This week I am very happy to feature Jennifer Kloester who saved the day with this interview after another author had to reschedule last minute. I am lucky enough to be interning at the publishers of this book doing publicity for this it (Jen actually didn't realised this when she emailed me about an interview, Laura is a common name :P). This book is a perfect YA romance and I'm sure that you will love Jennifer after you read her interview.
The Cinderella Moment by Jennifer Kloester
Synopsis
Let the masquerade begin!
Angel Moncoeur has always wanted to be a fashion designer, but without money or connections, it's going to be a challenge. When an opportunity to leave her home in New York and head to Paris appears, Angel grabs it – even if it means masquerading as her best friend Lily. That can't be too hard, can it? But when she falls in love with her very own Prince Charming who thinks she's someone else, Angel embarks on a plan to secure her happily ever after.
THE CINDERELLA MOMENT is a fabulously fun story about high society, mistaken identity, love, betrayal, friendship – and great clothes.
Try the book! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK
Interview with Jennifer Kloester
Why did you decide to become an author?
Books! I grew up surrounded by them. Their power to take me
away into other worlds, other lives, always seemed so magical. I love the power
of a good book to absorb me so that I have to keep reading until I get to the
end - I wanted to know what that felt
like from the inside.
How do you balance writing with other things in your life?
My attitude has always been that the relationships come
first and the writing is my second priority. That's because when I began
writing my kids were young. I used to
write in their 'off-hours' - when they were at kindergarten or school or
asleep. Once they were home or awake I'd stop writing and focus on them. Now
they are older and out of home, it's strange but I actually find it harder to
get the balance right – mind you, I suspect that has something to do with the
rise of social media and all that that entails!
What is your favourite thing about being an author?
The best thing is when I lose myself in the story and things
happen on the page that I'd never consciously thought of. It's probably the
closest I will ever come to real-life magic. I find it amazing when I'm writing
and - Boom! -suddenly there will appear
on the screen a character or a scene or a conversation that I hadn't planned or
plotted! And often it will be something that takes the book in whole new
direction, which is an adventure in itself.
What are your favourite books?
All of Georgette Heyer's Regency novels but Venetia, Cotillion and The Grand Sophy
in particular, oh, and The Talisman Ring.
I love Tolkien, Jane Austen, Neil Gaiman, Agatha Christie, Jasper Fforde, Nancy
Mitford, John Green, J. K. Rowling, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips is always fun.
Are there any books/authors that inspired you to write?
All the books from my childhood especially the ones I read
over and over like Enid Blyton, the Nancy Drew books and Arthur Ransome's Swallows & Amazons series. As an adult my biggest influence is
undoubtedly Georgette Heyer. She was such a great writer and her characters and
plots are brilliant.
Describe your book in one sentence.
It's Cinderella
meets The Prince & the Pauper in
a modern setting with lots of fashion, romance and intrigue.
Where did you get the idea for the Cinderella Moment, did
anything inspire you to write it?
Yes, I was reading a magazine while at the hairdresser in
the Middle East and I read an article about these teenage girls in Paris who
were preparing to go to a ball. It had lots of photos of them wearing haute
couture dresses and the story of Angel and her dream of winning the Teen
Couture just fell into my head.
What made you decide to write a sweet Young Adult romance
novel?
I've always loved a book with a happy ending but I also like
characters who are feisty and independent. People who will stand up for
themselves and try to do what's right. I'm a big comic book fan and one of my
favourites growing up was The Phantom. I like how, even though he's human without
any special powers or super-strength, he still manages to defeat the bad guys.
And who doesn't love a story where the bad guys get their just deserts?!
What would you say makes your book unique and worth reading?
I think it's a fast-paced story with some complex characters
and a really satisfying finish. There are quite a few surprises along the way and
I've had lots of readers tell me they didn't guess the ending. I love that! The
other things that people have commented on about the book are the really
tactile feel because of all the fabrics and fashion and the way Paris comes to
life.
Is there any specific message you wanted to convey in the
book?
That you should fight for what's right and that the truth
will set you free.
What are your plans for future books?
I'm currently writing the sequel to The Cinderella Moment – this is the best friend, Lily's story. It's
called The Rapunzel Dilemma and is
set in London. Both books are stand-alone stories, but for anyone who wants to
know what happens after The Cinderella
Moment then I hope this will be a really satisfying fun read.
Do you have any hobbies and Interests unrelated to books?
Yes, I love martial arts and have a black belt in karate. I
also practice chi kung which is an internal martial art but I'm only a beginner
in that. I love going for long walks along the beach and getting into my
garden. Travel has always been a source of inspiration and I love visiting new
places and having unexpected adventures.
Would you ever consider putting these (answer to above) into
any of your books?
I have thought of writing a book with a karate theme just
for fun, but I'm not sure how well the martial arts moves would translate onto
the page! I definitely use places I've been to in my books and am looking
forward to being in the US next year to research a new novel.
FUN STUFF
If you could meet any one author (dead or alive) who would
it be and why?
That's a tough one because there are so many. But if I have
to pick one it would be Georgette Heyer because when I was writing her
biography I had so many more questions than there were answers to and I'd love
to be able to talk to her about her life and writing (my second choice would be
J.K. Rowling).
Tell us one interesting fact about yourself.
I used to sometimes take tea with the Emir of Bahrain,
Sheikh Isa bin Salman al Khalifa, under a palm tree on his private beach.
What is your favourite food?
My son's homemade guacamole – so yummy!
What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
Travelled up the Fly River in Papua New Guinea in a dug-out
canoe. It was epic!
If you could be any supernatural creature which would you
choose?
A shape-shifter for sure.About the Author
Jennifer loves to escape into a good book. She began writing
when she was little and grew up in a house full of books. She was living in the
jungle in Papua New Guinea (truly!) when she discovered Georgette Heyer's
wonderful historical romances. She quickly became addicted and multiple
re-reads later still can't pin down her favourite. When not writing, Jennifer
does karate and love to hang out with her husband (who she's still trying to
get into Regency garb) and their three nomadic children.
Posts
Great interview (I LOVE author interviews - I'm so nosey) and the book sounds fantastic, another one to add to my TBR pile
ReplyDeleteLouise
www.sittingwaitingreading.com
Thanks, Louise. I love knowing about authors too - adds another dimension to reading their work. I hope you enjoy The Cinderella Moment.
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