Author Interview – Alissa Baxter
/
Continuing with my recent international theme, I’m welcoming fellow Decadent Publishing author Alissa Baxter here today to chat about her Ubuntu line release, The Blog Affair. Set in Cape Town, South Africa, this story features a young writer in search of new beginnings and her sexy boss. Curious? Let’s pump Alissa here with some questions.
1. Hi Alissa, and welcome.
Thank you for having me, Tara!
1b. Let’s start with you (and then we’ll move on to your characters). Why did you choose this city to set your story? Are you a Cape Town native yourself?
I’m not a Cape Town native myself, although I lived in Cape Town for 15 months a number of years ago. I decided to set The Blog Affair there as I like to set books in cities I’ve lived in – I can then portray a unique sense of place.
2. I tend to do the same thing–it does lend quite a bit of authenticity. I’m curious about the title. Is your heroine a blogger? What does she write about?
Yes, my heroine, Emma Bradshaw, is a blogger. She has a pattern for falling for unsuitable men and decides to start a blog about these so-called “serial datists” in order to make sense of her dating past.
3. I’m always very curious about male protagonists, so I need some physical details. What type of “sexy” is Nick? Tall-dark-and-handsome?
Nick IS tall, dark and handsome! How on earth did you guess? ;-)
4. Might have something to do with your cover, but let's keep it a mystery. What kind of chemistry do Nick and Emma have? Can you share a snippet to illustrate their connection?
“Miss Bradshaw.” His voice rang with a gravelly note. “We meet again.”
She cleared her throat. “Mr. Reynolds.”
“Nick.”
“Um, Nick. I apologize for earlier.”
“No need to. Of course, I don’t normally welcome potential employees spying on me, but I’ll make an exception in your case.”
“But...I...well, you see...it’s just that—”
“Relax!” He laughed. “I’m just teasing you.”
She glared at him, and scrambled around for something to say, but words eluded her.
“Your curtsey was charming, by the way,” he continued.
She sat up straighter in her seat as her fighting spirit came to the fore. “If you insist on bowing to people, dressed in eighteenth century costume, it’s more than likely they’ll curtsey in response!”
“Indeed. Although I must admit you were the only person who did….”
5. As a newbie author, I’m always curious. How did you get your start as an author? What was your path to publication like?
I started writing my first novel, a Regency romance called The Dashing Debutante, when I was 19 and in my second year at university. I sat next to a publisher on a plane and I happened to have my manuscript with me. I gave it to her to read and she offered to publish my book! Crazy story, but true.
Hey, that's an awesome story! You can probably write a book about it. Since I’ve heard you’re a really busy lady, I’ll let you run off. Thanks again for dropping by.
Thank you, Tara! I’ve really enjoyed being here.
For more information about the book and author, just scroll down.
The Blog Affair
Twenty-something, white, South African Emma Bradshaw has a pattern of falling for unsuitable men and starts a blog about these so-called “serial datists”. Her search for new beginnings takes her to Cape Town, where she gets a job working for sexy author, Nick Reynolds. Romance with her boss is a no-no, but slowly, Nick works his way around her defenses. Trust him, or not, especially with her awful track record with men?
When an anonymous male reader of the blog challenges her on her ideas about the male species, Emma realises she must confront her past and find her true self before she can move forward...and love can blossom again in her future.
About Alissa Baxter
Alissa Baxter was born in South Africa, and grew up with her nose in a book on a poultry and cattle farm. After school and university, where she majored in Political Science and French, she published her first novel, The Dashing Debutante. Alissa travelled to London, England, and did an odd assortment of jobs while researching her second novel, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which she wrote after she moved back to South Africa and settled in Durban. Alissa then relocated to Cape Town where she wrote her third novel, Send and Receive, before moving to Johannesburg, where she currently lives with her husband and two sons.
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
