We welcome Eliza Gordon to CLC to talk about romance with us in honor of the upcoming publication of her latest novel, Dear Dwayne, With Love. If the cover doesn't give you a sugar rush, perhaps what's inside will sweeten up your day! The icing on top of this treat is that Eliza is giving away an audio book, two e-books, and a signed paperback version with a bookmark and pen.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Eliza Gordon (a.k.a. Jennifer Sommersby) has lived up and down the West Coast of the United States, but since 2002, home has been a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia. Despite the occasional cougar and bear sightings in her neighborhood, there’s no place she’d rather rest her webbed feet (except maybe Scotland).
When not lost in a writing project, Eliza is a copy editor, mom, wife, and bibliophile, and the proud parent of one very spoiled tuxedo cat. Eliza writes stories to help you believe in happily ever after; Jennifer Sommersby, her other self, writes young-adult fiction. Both personalities are represented by Daniel Lazar at Writers House. (Bio courtesy of Amazon.)
Visit Eliza online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Wannabe actress Dani Steele’s résumé resembles a cautionary tale on how not to be famous. She’s pushing thirty and stuck in a dead-end insurance job, and her relationship status is holding at uncommitted. With unbearably perfect sisters and a mother who won’t let her forget it, Dani has two go-tos for consolation: maple scones and a blog in which she pours her heart out to her celebrity idol. He’s the man her father never was, no boyfriend will ever be—and not so impossible a dream as one might think. When Dani learns that he’s planning a fund-raising event where the winning amateur athlete gets a walk-on in his new film, she decides to trade pastries and self-doubt for running shoes and a sexy British trainer with adorable knees.
But when Dani’s plot takes an unexpected twist, she realizes that her happy ending might have to be improvised—and that proving herself to her idol isn’t half as important as proving something to herself. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
Favorite romantic movie:
Who can pick just one? I think I'd have to say Leap Year with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen, The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and (don't laugh), P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (yes, bad Irish accent and all). I watch these over and over again. They make me happy.
Favorite romance novel or author:
I'd have to say Jojo Moyes because I love the way she paints characters. Me Before You was a real heartbreaker but the follow-up, After You, is terrific. I liked it better, to be honest. Another of her books, called One Plus One, is among my favorite books ever too. I don't read a lot of pure romance novels -- I prefer character-driven stories with elements of romance in them -- so I can't forget to mention Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern. These women are my writerly role models.
TV show characters you are shipping:
Hmmm, Brienne of Tarth and Jamie Lannister from Game of Thrones. Also, Carrie Mathison and Peter Quinn from Homeland but yeah ... season six ... never mind, just in case.
Most memorable date:
My first date ever -- it was with a rebellious, spiky-haired, leather-jacket-wearing, brown-eyed boy named Tony. We went to see The Princess Bride and then we sneaked into his dad's church where Tony played the piano for me as I fell asleep on a pew. It was magical and perfect ... and then the next day, Tony realized I was a nerd and that one of the hot, popular girls liked him so that was the end of my fantasy. (I've used this date in one of my books, actually. It was that awesome.)
Do you consider yourself a romantic person?
This is a tough question. I'm not very romantic, actually, not in real life. Lack of imagination, perhaps? Sadly, I'm pretty cynical, which is a weird demeanor for someone who writes romantic stories. But I try to temper my cynicism with the dreamier side I think a lot of us have. That's why I love movies so much, and why writing books is such a suitable occupation for me; I can live in a fantasy world where people are falling in love, and I can make it as messy or as perfect as I want. Real life is both messy and perfect, which is why my stories are never billed as a straight-up romance. More aptly, I write comedies or real-people stories with brushstrokes of romance to keep things interesting.
Best movie kiss:
I love, love, love the Lord of the Rings movies, so at the end of Return of the King, when Aragorn sees Arwen again -- that is a kiss for the ages. Here's this man who possesses mythical powers, who has survived what should've killed him a hundred times over, who is the newly crowned king but is also a humble servant of his friends and subjects, and he sees Arwen after thinking she has died ... When he kisses her and tucks his head against her, you can see that he is a man desperately in love, that no crown or kingdom will ever come between him and this elf-woman. It's a perfect kiss, perfectly delivered by actors Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler.
Thanks to Eliza for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers!
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Giveaway ends January 23rd at midnight EST.
My most memorable date was not memorable for being good. He had waited so late to eat that I started to feel sick. We had to ask the waiter to box up our steak dinners to take home and as soon as we got home, I ran to the bathroom to get sick. The was the first and last time we ate late.
ReplyDeleteOne of mine was playing pool with a guy from college, he cleared the table from the start and then turned to me and made some comment that it was wasted on a girl.. Didn't go on another date with that one.
ReplyDeleteKate Sparks girlygirlhoosier52@yahoo.com
A memorable date which was unforgettable in a good way lead to being smitten with this young man who I eventually married. A soulmate with whom I had a great deal in common and still do.
ReplyDeleteComing home every other weekend, our time together was precious. A date to a fun pizza place with delicious food and music was great. That was forty three years ago and we are still having great times together.
ReplyDeleteMemorable in a bad way...this guy wanted to go back to his place for tofu tacos the first time we ever met. I said no and then he grabbed my hand and said he just wanted me to trust him. Never used match.com again...
ReplyDeleteMy most memorable date is the first date I had with my late Husband. We went to dinner & then drove to downtown Chicago & went to Navy Pier, we had a drink, walked on the pier & then all of the sudden the lights went out & fireworks were going off in the sky, it was amazing. The sad part is that I lost my Husband of 20 years to Kidney Cancer 14 months ago & I miss him every day. Thanks for your generosity.
ReplyDeleteMy most memorable date was when my husband and I were dating, he surprised me with plane tickets and we flew to Chicago for dinner and flew back to Michigan.
ReplyDeleteMy most memorable date was fish and chips takeaway meal at the beach . Just magic and we are still married after 46 years .
ReplyDeleteBest date ever..I was on vacation, visiting a friend. My future husband asked my friend to introduce us. That was 34 years ago and we celebrated our 33rd anniversary on Oct. 13, a year from the day that we met.
ReplyDeleteThe first date with my hubby. Had a nice dinner and talked until they closed!
ReplyDeletenice restaurant
ReplyDeleteOn a first date he brought his mother with him.
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