Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Interview with Liane Moriarty and book giveaway


**Giveaway is now closed**

This week we are featuring two authors from Down Under. The first is Liane Moriarty! She was born in Sydney and still lives there now with her husband, ankle biter son and new baby daughter. She made a quid in advertising and marketing for a while, eventually starting her own business and then working as a freelance copywriter. In the meantime she dreamed of becoming an author and finally finished her first novel, "Three Wishes" after she was inspired by the success of her younger sister (YA author, Jaclyn Moriarty.) Liane is now a full time author of adult novels and a series of children's books.
Her latest novel coming to our neck of the woods is "What Alice Forgot", which will be in stores on Thursday! Fox 2000 has bought the film rights to this novel, so it will be interesting to see if they went with her casting choices or not. Thanks to Stella Connell of the Connell Agency, we have two copies for some lucky readers in the US or Canada. Ace!

Liane is a cool chick with a great sense of humor and we are rapt that we had the opportunity to chat with her without even jumping on a plane! If you like what you've read today, check out her blog! You can also visit her at The Debutante Ball starting June 4th.

MP: How do you like to spend your time when you are not writing?
LM: Reading in bed, reading in the bath, reading in the TV commercials, sleeping, eating chocolate, working off all that chocolate doing gym classes, skiing (not that I ski every weekend but I thought I should mention something outdoorsy) and now it occurs to me that I haven’t mentioned my children, and we’ve just had Mother’s Day, where I happily accepted all manner of accolades. What I actually do when I’m not writing is take care of my 3 year old son and 15 month old daughter, and I like that very much.

MP: What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing "What Alice Forgot"?
LM: The ending was my biggest challenge. I don’t write to a plan, and I had no idea how Alice would reconcile the two perspectives she now had on her life. Also, I was meant to deliver the manuscript just before I delivered my first baby and he made an unexpected appearance five weeks early. (We were also renovating the house, as you do just before you have a baby, so everything was in chaos.) I ended up finishing the novel six months later, while my baby kicked and cooed in his ‘jungle gym’ on my office floor and that’s when the ending became perfectly obvious.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
LM: I have a wonderful babysitter who looks after my children for 3-4 hours at a time, 3 days a week. I close the door and write. I’m satisfied if I write 500 words, happy if I manage 1000 and delirious if I reach 2000.

MP: If you were not a writer, what job would you like to have?
LM: I’d like to be the beloved queen of a small kingdom in Europe.

MA: If "What Alice Forgot" were made into a movie, who would you cast as the lead roles?
LM: I have sold the movie rights and the producers were talking about someone like Jennifer Aniston or Reese Witherspoon for the role of Alice. I also think Sandra Bullock would be wonderful. I’d cast Brad Pitt for the role of Nick. He’d been entirely unsuitable, but I’d still cast him.

MA: If you were to take us on a tour of your hometown, what would be some highlights?
LM: Coffee and almond croissants at my favourite beach, a ferry trip on Sydney harbour, creamy cocktails at a bar with city views

MA: What is your favorite thing to do at the beach?
LM: Swim, and then rush straight to the shade for my hat, shirt and more sunscreen (I don’t have the right complexion to live in Australia).

MA: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
LM: I’ll be over fifty, so I really don’t want to talk about it. Oh, all right. I expect I’ll be ferrying my children from soccer to ballet, I’ll still be writing, perhaps my tenth novel, I’ll be living in a castle, thanks to the startling success of my ninth novel … actually this is starting to become more enjoyable.

MA: What was the last romantic movie you watched?
LM: The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. I loved it. Except then I spent 40 minutes with a friend driving around in circles while she tried to help me find my car in an enormous shopping centre car park, designed to trap you forever, during which time all the warm and fuzzy feelings created by the movie vanished.

MP: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
LM: My dream holidays always involve skiing, so this question gave me the excuse to google ‘world’s best skiing destinations’ and study photos and descriptions, as if I was actually planning this mythical trip. I’ve already been to some of the top ten locations like Aspen and Whistler, so after much dithering, I have finally settled on Lech & Zurs, Austria, for no other reason than it had the most stunning photo.

Special thanks to Liane for a great conversation and to Stella for supplying the books for the giveaway.

How to win "What Alice Forgot":
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 was the last romantic movie you watched?
2. Please tell us: If you could visit Australia in the near future, what is the first thing you would do?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.)Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends June 5th at midnight EST.

More by Liane Moriarty:

43 comments:

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I don't know if I would call it romantic but the last movie I saw was No Strings Attached staring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman. The title just keeps reminding me of the Nsync album because that was the last tour I saw of them. lol

BRN2SHOP9 said...

If I could visit Australia I would want to go on a site seeing tour.

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I follow via facebook.

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I follow via twitter

Colleen Turner said...

The last romantic movie I saw was Beauty and the Beast the Disney version ( I watch a lot of Disney with my son :)).
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

Visiting Australia I would want to visit the famous zoo they have there.
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I am a Facebook follower (Colleen Turner).
candc320@gmail.com

Kritters Ramblings said...

The last romantic comedy I saw in the theaters was Something Borrowed.

I am a member on facebook.
kdurham2@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Jencey
e-mail jenceyg@msn.com

I am a follower on fb.
I will post link to blog.

The last romantic movie I saw was SOBO.

I would love to travel to Australia. I don't know what I would visit first to be honest.

PoCoKat said...

I would have to say The Notebook was the last romantic movie I saw.

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

Belong to Chick Lit Central on FB

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

PoCoKat said...

GFC follower

littleone AT shaw doT ca

PoCoKat said...

The first thing I would do is visit an old friend in Rocky (Rockhampton)

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Bonnie said...

The last movie I saw that was romantic would probably be "Under The Tuscan Sun".
In Australia, I have always wanted to go to the "Outback" ever since I read Mary Martin's (the actress who played Peter Pan) autobiography as she lived there for years!
I am a loyal follower.
I am a Facebook fan.
I posted contest on Facebook.
I am a Twitter follower.
I tweeted contest...http://twitter.com/intrepid9923/status/75622806506848256
intrepid9923(at)yahoo(dot)com

Bec said...

1. Love Actually!
2. I've been to Australia and the first thing I would do when I land is get a pie!
3. I follow this blog:-)

I love chick-lit that takes place in Australia!

RivkaBelle said...

This sounds fun, and I like the cover too - kinda whimsy, but 'subdued' whimsy :o)

quarterback.girl[at]gmail[dot]com

+1 Last romantic movie I watched: The Young Victoria! :o)

+1 If I could visit Australia ... I'd find a nice cottage with a great view, and curl up to see what came by during the day, and see the stars at night

+1 Follow this blog via GFC

+1 Joined Chick Lit Central on fb (RebeccaMFleming)

Linda Kish said...

Just Go With It

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I would go to the beach...they always look so pristine.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Jeryl M. said...

I would like to win.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

The last romantic movie I saw was Something Borrowed.

If I went to Australia, I would go the zoo.

I follow this blog.

I am a facebook fan.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Sarah said...

Love the interview!!

foxchick0323@live.com

Amy Saunders Lawer said...

Sounds great!! My younger brother spent a whole month in Australia just driving around, and I was sooooo jealous!! The last romantic movie I saw was "The Notebook" which I showed my other half just last weekend!! The first place I'd go in Australia is the Opera House, as I heard on "Sunday Morning (CBS's show) that they do tours, and they just recently did an expose' on it. I am an AVID follower via Facebook, and a member of CLC. I'll post a link on my FB page, and I got my bestie Laurel Riley Brown to join CLC!! I can be reached at
msamyATpoboxDOTcom

Margie said...

Interesting interview. Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Bonus entries....
-Last romantic movie was Sliding Doors, which I saw on DVD.
-If I went to Australia, I'd like to see the opera house.
-blog follower via GFC
=like Chick Lit on Facebook
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Laura Kay said...

Last romantic movie I saw was The Notebook on tv.

If/when I go to Australia I want to scuba dive in the reef, my husband went there when he was a teenager and he has all these amazing pictures!

I am a follower :)

and I've joined the facebook page :D

The Book Chick said...

I'd love to win this one!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

Bonus Entries:

1. My SIL and I just saw "Something Borrowed" together and it was amazing! Loved it. :)
2. Australia, hmmm.....first thing I would do is hit the beach!
3. I am a GFC follower, of course. :)
4. I am a member of your Facebook group.
5. I have posted this contest on my blog over at http://book-chic.blogspot.com.

Colleen Turner said...

I shared on Facebook (Colleen Turner).
candc320@gmail.com

Karen said...

The last romantic movie I watched was "My Girlfriends Boyfriend" which sounds awful, and it was until the very end. I actually recommend it to anyone who likes frustrating women and a twist.

If I could visit Australia in the near future I'd want to visit the reef right away. It's on my list.

I follow the blog!

And I'm already a member of Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

kschomaker(at)gmail(dot)com

Johanna said...

The last romantic movie I saw was No Strings Attached.

joco147 at hotmail dot com

Literary Chanteuse said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

1. It's Complicated
2. Call a good friend of mine for coffee(lives in Brisbane)
3. I am a follower

Margaret
singitm@hotmail.com

Kat said...

I enjoy reading books by authors from outside North America because I like the little nuances that come through.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

I'm not sure if it counts, but the last "romantic" movie I saw was Gnomeo & Juliet. If we're going with traditional rom-com, then Something Borrowed.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

First thing I would do when arriving in Australia is to make my way to the city/town of Hamilton. I used to think it would be cool to visit all the cities named Hamilton in the world.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

I am a follower of the blog through GFC.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

I am a member of CLC.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Kat said...

Posted on FB.

ladykathryn@rogers.com

Nancye said...

This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

The last Romantice movie I saw was "Dear John"

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

If I could visit Australia the first thing I would do is hold a Koala Bear.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I am a follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!
@NancyeDavis

http://twitter.com/#!/NancyeDavis/status/77555224696467456

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I joined you on Facebook

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net