Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Now Presenting: Samantha Stroh Bailey


I am thrilled to have on the blog today the adorable and sweet Samantha Stroh Bailey; her charming debut novel Finding Lucas was released last April, becoming a word-of-mouth sensation.

She's giving away an e-copy of Finding Lucas to one lucky reader; as always, just leave a comment with your email and you're entered to win! Entries open until Friday, August 2.

And now, on to the interrogation interview:

1) Tell us about Finding Lucas, and what inspired you to write it.

I always get my plot ideas late at night just as I'm falling asleep. So, one night, I was lying in bed and thinking about my "friends with benefits" from high school and early university. I hadn't seen or spoken to Jack in almost ten years, and I wondered where he was and how he was doing. I'd never thought of him as the one who got away, like Jamie does in Finding Lucas. But, Jack had been a big part of my life as I navigated my late teens and early twenties, and I wanted to know that he was happy. Suddenly, I realized so many people must wonder "what if" about their exes. With Facebook and Twitter, it's much easier to find them. And Finding Lucas was born.

Can you ever really go back to the past?

After five long years of living with Derek, her former bad-boy-turned-metrosexual boyfriend, Jamie Ross finally reaches her breaking point. She's had enough of his sneering disdain for her second hand wardrobe, unusual family and low-paying job as the associate producer of Chicago's sleaziest daytime talk show. When her new boss plans a segment on reuniting lost loves, Jamie remembers Lucas, her first love and the boy she'd lost ten years earlier. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, Jamie goes on a hilarious, disastrous and life changing hunt to track Lucas down. But are some loves best left behind?


2) What one piece of writing advice resonated most with you?

Keep writing. I've been writing for thirty years, and though it does take me a long time to finish a manuscript (I have two young kids and own a freelance writing/editing business), I never stop writing. I'm not always happy with what I write, but I keep going until I am.

3) If you had to design a menu around Finding Lucas, what three dishes would be featured?

Steak, for sure. Both Jamie and I share a love of meat, and I think a huge T-bone, medium rare, with a Caesar salad, topped with crunchy croutons and shaved parmesan is a must!

Jamie's mom, Leah, and stepmom, Katie, are both in the field of holistic wellness. So, a dish featuring quinoa, sprouts and a ton of veggies would definitely be on the menu.

Because Jamie works for a sleazy daytime talk show, another dish would have to be fast food. Unhealthy, full of grease and fat, this "dish" would represent the stories Jamie produces on "Tell It Like It Is."

4) Always feared, always entertaining: share your favorite cringe-worthy teenage memory.

This is totally cringe-worthy. Well, in high school, I wasn't the most attractive of teens. I had glasses, braces and no boobs (thankfully, those came a bit later and then promptly disappeared after I had kids). There was this guy who all of the girls were in love with. I thought I was being subtle when I stared at him in the halls, even timing the seconds between stares on my watch. Yeah, well, I wasn't as subtle as I thought. One day in the school cafeteria, filled with hundreds of students, the object of my affection stood up and yelled, "Would somebody tell that ugly girl to stop looking at me?" Before you wince too much, I did get my revenge. Years later, I saw him in a bar, and having no clue who I was, he asked for my number. I gave him the wrong one.

5) If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

This is an easy one. I'm only five feet tall. Well, okay, barely five feet tall. So, I would love the superhero power to stretch to five ten whenever I felt like it. I could finally see over people's heads in movie theaters, wear pants that I don't have to hem with duct tape (duct tape has so many uses), and people wouldn't pat me on the head anymore.
~~~
Thanks, Sam! Isn't she great? Don't forget to enter to win a copy; this one's such fun!!

Samantha Stroh Bailey has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen. In fact, she even sent her first manuscript, Freddy the Flame, to publishers when she was ten years old. After 15 years of teaching ESL to adults, including at the University of Toronto, she decided to live her dreams of being a fulltime writer and editor. Now the owner of Perfect Pen Communications, she not only gets to write novels, but also writes and edits for magazines, websites, businesses, students and other authors. Her work has appeared in Now Magazine, The Village Post, Oxford University Press, Abilities Magazine, on mommyish.com and many other publications. Samantha also has a Masters of Education in Applied Linguistics. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children. Finding Lucas is her first novel. 

You can find Samantha on her Blog, Twitter @perfectpen, Facebook, Goodreads, and her Business Website, Perfect Pen Communications. Finding Lucas is available on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Kobo.

30 comments:

  1. Great interview. I love Sam and Finding Lucas!!! I am anxiously awaiting her next book!

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  2. Anonymous10:44 AM

    Sounds like a really fun read and I would love to win a copy. Thanks for the give-away.

    Ann Ellison
    abilene_nana@yahoo.com

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  3. Bridget T.10:55 AM

    Sounds like a great book. iambtinrb@aol.com

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  4. Anonymous11:38 AM

    Whether I win or not, this sounds like one to add to my list of future reads... tee_cc83@yahoo.com

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    1. Thank you! That's always so nice to hear (read). :)

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  5. I totally enjoyed this book and have recommended to friends too.
    Janine
    kinini01@hotmail.com

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    1. Oh, thank you, Janine! That is very appreciated!

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  6. Thank you so much, Jess, for hosting me and for reminding me of that fabulous teenage moment. :) These were such fun questions!

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  7. I have read this already, so don't enter me in the contest. I just wanted to say that this was a great interview and I love how Sam got back at the guy. :)

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    1. Thanks, Melissa. It felt very, very good.

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  8. I've read "Finding Lucas," and really enjoyed it! (So don't put me in the contest). Sam, bravo to you for sharing your high school memory - you're beautiful!

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    1. So much love to you, Martha! Thank you.

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  9. Ouuuuhhhhh.... I'd love to get me a copy of a free book. So where did the name Lucas come from?

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  10. Looks like another one to add to my always growing list of must reads!
    estherhatkoff@gmail.com

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  11. So many people have recommended me this book. I really need to read it! Heard great comments. Thanks for the giveaway!

    love2slim(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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    1. That makes me so happy! Much appreciated!

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  12. i still have this on my must read list!
    sparkle40175@hotmail.com

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  13. Sounds like a great book!

    Thanks!
    -Jessica M
    walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

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  14. I'd love to win a copy - heard so much about it and never got around to reading it.

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    1. Thanks, Amanda! I devoured the Mummy Misfit books!

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  15. Great read! (Don't enter me since I've already got it) Love that you got your revenge on that guy! What a fool he was!

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    1. Thanks, Jackie! Can't wait for your next book!

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  16. Oh, wow! Yes, that would definitely be a cringe-worthy memory! Sounds like you recovered nicely, though. Your book sounds wonderful. Good luck with your release!

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    1. Thanks, Caryn. I remember that moment often. Sigh.

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