The Chicklit Expert talks Epic Wedding Dances (and Unrequited Alice), Take That & Lemon Drizzle Cake!
Welcome, Sarah Louise Smith! Please tell us all about your latest release, ‘Unrequited Alice’.
Alice is in love with her friend Hannah’s fiance, Ed. He’s everything she could want – except available. On Hannah’s hen weekend, Alice meets Toby – also in unrequited love. The two hit it off and form an unusual friendship. But what happens if Ed starts to feel the same way about Alice? And is Toby just her friend?
What inspired you to write it?
The book is mostly set in Niagara Falls and New York – I went on holiday there in 2014, and started thinking about what cool places they were to set a novel. Although Alice is in unrequited love, the book is also a lot about friendship, and knowing your own feelings. And – doing the right thing!
What’s the funniest thing you have ever witnessed at a wedding?
My brother-in-law did a great ‘second dance’ when he married my step-sister. They had their first dance, all romantic and slow. And then an upbeat number came on and he just broke into this great dance routine, encouraging others to join them on the floor, even the bride was surprised – it was hilarious and his dance moves were brilliant.
Weddings truly do make fantastic subject matter for novels, since they provide the possibility for a whole host of emotions and scenarios. I have popped a wedding scene in my second novel which is currently being edited, and it was one of the most fun chapters I have ever written! Would you consider a book based around this theme again?
Weddings actually appear in all of my novels! In Amy & Zach, Amy’s travelling back home for her sister’s wedding (and her sister’s fiance is a one-night-stand she had!) … Izzy’s Cold Feet is about a bride who isn’t sure she’s with the right groom … In Independent Jenny, Jenny’s best friend gets married … So I guess you could say I’m a fan of weddings and enjoy writing about them! I haven’t planned a wedding in my current book, but who knows how it’s going to end 😉
Can you give us any clues as to what you are working on next, or are you taking a well-earned breather?
I’m working on Book 6… it’s about a girl whose boyfriend runs off to become a Buddhist monk and she’s not sure if he’ll come back or not!
You are an avid Take That fan, but if you had to choose just one of the band’s members (we’ll include Robbie… although I have to be honest, I’ve lost track as to whether he is IN or OUT these days) to sing you one of their hits, which man and which song would that be?
Oh wow, that’s a tough question…. Probably Robbie and Never Forget because I’ve never met him (met the others already) but if he’s technically not in Take That, then Gary and Shine (my all-time favourite song!)
What’s your favourite cake?
Another tough question: I love all cake! It depends on my mood. Right now, I’d go for a lemon drizzle. Heavy on the drizzle, please.
Have you got any exciting summer holiday plans?
I’ve just come back from a trip to Switzerland Austria. Absolutely beautiful mountain scenery and gorgeous towns, including Salzburg (famous from the Sound of Music and birthplace of Mozart). Gave me lots of inspiration so expect both places to feature in future stories!
You are also a huge dog lover, as are a number of my writing friends! Do they help inspire creativity… or can they sometimes hinder it (in the best possible meaning of the word!)
Well, as I write this my youngest dog (age 1) is barking at something, or someone, outside – so not very helpful. But mostly, they sleep by my feet while I write and they’re good company as I’m home alone all day 🙂
Your one piece of advice for anybody writing in your genre?
Read tonnes of chicklit, and take note of what you like, and what you don’t like. Avoid cliches and, if you can (it’s hard in this genre), try not to be too predictable. Most of all – write. So many people say they want to write, and don’t. So just write it! 🙂
About Sarah Louise Smith
Sarah is a romantic comedy author, totally in love with the feel-good factor you get from a fun story with a happy ending. She’s also an animal lover, spends way too much time day-dreaming about her next holiday, and her favourite author is Jane Austen.
Her debut chicklit novel Amy & Zach was published by Crooked Cat in 2013, and since then she’s written another four novels, with a sixth on the way.
Connect with Sarah:
Twitter @sarahsmith16 …. Facebook /sarahlouisesmithauthor … instagram @sarahauthor
Website: www.sarahlouisesmith.com
Check out her books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Louise-Smith/e/B00AX55ZOI/
Isabella May Author 