1) Can you give us a brief overview of Conditional Love?
Conditional Love is my debut novel and it’s a romantic
comedy with a property and design theme. Sophie Stone, the heroine, who works
for the local newspaper, is a thirty-something, stuck-in-a-rut procrastinator.
When she unexpectedly finds herself as the main beneficiary in a stranger’s
will she is forced into action. But there’s a condition attached to the will
which threatens to rock her world: this is the opportunity she has been
dreaming of, but accepting the challenge will throw her safe and predictable
life into turmoil.
She doesn’t have to navigate these turbulent waters alone;
she has two bickering flatmates, a manipulative Madonna-tribute-singer mother,
an ex-boyfriend with dubious motives and an architect with as much social grace
as Doc Martin.
As the story unfolds, Sophie learns that not all love is
unconditional and finally begins to make a new life for herself on her own
terms.
2) What's your favorite quality about your heroine/hero?
I love Sophie’s determination; she keeps going even when
times get tough. Towards the end of the book, she has gained a lot of
confidence and when she is offered an easy way out of her problems, she finally
shows her independence and I’m proud of her for that!
3) What made you want to write Conditional Love?
The initial idea for the story was born out of my own family
situation when my husband inherited a bungalow out in a village miles from
where we lived. The rest of the story is pure fiction though, well, all except
one unfortunate incident when I used the wrong expression in a business
meeting, I’ve used that in my book!
4) How long did it take you to write Conditional Love?
What is your writing process like?
This book took me quite a long
time to write as I was learning how to do it at the same time. I originally
finished in the Spring of this year, but then was advised to re-write it in the
first person. I’m so glad I did, it’s a much better book because of the point
of view change. With my second book, I’m much more organized. I’ve written the
first draft and I’m about to start going back, developing the characters a
little more and adding some more tension to the scenes.
5) If Hollywood
comes calling and asks you to sign over the movie rights for Conditional
Love, who would you like to see play Sophie and the men in her life on the
big screen?
Well I’m so glad you asked this question, Tracie! If Nancy
Meyer, Director of The Holiday one of my all-time favourite films was thinking
about making Conditional Love - The Movie, I’ve already done the hard work for
her and created a cast list on the IMDb website and you can see my choices
here: Hollywood Cast List
As you can see I’ve got Isla Fisher as Sophie and Jude Law squaring up to Ryan
Gosling. Quite frankly, I’d go and watch those two in anything!
6) How do you think of titles?
I sit down with a notepad and pen
and scratch my head, write down some nonsense and throw the page away. Then
when I’m least expecting it, The Title just pops into my head!
7) Tell us about your cover art design. How did you come up
with the concept? Did you execute it yourself or have a professional do it?
I love my cover design so much!
I’ve had it printed onto mugs, onto a chocolate box and even onto a huge cake
for my launch party! I used a British company called "Design For Writers," who
specialize in covers for indie authors, that was recommended to me. They asked
me to pick a memorable scene from the book and I chose the moment when Sophie
meets Nick for the first time. It was raining…
8) As you have a background in marketing, do you have any
advice for newbie authors who are trying to find an audience for their work?
What do you think are the most effective ways an author can promote herself?
Wow, that’s a tricky question as
I’m still so new to publishing myself. Firstly, you need to know who your
audience is. Who will buy your book? Then you need to target that audience
through your marketing efforts.
I have divided my activity between
online marketing: Twitter, Facebook, and blog tour and more traditional
marketing: press releases to my local newspapers and radio stations and a
physical event for the launch of the book.
I think it’s important to remember
that books are launched every day so your book launching isn’t newsworthy.
Also, journalists aren’t really interested in books, they’re interested in the
person behind the book. Try and find an angle or a hook for your press releases
to make capture their interest.
For example, I have billed my book
launch as the "World’s Smallest Book Launch." It’s a bit of fun as I’m using the
iconic red
telephone box in our village as the venue for my launch and I’ve
even applied to the Guinness World Records office!
9) What are your thoughts on love scenes in books? Do you
prefer to read/write sweet/romantic encounters between your hero and heroine or
spicy ones?
Oh sweet, definitely!
10) What are you working on now?
The working title of my next book
is Holding Back. It’s about three women who meet in embarrassing circumstances
at a funeral and then decided to help each other’s wishes come true – a sort of
Bucket List caper!
11) Who are the authors who inspire you?
Irish Author Marian Keyes would
have to be my favourite. Her Dublin accent comes through her writing loud and clear and
I love her story lines. I also enjoy Jenny Colgan, Adriana Trigliani, Jodi
Picoult and Tess Gerritsen!
12) What genres do you like to read? Do you stick to
one or are you eclectic in your reading tastes?
Haha see above! I love women’s
fiction, but like a good thriller from Jo Nesbo sometimes too.
13) What was the last book you read that really WOWed you?
Jojo Moyes – Me Before You. Warning: Kleenex required.
14) If you could be plopped down in the middle of any book,
which one would it be?
Bridget Jones's Diary – I’d love to be one of Bridget’s
friends who got served the blue soup and witnessed the Cleaver v. Darcy fight!
15) If you could invite any five people (living or
dead) over for a dinner party, who would they be and why?
Marian Keyes, the author, Miranda Hart, Catherine Tate and
Alan Carr, British comedians. These four would make me laugh all night. And finally
James McAvoy, because he’s gorgeous!
Fast and Flirty
Favorite scent? West Indian
Lime aftershave
Favorite color? Green
Favorite food? Chicken
Tikka Saag
Favorite word? Onomatopoeia
Favorite article of clothing? Leather
boots
Dream vacation spot? Barbados
Favorite time period in history?
When Robin Hood roamed the forest with
his bow and arrows.
Favorite girl's night out drink?
Kir Royale
Favorite date night activity? Dinner and drinks with my husband.
Favorite song? "Don’t You Want Me Baby" – Human League. (I’m an 80s
chick!)
Celebrity hottie on your laminated list?
James McAvoy!
Novel hero crush? Austin Tyler in Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe.
Book Blurb: Sophie dreams of building her own grand design, she just hasn’t got round to it yet...
Meet Sophie Stone, a thirty-something serial procrastinator. Tesco
knickers, Take That and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it
gets. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she
likes it, thank you very much.
But when her boyfriend dumps her on Valentine’s Day and a mysterious
benefactor leaves her an inheritance, even Sophie has to accept that
change is afoot. There is a catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must
agree to meet the father she has never seen.
Not a fan of surprises, Sophie would rather not; why not let sleeping dads lie? Besides, her mother would kill her.
With interference from an evil boss, bickering flat mates, warring
parents and a sexy ex-boyfriend, Sophie has plenty to contend with
without an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his
mouth.
But it soon becomes clear that she will have to face the past and
learn some uncomfortable home truths before she can finally build a
future on her own terms.
Author Bio: After growing up
in Birmingham, Cathy went to Nottingham Trent University at the ripe old age of
eighteen and five days to study European Business. Upon graduating she spent
the next few years in the corporate world of marketing working on high-powered
projects such as testing the firing range of SuperSoaker waterguns, adding hair
extensions to Girls’ World styling heads and perfecting the weeing action of
Tiny Tears. After making it onto Timmy Mallet’s Christmas card list, she
realised it was time to move on and so in 1995 set up her own agency, Apples
& Pears Marketing.
Avid fans of the
TV series, Cathy and her husband realised their Grand Designs’ dream of
building their own house in 2011. They now live in rural Nottinghamshire with
their two daughters and a cockerpoo called Pearl.
This project
provided the inspiration for Cathy’s debut novel Conditional Love, although it is by no means autobiographical, apart
from the unfortunate incident in the boardroom! She shares her time between her
marketing agency, writing and taxiing the girls endlessly from one activity to
the next.
Cathy is a fan
of Masterchef, strong coffee, chocolate brazils and Marian Keyes books. She is
addicted to her Kindle and has an irrational fear of bananas.
Buy Conditional Love:
Connect With Cathy Bramley:
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Emma introduces herself to us in this first episode of Emma Approved and huge kudos to actress Joanna Sotomura for bringing to life everything about the character that readers have always loved and found infuriating. Emma was Type A long before that was a thing, and in her current incarnation she continues to try and micromanage the lives of others via her job. Emma knows best (She sports fabulously fashionable ombre-colored hair, doesn't she?), and she will fix whatever's wrong with you. Need a man? Need a makeover? Emma's your girl. At least, she thinks she is. We'll have to wait and see how things go horribly awry for Emma in this new series. The first ep ends with a bit of a cliffhanger (Maybe one of Emma's perfect matches isn't so perfect after all?) 
One of the best parts of watching these modernizations of Austen classics is guessing how the writers will reenvision the characters. Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, became his best friend, Fitz, in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and Fitz was African-American, hilarious, and gay. My very insightful friend, blogger/author Laura Chapman, is already predicting that Emma's soon-to-be-hired assistant, who was referenced in Episode 1 of Emma Approved, will turn out to be Harriet, which is nothing short of brilliant! Harriet was taken under Emma's wing in the book, so it makes perfect sense that Emma would be her boss/mentor in the 21st century. This got me to thinking about what the new versions of other Emma characters will be like. We already know that Emma Approved's Mr. Weston is a 35 year-old CEO, which means that Frank Churchill can't be his son as he was in the book. As they have different last names, I'm thinking that Frank could be Weston's younger step or half-brother. Maybe Weston tries to bring Frank into the fold at his company, Cuddly Cupcakes? What about Mr. Elton? He was looking for the right woman to marry in Emma, so I could see him being a client of Emma, the matchmaker. That still leaves Jane Fairfax and the Bates ladies. Will they be included in Emma Approved? If so, how? 
