A big welcome to Crooked Cat writer Sarah
Louise Smith, author of the delightful Amy & Zach. I caught up with her
recently:
Can you describe Amy and Zach in a few
words?
Amy & Zach is told in the first person,
alternating between the two central characters, so you get to hear the story
from both of their points of view. Amy is British, Zach American, and they both
have secrets... it’s chick-lit: a love story with a little humour thrown in now
and then.
It’s charming – and the reviews are great!
Where did the idea spring from?
Thank you! I get inspiration from lots of
different places; a film, a book, a daydream that runs away with itself;
dreams... I read a lot of chick-lit myself so I was always going to write in
the same genre that I know and love.
How long did it take you to write?
I had parts of the story in various forms
over a number of years but I put them together to form one story. Once I’d
committed to do that, it took me about six months to complete.
I can see from your website that you’re an
avid reader. What are your top three books of all time? (Tough, I know.)
Ooh that is tough! It changes all the time
but right now: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Chasing Daisy by Paige Toon
and High Fidelity by Nick Hornby.
What did you do when Crooked Cat accepted
your novel?
I told my husband, and then told him to
“sshh” while I read the rest of the email, I was very excited!
What made you approach Crooked Cat?
I did a lot of research about various
publishers, and Crooked Cat came up in my search. I’m a cat lover so as silly a
reason as that is, I was interested in them straight away. They seemed
professional and that’s proven to be the case; they’re a pleasure to work with.
Where do you like to work? In a darkened
room or at the dining table amid the chaos? I gather you have quite a full
household.
Mostly, amongst the chaos at the dining
table, I don’t really have enough space to set up my own desk (maybe one day!)
I prefer it to be quiet, though – which I don’t always get! Usually, one of my
pets keeps me company.
Your website is lovely and colourful –
packed with information. How much time do you devote to it? How important do
you think “fan” sites are?
Thank you... I don’t give it a lot of time
to be honest, I’m not a regular blogger, but I’d like to give it more. I think
these sites are important to share information, but I also think the most
important thing for a writer to spend their time doing is writing!
Do you ever cast your characters with
famous movie stars? (I know I’m a sucker for this fantasy pastime.) If so, who
do you “like” for Amy & Zach, the Hollywood blockbuster? And why?
For Zach, I’d pick Zach Braff. He’s an
American actor and a few readers have suggested this; and I can see why. Amy...
someone British and gorgeous!
Emily Blunt, perhaps? Anyway, the next
book, Izzy’s Cold Feet, sounds delightful. Tell us more … and how’s it going?
It’s going well, thank you. It’s about
Izzy, who’s about to get married but isn’t quite sure she wants to...
I’m looking forward to seeing that come
out. And I agree. I love Crooked Cat, too. It’ll be fun to see the new cover.
All the best, and thanks, Sarah.
Thank you for having me.
About Sarah Louise Smith
Sarah
Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes with her husband, two cute cats and a loopy
golden retriever. She also has an extremely lovely step-daughter and a large
extended family. She loves music, reading, cooking, travelling and taking long
walks.
Sarah
has been writing stories ever since she can remember. One day, her husband
bought her a laptop out of the blue, telling her she could accept it only on
the condition that she used it to write a novel, something she’d been saying
she wanted to do since she left high school. Amy & Zach is her debut novel,
published by Crooked Cat Publishing. Her second, Izzy’s Cold Feet, is out on 13
July 2013. Find out more: www.sarahlouisesmith.com.
About Amy & Zach
“mysterious,
intriguing and romantic...hard to put down”
“I
love the way it was written, flitting between Amy's story and then Zach's.”
Meet Amy & Zach...
Meet Amy & Zach...
Told
from alternating view points, Amy & Zach is a tale about a couple who meet
and fall in love, fast. But the trouble is, Zach has a secret with the
potential to ruin everything...
Amy has moved to the US in order to find her real father, but she hasn’t quite worked up the courage to do so yet. Then she met Zach, who swept her off her feet. They fell in love, fast. But Zach has a secret with the potential to ruin everything. As Amy prepares to return to England for her sister Libby’s wedding, Zach drops a bombshell. Amy is furious, so she hides his passport and flies alone. But Zach’s secret isn’t her only worry. She will see Tim again – her sister’s fiancé.
After he finds his passport, Zach heads to the UK to surprise Amy. He wants to apologise and finally meet her family. He knows he has a lot of explaining to do. But just what will he face? Amy & Zach take it in turns to share their tale with you. They will reveal all, and may surprise you, in the end...
“...some great little surprises and twists. I couldn't help but smile, laugh and gasp...”
“I couldn't put this book down.”
Amy has moved to the US in order to find her real father, but she hasn’t quite worked up the courage to do so yet. Then she met Zach, who swept her off her feet. They fell in love, fast. But Zach has a secret with the potential to ruin everything. As Amy prepares to return to England for her sister Libby’s wedding, Zach drops a bombshell. Amy is furious, so she hides his passport and flies alone. But Zach’s secret isn’t her only worry. She will see Tim again – her sister’s fiancé.
After he finds his passport, Zach heads to the UK to surprise Amy. He wants to apologise and finally meet her family. He knows he has a lot of explaining to do. But just what will he face? Amy & Zach take it in turns to share their tale with you. They will reveal all, and may surprise you, in the end...
“...some great little surprises and twists. I couldn't help but smile, laugh and gasp...”
“I couldn't put this book down.”
Where to find Amy & Zach
Amazon
UK:
Amazon
US:
http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Zach-ebook/dp/B00AWUAFO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370267775&sr=8-1&keywords=amy+%26+zach
Interview by Pamela Kelt
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