Interview with David Cameron, star of IMBROGLIO

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Today I was lucky enough to corner David Cameron for half an hour to talk to him about recent events in his life. It’s fair to say, and I don’t think he’ll contradict me, they were catastrophic and life changing for him.

Chris Hemsworth--underneathestarz.com — Chris Hemsworth is the actor I would like to play David Cameron if a film were to be made of IMBROGLIO.
Photo from underneathestarz.com

Thanks for agreeing to sit still and have a coffee while I interrogate you.

David: No worries. Although it remains to be seen what I’ll actually answer.

I can see by the grin you’re not going to put too many obstacles up. I’m going to raise Noel Valentine straight the way. Putting it mildly, your meeting was unorthodox.

David: Putting it mildly, yes. But she saved my life twice, so I can only be grateful.

Twice? I know about the car accident but …

David: The second time was after the accident, when I was hospital. Who knows? If she hadn’t done what she did I could still be there and still be in a coma. No-one mentions it but it couldn’t have been easy for her, in any number of ways but one, specifically, was that she was injured herself and what she did must have caused her pain.

You’re right, no-one has brought that up before. How did you feel when you thought she was lost? Sorry, it’s obviously something that makes you uncomfortable.

David: No, not uncomfortable … Panic … still … every time I think about it. And if I still feel that way imagine how her parents, her family, still feel.

I apologise for mentioning it. What are your plans now everything has settled down? Do they include Noel?

David: If she wants it, yes. But let’s not jinx anything, huh?

Phoebe Tonkin-- ThePlace2.ru — Phoebe Tonkin, the Australian actor I would like to play Noel Valentine if a film of IMBROGLIO were made.
Photo from ThePlace2.ru

All right, let’s talk about something else. You were sporting quite a few aliases there for a while. How did you keep track of them?

David: With difficulty. Glad to be done with them and be myself again.

How are things with your mother now?

David: Still a bit tricky but at least we’re talking. I spent several days with her in the States a few weeks back and it went well. And I’m glad. I gave both my parents a hard time when I was growing up and neither of them deserved it. I’m pleased to be back in the fold, so’s to speak.

The company, Gem Techtronics, I understand you’ve been working around the clock since taking over. Are you going to be able to save it?

David: I think so. It’s looking that way. Marion’s putting her heart and soul into it too, I couldn’t have attempted it without her. But she’s got the two kids, Elizabeth and Robin, and I’ve got to keep reminding myself to let her have that work/life balance.

I wondered at one time whether you had a soft spot for her.

David: I did. And I do. She’s one in a million. She has my undying gratitude and friendship, but if you’re asking if she has my heart, no. And she wouldn’t want it. She thinks I’m dangerous!

In what way?

David: To tell you the truth I don’t know. When I asked what she meant she just gave me that gimlet stare and said ‘You don’t change overnight’. You’ll have to ask her.

Maybe I will. I’m talking to her soon. You’d led a pretty free and adventurous life before all this happened. Do you think you’ll be able to settle permanently or do you think you’ll get itchy feet again? What’s so funny?

David: Excuse me while I crack up. What’s so funny? The question. What I’m doing now couldn’t be called anything else but adventurous. It’s just a different kind of adventure and it’s exactly what I want … and what I need. I’d already had enough of my old life, that’s why I came home. Life now is exactly what I want it to be. Or almost, anyway.

You’re talking about Noel.

David: And that’s where this interview ends. Thanks for the coffee, I’ve got to be going.

I wouldn’t be worth my pay grade if I didn’t try. Thanks, and good luck. It was nice to meet you.

Read my interview with Noel Valentine.

You can find IMBROGLIO star David Cameron and read his story in IMBROGLIO

Chris Hemsworth’s IMDb page

@chrishemsworth on Twitter

Chris Hemsworth on Facebook

Is there any instance of when you SHOULD leave a comment?

January 24, 2016Author informationauthor interviews, authors, blog posts, blog sites, book promotions, comment boxes, comments, contemporary fiction, features, guest posts, interviews, leave a reply, promotionsAlana Woods

Is there any instance of when you SHOULD leave a comment on a blog post?

I can think of one—which is the subject of my post today.

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Leaving comments is an ongoing source of discussion. I’ve seen two posts by other bloggers in just the last week.

I’m not going to enter into the general debate about leaving them versus not leaving them.

I have a very definite situation in mind.

Guest posts, interviews, promotions

It’s when we guest post on another’s blog site. What’s the etiquette of responding once the post is published?

If you’ve been lucky enough to be a guest on another blog, been interviewed or had your book/s featured, do you say a public thank you in the comments box at the bottom of the post?

The blog host probably spent quite a bit of time preparing the post. My thinking is they should be publicly thanked for their efforts. It’s the polite thing to do, isn’t it?

A blogging master

I was first presented with this several years ago when I was new to blogging. One of my first guest appearances was on UK author Morgen Bailey’s blog. Now there’s an incredibly busy blogger who knows what she’s about.

In the information she provided me with was the request that after the event I visit the blog and leave a comment. I did, and it’s a lesson that has stayed with me.

In subsequent guest appearances I’ve both commented on the blog site and privately thanked the host via email.

In my own blog posts featuring guests I haven’t followed Morgen’s lead by asking the guest to leave a comment but I’ve decided to do so in future.

The reason being that I rarely receive that public thank you on the post itself. I often receive an email. Sometimes I receive a comment on e.g. Facebook. And in both instances I appreciate the courtesy and thoughtfulness.

However, in more than a few instances I’ve not received any follow-up thank you or comment.

What are your thoughts on this?

Meet IMBROGLIO star Noel Valentine

IMBROGLIO star Noel Valentine agreed to this interview with Kathryn E Jones for her blog A river of stones a while back and both Noel and Kathryn have said I can reproduce it here on my blog. Given Noel is the star of my novel IMBROGLIO I’m pleased to be able to add it to my website IMBROGLIO page.

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Hello Noel, lovely to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. There are so many questions I’d love to ask you about David and why you got involved but that would spoil the surprise for readers who haven’t yet discovered you. So I’m going to keep them general. Would you tell me a little about yourself (where you live, who you are, what you look like, what you hope to achieve, etc.)

My name is Noel Valentine –Alana hijacked my story for her conspiracy mystery thriller IMBROGLIO. I live in a studio apartment in Elisabeth Bay on Sydney Harbour. I work in the city as a PR consultant with William T Hall Advertising. I’m 25, 5’8”, pretty slim, have longish dark hair and my eyes … I like to say topaz with green flecks. These scars on my hands and arms—it’s okay to ask about them—the doctors say they won’t look so bad after a while. It’s only been a few weeks … I was on holiday in Cairns in Queensland and was behind a car that ran off the road down an embankment. It burst into flames. I managed to pull one of the men out but not the other—the police say he was dead already. And I got these burns.

Phoebe Tonkin, the Australian actor the author would choose to play IMBROGLIO star Noel Valentine if a film version were made.
Photo from ThePlace2.ru

The view Noel has from her studio apartment in Elisabeth Bay, Sydney. Photo by Alana Woods

As for aims in life; once it was to be at the top of the PR game but that was before … well, before things went haywire. For the last couple of years it’s just been putting one foot in front of the other every day. But since all that’s happened in the last couple of months I’ve been able to look at the bigger picture again and I have to say that life has improved. I’m thinking that maybe I’ll stick around to grow old after all.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I swim. I find it incredibly relaxing mentally. My father taught me when I was little. Most mornings I’ll swim at Coogee but my parents have a pool and if the weather’s no good I’ll duck over to their place and do a few laps.

What is your favorite colour and why?

White. I know people say it isn’t a colour but I like it. It’s not the only colour I wear but it’s what’s predominantly in my wardrobe.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?

I been known to have fads ☺ Last one was Italian, current one is Thai. Why? The flavours.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

Gloves! Ever since my hands and arms were burnt. I can’t go into a shop now without making a beeline for the gloves section. The last ones I bought were these lovely little lacy things, like gossamer, but enough to disguise the scars.

What is it about your antagonist that irks you the most, and why?

That would be Nick Donaldson, the lawyer managing Gem Techtronics. Everyone thinks he’s an upstanding pillar of society but he’s a criminal and one day I’ll prove it. And he’s a sleaze, which really is the icing on the cake. He cornered me on his motor cruiser the other night; it was a work thing and I was there with William. Such a sleaze!

What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if anything, would you do to keep him/her/it in your life?

Family. Definitely. I lost my dad when I was young. Mum remarried a terrific chap. And I have two younger half brothers who drive me insane but I love them to bits. I’d do anything to keep them in my life.

What one thing would you like readers to know about you that may not be spelled out in the book in which you inhabit?

I’m not a manipulative bitch. I know, given what’s happening, there’s a tendency for people to think I am. But, please, look a bit closer at the circumstances and what I’m trying to do before making up your mind about me.

If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about yourself that might turn the direction of the plot, what would it be?

Don’t put me in the water! I can sort out my issues without being put in that kind of life-or-death situation.

Ask me any question. I’ve always wanted to know what a character thinks about writers like myself.

I’ve been wanting to get this off my chest for a while now, ever since I found out Alana had written a warts-and-all about my life without consulting me. Why do writers believe they can do that? Write someone’s story without asking first. And why do they feel entitled to include the most intimate of details; things, at least as far as I’m concerned, I’d never in a million years have revealed to my mother let alone the world.

Noel, thank you so much!

You can find IMBROGLIO star Noel Valentine and read her story in IMBROGLIO

Phoebe Tonkin’s IMDb page

@PhoebeTonkin

This interview first appeared Kathryn E Jones’ blog A river of stones

Read my interview with David Cameron

What should an author website contain?

December 26, 2015Author informationAlana Woods' author interviews, Alana Woods' book review, Alana Woods' website, Amazon author pages, Australian fiction, Australiana, contemporary fiction, Intrigue Queen of thriller fiction, My World of Books, Travel TalesAlana Woods

I’ve just had to build a new author website from scratch.

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I recently changed website provider and host, and as my old provider didn’t allow me to export data I was forced to start again.

It focused my thinking on this question: Who am I reaching out to and what information should I be providing them with?

I tried to be all things to all people with my old one. Information about my books, me and my writing for the reading public—but I also had pages dedicated to indie authors to help them navigate the tricky shoals of publishing.

I realise now that’s not the way to go. The two purposes are at odds. I imagine readers found it confusing and, to be brutal with myself, uninteresting.

And authors? … well, frankly, my pages palled in the face of many other sites that actually are dedicated to them.

I realised that my purpose as an author is to concentrate on readers.

That brought me to another question: How interested am I in behind-the-scenes information about the books I read and their authors?

In relation to books the answer was that it tickles me to know what inspired a story.

In relation to authors it was wanting to know a little about their lives—only as much as they’re willing to give, of course—and how that has steered their stories.

So … today I’m announcing my new website is ready to receive visitors.

My new author website

alanawoods.com

It welcomes old fans and new.

Each of My books has a dedicated page containing cover image and a snapshot of the story. They have a story-behind-the-story segment, my favourite review, and a slideshow gallery of photos that show the story locations. Two also have video trailers.

My About pages contain personal as well as professional information and, again, slideshow galleries depicting my past and present; nonsensical stuff such holiday pics.

Then there’s a Photo albums page where all of the slideshows reside in thumbnail presentation with captions.

I’ve kept a blog and, in fact, expanded it to two. There’s My World of Books which will continue to focus on book reviews and author interviews, but with forays into the wider world of publishing from the readers’ viewpoint. My new blog, Travel Tales, combines my love of writing with my love of travelling and gives yet another insight into my private life.