Wednesday 7 August 2013

Guest Post & Giveaway: Eliza Watson talks about her cameo appearance in Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir

My personality and quirks often sneak into my books. Sometimes I realize it, and sometimes I don’t. The following are several appearances I make in my new women’s fiction book, Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir.

I fell in love with Paris while studying at the Sorbonne for a college semester, and I’ve since visited there several times. Being a writer, people watching is one of my favorite pastimes. I have discovered many characters while riding the Métro or strolling around Paris. Every walk sparks an idea for a character, setting, or scene. It’s a city that inspires creativity, which is why I’ve set two books there.

I’m an event planner like the book’s protagonist, Samantha. I’m all-too-familiar with the type of challenges she faces throughout the book—even though they are fictional—and it was easy to make her suffer, which of course makes her stronger in the end. 

The hero, Luc, was once married to an Irish woman. I’ve been tracing my Irish ancestry for six years and have traveled to Ireland three times to meet my rellies. My husband and I recently purchased a vacation home in Ireland, and my next women’s fiction book will be set there. 

I have several books on dining in Paris and I like to try new restaurants every time I visit. However, one of my favorite spots to frequent is a hot dog vendor’s stand. The bun is half of a chewy baguette hollowed out with ketchup and spicy mustard shot inside it. I love Parisian hot dogs so much they make several guest appearances in my book.

Libby’s apartment is similar to a hotel I once stayed at in Paris. The shower was merely a nozzle on the wall without a shower curtain or stall. So when you turned on the water you had to be careful that the entire bathroom didn’t take a shower. And like my dorm when I studied at the Sorbonne, Libby’s apartment has poor electrical wiring and no air conditioning.

Samantha uses a blow-dryer, despite being told the electrical wiring is too old, and she blows a fuse. I once did this at a hotel in Paris. I wasn’t advised when I booked the hotel that blow-dryers were forbidden. On my last day, I had an important business meeting and I had to wash my hair. I thought if I turned the blow-dryer on low I would be okay. Not only did the electricity go out in my room, but on the entire floor. I paid for the new fuse. 

I would like to thank Sharon for helping me celebrate the release of Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir. One commenter will win a $10 gift certificate for Amazon or Barnes and Noble. To enter to win, please leave a comment or question about my post. Thank you for stopping by!

Book Blurb
Event planner Samantha Hunter is prepared for a few challenges when escorting a group of good ole boy beer distributors to Paris, the city of haute cuisine and fine wines. However, she doesn't foresee being passed up for a promotion because she is too professional and doesn't knock back beers with her clients. Her focus soon switches from landing the well-deserved promotion to finding her free-spirited sister, who lives in Paris and has disappeared, leaving behind family secrets to be uncovered. A sexy puppeteer helps Samantha search for clues to her sister's whereabouts and teaches her to embrace her inner child. And a funeral-crashing psychic demonstrates the importance of living life to the fullest. It takes Samantha's life spiraling out of control for her to finally get a life.

Kissing My Old Life Au Revoir is available here: Amazon USAmazon UKBarnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

About Eliza Watson
Eliza’s first attempt at creative writing was in fourth grade. She and her friends were huge Charlie's Angels fans and she would sit in her bedroom at night writing scripts for them to act out at recess the following day. She was Kelly Garrett. The journey from fourth grade script writer to published author wasn't an easy one, but it was always an adventure and the final destination was well worth it.

When Eliza isn’t traveling for her job as an event planner, or tracing her ancestry roots through Ireland, she’s at home in Wisconsin working on her next novel. She enjoys bouncing ideas off her husband Mark, and her cats Quigley, Frankie, and Sammy.

Learn more about Eliza here:

www.elizawatson.com
http://www.goodreads.com/ElizaWatson
https://www.facebook.com/ElizaWatsonAuthor

9 comments:

  1. Hi, Eliza!

    I’ve been really looking forward to reading your new book. I used to live in Paris so, for me, this would be a special treat and a lot like going home again. Congratulations and wishing you great successes.

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape@aol.com

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  2. Thanks so much for popping by Connie. I hope you have the chance to read it and you enjoy Samantha's story. Thanks for having me here today Sharon to chat about my new book!

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  3. I would love to go to Paris! It’s a city that inspires creative thinking!

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    1. It certainly does! I've set two novels there and I'm sure there will be more. :-)

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  4. I really want to read this book. Paris is on my dream list to visit. but, I know I will never make it. So, I have to get my fill with books. Add a great story like this and I will be a very happy reader.

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    1. Oh Janine, never say never. Hold onto the dream of visiting Paris and make it come true. I hope you do make it there!

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  5. I am dying to read this book! It sounds so good! I visited Paris once and loved it. I would love to go back!

    Thanks!
    -Jessica M
    walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

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    1. Lol, I love your e-mail addie. Hope you get a chance to read my book Jessica and that you make it back to Paris!

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  6. I"d love to visit Paris, bad wiring and all.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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