My interview with Rosie Blake
Hi Rosie
Thank you for coming on Cometbabesbooks today.
Can you tell us about How to get a (Love)life?
It's the story of Nicola Brown, an uptight and introverted young woman who has never had a date on Valentine’s Day. Following a bet with a work colleague, Nicola has to put aside her hang ups to go on as many dates as she possibly can in order to find the perfect man in time for February 14th. Cue some very dodgy men, some appalling dating advice from friends and family and let the fun commence...
Are any of the dating experiences based on your own experience?
Only one and it is of course... Chris. The man who made me rate photographs of himself over dinner and then wrote my favourite photos down in his little book. Bad times.
If your book was made into a film, who would you like as the main characters?
Robert Downey Jnr, George Clooney and Johnny Depp. So fine there aren't parts for them all yet but I could TOTALLY adapt the screenplay to include them... Right?
Can you tell us anything about your next book?
I love it! I'm half-way through the first draft and she has just been chased across a jungle by monkeys on a tiny island in Malaysia. She is tracking down the man she married, aged 8, in the school playground as she believes if she had stayed married to Andrew Parker her life might have turned out alright...
What kind of books do you like to read?
All sorts. Crime, thrillers, women's fiction, 'Book Club' reads - pretty much anything bar Sci-Fi or Heroic Fantasy. And some might even qualify. I just love reading about brilliant characters in exciting settings.
How old were you when you started writing?
I started writing in earnest after university. I was working in television and got more and more obsessed with the writing not the TV work.
What books did you read as a child and were there any that inspired you to take up writing?
The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was my favourite novel as a child. I loved that world - the lands up the tree, being best mates with Silky and MoonFace. Then when I was a teenager it was Jilly Cooper who first introduced me to really funny writing. That woman is a genius.
Are there any new authors that have grabbed your interest?
Yes! Holly Martin and 'Willow Cottage' has been my most recent find - a gorgeous, warm, witty read.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Make cocktails, walk by the river, read, eat cake, catch up with friends, hang out with my husband and play very bad golf.
Do you like it quiet when you're writing or do you need background noise?(music or TV)
I have selective hearing so can't tell either way. I just block things out so I can write when a film is on and realise I have no idea what has happened on the screen.
What is your favourite book and why?
TOO HARD A QUESTION NO FAIR.
OK. Well from a comedy point of view I would probably have to go with 'Yes man' by Danny Wallace or 'Are you Experienced' by William Sutcliffe. Both made me LOL. Big time.
Can you share with us a day in the life of Rosie Blake?
If I'm not working then I start the day with a book in the bath and a cup of tea on the side.
Then I dry my hair, bemoan the state of my house and throw my IPAD and book in a bag and leave.
Then I head to my favourite cafe, order a Chai tea Latte, some kind of cake and write with the bustle around me.
Then I might go home, bemoan the state of my house and go for a walk along the river.
Then I might decide to badly mangle dinner for my husband and make Singapore Slings to drink in the garden.
Then when dinner has burnt I might persuade him to go out for dinner or get a takeaway.
Winner.
Thanks again.
Jo xx
About Rosie Blake
Rosie is an author of comic commercial fiction. She spent her university years writing pantomimes based on old classics. The 2003 production of 'The Wizard of Odd: Search for the Ruby Strippers' enjoyed critical acclaim. This was followed a year later with a successful showing of 'Harry Potter: The Musical' (complete with moving opening number, 'In my Cupboard I will Stay'). Rosie went on to write a winning short story in the La Senza/Little Black Dress Short Story Competition, features for Cosmopolitan magazine, The Lady Magazine and Stand Up Drama and then started writing books. After some false starts, and horrendous jobs that she wishes to keep a closely guarded secret (or write about in the future), her debut novel 'How to get A (Love) Life' was published by Novelicious Books in January 2014.
Rosie likes baked items, taking long walks by the river and speaking about herself in the third person.
Twitter: @RosieBBooks
Website: Rosieblake.co.uk
Great interview! I really liked it and I love the book recommendations!
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