Wednesday, October 9, 2013

The Debt & the Doormat by Laura Barnard (Interview and Signed copy giveaway!)

Amazon Product Description:

Poppy and Jazz have been best friends from the first week of uni. Whenever these two get together trouble isn’t far away and things haven’t changed much. When Jazz gets herself into financial trouble Poppy, being a good friend, offers to help. She instead ends up being talked into swapping lives, with Jazz insisting it will be good and help her get over her broken heart.

Poppy is thrown into a new life, full of crazy housemates; there’s fitness freak Izzy, horrendously beautiful bitch Grace and the slightly gorgeous, if not incredibly grumpy Ryan. Quickly, with the help of Jazz, her life is thrown upside down. Madness ensues and her need to please everyone gets her in more trouble than she could ever imagine.

Before she knows it she’s got a fake boyfriend and is hiding so many secrets she’s scared they’ll spill out any minute. With a bullying boss, a sex crazed colleague, a mental mother and three brothers each with their own dramas, life has gotten pretty difficult for Poppy. And all of this would be much easier, if she could just stop falling over.

Will she get her life back to normal before her brother’s upcoming wedding? And will she want to?

Welcome Laura!
? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?
I worked as a PA for eight years and also did bar work at my mum’s pub until she sold it.

? How long does it take you to write a book?
The Debt & the Doormat took me two and a half years but I’m hoping to get the sequel done far quicker as there now is demand!

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I have to be ready for bed, as I normally write until I fall into it.  I clip back my fringe, have all my make up off and get into my PJ’s.

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
My friends.  I have a wide circle of friends, all from different backgrounds, each with their own quirks.  No character is ever based entirely on one person, but I take elements from their personalities.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?
I draw on ideas I get from magazines, stories I hear, even the news.  Then I just try to put myself in that situation and add in a whole lot of hilarity.

? What books have most influenced your life?
I would probably say Jacqueline Wilson’s books that I read when I was a young girl.  Her books were so easily relatable and funny.  It really helped grow my love of books.

? What are you reading right now?
Sexy Summers by Dani Lovell.  It’s the second installment in her Sexy series (the first was Sexy Berkeley) and oh my god, it’s a brilliant, funny love story that I just can't put down!  I have friends that read it within a few hours!

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Sleep!  I seem to be either looking after my one year old daughter, writing or sleeping.  Occasionally I take time to talk to the husband and have a cuppa with friends.

? What is your favorite comfort food?
Mashed potato.  Simple as that.  I could eat it every day with every meal.  I blame my Irish roots.  I’m glad we’re going into Autumn now so I can indulge in loads of it

? What do you think makes a good story?
I think if you can get immersed into the characters and really care about the outcome it’s a good book.  If you don’t relate to them or root for them there’s no point in reading it.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?
I would say Lindsay Kelk.  I love her hilarious books – they make me laugh out loud!  I’ve just finished About a Girl and can't wait for her next Christmas book.

Fun random questions: 
·        dogs or cats? Dogs.
·        Coffee or tea?  Tea.
·        Dark or milk chocolate?  Milk chocolate although I LOVE Jaffa Cakes which are dark.  I’m not fussy.  Any chocolate, any time I say.
·        Rocks or flowers? Flowers.  Who likes rocks?
·        Night or day? Night. 
·        Favorite color? I honestly can't pick one.  I love patterns where they’re all together!
·        Crayons or markers? Markers.

·        Pens or pencils? Pens.


Signed Book Giveaway!