Boarding Call for Debut Romantic Comedy Author Cassandra O'Leary

The world needs more romantic comedy! Which is why I’m so excited to have my fellow Aussie rom com writer Cassandra O’Leary here to talk about her prize-winning debut novel, Girl on a Plane – a sexy, sassy, summer read. I’m a former aviation girl, so anything with a plane is guaranteed to catch my eye, and if it’s funny and romantic, all the better! 

ABOUT CASSANDRA O'LEARY

Cassandra O’Leary is a romance and women’s fiction writer, communications specialist, avid reader, film and TV fangirl and admirer of pretty, shiny things.

In 2015, Cassandra won the We Heart New Talent contest run by Avon Maze/HarperCollins UK and her debut contemporary romance/romantic comedy novel, Girl on a Plane, was released in July. She was also a 2015 finalist in the Lone Star writing contest, Northwest Houston Romance Writers of America, and a 2014 finalist in the First Kiss contest run by Romance Writers of Australia.
 

Cassandra is a mother of two gorgeous, high-energy mini ninjas and wife to a spunky superhero. Living in Melbourne, Australia, she’s also travelled the world. If you want to send her to Italy or Spain on any food or wine tasting ‘research’ trips, that would be splendiferous. 

Connect with Cassandra on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

CLIMB ON BOARD . . .

When feisty Irish flight attendant Sinead Kennealy locks eyes with sexy Australian CEO Gabriel Anderson in First Class, sparks fly. But as they jet across the globe from Melbourne to London, it’s clear that they’re in for a turbulent journey . . .

Stressed-out Gabriel doesn’t do relationships. And Sinead isn’t about to be fooled by another bad boy after escaping her stalker ex. Then a storm hits, causing the plane to land unexpectedly, and Sinead and Gabriel are thrown together in Singapore. 

The pressure rises as Sinead’s unhappy past threatens to catch up with her. But might Gabriel be the one to heal her heartbreak? If he could open up about his troubling secrets, maybe a relationship could actually get off the ground. Fasten your seatbelts – this WON’T be a smooth ride . . . 

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK…

Sinead scanned the rest of her passengers, letting her gaze slide over the business people who all looked much the same. Except… 

Well, hello there. 

Shockingly handsome young man with a perfectly sculpted face, full, kissable lips, sparkling blue eyes and dark blonde hair in 3A. Her belly fluttered and flipped. She was experiencing mild turbulence. Because of him? Her gaze tracked down his long, lean form, from broad shoulders to slim hips under a sharply cut suit. The man knew how to wear a suit.

And the man stared directly at her with intent—anyone would think he wanted to pounce on her and eat her alive. Yowza. Her stomach performed its own little dance and flipped over in the most peculiar way. As if she was falling.

Her hands formed into fists at her side and she sucked in a soothing deep breath. She was all hot then cold, goosebumps pebbling down her arms. The last thing she needed was another man who wanted to own her. But not all muscular and fit men were like Padraig. She’d left her mad ex-boyfriend years and thousands of miles away. Why couldn’t he stay there, out of sight, out of mind? 

Don’t engage the crazy. Calm blue ocean. The image of a tropical Thai beach popped into her mind and calm washed over her like gentle waves against the shore.

She was still staring at Mr Hot Stuff in 3A. Rubbing her arms, she hastily looked away.

It was nearly time for the coffee and tea service, not the time for the distraction of a handsome man with a James Bond-ish air about him. Who looked like he would be able to handle himself… and a woman too.

What would it feel like, to let him handle her? Oh, Lord. She had a sneaking suspicion it would feel mighty fine. Heat crept up her throat and surged across her cheeks. The last thing she needed was a blush lighting up her face like an emergency beacon.

Girl on a Plane is available at Amazon, iBooks, Google Play, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

Check out the trailer...

LET'S TALK...

Avril: How often do you get lost in a story?

Cassandra: As often as possible! I generally read every night before bed for about an hour, so I suppose I read one or two books a week depending on length. I also love movies and TV, but I’ve been trying to limit my viewing to make sure I have time to write and read. As far as writing goes, I write five days a week when I’m in drafting mode. When I’m in editing mode, I just tear my hair out.

Avril: Tell us how the good news about your first book unfolded.

Cassandra: I’m a fairly new fiction writer, having decided to write my first novel about three years ago and throwing myself in at the deep end (I learned to swim along the way). In early 2014, I started writing a short story about a flight attendant who meets a sexy first class passenger, which morphed into a full-length contemporary romance novel. Sinead and Gabriel had a bigger story to tell!

After entering the manuscript in a few writing contests and submitting it to several publishers, I received an email out of the blue in August 2015 from an editor at HarperCollins in London. I’d won the We Heart New Talent contest which I’d entered in February. OMG! The prize was a publishing contract with digital-first line, Avon Maze!

Then came a few months of re-writing and polishing, followed by the editorial and marketing stages. Now, my debut novel, Girl on a Plane, is out in the world after launching on 18 July 2016.

Avril: Were you always drawn to writing romantic comedy or are there other subgenres you considered as well?

Cassandra: I love romantic comedy, both in books and film, and it was natural I’d be drawn to writing it. There were years of immersion in romcoms that came flooding into my work once I started writing fiction. At the moment, my ideas seem to fit into romance with humour and women’s fiction genres. But I also love to read widely, and I may venture into young adult or science fiction one day. I am a huge fan of both The Hunger Games and Star Trek, for example, so I could see myself wandering off in either direction.

Avril: Are there any particular writers who’ve inspired you along the way?

Cassandra: Truck loads! In romance and women’s fiction, I’m drawing inspiration from Aussies such as Amy Andrews, Kelly Hunter, Sarah Mayberry and yourself, Avril! Internationally, I love Marian Keyes, Victoria Dahl, Maggie Alderson, Paige Toon and so many more. In humour fiction, I adore Douglas Adams, Ben Elton and Dawn French.

Avril: Can you tell us what traits you most admire in a hero and heroine?

Cassandra: In a hero, I suppose it’s having a heart that’s open to love, even if he’s a tough guy on the outside. I love a male character who isn’t afraid to go after what he wants. In a heroine, I want to see both strength and vulnerability and someone who can look after herself. If the characters are funny, that gets bonus points.

Avril: If you had a crystal ball, where would you see yourself as a writer in five years’ time?

Cassandra: Hopefully I’ll be writing fabulous stories with a few more books out in the world, in print as well as e-book. And sitting in my own special writing room in my renovated house. Or living in a villa in Tuscany, because, why not? If I was a bestseller into the bargain, that would be awesomesauce.

Avril: What are you currently working on?

Cassandra: I’m finishing another romantic comedy manuscript, Dating Little Miss Perfect, which features online dating and mistaken identities. Then I’d like to get back to a manuscript I started about a year ago, but didn’t get much time to work on. That’s actually a linked book or continuation of Girl on a Plane…but somehow I couldn’t write it straight after finishing the first novel.

Avril:  What are your favourite subgenres to read?

Cassandra: I love contemporary romance with humour, but sometimes I need a change. I’ve been getting into historical romance including Anna Campbell and Tessa Dare’s regency romances. Also, I’m reading a little fantasy with romance, such as the fantastic Captive Prince series by C.S. Pacat. 

Avril:  As a romance reader, what’s your pet hate?

Cassandra: I’m not into extreme alpha-holes or TSTL (too stupid to live) heroines! I also have issues with heroes calling a woman ‘baby girl’ or ‘little girl’ – to me that’s icky.

Leave a comment telling us your favourite romantic comedy movie and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win an autographed copy of Avril's own debut romantic comedy, Here Comes the Bridesmaid - originally released in 2014 and now available in a new large print edition.

Can she make organizing her friend's wedding any harder?   

* Sunshine Smart has only got two months until the big day! 

* She has to include the grouchy, surly best man Leo Quartermaine—a top chef and her complete opposite!  

* Said best man is extremely handsome and sexy—and knows it! * He has no interest in decor, flowers, clothes or shoes…but has an uninformed opinion on all four!  

* And just a few days in she's already slept with him. Rookie mistake…

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Get Lost in Chris Marie Green's The She Code

Purchase Link:
http://tinyurl.com/lwtsvrw
 

Every girl should know the rules...

Mandy Halsey is fresh out of college and determined to go from being a receptionist at the assembly line comic book house where she works to being a real-live penciler by the end of the year. That’s the plan, anyway.

But life isn’t cooperating. First, her job feels like a dead end. Second, her personal life isn’t exactly on fire, either, especially since her best friend seems to be moving in on every guy who catches Mandy’s eye. Is it just Mandy’s imagination or has Sheila totally changed since graduation, becoming someone who’s almost a stranger?

No way, because the BFFs grew up with The She Code. See, girls have rules with each other, so surely the friend Mandy grew up with wouldn’t ever break the Code—and break Mandy’s heart at the same time...

THE SHE CODE, a new adult/chick lit/geek lit hybrid, is all about the bright side of angst—because there definitely is one! Featuring sketches and comic panels by Billy Martinez of Neko Press Comics.

Yay! An Excerpt:

I found Marco sitting on the outside steps leading to the lobby.  He hunched forward, his elbows on his thighs, a page of paper in one hand, an envelope in the other. Twilight wind ruffled his dark T-shirt and hair.

I couldn’t help smiling.  “I’m back to haunt you.”

He grinned back at me and patted the step beside him.  “My favorite neighbor.” 

I didn’t mean to sit so close to him, but I sort of accidentally brushed against his arm.  Imagine that.  I liked how it wasn’t very hairy, could easily imagine how his muscles would bunch while he paddled on his surfboard through the water, droplets sparkling over his skin, salt mingling with sand and sweat.

“So I saw you at The Field the other day.”

He went back to leaning his elbows on his thighs, closing himself off. “You should’ve said hey to me.”

“I didn’t want to bother you.”  I didn’t want you to think I was with my ex, or break in on you and your grandpa or... Who was that man, Marco?

For a second, I wasn’t sure he was going to elaborate, but then he said, “That was my real dad.”

Body language alert: His personal security reading had just shot up two notches to “Orange.”

“I see.” I was being so good, trying not to pry. There are certain things you just don’t ask: Marco, I saw how much you cared for the guy, so why do you seem so sad? Marco, does he have anything to do with your emotional deadlines or your inability to commit?

He stood—conversation over. “I wish you hadn’t seen me there.”

“I understand.  Say no more.”

He lifted a hand, palm upward.  “Listen, sis...”

“I’m not your sis.”

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows.  

      “That’s true,” he said.  “Makes things kind of tough because I’m not really sure what you are, Mandy…”

Purchase Link:
 http://tinyurl.com/py3ckk7  

Chris Marie Green is the author of the upcoming Ghost for Hire series (Feb. 2014, Only the Good Die Young), which features a fun-loving spirit from the 80s. She also wrote the urban fantasy Vampire Babylon series (including RAISING THE DARKNESS and IN BAD SPIRITS) and the New Adult/Chick Lit THE SHE CODE. Under her “Crystal Green” pen name, she writes romances, including the Rough & Tumble series, which will debut with the Berkley Intermix line in 2014.

Chris tries her best to avoid international incidents whenever she takes a break from her first love, writing, and cheats on it with her other true love—traveling! 

Connect with Chris at the following sites: 

Twitter   Facebook   Pinterest   Goodreads  

Jillian: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

Chris: Thanks to my young nephew, I have become enamored of TEEN TITANS GO! on the Cartoon Network. My favorite is Robin because he is a hilarious Type-A weirdo and has a full-throttle determination to be the best superhero he can be. Also, he’s the only Teen Titan not to have superpowers, so he has to try extra hard. <G> He’s followed closely by sarcastic, kick-butt Raven.

Jillian: What sound or noise do you love?

Chris: I love the sound of a lawnmower! This is no doubt because I associate the noise with the freshness of spring, and the lovely scent of cut grass comes along with it. Things feel lazy and cool when I hear a lawnmower.

Jillian: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

Chris: Well, I have an ever-evolving favorite 10 ten, but the original STAR WARS movies are always at the top. And, yes, I am considering STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and RETURN OF THE JEDI to be one movie, LOL. Even if you locked me in a box and made me choose just one movie before you’d let me out, I wouldn’t be able to decide between STAR WARS and EMPIRE! (That’s because STAR WARS makes me so dang happy and EMPIRE plucks at my heartstrings. How can a girl choose?)

Jillian: Be honest, when reading 1st person...do you miss the hero’s POV?

Chris: When I pick up a first-person POV story, I’m so willing to be swallowed up exclusively by the heroine’s thoughts and emotions. I wrote THE SHE CODE in first-person, and it’s almost like sitting down with a good friend and hearing her tell an amusing story that (hopefully) makes you laugh while you feel all of her heartbreak firsthand. When I used first-person in my urban fantasy novelette for the KICKING IT anthology, I wanted to get the reader deep into the heroine’s head so we could really experience her confusion and isolation at waking up in a strange place and not knowing who the heck she is. So, in a word…no, I don’t always miss that hero’s POV. I know I can get a guy’s side in a different type of book. 

Purchase Link: KICKING IT

Jillian: What do you do to unwind and relax?

Chris: I am a TV freak. I love to collapse on my comfy couch and watch everything from THE WALKING DEAD to SONS OF ANARCHY to TOP CHEF. I also love to walk and hike, although I can’t say I’m always relaxing during those activities, LOL. I get some great story ideas and fill plot holes then, so I’m also working.

Jillian: Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner, and why?

Chris: I think having a holiday meal with my Vampire Babylon heroine, Dawn Madison, would be the most interesting! Especially if she brought her monster hunting team with her. They’d have some great stories to tell (although we’d probably want to save the goriest ones until all the food has been served!). Also, Dawn and the team shut down all the vampire undergrounds a few years ago in London, and I love to reminisce with people who have traveled there, too. It’s a city that’s full of hauntings and I could chat for hours about it!

Chris has a question for commenters: Who is your favorite comic book hero or heroine? Why? 

Giveaway prize: a signed copy of the first Vampire Babylon book, NIGHT RISING to a commenter chosen by randomizer. Remember to leave your email contact information with your comment if you wish to be entered in the raffle.

Connect with Chris at the following sites: 

Twitter   Facebook   Pinterest   Goodreads  

***Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America  addresses only. If an Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) is available, the author may utilize that option for International participants. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Eileen Cook

Today I'm thrilled to welcome of my good writer-friends, Eileen Cook. Her first novel, UNPREDICTABLE, was one of the funniest chick lit books I ever read. And her YA and Middle Grade books are fabulous, too.


If you don't believe me, (and why wouldn't you?), here's what major reviewers have had to say about her latest release, THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK:

"Cook effectively builds both Hailey's (justified) feelings of rebellion and the social dynamics of her ostracism, especially in her growing friendship with a challenging townie, Drew, who supervises her punishment working with the janitorial staff....Cook coaxes considerable empathy for the otherwise privileged Hailey as she abandons the achievement treadmill to explore her independence."

--Publishers Weekly

* "Hailey may be an A student headed to the Ivy League, but when it comes to taking a chance on life, she’s clueless. She’s also enormously appealing and great company throughout this breezy read. Yes, it’s chick lit, but of the highest quality—like a gourmet truffle. Cook has whipped up a real treat.”

--Kirkus starred review

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.


You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at http://www.eileencook.com/. Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.


GET LOST IN A GREAT YA


Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them.
Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.
They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?


GET TO KNOW THE AUTHOR


Maureen: What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Eileen: How do people pick one? I love old classic movies like: Casablanca, It Happened One Night, The Philadelphia Story, Dial M for Murder, Gone with the Wind, The Maltese Falcon- heck I have a list and I’m already not even up to the 1970’s. Around Christmas I love watching Love Actually. It’s my favorite romantic comedy by a mile.


Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
Eileen: Whatever I am currently reading. I read nearly everything: mystery, YA, thrillers, literary fiction, women’s fiction, non fiction, you name it I’ll read it. I actually go through book withdrawal if I don’t have something to read. I’m happiest when I have a huge stack of books waiting for my attention.


Maureen: What’s the first book you remember reading?
Eileen: I was lucky because my parents were both huge readers. I remember going every week to the library and getting huge stacks of books. Two that stick in my memory are The Phantom Tollbooth and The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.


Maureen: I love those titles! And that you remember them. What’s your favorite fairy tale?
Eileen: Does The Princess Bride count?


Maureen: That totally counts! One of my favorites, too. What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Eileen: Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.


Maureen: Where do you read and how often?
Eileen: I read anywhere and everywhere- planes, trains, beaches, bed, waiting in line. My favorite place is on my sofa with my two dogs. I read (even if it is just a bit) every day.


Maureen: Tulips or roses?
Eileen: I’ll take flowers in any form except lilies because the smell of them gives me a headache. I have a fondness for Gerber daisies. They seem like such a happy flower.


Maureen: Do you like to read books in the same genre you write in?
Eileen: I love to read YA and I think as a writer it helps to know what else is happening in your genre. Plus you can consider them to be a business expense.


Maureen: Nothing like tax-deductible books! What sound or noise do you love?
Eileen: The sound of a dog having a dream complete with snuffling, quiet woofs and the occasional snore makes me happy.


Maureen: What’s your favorite kind of cheese?
Eileen: Manchego. It’s a Spanish sheep milk cheese. Mmmm. However, I’m no cheese snob, I’ll also gladly take a pack of string cheese.


Maureen: What’s your worst guilty pleasure?
Eileen: Life is too short for feeling guilty. I love warm cookies, a new book I’ve been waiting to read, time with friends and family, great shoes, and rubbing dog bellies.


Maureen: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?
Eileen: Thank you. There are so many great books out there (I should know I have a stack waiting for me) that I really appreciate people giving my books their time and attention. I’d take you all out for cupcakes if I could.


Maureen: If you couldn’t be a writer anymore, what profession would you take up?
Eileen: I love movies and how they’re made. I think it would be fun to be a movie director. Plus I could always cast the various actors that I find dreamy. It would be movie after movie with Colin Firth, Nathan Fillion and Johnny Depp.


Maureen: What do you do to unwind and relax?
Eileen: I love to knit. I’m a lazy knitter, the pattern can’t be too complex or detailed. I think I’m really in it because I love the tactile feeling of yarn. I’m a yarn fondler. I also love watching movies, which can be done while knitting so it’s a double whammy.


Maureen: Yarn fondler. **Snort.** Do you believe in alien abductions?
Eileen: No. I suspect that any alien life smart enough to build a space ship and travel light years would have better things to do then fly around giving anal probes to random people. Otherwise I am forced to believe that aliens are really nothing more than frat boys telling fart jokes on a galactic scale.


Maureen: LOL. Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?
Eileen: Yes. I tell myself that I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. I’m just so excited to know someone other than my family and friends have read the book I have to know what they think. I’ve gotten much better about not wanting to throw myself under a truck if the review is bad. I can think of plenty of books that other people loved that I didn’t like so taste is a personal thing.


Maureen: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?
Eileen: Tea. This is practically a crime in Vancouver where coffee drinking is high art. I love chai tea with a bit of honey.


Maureen: It's a crime at my house, too, but I forgive you. Which era would you least like to have lived in fashion-wise and why? Most?
Eileen: I love the fashion on the TV show Mad Men, but the truth is it would be very hard for me to give up my stretchy yoga pants and sweatshirt to wear pearls and heels every day.


GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER


Maureen: You’ve written books for adults and kids. What’s the best thing about being a children’s author? Is there a worst thing?
Eileen: I’m often asked about the difference between writing for teens and adults. I feel as if I should come up with a smart sounding answer, but the truth is I don’t find it different. Everyone, no matter their age, deals with similar issues of trying to figure out who you are, what you want in life, and how to cope with the relationships you have and those you want to have. The one thing I particularly like about writing for teens is the intensity. The first time you fall in love, are betrayed by a friend or discover you had strength you didn’t know existed is hugely powerful because it hasn’t happened before- it makes it fun to write.


EILEEN'S GOTTA ASK HER FANS
Since I’m always looking to build my reading list- what is a book you’ve read recently that you think everyone else should read?


GIVEAWAY!
Eileen is offering a copy of THE EDUCATION OF HAILEY KENDRICK to one lucky commenter!
Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.


You can keep in touch with Eileen online here:
http://www.eileencook.com/
Twitter: @Eileenwriter


Readers: Make sure you come back tomorrow when Cat Schield interviews Mira Lyn Kelly!