Angela’s planning her very own fairytale of New York…
• Enormous Christmas tree• Eggnog
• Eccentric British traditions
• Gorgeous man
But Santa’s throwing her a few curveballs – new job (as if it’s not mental enough already), new baby-craze from her best friend Jenny, and Alex determined they should grow up and settle down. Once friends start turning up uninvited on her doorstep (and leading her astray), can Angela really have a merry little Christmas? So much for happy holidays – something’s got to give…
Are there any plans for more books in the ‘I heart’ series or is that it for Angela & Co?
I don’t have a specific plan in mind right now. That said, when I wrote I Heart London, I was sure I would never write another I Heart so who knows!
Did you imagine when you first wrote I Heart New York that this would turn into such a popular series with readers?
I really didn’t. I was just writing for myself and really didn’t expect it to ever see it come out, let alone be successful. It still blows my mind, every day.
Are you currently working on a new book? If so, are you able to tell us anything about it?
I am! I’m writing the sequel to About a Girl which is out next summer, if I ever get it done. It’s called What a Girl Wants and it comes out in July 2014.
Do you have a set daily writing routine?
I don’t. Mostly, I write in the evenings so my days can be super random. If I have any features or blog posts to write, I’ll try to get them out of the way in the day to leave my nights clear for writing. Also, I need lots of time to lay on the sofa and watch TV. It is essential to my creative process. Cough.
Have you ever had writer’s block?
All the time! Sometime my brain just doesn’t want to write. Depending on whether it’s genuinely empty or I’m just procrastinating, sometimes I have to close the laptop and do something else and other times you just have to write through it and eventually, it all clicks again.
Would you say that any of your characters are like you? If so, which one(s)?
I think there’s part of me in all of them. When I started writing, I was very like Angela but she’s taken on a life of her own now. When I wrote Single Girl’s To-Do List, I was in a real Rachel phase and now I’m probably most like Tess. I’m excited to see how she develops in the second books because that’s when the characters really seem to come into their own.
If you could write another style of genre, what would it be and why?
I have a million stories I would like to tell and I think I’ll definitely write a different kind of book one day. I love Donna Tartt, Alice Munro and Margaret Atwood, I’d love to think I could be good enough to write a story like theirs one day.
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?
Just don’t give up. Writing is a difficult life and while it can be incredibly rewarding and super fun, it can be lonely, dispiriting and depressing. You spend a lot of time on your own and there can be a lot of criticism, especially on social media. You need a thick skin and a real passion otherwise it can just be too hard.
Do you prefer to read physical copies of books or e-books?
It depends. I really love to read a real book, nothing beats the feeling of a gorgeous, well designed book, but I do love my Kindle – having so many books to hand when I’m travelling is amazing. I got use to using it to read manuscripts when I was an editor so it’s never been a real problem for me.
What’s the last book you’ve read that has made you cry?
Alice Munro’s Hateship, Courtship, Friendship, Loveship, Marriage.
When you’ve finished writing a book, do you treat yourself to a reward?
Ha, just finishing it is a reward! But yes, I have been known to acquire something handbag or shoe-shaped…
Where would be your idyllic location for a writing retreat?
I often take myself off to write when I’m up against a deadline. Most often a hotel room where there’s very little to distract me. Weirdly, my favourite place to go is Vegas. When I’m writing, I keep really weird hours and tend to write through the night so a 24 hour city like Vegas is perfect for me. I also really like LA. I think I’ll be installing myself in Hollywood in January to get What a Girl Wants finished.
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