Monday 20 September 2021

Guest Post - Katrina Coll -

by Enisa Haines

Please welcome Katrina Coll - an Aussie who fell in love with an Irishman and let her heart lead her to the Emerald Isle. With that in her history what else would she write but romance, or as she says "kissing books that leave you wanting"? Winner of the Contemporary Romance Writers Stiletto Award she is now celebrating the release of her first published romance novel, A Match Made for TV, and giving us a little insight into her life.



What is one 'must have' when you are writing?

My Macbook. I literally can't write without it so it goes everywhere I go. Always.

What are you reading at the moment?

I've just finished Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. I have Playing it Safe by Amy Andrews pre-ordered and that'll be my next read.

Name one thing you're scared of. 

Something bad happening to someone I love.

Like to share something that recently made you happy?

We visited a fairy garden last week that was pure magic.

Who is your favourite literary crush? 

Weirdly, I can't say I've ever had one as a reader. As a writer, though, I love my heroes so hard it hurts to let them go.

What is the last photo you took with your phone?

A screenshot of a Duolingo question. I'm trying to learn some Irish and the spelling is mind melt. I'm slowly getting the hang of it but don't ask me to say anything: the only thing worse than my spelling is my pronunciation.

If you were a main character in your favourite book, who would you be?

If I had to be a character in any book, I'd have to say Lizzie Bennet in Pride and Prejudice because she's marvellous and nothing too awful happens to her. But my favourite book? I love too many to choose one.

What is the premise of your latest book?

A celeb with a secret. A doctor with a dilemma. Faking they're in love makes for good TV. But whose heart will break when reality bites?

https://books2read.com/A-Match-Made-for-TV
Available as an e-book worldwide.
Buy links: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/a-match-made-for-tv-by-katrina-coll/https://books2read.com/A-Match-Made-for-TV
 

Ria DeLorenzo is a damn good doctor. Or was. Burnt out before she's begun, a three-month paid vacation as the medical consultant to a reality TV show is just what she needs to recover her mojo.

Cancer survivor and headline grabber Griffin Stromberg is desperate to reboot his ultra-macho image. Typecast by years of fame, showcasing his softer side with a picture-perfect relationship should do the trick. Until Ria breaches show protocol and gets Griff fake girlfriend disqualified.

Now Ria's only hope of clocking out of reality is to check in to a fantasy by becoming his new partner. Griff, however, wants their relationship to be the real deal, not one of his infamous life-hacks.

Can a man renowned for taking shortcuts prove he's ready to commit to a forever relationship? Or will reality bit once filming is over?

Who would you cast as your main characters? 

Chris Hemsworth and Gal Gadot if she had a Texan accent.

What unique challenges did the book pose? 

Trying to immerse my characters in a reality TV show without making the filming mechanics too intrusive.

What are you working on at the moment?

A follow-up book with the same match-making producer but featuring a cook and a chef. It's a reunion romance during a bake-off.

Are you a plotter, pantser or somewhere in between?

I'm a puzzler. I have elements of the book (part of a plot, the characters, some scenes) and I figure out how they go together as I write.

Do you listen to music as you write? 

I've tried but usually I can't. That said, I have a soundtrack for each novel to listen to when not writing to spark ideas/nail emotions I want to capture.

What do you love to love? Food. I love to love the whole process of cooking but I also love it when others cook, trying a new combination of flavours, sharing meals with friends, eating out. I'm a foodie from way back.

What do you love to laugh at? Comedians/ At a Billy Connolly gig once, I laughed so hard I fell off my chair. Here in Ireland, there's a trio of guys called Foil, Arms and Hog. As a family, we watch their weekly uploads to YouTube every Friday. We even have their t-shirts.

What do you love to learn about? Learning is my absolute favourite thing to do. I'll happily fall down a rabbit hole researching almost any subject. In fact, I used to get paid to research as part of my job as a business consultant. However, history and mythology would be lifetime loves.

Find out more about Katrina here:

Website: www.katrinacoll.com

Facebook: KatrinaCollAuthor

Pinterest: A Match Made for TV

#novel #contemporaryromance #arrangedmarriage #lovestory