I am delighted today to feature an interview with the lovely Elle Field, author of the Arielle Lockley Series and Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not.
1. Where did you get your inspiration for Arielle – is she based in any way upon you?
Arielle’s beginning certainly stemmed from my own history. I struggled getting a job upon graduating since I graduated into a recession, which I thought would be a good starting point for a book, and that’s pretty much where Arielle’s story begins. The rest of her story is pure fiction though!
2. If you had to cast actors to play Arielle, Piers, Obélix and Etta in a movie version of the book, who would you choose?
I’ve always said that Henry Cavill would make the perfect Piers, and to cast alongside him as Arielle I would choose Felicity Jones. As for Etta, definitely Nina Dobrev, but Ob is a tricky one… Maybe one of the Phelps twins?
3. Who is your favourite character from the book and why?
Definitely Obélix, who I know is a firm favourite of a lot of readers. He’s just so much fun to write! He’s quite outlandish, but you know he completely has Arielle’s back – no matter how she acts. He’s the greatest fictional best friend!
4. Will there be any further books in the Arielle Lockley series? And, following on from B-SIDE, will we hear more about Etta?
Never say never! Arielle and Etta’s fates are weaved together – I won’t say why for those who may not have read Found yet – so if there *was* another book in the Arielle Lockley series, then you’d definitely get to find out about Etta, too.
5. What did you find the most challenging about writing FOUND?
Tying up all the loose ends! I wanted to make sure that all those questions readers might have had from the previous books were answered, but without the book becoming a giant checklist!
6. When writing the book, did it ever take a different path to what you initially intended?
Yes! Originally B-Side was actually Part I of Found. It wasn’t until I started writing Part II that I realised it would be better creating a spin-off book… so I did!
7. When looking back over your experiences regarding being a published author, what has been your favourite moment to date?
Out of the blue messages on Facebook or emails from readers who have enjoyed my books are amazing moments that I will always treasure. It means so much to me that people take the time to leave reviews or reach out to me.
8. How do you normally celebrate your publication days?
I’ve not, so far, had a book launch party for any of my books, but maybe for the next book I will. Usually I just have a glass, or two, of champagne at home with my boyfriend!
9. If you were to dabble in a genre that you haven’t ventured into before, which genre would you choose?
Well, I have jotted down the first few chapters of a YA dystopian novel, so I’m hoping to complete that at some point!
10. Do you get much time to read yourself? If so, do you have any favourite books or authors? Do you have one book that you would recommend to everyone?
I do, and sometimes reading comes at the expense of my own writing… but there are just so many wonderful books out there! Which, of course, means I have far too many favourite authors and genres. Chick lit is definitely one of them, especially books by Dorothy Koomson, Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot and Paige Toon, but the one chick lit book I would recommend is Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding. It’s a classic, but still oh-so-funny today.
Quick Fire Round
- Tea or coffee? Tea
- Beach or sightseeing? Beach
- Sun or snow? Sun
- Chocolate – in the fridge or not? Not!
- Wine – red or white? White
- Sweet or savoury? Sweet
- Reading – eBook or physical book? eBook
Final Question
What’s coming next for your readers or is top secret for now?
Personally I have a few things going on, which means I’m not sure when my next book will land, but I’m (slowly) working on another chick lit book which is set in Brixton, London. It follows the story of Audrey Huckle, who is the polar opposite to Arielle (fashionista, previously a “kept” woman) and Geli (fluffy newspaper columnist). She’s very down-to- earth, but she’s also a little *too* trusting… and that’s why her calamities begin! She also has a far more normal lifestyle –she’s an estate agent, but don’t let that put you off!
Author profile:
Elle Field writes romantic comedies, and is the author of the Arielle Lockleyseries and Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not. She grew up in Yorkshire, then moved to Scotland to study International Relations and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. Elle now lives in London with her boyfriend and their cat. She’s a massive fan of sunshine, giraffes, The Killers, Audrey Hepburn movies, musicals, playing Scrabble and tea. Oh, and reading, of course!
If you haven’t already read any of Elle’s books, I would thoroughly recommend them – particularly for lovers of romantic comedies! All of her stories are easy-reading, entertaining and great fun.
You can buy Elle’s books here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00CHIC1GE
Visit her website: http://www.ellefield.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellefie
Like her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellefieldauthor
The Curious Ginger Cat 