Interview With Allie Spencer
The wonderful Allie Spencer allowed me the chance to ask her some questions about her latest book Save The Date and about her writing routine. Here is what she had to say….
1. Save The Date is your latest novel. Can you describe what this book is about?
It’s about weddings, marriages and love – involving all sorts of people at all sorts of stages in their relationship journey – but it’s also about families and the importance of having your extended family in your life, however crazy you think they are! Families are our bedrock, the people who love us for who we are, not what we make of ourselves.
2. Your previous two books, Summer Nights and Summer Loving have all been set during the summer. Why did you decide to set Save The Date during the summer too?
Because summer is the most wonderful time to have a wedding – and what better place to get married than a gorgeous, ancient town nestling into the hills beside the Tuscan coast?
3. If you could go on the perfect summer holiday, where would you go?
Right at the moment, I have two energetic little boys, so a relaxing beach holiday is out of the question! I think I would like to take them to an historic city – maybe somewhere like Venice – and do the whole touristy thing: ice creams, gondola rides, the seaside…
4. When writing, do you base any characters or situations on people you know or things that have happened to you?
I’ve never based a character on a real-life person – I did try to once but it was actually very restricting: I kept thinking ‘this isn’t what ‘X’ would do’ and it limited the way my character and my plot developed so, in the end, I junked that idea. The new, totally fictional, character worked an awful lot better! Having said that, however, there is a cheeky little dog in ‘Save the Date!’ who bears more than a passing resemblance to my friend, Caz’s, canine. I don’t know that the real Arthur has ever got up to any of same the escapades as the fictional one, but I wouldn’t put it past him!
5. Out of the five books you have written, which would you say you were most proud of?
I have to say I do love ‘Save the Date!’ but I think my novel, ‘Tug of Love’ will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first one I had published. First love, first car, first novel – you never forget any of them!
6. If you could give aspiring authors one piece of advice, what would it be?
Never give up, never stop writing. Polish that book until it gleams like the sun; then, whilst you’re sending it out to agents and editors, start writing the next one!
Quick fire questions:
What is your:
favourite colour?
Deep wine reds, raspberry pinks and purples: a friend once said my house looks like the inside of a summer pudding!
favourite song?
Impossible question! Um, something by REM?
favourite book?
Again, fiendish question! I’ve just finished reading ‘Dr Johnson’s Dictionary of Modern Life’ which had me in fits of laughter.
favourite word?
‘Yes’, closely followed by ‘more cake?’
favourite food?
Right now, the new Cadbury’s chocolate bar with jelly beans, smarties and space dust mixed into it!
favourite season?
Spring
favourite tv show?
Just been watching the re-runs of ‘Blackadder’ on TV. Superb.
favourite author?
Douglas Adams or Jasper Fforde
favourite animal?
Rosie my cat
favourite day of the week?
Monday – everyone is at work or school and I get the house to myself to WRITE!
Thank you so much Allie for your time!
1. Save The Date is your latest novel. Can you describe what this book is about?
It’s about weddings, marriages and love – involving all sorts of people at all sorts of stages in their relationship journey – but it’s also about families and the importance of having your extended family in your life, however crazy you think they are! Families are our bedrock, the people who love us for who we are, not what we make of ourselves.
2. Your previous two books, Summer Nights and Summer Loving have all been set during the summer. Why did you decide to set Save The Date during the summer too?
Because summer is the most wonderful time to have a wedding – and what better place to get married than a gorgeous, ancient town nestling into the hills beside the Tuscan coast?
3. If you could go on the perfect summer holiday, where would you go?
Right at the moment, I have two energetic little boys, so a relaxing beach holiday is out of the question! I think I would like to take them to an historic city – maybe somewhere like Venice – and do the whole touristy thing: ice creams, gondola rides, the seaside…
4. When writing, do you base any characters or situations on people you know or things that have happened to you?
I’ve never based a character on a real-life person – I did try to once but it was actually very restricting: I kept thinking ‘this isn’t what ‘X’ would do’ and it limited the way my character and my plot developed so, in the end, I junked that idea. The new, totally fictional, character worked an awful lot better! Having said that, however, there is a cheeky little dog in ‘Save the Date!’ who bears more than a passing resemblance to my friend, Caz’s, canine. I don’t know that the real Arthur has ever got up to any of same the escapades as the fictional one, but I wouldn’t put it past him!
5. Out of the five books you have written, which would you say you were most proud of?
I have to say I do love ‘Save the Date!’ but I think my novel, ‘Tug of Love’ will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first one I had published. First love, first car, first novel – you never forget any of them!
6. If you could give aspiring authors one piece of advice, what would it be?
Never give up, never stop writing. Polish that book until it gleams like the sun; then, whilst you’re sending it out to agents and editors, start writing the next one!
Quick fire questions:
What is your:
favourite colour?
Deep wine reds, raspberry pinks and purples: a friend once said my house looks like the inside of a summer pudding!
favourite song?
Impossible question! Um, something by REM?
favourite book?
Again, fiendish question! I’ve just finished reading ‘Dr Johnson’s Dictionary of Modern Life’ which had me in fits of laughter.
favourite word?
‘Yes’, closely followed by ‘more cake?’
favourite food?
Right now, the new Cadbury’s chocolate bar with jelly beans, smarties and space dust mixed into it!
favourite season?
Spring
favourite tv show?
Just been watching the re-runs of ‘Blackadder’ on TV. Superb.
favourite author?
Douglas Adams or Jasper Fforde
favourite animal?
Rosie my cat
favourite day of the week?
Monday – everyone is at work or school and I get the house to myself to WRITE!
Thank you so much Allie for your time!