Welcome to my stop on the When Girlfriends Step Up Tour! Today, I'm interviewing the author, Savannah Page, and will be revealing my review of her book!
Welcome to Storm Goddess Book Reviews, Savannah. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!
Thank you so much for the chance to drop by your Blog, as part of the Chick Lit Plus Book Tour! Now on to your fun questions!
Tell me about yourself, and your writing.
I’m Savannah Page, a Southern California girl who went to college in Oklahoma and who now lives in Berlin, Germany. I work part-time blogging for a fabulous wedding florist back in Tulsa, Oklahoma; I love giving tours of my new home city (if you’re ever in Berlin, let me know!); I don’t think there’s such a thing as too many Office or Frasier re-runs; and I can’t think of a better way to spend a long day after work than in a hot tub with a book, candles, a mug of tea or glass of wine, and some jazz tunes.
When I’m not blogging about wedding flowers, I’m writing. I’ve always imagined being an author, but it wasn’t until my husband and I made the move to his home country in 2010 that I really considered the possibility. With self-publishing on the scene, and since I wasn’t working full-time, I finally decided to share some of my stories.
I know that I’d be writing even if I didn’t have the opportunity to self-publish. But it sure is so fulfilling and motivating to see title after title come to fruition, and to have readers take an interest! I’m still blown away by a single sale from an appreciative reader.
How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?
I self-published my first book in December 2011. As of March 2013, I have five books out. The first, Bumped to Berlin, is a personal/travel narrative about expatriate life in Berlin. My other four are chick lit / women’s fiction and a part of the When Girlfriends… series.
Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?
My main genre is chick lit / women’s fiction. It’s my passion. My first book, though, is a personal/travel narrative. I see myself sticking to chick lit, but I do want to write another travel narrative or two in the future, and maybe even try my hand at young adult some day.
Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?
I’m very schedule- and planning-oriented so I have almost the entirety of my book plotted before I begin writing. I do leave room for a dash of whimsy, though, because sometimes my characters will surprise me.
What is a typical writing day like for you?
Office hours are Monday through Friday, about 9 am to 7pm. I view writing as work…but fun work. Sometimes I write for eight hours straight with mini breaks. Sometimes only a few hours every day or every other day. Each Sunday I plan the week’s workload and schedule my time juggling the day job, chores, and writing. I think it’s really important to stick to a plan when working from home. It could be easy to flip on an old episode of The Office. J
Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?
I like to read a wide variety of books—from Stephen King to Emily Giffin to Bill Bryson, three of my favorite authors, and plenty of fellow indies. The more books and the more varied the genres I read the better my own writing becomes, I believe. Some of my favorite books are The Great Gatsby, Something Borrowed, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
In 2013 I want to publish four new books, all in my When Girlfriends… series. I have two down so far so I think I can do it!
If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
Hands down I would be invisible. How cool would it be to board someone’s private jet and dash off to any place in the world? Or drop in on top secret meetings? Or slip over the VIP aisle to see your favorite stars? Could be an awesome and much too fun power.
If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
I’ll start with an earth dog. J I would love to have a cute Puggle some day!
Tell us a little about When Girlfriends Step Up.
This novel is Robin Sinclair’s story about dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. It takes place in time directly after When Girlfriends Break Hearts. (However, it can stand alone as a novel, so no worries if you read them out of order. J)
Robin’s circumstances aren’t exactly ideal and she’s not the most confident of women. Not to mention she’s down in the dumps about being unlucky in love for a long time. And now that she’s pregnant she really feels like her future at finding Mr. Right is kind of blown.
But she finds that with great friends as a support team she can raise her baby as a single mom…and perhaps she can find Mr. Right. Essentially When Girlfriends Step Up is about writing your own happily-ever-after, however conventional or out-of-the-ordinary it may be!
What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)
Silly But Practical Answer: My glasses. Honestly, life without them would be really, really ridiculously difficult. I couldn’t read or write or see any of the beautiful places I’d travel to…
Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?
I’m a pretty independent and Type-A girl when it comes to things like this. I was assigned a small group project in grad school and almost had a coronary because I had to collaborate with three other people. In the end I think I turned in my own version of the project additionally, though I don’t think it was never read.
Although, I would be curious as to what it’s like to be one of James Patterson’s co-authors. He seems to have so many and all of the books turn out so well.
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?
Ooo. Nice question. Reminds me of a line from one of my favorite TV shows, Golden Girls: If you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to dinner, what would you eat? LOL
Any single person? Hmmm. You know, I would choose my great grandmother. We were very close when she was alive, but she passed away when I was just a small child. I would love to have a full 24 hours worth of new memories with her. I can picture how happy she would be to see the books I’ve completed. Yup. Great Grandma would be a pretty neat choice, and then I could ask her if she could stick around for dinner so I could prepare her my tasty homemade pizza recipe. (And even though I’m vegetarian, I’d put some bacon on top of it for her because I know that’s what she’s missing right now!)
What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?
Reading, Pilates, yoga, traveling, listening to educational and travel podcasts, organizing/scheduling, gardening.
If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
Can I say my own books? Haha What a dream it would be to have my When Girlfriends… series taken in the hands of Nancy Meyers and adapted into films!
What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
All my life I’ve been surrounded by people who know how to paint and sketch. I know writing is its own creative talent, but I sure do wish I could paint or draw. To take an image from my brain and put it to paper or canvas is impossible.
Favorite color?
All shades of pink, but Barbie pink always catches my eye.
Weather: Hot or cold?
If I can’t pick a comfortable 70 degrees, then I’d probably go for cold. But only if the sun stays out. I can bundle up in a zillion blankets but at some point there’s only so much I can shed to stay cool. ;)
Favorite place to read?
One of my favorites is actually on the elliptical. I blow through books that way, and I also forget I’m working out.
Favorite meal
Chips and salsa. I can make a meal out of them, right? I could also say nachos, hold the meat.
Favorite non-alcoholic drink.
Mineral water. I love lattes, but mineral water at room temperature is the best. Maybe a wedge of lime or lemon. Mmmm
If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?
I wish I could just go anywhere I wanted to go without needing to board a plane. My last trip back from the States was a flight from San Francisco to Paris and I thought I was going to die from feeling so cramped for so long. But if I could go anywhere right now without any troubles whatsoever, I’d choose Egypt. I really want to see those pyramids!
BLURB: A novel about love and support, and learning that with enduring friendships, no woman is ever alone.
Robin Sinclair is young, determined, and has a promising career at a small publishing house in Seattle. Even though she considers herself unlucky in love, Robin still dreams of eventually meeting Mr. Right and having a happily-ever-after kind of life. And at twenty-five, the world of opportunity is wide. But it's been a difficult year filled with trials...and it's only just begun.
While long-time friendships are finally on the mend, and things are starting to look up again, Robin is faced with her biggest challenge yet. She's single and pregnant.
Uncertain now of her future and scared of being alone, Robin must re-examine her life and choices, and summon the courage to step up.
With the love and support of her best girlfriends from college, especially her best friend and roommate, Lara, Robin will learn that when the going gets tough, the best of friends become family. And, perhaps, with their encouragement, Robin can mature and gain the confidence needed to become a single mother. And, who knows about being unlucky in love. Things are suddenly getting interesting with Robin's attractive co-worker, Bobby.
This is an endearing story about maturity and perseverance. It's a story about friends coming together as family, about finding the strength within and around, and about writing your own happily-ever-after. About what happens when girlfriends step up.
Review Rating: 4 LIGHTNING BOLTS
Review: When Girlfriends Step Up is a moving story about a woman who thinks things are going to get better, but first, they're about to get a bit worse. Robin Sinclair has a lot of learning and growing up to do, and her character endures quite a bit in this story, but it's all a part of helping her becoming a better person..
And it all starts with a little help from her friends.
Friends are something everyone should be able to have the best of, and Robin is about to learn who is really there for her.
This book grabbed my attention. it's funny, witty, light hearted, emotional but it really teaches us something. It's a powerful story about faith, friendship and forgiveness. Great job to the author on crafting such a memorable book. Can't wait til the next one!
Author Bio:
Savannah Page is the author of the continuing When Girlfriends… collection and her travelogue and first book,Bumped to Berlin. When she isn’t writing, Savannah enjoys a good book with a latte and jazz tunes, Pilates, and exploring her home of Berlin as an American expat.
Connect with Savannah!
Website & Blog:
Facebook Link:
Twitter Handle & Link:
@Savannah_Page
Loving this series!
ReplyDeleteGood interview! Thanks for the spotlight and review of this book - this sounds like a book I would enjoy reading:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to be on your blog and for the fun Q&A!! So glad you enjoyed the book and are looking forward to the next one!
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