Tag, I'm it!

I've been tagged by the lovely Karen at Fresh as a Daisy to fill in this author me me. (Have you seen the logo on her site - gorgeous. I'm not a bit creative so vay jealous!).

1. Who is your all-time favourite author, and why?
Anyone who reads this blog regularly will already know the answer. Marian Keyes is my favourite author. Her books inspired me to start writing again and made me see chick lit in a whole new light. However I do also have some emerging favourites and having actually written the guts of three books myself I now have admiration for ANYONE who puts pen to paper.


2. Who was your first favourite author, and why? Do you still consider him or her among your favourites?
My answer is basically the same as Karens. When we were growing up we were raised on a diet of Roald Dahl. The first book I bought with my very own money was 'Fantastic Mr Fox'. Roald Dahl could fire the imagination of children like no one else - and he was always able to bring you to the edge of disgust and then haul you right back. My boy is four now and it won't be long til we start reading Roald Dahl as a bedtime story.


3. Who’s the most recent addition to your list of favourite authors, and why?
There are a few. I really can't get enough of Melissa Hill at the moment and having read two of her books and finding "Revenge of the Wedding Planner" pant wettingly funny I have to say Sharon Owens.

4. If someone asked you who your favourite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you’d add on a moment of further reflection?
Pretty similar to the above, Melissa Hill, Sharon Owens. Also Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Hughes - esp the "Come Together" trilogy. Have also recently read Carole Matthews 'Chocolate Lover" books and thoroughly enjoyed them. Oh and Kate Long's "Queen Mum" is amazing.

5. Tagged
Rules: Link to the person that tagged you, post the rules somewhere in your meme, answer the Author questions, tag some people in your post, let the tagees know they’ve been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog, let the tagger know your entry is posted.
Here are my tagees…

Keris at Keris Stainton
Fionnuala at Manic Muse
Penelope at It's Me Penelope

Writing, thinking, reading...

It's gone uncharacteristically quiet for me, which in some ways is good. I'm finding that writing has become a joy again. (I do love it, but some times it does feel like work - and other times I can't type fast enough hence the copious amounts of missing words and typos).
I've also had time to update my website www.claireallan.com and add a newsletter where I thank everyone for their support over the past number of months.
I would be fibbing however to say thinks didn't feel a little odd now that the flurry of emails and phonecalls has slowed to a near stop and it's just back to ordinary life!
I am getting to read a little however, and have a stack of books growing on the bedside table for my attention.

C'est beautiful, non?

'Tis a thing of beauty, non?

The beautiful swirly writing, the lucious green colour?

I'm told it's due out in March (ish) so I think the green is suitable St. Patrick-y: begorrah.

And I'll admit that even though it is quite similar to the original blue cover, I still felt a certain frisson of excitement when I opened the email from Paula at Poolbeg.

I'm promised the cover for book two, Blue Line Blues will follow in time but for now I'm going to gaze lovingly at RD&T Mk II and feel so very lucky to see my book with a second cover.

I'm not sure what the B format release will entail and I'll not be troubling the lovely Niamh at Poolbeg to find out just yet (she is busy enough and probably relieved that the halycon days of July when she fielded daily emails from yours truly are over).

But I'll keep you posted.

In the mean time I'm off to buy Melissa Hill's new book and I'm still counting down to Emma's release NEXT WEEK!!

Book MeMe!

ooooh, I've been tagged by Keris to share my book meme, and never one to resist a challenge here goes...

What have you just read?
Never Say Never by Melissa Hill- shameless escapism and a cracking good read apart from unrealistic book advance storyline which made me mad. Still - loving Ms. Hill she can do little wrong.

What are you reading now?
The Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams. Loved her first book - too early into this one to pass opinion.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?
I will be devouring Crazy for You by fellow Northern Irish debut author Emma Heatherington which is out at the start of October. I am VERY excited about that one.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read?
It's a toss up between 'The Invisible Man' by Ralph W. Emerson or 'A Place Called Here' by Cecelia Ahern. Both very different books - both likely to make me want to kill myself with boredom.

What’s one book you always recommend to just about anyone?
Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes - funny, sad, uplifting, devastating and with a generous use of the word feck.

Admit it, sadly the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they?
Sadly no, but they know me in Eason

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all?
Oooh, dunno. That's a tough one. Probably my own! ;)

Do you read books while you eat?
Yep.

While you bathe?
As generally I shower it would be a bad move. Bed is my favourite reading spot.

While you watch movies or tv?
I do often have TV on in the background, down low.

While you listen to music?
No - but I rarely listen to music anymore unless nursery rhymes count.

While you’re on the computer?
Nope. Unless it's something from my Write Words girlies.

When you were little did other children tease you about your reading habits?
Yes, I was a total bookworm and always had my head in a Secret Seven book.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
I think My Best Friends Girl by Dorothy Koomson. I just wanted to know what was coming next.

Have any books made you cry?
See above. But books make me cry - very easily. Most Marian Keyes will have been wailing at some stage and Queen Mum by Kate Long broke my heart.