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I'm DELIGHTED to welcome a fellow Australian author to the blog today, who is celebrating her second book release this week! Check it out...  Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob. Sandy’s first novel, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by her real-life love story, was published in June 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins). In 2020, two follow-ups to One Summer in Santorini hit the shelves: That Night in Paris in April and A Sunset in Sydney in June. A stand-alone Christmas novel, The Christmas Swap, will be published in October.  Note to self: don't sleep with your flatmate after a curry and three bottles of wine… especially if he's secretly in love with you and wants you to meet his mum. Cat Parsons is on the run. She doesn't do relationships. After ten years of singlehood even the hint of the ‘L' word is enough to get Cat packing her bags and booking herself onto a two-week holiday. A European bus tour feels like a stroke of genius to dodge awkward conversations at home. But little does Cat realise that the first stop will be Paris, the city of love itself. Joined by new friends, Cat has got two weeks, eight countries and a hell of a lot of wine ahead of her. As they discover hidden treasures and the camaraderie of life on the road, will Cat find a new way of looking at love? Discover the beauty of Europe's most romantic cities in this uplifting and laugh-out-loud novel for fans of Samantha Parks, Alex Brown and Mandy Baggot. The Interview... Who are you and what do you write?
I am a traveller who loves romantic fiction, so that’s what I write – travel romcoms with a measure of heart. I base my stories in places I’ve travelled to, and explore the heart – what makes it sing, what breaks it, and what mends it. Where and when and how did the writing life begin for you? I started writing seriously in 2017 and self-published my first novel just ahead of leaving for a one-year sabbatical. While on sabbatical, we lived in Bali, the US, the UK, and Portugal, and I wrote the second and third books in the series. I also queried publishers and agents, and on arrival back to Australia, I secured a 2-book publishing deal with HarperCollins UK and a UK-based agent. How has the journey to this point been? Can you give us a basic rundown? It has been a wild ride. My debut novel, the one I’d previously self-published, was edited and renamed and came out in June 2019. Since then, I have secured a second 2-book deal and by the end of 2020, all four books will be out in the world! As I also work fulltime, I spend at least 2 hours a day on author work, usually before work, and a good chunk of my weekends. And by ‘author work’, I mean, writing, editing, social media engagement and marketing. With 1 book out already and 3 more coming in quick succession, there is always work to do. What's been the hardest part of your writing/publishing experience so far? And the most enjoyable? Juggling two jobs has been challenging at times, and there are sometimes stretches of time where I have to step away from the computer and refuel mentally and emotionally. The most enjoyable aspect has been seeing books out there and hearing from people who have enjoyed them. Would you go back and change anything? I have learned from every stage of my experience to date, so no. Where would you like to be in 5 years time? And 10? Or, what are your plans for the future? Five years from now, I’d like to be a fulltime author. In fact, I am hoping to get there in the next 2-3 years. And, with my books set in gorgeous destinations, I will continue to travel and conduct research for the next stories. What's one piece of advice you'd give to new writers just starting out? Forget the so-called ‘publishing rules’. I self-published, then got a publishing deal by querying my book. Many authors think this is an impossible route to publication, but the ‘rules’ are nebulous. Get your book out there, get readers, get feedback, and keep knocking on doors. I have dozens of rejections. But it only takes one ‘yes’. And what we all want to know... Ketchup or Mayo? - Ketchup – always, especially for fries Night or Day? - Love me a morning! Inside or Outside? - I’m a homebody who loves nature, so both Dogs or Cats? - Cats – we don’t have one at the moment, but may foster one again soon Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter is my jam ebook or Paperback? - I never thought I’d say this, but ebook – of course, I love holding my own paperbacks! Walk or Drive? - Walk – we live in the city, so don’t own a car Sun or Rain? - Sun – always! Keyboard or Pencil & Notebook? - Keyboard for writing, a notebook for musing Comedy or Drama? - Love a good laugh Chips or Chocolate? - Chocolate – the darker the better
1 Comment
15/4/2020 04:01:57 pm
Thank you so much for sharing and being part of the book release. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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