Monday, April 18, 2011

Guy Week Part 1: Interview with Matt Dunn and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

We thought it would be fun to shake things up in April with "Guy Week." We've invited two male authors to hang out with us at CLC. The first is Matt Dunn, author of "The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook" and a few other romantic comedy novels. In the past, he worked as a professional lifeguard, fitness-equipment salesman, and lastly an I.T. headhunter. His success in re-writing other peoples' CVs (résumés) led him to think he had a talent for fiction. Matt lives in London but spends a lot of time in Spain, where he is working on his seventh novel and playing tennis.

With the help of Beth Pehlke from Sourcebooks, Matt has four copies of "The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook" to give away to some lucky readers in the US and Canada.

If you like what you've seen here, follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
MD: I get up in the morning, look at my mortgage statement, panic and start typing... No, seriously, I treat it as a nine-to-five job. If you're delivering a book a year, you have to be pretty focused, and I know that if I keep to a standard working day I'll meet my deadlines. I also write about lots of stuff for magazines like Cosmopolitan, and several national newspapers in the UK, so I'm kept pretty busy. In terms of the book, having a word target helps, and I'll usually try for a thousand a day, though if it's going well, I'll aim for two thousand.

MP:. What was your biggest challenge while writing "The Accidental Proposal"?
MD: It's the sequel to two previous books, so even though I knew the set-up and the history of the characters, I had to make sure that anyone picking one of my books up for the first time would be clued-in as to who everyone was and how/why they related to each other as they did, and trying to do that without boring people who have read the previous books can be tough. Oh, and as ever, trying to make it funny.

MP: How did you celebrate when your first book was published?
MD: I was in a bit of a daze, to be honest, because I'd dreamed about it for so long, but after a lovely lunch with my publisher I think I spent the rest of the day wandering around various bookshops in London trying to spot it on the shelves, turning it cover-out when I did, and hoping I'd see someone buy a copy. Though no-one did while I was watching, sadly!

MA: How did you decide to write chick lit?
MD: To be honest, I didn't. I just wanted to write the kind of thing I wanted to read, and having read (and loved) Nick Hornby's 'High Fidelity', I tried to write something like that, which examined honestly (but in a humorous way) the male view of life, love, and relationships. Six books later, I'm still trying!

MA: Who are your favorite authors?
MD: Good question. I tend to go for books rather than authors: David Mitchell - his Cloud Atlas is possibly my favourite book ever, and David Nicholls' One Day is just about faultless. I also love Nick Hornby, Haruki Murakami, Jay McInerney, Martin Amis, Jonathan Tropper... I could go on.

MP: You reported in your website recently that there was interest in possibly making "From Here to Paternity" into a movie. What's the current status and if it were made into a movie, would it be released in the U.S.?
MD: I think it's still 'in development', i.e. nothing much has happened yet, but I'd love to see it get made, and then hopefully see it on worldwide release!

MA: What is the most memorable date you have ever been on?
MD: The first date with my wife. I was a head-hunter, and I interviewed her for a job. It was a warm September evening, so we decided to talk outside at a bar rather than sit in a stuffy office, and ended up talking about everything apart from the job until the bar closed. Neither of us realised it was a date until afterwards. Mind you, on our first proper date (after I'd plucked up the courage to ask her out) the first thing she said to me when I picked her up from her house was 'my toilet's sprung a leak' - she'd just had a new bathroom fitted - so my evening started off with me on my hands and knees doing a bit of emergency plumbing. Memorable too, I suppose, but for different reasons.

MA: What is the most romantic thing you have ever done for a woman?
MD: I'm as romantic as the next man, which I'm afraid probably means 'not very', and if you knew how long I've been sitting here trying (and failing) to think of something you'd probably agree with me.

MP: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
MD: Nepal or Tibet. I love mountains, and would love to see Mount Everest, so have started planning a hiking trip to base camp, probably for next year.

MA: Where do you like living more: London or Spain?
MD: They're both fun. Spain has the weather, I suppose. But I love cities in general - New York is one of my favourites, as is San Francisco, so I'd like to spend some time living in both of those in the future. One of the joys of my job is that I can work pretty much anywhere in the world, and I plan to exploit that fully.

Special thanks to Matt for chatting with us today and to Beth Pehlke from Sourcebooks for providing the books for the giveaway.


How to win "The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you (or vice versa)?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends April 23rd at midnight EST

More by Matt Dunn:


36 comments:

Anonymous said...

liese_savage@hotmail.com

Komal Mansoor said...

Gr8 interview n giveaway, sadly i can't be a part of it, coz i m in UK.

Komz
http://komzreviews.blogspot.com/

Kat said...

I don't know if this is romantic as much as maybe it's sweet... anyhow, my ex got me a card and teddy bear for our first Valentine's Day together (and my first with a boyfriend). In the card he wrote something along the lines of "I know you don't like this but I wanted you to know that you're my Valentine."

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

I am a follower of the blog.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

Already a member of CLC.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Lyndsay said...

I'm already a follower of the Chick Lit Central blog.

I guess the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me would be when my husband lit tons of candles and left a trail of rose petals before he proposed.

simplylyndsay @ gmail dot com

PoCoKat said...

Romantic...proposing on Valentine's Day.

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

Follow on GFC

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

Belong to Chick Lit Central on FB

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Heather said...

Most romantic is probably when my husband proposed on Christmas morning!
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Heather said...

I shared on facebook!
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Heather said...

I am a member of Chick Lit Central!
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

One of the most romantic things that my boyfriend has done for me has been tickets to go down to Florida in Feb(I'm from WI) and we also drove to NC so that I could see my mom and brother! wapneski@yahoo.com

Donna said...

Great interview! I enjoy reading new books and findign new authors to follow. I would love to win! My e-mail is ageorgiamomma@gmail.com

Donna said...

1. Wow well my husband and I have been together since I turned 16. We started off as friends.. I remember our first Valentines Day together he sent me a bear and flowers on the 14th and on the card it said that he could not wait until the 14th to tell me how much he loves me. It was simple and so sweet. I will never forget it :)
ageorgiamomma@gmail.com

Donna said...

I am a follower of your blog. ageorgiamomma@gmail.com

Donna said...

I joined chicklitcentral on FB. ageorgiamomma@gmail.com

Donna said...

I blogged about your giveaway
http://mommadsavesgiveaways.blogspot.com/2011/04/interview-giveaway-chicklitcentral.html
ageorgiamomma@gmail.com

Melissa said...

Thanks for the giveaway.

coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

Melissa said...

I'm an old follower.

coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

The most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me is buy me two dozen red, red roses.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I follow your blog through Google Friend Connect.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I tweeted the giveaway - http://twitter.com/#!/lemonslippers/status/60168279855079424
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I joined Chick Lit Central on Facebook.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Jeryl M. said...

When my husband and I first started dating, he lived in Maryland, and I lived in New Jersey. He came up for the weekend and surprised me. I went to take my garbage out, and there he was in the parking lot.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

I follow this blog and I am a fan of chick lit central on facebook.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

a real librarian said...

Thanks for the giveaway!!!

An ex of mine remembered that I had once told him in passing that I had always wanted to learn how to play the violin, and he bought me one for Christmas.

I follow your blog!!

areallibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com

Tracey said...

I'm a follower of this blog!

tracey AT froggieknitslikecrazyDOTcom

taz4ever said...

I'm a follower of this blog--Most romantic thing: My live in boyfriend surprised me with a limo excursion to SF for my 30th B-day and then just when I was telling HIS BFF that I was going to be single forever--My live in boyfriend dragged me out of the bar and back to the limo where he was waiting on one knee to propose to me--
slbercu@msn.com

Tracey said...

Contest tweeted! (Froggi)

trace AT froggieknitslikecrazyDOTcom

Tracey said...

I'm a member of the Facebook group.

trace AT froggieknitslikecrazyDOTcom

leonel said...

leonelescota AT gmail DOT com

Nancye said...

The most romantic thing I can remember is when my husband (of almost 18 years) proposed to me on Valentines Day. Totally caught me off guard! He cooked a wonderful meal that I couldn't eat because I was too excited! :)

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I joined Chick Lit Central on FB

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net