Author Interview: Samantha March

It's my last post for the CLP Blog Tour for The Green Ticket by the lovely Samantha March. I reviewed the novel the other day (I loved it and you can read the review here) and Samantha wrote a great post about meeting her characters for Books Etc. as well. Today I have an interview with Samantha for your reading pleasure! I hope you all enjoy it :)

Favourite movie?

It’s a toss-up between anything with Reese Witherspoon or Will Ferrell ;)

Favourite author/book?

Kristy’s Great Idea by Ann M. Martin

Favourite (or dream) travel destination?

Italy!

Favourite indulgence (food to eat, store to shop in, etc.)?

I love Coldstone ice cream – cake batter with Oreo’s to be exact!

The Green Ticket is your second novel. How was the writing/editing/publishing/promoting process this time around compared to with your first novel, Destined to Fail?

I felt like it was better all around. I felt more confident in my writing and also more pressured to get another book out there! I also felt like I had a much better marketing plan in place the second time around – though I basically had none with DESTINED TO FAIL and really learned that lesson!

What is your writing routine like?

When I am in writing mode, that is really all I focus on. I give myself goals each day – write 1,000 words or 5,000 words of finish a scene. I enjoy writing in the mornings since my nights can get a bit hectic, and my goals really help me stay on track!

What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?

Reading! I run ChickLitPlus.com and have a lot of book reviews due day to day! But I also enjoy dancing and working out – particularly yoga and kickboxing! 

What is your favourite thing about writing and being an author?

That it was a dream I had when I was nine years old and after a lot of mis-steps and hesitance, I’m doing what I love.  

How did you come up with the idea for The Green Ticket?

I actually became fascinated a few years back with the money versus morals topic when I watched a young girl marry an older man (we are talking a 50 year age difference) and be fine that people knew she married him for money. Well, fascinated and quite disturbed I should say! That gave me the spark to write THE GREEN TICKET and even though the plot is entirely different, the concept is still there.

Do you find yourself giving your characters qualities that you or people who are close to you have?

I do. I think a lot of authors find inspiration from those around them, even if it’s something very miniscule. For example, in THE GREEN TICKET Henry mentions that he doesn’t like eating chocolate cereal that turns his milk into chocolate milk – which is a trait my fiancé has as well :)

Author Bio:

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and her debut novel Destined to Fail. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

Connect with Samantha:
Website 

Facebook

Twitter

GoodReads

Top Ten Reads of 2011

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. They created this feature because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature. This week's list is Top Ten Reads of 2011. Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating.

This year I really got into the reviewing swing of things. So much so that I have many books that I've bought for myself that are just sitting on my shelves, waiting patiently for me to get to them. I'm not sure when that will be but I hope to get to some of them soon! :) I read quite a few books this year (around 70ish) so it was difficult to just pick ten of my favourites. By the way, these are not in any particular order. The title links all lead to my reviews. This is just in case you missed them the first time around and/or you want to know more about what I thought of the book :)

1. Rock Star's Girl by J.F. Kristin
Loved the characters, loved the story, loved the conclusion. Just an all around lovefest for this book.


2. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
I have been in love with Sarah Dessen for almost ten years so it's not a surprise that her latest book made it on this list. While I didn't love this one as much as some of her others it still had to be featured. I don't care if she only writes YA, I will continue reading her books until she stops writing :)


3. Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
This story had me sucked in right from the start. The circumstances that lead to where the friends end up is quite sad (vague, I know. Just read the book) but the friends are able to truly find out who they are and it's such a great read. Friendship, love, finding yourself. Recipe for a great book.


4. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a series that I absolutely adore and I am so happy that Brashares wrote this final novel. Even though there's a major event that is so sad and depressing (and yes, it made me cry) it is wrapped up in the most perfect way. I never really realized that I was lacking a good conclusion to this series until I read Sisterhood Everlasting.


5. Arranged and Spin by Catherine McKenzie
Yes, I'm sort of cheating a little bit but I couldn't choose just one of McKenzie's great novels. If I'm being honest, perhaps I did like Arranged a little bit better than Spin but each book kept me entertained and enthralled for its entirety. I can't wait for Forgotten, McKenzie's third novel, which is apparently due out in May!



6. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
I've seen mixed reviews about this novel but I loved it. It's a massive book but I loved every bit of it. It's got magical creatures (vampires, witches, and the like) as well as a lot of really great historical detail. I'm very excited to read the rest of the books in the All Souls Trilogy.


7. Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, Go Small or Go Home, Stir Until Thoroughly Confused by Heather Wardell
I'm cheating again. Heather Wardell is definitely one of my top favourite authors as her books never fail to disappoint. I just had to include the three I read this year. I've got another to get to for January and I'm really looking forward to reading it!


8. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
I had been told to read this book for years but it wasn't until this year that I finally got around to it. All those people who had suggested it were right. It's a captivating story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.


9. Destined to Fail by Samantha March
For those of you who don't know, Samantha is the voice behind the popular Chick Lit Plus website. This was a book that grabbed hold of me and did not want to let go. The story is heavy but March does a fantastic job of telling it.


10. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
This was another book that many people told me to read. I wanted to get to it before the movie came out and I succeed. I ended up loving this novel, much to my surprise. It's got three interconnected stories that are told wonderfully.



And there we have it. My top ten favourite books of 2011. I hope you've found some more great reads to add to your 2012 to read pile.

Happy reading! :)

Just Finished: Destined to Fail

As most of you will know, I've been taking part in a challenge as well as a ton of blog tours all hosted by Samantha over at Chick Lit Plus. Wondering why I'm mentioning that in this post? Because the amazing novel Destined to Fail was written by Samantha herself! She's been working hard to make this novel a reality and I'm glad I've been able to take part in the process in a small way.

Here's what this debut novel is all about, courtesy of Samantha March's website:

Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, but befriends two new girls at college. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.

Put quite simply, I loved Destined to Fail. I read it in one afternoon because I could not put it down. Jasmine's story grabbed hold of me and would not let go even after I finished reading the book. A sign of a good book is when you continue to think about it once you've stopped reading and that was the case for me with this novel. Everyone's stories were wrapped up nicely (without it being too "picture perfect") at the end of the novel but I still found myself thinking about how the characters would continue living and I loved that.

I have to warn potential readers that this is not exactly a lighthearted read. There are some very heavy story lines that require a mature reader. The three main girls, Jasmine and her new college friends Kiley and Cari, have endured almost every kind of abuse there is in the course of their fairly young lives. I know these things happen in the world and I know I am fortunate because I've never had to deal with anything like that, but it was still hard to read at some points. But I think that really adds to the novel and helps you connect with the characters. Life isn't perfect and what matters is how you deal with the curveballs you're thrown. Jasmine is an incredibly strong and courageous woman and, as the synopsis says, is somehow able to use the negatives in her life and turn them into positives. She is an amazing role model for for women of all ages, not just young females. If you don't take anything else away from this novel, at least appreciate the good things you have in life and try to find a way to make everything else good too.

What I really loved about this book was that I really felt like I was living Jasmine's life right along with her. It helped that I knew exactly how she was feeling when she went away to school - when I started university I also left a new boyfriend back home and lived with my best friend. I felt like I was right along with her as she parked her car and went to check out her new living space and when she made friends with girls down the hall. I may not understand her desire to be totally dressed up for class every day (I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl) but I do appreciate that she understood how important school was and how to balance school and fun.

Overall, I loved this book. I think all females should read it because it offers a glimpse into a life that most people (hopefully) won't ever encounter themselves. It should help you become motivated to do something about abuse - simply keeping an eye on a friend you think may be in trouble or volunteering your time at a women's shelter. All in all, this is an amazing book - especially when you realize March is a first time author. I encourage everyone to check out this novel because it provides a fantastic story and some strong characters.

Happy reading :)