Interview and Giveaway The Art of Letting Go (The Uni Files - Year One) by Anna Bloom

Description:

The Art of Letting Go by Anna Bloom is a Mature NA Romantic Comedy set in England (and is full of British charm and humor!). We're excited to present you with the cover, an excerpt and a giveaway in anticipation of the release of this fantastic book!

One year. One woman. One Diary. One question: can you ever stop history from repeating itself and if you could what would you do to stop it?

When Lilah McCannon realises at the age of twenty-five that history is going to repeat itself and she is going to become her mother—bored, drunk and wearing a twinset—there is only one thing to do: take drastic action.

Turning her back on her old life, Lilah’s plan is to enrol at university, get a degree and prove she is a grown-up.

As plans go, it is a good one. There are rules to follow: no alcohol, no cigarettes, no boys and no going home. But when Lilah meets the lead singer of a local band and finds herself unexpectedly falling in love, she realises her rules are not going to be the only things hard to keep.

With the academic year slipping by too quickly, Lilah faces a barrage of new challenges: will she ever make it up the Library stairs without having a heart attack? Can she handle a day on campus without drinking vodka? Will she ever manage to read a history book without falling asleep? And most importantly, can she become the grown-up that she desperately wants to be.

With her head and her heart pulling her in different directions can Lilah learn the hardest lesson that her first year of university has to teach her: The Art of Letting Go?

MB's INTERVIEW

I read that first, you knew only “who my characters were and where they were going” how do you built the plot and how hard it was?

My writing is very character driven and normally I spend a large quantity of time just staring at my laptop whilst my characters play out whole daydreams in my head…Once it’s there I write with the fury of hell. Ideas pop into my head and I go with them. I knew where I wanted them to be I just had to wait or the characters to act it out in my head first. Honest I have full on conversations in my head, sometimes I imagine that I am the character and how I would want the scene to develop if it was out of my hands.

Are there some autobiographical elements in The Art of Letting Go? Where do you get your ideas?

I think Lilah’s character is similar to mine, well similar to my younger self, the one that was a bit on the crazy side. I use a lot of things I hear in passing, I have an amazing memory recall and can pretty much lock any conversation away for future reference. And yes, I do use occasional references from real life, for example when Meredith throws up on a pub carpet after a field trip – I did have a friend who did that at Uni.
However the storyline itself is completely made-up…that really was just a daydream.

How did you combine the humor and serious issues? Why a romantic comedy?

The Art of Letting Go started far more serious than the end result would have anyone believe. It involved all sorts of convoluted storylines. Then one day I had an epiphany to make it into a diary and the humour kind off spiralled from there – although I must say the Fresher’s Ball was always as it is now so I guess there was always a little bit of humour. 

I think the thing to remember, and this is what I write with in my mind as I finish the series, is that yes whilst it is funny, and Lilah can do slightly barmy things, I do deal a lot with sad situations as well. The situation Meredith finds herself in during January – well there is nothing amusing about that at all. I also talk about the subject of war and loss of life and even old age is touched on as well. Also the book is supposed to be romantic above all else, so yes I hope everyone laughs but I also hope that people have one of those ‘squeal’ moments when something romantic pops out and hits them over the head. The romance is what grounds the craziness of the rest of the storyline

Which is the most important message of your book?

If I was to give one message to all my readers it would just be to learn to love who you actually are. It’s the hardest thing, to look in the mirror and see yourself for what you are, both positive and negative, but we all need to do that just learn to embrace who we are and open ourselves up to the good stuff that it can bring.

Why do we need/want a happy ending?

I think happy endings help give everyone a positive re-enforcement. That kind of, “Life chuck at me what you will but I know I will always get the ending I deserve.” You could be the happiest most satisfied person in the world but if you don’t get a buzz from someone else also getting a happy ending then I don’t think you would be someone I would want to spend time with.

Next projects?

The Uni Files Year Two – The Art of Keeping Faith is in editing at the moment and I am very excited for this because it truly pushes the characters and the storyline.

Benjamin Chambers has a novelette coming out at Christmas. This is Ben and Lilah’s first meeting from his perspective and lets not be surprised if she cannot remember it the way it happened! I love Ben and it was good fun being in his head for a while – I just love the way he sees Lilah and the way he feels about her.

In other non Uni File news I am working on a novel based in Cornwall at a sleepy small village called St Agnes. There the boy made of the moon and sea is going to meet the girl made of the sun and well it is going to be one exciting summer to remember. There is little chance that St Agnes is ready for a girl dressed in teeny tiny cut-offs, tons of make-up and fifty-three bangles….I will reveal more soon…

Thank you, Mrs. Anna Bloom

YOU CAN READ AN EXCERPT HERE

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About the author:

Anna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer who writes about life as it happens. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two small children whilst working in a local school and completing The Uni Files series she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys – all in the name of her art.

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Author's Giveaway:

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