Today I'd like to introduce you to Melbourne author (and my fab Aunty) Kathryn Ledson. Since The Squee is all about celebrating hard work, creativity and being generally excited about things, I couldn't wait any longer to brag about my talented Aunty and her two recently published hilarious crom/rom/com fiction books!! (Nothing like a little "neppa-tiz!" - a School of Rock reference if you're not familiar)
I asked if Kath wanted to write something for me to share here but she turned up her nose and said "can you just ask me stuff? I'm better at that"
So here goes!
Enjoy!
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Can you tell me a little about
yourself, and your path to becoming a published writer?
If I think about where it all
started, I’d have to say as far back as 1986 when I had a conversation with
myself along these lines: ‘Kath, if you want certain things in your life, YOU
have to make them happen.’ I was terrified, but went ahead and left my (brief, unhappy)
marriage, secure job of 6 years, Melbourne and all my family (including a very
cute little niece) and got a job on Hayman Island. It kind of went from there.
I’d find myself saying, ‘What next?’ Leaving the corporate world for good and
returning to school to do a writing course was just part of that whole process,
but I didn’t for a second think I’d be writing a novel! Or two.
Rough Diamond (published by Penguin) was your first
novel. For those who have not read it, can you give a little bit of a plot
outline without giving too much away?
Well... there’s a girl, and a hunky
guy, and he’s bleeding to death in her front garden. That doesn’t give too much
away does it? No, really, it’s a story about an ordinary office worker who
finds herself recruited into a secret team of vigilantes, who’ve made it their
business to go about Melbourne eradicating all kinds of baddies (just like
Batman). There might be a bit of naughtiness too – some love and lust – but the
bedroom door stays firmly closed (in case you’re thinking 50 Shades...)
And your second and most recently released novel Monkey Business? (also published by Penguin).
Monkey Biz is a bit out there. It’s
a sequel to the first but you can read it as a stand-alone novel. I’ve unleashed
my weird humour in this book. Erica Jewell (my series character) gets a call to
say that her beloved (she’d never let him hear her call him that) – the one
bleeding to death in Rough Diamond – is in trouble yet again. This time he’s
MIA on the dangerous, war-torn island of Saint Sebastian. Erica goes there to
rescue him.
Where did your character and
plot ideas come from? What has inspired you?
Well, about the time you were born,
I was hooked on a very daggy show called Scarecrow and Mrs King. It featured
Kate Jackson, fresh from (the original) Charlie’s Angels (another fave), who
played a prudish, divorced housewife who happened to be in the right place at
the right time and bumped into a spy (“Scarecrow”) needing help escaping bad
guys. She was promptly recruited by his secret US agency and never looked back,
until she made the mistake of marrying the spy, in which case the series was
then boring and over! So I think a seed was planted way back then – it just
took 30 years to sprout. And the plot ideas? Mostly from hilarious dinner
parties with clever friends and family. (You did keep those sunburn diaries for
me didn’t you?) [Editor note: I may indeed share the sunburn diaries at some stage! Keep your eyes peeled folks]
Did you realise right away that
you were a funny writer? Or did you work at it?
Who are you calling funny! I’m very
serious and sensible. Just look at Erica’s mother – a respectable, God-fearing
Catholic lady. You know, as I wrote Rough Diamond, I’d titter to myself about
some things (like Erica’s reaction to her Dad farting in front of Jack), but
really didn’t expect to be considered a ‘funny writer’. Not that I mind! I
quite like it, actually. No, the humour just comes. I can’t help it. A bit like
farting, really.
Can you describe Erica Jewell
and Jack Jones and the nature of their relationship?
Well, they do have a thing together.
But Jack is damaged – he lost his wife and parents in the World Trade Centre in
New York on that fateful day – and hasn’t let anyone close to him since. So
Jack keeps an emotional arm’s length with Erica, and she doesn’t mind that at
all (even though she secretly – to herself only – refers to him as her
‘boyfriend’), having been hurt by her lying, cheating, bastard ex-husband who
ran off with a (blonde) bimbo in a (crappy old) sports car. There’s a serious
attraction, though, that’s for sure. Over the series it’ll keep heating up
until someone’s got to either cook or get outta the kitchen.
Can you tell me about something
that gets you excited- something that makes you SQUEE!?
AND THIS:
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| image from www.vegtv.com |
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