Author Q & A with Giulia Skye

When former Olympic Swimmer, Michael Adams—now Canada’s hottest reality TV star— insults his fake showbiz wife on social media, he escapes the ensuing scandal and jumps on the first flight to Australia. Desperate to experience ordinary life again—if only for a few weeks—he becomes “Adam”, just another tourist traveling through the Outback. But with a reward out for his safe return and his fame’s nasty habit of catching up with him when he least expects, he needs a better disguise… and he’s just found it.

Sweet and scruffy British backpacker, Evie Blake, is taking a year out of her busy London life. Tired of lies and liars, she’s looking for adventure to heal her broken heart. So when the hot Canadian she meets at the campground offers to be her travel partner through Western Australia’s wild Kimberley region, she grabs the chance, unaware he’s got the world out looking for him.

He’s just a down-on-his-luck traveler, right?

Title:    When Adam Met Evie

Author:    Giulia Skye

Publication Date: 7th Feb 2020

Links:  UK:  Amazon       UK:   Amazon

Author Q and A 

We are delighted to welcome the fabulous Giulia Skye to Sincerely Book Angels today to talk about her brand new book When Adam met Evie.

What was the inspiration behind When Adam Met Evie?
I’ve always loved a good road trip romance, both in real life and in films and books, and it’s one of my favourite tropes. There’s something about two people, from completely different worlds, meeting, going on a journey together and falling in love along the way that always gets my imagination revving up. The inspiration to set this book in Australia came from my own backpacker travelling days, and the inspiration to write about a runaway celebrity came from on my own experiences of working in the TV industry and seeing the downside of being famous.


Did you always want to be a writer? 
Yes, but as a child I rarely did any writing other than pottering about with a few sentences. Growing up, I didn’t have my head buried in a book but rather my eyes glued to the TV as I loved watching old Hollywood films. I think this is where I got my sense of story telling from. I’m also a day dreamer with a very vivid imagination and tonnes of empathy and understanding about human nature. It’s only in recent years that I’ve actually taken my writing seriously and have learnt that to be a writer, you have to do writing. Which is the hard part.


What other jobs have you had? 
My career, since Uni, has been in TV production. I started as a Production Secretary, working my way up to Co-ordinator, then Manager and now I’m a Production Executive, although I work very part time on a consultancy basis. I’ve absolutely loved working in TV. I’ve met some amazing people and had some really memorable experiences. It’s rarely felt like work but after 22 years in the industry, I’m very happy to put it on the backburner so that I can concentrate on my children, and my writing.


Have you ever had writer's block? All the time! Sometimes, I find it really hard to construct the simplest of sentences. The words just don’t flow. Other times they do. The problem usually stems from not knowing what to write, rather than how to write it. Once I get that hideous first draft of a scene done, I can edit it forever, so I think my writer’s block comes from the fear of a blank page and not fully grasping what I want to say.


If so how did you overcome it?
I love gardening and exercising and I usually find that doing something completely different unblocks my mind enough to understand my story better and think about what I want to say. However, it’s still writing it down that is the hard part and there’s no way to overcome this other than sitting at my desk and writing. Slowly, slowly, I then have a scene, or a chapter, that I can work with and make better.


What motivates you to keep writing?
The fact that – despite finding it so hard and often soul destroying – I enjoy it! I love the play of words, I love creating, and I love spending time in my own head with my characters and what they get up to.


What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Keep on writing.

Write what you like to read

Don’t pay attention to self-doubt.


If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for the opening credits?
David Guetta’s Lovers on the Sun. I’m not sure if it’s an opening credits type of song but it’s definitely one that I hear at the back of my mind whenever I think about Adam and Evie alone in the Outback together. It’s a hot, sexy song!


Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film of your book? 
My heroine, Evie, has huge brown eyes and so I imagined her to look a bit like Mila Kunis.


What is your next book about? 
My next book is called The Summer of Sebastian and like When Adam Met Evie, is the story of two people from different countries and backgrounds who meet by chance while taking time out of their normal lives. Canadian Sebastian is a former Olympic swimmer who is working in England as a Sports Ambassador, hoping this new job will help repair his bad reputation until disgraced computer-geek, Helen, is mistaken for his girlfriend. She’s a far cry from the English Rose he really wants to be seen with, but when they’re locked into working together, Sebastian begins to wonder if there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Thank you so much for joining us today Giulia and good luck with the book.
Here's our review for When Adam Met Evie

Sincerely

Book Angel x

About the Author

Italian-born Giulia Skye spent her childhood watching classic Hollywood films and thinking up her own romantic stories. After two decades working in TV production, she knew turning those stories into novels would be much more enjoyable - and far cheaper – than turning them into films. She still keeps her hand in TV production but is at her happiest being a stay-at-home mum, spending time with her family, growing her own vegetables and conjuring up sizzling stories about sexy heroes meeting fiesty heroines who aren’t always as they at first appear.  When Adam Met Evie is her first novel, Book 1 of her “Take a Holiday” series.

LINKS TO ME AND MY BOOKS:



To read When Adam Met Evie, please go to - https://books2read.com/WhenAdamMetEvie



Learn more about me and my books on my website – www.giuliaskye.com



Follow me on BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/giulia-skye



Or on Twitter - @GiuliaSkye

Spring Blogger Evening 2020

One of the highlights of the booky calendar for me has always been the Spring Blogger Evening hosted at Simon & Schuster HQ by the amazing Sara-Jade Virtue and the fabulous Books and the City team.

Sorry I didn't manage to get a pic with all of the authors on

Our invitation had promised us a quiz with fizz, cakes and amazing new books by the magnificent seven.

When we arrived we were plied with nibbles and fizz and given a coloured sticker with our name on, we had to then find our tribe and sit together to take part in the quiz. I was in the pink team with the fabulous Maureen Stapleton who was in charge of the pen and the lovely Santa Montefiore was on our team too.

We were quizzed on various books from Simon and Schuster authors from last year and it's a good job we'd been paying attention because WE WON! Sara-Jade presented us all with Lindt chocolate chicks and bunnies and I would have taken a picture of mine but unfortunately I have eaten them all, I'm a confirmed chocoholic so please don't judge me.

Next the authors were tasked with either pitching their books to us or reading from them, some even did both and one did something completely different which I'll tell you about in a minute. After the readings each author had to tell us two truths and one lie which was hilariously confusing as some of them thought it was two lies and one truth, we then had to judge which author was the best liar and we unanimously voted for Anstey Harris who's lie left the room open mouthed in shock and the relief was palpable as we realised that thankfully it was the lie, it was so funny and SJ's face was a picture.

As we milled about with the fanciest cakes which matched the book covers we were given the opportunity to get our books signed and take a look at the flat lay room where the team had created the most beautiful and artistic displays for each book.

The first book was called The High Moments by Sara-Ella Ozbek and Sara-Ella did a reading which was both shocking and hilarious and made me laugh out loud, I've already predicted it will win the Romantic Comedy Novel Award next year just from the first few pages.

Amazon

Santa Montefiore talked about her book which is called Here and Now about a lady with dementia and a community that come together to share their memories of her, she said that she didn't want it t be a depressing book but instead she wanted it to be full of love and uplifting. I found the description very moving and beautiful.

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Paige Toon has had me in tears many a time and her book The Minute I Saw You sounds absolutely intriguing, it's about a woman who is an optician and has to get quite close to a man who has an eye test and the chemistry is definitely there but the next time he comes in he's a shadow of his former self, apparently it was quite dark in places and Paige couldn't talk too much about it without giving away important plot points.

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Holly Hepburn's new book Coming Home to Brightwater Bay is about a woman who moves to the Orkneys and finds herself welcomed into a friendly community, apparently there is a couple of love interests including a really hot Viking type hero in the book with whom Holly has fallen in love with and so I'm sure we will too. Holly made me laugh with one of her truths which she still cringes about now, I'd tell you what it s but what happens in S &S HQ stays in S &S HQ.

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Christina Pishiris was up next and she had the original idea to talk about her character as though she was writing to Reddit as part of AITA Am I the Arsehole, she explained how the boy she fell in love with was now back in the country but so was his ex and she needed to befriend the ex to get an interview with a celebrity. It was really funny.

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Next was Caroline Scott with her story When I Come home Again which sounds very moving, set in the first world war, it's about a soldier who has lost his memory and an appeal is sent out to see if anybody knows him. Three women come forward, one who says he's her brother, one her son and one her husband, each claim seems genuine as certain pieces fit but also there are parts of their stories that don't fit. 

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Finally Anstey Harris whose previous book, The Truths and triumphs of Grace Atherton won the Sapere Books Popular Romantic Fiction award the night before at the RNA Romantic Novel Awards, talked about her book and also read a small section to us too. The book is called Where We Belong and is about a mother and son who move to a museum to stay just for the summer but whilst there they uncover secrets, the piece she read out was intriguing and had me wanting to know more and if it's half as good as her previous one it will be fantastic.

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Even though she wasn't there it was lovely to see Outstanding Achievement Award Winner 2020, Milly Johnson's new quick reads book, The Little Dreams of Lara Cliffe, was tucked away in the goody bags.

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It was lovely to meet up with so many familiar faces amongst bloggers and authors and the Books and the City team and I had a lovely time. Thanks again to Sara-Jade Virtue for the event and the super haul in the goody bag, my dog was very interested in it.

Sincerely
Book Angel x

My One True North by Milly Johnson

Laurie and Pete should never have met.
But fate has pushed them together for a reason.
 
Six months ago, on the same night, Laurie and Pete both lost their partners.
Struggling to manage the grief, they join the same counselling group – and meet each other.

From their sadness, Pete and Laurie find happiness growing and they sense a fresh new beginning.
Except, the more they talk, the more they begin to spot the strange parallels in their stories.
Then Pete discovers a truth that changes everything.

But, as surely as a compass points north, some people cannot be kept apart.

My One True North is a story of friendship and what love means, of secrets uncovered, teashops on corners and the northern lights.

***

Title: My One True North

Author: Milly Johnson

Published By: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 5th March

Links: UK:   Amazon   US:   Amazon

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Our Review

I have never wished for a Happy Ever After more than I did for Laurie and Pete. They were two lost souls floating around in a world they didn’t know if they fitted in anymore. Both of them heartbroken and not knowing which way to turn.

My One True North encapsulates everything you could ever want in a love story in a way that only Milly Johnson can do. Places and characters from my other favourite books of hers made themselves known and I loved my trip back to the Teashop on the corner.

Milly writes as though she’s an artist painting a landscape, every sentence reveals another piece of the masterpiece until you can see the whole scene vividly in front of you. I was torn between wanting to devour every word of this book in one go and limiting myself because I never wanted it to end. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think Milly Johnson is a genius for the way she puts words together, a true wordsmith. This book will play on every emotion you’ve got, heart-breaking, uplifting and sprinkled with Milly’s humour and that little bit of magic.

Apart from the main characters the secondary characters bring about so much love and warmth and humour and I laughed out loud on numerous occasions.

My One True North is a powerful love story written by one amazing woman who has poured her heart out onto these pages. 

Sincerely

Book Angel x

About the Author

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. As well as being an author of 16 published novels, 2 short story books and 2 novellas, she is also a copywriter for the greetings card industry, a poem and joke-writer, a columnist and a seasoned after dinner speaker.

She won the RoNA for Best Romantic Comedy Novel of 2014 and 2016 and the Yorkshire Society award for Arts and Culture 2015.


She writes about love, life, friendships and the importance of community spirit. Her books champion women, their strength and resilience and celebrate her beloved Yorkshire.

Her latest book - 'The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew' deals with a woman who has been conditioned since a child to be little more than a support for an important man. But there is much more to Mrs Mayhew than anyone who knows her - even her own family - could ever believe.


Milly's website is www.millyjohnson.co.uk. She is on Twitter as @millyjohnson, Instagram as @themillyjohnson and has a Facebook page @MillyJohnsonAuthor. She also has a monthly newsletter www.millyjohnson.co.uk/newsletter with exclusive, news, offers and competitions.

Her Husband's Mistake by Sheila O'Flanagan

Dave's made a BIG mistake. What's Roxy going to do about it? The riveting new novel from No. 1 bestselling author Sheila O'Flanagan. Perfect for readers of Marian Keyes and Catherine Alliott.

Roxy's marriage has always been rock solid.

After twenty years, and with two carefree kids, she and Dave are still the perfect couple.

Until the day she comes home unexpectedly, and finds Dave in bed with their attractive, single neighbour.

Suddenly Roxy isn't sure about anything - her past, the business she's taken over from her dad, or what her family's future might be. She's spent so long caring about everyone else that she's forgotten what she actually wants. But something has changed. And Roxy has a decision to make.

Whether it's with Dave, or without him, it's time for Roxy to start living for herself...

'One of my favourite authors' Marian Keyes

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Title: Her Husband's Mistake

Author: Sheila O'Flanagan

Published By: Headline

Publication Date: 30th May 2019

Links: UK: Amazon   US: Amazon

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Author Q and A with Sheila O'Flanagan

Hi Sheila and welcome to Sincerely Book Angels blog. What was the inspiration behind Her Husband's Mistake? 
I wanted to write about the kind of woman who copes with everything, and then give her something that’s really hard to cope with so that she has to reassess her life. I like putting my characters into difficult situations and seeing how they manage!


Did you always want to be a writer? 
Yes. From the moment I wanted to know ‘what happened next’ in a book that my mum was reading to me, I made up stories of my own. I loved reading (still do, obviously) and I was enthralled by stepping into new worlds. Making up my own stories, worlds and characters was simply the next step for me.


What other jobs have you had? 
Waitress, shop assistant, banker, stockbroker.


How did it feel when your first novel was published? 
I didn’t quite believe it. I used to go into one of the major Dublin bookstores and stare at it on the shelves until I realised the security guard was following me around!


Can you please tell us a little about your publishing story. 
I wrote lots of short stories and articles. One or two were published in magazines which made me think that my writing must be OK. But it took me until my mid-thirties to finally sit down and write a full length novel. When I sent it to a publisher they said they loved the characters but that they were a bit too young for them. (Back then, YA wasn’t really a thing. If it had been, maybe i would’ve been a YA novelist.) They asked if I could rewrite it with the same characters a little older and when I did they said they’d publish it. But it took another 3 years before it finally made it into print.


What other books have you written? 
Lots! Among them shwould be The Missing Wife, Isobel’s Wedding, Stand By Me and All For You (which won the Irish Book Awards popular fiction award). I’ve also written three collections of short stories, and two books for children.


Have you ever had writer's block? 
I always get to a point in a novel where I’m never 100% sure what’s going to happen next. I wouldn’t exactly call it writer’s block, but it’s certainly a stumbling block!


If so how did you overcome it? 
Usually by doing something completely different! I play badminton and I find that sport helps because you can only think about what you’re physically doing at the time. It gives your head a bit of space.


What motivates you to keep writing? 
Wanting to tell stories about women. Trying to make each book better than the last.


Where is your favourite place to write? ( can we please have a picture) 
I do most of my writing at my desk in my Dublin home, although I often edit on planes and in my house in Alicante!


Do your characters moods ever affect your mood and vice versa? 
Oh gosh, yes, all the time. If my characters are going through a hard time, I’m quite cranky and difficult to live with. Writing is a little bit like acting, only it’s all in your head!


What three pieces of advice would you give to an aspiring writer? 
Get some words on a page.

Blog posts about writing won’t get your novel finished.

You don’t have to spend months researching anything.


Which authors inspire you? 
Anyone who writes and gets published inspires me! Although it’s a privelege to earn a living doing something I love, it’s also very solitary and can be mentally exhausting. So the knowledge that other writers are out there, feeling the same and still getting their work done motivates me. As a young writer I was inspired by Maeve Binchy who wrote about modern women in a warm, empathic way. She also once said that if you write a page a day you’ll have a novel written in a year. I found that very encouraging.


What are you reading at the moment? 
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow (it’s about his research for his story on Harvey Weinstein. It’s unbelievable how many people knew what was going on but stayed silent. And how many men in positions of power did nothing.)


If your book was made into a film what song would you choose for the opening credits? 
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. I’m showing my age but it’s a brilliant song.


Who would you choose to play your favourite character in the film of your book? 
I think Saoirse Ronan would be a good Roxy. And she wouldn’t have to change her accent!


What is your next book about? 

It’s a story about an unexpected friendship between two women who end up going on a road trip together.

Thank you so much for joining us Sheila and good luck with the book  

Sincerely

Book Angel x

About the Author

I've always loved reading and when I was a child I used to write stories for my younger sisters as a bribe to make them do my share of the housework. It usually worked!

Ireland is famed for its writers, but for me growing up most of the novels were rural in both their settings and their points of view. I wanted to read books about people like me, who lived in the city and struggled with the chaotic bus timetable and had dreams and ambitions that had nothing to do with the farm. I also wanted to read novels in which the women were the heroes of their own stories and not simply there because they were someone's wife, mother or daughter.

Although I was constantly writing, the idea of being a novelist was a bit of a pipe dream. I had to earn a living and so I got a job in finance. It was the complete opposite of anything I'd ever expected to do but - at least for a time - I enjoyed it and I did well.

But the dream wouldn't go away and in my thirties I decided that I would make a real effort to write my novel. Eventually, after a couple of false starts, Dreaming of A Stranger was written and published and became an Irish bestseller. 

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