tragic love stories, I guess.

Lanny’s immortality has its consequences with some very dark scenes at times; what did you find most difficult to write about and how did you overcome this?

Most people have both a natural curiosity about things that are outside themselves, and a bit of a dark side. You may not want to participate in S&M, for instance, but you’re probably curious enough to learn a little bit of what it’s about. So first, I wrote from that natural curiosity. Then, to give a little bit of background, in my day job I’m an analyst for the government and one thing I worked on for years had to deal with mass atrocities and genocides. In that line of work, you get a good sense of the terrible things that men are capable of inflicting on other men, but also you get a sense of how the perpetrators deal with/rationalize what they’ve done. There were some scenes that left me shaken for days after writing them, though.

Although The Taker has only just been published I’m eager for the sequel; when can we look forward to it and can you give us any hints as to what to expect next for Lanny?

I’m so glad to hear that you’re eager to continue with the story. I’ve hinted a little bit of what’s in store for Lanny. Her story is truly an epic romance, and by the end of the third book, readers will have been taken to somewhere completely unexpected but, hopefully, a resolution that feels entirely true and fitting. The second book comes out in spring 2012, I believe, though I don’t think a publication date has been set yet. The manuscript is with my editor and I hope to be working on revisions soon.

Thanks Alma and good luck with books two and three!

The Taker is released today and you can find out more about the book and Alma at: http://www.almakatsu.com/