Thursday, March 22, 2012

A friendly chat with Sarah Rayner, plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

Not all authors start out as prolific writers. Sarah Rayner studied English at Leeds University, but translated that into a short-lived career in fashion PR, until her boss told her she was better at writing than at schmoozing clients. That put her on the road to writing, through working for various London agencies, some freelance work, and eventually getting some short stories published in Woman’s Own. She juggled life as both an author and a copywriter for many years. “The Two Week Wait” is Sarah’s fourth novel, following “The Other Half” (2001), “Getting Even” (2002), and “One Moment, One Morning” (2010), which has now sold almost 250,000 copies in the UK alone, and was the success that Sarah needed to pursue writing fiction full time. We’re so glad that she did!

Thanks to Picador, we have FIVE copies of "The Two Week Wait" for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

Visit Sarah at her website, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

Favorite movie about friendship:
The Shawshank Redemption

Favorite book about friendship:
"The Help"

How did you meet your best friend?
I’ve got so many friends I couldn’t possibly pick one as my best friend. There’s Jules, my running mate (we met at work); Hilary, my oldest friend, (we’ve known each other since babyhood so I can’t remember when we first encountered one another – probably in our prams!); Clare, my gay best friend (she was my personal trainer); Daney, my eccentric friend (we met at college); Alex, my commuting companion (we met on the train); Sarah, my most stylish friend and shopping buddy (we met dog walking); Diane, my fellow writer who celebrate successes and commiserate failures with me (again, we met at work); Jane, my saviour, who gets me out of scrapes (we met through our boyfriends thirty years ago); and Aiden and John, my lovely man friends (who were once colleagues too).

Friend you've known the longest without meeting in person:
I’ve got several Facebook friends I’ve never met – people who’ve written to me about my books and we’ve struck up a correspondence. But recently I met to two of them face-to-face – I invited them to my book launch for "The Two Week Wait" and they both came.

Funniest thing you did with a friend:
My friends and I filled the school pond with bubble bath and frothed it up with our hockey sticks when the teachers’ backs were turned. We thought it funny – the caretaker didn’t!

Who would play your best friend in the movie of your life:
Tricky, given I’ve so many friends, it had better be someone very adaptable! I’ll say Laura Linney. I like her – compared to a lot of actresses she seems very real.

Other chick lit author you'd want to be best friends with:
Lisa Jewell. I love her books – they’re like having a big slice of cake without the calories!

The nicest thing your best friend has ever done for you:
When I left a long-term relationship several years ago, my friend Daney offered to have me to stay with her and her family for as long as I wanted. Their house is not big, and they had no time to prepare for me. That was extremely kind and I appreciate it to this day.

What is something about a friend that surprised you?
Some of my friends’ taste in men has surprised me over the years. But I’m not going to say which ones in public...

Character from "Friends" you'd be best friends with?
Chandler. He’s got the driest sense of humour. The women aren’t as lovely as my own dear friends, and Joey and Ross are a bit dorky.

Special thanks to Sarah for chatting with us and to Picador for sharing "The Two Week Wait" with our readers.

How to win "The Two Week Wait":
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 movie about friendship?
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.

Giveaway ends March 27th at midnight EST.


37 comments:

Elissa said...

I think my favorite friendship movie is Beaches. Makes me cry every time!

I follow this blog.

I'm a FB fan too!

elissadotbullard@gmail.com

PoCoKat said...

My favorite movie about friendship is The Help

PoCoKat said...

Blog follower

littleone AT shaw doT ca

PoCoKat said...

Fan on FB

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

Kritters Ramblings said...

My favorite movie about friendship is My Girl.

kdurham2@gmail.com
i am a fan on facebook.
i follow via gfc

Nina said...

My favorite friendship movie is Now and Then! How can I resist?!
nina565(at)aol(dot)com

Kim W. said...

I absolutely looooved One Moment, One Morning!!! Would love to win a copy of this one!!

1. Sex in the City!!! And taking a close second would be The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants!

2. I follow the CLC blog

3. I shared this contest on FB

4. I belong to CLC on FB

kewalker1972@gmail.com

Lindsay said...

My fav friendship movie has to be Beaches... even though I bawl every single time!!

I follow!!

Also a fan on FB

lindsay(at)turningthepages(dot)ca

Anonymous said...

I love Thelma and Louise! I'm a fan on FB! And I love Chick Lit...:-)
andiegoinson@hotmail.com

Thanks for the giveaway!

Carl Scott said...

I'm a total sucker for the Toy Story films and that's certainly one of their main themes.
I follow this blog on Twitter: @carlrscott
I Tweeted about the giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/carlrscott/status/182870553621827584
I also follow on Facebook.
That's 4 entries total, cross your fingers.
Thanks!

Kristen said...

Ooh, someone already thought of mine! Now and Then! Or, does The Hangover count? :)

I follow on FB and email.

kly(dot)327(at)gmail.com

Linda Kish said...

Sex and the City

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Sheena said...

One of my fav movies about friendship and I just watched it again is My Girl. One of my all time favs.

I follow the blog and am a member on the facebook page:)

wapneski@yahoo.com

Literary Chanteuse said...

Beaches for me too! Classic friendship movie.

-blog follower

-tweeted

-member of CLC group on fb

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Na said...

E.T. is one of my favorite friendship movie. I love the friendship between the boy and alien. They accepted each other and made an adventure of things.

GFC: Na
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood - love that movie!

I am a GFC follower and like CLC on Facebook.

Krystal said...

First that comes to mind, Steel Magnolias!

miss_kris_11(at)yahoo(dot)com

sneakerdoodle said...

I love Crossroads with Britney Spears. I could watch it over and over. Who wouldn't want to take a road trip across the country in a convertible?

I follow this blog with GFC.

I'm an fb fan :)

mrspaulafranco@gmail.com

bn100 said...

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

I follow the blog.

Thanks for the giveaway.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Maureen said...

I would say Beaches which is a real heart breaker.
I follow on GFC
Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/MaureenCE/status/183197474343751681
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) said...

Definitely The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ... I could watch it over and over!

I follow via GFC (Kristilyn)

readinginwinter(AT)gmail.com

Erica said...

Gone with the Wind

Altho it's almost an anti-friendship book.

I am a follower of the blog and twitter!

wordywon at gmail dot com

Jeryl M. said...

My favorite movie about Friendship is Beaches.

I am a Facebook follower.

I am a subscriber.

karenk said...

my favourite 'friendship' movie is: the help

i'm a follower

thanks for the chance to read this wonderful story :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

My favourite movie about friendship is Toy Story. I love the soundtrack "You've Got a Friend in Me" when Andy has Woody up on his shoulders. It's so touching and a true friendship between a boy and his best friend, who just happens to be a toy! (My name is Sophie Bristow Harris on Facebook)

Anonymous said...

Follower on Facebook and reposted the comp there too (Sophie Bristow Harris)

Diane Russom Harrison said...

1. Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood.

2. I follow the CLC blog

3. I shared this contest on FB

4. I belong to CLC on FB

Diane Russom Harrison
dharrison63038@aol.com

Sam C said...

My favourite friendship movie has got to be Now and Then, it's a brill film!!

I follow this blog

I am a Facebook fan

Samanthaclarke45@yahoo.co.uk

Dolly said...

My favorite friendship movie(s) - the Harry Potter films (yes, loved 'Now and Then' also!).

Blog, FB follower.

Shared on FB.

jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

1) Romy & Michele's High School Reunion.

2) I follow this blog.

3) I tweeted:)

4) I'm a memenber on Facebook.

allieDOTmcsmithATgmailDOTcom

The Book Chick said...

I would love to be included in this giveaway!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

I loved the big-screen adaptation of Emily Giffin's "Something Borrowed"! What a great story about a toxic friendship :)

I am a GFC follower.

I am a FB member as well.

Mary said...

I think it would have to be The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

mryward(at)yahoo(dot)com

Mary said...

I follow on GFC (mamie316)

mryward(at)yahoo(dot)com

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: What is your favorite movie about friendship?

The Help is a great choice, so I'd have to agree with a few of the ladies here.

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

Already follow.

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

Facebook - Sabrina-Kate Eryou
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.)

Already a member.

Thanks!

queenofcrunk at gmail dot com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

Wow so many people wrote about great movies; beaches, now and then etc. My favorite movie about friendship is First Wives Club.

I follow on fb, twitter and GFC.

Brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

rubynreba said...

I would say Thelma and Louise would be my favorite.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Follower
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net