Irene Preston Gets Lost in a Story

Please help me welcome another new Crimson Romance author, Irene Preston! Irene's first book came out June 4th. In the time we've been friends, she has been so very supportive, and I'm thrilled to give you a chance to get to know more about her and her writing.

THE STORY BLURB

What happens when a Hollywood socialite falls for a conservative soccer dad?

Everyone knows Jessica Sinclair.  She’s that girl on the cover of all the tabloids. As a Hollywood insider, Jessica has spent her life partying with A-list celebrities, shopping on Rodeo Drive, and living through scandal after scandal. When her estranged husband offers her a second chance at the ‘All American’ lifestyle she can’t pass up a shot at real happiness.  Back in suburbia, Jessica spends her nights in sexy role-play hoping Morgan will overlook her deficiencies as a homemaker.  She spends her days attending  P.T.A. meetings, burning cookies, and asking herself "What would June Cleaver do?"  More to the point, what will Morgan do when she winds up back in the tabloids--with his teenage daughter right next to her?

Read the full 1st Chapter HERE!

          Irene Preston has to write romances, after all she is living one.  As a starving college student, she met her dream man who whisked her away on a romantic honeymoon across Europe.  Today they live in the beautiful hill country outside of Austin, Texas where Dream Man is still working hard to make sure she never has to take off her rose-colored glasses.

          ALEXA: Welcome, Irene.How often to you get lost in a story?

        IRENE: Ha! The better question would be, when am I not lost in a story.  Unless you actively distract me, I am either reading or dreaming up new stories.  I used to get in trouble in school for reading while the teacher was talking.  If I didn't have a book, I was usually staring into space - daydreaming.  I just do it professionally now!

ALEXA: Whats the first book you remember reading? 

IRENE: Dick and Jane.  Seriously. See spot run.

ALEXA: What turns you off like nothing else?

IRENE: Mean people.  I've never understood women who are with men who don't treat them well. I don't care how sexy you think you look, it stops dead if you aren't a nice person.

ALEXA: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

IRENE: Yes, please!

ALEXA: What is your biggest vice?

IRENE: Just one? I can't back down from an argument. I have others, but that one gets me in the most trouble.  My husband's a saint. Seriously. 

ALEXA: Is there a Blooper in your story (it may have been changed before printing)?

IRENE: Okay, here's your scoop.  Yes, there is a pretty big one.  It made it to print, and it is right on the first page (early on the first page, can you believe it?).  So far, only one person has caught it.  Run on over to IrenePreston.com and check out the free chapter.  If you spot it, I'll give you a double-entry into the book drawing!

ALEXA: Hhmm, I didn't find that blooper. I'm going to check again after this interview. For now, what's your favorite fairy tale?

IRENE: I'm not sure if this exactly counts, but I'm going with The Princess Bride.  It really does have everything.  Love, betrayal, swords-fights, a giant.  I read the book ages ago and still have it.  If I am channel surfing, it's one of those movies I can't flip past.

ALEXA: Hey, I'll accept that! (As you wish!) Is writing or story-telling easier for you?

IRENE: Writing, by far.  I'm a horrible story-teller.  I ramble indefinitely, go off on tangents, forget my point.  I need the structure of writing to tell a story effectively.

ALEXA: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?

IRENE: I don't listen to music while I write.  It affects my mood and my writing too much.  When I'm not actively writing, music can really inspire me though.  There's a scene in Infamous that I wrote after listening to Jack White's Love Interruption.  I'm also very inspired by dance.  I love So You Think You Can Dance (maybe because I can't).  It's inspired a character in another novel I'm working on.

ALEXA: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

IRENE: I do. I also love taking my work to critique while I'm writing. I have a hard time evaluating my own work, so I like to know what's working and what's not.  I'm a big girl. I know my writing won't be for everyone and some people just won't like it.  I look for constructive ideas and try not to focus on people who obviously aren't on the same page.

GOTTA ASK, GOTTA ANSWER: 

ALEXA: Jessica's not the type of woman usually found in a traditional romance.  What inspired you to write about a tabloid celebrity?

IRENE: Didn't know any better?  Seriously, we've all seen those girls, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian.  They are everywhere - the evening news, the radio, the check-out stand.  We know about their lives whether we want to or not.  For most of us, they are hardly the role-models we want for our daughters (or ourselves). But I’m a romantic at heart.  I believe, at the end of the day, we all want the same things – friends, a family, people to love who love us in return.  I started to wonder, what would happen if Paris Hilton met this great soccer dad. . . . .  So I wrote Infamous. 

ALEXA: GOT A QUESTION YOU'D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

        IRENE: Okay, the djinn just popped out of your shampoo bottle and he wants to make a deal.  With a wave of his hand, you can trade lives with a tabloid queen like Jessica.  Do you take the deal?  Remember, no choosing Kate Middleton.  It has to be someone at least a little notorious - we're talking Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Lindsey Lohan types (Charlie Sheen if you're a guy).  Who would you pick and why?

        Folks, one commenter will receive an e-copy of Infamous, so think about it and leave your answer (and your email address)! 


Thanks for joining us today, Irene, and good luck with your book!

             Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author     may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.