Author Interviews,  Contemporary

Contemporary: All Over the Place @Serena_Clarke #RLFblog

Serena Clarke, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk about
your book, All Over the Place.

Genre: Contemporary romantic fiction with a chick lit feel
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Length: 226 pages
Heat rating: Behind closed doors
Tagline: How far would you go to find the place you’re meant
to be?
Blurb:
Livi Callaway has fled back to London
after a reality TV disaster in New
Zealand. Safely anonymous in the big city, she’s
determined to stay under the radar from now on. But her attempts to build a new
life are complicated by unexpected visitors from her old one, and new dangers and
temptations lie in wait.
Late one night, she meets a mysteriously sexy American on the
Underground – and the events that follow take her from Pooh Bear to the golden lights
of Paris, via a
trail of rock stars dead and alive. A family in disarray, a determined Swede, a
crazed Australian, and a childhood friend (who might yet be more than that) have
her all over the place as she tries to discover the American’s secret – while keeping
her own.
With help – and occasional hindrance – from her friends, what
she eventually finds is something unexpected…sometimes, running away can lead
you to exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
Buy links:
Crimson Romance http://amazon.com/Over-Place-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00B2B0X9E/
Amazon UK http://amazon.co.uk/Over-Place-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00B2B0X9E/
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/all-over-the-place/id594641901?mt=11
Barnes and Noble http://barnesandnoble.com/w/all-over-the-place-serena-clarke/1114286511
What are your main characters’
names, ages, and occupations?
Livi Callaway, age 25, hair salon manager. Cam Holden, 27, sexy-smart
economist.
And a mysterious sexy-cool American!

Interview

How did you get your start
in the industry?
I joined the New Writers’ Scheme, part of the Romantic Novelists’
Association in the UK.
One of their published authors critiqued All Over the Place, and her advice helped
to shape it, and ultimately get it accepted by a publisher.
What do you enjoy most
about writing?
When you’re in the flow, and it feels like you’re writing down
the story as it’s being given to you. There’s a definite magic happening in those
times.
If you could choose anyone
to be your mentor who would it be?
The incomparable Nora Ephron. She had such an incredible talent
for getting right to the truth of things, with amazing dialogue and flawed but loveable
characters. I’m so sad we won’t have any more of her stories.
If you could give the
younger version of yourself advice what would it be?
Don’t worry so much about what people think of you! People will
judge no matter what you do, so just go ahead and be yourself.
What are some jobs you’ve
done before (or while) you were a writer?
Despite a BA in Scandinavian Studies and a Diploma in Equine
Management, I’ve done all kinds of completely unrelated jobs – editing an international
medical journal, developing photos for the Commonwealth Games, temping in a London law firm, teaching English
as a second language to wayward teenagers, and lots more.
What do you think is the
future of traditional publishing?
I wish I knew! But one thing I’m sure of is that however stories
are delivered to readers, we’ll always need people to WRITE them!
What was the proudest
moment of your life so far?
There are lots of proud moments involving my children, of course.
But something just me would be finishing my first book, All Over the Place. Even
if it had never been published, to actually follow it through and FINISH it was
a huge achievement. And I’m very happy it was published of course!
What is your favorite
holiday and why?
I actually have two favourites. One was a trip to Rarotonga, in the South Pacific – to get married! Magical.
The other was a long stint overseas, living in London
and travelling around Europe. Lots of the little
details in All Over the Place come from that time.
What do you like to do
when you’re bored?
I don’t think it’s possible for a writer to get bored. There’s
always something to think about. The real problem is turning your brain OFF – which
is a very good problem to have!
If your life became a
movie, who would you want to play you?
Oh, Emily Blunt, definitely. She’s much more elegant than I’ll
ever be, but I’m sure she could do a great New Zealand accent!

Please complete the sentences

I love pizza with my children – they love it!
I’m always ready for a new adventure.
When I’m alone, I do my best thinking.
You’d never be able to tell, but I’m still making it all up
as I go along
!
If I had a halo it would be somewhere in that pile of unfolded
washing in the corner
.
If I could do one thing from my bucket list I’d spend
an entire spring in Paris
.
I can never get enough of watching my boys running wild on
the beach
because freedom is the most intoxicating thing they know.

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