Hullo Everyone, Welcome to Nerdy Bookarazzi’s Author Interview Session, I’m super excited and immensely happy to bring one of my favorite authors to this session. It’s none other than Jaimie Admans. I came across Jaimie’s book “The little bookshop of love stories” not until very recently and I have immediately fallen in love with the book and her writings. I also reviewed the ARC of the book here in this blog, you can check it out if you haven’t I’ll put up the link in the end.
Right after finishing the book, I immediately contacted Jaimie. Oh god! what can I say ? She is the most sweetest author I have ever come across. The way she communicated with me was unbelievable. She treated me like a friend and throughout our conversations I was completely awestruck. She is such good human being, polite personality and most importantly one of the most amazing author you will ever see in the recent times.
Jaimie Admans is an English author from South Wales. She writes Young Adult, Chick-lits and romantic-comedies. She extremely enjoys writing, she has published number of feel good and happy books which has been widely enjoyed and appreciated by the readers. She started out as Self-publishing author and now she is publishing under HQ Digital (Part of Harper Collins). She is very active in twitter and absolutely adore her fans and enjoys talking to them.
Welcome to this Author Interview session Jaimie, I’m over the moon in having you here in Nerdy Bookarazzi and most of all, Thank you so much for doing this interview with me. I’m eagerly looking forward to start this session. Shall we ?
My first question for you is, I know it’s a very regular question but I can’t help it. What inspired you to write in the first place ?
I’ve just always loved books and reading. I devoured stories as a child and grew up wanting to tell them and write the kind of books that I wanted to read. I’ve wanted to tell stories for as long as I can remember!
On the whole how many books you have published and among all the books that you’ve written, what’s your favorite book and who is your favorite character ?
Overall, I have eleven published books, but my first five were self-published and the later six have been published by the amazing HQ Digital, and I have to say they’re a lot better than my earlier work!
My favorite book of them all is The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea because I enjoyed writing it so much, it was very easy to write, and my favorite character is also from that book – Nathan, the gorgeous love interest. Of all my book characters, he’s the one I most wish could be real because I’m a little bit in love with him!
Who was your first ever reader and how they showered their support to you ?
This probably sounds terrible, but I can’t remember who my first ever reader was! I published my first book in 2012 so it was a while ago! What I can remember is some of the lovely bloggers and reviewers who I met through that very first book, and how they’re still in my life now and still supporting every book!
So, you started out as an Indie author and now you’re publishing several number of books under HQ Digital (Part of Harper Collins). Tell us a bit about both these publishing experiences ?
I enjoyed starting out as an Indie and loved the control I had over every aspect of the books, but I quickly realized there was just too much behind-the-scenes work to do and not enough time for actual writing! Being signed by a publisher was a dream come true and I feel like my writing has improved so much since I started working with them. Six books later, I love the romantic comedies I write now, I love working with the amazing editors and team there, and I love how much they do for every book.
How do you do research for your books ?
A lot of Googling! Once I’ve decided on my idea, I Google for general information about my subject matter, I also try to find books or articles that feature personal experiences of whatever my characters will be doing (for example, running a bookshop) and I also find people who have done the job and are willing to answer any questions that might come up. If I can find any TV shows or documentaries, I’ll watch them, even just things set in the general area to get a feel for the place.
How do you start to write a book ? Do you start to write only after totally materializing the plot or you’ll go with the flow as it comes ?
I always start by writing a full synopsis of the idea to make sure it’s got a solid beginning,
middle, and end. With a publisher, I usually have to send this in first so they can okay the idea before I start writing, so it has to be fairly thorough and thought out. However, I do also like to let the characters lead as the story goes on, and there’s plenty of room for changes and the story changing slightly from what I had planned, which is a brilliantly fun part of the writing process!
When you’re writing an emotional or ecstatic or funny part, how do you get yourself into the mood ?
I find it quite easy to step into my character’s shoes and feel what they’re feeling. While I’m writing, I get to ‘live’ their lives, so it’s easy to feel whatever emotions they’re experiencing.
What is more important ? Characters or plot ?
For me, it’s plot. Without a plot, there’s nothing. I love creating characters and thinking up their personalities, appearances, and their past, and who they are and what makes them that way, but there has to already be a situation to fit them in to, if that makes sense?
How hard is it to establish and maintain a career in fiction writing ?
All you can do is keep on writing, keep on getting your books out there, and hope that people keep buying them. Personally, I love writing and would continue to do it even if I didn’t have a single reader, so people reading my books and enjoying them is a real bonus!
Could you describe the mundane details of writing ? How many hours a day do you devote yourself for writing ? Do you write daily ? How do you draft your books on paper or at keyboard (typewriter or computer)
Probably too many hours a day! I have a pretty awful work/life balance and often work for most of the day and then into the night as well! I always write on the computer, handwriting just isn’t fast enough when you’re in the middle of a scene! I do write every day, especially when writing a first draft because I feel it’s important to keep up the flow, but even when I’m not actively drafting, I’ll be doing revisions or research or copyedits or any of the other things that have to happen alongside writing, and I do make sure to work on it every day… apart from the occasional Sunday I’ll let myself have free!
Are you a full time writer ? Apart from writing what else do you do ?
I’m very lucky that I get to write full time.
You must be having a very big library of your own, if it’s possible can you share the picture of your library ? If not can you describe it to us ?
My bookshelves are in a little alcove in the bedroom, and they’re all quite old books now because I only buy ebooks these days. I’ve included a photo of the upper part of one shelf – the tidiest part
– but most of my books are on my Kindle!
Wow this little library of yours looks absolutely amazing !!!
Did you take any writing course ?
No, never. I started writing when I was sixteen and had a lot of false starts and awful stories, but I learnt as I went. By trying out different genres and different writing styles, jumping in without planning and trying out plotting in minute detail, I figured out what worked for me and what didn’t!
How long does it usually takes for you to complete writing a book ?
For the first draft itself, roughly three months. By the time I start that, I’ll have been planning the idea in notes and in my head for anything from a few months to a year, so once I start a first draft, I’m ready to write. After the first draft, then there are another few months in which I do revisions with my publisher and then copyedits, so it’s generally 6 + months between starting to write and publication.
If you want to experiment with a new genre, what genre would that be and why ?
Before I got into writing romantic comedies, I wrote a lot of Young Adult books, and it’s
something I’d love to go back to one day, but that doesn’t count as a new genre for me… I’ve got a soft spot for history and certain times in the past, so I suppose historical, although I’m not sure I’d be any good at it! I’ve tried it once (in an unpublished book!) and I referenced several things that hadn’t been invented yet in that time!
If you would like to tell your younger writing self something, what that would be ?
Keep going. You learn something with every book, so just keep writing. All the unpublished manuscripts you finish will not be for nothing.
How do you think being a writer has helped you as a person ?
It’s taught me so much in terms of the things I’ve had to research for various books. I’m full of random facts now, that I’ve learnt for books or accidentally come across while researching. My last few books have been set on a carousel, a Christmas tree farm, and a bookshop – I had to learn so much about these professions to be able to accurately write the setting, and it’s given me such a huge respect for people in these industries. It’s also helped me to empathize with emotional situations or family situations that I might not have been through myself, but I’ve had to get a deeper understanding of how my characters would feel.
I know how much you love writing and how young you started out writing, if not a writer what career path you would’ve chosen ?
I honestly have no idea! Looking back, it’s obvious that I would never have been anything else! I was into web design around the time I started writing, so I suppose maybe something to do with that. I also trained as a nail technician, and I used to work in shops, so I’d probably have just stuck with retail!
Which movie adaptation of a book did justice to the book ?
I really loved the movie of Me Before You, I thought they did a brilliant job of translating that incredible book onto screen and got the casting spot on.
If you were to convince a non-reader into reading a book, how do you convince them?
Reading uses the imagination in a way that films and TV don’t, and there’s something so magical about being able to picture a whole scene just from reading a few words on a page! Nothing takes you away like a book does!
Do you want to tell something about your new book to the audience ?
It’s about Hallie, she’s a bit clumsy and hasn’t had much luck in her life, but her luck suddenly changes when she wins a bookshop. She hasn’t got a clue how to run a business, but luckily, handsome artist Dimitri is soon to literally fall through the door, and between them, they discover that all the secondhand books in the shop are hiding handwritten inscriptions inside them and start trying to find some happy endings to these vintage love stories and reunite owners with books they thought were lost forever…
According to me, it is much easier to make someone cry, angry, sad or frustrated than making someone laugh. Making people laugh out loud is a very big thing and that too through words is completely awesome. If you ask me I’ll call it a super power. In my experience as a reader only two authors has managed to make me laugh and you are one among them. So how do you manage to make that possible ?
That’s so incredible to hear! Thank you, Meenu! Honestly, I have no idea. I try to write things that make me laugh – that’s all you can do really. Writing a book can be months of staring at words on a page, having read them over and over again, so many times that you lose all perspective on them and you have no clue whether they’re funny or not, so all I can do is try to make myself giggle when I write it for the first time, and hope that many months later, that will translate to readers finding it funny too.
I extremely loved the storyline of “The Little Bookshop of Love Stories” so how did you come up with such an amazing plot ? Authors would try to implant bookaholic characteristic into their lead characters but those aren’t a full-fledged one as Hallie and Dimitri. What made you write something about book lovers ?
Because I’m a book lover! I have far too many books, my list of books to read is overflowing and still I buy more. I love nothing more than wandering around a bookshop, and I’ve heard “More books? Why do you need more books?” so many times, and I really wanted it to come across as a tribute to books, and book lovers, and bookshops, and all things bookish, really! The initial idea sprung from a newspaper article I’d read about a retiring bookseller who was giving away his bookshop to someone who wanted to run it, and as a book lover, I thought about how amazing that would be. Can you imagine winning a bookshop of your very own? Wouldn’t it be
incredible? I’m not as lucky as Hallie is in the book, but it gave me a chance to fictionally explore what would be an absolute dream for me – to suddenly be gifted a bookshop!
Firstly I should really thank you so much for writing this kind of a plot and secondly I’m extremely grateful for meeting someone like Dimitri in my lifetime, even in my wildest dreams I haven’t dreamt of someone as perfect, weird and bookish as Dimitri. Tell us about Dimitri and how much he means to you ?
I absolutely loved writing Dimitri! Firstly, I love male characters who are sweet, and fun, and kind, and aren’t macho alpha-males. Men who are as awkward and clumsy as I am in real life, men who aren’t afraid to show their feelings, who have emotions and pasts and not-always- perfect families and other things to deal with. Secondly, I’ve always loved the name Dimitri and have been waiting for the right book to use it in, and the moment I thought about Dimitri, I knew the name fitted him. My first idea for him was his very first scene and I instantly pictured him literally falling in the door and Hallie knowing right away that she’d found a kindred spirit in him. I loved watching them grow together and help each other for the better.
I’m going to ask you an unfair question, sorry in advance. You would’ve read a plethora of books, tell us who is your favorite book boyfriend among them all ? To make it easier for you, tell us your top 10.
I actually only have one! And he’s AMAZING! His name is Hugh Mackinnon and he’s so
incredible that no other book boyfriends are needed! He’s from a gorgeous book called Only You by Marie Landry, and he’s hot hot hot, sexy, kind, gentle, funny, and Scottish! The definition of a swoon worthy love interest! I adore him and very much wish he was real because I’m totally in love with him! It’s such a wonderful book that everyone should read it.
Now I’m damn interested in reading this book, I’ll definitely check this book out.
All the bookish references made in The Little Bookshop of Love Stories was universal, like it covered all types of reader’s favorite books. How did you made sure of that ?
Even before I started writing this book, I really wanted all the books mentioned in it to mean something to myself, or my family and friends, so I didn’t just mention random books, I mentioned books I’ve read that have stuck with me over the years, and I also asked my closest friends and family members to tell me what their favourite books are now or were when they were children. I wasn’t intending to get a wide range of books, I just wanted them all to matter in some way, but it turned out to be quite a fitting collection of books to be found inside Once Upon A Page!
“Once upon a page” how did you come up with such an interesting and intriguing name for the bookshop in the book ? I really liked the name.
I love fairytales, and I really wanted this story to have a fairytale feel to it – from Dimitri working on a book of fairytales to the Anastasia and Beauty and the Beast references. And it would be a fairytale come true for any bookworm to win a bookshop, I wanted the name to reflect the sense of magic that Hallie feels inside the shop!
Is there a real life “Once upon a page” in your life ?
I wish there was! It’s not a real place, but I wish it was so I could visit there! I’ve been to many bookshops over the years, but none quite like the idealistic fairytale one I imagined for the story!
Are you someone like Robert, highly inclined towards second hand books or you prefer fresh copies ?
These days, I’m all about my Kindle, I’m afraid! I’ve totally ran out of bookshelf space and generally the only books I buy now are ebooks! But I still love real books too and have loads. I’m a bit of both actually when it comes to new and secondhand books. I love inhaling the smell of a fresh, clean paperback and running my fingers across uncreased spines and perfect new pages, but I also love the idea of a book that’s had a life before it gets to you. I’m like Hallie, I like thinking about where an old book came from and how many houses and lives it’s passed through and what it’s meant to the people who had it before me.
I got introduced to books through scholastic book fair. The first book I bought for myself was Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, I must’ve been around 5 or 6 years old then. Can you share your experiences with scholastic book fairs back in the days ?
Oh, how I loved the Scholastic book fairs! That’s so amazing that you were introduced to books through them. I remember our assembly hall at primary school being filled with big metal cases on wheels that opened to reveal shelves full of books, and I wanted them all! I spent all my pocket money there, then I begged my mum to buy me more books! I can’t remember how often it came, but I do remember it would only be a few days long, and it was never long enough! I couldn’t wait until break times and after school time when we’d be allowed to look at the books – it was agony when we had to walk past all the closed metal cases and not be allowed to see and touch the books!
Do you believe in writer’s block, if so, how do you come out of it ?
I think the only thing you can do with writer’s block is to push through it and write, even if you hate every word. It’s not always that easy, and sometimes that approach doesn’t work, but if you’re on a deadline and you have to get a book finished by a certain date, you really have no choice about pushing through and forcing yourself to write anyway. It can always be fixed later, that’s something that’s worth always remembering, but it can’t be fixed if you don’t get anything down at all!
How do you manage to be so sweet and loving towards your readers and fans ?
That’s so sweet of you, but I feel like it’s an absolute honour that anyone reads my books and I feel so humbled when anyone takes the time to get in touch and tell me they’ve enjoyed something I’ve written. It’s a pleasure to hear from readers and it’s always absolutely wonderful to hear that someone’s enjoyed one of my books, I’m always overjoyed to hear it!
Any advice for the upcoming writers ?
Just start writing. Don’t put it off or make excuses, just sit down and start. There’s no right or wrong way to write a book so don’t get too caught up in writing advice and whether you’re doing it ‘right’ or not – if you have something you want to write, sit down and write it. Make sure you’re passionate about the story and it’s a story you want to tell, because the length of a novel is a long time to spend with a story and you have to love it. Don’t go back and edit if you can help it, or spend too much time worrying about the minutiae of missed commas and rogue apostrophes. The most important thing you can do is get the words down and worry about fixing them later.
Finally, how do you feel about this interview session ?
It’s been really fun with loads of in-depth questions! Thank you so much for having me, Meenu!
Thank you so much Jaimie for answering all my questions patiently and beautifully. I had so much fun doing this session with you and this means a lot to me.
All the very best with the release of your new book. I’m damn sure it’s going to be very successful.
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Get in touch with the author
Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website |Amazon
Jaimie’s Admans’s New Novel “The Little Bookshop of Love Stories” just released on this Friday and it’s available on all the online book purchasing platforms. It’s a wonderful book. Do check out her new book and also all her other books if you haven’t already.
My Book Review of her latest Novel
I hope you guys loved this session just like Jaime and I did.
Thank you all.
Stay tuned for many more awesome stuffs.
Until then,
~ Meenu
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