THE AUTHOR

Publication Date: July 28th 2014

THE INTERVIEW

Hi Lola!

First of all – I loved your review of Part-time Princess! Thank you!

To start off, is there something that would be interesting we knew about you? Something maybe a few people know…? *suggestive eyebrows*

You probably already know I discovered and pitched the real life Erin Brockovich story that became the movie.

Hmm. Multiple Choice Quiz:

Author Pamela DuMond is guilty of the following:

A. Was a cabaret singer in a slightly naughty Chicago Gentleman’s Club.
B. Made the first cut of Miss Teen Illinois only to be drop-kicked from the pageant after the talent competition.
C. After successfully fighting off two muggers in Chicago on New Years Eve she chased them down shouting, “F-you! F-you! I’m going to hunt you down and kill you.”
D. Hung out with Busta Rhymes’ posse at the Orthopaedic’s office after she fell and broke her arm.
E. All of the above.

(Answer: E)

Did you always think you were going to become a writer? …Or maybe your dream was to become a princess? Hehe

My dad called me his little princess. He was a great dad—really sweet and funny.

When I was a kid I practically lived at the library. I wanted to become a secretary, a ballerina and ride horses for a living. (Because that is such a niche job—right?) I’ve always written, but didn’t know which direction I should take for a long time.

What are your passions, besides writing?

I love working out. I love animals. I love movies and really great TV shows. Okay…this is boring… I like Chris Hemsworth’s arms in every movie he’s ever been in. I would sign up to be Mrs. Timothy Olyphant in a heartbeat (although I would never kick the current Mrs. Olyphant to the curb—I’m not that kind of chick.) I like digging my toes into the exact spot where the ocean bubbles up onto the sand. It feels yummy. Oh—I love Chinese foot massages.

Your writing space…how does it look like? And what is it you can’t endure?

My writing space is pathetic and I admit that I kind-of like it that way. My newish laptop sits on top of a 15-year-old, rickety card-table perched in front of a fifty-year-old comfy chair in the living room of my basic, two bedroom apartment in Venice Beach, California. My larger computer sits on my Dad’s desk in my 2nd bedroom.

My abode is not fancy. There is no doorman at my building—only two whiny cats that greet me when I return from my day job with a steaming pile of cat hurl on the carpeting. This is the exciting life of a writer. This I endure.

What I can’t endure?

Freaking bugs, man. I am a total wuss about bugs. Give me a low-grade earthquake any day as long as I don’t have to deal with bugs.

Which book are you currently reading? Enjoying it?

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley. And yes I’m enjoying it! I’m waiting anxiously for my copy of Luna Tango to be shipped by the author Allie Sinclair from Australia because it’s not yet available here. (Darn you Australia!)

A funny story you would like to share we us all? ^_^

This actually happened last Saturday.

Poise and Grace Post of the Day

So Daisy, the cockroach exterminator comes over this morning to spray. At this point we are almost BFFs. We chit-chat about our families, our mothers, the cats, life, love, etc. Seriously? Nicest exterminator ever.

I sequester the cats in the second bedroom. I move my water, double up on coffee and then realize I just washed ALL my utensils in the utensil drawer because I found a roach in it.

Not wanting the clean utensils to be sprayed, I load up a large glass Pyrex baking dish with knives and forks and skewers and potato mashers to the brim. I turn to carry this out of the kitchen when I trip over Daisy’s large can of cockroach poison, and plummet toward the floor clutching the Pyrex container against my waist.

In a herculean move, Daisy grabs me from behind like a football player, managing to stop my fall by latching onto both of my breasts.

I stubbed my toe, twisted my lower back, and I do believe this was the start of a very exciting day!

Dream cast for the main characters of Part-time Princess? And why would they be the perfect choice?

I wrote Part-time Princess with Sandy Bullock in my head the entire time. Unfortunately, she’s no longer in her twenties, so I’m racking my brain for a younger actress who has killer comedic chops.) I kind of liked your idea of Miley Cyrus if she is still redeemable. Kaley Cuoco? Sarah Hyland from Modern Family?

I wrote Esmeralda for Melissa McCarthy. I love her.

Hmm—the boys—I don’t know? It wouldn’t kill me to have the Hemsworth brothers—Liam as Nick and Chris Hemsworth as Cristoph. Alex Pettyfer as Nick? We’d have to dye his hair. (I’ll generously offer to take care of that and throw in a complimentary foot massage.)

My perfect casting choices are hot guys and a cute chick who can nail the comedy as well as the romance. (No pun intended.)

If you had the chance to meet your FAVORITE book character, who would it be and what would you ask him/her/it?

Nancy Drew I adorbs you. But don’t you think it’s time to take a break on all the mystery solving, and go out shopping and/or partying with your BFFs instead?

What scene from Part-time Princess is your favorite? Is it because it makes you laugh or is it the one that makes you feel most close to the characters?

I think my two favourite scenes are:

The one that makes me laugh the most—when Lucy is relaxing naked in the hot-tub in the Penthouse Condo in Fredonia and Nick interrupts her. Then Cristoph interrupts. Then everyone else interrupts.

The one that makes me feel close to the characters: I don’t want to give away the ending of the book, so I’ll just say that the last scenes in Chapter 35 in Part-time Princess made me laugh and they also made me cry. I loved the friendship, I loved the loyalty and I loved the ending. I guess you’ll have to read it to find out why.

Favorite princess story? And why that one specifically?

Hands down the movie The Princess Bride. It is the funniest, most clever, sweetest, love story/princess movie I’ve ever seen.

What does the sequel of Part-Time Princess reserve for us, readers?

I am so glad you asked!

Book #2 takes Lucy and Nick from Chicago on their journey to the royal Fredonia Wedding Altar. Yikes! What could possibly happen? Hint: Their potential killers are still on the lam, bad things will happen, the Ladies-in-Waiting will have to get down and dirty and take no prisoners. There will be romance. There will be dangerous liaisons. There will be silliness.

Book # 3 will most likely be about who tames the heart of the Playboy Prince Cristoph of Fredonia.

Book #4 – Is up for grabs?

Quick Ten!

Contemporary or fantasy?
Def Contemporary but I do love me my time-travel, which is more historical than fantasy.
YA or NA?
I love both. I write both.
I write romance and longing and love without writing sex manuals. I love writing a story with hot scenes without giving the mechanics. (Insert manly part into girly part at x angle. Pivot slightly to ensure blah blah blah.) That said—I respect other authors’ rights to write the details.
Long or short dresses?
Long.
2000 or 1850?
2000 – Billboard #1 song “Breathe” by Faith Hill. #2 song “Smooth” by Santana with Rob Thomas. That was a sexy year.
Pink or purple?
Pink.
Mascara or lip gloss?
I am torn on this one.
Summer or winter?
Winter! (In L.A.!)
Rain or snow?
Snow.
Paperback or hardcover?
E-book.
Princess or queen?
Definitely Princess. Queens have too much responsibility.

Anything you would like to add?

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Lola!

Part-time Princess (Ladies-in-Waiting, #1) is available on Amazon, Nook, Kobo and soon to be a paperback.

I would love for you to sign up for my mailing list for news and notes and offers. I promise I won’t sell it or spam you.

Thank you Pamela!! I had fun reading your answers. 🙂

GIVEAWAY (US & CA only)

$15 Amazon Gift Card
3 e-books of Part-time Princess
2 e-books of The Story of You and Me (A NA romance)
Autographed paper copy of The Messenger (a YA time travel novel currently being shopped as a TV show!)

Courtesy of the author!

Interview by Hit or Miss Books.