Hello... Sarah R Weldon

I'm chuffed to have author Sarah Weldon with me today. Although Sarah writes chick lit, her latest offering is, in fact, a murder mystery.
When did you first start reading Chick Lit?
I started reading Chick Lit about 8 years ago, book swaps were my only source of reading material, unless I took a trip over to Jersey. You take what you can get when you live in a foreign country, though our library in the village does have some English books. But then again, there are over 200 English people living in the area!

When did you first start writing Chick Lit?
I started writing Chick Lit May 2010, my very first novel, Cally’s Secret is in the genre ‘Chick Lit’, it took me 5 months from start to finish but I didn’t publish it until January this year.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? If so, which? 
Chick Lit/Little black dress is an easy read genre; it doesn’t strain my poor old brain too much and makes me laugh into the bargain. The stories are just so true to life, and Cally’s Secret is no exception, though I would like to add it is purely fiction.
I am a voracious reader, and I will read anything if the story is good, I love horror, especially tales of witchcraft, ghost stories too, romantic or just the plain old scare you to death type of book. Murder/Mystery/Thrillers and ‘Mummy Porn’, a spin off genre from 50 Shades of Grey, though I can’t say I was that impressed with the 50 Shades trilogy, which I believe was originally one book, when I got to the end I was still trying to find the story!



Name one of your favourite Chick Lit books?
Sushi for Beginners, I love just love Marian Keyes’ dry sense of humour, and down to earth characters.

What's the title of your latest book? Can you tell us about it?
My latest published book is The Menorah Murders, a murder mystery- Former college professor, Abe Cohen, is found dead in his bedroom, a plastic bag pulled tight across his face, auto-erotic asphyxiation—a kinky self love act gone wrong or murder. Detectives, Carl Grace, and Jimmy Jones are assigned to the case and during their investigations they stumble on another body, that of a young woman, Marlene Adams, her body mutilated, pieces of flesh cut from her thighs and the hunt is on for the ‘candle killer’. The body count is rising and the local police send for an expert from Scotland Yard to assist—enter Dr Robert Donaldson he is sure the murders are the work of the one they called ‘The Beast’, seven Jewish women died at his hands, and his last victim was Robert Donaldson’s wife, Elspeth. Her body cut into pieces and buried in her own back garden! The race is on to find the killer, and bring him to justice before he disappears like the last time. But who will be the final candle, the sacrificial lamb… Supper!

What inspired you to write it?
A writing prompt actually, a competition between myself and a friend, she gave up after 2 days, whilst I carried on until the bitter end. The prompt was “Who said old bikers never die…they just smell that way…”

Is it part of a series?
It wasn’t intended to be, but I may have inadvertently written the second book in a trilogy…all that remains now is to go back to the beginning and write book one…let’s just say I’m thinking about it…

Who designs your covers?
DIY usually, with a little help from my friend, Jane, I tell her a little bit about the story and she comes up with the drawings.

If your book was made into a film, who would you cast?
Depends on which book. Now if Cally’s Secret was made into a film, the character, Daniel Le Fevre, would have to be played by a fit Frenchman – someone who spoke both French and English well, and who could pass muster in the role of James Bond, 007 himself! Jean Du Jardin, peut-etre. He has a sort of ‘Bond look’ about him, his body’s in good shape too, though I would insist he changed his hairstyle. My dad used to comb his hair back like him when I was a child! As for the role of Cally, she would have to be a thirty something petulant blonde, with a shoe fetish! Sarah’s feisty, a 30 something redhead, of Irish descent, her sense of humour, dry—bordering on sarcastic. I’m afraid I’m not very au fait with current actresses, I don’t go to the cinema and I tend to watch old films—Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing amongst my favourites, not forgetting Ghost, and most of the actresses in the films are too old to play the characters in Cally’s Secret! So I think I would have to leave it up to the Director to choose, as long as I could have the final word, naturally!

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

Who is your all time favourite Chick Lit character?
Just has to be Bridget Jones.

Name one Chick Lit author who you think deserves to be better known.
That’s easy, that would be yours truly – Sarah Royce Weldon, anyone whose middle name is derived from a top of the range automobile deserves to be better known don’t you think?

In the movie of your life, who would play you?
My editor, at least then I’d have the last word!

Speed Round...
Top drink to make you tipsy? Champagne
Shopaholic or shopadon't? When I have the spare cash shopaholic…otherwise I log into Amazon.com and drool over all the things I could have if only god had made me rich!
E.L. James or Jilly Cooper? Jilly Cooper, no contest!
Cry baby or tough cookie? Tough cookie, I’ve had to be since my husband died.

Born in Nottingham, Sarah Royce Weldon began her career, as a Legal Secretary for a well know local firm of Solicitors. Sarah describes herself as a voracious reader, who likes nothing more than to settle down with a pot of coffee and a good book. She discovered her talent for writing at tender age of 10, when she won her first writing competition—the prize the princely sum of one guinea!

Twitter

Cally's Secret on Amazon
The Menorah Murders on Amazon
Sarah's Facebook Page
http://www.authorsarahrweldon.weebly.com
http:/www.comingsoontosarahswall.weebly.com