Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Daisy does America in a novel fashion...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

We welcome today Daisy Goodwin, who is sharing with us her New York Times Best Seller novel, "The American Heiress," published on July 10th, 2011. Daisy graduated from Cambridge University, with a degree in history, and then attended Columbia Film School. She made films about literary figures at Television Centre. She began her TV career at BBC, and contrived famous shows, such as "Looking Good" and "Home Front." Daisy is the most recent chair of the Orange Prize for Fiction judging committee and the editor of the highly praised poetry anthology "101 Poems That Could Save Your Life." She lives in London with her husband, an executive at ABC TV, and has two daughters.

Fans of "The Real Housewives" and "Downtown Abbey" will love "The American Heiress."

Here is the synopsis from Barnes and Noble:

Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Thanks to Ann-Marie Nieves from Get Red PR, we have one copy of "The American Heiress" to give to a lucky reader in the US or Canada.

You can visit Daisy on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and on her website, where you can learn more about her television shows and poetry.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
DG: I write whenever and wherever I can. I have a full time job in tv, so I write in my down time. I write on my mac book air and use my noise cancelling headphones to block out my family! My only rule is to write a 1000 words a day.

MP: Which female authors have inspired you the most?
DG: Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, Margaret Mitchell, Barbara Pym, Dorothy L Sayers, Margaret Attwood.

MP: What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing "The American Heiress?"
DG: I had my ending figured out before I started writing, but when I started to get into the novel I couldn't get the characters I had written to fit the ending. It was so frustrating. Finally I had to abandon my preconceptions and go where my characters took me. The book is much better as a result.

MP: How do you deal with bouts of "Writers Block?"
DG: The great thing about writing historical fiction is that there is always research to be done. If I ever feel that I am losing my inspiration I go away and read about nineteenth century hunting crops or corset making in victorian London and pretty soon something occurs to me. Also I have learnt not to be precious about writing. You have to put the words on the page first - then you can go back and fret about them. And if all else fails, a long walk.

MP: Did you base your main characters on yourself or people you know?
DG: I think there is probably a bit of my eighteen year old self in Cora Cash - the spoilt bit naturally. The Duke is based on all the unsuitable men in my life and I can't possibly say who Mrs Cash is based on, I don't want to be sued for libel.

MA: If "The American Heiress" were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
DG: Funny you should ask that. I just saw the Help and I think Emma Stone would be good as Cora, or Jennifer Lawrence. I think Michael Fassbender would make a sensational Duke and I rather fancy Zac Efron for Teddy. I think Glenn Close would be a perfect Mrs. Cash.

MA: You seem to like poetry a lot. What is your favorite poem or who is your favorite poet?
DG: Well I am a big fan of Robert Browning and in the UK my book is called "My Last Duchess" after my favourite Browning poem. I am also a big fan of the Greek poet CP Cavafy, love his poem Ithaka, and am always amazed by Emily Dickinson.

MA: What is the most interesting difference to you between the US and the UK?
DG: Well historically speaking, it is fascinating to see how England is crippled by class consciousness at the end of the nineteenth century while in America the racial divisions were so strong. It was a contrast I tried to bring out in my book - Cora find English society unbearably snobby while Bertha, her black maid, is liberated by the lack of colour consciousness.

MA: If you could take us on a tour of your hometown, where would we go first?
DG: I was born in London and I think I would take you first to Hyde Park which is where I played as a child. We would look at the statue of Peter Pan and go boating on the Serpentine. I still go through it pretty much every day and I love it in all seasons.

MA: What is your favorite autumn activity?
DG: I love going for walks on the beach when all the crowds have gone and it is just you and the seagulls.

MP: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
DG: I long to go to Japan. It is such a fascinating culture and it is so influential on the way we live now.

Thanks to Daisy for a lovely interview and to Ann-Marie for sharing a copy of "The American Heiress" with one of our readers.

How to win "The American Heiress":
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 your favorite love poem and why?
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. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. 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 September 19th at midnight EST.








31 comments:

Margay Leah Justice said...

I love this time period, so I'd love to win this book!

+1 I'm an old blog follower


Margay1122ATaolDOTcom

Unknown said...

I have read wonderful things about The American Heiress and I'm a big fan of Downton Abbey which I've read is similar to Daisy's book.

Please include me in your wonderful giveaway and thank you!

Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

One of my very favorite love poems is I carry your heart with me by e e cummings. It's been a poem I've loved for more than 25 years!

Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm a follower of this blog!

Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I am a member of Chick Lit on Facebook (my id: Amy Meyer)


Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com

Nina said...

Hmm, something fans of "The Real Housewives" would like?! Then sign me up, haha! I recently saw the movie Beastly, where to two lead characters recite the poem "Having A Coke With You", so for that completely biased reason I will have to go with that! Haha!
nina565(at)aol(dot)com

karenk said...

thanks for the chance to read this beautiful novel...

i'm a follower, too :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Jeryl M. said...

Sounds good. I'd like to read it.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

I am not really that much into poetry but I like How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

I am a subscriber.

I am a Facebook follower.

Literary Chanteuse said...

I'll be honest I do not have a favorite poem or ever read much poetry but I do love a lot of lyrics of songs which are a sort of poetry.

I'm a follower.

Margaret
singitm@hotmail.com

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

1. My favorite poems are definitely by Emily Dickinson - there's a success one that keeps popping up in my head.
2. I'm already a follower
3. I'm a fan on FB!

amber_johnson2004 at yahoo dot com

faithspage said...

This book sounds lovely and the cover drew me in immediately

follow gfc
follow on f
kyfaithw at aol dot com

Misusedinnocence said...

I would love to read this and I follow on gfc.

misusedinnocence@aol.com

holdenj said...

I have never read Barbara Pym, maybe I'll have to look her up. Would love to win, the book sounds great! Thanks!

+ GFC follower.

JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I am a cover lover and this cover is so beautiful!

Bonus entries
1. What is your favorite love poem and why? I am not much of a poetry person (think it has to do with getting it drilled in my head in high school) so the only thing I can think of is "how do I love thee? Let me count the ways."
2. I follow this blog thru GFC.
3. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Already did!

Jennifer L. said...

I'd love to read this book. Sounds great. And that's a beautiful book cover. I love it.

I follow on gfc

jentam777 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great book.

+1 I'm a GCF follower.

kayswederski@yahoo.com

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: What is your favorite love poem and why?

I like my body by e.e. cummings because it just seems so honest and raw.

2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).

Already follow this blog.

3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.

Posted on Facebook - Sabrina-Kate Eryou
Posted on Twitter - stereoqueenbee

4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Am a member

StereoQueenBee said...

My email is queenofcrunk at gmail dot com - forgot it in the last post!

Kat said...

1) I also enjoy reading books by English authors! Would love to win!

2) This is going to sound awful but I don't know the name of the poem. It's the love poem recited in Patch Adams. It's so lovely and touching and I want it included at my wedding.

3) I am a follower through GFC

4) I am a member of CLC

ladykathryn@rogers.com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I follow via twitter


brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

i follow via facebook


brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

i follow via gfc


brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

i don't have a favorite love poem.

Kim W. said...

1. I don't have a favorite love POEM, but the balcony scene from Romeo & Juliet does me in every single time

2. I follow the CLC blog

3. I posted this contest on Facebook

4. I belong to CLC on Facebook

kewalker1972@gmail.com

Nancye said...

Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I love poetry and cannot think of a specific one that is my favorite....hope this still counts.....

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

GFC Follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I posted this on my FB Wall

http://www.facebook.com/nancyecdavis#!/nancyecdavis/posts/204257052975368

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I like you on FB

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!
@NancyeDavis

http://twitter.com/#!/NancyeDavis/status/115994389733584897

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net