My guest today is Teresa F. Morgan a lovely and talented young lady from sunny
Weston-super-Mare (UK), who is trying to hold onto her Surrey accent where
she was born and bred.
For years she persevered with boring jobs, until her two boys joined her nest. In an attempt to find something to work around them, and to ensure she never endured full time boredom again, she found writing.
She's at her happiest baking cakes, putting proper home cooked dinners on the table (whether the kids eat them or not), reading a good romance, or creating a touch of escapism with heroes readers will fall in love with.
I love her already. Don't you? I mean, cakes y'all!!!
1.
What is your life
like away from the computer? Tell us something about your household.
I like to consider
myself a full-time mum, but I also have two part-time jobs that work around my
sons. I’m a lunchtime supervisor (dinner-lady) at their school three lunchtimes
a week – which I love, and I work in a small retail store (for a big retail
giant) at the weekend – which I don’t enjoy so much. My two sons are my
priority, aged 8 (nearly 9) and 6, and they keep me pretty busy, especially now
as I’m a single mum.
I decided I wanted
to write professionally in the hope that I could work this around my two
children – i.e. I could work from home, and never have to go back to full-time
work. At the moment I still can’t give up the part-time jobs, but that would be
brilliant if I could concentrate on writing fully one day. (That sort of
answers where do I see myself in five years time lol!)
2.
What is the story
behind your book title?
‘Plus
One is A Lucky Number’ started out as ‘The Wedding Favour’ – which was my
working title. I entered the Mills and Boon New Voice competition in 2010 and
my friend actually came up with the title. A play on words, in the fact you
have favours at a wedding, plus Adam is doing Sophie a favour by pretending to
be her boyfriend. Harper Impulse wanted the book to have a more
chick-lit/rom-com title. At first they come up with ‘Plus One is the Loneliest
Number’. I didn’t like it, it felt too long (I’ve got a thing for short titles),
so suggested ‘Plus One is a Lonely Number’. Then Harper Impulse decided that
was too negative, and to be honest, Sophie’s plus one turns out to be lucky for
her. They suggested ‘Plus One is a Lucky Number’ for a more positive spin and I
agreed.
After
three years of calling the book The Wedding Favour, I’m getting used to the new
title – almost!
3.
What are you
currently working on?
Book
two – Perfect Isn’t An Option, although with reference to the above question,
I’m not getting too attached to that title! I was offered a two book contract
with Harper Impulse, and luckily I had this second book almost finished. It
does need a lot of editing (and additing as I call it), so I’m trying to polish
it up to send over to my editor. It’s about a newly found A-list celebrity
returning home (UK) from the US wanting to find love, and his sister stripping
away his Hollywood star look, to make him appear normal to hopefully find
someone who’ll love him for him and not his money. It’s kind of Clark Kent
versus Notting Hill.
FAST FIVE:
1. Heels, sneakers or flip-flops? Flip-flops!
2. Chocolate, champagne or cheesecake? It’s so close
between Champagne and chocolate! I can’t choose!
3. Any tattoos? No. (I think about having a subtle one,
then go off the idea).
4. Long hair, short hair or weave? Long hair.
5. Book or eReader? Both.
BOOK BLURB:
Sophie’s going to a wedding where the invite is strictly plus one… but with her single girl status not exactly fitting in with the bridesmaid dress code, and the best man being none other than the ex she would rather forget, Sophie needs a date and she needs one fast!
Luckily for Sophie, her dreamy but distant co-worker Adam Reid owes their mutual friend James big time…and his gorgeousness more than fills the role of the ‘Perfect Boyfriend’!
As they take off to the sunny shores of Cornwall for the wedding weekend, it’s not long before pretence leads to passion and Sophie and Adam must decide; is their relationship real or is it all for show?
Luckily for Sophie, her dreamy but distant co-worker Adam Reid owes their mutual friend James big time…and his gorgeousness more than fills the role of the ‘Perfect Boyfriend’!
As they take off to the sunny shores of Cornwall for the wedding weekend, it’s not long before pretence leads to passion and Sophie and Adam must decide; is their relationship real or is it all for show?
EXCERPT:
“No,
Adam.” Sophie placed her arm across his chest to stop him entering the room. “I
can’t do it.”
“Of course you can.”
“No, I can’t. This is ridiculous. No one will believe
it,” Sophie replied, her voice low. He could barely hear her. “Let’s drive
home.”
Adam’s jaw clenched. There was no way in hell he was
driving home. He needed a drink. Strong one, too. He softened his mood, and
touching her chin, made her look at him. “I promise, I’ll be convincing. I’ll
be with you every step of the way.”
“Adam, I don’t doubt you can charm the spots off
cheetahs.” She nervously fiddled with an earring. “But I don’t think they’ll
believe I’m seeing a guy like you.”
Adam chuckled and wrapped his arm firmly around her
waist to pull her closer, liking the way she felt against him. Soft. Warm.
“Of course they will.”
“It’s a big lie we are trying to pull off so I can
save face,” Sophie whispered. She tried to step away, but he kept her held firm
against him, so they looked close – like lovers? That’s what she wanted, wasn’t
it?
She hesitantly put her arm around his waist. “I can’t
believe James talked me into this.”
“Look, at first I wasn’t too sure about this either,
but James is right. We can do this. Hey, we might even have fun.” Adam even
liked the idea of the challenge.
“But it’s foolish. More on my part than anything. I’m
lying to my friends and family.”
“Sophie, I promised James I wouldn’t let you down and
I won’t. They will never know.” He held her hand, and tugged gently. “Now let’s
get that drink. You may not want one, but I do.”
Sophie took two hesitant steps, stopped, bit her lip,
and looked him in the eye. “Adam, I’m still not sure about this.”
Adam, trying to keep a lid on his impatience, caught
someone heading towards them out the corner of his eye, and pulled Sophie even
closer. His hand pushed back her hair, his thumb brushing her neck, as he
whispered into her ear, “Too late.”
He breathed, taking in the scent of her hair –
coconut, reminding him of Caribbean beaches and the sun. Before he could
register the sensation it provoked Sophie had released from his hold, allowing
an older woman in her sixties to hug her.
“Sophie! Sweetheart, so glad you could make it,” the
woman said loudly, her voice echoing through the bar. She kissed Sophie’s
cheek. “How was the drive down? Not too much traffic I hope.”
“Aunt Veronica, lovely to see you.” Sophie’s smile
stiffened. Adam swallowed. “This is my boyfriend, Adam.”
Buy Link:
13 comments:
Nice to meet you, Teresa. I love the titles you've all finally come up with. It is unique enough to tempt someone to pick up your book.
Best of luck with your writing. I hope you get to do it full time one of these days soon. :)
Waving, Vonnie!
Thank you, Vonnie, for having me! I don't quite bake cakes and ice them like the pictures. But I do enjoy baking :)
Hello, Paisley, nice to meet you too! I'm getting used to Plus One is a Lucky Number as a title now... I wonder if Harper Impulse may change Perfect Isn't An Option, so I'm trying not to get attached to it :)
Hi Teresa, lovely to meet you! Vonnie is the best hostess and always has the most fun guests :) I sympathise with you trying to fit in writing and work around two young children. Mine are 12 and almost 5. I hope you find you can write full-time sooner rather than later! With the intriguing books you write, you'll have readers at you to write faster - me included! LOVE the blurbs and excerpts and have to grab a copy.
By the way - I love both titles of your books. I hope you get to keep the second one too.
Ah, thank you, LaVerne. I love writing romance, and hope to create heroes that readers will fall in love with :) But I like to keep an element of realism to the books too. I hope you enjoy Plus One!
The kids do keep me busy. I'm seeing the writing as a long term project. For the first time in my life I've found what I want to do.
Chocolate, Champagne or Cheesecake? Like you, Teresa, I can't choose just one either. Best wishes with your book!
Hi Vonnie. Hi Teresa.
It's my first time here. I'm a vintage virgin! Great interview and lovely blog. It's nice to see your readers joining in with the chat.
Best of luck, both.
Wendy x
Hi Vonnie! Hi Teresa! I'm so glad I popped into this blog and saw this post today! I've put your book on my Amazon "wish" list 'cause I loved the excerpt. That would be a scary thing to do, having a pretend boyfriend and adlibbing every time someone you knew came up to you. I doubt I could pull it off. Cheers to you and your cake baking and being a single mom. I've been there and done that and it's hard to find some way to earn money and be at home with the kids. Good luck and success to you! jdh2690@gmail.com
Fab interview, Vonnie and Teresa! And that cakes looks oh, so yum! I know who to invite to the party! :)))
Loved following your chatter, ladies! With writing AND cakes - I can't think of a more perfect combo, Teresa. And Vonnie, love - love - love the touch of vintage!
Sorry I'm late! I loved this interview, ladies! And Teresa, I love that excerpt. It gives me butterflies! LOL So great!
Let me know when you get that next cake done. I'll be right over. xo
Ah, thank you all for the lovely messages :) Glad you all enjoyed the interview. And thank you, Janice for adding the book to your wish list. I hope you enjoy :)
I should bake a cake... it's been awhile.
Teresa x
Lovely interview and excerpt. And those cakes...
Ah, thanks Liz. Yes, those cakes look fab. I bake simpler ones... lol!
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