Carole Matthews
Carole Matthews is the internationally bestselling author of nine
outstandingly successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense
of humour has won her critical acclaim and legions of fans around
the world. For Better, For Worse was selected one of America’s
top television book clubs sending it straight into the USA Today
bestsellers chart.
Two of her books have been optioned by Hollywood. Carole has
presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s
not writing, she finds time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade
in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed
in her native England. Envisage yourself as an animal, which one would it be?
I’d like to be something cute, loveable with an unmistakable air
of independence – I guess that makes me a cat.
Describe your writing style in one sentence
Warm, witty
and filled with bitter-sweet romance.
Without the rude bits, describe your typical writing day
I don’t
have any rude bits in my typical writing day – am
I doing something wrong?
I’m very boring and disciplined. I get up around eight – attend
to my email and post while my dearly-beloved makes breakfast. Then we’re
both in the office by 10.00am. I write until lunchtime when we walk to
buy a newspaper which we share as we eat lunch. Then back into the office
until around 7.00pm, unless I run out of steam earlier. Told you it wasn’t
very exciting. Maybe I should try to fit in some rude bits to liven it
up a bit more… Reality T.V. or a good documentary?
Always a good documentary – I can’t
bear reality television with the exception of The Apprentice which I was
glued to. You can keep all of these celebrity this, that and the other
shows. Life is too short to spend time watching Z listers hanging out in
the jungle. What did you do to get published in the first place?
Write
a book that was very commercial which hit the right desk at the right time.
I was writing chick-lit when the Bridget Jones craze took off in the UK.
How long did it take to get a publishing deal after you
bagged an agent?
A week – my agent sold my first book Let’s Meet on Platform
8 straight away. That was eight years ago in the UK. It just came out in
the USA in August 2004. I think it’s still a nice book. Fried Chicken or steamed Broccoli?
Head says steamed broccoli – I’m doing low GI in attempt to
arrest writers’ bottom. Heart says fried chicken – and fries… Can you remember anything remotely embarrassing about
your very first book signing?
No. It all went amazingly smoothly. I went
a lovely, small independent bookshop and they treated me like the Queen
for a day – I have to
say that’s never happened since!
And the best thing about being a published writer is…?
I am the
world’s worst person for getting up in the morning. Working
for myself means that I can set my own hours – bliss! As a writer
I also get to do a lot of nice things and call it ‘research’.
Visit
Carole's fab website!!!
© Lola Jaye
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