Monday 10 October 2016

Q & A with Camilla Isley

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Today I'm very happy to welcome the lovely Camilla isles on Simona's Corner of Dreams. Her newest book Love Collection was just published and Camilla answered some questions about the book, enjoy!

1.    Did you always dream of being a writer?

Surprisingly, no. I’ve always loved books, but I never thought I’d actually write one. I started a project once in college and abandoned it soon afterwards and that was about it for a long time. My college degree was very technical, just as far from creative writing as you can get, then I started working, and it wasn’t until I left my job to follow my husband abroad that the idea for a book started forming in my mind.
2.    How did your writing career develop?

It went from zero to a hundred in the space of a year. From the moment I started drafting my first book, I’ve published it and I’ve never stopped writing.

3.    Your newest novel is called Love Connection, what is it about? 

Love Connection is a Sliding Doors style romantic comedy. My protagonist Gemma, just found out her ex, the one who got away, is getting married the same day as her best friend Amelia. She’s at the airport and has to decide which connecting flight to catch, hence the title Love Connection. The decision pivots around a delayed/on time flight, depending on the story line, and a chance meeting. I explore both outcomes, with unpredictable consequences.

4.    What was your inspiration for the book?

I often ask myself the question, where would I be now if I’d done things differently? It’s fascinating to think how the life I have today is shaped by decisions made maybe ten years ago.
 I think we have all asked ourselves “what if?” at some point or another. I thought it’d be fun to write a whole book around this simple question.

5.    Can you tell us more about the main character?
Gemma is an amazing woman, a loyal friend, and a cutting edge lawyer. She’s strong and fragile at the same time, she’s sardonic, generous, and fun.

6.    Where and when do you write your stories?

I mostly write at home at any time of the day really. I don’t go to cafés or public spaces, to me it’s more distracting than being in my cave. When I travel, I love to write in airports, which doesn’t really make sense as they’re far busier than coffee shops, but somehow airports inspire me.
7.    What do you do and enjoy when you’re not writing?

Cooking, eating out, and exploring new places. I love flea markets and restoring old furniture.

8.    If you could switch places with a character from a book, who would it be and why?

Hermione Granger, I would love to be the smartest witch alive.

9.    What books have influenced your life most?

The most consuming has been for sure Harry Potter. Nothing will ever give me the same excitement of waiting for the newer Harry Potter to come out.

10. What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on two sequels. One will pick up the story of one of the characters in Love Connection. I adored this particular character, who ended up without a proper HEA. I just couldn’t leave their story unexplored.
The other sequel is for Let’s Be Just Friends my New Adult series. There was so much more to the story that needed narrating that I’m starting a whole family saga.

11. What do you enjoy most about writing?

The moment when the story all comes together, when I can pick all the threads and tie them in a pretty ribbon. It gives me such joy.

12. Pick three authors you want to have dinner with and tell us why.

J.K. Rowling, she’s a star.
George R.R. Martin, to ask him what about season 6 of GOT is true also in the new book.
Ken Follett, I’d love to discuss the middle ages with him.

13. Imagine Love Connection would be turned into a movie, who would you cast for the main characters?

Gemma: Rachel McAdams
Jake: Matt Bomer
Amelia: Kate Hudson
Dylan: David Beckham
Richard: Alex Pettyfer

14. You also wrote A Sudden Crush, I Wish for You and Let’s Be Just Friends, can you tell us more about them?

I Wish for You is a magical romcom. It has that fairytale sparkle with magic wishes, curses to break, and plenty of funny mishaps.
A Sudden Crush too is a romantic comedy. It’s a different take on the stranded-on-a-desert-island-with-a-stranger plot. Hilarious and romantic.
Let’s Be Just Friends, is a bit different. Not just for the characters’ ages, New Adult as opposed to Adult, it’s also slightly less on the humorous side and has a notch more of drama. It follows the story of Rose and Tyler, two best friends who might have deeper feelings for each other.

15. How would you describe your style of writing?

Fun and easygoing.

16. Coffee or tea?

Coffee.

17. Paperback or e-reader?

E-reader.

18. Mountains or the sea?

Sea.

19. Summer or winter?

Can I pick fall? September to December must be my favorite months of the year.

20. Sweet or salty?

Salty.


Author Bio


Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband in an adventure abroad.
She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

Links






Author Website: https://camillaisley.com



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