Hello and welcome! As part of a book tour with CLP Tours, I'm interviewing Lucie Simone, author of Picture Perfect. Thanks for stopping by, and I do hope you'll comment, letting us know you were here.
Hi Lucie! I'm glad to have you with us today. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions :)
Tell me about yourself, and your writing.
I’m an author, a girlie girl, a yogi, a bookworm, a movie buff, an animal lover and a vegetarian. And I live in Los Angeles with three cats and a view of the Hollywood sign. I write about modern women coming into their own and having fun while trying to have it all.
How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?
I’ve been writing in one form or another since I was a kid, but I started writing novels in 2003. I have two published novels, Hollywood Ending and Picture Perfect, and two published novellas, A Taste of Italy and The Waterdance.
Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?
I write Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction, although my latest novel, Picture Perfect has an element of mystery to it. If I were to stray, I’d probably write Young Adult. I heard recently that YA is the new Chick Lit. I’m not sure what that means, but I do think YA is a great genre, and I know that teens have really enjoyed reading my debut, Hollywood Ending.
Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?
I’m a reformed pantser. I wrote my first novel, Hollywood Ending, by the seat of my pants and it turned out to be an editing nightmare. Now, I plot out everything before I ever write a single sentence of prose. It’s hard to reign in the desire to just jump right in and start writing, but once I’ve got the story plotted, the writing is so much easier. I liken it to going on a road trip with an itinerary. You’ve got your main stops marked off, but it’s always a good idea to leave room for a couple of fun detours.
What is a typical writing day like for you?
Typically, I write in two hour blocks on my sofa with a favorite movie playing in the background. I usually have one or two cats vying for my attention, as well. Occasionally, I’ll schedule a big writing day and head over to my favorite coffee house and park my behind at a table for hours on end, breaking only for refills on tea and the occasional cupcake.
Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?
My all-time favorite author is Marian Keyes and my favorite book of hers is Sushi for Beginners. I think Marian has a remarkable talent for turning darkness in to light, often dealing with difficult subject matters like addiction, depression and even sexual abuse without making the reader want to off herself in the process of reading it.
What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
What an interesting question! Aside from writing another page-turner, I’d like to expand my readership to Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction fans who may not have stumbled upon my books yet. I’m still trying to figure out how best to spread the word!
If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
I’d like to have the ability to read minds so I can finally find out what my boyfriend is thinking! But, on second thought, maybe I’m better off not knowing… So, in that case, I’d love to be able to teleport myself to different places around the globe whenever and wherever I wanted to go. That would be awesome.
If you could keep a mythical / paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
How amazing would it be to have a Unicorn?
Tell us a little about your latest release.
Picture Perfect is about a TV producer, Lauren, whose soon-to-be-ex-husband launches a smear campaign against her with the help of her former assistant. Lauren tries to hang on to her job and her reputation, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart goes missing.
What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)
A cat. I can say this with some authority because the only time I didn’t have a cat (when I was living in a dorm in college), I was so desperate for some feline affection that I would drive home nearly every weekend just to see the two Siamese cats I had to leave at home with my parents. After moving out of the dorm, I brought my cats to live with me and they even followed me from Atlanta to Los Angeles when I went to graduate school. Yes, I am a crazy cat lady.
Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?
I have a guy friend who thinks he knows everything about women. I’d love to do a ‘his and hers’ story with him because I know he doesn’t know jack about women.
If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?
Well, the easy answer is Johnny Depp. We’d spend the day in bed and I’d ask him to marry me. But if you want me to be serious about it…I’d have to say Marie Antoinette (before the revolution, obviously) and we’d spend the day playing dress up, trying on gorgeous gowns, stunning jewels, and silk shoes. And I’d ask her to marry me.
What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?
I love yoga, and I’m actually a yoga teacher. It really is a passion of mine, and I love to teach others, especially beginners, about the practice. In fact, I have developed a Yoga for Writers program that combines my two loves into one wonderful workshop. You can learn more about that by visiting www.yogaforwriters.wordspress.com
If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
I would love to see Empire of Light by Gregory Earls adapted for film. It’s an amazing story full of adventure, art and magic. In fact, I loved it so much, I published it last year through my small press, Simon & Fig.
What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
I wish I had any sort of musical ability. I have none whatsoever. I can’t even remember music once it’s stopped playing. I love music, but I just don’t have the brain for it. I could listen to the same song 100 times and still not recognize it if you played it for me the next day.
Favorite color? Pink
Weather: Hot or cold? Warm. I’m a weather wimp.
Favorite place to read? In bed.
Favorite meal: Thanksgiving dinner, sans turkey (I’m a vegetarian).
Favorite non-alcoholic drink: I’m addicted to sparkling water.
If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?
I’d move to France and spend the next decade exploring every inch of the country. I’ve been to Paris and The Loire Valley, and it was absolutely enchanting. I’ve wanted to return ever since, and I do hope to someday soon.
For Lauren Tate, a high-powered TV producer, sex, lies, and scandal make for a great movie-of-the-week, but when she becomes the target of a smear campaign, even the most salacious of Hollywood’s tales can’t compare to her real life drama. With her soon-to-be-ex-husband leading the effort to sully her reputation, and her former assistant threatening to snatch her hard-earned position at Timeless Television out of her hands, Lauren’s perfectly planned life quickly begins to unravel at the seams.
Clawing her way back to the top of the TV food chain is no easy task, especially in an industry where backstabbing is a sport and gossip is a fulltime business. But Lauren learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart is missing in action. Can she salvage her career, her reputation, and her love life? Or will Hollywood be the death of her?
Review Rating: 4.5 LIGHTNING BOLTS
Review: Meet Lauren Tate. She's the kind of woman that's used to being on top, getting what she wants, and having her way. In Picture Perfect, things aren't quite so perfect. When her plans start to go the opposite way from which she'd thought, life turns a bit upside down.
A bit of mystery, intrigue, drama, scandal- Picture Perfect has what readers love, if you're the eclectic type and like a mixture of everything in a story. I couldn't put it down. Lauren is a very good heroine that anyone could easily relate to. She makes mistakes, but she's only human, and that's what makes her a well rounded character.
Lucie Simone creates quite a bit of a stir in this novel, and I am anxious for more juicy stories just like this!
Author Bio:
Lucie Simone has a passion for travel, yoga, and writing. She has a degree in Journalism, a Master of Fine Arts in Television Production, and is a certified yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance. Her love of comedy (and living under the delusion that she might one day be an actress) resulted in a stint studying improvisation, which, ironically enough, taught her to be a better writer.
Her short story, A Taste of Italy, won the New York Book Festival competition for best ebook and is a bestseller at Amazon UK. The release of her debut novel, Hollywood Ending, a romantic comedy about life in Hollywood for the not-so-rich-and-famous, marked the launch of her small press, Simon & Fig, which publishes Chick Lit, Lad Lit and Women’s Fiction exclusively.
Lucie lives, loves and writes in the City of Angels, but considers New York City her second home and visits as often as her bank account will allow.
Connect with Lucie!
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LucieSimone
Websites: http://www.luciesimone.com and http://www.simonandfig.com (small press)
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/luciesimone
Barnes & Noble
Fun interview! Picture Perfect sounds like a fun book to read
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