Penelope’s
Ghost
Goldie
Alexander
Genre: Paranormal/Romantic
Suspense/Contemporary
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing
Group
Date of Publication: April 9th
2014
Book Description:
Haunted. Haunting. Redeemed.
When Lisa Harbinger takes a job
as nanny to a prestigious Australian family, she gets more than she bargained
for: two spoilt children, vengeful ghosts, a long-unsolved mystery and a
blazing passion she and her enigmatic boss are unable to deny.
Excerpt:
“He fell in love
with someone else,” Richard repeated thoughtfully. “Was she a friend of yours?”
It must be time
to confess. What he would think of me after that, I didn’t dare consider.
“Actually, she was a he. Simon fell in love with Robert and finally admitted he
was gay.”
Richard’s
eyebrows shot up. “Married to someone as lovely and intelligent as you? That’s
almost impossible to believe.”
Lovely?
Intelligent? Not knowing how to respond to these compliments I said quickly, “I
think Simon always knew he was gay. Even when he married me, he was just in
denial. I was too dumb to wake up to it.”
“When you did
realise, how did it make you feel?”
“Angry.
Miserable. Then totally stupid,” I answered. “There were so many hints, but I
kept on ignoring them.” Then I dared to venture, as the atmosphere between us
was definitely pulsing, “He was never interested in sex.”
His face blank,
Richard turned to the next page of the book we were sharing, then another. In
the pause I heard an owl hoot and the wind rustle a branch against the window.
At last he put
down the book. “Never interested in sex. That mean you’re not? Let’s find out.”
With this, he placed one arm around my waist and with the other hand tilted my
head so I faced him. Then he carefully and delicately placed his mouth over
mine.
PRFL would like to extend a very warm welcome to Goldie Alexander, author of Penelope's Ghost. Goldie, 1.
I
love your cover for Penelope’s Ghost do you do all your covers by yourself?
If only. Can’t design for nuts! The clever
folk at Boroughs Publishing Group did this for me. Perhaps I sent a few ideas
their way and then they were able to transpose them into something that catches
the eye.
Seeing
how romance novels are all about the perfect or not so perfect sexy man how
steamy do you like your sex scenes? Not just your books but books you read?
I have always thought that some
things should be left to the readers’ imagination, which is why I don’t write
erotica. It’s the lead up to sex that is most exciting and titillating. And, of
course, my heroes have to be sexy and slightly imperfect so this will add to my
plot. My heroines are sexy deep inside though this has to be brought out as the
story continues. I want my readers to identify with them. How would they react
in a similar situation?
What
keeps you doing what you do, writing? What’s your favorite part of
writing/creating?
I am always being asked why I write.
Frankly, can’t think of anything else I want to do except maybe run my own TV
show and become rich and famous. My favorite part of writing is when I have
created a scene and it actually seems to work. My least favorite is re-reading
what I have written after the book comes out as there is always something that
could have been ‘better.’
Trying
to write a book is not small issue but it has to be harder to send your work
into the world for others to enjoy. What was your largest obstacle you had to overcome
to get where you are today?
I teach creative writing and mentor many
emerging authors. I tell them to take all rejections ‘on the chin’ and to keep
on going. Just because one submissions editor doesn’t like your novel doesn’t mean
another won’t. But over the years each time I received the standard ‘dear
author rejection,’ I’d grit my teeth and think about using it to line the
toilet walls. Do Americans talks about ‘toilets?’ Maybe you use another word
like ‘john.’
Phone,
neighbors, kids that use to be the only distraction when writing at home. What
is the largest distraction for you?
The refrigerator. Too easy when something
isn’t quite working to walk into the kitchen and consider what is inside. Also,
because I work from home, too many friends and relatives think this isn’t ‘real
work,’ and, therefore, I could be using my time more profitably like helping
out with other jobs. But I am very task driven and selfish when it comes to
using my time. Over the years I have refused to be swayed into becoming
‘general helper’ and I think this ‘bloody mindedness’ has finally paid off.
After all the work you have done with
children/young adult books thank you for coming over to the darkside. What made
you write paranormal romance instead of any other genre?
Because it is such fun to try something
new. Over the years I have written in almost every genre except TV and film
scripts and graphic novels. (read question one for reasons). My first four
books for young adults were Romances so I was really returning to home
territory. When I look back at my YA historical fiction, there is always a
romance in them even if they don’t always work out. Using ghosts in a story
adds to the mystery which also adds to the plot. Writing a Paranormal Romance
was my next inevitable step as an author.
When
you tell others that you wrote a romance book what is the most common reaction?
They look somewhat bemused. Some
even look appalled as if writing Romance should
be a deeply held secret like picking at your cuticles. Then I tell them that more Romance novels are sold than any
other genre, they nod knowingly. But does it
really matter what other people think? I want to know to know what my readers think. If I can take them out of
their everyday lives and they want to keep
on reading, that’s all that matters in the end.
What
is something about you that is funny/entertaining/interesting?
I am often accused of being a terrible
gossip and I love listening to other people’s stories. Gossip is what creates
character s and that’s what I write about. I don’t gossip maliciously, but I
listen very carefully to people talking on their cell phones when I’m on a bus
or a tram and try to fill in the gaps at the other end.
I
believe that each book is a gateway to another world. If you could escape into
any book world which would you choose? It doesn’t have to be your own.
Because women had always been treated rather
meanly in most other centuries this is a hard question to answer. Perhaps I
would like to go far into the future, though the worlds in those books are
usually dystopian. Or perhaps back into novels written about ancient Egypt or
Rome - but only if I have a very important position and am not a slave.
Thank you for interviewing me. I hope
readers will pick up Penelope’s Ghost and enjoy reading
it.
Thank you so much for joining us today, Goldie. We really enjoyed the visit. Good luck and great sales with Penelope's Ghost.
About
the Author:
Goldie Alexander has published
over 75 books plus many prize winning short stories and articles. For children
she is best known for, "My Australian Story: Surviving Sydney Cove",
now in its 10th edition. Amongst recent work are three collections of short
stories: ‘Killer Virus’, ‘My Horrible Cousins’ and ‘Space Footy”.
Her latest novels for Young Adult
include ‘The Youngest Cameleer’, ‘In Hades’ a verse novel, and ‘That Stranger
next Door’. For middle grade readers: ‘eSide: A Journey into Cyberspace’. ‘
Cybertrix: 2043, and ‘Neptunia’, and the Junior novel ‘Gallipoli Medals’. She
has authored the how-to-write ‘Mentoring Your Memoir’, facilitates creative
writing workshops and mentors emerging authors.
Author Links:
Tour Giveaway:
1 winner will receive a 10-book subscription to the Lunchbox Romance line.
The ten-book subscription will provide the winner with a new Lunchbox Romance every two weeks. Lunchbox Romances are "delicious short Romances consumable during the lunch hour."
