I am thrilled to be kicking off Jodi Gibson’s The Memories We Hide blog tour, with Love Books Tours!

Many thanks to Kelly @ Love Books Tours for arranging the following interview with Jodi Gibson…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?
I’m an Australian author and I live in regional Australia on a mini-in-town-farm with my husband, daughters, dogs, cat, chickens and a horse. I enjoy writing across two genres – contemporary drama with a hint of romance, and more light-hearted rom-com. I like balancing out the drama of life with some fun! My debut novel was released in September 2019 and is a contemporary drama called The Memories We Hide.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?
I love this question because I truly believe that ideas are everywhere, you just need to be open to receiving them. I get my ideas from reading (books, newspapers, magazines, blogs), watching movies & TV, people watching, eavesdropping, and sometimes ideas even pop into my head through dreams! The key is to write the idea down as soon as possible to capture it, otherwise I find it disappears!

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?
Not really. I think there’s sometimes some element of those you’ve been exposed to in the characters you write, but I would never base a character on someone I know!

How do you pick your characters’ names?
Naming characters is particularly hard sometimes, but usually I find their personality lends themselves to their name. Also googling baby names always helps!

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?
The more I write, the more I am becoming a plotter. I do usually have an idea loosely plotted, but I like to let the first draft out without thinking too much about where it’s going, rather letting the characters and story dictate the direction. Second/third draft is where I tend to make sure I have some sort of plot going on and work from there. I usually write three drafts before sending it to my editor – then the fun, or should I say, hard work, really begins!

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?
It’s always a hard question to answer as I read quite widely, and my answers could vary from day to day as to who is fresh in my mind, but if I had to I’d say who my go-to authors were they would be:
Liane Moriarty
Jane Green
Marian Keyes
Rachael Johns
JoJo Moyes

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Probably Marian Keyes. She seems so down to earth and fun. I’d ask her about her writing process and how she developed such a strong voice in her novels and how she writes such great characters.

Were you a big reader as a child?
I wasn’t a bookworm as such but I was always reading a book here and there. I loved The Famous Five, Dr. Seuss, Goosebumps and Choose Your Own Adventure books. Then in my tween and early teens I loved Sweet Valley High books.

When did you start to write?

I first began writing in around 2010 when I began writing a story that had been swirling around my head for years. While that story will probably never see the light of day, it did make me realise how much I loved writing and began my journey as an author.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?
Is there a book you wish you had written?

I don’t think I would change the ending of a book. Maybe before I was an author but knowing how much hard work goes into writing a book and knowing that each writer has a vision for their story, I probably wouldn’t change an ending. But, I do wish I’d written Me Before You or Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. To me those books are close to perfect.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?
Finding Jodi. I think of life as a constant journey of discovering oneself.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?
Bridget Jones, but we’d skip the coffee and head out on the town for some drinks!

What are you working on right now?
I’m working on another contemporary drama as well as my debut rom-com series. I’m planning on 2020 being a big year of releases!

Tell us about your last release?

The Memories We Hide was my debut novel released September 2019. It’s the story of Laura Murphy who returns to her home-town ten years after the tragic death of her boyfriend Ryan Taylor. Upon her return, she finds herself unable to keep the memories she’s hidden for so long from resurfacing. She realises she must reconcile memory and truth and find out what happened the night Ryan died so she can move on with her life and possibly even open herself up to finding love.

Do you have a new release due?

2020 will see me release my second contemporary drama, as well as my rom-com series, but I haven’t got firm dates as of yet. I’ll keep you posted!

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

My debut publication day was great fun. I was spoiled with so many well wishes, comments, tweets, shares and messages. My husband and girls showered me with hugs and love, and my best friend gave me a huge bunch of flowers. I spent that evening with a box of chocolates, a glass of champers and a few close friends and readers on my Facebook page live launch event.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @jfgibsonwriter, or on my website/blog http://www.jfgibson.com.au. I also have a monthly newsletter which can be signed up to on my website.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Just that my books can be found on all online retailers such as Amazon, Kobo, GooglePlay, Apple Books, B&N and more! https://books2read.com/memorieswehide?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Jodi 🙂

Blurb

Can you trust your memories?

Laura Murphy thought she could, but that was before she returned home.

When 27-year-old Laura returns to her home town ten years after the tragic death of her then-boyfriend, Ryan Taylor, she isn’t prepared for the nostalgia and memories that resurface. After discovering a newspaper clipping alluding to the fact that there may have been more to Ryan’s death than first thought, Laura is compelled find out what happened that fateful night.

Reconnecting with childhood friend Tom Gordon, she begins to unravel the blurred lines of truth and memory. But Tom holds a secret of his own. Not only is he facing losing his family farm, but what he knows could destroy any chance of a future with Laura.

Will Laura have the strength to confront her memories? Or will Tom’s secret be the key to unlocking the truth?

Dealing with the complexities of friendships, love, depression and the consequences of secrets and split-second decisions, The Memories We Hide is a compelling story exploring how memories can’t always be trusted but how they can set you free.