#Interview Sweet Meets Spicy @thewordsmythe #giveaway

Happy Monday, everyone. Today, I'm excited to host debut author, Nkem Ivara on my blog. Her contemporary romance novella, Closer Than A Brother is published by Whispers Publishing and came out on March 8, 2013.

She is a writing buddy and writes romance on the sweet end of the scale which compliments my spicy style well. We've been chatting about her writing in general and her new book, so please give her a warm welcome.

As usual everyone who leaves a comment gets a chance to win an eBook copy of her book.

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Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself

Thanks for showcasing me on your blog.  I am married to my own tall, dark and handsome hero and we have two very active boys. There are very few things I enjoy more than playing word games and reading. I also enjoy watching back-to-back episodes of some American series e.g. Scandal, Criminal Minds, The Good Wife, Greys' Anatomy, etc. I have been writing for a while but only started doing so seriously when I met some other writers (including yourself) who encouraged me to pursue it seriously.

 

 

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?

I have always wanted to be an author. I loved reading fiction and make-believe stories from a very young age and I I always knew I would write and publish one day. However,  it took a combination of time, chance and being in the right place with the right people at the right time to make it happen.

Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

I have a long list of favourites including Francine Rivers, Frank Peretti, Karen Kingsbury, Penny Jordan, Charlotte Lamb, C.S Lewis, John Grisham, Robert Whitlow, Buchi Emecheta,  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chinua Achebe, Chika Unigwe, Lola Shoneyin. They all, along with a few others, have influenced my writing in one way or another.
 

Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like. 

I really don't have a typical writing day. I try to write everyday but I am not always successful. Some days, I'll write for hours on end and others, for just a few minutes. I sit on my sofa in the living room and write on my laptop. I usually wait till the boys are in school or after they are in bed as it's quieter then and I can hear myself think.

Q5) Let’s talk about your new book.  Can you tell us a little about it?

Closer than a Brother is about best friends who fall in love but are completely unaware the feelings are mutual. Daye Thompson and Samantha Egbuson grew up in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and now live in London. Neither is willing to risk losing the friendship by revealing their true feelings. The story is told from both points of view and explores the resulting conflict and complications as they each try to conceal their feelings for the other.

Blurb: Daye Thompson didn’t know when it happened, but while playing the role of the-big-brother-she-never-had to beautiful Samantha Egbuson, he falls in love with her. Confessing his true feelings could signal the end of their lifetime friendship. Can he risk losing her altogether?

She may have fallen for her best friend, Daye but can Samantha trust him with her heart when she has had such rotten luck with men she trusted in the past?  

Available at: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Q6) How did you come up with the idea for this story?

I wanted to write a story that I would enjoy reading and I have always liked the idea of best friends falling in love with each other. I think friendship is an excellent foundation for a relationship. These two people who already know so much about each other, are familiar with each other's flaws and annoying habits, have been privy to embarrassing and awkward moments in each other's lives, and yet they love each other in spite of it all or, perhaps, as a result. 

Q7) What is up next for you?

I am currently working on two stories which are both set in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. One is about a married couple who have to deal with the pain and betrayal of infidelity. The other is about a couple who find themselves cornered into a marriage of convenience.

Q8) What is the best piece of advice you would give to a budding writer?

Stop putting it off, there'll never be a better time than now. Write, write and write some more. And while you are at it, read. A lot.
 

Q9) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?

I am currently reading Binyavanga Wainaina's One day I Will Write About This Pace and I can't wait to get stuck into Tsitsi Dangarembga's Nervous Conditions and The book of Not.
 

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'd like to say a big thank you for having me on here today. I hope your readers enjoyed reading about me. They can find me on Twitter as @thewordsmythe and my blog www.thewordsmythe.wordpress.com
 

Favorite Quiz

Favorite cities: London, New York, Port Harcourt.

Favorite beverage: Water 

Favorite place you’d like to visit: South East Asia

Favorite place to write: My sofa

Favorite hobby: Reading

Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption/Sound of Music

Favorite book: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.