Valentine's Day Special Author Interview & Giveaway with Juliette Sobanet

Join me in this fun post on Valentine's day filled with loads of chocolates and romance ideas to brighten your day! 

If you day-dream about falling in love in the most romantic city of the world, Paris and dig funny, romantic chick-lit, then Juliette Sobanet is one author you must check out! With her latest release, “Kissed in Paris”, she is all pumped up to celebrate Valentine’s day with my readers on “The Review Girl” by giving away free copies of her book (check out special giveaway at the end of this post!). 


Not just this, we are chatting about her perfect Valentine’s day, favourite romance reads, movies and much more! She is sweet, she is hilarious and she loves chocolates! Drooling already? *wink*

RG: Welcome to my blog, Juliette! I will start with a straight-forward question. Why chick-lit?
I love reading and writing chick-lit because it’s a great way to escape at the end of a long, busy day. There’s nothing better than pouring a glass of wine, curling up on the couch, and being swept into a funny, romantic story that makes me forget about my troubles.

RG: Is chick-lit “fun and romance” or about “chicks” who are “beauty with brains”? How do you think it is different from regular women’s fiction?
I think a strong chick-lit novel can encompass all of the above. Well-written chick-lit stories are fun and romantic with engaging heroines who may seem to have it all, but who clearly need to work through their issues over the course of the book. Chick-lit is lighter than regular women’s fiction, and this light-hearted, humorous nature should only enhance the quality of the book. Don’t we all need a good laugh every now and then?

RG: I could not agree more! I am a big sucker for chick-lit that provides a right blend of romance and comedy. In the majority of chick-lit, the character of hero is limited or sometimes half-sketched, do you think it affects the overall depth of story or it’s no biggie?
Since chick-lit novels focus primarily on the woman’s journey, it is understandable that in some stories, the hero may not be as well developed as the heroine. But I do feel it’s important to develop the hero’s character as much as possible because there needs to be something beyond his good looks to make the reader fall in love with him.

RG: I agree. In spite of female being the main protagonist, to carry the story forward, all the secondary characters including the hero, have to play their part, otherwise it does get dreary and the reader may not feel “connected” to the story. As a reader/reviewer I find such stories, one-dimensional. Moving on, tell us about your books. Can you give us a sneak peak into your latest book? 

In my debut novel, Sleeping with Paris, we follow a sassy, young French teacher on her wild romp through the City of Love where she is determined not to fall in love. But with a slew of Parisian men at her doorstep, including a mysterious new neighbour who feeds her chocolate in bed, it seems as though Paris has other plans. As a Valentine’s Day treat, this novel is FREE on Amazon for today!

My second novel, Kissed in Paris, was released this week, just in time for Valentine’s Day! It’s a romantic, action-packed story about a straight-laced event planner who takes a last minute business trip to Paris only days before her wedding and gets duped by a French con-man in the process. Her only hope at clearing her name from a looming police investigation and making it to her wedding in time lies in the hands of a rugged, undercover agent who has a few secrets of his own.

RG: If you could be one character from your books, who would you choose to be and why?
Tough choice, but ultimately I would choose Charlotte from "Sleeping with Paris" because her main love interest, Luc, feeds her chocolate in bed. What woman could turn that down?

RG: Chocolates are good enough to make any woman weak at the knees! *wink* So, where do you get ideas for your stories and characters?

I spent a year and a half studying in France, so many of my ideas originated from my experiences abroad. Also, my girlfriends serve as a never-ending source of inspiration on dating topics, relationships, and love.

RG: Do you have any upcoming books/projects? Will it be chick lit or some other genre?

I am currently wrapping up the edits on my third novel, “Dancing with Paris”. It's “Midnight in Paris” meets “Moulin Rouge” with a bit of mystery and a lot of romance. While it will still appeal to fans of the chick-lit genre, the murder mystery aspect of the story may reel in a whole new type of reader.

RG: Sounds intriguing! List 3 suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing fiction.

1. Learn your craft. Write, re-write, and edit until you’ve written the absolute best book you could write. Then . . .

2. Submit to contests for feedback and ask other writers to critique your work. Then...you guessed it, keep on editing and re-writing! Don’t get discouraged—this process is supposed to take a long time.

3. Never give up! Have faith that you’ve stumbled upon this writing path for a reason, and your stories will find a home one day. And once they do, all of the hours you’ve spent writing and re-writing will be totally worth it.

RG: Valentine’s Day is being celebrated the whole month of February on my blog and I am asking every special guest who appears on my blog, about their perfect valentines. So, let’s talk about your idea of romance. What is your perfect Valentine's Day like?

Going out to a romantic dinner with my husband, then eating loads of delicious chocolate together. (Oh, and if he wanted to take me to Paris for a Valentine’s Day surprise, that would be nice too:)

RG: That is one heck of a perfect Valentine’s! I am jealous! *laughs* Okay, it leads me to my next question, What is your all-time favourite romantic movie?
The Notebook. I love that movie so much. And I know he’s going to kill me for saying this, but my husband loves it too.

RG: What is your all-time favourite romance book/novel?
Not sure if this is allowed, but since I’m so engrossed in the love story I’m creating in my third book, "Dancing with Paris", I have to go with this one. It’s a love that must survive incredible obstacles—time travel and murder to name a few. I can’t tell you how it ends though . . . you’ll just have to read it when it comes out!

RG: It does count when the story is so tempting! What is your all-time favourite romantic place? (I am guessing favourite romantic place would be Paris, but still curious to know from you.)
Paris is definitely high on the list, but ultimately I have to go with Annecy. It’s a fairy-tale town located in the French Alps, and with winding cobblestone streets and a sparkly blue lake surrounded by gorgeous snow-capped mountains, it’s simply breathtaking. I can’t wait to take my husband there one day. Maybe for Valentine’s Day next year?

RG: Complete these sentences:

· Romance is...the passion of life. Without it, what are we doing here?

· Life is...a wild ride. Hang on and eats loads of chocolate along the way.

· Chick lit is...fabulous, sexy, and fun. Mix with chocolate and wine and you’ve got a perfect night ahead of you!

RG: Oh my! You are making me crave chocolate right now! How about we share a lindt (your favorite chocolate!) Yummy! *laughs* Is there any such thing as "food-gasm"? *wink*

RG: Thanks so much for such a lovely conversation, full of laughs and yummy chocolates! Great to have you on my blog for Valentine's Day. Wish you all the best for your books.

About the Author:

Juliette Sobanet is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York University in France, and she has lived and studied in both Paris and Lyon. She is currently a French professor in the Washington, DC area where she lives with her husband and their two massive cats. When she's not writing, she's eating chocolate, practicing yoga, or scheming on when she can travel back to France.

Author’s website: Chocolate for Writers – http://www.juliettesobanet.com/

Visit her website, stalk her on Twitter or “like” her page on Facebook!


Purchase links for her books:

Amazon link for “Sleeping with Paris”: http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-with-Paris-ebook/dp/B005TNM736/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1

Amazon link for “Kissed in Paris”: http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-in-Paris-ebook/dp/B0075MR85G/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328745414&sr=1-2

Valentine’s Day Special Giveaway!!!

International!

Prize: Kissed in Paris (E-book)

To: Three (3) lucky winners

Open till 26^th February, 2012

To Enter,

CLICK HERE!!!

Good Luck Everyone! J

NOTE: 

The results will be drawn through Random.org. 

The winner will be notified through e-mail by “The Review Girl”. 

Thanks to my lovely friend and amazing author, Juliette Sobanet, for this wonderful giveaway. 

Before signing off, I would like to thank all my followers, for their support and love, as I have reached 500 mark today. Thanks so much everyone! xxx 

To express my gratitude, I am having lots of giveaways to give you chances to win fantastic books. Happy reading everyone!

To take part in other Valentine’s Day Special Giveaways on my blog, click here. 

BE MY GUEST: Author Interview: Cara Bertoia

Today, I am thrilled to host Cara Bertoia, co-author of an amazing travel novel which is as much about romance as it is about travel (the novel is based on their real-life love story). So read on to find out more about the book “Cruise Quarters” and how she met the man of her dreams. You would not want to miss infectious laugh on her witty answers as a bonus! :)

RG: Tell us about yourself and your love for traveling.


I have always loved to travel. Ever since I was a little girl my favorite hobby was reading novels about far away places, on a hot summer day I would be Mary Queen of Scots locked in the chilly London Tower. When I was in college I studied in Mexico for a semester and after that there was no holding me down. There is a German word for that feeling -- torschlusskpanik (the fear of missing the boat). In my case, literally.

RG: I understand that your book is about travel, yet it is a novel! Sounds interesting! Why did you think of penning down your travel anecdotes in the form of a novel and not in a non-fiction style travel narrative?

I just think that it worked better as a novel. I had to move things around and of course enhance things for dramatic effect and then I really couldn't call it non-fiction. I also had to change the names to protect us! My novel was written with the help of my husband Ray. I felt like I had a great story to tell, a true love story played out in some of the most beautiful ports in the world. And the fact that there was a happy ending surprised me more than anybody.

RG: Sounds interesting! What is different about “Cruise Quarters” as compared to other travel books available in the market? What do you think your book offers in terms of “originality” and “uniqueness”?

Well I know that my novel is the first written from the viewpoint of a female croupier, who has over a decade in the casino industry, we give the view from behind the blackjack table. My husband and I also worked on luxury liners for over a decade and so we take the reader behind the scenes of the casino and cruise ship industry. Ray also worked in European countries as diverse as Moscow and England. By shifting the story between us, we offer a story from both of our perspectives. My readers always comment that our description of the places we visited and the adventures we encountered really resonated with them.


RG: In your opinion, how is “going on a cruise” a better way to travel than by air or train?

I will give you a few of the top reasons: the views coming into port from the deck of a ship, not having to pack and unpack your bags, and going to sleep in a comfortable bed in Copenhagen and waking up in Stockholm. Those are just a few of the reasons. I just wrote a blog post on this as well called The Top Ten Reasons To Travel Around Europe on A Cruise Ship.

RG: Name some of the beautiful places that are covered in your book?


To me Venice is always the most beautiful place in the world. Of the many ports in the Caribbean we visited my favorite is St. Martin, an island that is half Dutch, half French, the mixture of the two cultures makes for an interesting island. Our book travels from Europe to the Caribbean, but just when think you can relax we cruise down the Amazon and on to Rio.

RG: Amazing! Your book offers a collage of European and American beauty. There is also a romantic element in your novel which is based on your real-life love story. Tell us how you meet Ray (any juicy tidbits we should know *winks*)

When I met Ray I was hung over, sitting on the floor of the hallway with my hair pinned on top of my head, no makeup, dressed in my crew bar\pajama outfit sorting mail. I saw a cute Scottish guy round the corner but I didn't give him a second look I had sworn off shipboard romances. He said he knew that we would be together from the second he met me, but read our book and you'll know he is just trying to score points.

RG: *laughs* So, it was “Love at first sight” (at least from his side *wink*). List 5 suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing non-fiction.


1. Do something interesting so that you will have something to write about, I was working on my MFA in writing before I joined ships, and I knew working on a cruise ship would be a great setting for a novel.

2. Read it out loud so you will know if your dialogue sounds right.

3. Do the research, because sometimes your memory can play tricks on you.

4. Be honest, no one is on their best behavior 24/7 and anyway the embarrassing parts are the best bits.

5. But most importantly if it is based on real people besides YOU make it fiction! You can avoid a lawsuit that way.

RG: Those are some extremely useful tips for all writers! Do you think that book blogs play a vital role in getting the books across to readers?

I have seen that articles from our blog get picked up and spread throughout the internet. I also think that people like to read about your background and then they have a good idea about the authenticity of your work. But I believe that the most important blogs are the ones like yours that work to spread the word about new books. With the demise of book reviews in newspapers I think blogs like “The Review Girl” fill that gap.


RG: How much time did it take for you to complete this book? What was your routine for writing?

It took years to write this book. I took notes while I lived at sea. I went to the crew bar every night - but only in the name of research. I started it in a class at UCLA and from there I wrote and re-wrote until I thought every line was perfect then I had my friends from the casino business and the cruise ship industry read it and I wrote some more. When one of my cruise ship friends read my novel, she immediately made copies for four of her friends. That day I knew I had nailed it.

RG: Are you inspired by any particular author? Who is your favorite author?


I really like Charles Bukowski, he made me see that you could write in a clear and concise way and still be entertaining. I also like Steve Martin he writes with a good understanding of human nature. Then there is Lionel Shriver who gives her writing a kick of cynicism. I could never pick one favorite author it changes all the time.

RG: I believe that there are only two categories of books: good books and bad books. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a “good book”?


A good book is easy to read, it entertains you and it just might teach you a little bit about life and human nature. I always like to get inside the head of the character I am reading about and I always hope she is not too nice.

Now, time for some fun questions:

RG: Favorite holiday destination.


I love all the old cities of Europe, Venice, London, Glasgow, my husband and I can walk for hours and just be entertained by the life passing by us. We love to walk and eat, that is why I was known as the food scout on ships. Whenever we cruised to a new city I would walk the streets until I found the perfect restaurant for the casino staff to go to.

RG: Favourite foreign cuisine.

Chinese.

RG: Tell us about the craziest thing you ever did while on a cruise.

The casino staff was locked up in a restaurant while the owner held us hostage demanding more money. I don't want to say too much, that is also in the book.

RG: Any place (romantic island or resort) which you recommend to newlyweds for honeymoon?

I'm American so I think Venice is the most romantic city in the world. Ray said Malta, he's Scottish, go figure. But for an island I would definitely say Bali.

Bali: Crystal clear blue water and tranquility, best place to visit for some romance!

RG: How do you relax when you have free time? 

In my free time I listen to political shows like The Daily Show, and Real Time. I also work out, but I hate that, just trying to be able to eat more. On our days off, when wanderlust hits us, we love to travel to San Diego and Los Angeles and just walk around, and of course eat!

RG: Complete these sentences:


* Love is...easy when it's done right.

* Life is...here and now, this not a dress rehearsal.

* Writing is...torture, rewriting is a blast.

* Travelling is...accepting where you are, for what it is and getting the most out of it.

RG: Your statement on writing is a debate in itself. For me, it is the other way around: writing is a blast but re-writing is a torture! *laughs* Thank you for such a lovely interview. It was a pleasure having you on my blog. Wish you all the best for your book. 

About the Book: 

Cruise Quarters - A novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships

The # 1 cruise ship novel is a fun, fast paced tale of working in the casino aboard a Regal Cruises cruise-ship. It is based on a true story and was written by authors who have over a decade of experience working on luxury cruise ships.

Sarah Seldon is a croupier on the luxury liner. After many unhappy endings, and burnt out on shipboard romance, she is determined to forget about men and concentrate on becoming a casino manager. On land women face a dearth of GOOD men but on a ship giving up men would take willpower. The mostly male crew exist to serve her every need. Handsome Italian waiters bring her food, the Filipino steward cleans her room, English officers play poker with her and the Welsh plumber fixes her sink. She leads a cushy life, sleeping 'til noon, eating gourmet food, and the topper - she gets to wake up in beautiful new place everyday. All because she works in a casino, a place so bad it has SIN in the middle.

Book a cruise and travel with Sarah and the crew as they work, play, feast, and fall in and out of love, all while the ship sails around the globe, stopping at exotic ports of call. Along the way, from Venice to Barcelona sight-see in the Med, shop in St. Martin, take an eco-cruise down the Amazon, and feast in Glasgow. Let the crew tell you their own stories as they sit in the hallway in the wee hours of the morning. While the ship travels to new destinations, tired and tipsy they share tales of love and betrayal. – (Book Blurb Courtesy: Amazon.com)

Click the link to find at Amazon.com

Click the link to find at Amazon United Kingdom

Click the link to find at Amazon Germany

Click the link to find at Barnes and Noble

Click the link to find at Smashwords

The link to the paperback at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Quarters-Novel-About-Casinos/dp/1461010470/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

To know more about the authors of this book, visit these blogs:

http://carabertoia.blogspot.com/

http://casinosandcruiseships.blogspot.com/

Do you like to read travel books? Are you a travel junkie like Cara? Do you have any interesting/fun incident to tell about your travels? Feel free to share in the comment section below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

BE MY GUEST: Travel Review by Author Barbara Conelli

Guest Post: 

Travel Review: Prague (Czech Republic) 

Author/Travel Writer: Barbara Conelli

As you know that writers who love to travel and tell their amazing travel stories, stop by here on my blog, to share about their unique experiences, sometimes, fun and at other times, quirky. So, let’s read and find out what Barbara (Author of “Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita”) has in store for us about her memorable and romantic summer in Prague. 

French Summer In Prague 

Maxim was a charming Frenchman and a born Parisian who never forgot to mention that his family came from the correct, wealthy bank of the Seine. Actually, to be precise, it concerned only his mother. His father’s presence in the family was considered an unpleasant social slip which had been held against him bitterly all his life.

Maxim, with a sweet apologetic smile, often interrupted his colleagues’ English classes when he passed through the room in order to get into his office. He always left behind him the intoxicating smell of his luxurious perfume, of coffee and dark chocolate. He enjoyed showing off his carelessly elegant walk and the perfect manicure on long, sinfully sexy fingers that evoked even more sinful ideas in every woman.

“I’m looking for an Italian teacher. Would you happen to know any?” said Beautiful Maxim during one of his flights over the English class. He had a voice of the Marlboro Man and spoke English with a cute French accent.

“I would, myself,” I answered in French which obviously surprised him very pleasantly.

“And would you like to teach me?”

“Of course, if I manage to find some time.” With a professional look on my face, I took out my diary and started looking for “the last available gap in my schedule, only because it’s you”. But in my mind, between the lines of the diary, I envied the silver Parker pen that his fingers softly played with.

As Beautiful Maxim refused to indulge in the secrets of the Italian language in the mundane environment of his office, our regular, even more regular, and finally daily meetings were transferred to secluded cafés, bars and restaurants, over French wine, seafood and chocolate fondue. To conversations about how he loved when the wind blew through my hair, about my perfume making his head spin and about how adorably I sipped cappuccino from my cup. He had no male vices, he always called when he promised to and looked most dazzling over a glass of red wine with a cigarette in his hand. His perfect fingers surpassed all expectations and he seemed to be one of the last few specimens of the disappearing stock of French charmers and lovers.

“My aunts are coming tomorrow,” he said slackly in front of the cracking fireplace of his apartment, naturally on Parisian Street, on a rainy November Tuesday twenty minutes past midnight.

“They want to take care of the last details of the wedding because my fiancée is not coming from London until next week.”

I started to laugh at his wonderful sense of humor, and as I didn’t want to ruin all the fun I asked playfully: “And when are you getting married?”

“Next week of course. Don’t tell me you didn’t know that.”

I started to panic. There must be something wrong. Beautiful Maxim who walks like a lion in the bush and whose eyes are gloomy like the sky in Marseille is only mine. I’m sure of it; he loves my perfume, my hair in the wind and all my gestures, his famous fingers know every curve of my body. He cooks excellent dinners, whispers into my ear and his laugh makes me feel butterflies in my stomach. He’s MINE!

During the following twenty minutes, I listened in a sort of trance to his lecture about the hard life of a man who had decided to sign a lifelong deal and enter holy matrimony with a blond Swedish girl who was deeply loved and adored by his Provence aunts, his Dijone grandmother and both banks of the Seine. About his brave life decision to give up other women forever because the arrangement between family clans, sealed by their marriage, could not be broken. What would his deaf granduncle Hugo say, and what about his cousin Agnes who dragged her irritating pinscher everywhere and who wanted to give them a set of 19th century family porcelain for twelve people, and what would...

“Hang on, you’re really serious? C'est vrai? C'est possible? And what about me?”

“What about you?” He looked at me, baffled. “You... You are like a chocolate tart.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You know, SHE is like a raspberry cake. A homemade cake that is always handy, that is good and tasty, and that neither offends nor thrills anyone. But you... You are like a chocolate tart. A luxurious chocolate tart that melts in the mouth, that we savor with delight but treat ourselves to only a few times in our life. A sumptuous dessert, passionate pleasure, the last adventure before I become a responsible man and the head of the family.”

A few months ago, I ran into Maxim in Paris. We said Hi, and Maxim assured me that he was going to call next week and that we’d have lunch together. He hasn’t called yet. It’s better this way. I don’t know if he really got married, if he keeps the deal, if he’s happy with his raspberry cake and if he renounced chocolate tarts forever. I don’t know, and whether it was true or not, I don’t really care. Simply because all sinfully beautiful, wicked and damn irresistible Maxims of this world enter our lives for one single reason: To fly through it like the spring wind over a lavender field in Provence and leave behind that bittersweet taste of chocolate noir.

About the Author: 

Barbara Conelli is an internationally published bestselling author and Chiquenist on the mission to bring Fantastic Fearless Feminine Fun into women's lives. In her charming, delightful and humorous Chique Books filled with Italian passion, Barb invites women to explore Italy from the comfort of their home with elegance, grace and style, encouraging them to live their own Dolce Vita no matter where they are in the world.

Barb lives between New York and Milan, and as a real globetrotter, she's always on the move, accompanied by her adorable and very spoiled beagle. Barb's motto is: "When life gives you twists and turns, Chique Yourself Up in Italy." To her, writing is like breathing, and she's currently working on her new book. To know more about her and her writing, visit her website: http://www.barbaraconelli.com

About her Book: 

Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita - "Put on your Borsalino and swing those hips, baby."

Charming, poetic, delightful and humorous travel and life stories about extraordinary Milanese women, men who have succumbed to their temptation, and the art of living your own dolce vita no matter where in the world you are. An entertaining storyteller, Barb has a unique ability to capture the magical atmosphere of the places she writes about.

Through the pages of her books, Barb takes your hand and guides you through the irresistible beauty, captivating secrets, unrepeatable spell and fugitive moments of Italy. She makes them come alive easily and spontaneously, and her writing is like a magic carpet that carries you to Italy and back in the blink of an eye. She introduces you to fascinating women who have created the face of Italy, lifts the shroud of their mysteries, and reveals adorable places off the beaten track where the authentic Italian heart hasn't stopped beating.

To buy this book, click on the links below:

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Paperback

Note: The pictures and illustrations seen in BE MY GUEST are compiled by Review Girl.