Hello... Louise Wise

I'm delighted to have the lovely Louise Wise with me today for a chat...

When did you first start reading Chick Lit?

My first book was Wendy Holden’s Bad Heir day, guess I was a late bloomer! I was in my 20s and this was a good twenty years ago! Agh, showing my age.

When did you first start writing Chick Lit?

Before Bridget Jones! I wrote a book for M&B and they rejected it for being ‘not in their house style’. It was a comedy romance, only at the time, there was no call of it and no one to place it with—hence sending it somewhere who didn’t want it!

When I read Wendy Holden’s book I had a light bulb moment, but I didn’t publish my first chick lit novel until a few later with A Proper Charlie.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? If so, which?

I love it because life is comedy at times. You can’t write a book without having some form of comedy in it. Also, because of the ‘chatty’ style; as a reader it gives me the feeling of being with a friend for the duration of the book. And as an author it feels like I’m writing TO a friend.

This is one of the best answers I've read... and so true, it is like being with a good pal! Brilliant, Louise!

Name one of your favourite Chick Lit books?

I have many. My top two are Sophie Kinsella’s Twenties Girl and Trinity by Patrick Fox. He’s an indie author, and that book really had me rolling on the floor laughing.

What's the title of your latest book? Can you tell us about it?

The Fall of the Misanthrope: I bitch, therefore I am is the title. To be honest, even though I love chick lit, I was getting a little tired of the ditzy characters. I wanted a feisty character. Someone who didn’t care about fashion, men or even friends and Valerie Anthrope was born. She had a tragic childhood but seemed to overcome it. She has her own business and house, and keeps people at arm’s length and doesn’t suffer any fools.

Ellen Semple and Valerie’s love interest, Lex, are the two ‘ditzy’ characters. To quote Valerie: ‘I feel I’ve walked into a chick lit novel and there’s no escape.’

What inspired you to write it?

I felt there was a corner in the genre for ‘dark chick lit’, and well, wanted to experiment. I’ve not regretted it.

Is it part of a series?

No.

Who designs your covers?

For A Proper Charlie and Misanthrope it was Jane Dixon-Smith. For Eden, Anita Stewart.

If your book was made into a film, who would you cast?

That’s a hard one. Of course, for Valerie in Misanthrope, it would have to be someone who can play moody really well. Angela Jolie maybe, she can do an English accent beautifully. Lex, is fun and flirty and a little bit of a cad, so probably Hugh Grant. Ellen is a middle-aged battle-axe who gets away with wearing purple with green and although there are plenty of older male eccentric actors, I can’t think of one female! Bah, Hollywood!

What's your favourite Chick Lit book that made it to the big screen?

Here’s a thought… every chick flick I can think of has Hugh Grant in it! Love Actually, Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, Music and Lyrics, Nine Months, Two Weeks’ Notice. And the one which I can watch over and again is Micky Blue Eyes. But saying that, I loved Sleepless in Seattle.

Who is your all-time favourite Chick Lit character?

I quite like ‘nerdy’ time characters so Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones is probably remembered the most, although Luke Brandon in Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series is pretty memorable, too.

Name one Chick Lit author who you think deserves to be better known.

There’s so many. I read many indie authors: Brea Brown, Monique McDonell, Deb Nam-Krane, Nicky Wells and as previously mentioned, Patrick Fox.

In the movie of your life, who would play you?

Photo by Alan Light

I’ve also loved Golden Hawn. She’s crackers, though. Yeah, Goldie Hawn will do. 

Speed Round...

Top drink to make you tipsy? I can sniff the cork and I’m drunk!

Shopaholic or shopadon't? Shopaholic!

Sky high heels or closer to the ground? Heels!

E.L. James or Jilly Cooper? Neither.

Cry baby or tough cookie? Tough cookie.

Louise Wise lives in England with her four children and husband. She’s a pharmacist technician during the daylight hours, and a writer and blogger at other times. Four fiction books published and one non-fiction. Her fifth book will be out Christmas 2013.

Blog: http://www.louisewise.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louise_wise

FB: https://www.facebook.com/WiseWordsBookBlogger

Pintererst: http://pinterest.com/BookJunkies/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B003FW6RKM

The Fall of the Misanthrope: I bitch, therefore I am

Excerpt

As soon as I entered, the music, balloons and smiley waitresses wearing festive hats, and the entire Christmassy atmosphere made me realise I’d made a mistake. I should have faked a migraine.

Paul spotted me first and stood up. ‘Yoo-hoo! Over here, Miss Anthrope.’
Paul, his wife Milly and Tim sat around a table where above floated coloured balloons, their strings attached to a weight in the centre of an equally bright tablecloth.
I made my way over and immediately spotted a stranger – and a scam. Ellen guided me over and insisted I sit next to the stranger while she sat the other side of me. The man had a ready smile, and beautiful eyes. They were the brightest blue, and totally wasted on a male. I was immediately interested despite the set-up.
‘This is Jon. Jon, Valerie,’ Ellen introduced us.
I nodded, removed my coat, which a passing waitress took. I sat down and smiled at Milly. ‘Nice to see you again,’ I said.
‘Ooh, can I have your red straw?’ Milly said to Ellen. ‘I’ll swap you my black one.’
There was little doubt this was Paul’s wife. Ellen swapped straws, and winked across at me. ‘Jon’s an accountant,’ she said.
‘And you’re a financial broker,’ Jon said, tapping me on the nose with his finger on the word “you’re”.
My interest vanished in a puff of oh-my-God-he’s-a-jerk smoke and I sent multitudinous angry thoughts to Ellen, but straight-faced she looked back at me and said, ‘Well, we’ll leave you two love birds alone while we eat on the next table. Come along, you others. Let’s leave the youngsters to it.’
Then they all got up and left me with Jon the accountant. Gobsmacked wasn’t a word I often used.
Fucked, was better.
The night was going to be extremely long.