Today I'm
hosting Shoma Narayanan on my blog. Shoma is an author for Harlequin Mills and
Boon and also holds the prestigious position of senior vice president in HSBC. She has three books published
till now, one under publication, releasing in November and is currently working
on her fifth book for Harlequin.
Her most recent
release is 'Secrets and Saris.'
Let's get to know more about her and the book
through a question and answer session.
Q1. Tell us
something about yourself and how you got into writing.
I got into writing completely
by accident. I used to write a little in
school and college – nothing serious, and I gave it up when I started
working. I saw an ad for a writing
competition organized by Harlequin India in a bookstore, and sent in an entry
on impulse. I was one of the contest
winners, and got a shot at writing a book for Harlequin. Then the book got picked up for a global
release, and the next thing I knew, I was offered a four book deal with
Harlequin….
Q2. What was
your experience of writing your first book? Easy as pie or hard as nails?
*smile*
Somewhere in the
middle! I loved most of the experience,
and my editor was a dream to work with.
But there were still bits of the story I struggled over, and even after I’d
re-written those bits, I’d still keep coming back to them, wondering if I could
have done a better job!
Q3. What
motivates you to write?
The high I get from the
writing process – and the quiet feeling of satisfaction when I hold the first
few printed copies of a book in my hands.
Q4. What
inspired this story?
The initial idea was sparked
off by a conversation on how lots of people move from small towns to big
cities, but very few do the opposite – that made me think of writing a romance
novel set in a small town.
Q5. Please give
us two lines describing the book.
It’s about two ‘big-city’
people thrown together in a small town. Neil is a TV celebrity, and also a
single dad. Shefali was brought up to be the perfect wife and mother - but after she was jilted on the day of her
wedding by the man her parents had chosen for her, she decides to strike out on
her own. The book is about the two of them finding happiness with each other
(after their due share of fights and misunderstandings!)
Q6. Do share two
prominent traits about each of your two main characters in the book.
Neil is half Indian and half
British and combines very traditional Indian sensibilities with a fiercely independent
outlook to life. He’s a single dad, and is far more mature and responsible than
most twenty-eight year olds, but he has a quirky side to him - of course, he’s
stunning to look at as well! Shefali is a
little stiff and uptight at the beginning of the book. As the story progresses,
she loses a lot of her hang-ups, and comes out as a strong, loving and
independent woman who’s not afraid of the depth of her own feelings.
Q7. All writers
dread the writer's block. How do you overcome it?
I’ve not had a bad case of
writer’s block yet (fingers crossed!) but there have been days when I’ve found
it tough to write more than a few pages – on those days, I just stop working on
the book and go off and do something with my kids. When I come back to the book after a couple
of days, it’s a lot easier to pick up wherever I stopped.
Q8. Does writing
get in way of 'life'?
No, but my life gets in the
way of my writing often enough L
Q9. What's next
in your plans?
I’ve just signed a contract
for another four books with Harlequin – now I need to sit down and actually
write those books!
Q 10. What's the
best thing about writing – other than it gives you a great excuse to avoid
housework? *wink*
Well, I don’t do much
housework other than cooking the odd meal with my kids…. The best thing about
writing romance novels is that they are as much of an escape for the author as
for the reader.
Q11. This last
is a rapid-fire round. Brace yourself to give some quick responses. Say the
very first to come in your mind. Be honest! *gives a stern look*
Here goes…
- Most hated
movie:
Jeepers Creepers – I watched it
on a trip to London with a bunch of colleagues – it was so bad, it wasn't even
funny
- Your one
secret habit no one knows about. (getting tough here?):
I tell myself stories every night before I go to bed
- Actor you'd
fall for every time (don't worry we won't tell hubby J):
Daniel Craig
- Book you would laminate to preserve it:
“To Kill a Mockingbird”
- Fallback option when the fridge is empty:
Salads from Subway
- What comforts
you when things go bad?
My kids
-What sounds
better? A party or a quiet evening at home?
Depends on my mood
- Your most
comfortable outfit?
Shorts and a
well-worn T-shirt
-Which is a better
pastime – a book, a movie or a game?
Always
a book.
Thank you so much, Shoma for the interesting answers.
Here's the blurb, excerpt and the buy links for the book. Go enjoy! :)
Blurb:
Jilted at the altar,
Shefali Khanna should be humiliated. Instead she takes the opportunity to start
again. Top of the priority list: do not tumble headfirst into another
relationship! But even moving from Delhi to a small town can't
keep Shefali out of trouble—especially when she catches the eye of TV celeb
Neil Mitra. To add to the complications, Neil is divorced and a single dad, and
his four-year-old daughter Nina is one of Shefali's students. There is no way she can risk a getting into
another relationship. He might be gorgeous, but he's totally off-limits…right?
Excerpt: Please follow this link to the Harlequin website to read the excerpt
Buy links: