Author interview: Lindsey Kelk

So, today I have massive news. Actually it's even bigger than that. I'd say it's mahoosive!! The lovely Lindsey Kelk is here today for an author interview as part of her blog tour for What a Girl Wants and I am pretty damn excited and may even do a bloody great fangirling eek sort of noise...

     1. Hi Lindsey and welcome to Sheli Reads. What can we expect from Tess this time in What a Girl Wants?

The last book saw Tess having the rub pulled out from underneath her in every aspect of her life. This time, she’s dealing with decisions. I think there is a ton of pressure on women to make huge decisions and you’re constantly worrying about cocking everything up and ruining your entire life if you make the wrong choice. I wanted to take a look at that and maybe show someone who isn’t entirely sure of herself try to work out what she wants, rather than what she thought was the right thing to do, which would have been exactly what the old Tess would have done.

2. Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

I really like everyone in these books actually! I love writing Tess because I don’t think she’s that typical a character – she can be a little bit selfish and forget that other people have things they want out of life, that they’re not just there to make her life easier, but it’s never from a bad place. She’s used to being very single-minded and ambitious and now she’s got to learn how to be at the bottom of the all over again. At the same time, I love Paige and Amy, they’re so different to each other but so similar at the same time and I love writing men because it lets me see stuff from a completely different perspective. Whether I’m right about that perspective or not, is a different matter altogether.

3. In About a Girl we follow Tess to Hawaii. Do we get to visit any more exotic locations in this latest instalment of her adventures?

Well, she was offered a job in Milan at the end of About a Girl and whether she ends up taking it or not, given the cover of the book, I think it’s safe to say we’ll see her in Italy!

4. Did you start out wanting to write a story about love rivals or did the story and characters just develop that way? I'm Team Nick by the way!

I did want to write a love triangle. It’s a situation a lot of women find themselves in, or wish they did! The challenge for me was to start out with obvious stereotypes, the good guy and the bad guy, and turn them around a little bit so maybe the good guy isn’t the usual wet, wimpy option and perhaps the bad guy is a bit more complex – but not a bastard with a heart of gold, he’s still a bastard, it’s just that perhaps he’s worth putting up with. Or perhaps not. I’m still undecided.

5. Which other writers in your genre do you admire?

There are so many incredible writers out there at the moment, I hate naming names because I always miss someone off and feel awful. From a personal point of view, it’s an incredibly supportive community right now, without the other writers I talk to on Twitter, I’d go mad. I love Lucy Robinson, she’s become such a good friend and if that was the only thing I got out of these books, I’d be ecstatic. Rowan Coleman has been a huge inspiration for me too, professionally and personally, but really, there’s amazing writing going on from amazing people. I feel privileged to be putting stuff out alongside them.

6. Do you have any routines or rituals to help you get into writing mode?

I sometimes think I do but really, anything I do is procrastination. I really just have to sit down and start writing. That’s the hardest part, for sure.

7. Where is your favourite place to write?

Usually I’m at home, on the sofa or crosslegged on the bed but I love to get away and write when I can. I’m having a total affair with LA at the moment and I love getting up in the morning and going outside to sit in the sunny garden to write. It makes everything seem a little bit easier, I mean, how mad can you get when you’re eating an orange off your own orange tree?

8. Lastly, the big question that I know all your fans will want to know the answer to. Are you planning on writing any more books in the I Heart series?

I’d tell you but I’d have to kill you. Um, well, I’m writing an I Heart ebook for winter called Jenny Lopez Saves Christmas and after that, we’ll see. Angela will definitely be back in some shape or form, one day, but not for a little while.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Lindsey for answering my questions and to Amy at Harper Fiction for arranging this blog tour. The itinerary of all stops on the tour is below.