#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 11 - "Between You And Me" by Margaret Scott. Author Q&A and Giveaway.

There is a PB copy of this title up for grabs, for #IrishFictionFortnight.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below for your chance to win.  Good Luck!

THE BLURB

Holly Green is an auditor with a New York firm. While working temporarily in the Dublin office, she falls in love with her colleague Oliver Conlon. Fresh out of a disastrous love affair, she now feels she can rebuild her future. 

Then she comes up against corrupt businessman Ger Baron and her tough- minded tactics land her in hot water at work. It looks like she must return to New York, leaving Oliver and a lot of unresolved issues behind. 

But, suddenly thinking outside the box, she makes a decision that puts her in a very strange situation indeed . . . 

A few days later Holly is live-in nanny to two small children – a withdrawn five-year-old and a demon two-year-old – and is wishing she really did have the experience she claimed she had on her CV. Then she makes two discoveries: Supernanny – and the fact that applying her own business training may be just the thing to whip the household into shape . . . 

Whipping Oliver Conlon into shape is another item on her agenda . . .

QUICK-FIRE AUTHOR Q&A

What was the last Irish book/Irish author that you read?

I read a lot of Irish writers which to me, are second to none in the Worldwide Writing Olympics. I’ve just finished Anyush by Martine Madden which is a beautiful love story set against the backdrop of the Armenian genocide. Before that it was The Long Hot Summer by Kathleen McMahon which I also thoroughly enjoyed. Actually why isn’t there a Writing Olympics? We need to do something about that...

Who was the first person to read ‘Between You and Me’?

My writing group ‘The Naas Harbour Writers’ would have seen various very early drafts but when I eventually finished it went to Vanessa O’Loughlin of writing.ie and then my agent Ger Nichol both of whom contributed greatly to it’s eventual publication. Having people read and give feedback on your books has to be the most stressful experiences ever and one that I’ll never get used to...

What did you do to celebrate the launch of your debut novel?

After the launch in Dubray Books, Grafton Street a group of us went around to the Shelbourne for drinks - I’d planned nothing as to be honest my nerves hadn’t allowed me see any further than my speech but it turned out to be a super night. Hopefully we’ll do something similar in March for the next one, maybe without the nerves this time.

What is on your bedside table at the moment?

As I’m currently on holidays I have several books on my bedside locker and they are as follows:

Barracuda by Christos Tsiolkas 

The Way We Were by Sinead Moriarty

Tender by Belinda McKeon

Columbine by Dave Cullen (I read a lot of non fiction so brought this in case the urge hits me)

The moment I first believed by Wally Lamb

(actually this is kind of a lie – Poor Wally was on my bedside table but its 740 pages have been put to better use as a door-stop to prevent the bedroom door swinging back and waking the baby (holiday cottage = small rooms)

Your favourite childhood book?

Anne of Green Gables, Swiss Family Robinson and anything by Enid Blyton (I’m pretending you said ‘books’)

Your favourite classic?

Has to be Wuthering Heights  - sweet uncomplicated love is good in real life but doesn’t make for very interesting fiction. What I love about this book is that the obsession that Heathcliff and Cathy have for each other is so intense that it goes beyond the grave and becomes part of the moors themselves. Mind you I’m not so sure that anyone else could love either of them but sure isn’t that what it’s all about? I’d take the madness and passion of Heathcliff over Mr Darcy anytime, but then it’s a fact universally acknowledged that I married against type...

(I should add that to actually write a book with this much angst in it would probably make me a very unpleasant person to live with so it’s unlikely I’ll be changing genre anytime soon)

You’re down to your last cash.  A book or groceries?

I’m not going to lie, I love food. And there wouldn’t be much reading done if I was hungry so I’m going to go with groceries and just pick something from my massive to be read pile should this emergency arise

(who am I kidding, I’m a writer, it arises most months!)

The last book launch you attended?

Kate Beaufoy’s launch of ‘Another Heartbeat in the House’ where I even got to meet my writing idol Marian Keyes who is even lovelier in real life. I do love a good book launch, it has all the hopes and dreams of a wedding but takes up far less time and you go home with something new to read!

Who was the last person you messaged?

I had to check (working at a keyboard means plenty of messaging!) and it was the very talented Caroline Finnerty who’s new book ‘My Sister’s Child’ is due out shortly. One of the best things about entering the realm of the Irish writers is the friends that I’ve made and Caroline has been a source of constant support to all my self-doubt and neediness...

Who is the most famous person in your mobile phone contacts?

Couldn’t tell you that or I’d sound like a  stalker.  Ok, it’s Caroline.

Big night out or cosy night in?

Big night out with good friends (as long as there’s dancing) because with a ten month old baby, what’s rare is wonderful! 

Winter reading (by the fire) or summer reading (sun lounger)?

Summer reading –coat, knee socks, wooly hat, cuppa tea and no technology. Sun lounger? Don’t make me laugh…

You could only save one thing in the event of a fire (Family or pets excluded), what would it be?

My Mac Book Air – I’d no sooner bought it when the backside dropped out of the economy and as they say, when its gone…its gone…

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Margaret Scott is an accountant by day and a writer by night and her first book ‘Between You and Me’ was published by Poolbeg Press in 2013, enjoying several weeks in the top ten of the ROI Best Sellers list. She lives in Kildare with her husband two daughters and baby son and her second book ‘The Fallout’ is due for publication in Spring 2016.

Between Me and You is published by Poolbeg and is available in paperback and ebook format.

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