I am so happy to be welcoming author Katie Ginger to Books, Life and Everything today. Katie's latest novel, The Little Theatre on the Seafront was published by HQ Digital on September 1st 2018. You may remember I was lucky enough to be part of the blog tour to celebrate its publication and you can read my review here.
Hi Katie!
Would you like to start by telling us a little about
yourself and how you started as a writer?
A bit about me? Well, I've got two kids and a dog who take
up most of my time and then there's hubby to keep organised too! Life gets
pretty full on sometimes but I'm very lucky to have supportive friends and
family around me. The only other thing to know about me is that I like gin. A
lot!
As far as writing goes, I used to love writing stories when
I was little but then I got a bit older, went to uni, did my Masters and by the
time I was working full time, I'd convinced myself I couldn't write creatively
anymore. Then, in 2014 I got made redundant from my job in the Heritage
industry and it gave me an amazing opportunity. As a manager, I'd spent so much
time tackling day-to-day problems that I wanted to try thinking differently and
using that creative part of my brain again. So I decided to use some of my
redundancy money to take a creative writing course.
It was one of the best things I've ever done. I learned so much
and found that I was finally feeling really fulfilled! I began writing The
Little Theatre and after having some success in getting some short stories
published, I decided to try and get a publishing deal. I got some rejections of
course, but it's important to take the feedback and just keep trying. I know
I've been very lucky though!
If you didn’t write,
what would you do for work?
I think I'd still be working in the Heritage Industry. It's one
of the areas I'm still very passionate about. I've been lucky enough to work in
museums and at Dover Castle and it's such an amazing feeling to walk into a
place like that every day!
What are you interests apart from writing?
When I'm not writing I'm usually running around after the
kids! In my downtime I love to read or workout. I'm a fan of a good sweatsesh
and as I'm not naturally slim (and love my food!) it helps with being sat at a
desk all day!
What is your favorite childhood book?
Without a doubt it's Winnie the Pooh and the House at Pooh
Corner! Winnie the Pooh is my favourite bear of all time and I love A A Milne's
writing. My husband actually got me a copy of this book for a birthday present
when my childhood copy fell apart!
How do you plan to
spend publication day?
Luckily, it's on a Saturday so, here's the plan ...
The night before, the kids are staying at their granny and
grandpa's so me and hubby are going out for a drink. (There will be gin-based
cocktails!)
Then on Saturday I'm hoping I'll get breakfast in bed before
the kids come home, then we'll spend the day together. I've got a special
bottle of Champagne to open (we were given it by my sister-in-law and her
husband on their wedding day in May) and there'll be a takeaway for dinner so I
don't have to cook!
If hubby supplies any of the following I may keep him for
another year:
Cake
Chocolates
Flowers
Cards
More Champagne
More cake
I know it's not that exciting, but to me, not having to cook
will be a big treat!
Can you give any hints about any upcoming books you have
planned?
Ooo! I'm so excited about this! My next book is out in 2019
and I can't wait for you guys to read it. I loved writing this one and
completely fell in love with the characters. They're the type of friends every
girl should have! And, the other reason I'm so excited it that this one is set
at Christmas, my favourite time of the year. I really hope you guys will like
it too!
Thank you for giving us an insight into your life and good luck with The Little Theatre on the Seafront!
Book Spotlight
When Lottie’s Gran dies she leaves one last request; save
Greenley Theatre.
Faced with a decaying building, a mayor who most definitely
isn’t on board with the project and a group of actors who just can’t get along,
Lottie has her hands full, but with best friend Sid by her side she knows she
can do it somehow.
But the arrival of Jeremy, a hotshot London developer who
sweeps Lottie off her feet, complicates things. Suddenly Sid gets a new
girlfriend, the Greenley Players fall apart, and that crumbling building? Well
it crumbles a whole lot more.
With no one to turn to, Lottie has to find the
courage to save the day.
About the Author
KATIE GINGER
lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and apart from holidays
to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as
big your head, she wouldn't really want to be anywhere else. This is
Katie's debut novel but she is also the author of some cosy mystery
short stories. She loves making her characters either fall in love, or
killing them off - it depends on her mood!
When
she's not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with her
husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who believes
everything in life should be done as a musical number from a West End
show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy's face. And there's
also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after
the crisps!).
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