Return of the Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan

Return of the Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: 29th Nov 2015

Christmas is just around the corner when Star begins working at Butterburn library, but not everyone is embracing the spirit of the season.
Sixteen-year-old Arianna’s mock exams are looming and she’s feeling under pressure. With her father living abroad and her mother working three jobs, she doesn’t have much support at home.
The bank is threatening to repossess Evan’s house, and he has no idea how he’s going to get through Christmas with two children who are used to getting everything they want.
Patricia’s cliché of a husband, after 23 years of marriage, has announced he’s moving out of the family home, and moving in with his secretary.
Daniel is doing the work of three people in his sales job, as well as looking after his kids and his wife. Pulled in too many different directions, he’s feeling stressed out.
Can Star, the library’s Good Samaritan, help set them on the path to happiness this Christmas?
AMAZON UK
AMAZON.COM

Do dreams ever inspire your writing? What did you last dream about?
Yes, although I haven’t actually written any stories yet with my ‘dream material’. They are, however, filed away as future writing ideas. If I’m honest, I can’t remember what my last dream was about, although, unsurprisingly, I do have a very vivid imagination. Unfortunately I also have a rubbish memory! I do dream and remember my dreams a couple of times a week, though.

When did you first start writing? And when were you first published?
I first started writing the novels I have published so far, around 2002. I’ve been writing on and off since I was seven, and the first ‘novel’ I started was when I was in high school back in the ‘80s. It has never seen the light of day, but I still have it somewhere!

What is it about the genre you write that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres?
I write in the genres I write in because those are books which I would like to read – contemporary fiction and chick lit. I like books with relationships, whether it be romantic ones, platonic, or familial, and I particularly like books with several key characters and figuring out how the strands all come together.
I also read lots of other genres: mystery, crime, political thrillers, business-related non-fiction, travel, fantasy, amongst others.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
Return of the Christmas Spirit is a follow-up to The Christmas Spirit which came out two years ago. It is also a stand-alone novel in its own right. In fact, here’s the blurb – it describes it best!
Christmas is just around the corner when Star begins working at Butterburn library, but not everyone is embracing the spirit of the season.
Sixteen-year-old Arianna’s mock exams are looming and she’s feeling under pressure. With her father living abroad and her mother working three jobs, she doesn’t have much support at home.
The bank is threatening to repossess Evan’s house, and he has no idea how he’s going to get through Christmas with two children who are used to getting everything they want.
Patricia’s cliché of a husband, after 23 years of marriage, has announced he’s moving out of the family home, and moving in with his secretary.
Daniel is doing the work of three people in his sales job, as well as looking after his kids and his wife. Pulled in too many different directions, he’s feeling stressed out.
Can Star, the library’s Good Samaritan, help set them on the path to happiness this Christmas?

What inspired you to write it?
Well, I love Christmas books, and I actually had another Christmas book I was intending to write, but the feedback for The Christmas Spirit was so overwhelming that I decided to write a follow-up. The Christmas book I was originally planning on writing for release this year will be written at some point!

Have you ever spotted anyone reading your books anywhere?
No, because they are only in e-book format at the moment. I have, however, had people I’ve met for the first time say, ‘Oh, I’ve read your books’, which is always nice.

Who designs your covers?
A good friend in the US called Brad Covey

If your latest book was made into a film, who would you cast?
Oh dear. This is a difficult one, as I know that when reading a book which has a film tie-in, I can’t imagine for myself purely from the book’s content what the characters are like, as I already have the actors in my head. So, without naming names of my characters, to avoid people automatically assigning each actor to a certain character, I’d say Gerard Butler, but younger; the girl from Juno, and Julie Walters about twenty years ago, among others.

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

Bridget Jones’ Diary

What were the last two books you read? 

I’m currently reading Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley, which I am enjoying, and prior to that I read Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin. Loved it.

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

Sibel Hodge, although with Look Behind You she hit the bestseller charts (and may have done for others, but I’ve never seen her books in the shops in the UK). She writes across several genres and I really like her novels.

Where do you write?
In my office at home, in my living room, and when I am pushed for time and need to meet a deadline, in a café in the town where I live, or if really pushed for time, in a couple of hotels near where I live. I can get peace and quiet in the last two venues and an awful lot more done as a result.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? And did you follow the dream?
I don’t actually remember what I wanted to be as a really young kid. As a young teenager I wanted to be an interpreter, and I did go on to study languages and have worked in jobs related to languages for 20 years. Plus, I now have my own company, Perfect Prose Services, which in addition to offering proofreading and editing, offers translation services too, so I guess I am still living the dream!

In the movie of your life, who would play you?
I think Renée Zellweger in her Bridget Jones persona (we’ve been compared many times in the past, particularly when I was in my ‘30s.

Speed Round...
Top drink to make you tipsy? –Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Shopaholic or shopadon't? – I’m in between. I have to shop at the minute as I have an 8-month-old baby who grows like a weed, and he has a 2-year-old sister who is almost as bad.
Apart from that, I really only enjoy shopping for books, presents and Christmas decorations!
Sky high heels or closer to the ground? – closer to the ground, barefoot if possible, and more likely to be trainers.
E.L. James or Jilly Cooper? Definitely not E.L. James. I think I may have read a Jilly Cooper as a teenager.
Cry baby or tough cookie? I’m not a particularly girly girl, but I am a big softy and cry at the drop of a hat!
Exotic beach or enchanted forest? Enchanted forest if it has the Magic Faraway tree in it, otherwise St Lucia beckons

Susan Buchanan lives in Central Scotland with her partner, Tony, and their two children. She is the author of three other novels: The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game, and Sign of the Times. Return of the Christmas Spirit is her fourth book. She is currently working on her fifth book, What If.
Susan is also a proofreader, editor, and translator, and when not working, writing, or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows, and eating out - not necessarily in that order!
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GIVEAWAY
There are 2 giveaways associated with this tour
Visit Susan’s blog at www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk, where there will be a Rafflecopter giveaway for a £10/$15 Amazon voucher for the duration of the tour and the launch day itself.
Plus

Enter the tour giveaway to win an ecopy (x2) of Susan’s book THE DATING GAME
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