Do you like Chick Lit books? Well tonight, I created a Facebook group called Chick Lit Goddesses…
I’d love if you’d join!
Archives for June 2012
Cleaning & Organizing…
Over a year ago the hubby and I moved back into our newly renovated home, and it’s beautiful. We’ve had fun organizing and playing with (and in) the new parts of the house, but never really opened back up the old part, making it into one home — until recently. Our front door was blue to begin with, and we wanted a change. We sanded for a few hours, then stopped, letting it go not very pretty for a long time. Just this past weekend, we finished…and it’s so pretty! The paint color we ended up with is called “Stolen Kiss,” (perfect name, don’t ya’ think?). After the door was finished, we started (cleaning out, throwing out/away and organizing) the rest of the house. Our first task was our “reading room,” (A.K.A. “where we put everything else”). Step-by-step through our organization, we made huge progress — and still are! In the past four days, we’ve bought five of these bookshelves from Office Depot, each under $50 dollars! Now, comes the fun part! My amazing, handsome, loving and funny husband brought home a barcode scanner, (yes, like from the stores) and we’ve scanned almost every book in our house and put them on our new shelves so we can record every book we have in our house. (I swear, he has a way to do everything!) While it’s been quite and eye-opening experience to see all the books I have in their place, it’s mind-boggling of what to do with them. I have so many different type of books that it seems more like a bookstore than a home, but I’m okay with that because I love bookstores — ha, ha!
How do you suggest putting the books in order?
I’ve Been Busy…
Last night was my first post in a long time! Whew! It’s been a busy few weeks since I’ve blogged, but it’s all been for a good reason! With editing books one and two, hosting guests, reading for tours and writing my contribution articles for GHG, life gets busy. Add a loving husband and very needy cat to the mix and it’s even more hectic (but only some of the time).
Here’s a small summary of in detail what’s been going on…
–Editing: I’m still in the process of editing my first and second book. Book one, Redefined Dreams, needed A LOT of work, but I’m seeming a glimmer of light. With my other book, The Right Design, I just finished the first quick run through, but now it’s time to focus on making this what I want it to be!
–Guests: I’ve had the pleasure of having Guests stop by Chick Lit Goddess, (click HERE to see all their posts). Like I’ve mentioned before, all of them inspire me.
–Reading and Tours: When I was asked to take part in my first Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour, I jumped at the chance. I’ve been a huge fan of CLP for quite long time, and I love Samantha — she’s an awesome woman! If you ever want to take part of a tour, I recommend it! (Let me know if y’all have any questions if you’re interested in more information on these tours).
–Contributions for GHG: If you’ve not checked out my contributing articles at Good Humor Girl, come check it out! You won’t want to miss out!
I’m A Tired Bear
Sometimes it’s okay to just take a break…
This past weekend I took off Saturday and Sunday. I’ve been so caught up in my work that I’ve barely spent any time relaxing. Work is all I think about. I guess this is a good thing because I love what I do, but sometimes it’s necessary to take a vacation, like my parents and brother have been telling me — especially my husband. When I came back to work today, I felt refreshed and ready to take on what I had waiting for me.
How do you deal with taking a break from your work? Do you handle it well, or are you a worker bee?
Here’s my message to you…
Gillian Duffy
Tell us about yourself. Who is Gillian Duffy? Hi Everyone. I’m Gillian, I’m from Dublin, I’m the author of The LA Commandments, and I’m studying English and History in St. Patrick’s College, Dublin. Reading, writing, film, and music pretty much sum me up.
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? No, not always, but I’ve always loved stories. When I was younger my mam brought me to the cinema almost every weekend and bought me lots of books (George’s Marvellous Medicine was my favourite), so storytelling has always been a big part of my life. I wrote some poetry when I was a teenager (that’s probably best kept at the bottom of the drawer forever), but I didn’t begin writing seriously until the end of 2008 following a trip to Los Angeles.
How long did it take you to write your first book? I finished the first draft of The LA Commandments really quickly (once I started I didn’t stop), but with rewrites and edits it probably took about eight months in total, spread over a couple of years. When I finished the first draft I moved on to my next novel almost straight away, so I didn’t begin rewriting The LA Commandments until late 2010 and it was published in August 2011.
How did you celebrate when it was published? After the launch I went for a meal with my family and friends. I couldn’t believe that my book had been published (I still can’t sometimes). It takes a while to sink in.
What inspired “The LA Commandments?” In 2008 I went on a family holiday to California, and my time in Los Angeles inspired the novel. We stayed in Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica during our stay, two of the main locations in the book, and I enjoyed it so much that it motivated me to begin writing again. It’s one of my favourite places and I hope to revisit next year.
What was the writing process like for you? Plot and character development are my favourite parts of the process, but editing can sometimes be tough. You become so attached to your work that it can be difficult to be objective. Thankfully we have editors for that impartial view.
If this were turned into a movie, who would you want to play the main characters? A movie – wouldn’t that be brilliant. How about Kristin Stewart for Jo, Zac Efron for Marc, Emma Stone for Suzie, and Eddie Redmayne for Paul. They would have to be able to deliver a convincing Irish accent or some re-writing would be on the cards.
Will there be a sequel? I have no plans for one at the moment, but who knows?
Which authors inspire you? I’ve just finished my second year in college, so I’ve been reading writers like Joyce, Conrad, Wilde, Plath, and Moore. Joe Dunthorne, Claire Keegan, and Sean O’Reilly are some contemporary writers that I really admire.
The Gift by Danielle Steel is one of my favourite books from the women’s fiction genre. I remember reading it when I was about eighteen on a beach in Cyprus, and the characters and plot stayed with me for a long time after I’d finished. That’s my sign of a good book.
Do you have any stories about how people react when you tell them you’re an author? Not really, I’m afraid. Irish people are generally laid back, so there hasn’t been any overzealous kissing, hugging, or screaming. All my family and friends are very supportive, though (in a passive kind of way).
What is the best advice that you’ve been given? Just be yourself and write what comes naturally.
Are you working on anything now? If so, can you share a little bit with us? I’m working on my second novel at the moment, which should be published in September. It’s a suspense/thriller also set in California. Let’s hope that you’ll like it.
**Contact Gillian:
**Buy “The L.A. Commandments” on Amazon!
**Click HERE to read my 5-start review of “The L.A. Commandments!”
