BOOK FEATURE & AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Blue and Green Should Never Be Seen! (Or so Mother Says) by Colette Kebell
Published by Skittish Endeavours on December 25, 2014
Genre: Chick Lit

A Chick Lit Lover’s Delight. Fashion may be the central theme; along with a nagging mother, but with friendships, intrigue, a villain, romance, food and laughter too.

GiGi is a woman with a mission: to help people improve the way they look, increase their self-esteem, and eventually, make them happier people. Being a personal shopper is a dark art, with few tangible rewards. Spread by word of mouth, her clients would never admit they needed her assistance. Let us be honest, who would admit to being in need of a style consultant?

The first step is to admit you need help with your wardrobe. When you have recognised that, you are on the path to recovery, and GiGi’s services will help you, despite her mother nagging that she is not doing a “real” job.

So, is it just a matter of going around and helping people buy clothes and shoes?

Not quite so. Money is tight; GiGi has to work with wealthy and eccentric people, who often do not have any idea about what they want. She and her business partner Ritchie are in a constant struggle to keep the business afloat, but as they say in Dragon’s Den, she is very investable. But, with success comes the difficulties, the Battersea Fashion Center is going to open soon, and they claim they will be fierce competitors.

With the constant struggle to keep her business afloat; a powerful enemy lining up ready to make a meal out of her, knowing well that GiGi’s approach, eventually, will make her successful. The business expands, and they take onboard new partners, making them one of the most influential fashion consultancy firms in London. But, with a very demanding job, hours spent working, will she be able to balance her career and her private life?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Describe your writing/editing/publishing process: On writing, I do so as and when I can as the past few years have been incredibly busy, due to house sale, move (which took five months all of which I spent in our French house – which we are still renovating after nine years!)  My two current novels just flowed… I couldn’t stop writing and sending chapters to my husband from time to time, for him to read and critique.  He loved them and during that time we had so much laughter in our house and I guess that comes across when turning the pages, from the reviews I’ve received so far.  Editing is a love/hate thing.  You have to do it and fortunately pick up on loads of inconsistencies when you do, in order that you aren’t too embarrassed about your writing when the time comes to send it off to the copy editor.  Publishing, being an Indie author, who started from scratch just a few years ago, was a very steep learning curve.  I had a great mentor though, being Donna Jane McDonald who writes somewhat sexier books than mine… she couldn’t have been more helpful with pointing me in the right direction and how to, what was then known as , though not now, Self-Publish.

Salty or sweet? Oh don’t get me wrong, I have a sweet tooth when I want or need it, but on the whole I’m a savory (though less salty) kind of person.  I love savory food, but would avoid anything that has too much salt, as have to look after my arteries.  When I cook (which is another passion of mine), I use Lo-Salt, so 50% less sodium than the average salt.

Where did you learn the most about craft of the romance novel? As far as writing is concerned, I took both English Language and English Literature at school, but that wasn’t where the romance came in.  Those were the stalwart of literature which are probably still taught today.  Romance I learned from either my own life experiences, or from reading… I’ve enjoyed reading for so many years.  My first foray into Romance were the novels of Jackie Collins, but that was a good many years ago.  Since then I have read so many it is hard to mention just one or two authors.

What is the most surprising comment or question you get when people find out you’re an author? What really!!! And then follows either wow, that is exciting, difficult and inspiring, or so what do you really do.    Some seem to think that being an author is a breeze, whereas others appreciate to man hours that go into writing, editing and putting a book out there.  I’ve not yet had anyone say anything too derogatory, other than my own Mother that is, at least in the beginning which is partly why this books has been given the title that it has.

Hard/paperbacks or eBooks? I have to say I personally buy all three, though so far I’ve only made mine available in either paperback or ebook.  The paperbacks are good to show people or do book signings, as some still don’t quite belief you are an author until they show you the actual book, rather than an author card.  Book signings is obvious and mine are available, as signed copies, from my website and always have been.  However, if you want to know which sells best, these days it is ebooks.  You have to consider that with house market prices (no room for a library any more) thought about the environmental impact, and those who no longer have the strength in the hands (my own mother for one due to arthritis) to hold an actual book, ebooks are becoming more and more popular.  I still love the smell of paper though so probably buy as many hardback or paperback books as I do ebooks.

Have you ever been star struck by another author? The only answer to that question, if any author is being completely honest, is of course.  I loved loved loved Jackie Collins’ books when I was in my twenties, though when I was younger I read a lot of Stephen King and James Herbert Horror stories.  I can’t stomach those these days but the most recent authors I became star struck by are Sophie Kinsella, Jill Mansell and Donna Jane McDonald.  Two of whom are now friends on Facebook and one of whom has been somewhat of a mentor to me.

What are you reading right now? Now I’m currently reading The Green Ticket by Samantha March, though I’ve only just started it. My last read was Grace Me With Your Presents by Pippa Franks, which wasn’t at all what I expected it to be but was delightful.  My next read shall be the last of Jackie Collins’ Lucky Santagelo series which I bought in hardback, around the time that she sadly left us.

How do you come up with the title of your book, BLUE AND GREEN SHOULD NEVER BE SEEN? Ok, for this I brought in the Mother element of my book.  It is about fashion, but not solely, and this was a phrase that my mother said to me, when I was young and even into my 20s, but I knew it was untrue and just an old wives tale.  I love the combination of Blue and Green, when done correctly with the right shades of each, and so I wouldn’t say it was a thumbs up to that age old phrase…

What is a day in your life like? No one day in my life is same as the previous one nor is the next the same as the day before.  I spend a lot of time following Facebook, marketing in various Facebook book groups, replying to emails, feeding and walking my dogs and cooking.  As well as the other mundane stuff life hoovering, cleaning, washing, ironing etc.  For the past few years I’ve also managed our Buy to Let property in the UK, which though we probably shouldn’t have done it, due to stretching our finances, we bought four years ago while waiting to find a buy for our home in the UK.  It took is almost 2 and a ½ years to find a buyer, which took a massive amount of time out of my days each week, due to have to keep the place neat and tidy in case of a viewing… then it took us a further four months to find a place to buy, and all of that time I was away from my husband, in France as there isn’t anywhere in the UK that accepts pets as tenants, along with their owners, at least not in the town we live in.  We have two beautiful ones though, a Westie and a Mini-Schnauzer who are like sisters to all intents and purposes, unless they are in season and then they try to mount each other…If you ask me about the past three of four months, my routine has also included a 150 mile round trip, once a week, to visit my terminally ill best friend since the around the age of 5, when we first started school together.  She has now lost her battle and so it is just a matter of time but I am thankful for each week that I can make that drive to see her and spend time with not only her but her family as well.

What is the best writing advice you’ve been giving? Show don’t tell would have to be the answer to that one.  I am prone to telling rather than showing and have to pull back and adjust my writing, when I feel myself drifting too far.  My husband is great correcting me on that front, though I never stray too far.

People would be surprised to know that you…: were a tomboy in my youth, particularly writing Chicklit/Romcom these days.  I would just as happily kicked around a football or play Tin Can Alley, as well as draw, paint or cook in my younger days.

What are you working on right now? Right now, though I hate to say it, I have three WIPs.  One is the sequal to Blue and Green (which is likely to be entitled “Red and Yellow to Catch a Fellow (Or so They Say)” , though that might change.  At this point, it is only at outline stage, though I hope shall not be for too long… other than that, and this is a bonus for you, my next novel is either going to be one set in New York, which I have yet to title, or one that the story grew from the title, which was inspired by a friend of mine.  That title, which I hope loads shall be drawn to, is going to be “I Don’t Do Winter!”.    You might well be able to imagine something from the last one.

About Colette Kebell

Colette Kebell is an author of Chicklit, though a relatively new one and thus far has self-published her books. Her books are light-hearted, fun and quirky and even considered by some to be inspirational. She has also found avenues to translate both into Italian (thanks to her husband), and one, thus far, into French, Spanish and Portuguese via Babelcube.

As a career, Colette spent her later years as a legal secretary. After a first attempt at writing many years ago (a book that still remains in her drawer) she resumed this passion a few years back, following being made redundant. After a few book signing events and a book talk, which almost caused her to collapse with nerves, Colette now spends her time between her home in the UK and her home in France.

Colette has two adorable dogs and spends some time, when not writing and marketing her books, cooking for herself and her husband, gardening or designing various items for their home. Amongst her other hobbies, she has also experimented with furniture upholstery, and she might, from time to time, have a paintbrush in her hand.

She can be found on twitter @ColetteKebell though doesn’t tweet a vast amount.

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