Interview with Isabella May…..
For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?
I’m Isabella May. I live in (mostly) sunny Andalucia, Spain but I grew up on the ley lines of Glastonbury, UK. I write fantastical foodie fiction: romcoms that use food and drink as a central theme and feature a sprinkle of magical realism.
Where did/do you get your ideas from?
Life experiences, travel and a love of food.
Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?
Subconsciously, yes. But it’s only after I’ve written them that it will dawn on me. Usually they are made up of a mixture of personalities and mannerisms of people I know.
How do you pick your characters names?
I try to be original without being too new-age! I also try to avoid having characters with similar sounding names, or names which begin with the same letter as it can get quite confusing for readers when they are getting to grips with the story.
Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?
I am a pantser and an advocate for breaking the ‘writing rules’. With two young children at primary school in Spain (a country where school finishes at 2pm and the summer holidays are 11 weeks long) it’s hard to stick to any true routine, so I basically grab my writing opportunities whenever I can and milk them.
Who are your top 5 favourite authors?
I have so many favourite authors that it’s impossible to give you a consistent five… but five of my favourites from the books I’ve read this year would have to be Zoe Folbigg, Julie Caplin, Megan Mayfair, Heidi Catherine and Lizzie Chantree. All write exceptionally well and originally, and I love their unique ways with words.
If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I’d love to meet Paolo Coelho and I think we’d talk Law of Attraction from dusk til dawn.
Were you a big reader as a child?
I loved books but I was never a stereotypical bookworm. Enid Blyton and Richard Scarry had me hooked though.
When did you start to write?
Since I picked up a pencil aged three!
If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?
I’m going to be really annoying and say I couldn’t, so I wouldn’t. My stories are mine; another author’s story is theirs… regardless of whether or not I agree with the ending!
Is there a book you wish you had written?
I used to feel that way a lot, but I’m finally learning to quit comparing myself with others, so saying an emphatic ‘no’ to this question has to be part and parcel of that.
If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?
The Cake Monster
If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?
I’d invite River Jackson from The Cocktail Bar for a flask of coffee on top of Glastonbury tor… as long as he didn’t get any… erherm… ideas!
What are you working on right now?
Book four is out with agents (wish me luck!) and book five is halfway written. It’s a time-slip involving cake and a foray around the British Isles. It’s a lot of fun to write.
Do you have a new release due?
I really hope so! I have had three novels published with Crooked Cat Books, which has been a wonderful experience. But they are slowly winding down and so it made sense for me to take a brand new direction with book four (that one’s about gelato). It’s my best writing yet, and has been buffed and polished by a super-talented editor, so I just have to wait for divine timing and trust it will land on the right person’s desk at the right time. But patience, and being in limbo, are so not my strong points…
What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?
Pub days are so busy and always tend to be week days (school days), so I will have a glass of bubbles, and then we will usually celebrate properly as a family with a lovely meal at the weekend.
How can readers keep in touch with you?
I’m very active (probably too active) on Twitter @IsabellaMayBks
And on Instagram I’m isabella_may_author
I should be more active on Facebook but it’s disheartening that fewer unpaid posts are being shown now, so the novelty there is definitely wearing off…
You can also check out my website: www.isabellamayauthor.com where I blog as regularly as time permits!
Is there anything else you would like us to know?
Just that I am so excited for this blog tour and really appreciate the support of every single book blogger and reader. It means a lot! xx
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Isabella 🙂
The Cocktail Bar
Rock star, River Jackson, is back in his hometown of Glastonbury to open a cocktail bar… and the locals aren’t impressed.
Seductive Georgina is proving too hot to handle; band mate, Angelic Alice, is messing with his heart and his head; his mum is a hippie-dippy liability; his school friends have resorted to violence – oh, and his band manager, Lennie, AND the media are on his trail.
But River is armed with a magical Mexican elixir which will change the lives of the Three Chosen Ones. Once the Mexican wave of joy takes a hold of the town, he’s glad he didn’t lose his proverbial bottle.
Pity he hasn’t taken better care of the real one.
Purchase Link –
mybook.to/thecocktailbar
Author Bio –
Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalucia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the sea and the mountains. Having grown up on Glastonbury’s ley lines however, she’s unable to completely shake off her spiritual inner child, and is a Law of Attraction fanatic.
Cake, cocktail, and travel obsessed, she also loves nothing more than to (quietly) break life’s ‘rules’.
Social Media Links –
www.isabellamayauthor.com
Twitter – @IsabellaMayBks
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaMayAuthor/
Instagram – @isabella_may_author
Giveaway –
Win a signed copy of Oh! What A Pavlova (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Good luck!
With thanks, as always, to Rachel.
Happy reading 🙂
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