Character interview: Meg from Johnny's Girl by Paige Toon

I'm delighted to be interviewing Meg from Paige Toon's latest book, Johnny's Girl, OUT TOMORROW 7th November!!

What's your full name? Do you love it? Or hate it? 

Meg Stiles. I've never really had an opinion about it, to be honest, but I did love it when Johnny gave me the nickname, Nutmeg. There was something quite intimate about him doing that.

Who is your best friend? 

Bess. She's larger than life and lots of fun - we grew apart once but we're very close now. She was the one person I wanted to turn to when I found out about Johnny's secret daughter - and amazingly, she actually managed to cheer me up.

What do you do for a living? And what's your dream job? 

I love being a mum to my two boys, and even though it's not my job title anymore, even though he has an actual personal assistant, I think I'll always be Johnny Jefferson's PA. I look out for him and I always will.

Are you single/married/divorced/looking for love? 

I'm married to Johnny Jefferson, one-time bad boy rock star and the indisputable love of my life - but there was a time when I would have done anything to forget all about the bastard! Life has a funny way of working out...

Name one of your all-time favourite books? 

Feel: Robbie Williams, by a journalist called Chris Heath. I love Robbie and Take That. I prefer pop to rock music any day - sorry Johnny!

What inspires you? 

My husband inspires me. I know that sounds corny, but it's true. Even when he was in a really bad place with drink and drugs, his talent for music and creating a song shone through. I love watching him work, watching him lose himself in his lyrics and playing his guitar. I wish I could play like that.

Where is your favourite place in the world? 

Henley in the UK. It's the place we made our home, where we got married, where I fell pregnant with baby number two. When I'm not there, I miss it.

Favourite movie? 

Dirty Dancing, and not just because the hot lead male character is called Johnny!

Favourite author? 

Christian Pettersson. I have to be loyal to my friend and former boyfriend!

If you could have a dinner party with anyone in the world (alive or dead, real or fictional), who would you choose and why? 

Johnny, because I'd want him to share this with me, Michael Hutchence because he was one of the best rock stars of his time and even I cried when he died, Jim Morrison for Johnny because I know he loves him - as long as Jim didn't try to corrupt my man. And for me, Harry Styles and Tom Fletcher from McFly because Johnny hates that I love pop boys and it's fun making him jealous sometimes.

Tell us a random fact about yourself. 

I can flare my nostrils like a horse.

Who would play you in the movie about your life? 

Someone British with shoulder-length blonde hair and brown eyes. There used to be this girl in Home & Away who looked a bit like me - she was called Meg as well, but she's probably in her forties by now!

Tell us something interesting about where you live. 

The cicadas at night chirp really really loudly. At the moment we're in LA, but who knows where we'll be if you ever ask me again...

Preorder:

Amazon UK

ibooks 

Kobo books

Paige Toon was born in 1975 and grew up between England, Australia and America. A philosophy graduate, she worked at teen, film and women’s magazines, before ending up at Heat magazine as Reviews Editor. Paige is married, has two small children and lives in Cambridge.
Visit her website, or you can follow her on Twitter.


 

Say hi to... Paige Toon

Not only is she beautiful, but she's also an awesome author signed to Simon & Schuster. It's Paige Toon!

Image ©  Johnny Ring

When did you first start reading Chick Lit?
It depends on the definition of chick-lit! Is Judy Blume’s Forever chick-lit? I still remember how much I enjoyed reading Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and Watermelon by Marian Keyes. They definitely compelled me to read more.

When did you first start writing Chick Lit?
I got my book deal in September 2006 and wrote my first book, Lucy in the Sky, in the next two and a half months.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? If so, which?
I love unrequited love stories – especially ones that aren’t too predictable. I want to be totally immersed in a story. I want to want to read, rather than prefer to watch television. I do like other genres. I absolutely love YA sci-fi like The Hunger Games and Twilight. I’m currently devouring The Mortal Instruments – which is pretty much chick-lit in a fantasy world. It’s an perfect unrequited love story.

Name one of your favourite Chick Lit books?
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding and The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes.

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

I have a few things coming up! In November, Johnny’s Girl is being released. It’s an ebook short story sequel to Baby Be Mine, told from the heroine Meg’s point of view when she finds out her husband, rock star Johnny Jefferson, has a teenage daughter. In January, I’m releasing the first of a whole series of YA books about Johnny’s daughter Jessie. The title is: The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson. Then, in May, my new chick-lit book will be coming out and that’s called Thirteen Weddings. It’s about a wedding photographer who falls for a groom.

What inspired you to write it?
When I was writing Baby Be Mine, Meg worried that her son might not be Johnny’s only illegitimate child out there – he’s a rock star and he’s had a lot of groupies! I had the idea for Jessie, then – his an ordinary girl who finds out her dad is a megastar.

Is it part of a series?
Jessie is, yes. Book 2 will come out January 2015.

Who designs your covers?
The wonderful art team at Simon & Schuster.

If your book was made into a film, who would you cast?
I’m asked this question all the time and it’s so hard for me to say because my characters are figments of my imagination and not based on anyone. I thought recently that Chris Hemsworth looked like a pretty good Johnny – when he’s not too muscly. I love hearing what my readers think – they tell me on Facebook and Twitter.

What's your favourite Chick Lit book that made it to the big screen?
I hate to sound like a broken record, but Bridget Jones’s Diary!

Who is your all time favourite Chick Lit character?
Clare from Watermelon by Marian Keyes. Marian inspired me to also write about characters who are mentioned in other books – it’s one of the things my readers tell me they most love about my books.

Name one Chick Lit author who you think deserves to be better known.
I recently loved Colleen Hoover’s Slammed – it looks nothing like chick-lit, but it essentially is.

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

Image courtesy: Richard Goldschmidt, www.piqtured.com

Oh God, I don’t know. I’m half Australian, half British so I’d be lucky to have someone like Isla Fisher, even though we look NOTHING alike!!!

Speed Round...
Top drink to make you tipsy?  Sparkling wine.
Shopaholic or shopadon't?  Shopaholic
Sky high heels or closer to the ground? Six inch wedges!
E.L. James or Jilly Cooper? EL James
Cry baby or tough cookie? Bit of both

Paige Toon was born in 1975 and grew up between England, Australia and America. A philosophy graduate, she worked at teen, film and women’s magazines, before ending up at Heat magazine as Reviews Editor. Paige is married, has two small children and lives in Cambridge.
The Longest Holiday (out now) is her seventh book.
Visit her website, or you can follow her on Twitter.
Amazon UK

itunes 

 

Johnny's Girl by Paige Toon: Cover Reveal!!

I spotted a new cover reveal a few days ago and just HAD to be a part of it. So I shot chick lit author, Paige Toon, a message asking her to send it to me ASAP! And here it is... isn't it FAB? Johnny's Girl is a short story ebook due out in November. For more details about Paige and her books, visit www.paigetoon.com

I'll be interviewing Paige soon, so stay tuned!