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 10^th, 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 Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals.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.
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Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite love poem and why?
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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends September 19th at midnight EST.