There's an author in the house! Introducing the gorgeous Aimée Duffy!

Howdy folks!

It's such a pleasure for me to introduce to you my friend and now published author, the lovely, Aimée Duffy. She's kindly taken some time out of her crazy schedule to be here today and indulge us all with her X-factor, shopping and Loch-ness monster stories!

So, here we go!

Hi Aimée! Tell us a bit about yourself….

There’s a slight chance I have split-personality disorder :). At work I’m very professional with a little humour thrown in. When I get home, if it’s a writing night, I get pulled into my characters heads’ and at the weekend, well, let’s just say it can go from crazy to boring.

You’re from Scotland, right? I imagine you living near to a castle and a loch….am I way off track? 

I did! I used to live in a village near a forest. About half a mile in is Tulliallan police college (with Scotland’s idea of a small castle) and a mile in is the Moore Loch. Not much of a loch really, but still a big pond-like thing. Now I live in a town about six miles away, but it’s close to the hills :)

How did you come up with the story idea and characters for The Monster of Fame?

I decided I wanted to do Nano last year, and that I wanted to write a story for me. I’d been gearing everything I wrote until then to a certain line with Harlequin and wanted to do something different. xFactor was airing and I thought why not combine it with a romance. The Monster of Fame was born ;o)

Tell a little bit about your hero, Miles and heroine, Annabelle….one interesting and unknown fact about each of them!

Annabelle had a secret crush on Miles since she seen his picture in a magazine when she was twenty. She’s watched the show ever since. Miles feels sorry for Safri, because he knows a little about what happened to her before she grew to fame, but her actions make it hard for him to remember it at times. (You’ll have to wait for Safri’s book to find out what :P)

What do you like to do other than read and write?

I think shopping is obvious about now ;o). In the summer I like to be outside. If the weather’s dry, I usually head up the hills or go a walk around the lake with friends. Travelling is fun too, but I can’t afford to as much as I’d like. I want to visit Egypt, India, China, America (all over) and I’d go back to Mexico in a heartbeat.

Do you have a day job?

Yes. I work for lawyers during the day. I recently ‘came out’ to them as I needed them to look over a contract for me. They couldn’t have been more thrilled that I had a book out!

Do you write only romance or other genres also?

I’ve never tried another genre, though I have a YA plotted out. When I have some free time I’m going to try that.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Bit of both, although I’ve realized that when I plot there are way less revisions ;o)

What challenges did you face with regards to creating and publishing your first book?

Waiting was the biggest challenge. I thought I was a patient person until I hit send, then I turned into a serial inbox stalker. Once I decided to go with Beachwalk and they explained everything, I felt much, much better. It has been easy sailing since then.

What project(s) are you working on at the moment?

Book two in The Price of Fame Series. :o)

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors out there?

Persistence pays off. Keep at it and never give up.

Trivia round!

What would I find in your fridge right now?

Not much at all. A bottle of skimmed milk, a baking potato and a tub of mixed salad. I need to get to the supermarket!

What star sign are you?

Aries

What’s your favourite colour?

Purple

X factor or Strictly come dancing?

X Factor

What was the last film you saw at the cinema and the last book you read?

I’ve not been to the cinema for ages. Probably Breaking Dawn part 1. The last book was Private Love In A Public Place by Toni Kenyon

What is your favourite song, film and book?

With of Without You by U2, Die Hard (I love Bruce Willis!) and the book is a toss up between Of Mice and Men or To Kill a Mockingbird.

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be?

Selene in the Underworld films. She kicks ass and rocks leather. - Fantastic answer, all of the Underworld films rock! 

Lastly, have you ever seen the Loch-ness monster?

I’ve never been to Loch Ness, so that would be a no. Although I’m positive Nessy’s a myth ;o) Will check next year when I’m at the Rock Ness Music Festival just to be sure! - You have to let us know if you spot anything!

You can purchase The Monster of Fame from Beachwalk Press and Amazon

You can check out the first chapter of this fab story over at Aimée's page! 

'Til next time!

Sam :-) 
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