Author Interview: The Bridesmaid – Julia London

We have Julia London with us today chatting about her novella, THE BRIDESMAID.  Help me in welcoming Julia to Cocktails and Books!

How did you get your start as a writer?

I was fairly ignorant of the process of writing, to be honest.  After I left my public administration job in D.C. and returned to Texas, I had a bit of time to read. I remember picking up a couple romances and becoming hooked. A few months later I started thinking up my own stories and thought, ‘why not?’  I have always known that technically, I write well, but I hadn’t really thought of writing fiction.  I’m glad I hadn’t researched the ins and outs of publishing before I tried it, because I probably wouldn’t have pursued it knowing how difficult it really is. I was luckier than most; my first book was picked up and published.

What is your typical writing schedule like?  

After a run with my dog, Moose, I drink plenty of coffee and check my emails and stop by Facebook and twitter. After that I generally write for a minimum of two, solid and, hopefully, uninterrupted hours. I take a break, eat something. Or check in with the outside world, handle emails and phone calls. If I don’t have errands or a yoga class, I’ll head back to the computer and work on another manuscript. After dinner, if I have no plans for the evening, I’ll check back in on email and Facebook and work a few hours on revisions and edits.  That sounds very boring to me.  I guess the reason it’s not is because I am escaping into other worlds.

Tell us about The Bridesmaid.

THE BRIDESMAID is my version of Trains, Planes and Automobiles but with a romance featured throughout. Joe and Kate are two strangers who must travel together in order to get from New York to Seattle during a super storm. Joe’s got a meeting lined up that will make or break a dream job he’s trying to land and Kate is headed for her best friend’s wedding.

What do you think readers will like/love about Kate and Joe?

Joe is the quintessential man’s man. He’s straightforward and there’s no nonsense or beating around the bush.  He doesn’t have hang-ups and he knows what he wants. Kate is someone who believes she knows how to handle every situation. She’s got all the answers, even if 2 + 2 doesn’t always equal four. The banter between them as they are forced to share cramped spaces for hours on end was a lot of fun to write and I hope it comes across on the page.

What was your favorite scene from the book?

My favorite scene is where Kate and Joe race for the car rental counter, and he vaults over the rope, but she is hampered by a huge bridesmaid dress.  That scene made me laugh.

What are three things about you that might surprise your readers?

Hmmm…. I worked at the White House in my previous career.  I’ve run seven half marathons.  I had a scholarship to study Arabic (I studied Arabic to get the scholarship for a government degree, and no, I can’t speak it now).

If you had to pick a favorite cocktail of choice, what would it be?  (It can be non-alcoholic too)

Wine.  Liquor and I don’t get along very well. 🙂

What’s next for you?

Currently I’m finishing up the second book in my Pine River Trilogy, RETURN TO HOMECOMING RANCH, which follows HOMECOMING RANCH and is slated for publication next summer (and then again by THE LAST HOMECOMING in late 2014).  This series is about three sisters who didn’t know each other existed until they inherited a rundown ranch from their deadbeat father.  They have to make the ranch work against their private issues and those that come when you are thrust into an instant family.

I also just completed edits on my new historical, THE TROUBLE WITH HONOR, the first in a new series about four privileged sisters who try and direct the course of their fate in unconventional ways .  It will be out in late February of next year, and will be followed by THE FALL OF GRACE next autumn.

I’m also writing another novella for Sourcebooks, tentatively titled ONE MAD NIGHT. Rival ad execs, Chelsea and Ian are stranded in their office overnight (thanks to the same storm that forced Joe and Kate together in THE BRIDESMAID).

A hot, new contemporary romance novella from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia London. In a twist on Planes, Trains and Automobiles, two strangers–Kate’s en route to be a bridesmaid, Joe’s en route to a life-altering job interview–battle a storm, a transportation strike, and each other in a cross-country race to make it to the wedding on time.

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than a dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular Desperate Debutantes and Scandalous historical romance series, as well as several contemporary romances, including Summer of Two Wishes and One Season of Sunshine.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a four time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. She lives in Round Rock, Texas, with her husband and one Labrador retriever puppy. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visithttp://www.julialondon.com.