Welcome, Katie Oliver, and thank you
for agreeing to ‘talk’ to me via my blog.
Thank you, Vanessa. It’s lovely
to be here!
First things first, time for us to find
out about you, via one of your books… I read “Prada and Prejudice” and got
sucked in! This is my review…
“I got this book for FREE when I did a search of the top 100 the other day ... after getting a mixed assortment I started reading this one & was so hooked I read it in a day!
The thing about a book like this is that it enables complete escapism into a chick-lit world! The characters are not average, the situations are far-fetched... BUT... I loved it! Sometimes, I don't want to read a story that's real - I want one where I laugh, muse and cheer for the characters.
I thought the main characters had everything that is great about British humour - it's so dry (especially with men!) I also liked the depth to the story and underlying issues that surrounded the central characters. So much more going on than a lazy spoilt rich girl.
Not sure it is like Pride & Prejudice at all though. If you liked Bridget Jones - this is the book for you. The central male character had "hints" of Darcy, but in my opinion is nothing like him. He works hard for a living, Darcy was a "gentleman". Natalie is definitely more Bridget Jones than Elizabeth Bennett!”
What do you think of my review?
I think it’s a lovely review, and I think you really “got” the essence
of what I tried to do when I wrote the book.
My intention with Prada and
Prejudice was to pen a fun, frothy, entertaining story – something to make
the reader forget about that overbearing boss, that towering stack of laundry
in the basket, that miserable, hour-and-a-half commute home. I wrote what I like to read but couldn’t
always find…something romantic and funny, with characters I cared about and
with a darker ‘edge’ - in this instance, in the form of Ian Clarkson and his
obsession with Natalie Dashwood. {I agree ... Clarkson had real issues! Eek!}
Since I am a HUGE Pride & Prejudice
fan, I have to ask, are you?
Oh, yes, unquestionably! I’ve
read the book, I’ve seen every film version (not to mention the BBC miniseries
with Colin Firth, and that unforgettable damp shirt!) - {who could forget that damp shirt... I'm feeling faint all of a sudden}, and I’ve watched Bridget Jones’s Diary a half-dozen
times, as well.
Pride and Prejudice is a classic of literature because of the
emotion Jane Austen invested in the story…because her characters are memorable
and real…and because it’s a story that still resonates with modern
readers.
You story is unique and different, but
it is obviously targeted at women who love Austen. Is this a genre you have
always loved to read, and what inspired you to start writing about Natalie and
Rhys?
Thank you! The Dating Mr Darcy tagline
was conceived as a way to present the three books as a cohesive series,
although each can be read on its own.
While they are similar to Jane Austen’s books in that they feature the romantic
misadventures of a particular set of characters, I tried to take the books in
their own, unique direction.
I was inspired to write Prada and
Prejudice one evening while watching “Kitchen Nightmares,” featuring Gordon
Ramsay. On this particular episode, Gordon travelled to Boca Raton, Florida to
try and salvage a failing Italian restaurant.
The restaurant owner was a headstrong Italian princess, and the conflict
between her and Chef Ramsay was epic…it was also hilarious, and even touching
at one point, when she broke down in tears.
I began to play the writer’s favourite game, ‘what if,’ and imagined
what would happen if a strong character like Ramsay came in to salvage a
troubled British department store and butted heads with a stubborn, spoilt girl
accustomed to having her own way – and Rhys Gordon and Natalie Dashwood came
into being.
I have to admit that I am crushing on
Rhys at the moment! Does he have qualities of men you have met? Do any exist?
(Ha ha… lucky my husband does not read my blog!)
Good thing my husband doesn’t
read my books! LOL. Rhys is pretty hot, isn’t he? He’s smart, street savvy, determined and
ambitious – and yet he isn’t conventionally handsome. In my mind, Rhys is a little bit Daniel
Craig, with the personality and drive of Gordon Ramsay, and he’s a little bit
Ewan McGregor. He’s slightly rough
around the edges. He has a temper. But there’s no one more dependable or
fiercely loyal to those he loves. {Sigh... I'm feeling faint AGAIN}
What do you think it is about ‘Darcy
qualities’ that drives so many women (including me) crazy?
In fact, one of my most popular (and most Tweeted) blogs is “The
Enduring Appeal of Jane Austen’s Men,” which asks that very question: what is it, exactly, that keeps us coming back
to Mr Darcy, Colonel Brandon, Henry Tilney, and Mr Knightley? The answer, I think, is that they are all
good and decent men, but they are also flawed and human. They are passionate. They love deeply and completely.
What woman can resist that?
Natalie came across as very shallow and
stupid at the beginning. Honestly, she improved because she was a really nice
person, but I got the impression a lot of the initial attraction was all about
looks. Do you think lust is just as important as love in a relationship?
I think it’s a very good starting point!
LOL. Seriously, while physical
attraction is important and is what initially draws us to someone else, it’s
that person’s inner qualities that keep us coming back for more. Kindness, a sense of humour, compassion,
loyalty – they’re all far more important traits than physical beauty, which,
let’s face it, fades over time. {So, so true... unless you pay for surgery! LOL}
The world in which Natalie lives is not
the world most of us come from… do you think this is what makes reading these
kind of books/ watching chickflick movies appealing? I certainly loved escaping
into this world. For example, a £11,000 chandelier is not what every person
would consider a reasonable purchase – Natalie was crazy!
Natalie, at least in the beginning of the book, has a very vague concept
of financial reality and absolutely no idea what a budget is! This is due to her privileged upbringing and
the fact that her father died when she was eleven. For most of her life, her mother and her grandfather,
Sir Richard, have indulged her. She’s a
kind girl with a good heart – she simply has no idea how to manage money, because
she’s never had to, and she’s ill-prepared to cope in the wake of the failing
department store’s losses.
I definitely do like to escape into a world different from my own! I think the appeal of chick flicks and chick
lit is that they allow us to identify with heroines like Rebecca Bloomwood and
her shopping excesses, Bridget Jones and her endless diets, and Andie Sachs and
her fashion fails, while allowing us a glimpse into the worlds of high finance,
or publishing, or high-end fashion magazines.
It just goes to show that everyone – no matter how rich or famous or
powerful – has the same need to love and be loved.
To help budding authors reading this, can
you tell us a bit about how you came to publish your books?
I wrote the books mostly on weekends and in free moments. Up until very recently I worked full time, so
writing was something I squeezed in whenever I could. When I finished the third book, I approached
the Elaine English Literary Agency in Washington, DC for representation and
submitted “Love and Liability.” Although
they couldn’t use it at the time, Elaine referred me to Nikki Terpilowksi, who
had just left to start her own agency, Holloway Literary.
Nikki emailed me and asked to see a synopsis and the first 50 pages, and
then asked for the entire manuscript. After
reading it she offered me representation.
Needless to say, I was thrilled!
What was the editorial process like?
It was a bit daunting the first time.
Since Carina UK bought all three books, there were things like
continuity to consider. And each book
had to stand alone, so that readers who hadn’t read the first book could follow
the characters in the second or third. I think there were initially 11 pages of
revisions for Prada and Prejudice. But my editor, Helen, did an amazing job of
shaping and refining the story into the wonderful read it is now.
It’s gotten easier with each successive book…I’ve learned to ‘think like
an editor’ and anticipate the things an editor might comment on, and I try and fix
them before they get tagged.
At the moment, many people have mixed
views on social media. Do you think it is important? (I found you on Twitter –
how fantastic is that!) If so, how do you prioritise your time?
I do think social media is important, and whether we like it or not –
it’s here to stay. I love Twitter and I’ve
met so many lovely people (like yourself) there! To me, it’s not a chore at all – it’s
fun. I have a Facebook author page and
Goodreads and Amazon author pages as well.
I try to Tweet in the mornings and throughout the day, most days. I’m on Facebook and Goodreads sporadically,
but I try to pop in at least once or twice a week. It’s sometimes tough as a writer to juggle
social media with writing responsibilities, particularly if I’m on a deadline –
as I am now. I’ve learned to wing it and
do the best I can. But for me, writing always
comes first.
Do you have an author you admire? If
so, why?
Just one? LOL. I admire Helen Fielding; she defied the
standard romantic convention at the time and wrote about a woman who wasn’t
rail-thin, who didn’t work in a glamorous job, but who, like most of us,
struggled with her weight and disastrous boyfriends and dead-end jobs. And despite her failings and foibles, we all fell
in love with Bridget Jones.
What are you working on now? Tell us
about it…
I’m writing the sixth book in the Dating Mr Darcy series, “Prada in New
York.” Natalie persuades Rhys to let her
come along with him to Manhattan to open a new Dashwood and James store. Holly James is in the city as well – her
boyfriend, chef Jamie Gordon, is opening his first US restaurant in midtown.
Natalie is dismayed to learn that Rhys has a sexy new personal
assistant, Darcy Quinn. She’s convinced
that Darcy wants a bit more from Rhys than just a pay raise. Holly is equally dismayed when she meets
Jamie’s gorgeous new sous chef, Catherine. He’s spending more time with Catherine than he
is with her! So when ex-flame Alex
Barrington reappears in her life, Holly finds herself wondering…did she choose
the wrong man?
There’s also a cat burglar on the loose, and when he steals a portrait
of Natalie’s father from the apartment, Nat is determined to catch the thief.
Where we can find out more about you
and buy your books?
Kobo US - http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/prada-and-prejudice-dating-mr-darcy-book-1
The perfect trilogy for Austen-and-shopping-mad fans!
Give in to your love of scandal and Prada in this glamorous collection of the Dating
Mr Darcy trilogy!
Prada and Prejudice
He’s a man in possession of a large fortune….but is he in want of a
wife?!
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Natalie Dashwood loves to
shop. After all, as the heiress to the renowned London department store Dashwood
& James she’s been wearing designer shoes since she could walk! But a
socialite’s life isn’t as perfect as you might imagine… Natalie’s spending is
spiraling slightly out of control, her rock star boyfriend is engaged to
someone else, and it seems the family business is in financial crisis. New
high-flying business exec Rhys Gordon has been brought in to save the company
from ruin, but what are his motives? And infuriatingly even a
shoe-shopping spree can’t take her mind off his distracting and oh-so-charming
smile…
Couture and confetti mix with scandal and intrigue in this wonderful
tale of retail, romance and redemption.
Love and Liability
Sometimes your sensibilities make absolutely no sense!
Holly James is looking for her big break. A young
journalist for BritTEEN magazine, she is dying to write about something
more meaningful than pop stars and nail varnish. So when she spots a homeless
teenager outside the office, she feels compelled to tell her story. But her
evil boss Sasha has other ideas…
Holly is sent to interview a city solicitor
she has never heard of. But Alex Barrington turns out to be the very opposite
of fusty and boring and Holly’s interest struggles to stay strictly professional!
With Sasha sabotaging her every move, and her story about teens on the
street leading her into London’s dark underworld, Holly is chasing both love
and success at the same time. But happy endings like that only happen in books
don’t they…?
Mansfield Lark
Gemma Astley has succeeded where so many others have
failed. She has somehow managed to tame tearaway rock star Dominic Heath and
stop his womanising ways for good. But just as they find happiness, Dominic’s
secret aristocratic past becomes public knowledge, and jeopardises
everything.
Dominic is actually Rupert Locksley, heir of Mansfield House, a
crumbling stately home that needs major financial investment to save it from
ruin.
Dominic’s mother pleads for his help, but his father,
the Earl, is on the verge of disinheriting him. Meanwhile Dominic’s new status
as Mansfield’s long-lost heir attracts the attention of cut-throat socialite
Bibi Matchington-Alcester, who means to make him hers at any cost.
Gemma and Dominic will need to test the strength of their
foundations – as well as those of Mansfield House – if either are to remain
standing.
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