Hi Lauren! It's lovely to welcome you to my blog for the very first time and to be a part of your ongoing tour - I'm looking forward to learning more about you and your latest release, MOONLIGHT ON THE THAMES. Let's kick things off with my questions...
1.)
What was your first job? Did you like or dislike it? Why?
I was one of millions of Americans in the 80s who started out working at McDonalds. I hated it but it was good experience of the real world. I worked all through university as a legal secretary, and then I graduated from law school and my first real job was as a environmental lawyer in Los Angeles. I loved that job in part because I was good at it, and also because there was lots of free sushi at firm events.
2.)
Do you have a pet peeve? If so what is it?
My partner snoring and my children losing things. And me losing things. And structural edits.
3.)
Would you describe your style as shabby chic, timeless elegance,
eclectic, country or ____?
Shabby but not chic.
4.)
Tell me about your book Moonlight on the Thames and where you got
your inspiration for it?
I had the idea that I wanted to write a fluffy Christmas romance because I love the covers of holiday novels that come out this time of year – little villages, snow, log fires, mistletoe and gingerbread. But I soon found that I wanted to explore the darker side of Christmas, told from the perspective of people who have genuine reasons to avoid the festivities. I envisioned Nicola a bit as a high-powered female executive version of Scrooge, and Dmitri as sort of a Ghost of Christmas Present. I came up with their backstories that echo through the book and make the characters the way they are. I also knew very early on what the theme was: the idea of self-forgiveness and that it is necessary to love yourself before you can truly love another person.
In the end, my idea of writing a fluffy Christmas romance fell by the wayside, and I knew I had to explore these two characters, their dark pasts, and their rocky path to love and redemption.
5.)
Who is your role model? Why?
JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, Phillip Pullman, Gillian Flynn, and Liane Moriarty. Because they all have written books that I wish I had written.
6.) How much of your book is realistic?
The opening scene of Moonlight on the Thames was inspired by a night last December when I was waiting for a delayed train at Waterloo Station and there was a choir singing carols (sadly, without the smoking hot choirmaster). The music part of the book is based on the fact that I am a failed oboist – I studied music for a year at uni before deciding to give up my dreams of becoming a professional musician because it wasn’t for me. I did, however, love the idea of writing about a character who experiences the agony and ecstasy of being a musician, or generally, an artistic person. I really enjoyed coming up with the play list of romantic piano music that accompanies the book. To me, music evokes very strong emotion, not always positive, but definitely memorable.
I should also mention that the journey taken by Nicola and Dmitri around London covers real places, and I checked it several times to make sure of the accuracies during the editing stages of the book. The book takes in a number of real sites around London such as the London Eye, Waterloo Station/Bridge, Canary Wharf, Richmond-on-Thames where I used to live, Somerset House, and the South Bank. The homeless shelter is fictional, though the issues faced by displaced people in major cities all over, are not.
7.) What are your ambitions for your writing career?
To someday be able to quit my day job as a lawyer so that I never have to get the 7:21 train to Waterloo again? No, seriously, my main ambition is to continue reaching out to find my audience. Because I do not write main stream romance, this is a challenge. But there is nothing better than when a complete stranger lets you know how the book touched them and how they really ‘got’ it. That makes it all worthwhile.
8.) Share one fact about yourself that would surprise people.
I often get up at 3am to write my books. This is in part because I still work part time as a lawyer, and also have three kids. It’s also because this is when I have my best, uninterrupted time. I put the coffee machine on, and I’m sorted.
My children are often surprised when I tell them how many ebooks I need to sell to pay for that lost Horrid Henry library book. About 80. Sad, but true.
Moonlight on the Thames
Worlds collide when two strangers meet at Waterloo station. It's
a moment they'll never forget. Perfect for the fans of Milly Johnson.
Christmas is a joyous time, but not everyone is merry and
bright.
Nicola is a rising star at the top of the corporate ladder, but her personal life is a disaster. Her office affair has lost its allure, and the last thing she wants to think about is Christmas. A night of cancelled trains and festive Christmas carols at Waterloo Station is just about the last straw...
Nicola is a rising star at the top of the corporate ladder, but her personal life is a disaster. Her office affair has lost its allure, and the last thing she wants to think about is Christmas. A night of cancelled trains and festive Christmas carols at Waterloo Station is just about the last straw...
Dmitri loves conducting his pop-up choir during the festive
season, meeting people, and spreading joy and cheer around London. But he
carries deep secrets from his past that robbed him of his dream to become a
concert pianist.
Can
their hearts and souls be unlocked by music and moonlight and will they
discover the healing power of love?
Purchase Links
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2LUeoG9
4
Author
Bio – Lauren Westwood
writes romantic women's fiction, and is also an award-winning children's
writer. Originally from California, she now lives in England in a pernickety
old house built in 1602, with her partner and three daughters. facebook:
@Lwestwoodbooks; twitter: @lwestwoodwriter; web: www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com;
instagram: @lwestwoodwriter; Goodreads: Lauren Westwood
Social Media Links –
facebook: @Lwestwoodbooks;
twitter: @lwestwoodwriter;
web: www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com;
instagram: @lwestwoodwriter;
Goodreads: Lauren Westwood;
Booktrail: https://www.thebooktrail.com/book-trails/moonlight-on-the-thames/ (this is a third-party site).
Playlist (music plays a big part in the book): http://www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com/playlist
Giveaway –
Win 2 x Signed copies of Moonlight On The Thames (UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the
Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via
Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or
email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to
select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any
personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose
only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the
winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only
for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the
data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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