Today I am taking part in the blog tour for The Vintage Summer Wedding and have a Q&A with the lovely Jenny Oliver.
- Are your characters loosely based on real people?
Not consciously! I'm sure there are elements in there of lots of people that I know or stories I've been told that resonated but otherwise they are entirely fictional. Philippe and Rachel appeared in my first book The Parisian Christmas Bake Off and I found that I missed them when the book was done so it was really nice to bring them back for more - Philippe especially, he's a favourite of mine!
- Would you personally prefer an extravagant wedding or a low budget vintage wedding?
Low budget vintage definitely, which is actually what I did have - lots of candles, bunting, geraniums in flower pots, mismatched china and lanterns hanging from the trees. I leave the big extravagant weddings to other people and really enjoy them when I'm invited! A friend got married at Babington House a couple of years ago which was stunning - there were fireworks at midnight, big glinting candelabras on all the tables and trays of espresso martinis - it was as close as I've come to feeling like a celebrity!
- What is your favourite wedding song?
Ooh I don't know. When Dolly Parton comes on I head straight to the dance floor - does that count as a wedding song?
- Did you learn anything from writing The Vintage Summer Wedding, and what was it?
I learnt an awful lot about ballet and the dedication it takes to be a star. I also reaffirmed the idea that good is good enough which is something I often forget - you can only ever do your best. In the book Anna is taught that lesson by a bunch of school kids auditioning for Britain's Got Talent which was really fun to write.
- If you could meet any of your own characters, who would it be and what would you say?
Philippe definitely - he really makes me laugh and he's so good looking that I'd just gaze at him across the table. I would also quite like to have lunch with Hermione from The Vintage Summer Wedding because she's so brash and I think would be great fun to be around (although I'd never want to cross her!).
- What has been the best part about writing The Vintage Summer Wedding?
I wrote it in the depths of winter so it was lovely to feel the sun. I love the ending as well - that was probably the most enjoyable part to write - I don't want to give it away so you'll have to read it to find out why!
- Give us an interesting fun fact about your book.
Nearly all the antiques in it are things that someone in my family owns, I've bought, been given or nearly bought over the years.
- Who is your favourite character from your book and why?
Hermoine definitely. She's a fab secondary character because she breezes in all audacious and causes trouble. I love her (and her clothes!)
- Are you a good dancer?
No. I think I'm more enthusiastic than good.
10. If you had the chance to be part of a reality TV show, which would it be and why?
Good question. I'd quite like to pop into the Big Brother house just for a night to see what it's like (I'd be terrible on the show though because I'd get caught gossiping about the other contestants!) and I'd swing by the King's Road to have a glass of champagne on Made in Chelsea. At the moment I'd quite like to go on the Bear Grylls Island programme with all the men trying to survive in the wild because I think it'd be good to see how a group of women would fare in the same position.
11. There’s a pinterest competition running for this book – did you have a collection of images to inspire you while writing this book?
I didn't but having done my Vintage Summer Wedding Pinterest board I definitely will in the future. I loved doing it - much better than working. I think it's a new must for every book. Can't wait to see other people's vintage wedding inspired boards...
Jenny's pinterest board can be found here:
http://www.pinterest.com/carinauk/the-vintage-summer-wedding-blog-tour/
Spending the summer uncovering hidden treasures in a vintage shop, Anna can still vividly remember both her childhood dreams; the first was that she’d become a Prima Ballerina, and dance on stage resplendent in a jewel-encrusted tutu. The second was that at her wedding she would walk down the aisle wearing a collective-gasp-from-the-congregation dress.
Years ago Anna pirouetted out of her cosy hometown village in a whirl of ambition…but when both of those fairy-tale dreams came crashing down around her ballet shoes, she and fiancée Seb find themselves back in Nettleton, their wedding and careers postponed indefinitely…
Don’t they say that you can never go home again? Sometimes they don’t get it right… This one summer is showing Anna that your dreams have to grow up with you. And sometimes what you think you wanted is just the opposite of what makes you happy…
JENNY OLIVER wrote her first book on holiday when she was ten years old. Illustrated with cut-out supermodels from her sister’s Vogue, it was an epic, sweeping love story not so loosely based on Dynasty.
Since then Jenny has gone on to get an English degree, a Masters, and a job in publishing that’s taught her what it takes to write a novel (without the help of the supermodels). She wroteThe Parisian Christmas Bake Off on the beach in a sea-soaked, sand-covered notebook andThe Vintage Summer Wedding is her follow up. Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks
The book is currently available for £2.99 as Google Play Read of the Week and you can download it here -http://bit.ly/1tnH0t5
Or on Amazon here.
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