Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Big Dreams Beach Hotel
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Bartlett, Lilly
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://michelegorman.co.uk
CITY: London
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: American
Raised in America; living in London; British-American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: nb2011012722
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/nb2011012722
HEADING: Gorman, Michele
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670 __ |a Single in the city, 2010: |b t.p. (Me Gorman) prelim. (born and raised in US, lives in central London)
PERSONAL
Born in Pittsfield, MA; immigrated to England, 1998; naturalized British citizen, 2006; married.
EDUCATION:University of Massachusetts at Amherst, bachelor’s degree; University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, M.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Formerly worked as an auditor and market analyst, London, England.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Michele Gorman was born in Massachusetts and educated in the United States. She intended to pursue a career in finance, but several lackluster years as an auditor convinced her to change direction. She earned a master’s degree in sociology and found herself “highly qualified, and unemployed,” according to the author profile at her website.
In 1998 Gorman relocated to England, where she finally found work as a market analyst. What she really wanted to do was stay at home and work as a writer. Her experiences as a hapless American in London provided the springboard for a career that produced more than a dozen novels in half as many years.
Gorman is a proud representative of the “chick lit” genre, which consists of “humour, a sharp female protagonist, a love story and a happy ending,” as she explained to an interviewer at the Chicklit Club website. Although she has a British publisher, Gorman decided that her U.S. releases should be published independently. To aid her in that endeavor, she became a cofounder of Notting Hill Press. Along with her growing success, Gorman has expanded her writing into an area that she calls “literary fiction,” according to her interview, and in 2017 she began to publish romantic comedies under the pseudonym Lilly Bartlett. Her career began, however, with the adventures of a young American expatriate in the big city.
Single in the City
Single in the City introduces an impulsive twenty-something American from Connecticut. Hannah’s response to losing her job is to flee the country altogether and forge a new life in London, with no job, no home, and no friends on the horizon. Her transition to an unfamiliar lifestyle begins with a small faux-pas and accelerates rapidly. Hannah seeks comfort in a local pub, where her slightly lubricated gaffes continue to attract attention. She does, however, begin to make friends, move into an apartment with three male roommates, and find a job of sorts. Then she decides to look for a boyfriend, a search that results in its own share of social disasters.
“Single in the City is a fun and sardonic read” in which “humorous situations and witty repartee abound,” reported a reviewer at Read in a Single Sitting. Some readers noted that Hannah’s serial mishaps fall short of sustaining a cohesive plot but, like a reviewer from the Chicklit Club website, they enjoyed “a hilarious book, full of romance and laugh-out-loud situations that no woman would want to be in.” A Book Bag contributor acknowledged that “this book had the potential to be awful” but was instead “a funny, insightful, highly entertaining read.”
The U.S. version of Single in the City required substantial modification, Forman informed her Chicklit Club interviewer. For example, the footnotes she offered British readers–to explain American products and slang–had to be reversed for an American audience. Despite the challenges, Hannah’s adventures inspired two sequels. In Misfortune Cookie Hannah follows her boyfriend to Hong Kong, another impulsive move that backfires when Sam seems to be more interested in his job–and his new boss–than he is in Hannah. The Twelve Days to Christmas reveals a mended relationship, as she and Sam are planning a trip to America and, quite possibly, a marriage proposal. This time, however, Hannah seems to be more inclined to look before she leaps into a potential disaster.
The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square and The Second Chance Café in Carlton Square
Gorman describes the Lilly Barnett stories as romantic comedies. The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square introduces a young woman with a dilemma. Emma must plan an extravagant wedding to her unexpectedly wealthy boyfriend that will please his parents without bankrupting her working-class father, who insists upon shouldering the cost.
The Second Chance Café in Carlton Square reveals Emma as a married mother of twins, who has opened a promising new business in a changing neighborhood. She is stretched to the limit at home and at work, when her optimism is challenged by incidents of vandalism and theft. Additional incidents suggest that someone wants her business to fail, and it will take her entire diverse community of customers to identify the culprit and save the little café that holds it together.
The Big Dreams Beach Hotel
The Big Dreams Beach Hotel introduces Rosie MacDonald, an expatriate American who fled a failed romance to manage a quaint Victorian boarding hotel on the North Yorkshire coast of England. Her peace and quiet are disrupted by development plans that threaten the ambience–and perhaps the very existence–of her remote haven. The plan pits long-distance American investors against the eccentric permanent residents who could lose their homes to the tourism trade.
Rosie faces additional issues with the remodeler, Rory, who reminds her all too much of the man who broke her heart. The story attracted the notice of a Publishers Weekly contributor, who found “plenty of sweet moments” in this “simple and happy” story.
The Curvy Girls Club, Love Is a Four-Legged Word, and Match Me if You Can
Gorman’s forays into literary fiction demonstrate a wide range of story arcs. In one, four overweight friends abandon the weight-loss clinics and diet clubs to start a social club where weight doesn’t matter–until it does. When Katie begins to lose weight, her partners begin to wonder if she is an appropriate spokesperson for their membership demographic. A Publishers Weekly contributor called The Curvy Girls Club “a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming tale … of friendship, acceptance, and belonging.”
In Love Is a Four-Legged Word, two childhood friends share a dog services business successfully until a failed marriage and a husband come between them. In Match Me if You Can, Catherine and her ex-husband operate a dating site called RecycLove.com. Members have the option to trade in their ex-partners for a chance to win an upgrade from the discards of other members. The business is successful until Catherine’s ex decides to leave the business and recycle his discarded girlfriend by making her Catherine’s new business partner.
Despite the inventive settings, Gorman’s novels share important elements. In a review of Match Me if You Can, a Harlequin Junkie contributor wrote: “The characters are humorous, realistic and refreshing … and readers get to watch them grow as individuals.” A reviewer of Love Is a Four-Legged Word at the Chicklit Club website wrote that Gorman “writes great characters you can easily relate to and care about with storylines that are so entertaining, you can get lost in the book for hours.” Writing at Female First about The Curvy Girls Club, Lucy Moore “loved this book because it focuses on the importance of female friendship,” sending the message that “with the right people around you–you can move mountains.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, September 1, 2014, review of The Curvy Girls Club; November 6, 2017, review of The Big Dreams Beach Hotel, p. 68.
ONLINE
Book Bag, http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/ (February 2, 2017), review of Single in the City.
Chicklit Club, http://www.chicklitclub.com/ (March 23, 2008), author interview and reviews of Single in the City, Misfortune Cookie, Bella Summer Takes a Chance, Perfect Girl, The Curvy Girls Club, Love Is a Four-Legged Word, and Match Me if You Can.
Female First, http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/ (July 25, 2016), Lucy Moore, review of The Curvy Girls Club.
Girl Tries Life, http://www.girltrieslife.com/ (October 24, 2014), Victoria Smith, author interview.
Harlequin Junkie, http://harlequinjunkie.com/ (February 28, 2016), review of Match Me if You Can.
Michele Gorman Website, http://michelegorman.co.uk (March 23, 2018).
Novelicious, http://www.novelicious.com/ (March 15, 2016), Jenny Banks, review of Match Me if You Can.
Read in a Single Sitting, http://www.readinasinglesitting.com/ (September 2, 2010) author interview and review of Single in the City.
Hello!
Michele writes books packed with heart and humour, best friends and girl power. Call them beach books, summer reads or chick lit... readers and reviewers call them "feel good", "relatable" and "thought-provoking".
She is both a Sunday Times and a USA Today bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word "portion".
Michele also writes cosy romcoms under the pen-name Lilly Bartlett. Lilly’s books are full of warmth, romance, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
Home Town: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA
For anyone not intimately acquainted with the rural northeastern United States, i.e. almost everyone, it’s in a beautiful part of the country known as the Berkshires. For the record, famous American writers like Edith Wharton, Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne all wrote masterpieces here (though admittedly, none of it was chick lit).
Home Now: London, UK
In 1998 a fine romance brought Michele to London. Little did she know that the city would capture her heart. In early 2006 she correctly answered enough questions about Britain to become her citizen. She knows the words to God Save the Queen and has developed a taste for tuna with corn mixed in (though she still hates Marmite).
Michele lives in East London with her very patient husband.
Path to writing: Long and winding
Michele's background is financial rather than literary. In an attempt to get a “useful” degree she studied accounting and finance, and spent many years as a very bad auditor. Eventually she began to suspect that her future didn't lie in banking, so she went back to school full-time in Chicago for her Master’s Degree in Sociology. Upon graduation she was <
One kind company in London finally hired Michele, and she stayed there for 14 years, working part-time as a market analyst to fund her writing habit.
Michele's writing career was born from the belief that someone ought to pay her for what's inside her head without having to change out of her pyjamas. It took a few years for her ability to catch up with her ambition, but the end result was her first published novel, Single in the City, published in June 2010. Misfortune Cookie and The Twelve Days to Christmas followed to complete the series and now she's a hybrid author published with Avon and HarperImpulse in the UK and independently published in the US.
Book Descriptions from
http://michelegormanwriter.blogspot.com/
Love is a Four-Legged Word
A comedy about good friends, bad dogs and fresh starts
Best friends Scarlett and Shannon spend their days tripping over dog leads and covered in fur, running their dog business together. Scarlett’s intensive training course, Ruff Love, fixes owners as much as their pets, while Shannon spends her days walking spoiled pooches and working up the guts to talk to her hopeless crush.
The women share more than their business though: they also share Scarlett's husband, Rufus. He’s been Shannon's best friend since childhood and it's a cosy setup - until Scarlett and Rufus's marriage hits the rocks with Shannon stuck in the middle. All three relationships are tested but when loyalties become divided, how do you decide who's most important?
Match Me If You Can
Would you trade in your ex for the chance to find the perfect upgrade?
Catherine's ex-husband and business partner drops a bombshell over their Chardonnay. He’s getting remarried. Catherine has bras that are older than his girlfriend and now he’s selling his half of their romantic recycling business to the girl. Worse, she thinks she’s going to run Catherine’s beloved company.
Meanwhile, Rachel’s biggest romantic mistake sits next to her at work. They’re friends again after the relationship went disastrously wrong, but they’re pitted against each other to win their firm’s biggest architecture project. So when she joins Catherine’s website, RecycLove.com, where everyone recycles an ex for the chance of an upgrade, she knows just who she’s going to trade in.
And Sarah can’t be bothered tottering around in painful shoes for another pointless date. Staying home is easier, if a bit lonely sometimes. Besides, her family circumstances don’t leave a lot of free time. She reluctantly joins Catherine’s dating site with Rachel, but as a minor makeover turns into a complete overhaul, will her newfound popularity be worth the sacrifices she’s making?
A warm, funny story of brilliant women, recycled exes and the power of best friends.
The Curvy Girls Club
Where Confidence is the New Black
Meet best friends Pixie, Ellie, Katie and Jane. Fed up with always struggling to
lose weight, they ditch the scales and start a social club where size doesn’t matter. Soon it’s the most popular place to be – having fun instead of counting calories – and the women find their lives changing in ways they never imagined.
But the club can't stop real life from mucking things up.
Sharing offices in a taxidermist’s garage with Pete the bear, together they've got to manage more than their new club – dodgy colleagues, a waste-of-space husband and sabotaged romance – while learning the most important lesson of all. In the Curvy Girls Club, confidence is the new black.
"This is a delightful book of friendship, acceptance, and belonging for anyone who has ever wondered: “What if?”" Publishers Weekly
The Curvy Girls Baby Club
Love, Life and a Christmas Due Date
Ellie is fresh back from her honeymoon and can’t wait to share her news with her best friends Katie and Jane. To everyone’s surprise, mother-of-two Jane has news of her own… The women are due a day apart and Katie can’t wait to be an honorary auntie to the babies.
But it’s hard to keep your sense of humour, not to mention your self-esteem, in the face of hemorrhoids and elasticated waistbands. Add a clingy mother-in-law, a career in cardiac arrest and a sex life that makes Mother Theresa look lusty, and soon their lives are as out of control as their bodies.
As the co-founders of The Curvy Girls Club, where loving yourself is the only rule, will the friends be able to practice what they preach?
Weightless (a Romantic Comedy Short Story)
Sometimes looks can be deceiving
Annabel’s not surprised when nobody recognizes her at her 10 year reunion. The spotty fat teen nicknamed AnnaBall by the school bullies is long gone. But standing on the edge of the popular crowd, she still feels like that girl. That is, until Jack, her teen crush, starts flirting with her. Much to her amusement, he has mistaken her for Christy Blake, Annabel’s chief tormenter before she moved to France in their last year.
It’s just a bit of fun at first, letting Jack believe she’s Christy. After all, he was nuts about her before she said au revoir to England. And when he asks Annabel out, the fun becomes something even more interesting. The more they date the deeper they fall for each other. So what if Annabel has to fib a little to keep up the façade?
As the lies start compounding, and she realizes that they’re falling in love, she has to tell him who she really is. But she’ll lose the love of her life if she does.
A Kindle Single exclusive
Perfect Girl
Cinderella meets Falling Down in this wickedly funny tale about having it all
Carol can just about keep her nose above water, but her life is sinking fast. As the only woman on the bank’s trading floor she spends twelve-hour days trying not to get sworn at or felt up. Not that her personal life is any easier. Her mum treats her like the family’s personal assistant, her sister has just saddled her with impossible wedding planning and her boyfriend is so busy with his “important” work that he’s got her single-handedly running their relationship.
Carol is unravelling at the seams. Then, just when she thinks her colleagues can’t sink any lower, they break their own record.
What’s a nice girl like Carol doing in a life like this? Something’s got to give and for once it won’t be Carol…
Christmas Carol
One winter wedding, two happy couples, three ex-boyfriends. And a very uncomfortable weekend.
Carol hates Christmas. Being recently dumped, she’s not crazy about weddings either. So her sister Marley’s nuptials, over the Christmas weekend, are making her positively Scrooge-like. When she arrives for the weekend at the stately home in rural Scotland to find her three ex-boyfriends in attendance, Carol has no choice but to face her ghosts to discover what really happened in those relationships, learning a lot about herself in the process. As the snow falls outside and the fire crackles in the hearth, might one of the wedding guests become the harbinger of Christmases to come?
Life Change
What would you change the second time around?
There’ve been a few changes in Bea’s life lately, starting with accidentally
ending her decade-long relationship over a Friday night takeaway. Next goes her flat and then her job. Single, unemployed and living in a rented room, Bea is flying without a safety net for the first time in thirty-eight years.
So what is she supposed to do now that she’s rewound her life to start again?
She has no idea how to date anymore. It’s all gone online and with so much competition at the click of a button, her aging bosom might not be up to the job. People are waxing in places she can’t even reach and posting red carpet-worthy selfies every ten seconds.
She used to dream of a musical career but is only getting gigs at corporate away days or as background music for drunks in pubs. And her ex is being a hundred times more charming in trying to win her back than he bothered to be when he had her.
Maybe grasping life with both hands won’t be so easy after all…
Can she really become who she wants to be?
The Expat Diaries: Single in the City - Copyright 2010
Take one twenty six year old American, add to a 2,000 year old city, add a big dose of culture clash and stir
To think Hannah ever believed that Americans differed from Brits mainly in pronunciation, sophistication and dentistry. That’s been the understatement of a lifetime. She lands upon England’s gentle shores with no job, no friends and no idea how she’s supposed to build the life she’s dreaming of. Armed with little more than her enthusiasm, she charges headlong into London, baffling the locals in her pursuit of a new life, new love and sense of herself.
The Expat Diaries: Misfortune Cookie - published by Notting Hill 2012
Would you move 6,000 miles to be with the love of your life?
Hannah did. Unfortunately her plan isn't going terribly well. What was supposed to be a move to Hong Kong to start a wonderful new life with Sam is turning into a move to Hong Kong to spend occasional weekends with Sam, when he can get away from an unanticipated work assignment on the opposite side of the South China Sea. Still, she's optimistic, if woefully unprepared for the intricacies of Hong Kong. Stumbling through the alien city, which she loves, she starts to build a life for herself. Things definitely look up when she finds a great boss to work for, and her best friend Stacy moves to the city too. But alarm bells ring as Sam seems to be getting a bit too cozy with his boss. And when things start going wrong at work, Hannah can't help but wonder if she's made the biggest mistake of her life.
The Expat Diaries: Twelve Days to Christmas - copyright 2012 published 2013
What if his proposal had an expiration date?
Hannah’s in a bit of a pickle. In twelve days she flies from Hong Kong to the US with Sam, where he’s finally going to meet her parents… and ask to marry her.
Since overcoming a rather rocky patch in their relationship (which was totally his fault), he really is a new man, and they’re completely in love. The problem is, she feels panicky every time she contemplates matrimony. Which is perfectly normal, isn’t it? Isn’t it?! She has no idea but she’s got to find out before he pops the question... because she’s not 100% sure she’s going to say yes. Which will make for a very uncomfortable family holiday. He’s got to ask her before they go. So Operation Proposal begins.
As time ticks down to their flight, Hannah realizes that her own secrets are threatening their future. Before she can be happy with Sam, she’s got a lot to learn about herself in the twelve days to Christmas.
.....
by Lilly Bartlett:
Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse
Meet Britain's Worst Innkeeper
Put your feet up and tuck into the mince pies, because you won’t have to lift a finger to enjoy this Christmas!
Too bad the same can’t be said for single mother and extremely undomestic goddess, Lottie.
When her beloved Aunt Kate ends up in hospital just before Christmas, Lottie and her seven-year-old daughter rush to rural Wales to take over her B&B. A picky hotel reviewer and his mad family are coming to stay, and without the rating only he can give them, Aunt Kate will lose her livelihood.
But Lottie can barely run her own life, let alone a hotel. How will she manage to turn the falling-down guesthouse into the luxurious wonderland the reviewer expects? And could the mysterious taxi driver, Danny, who agrees to help her, turn out to be the real gift this season?
SHORT FICTION
The Big Dreams Beach Hotel
Wriggle your toes in the sand and feel the warm breeze on your face when you check into the hotel that's full of dreams
Three years after ditching her career in New York City, Rosie never thought she’d still be managing the quaint faded Victorian hotel in her seaside hometown.
What’s worse, the hotel’s new owners are turning it into a copy of their Florida properties. Flamingos and all. Cultures are clashing and the hotel’s residents stand in the way of the developers’ plans. The hotel is both their home and their family.
That’s going to make Rory’s job difficult when he arrives to enforce the changes. And Rosie isn’t exactly on his side, even though it’s the chance to finally restart her career. Rory might be charming, but he’s still there to evict her friends.
How can she follow her dreams if it means ending everyone else’s?
The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square
You're warmly invited to the Wedding of the Century with all your favourite friends. It's the most gorgeous vintage fun you'll have this year!
When Emma’s boyfriend Daniel pops the question with a ring the size of a
small country, she realizes just how different their worlds are. Her family can only afford a low-key wedding while Daniel’s mother is expecting a society party that their high-brow guests won’t forget!
How will Emma put together a sophisticated champagne-sodden celebration fit for Lords and Ladies when her dad can’t accept any help from Daniel’s family, her best friend Kelly has become a world-class Bridesmaidzilla and her cross-dressing Uncle Barbara is dying to strut his stuff up the aisle?
The big day is three months away. Just don’t look too closely, because nothing is as it seems!
BOOK 1 in the CARLTON SQUARE SERIES
The Second Chance Cafe in Carlton Square
A feel-good story that's as scrumptious as your favourite slice of cake!
Emma’s new café will be perfect, with its gorgeous strings of vintage bunting,
mouth-wateringly gooey cakes, comforting pots of tea and quirky customers who think of each other as friends.
It’s a long road to get there, but as her business fills with freelancing hipsters, stroppy teens, new mums and old neighbourhood residents, Emma realises that they’re not the only ones getting a second chance. She is too.
But when someone commits bloomicide on their window boxes, their milk starts disappearing and their cake orders are mysteriously cancelled, it becomes clear that someone is determined to close them down.
Will the café be their second chance after all?
Michele Gorman
Michele Gorman
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Michele writes books packed with heart and humor, best friends and girl power. Call them beach books, summer reads or chick lit... readers and reviewers call them "feel good", "relatable" and "thought-provoking".
She is both a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London. She is very fond of naps, ice cream and Richard Curtis films but objects to spiders and the word "portion".
Michele also writes cozy romcoms under the pen-name Lilly Bartlett. Lilly’s books are full of warmth, romance, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
Instagram: @michelegormanuk
Twitter:@MicheleGormanUK
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks
Blog: www.michelegormanwriter.blogspot.com
Website: www.michelegorman.co.uk
October, 2011
* 1. Why did you decide to self-publish Single in the City in the US?
When Penguin published Single in the City last year in the UK and its Commonwealth countries, my agent and I held back the US rights because I wanted a US publisher for the book. We thought it’d be a great fit. After all, the main character, Hannah, is American and there’s a strong theme about seeing London through her rather baffled eyes. But the US publishers we approached said that chick lit readers around the country wouldn’t get the humour in a book set outside their borders. I think they’re selling chick lit fans short by claiming they won’t understand the book and that’s why I’m doing it myself.
* 2. Did you change anything in the book for the American audience?
I sure did. I’m very lucky to have had a year of reviews from so many readers, which allowed me to see what they liked and didn’t like about the book. For example several readers would have liked to see less drinking … since that wasn’t an important feature of the story I toned it down (though we do like a tipple over here!). Hannah is also a bit more of a rounded character now, and I’ve deepened the scene settings to give a stronger sense of place – it’s a bit more descriptive. The other change I made has to do with my evolution as a writer. I like an episodic style but that can sometimes go a bit fast. The book I wrote after Single in the City was less episodic, so I applied the adapted style to the rewrite too. I also took out the footnotes that explained American/British differences (they were aimed at British readers to explain some of our more peculiar habits). Finally, I ‘translated’ it into American. This may sound easy but having written in English now for nearly 10 years, it was a slow process. Spelling was fairly straightforward thanks to spell check but the different words for things sometimes tripped me up. Luckily kind American friends helped me when I got stuck! English and American are definitely different dialects, something I only realised (the hard way!) when I moved to London.
* 3. Tell us about the change to the cover. (The US cover is above, the original UK one is shown right)
The cover design was a big decision and everything pointed to a photographic cover as the sensible option. Most US chick lit has these covers, and there’s been much debate (by which I mean judgment) about illustrated pastel covers. So I thought quite a bit about what to do. Then I thought, you know what? I don’t care what the critics say. They don’t speak for the readers of the genre, and I don’t write for those critics. I’m proud to write chick lit that stays true to the genre’s light-hearted, humorous roots. A cover that reflects that won’t appeal to everyone, but I’d much rather have a woman sneer as she passes it by than see her buy it because she doesn’t think it’s chick lit. A wise reader once pointed out that if you market cheese as chocolate, all you do is miss the cheese-lovers and disappoint the chocoholics.
* 4. How did your own experiences in England influence the story?
They provided endless examples of the trouble you can get into when you wrongly think you understand a situation! We all have these experiences though, when we try fitting in with our boyfriend’s family, or starting college or a new job, or moving to a new city or country. That fish-out-of-water uncertainty is something everyone faces. It might not be funny at the time but with hindsight, we can usually laugh.
* 5. In what way do you think Americans and Brits differ most?
The obvious areas are around language but I think the starkest differences actually have to do with the way we think about things and approach social interaction. British subtlety and American forthrightness got me into all sorts of situations. I’ll give you an example. During my first week of work in London I was finishing up some work in the evening. It was maybe half an hour past the end of the day. My boss came over, sat down at a nearby desk and asked ‘How’s it going?’ I said fine and carried on. A few minutes later he said, ‘Any plans tonight?’ I said no. ‘You don’t need to stay late,’ he said. ‘You can finish up tomorrow.’ That’s okay I said, it’s just a little more to do. Then I noticed him jiggling his leg with a funny look on his face. ‘Do you want me to go home?’ At that point he told me he was waiting for me to leave so that he could lock up. I wondered why he didn’t just ask me to go home. After living here awhile I realised he was asking me to go home. Another big difference is the different approach we take to work. Brits will generally down tools at the first sign of sunshine to go to the pub and stand outside. I’ve learned to embrace this work/life balance!
* 6. What do you miss most about living in the US?
Definitely my family and friends. I’ve lived now in London long enough to have adapted to most other things. Now when I visit the US I’m more likely to miss things about London.
* 7. Are you planning a sequel?
Yes and I’m very excited about it because I’m planning to work with readers to write it! I’d love to chat with people while I’m writing, to pick their brains about plots and characters. I spend months, years, with my characters, and I want to share that evolving world with book lovers. So, in writing the follow-up to Single in the City, I’m making it interactive. I’ll start posting the book as I write it. I’ll ask for readers’ opinions, and these will feed into the story. That way the readers will get to guide Hannah’s next adventure. That’s why I’d love everyone to send me a friend request on Facebook (www.facebook.com/michelegorman3) and follow me on Twitter (@expatdiaries). That’s where I’ll post the website link for readers.
* 8. For others considering a similar route, what is involved in the process of self-publishing that you didn’t have to worry about before?
Well you have to create the ebook but that’s pretty straightforward (except for Apple – I failed spectacularly at that. Now I know why Apple’s instructions include many notes along the way suggesting that you use one of their approved distributors instead of trying to do it yourself). You have to get an ISBN number and create the cover. If it’s non-fiction or a book that could cause any legal trouble, or needs permission for quotes, etc. you’d need to deal with lawyers. Those are all things that a publisher will do for you. A publisher will also have an in-house sales team to get the book into the distributors. If it’s a paperback then this could be a big part of your sales. And there’ll be a PR department tasked with getting the word out. I was very lucky because my PR, Helen Holman, was a superstar who contacted many of the lovely bloggers. But even so the writer is the one who does the interviews. And marketing is critical for a self-published book because otherwise no one will know it’s out there for sale.
* 9. Why did you decide to turn to writing?
Quite simply, I wanted to find a way to make a living for what’s inside my head without having to go into an office. I’m not there yet (like most writers I have a day job) but I remain hopeful! I figured that because I love to read, it’d be easy to write. I was wrong. It took many years for my ability to catch up with my enthusiasm.
* 10. What does chick lit mean to you?
To me the essential elements of chick lit are <
* 11. What authors have inspired you?
My favourite writer is John Irving for his ability to tell very subtly funny stories that have a sharp bite. Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series was inspiring because she wrote stories that gallop along and she made it look easy.
* 12. What are your plans for 2012?
Lots of writing! I’ll write the sequel, as I mentioned, and I’ve also written another book, which I love. It’s about five women all taking changes in their lives. It is actually (Hannah, block your ears) my favourite book so far.
=====
Read in a Single Sitting
http://www.readinasinglesitting.com/
Best-selling author Michele Gormans debut novel Single in the City'is about new beginnings, bridging cultures, and stepping out on ones own, and Gorman has found that life is very much inclined to follow art. After learning that US publishers were hesitant to take on her book, citing concerns that American'chick lit fans couldn't understand the culture-specific humour, Gorman has decided to step out on her own, bringing her book directly to her US readers.
Its not that US publishers'won't accept a book set in the UK, because there is a lot of excellent chick lit coming from here, says Gorman. Rather, they didn't think US women would 'get' it because many haven't been to the UK. And its this that she disagrees with. After all, she adds, if this is truly the case, the only American women living in London would have bought the book when it was published year.'But not only was the book a bestseller in the UK, but it sold strongly in many other countries as well. I dont think theyre giving the readership enough credit.
So what exactly is it about the book that will apparently miss the mark? It is the'fish out of water element of your book, which sees fun being poked at the American protagonist? On the contrary, I think we Americans like to laugh at ourselves, says Gorman. I think we''I also think we get a chuckle from characters that remind us of embarrassing situations we've found ourselves in. That 'Oh my gosh that's me' feeling is fun. And everyone can identify with the discomfort of an unfamiliar social situation.
Though the publishers liked the self-deprecating humour that runs through the book, it was the cultural differences fish out of water scenario that posed a problem. Though they like this element of the book, they didn't accept that being thrown into an alien situationwhether that's moving to a new city, or country, or starting a new job or going to college or fitting in with your boyfriend's familyis a universal theme. I think their belief that most US women won't get the humour of the cultural differences overrode all the other things they did like about the book.
Going it alone
Like her protagonist Hannah, Gorman knows that stepping into unfamiliar territory is far easier when youre accompanied by someone else. Fortunately, Gormans agent, Caroline Hardman at Christopher Little, is on her side. She's been a constant support in my writing career, and the US launch is no different.'She's worked really hard to help me launch the book, from finding out how to go about the logistics to advice on the cover and the marketing.
Though Hardman didnt suggest that Gorman make changes to the manuscript, Gorman opted to revise the text before putting it on the market. I was lucky enough to have a year of reviews from bloggers and readers, which allowed me to see what they liked and didn't like. For example several readers would have liked to see less drinking. Although the odd tipple is a popular past time in the UK,'she acknowledged that Hannahs liberal approach to alcohol wasnt a hugely important part of the story, so she opted to tone down this element.
Hannah is also a bit more of a rounded character now, and I've deepened the scene settings to give a stronger sense of placeit's now a bit more descriptive. She has also removed the footnotes that were used to help explain some of the differences between American and British culture.
Publishing rights (and wrongs)
When Gorman points out how widely her book has been enjoyed, Im curious to learn about her opinion about publishing rights. As an Australian-based reviewer Ive had publishers decline to send certain books my way, even though I could easily pick up those books on a site such as Amazon or Book Depository. Ive also seen moves to purchase more wide-reaching rights. Are territorial rights still relevant?
I hate to think that publishing rights are irrelevant, says Gorman, noting that such a move would be bad news for her as an author. If those rights aren't observed then distributors will sell my book in territories where they do not have the right to do so. As it is, the UK version of the book is listed for sale on Amazon by distributors who don't have the right to sell the book in the US.
Authors lose out in such a scenario, adds Gorman, which is why the careful management of rights is vital.
When we sold publishing rights to Penguin UK we held back the US rights, so I owned them. This is also true for the English language rights in many other countries such as Brazil. I also own the foreign language rights in every country except for Russia. Russian rights have been sold to Atticus, which is publishing Single in the City in Russian.
On covers and conceptualisation
Though immensely popular as a genre over the past few years, and particularly so in the UK, chick lit has been getting a bad rap in the media of late, with reports of sales slumps abounding. Gorman suspects that rather than a reconceptualisation of the genre, which has been touted as the way to address this issue, that chick lit novels need to simply be accepted as such.
There's no doubt that the genre is maligned, but we should consider the source of these judgments when deciding how much credence we give them, says Gorman. Often, she says, those who speak poorly of the genre dont necessarily have any experience with it, but'are making their proclamations based on what they've read about it.
'The problem with chick-lit, they tell us, is that it doesn't deal with the real issues that women face. Gorman is quick to point out how far from the truth this is. From sibling rivalry to infidelity, addictions to poor body image, a woman can take her pick within the genre if she wants to. And the rest of it? It's meant for pure indulgent enjoyment, and there's nothing wrong with that.
In fact, Gorman suspects that its this indulgent enjoyment that grates with some. I think it's a reaction to popular culture from a particular part of the population. There will always be people for whom anything with mass appeal, whether in fiction, film, music or fashion, is a Very Bad Thing. These critics have been present through the ages. By definition, if they're against mass appeal then they are not part of the mass population and therefore must be in the minority. Let them have their opinions. We'll enjoy our reading.
So chick lit isnt in need of reconceptualising in order to make it more palatable to the mainstream? Not at all, says Gorman. In fact, thats needed is integrity and honesty in branding and marketing. Part of the issue is that books are being inappropriately branded as chick lit when theyre patently not, or as something else entirely when theyre clearly chick lit, she says. The latter is a particular issue in the US, she adds, although the issue has blown up in the UK media as well, with the firing of author Polly Courtney being one such case.
The recent case with Polly Courtney was to do with the fact that'her publisher has branded her books as chick lit when that's not what she writes, says Gorman. There are a lot of books out there with 'chick lit' covers when they're not chick lit.
As noted above, the opposite is true, as well: many chick lit books are given photographic covers that seem to indicate that the book sits within another genre altogether. When doing research for her US cover, Gorman says that she was surprised to see so many covers that did not make it obvious at all that the books in question were chick lit.
Most chick lit in the UK has illustrated covers, but in the US there seems to be a broad brush approach taken for the covers of books written by or for women. Gorman muses that this may be to do with the negative press that chick lit sometimes receives, pointing out that she has seen many'comments from women who say they wouldn't be caught dead reading a book with a pastel cover. To her, though, this means that the women in question simply dont like chick lit, and arent the market that the publishers should be chasing.
Perhaps the publishers see these comments and think that'if they put a different cover on the book then those women will buy it. This may be the case, but it could well risk ending up with an unhappy reader at the end of the transaction. If you market cheese as chocolate you just disappoint chocoholics and miss out on the cheese lovers.
Bearing this in mind, Gorman'made the decision to brand my book with an illustrated pastel cover that signals that it's fun, funny chick lit. I'm very proud to write chick lit and I want my book to be bought by chick lit lovers. After all, I am writing for them. I'm more than happy to forego sales to women who don't like the genre. I don't want to trick anyone into buying my book.
And for those who do object to the cover, she adds with a grin, having it'in eBook form is the 21st century equivalent of the brown paper bagno one can see what you're reading.
On visibility
Gormans mention of the invisibility of an ebook is an interesting one, and its an idea thats particularly relevant now that shes stepping out without the support of the marketing and media networks of a publishing company.
Traditional publishers do two important things in terms of getting a book in front of potential readers. First, they're great at getting the physical book into sales outlets.'The second thing traditional publishers do is to publicise the book through their in-house PR department. Gorman benefited from both of these when working with her UK publisher, where she had an excellent experience. Her book ended up in supermarket chain Tesco and on the sales table at WHSmith, and she had an extraordinary PR agent working tirelessly on her behalf. So she believes in the partnership between excellent publishers and writers.
I was extremely lucky to have Helen Holman, she says. She wrote my PR and sent it out to dozens of newspapers, magazines and blog sites. It was very much a partnership for us. For example I also came up with a very long list of chick lit blogs to get in touch with. When the requests came in, I set about writing up the interview or guest post.
Its these book blogs (like, er, this one) that Gorman is looking to when promoting the US release of her book. Im very grateful for them, she says.
Since the US edition of Single in the City is an eBook it won't receive the physical promotion the UK edition did, meaning that the review blogs even more important. Gorman is following the same path used for the UK launch, except this time around shes not working with Helen. I'm sending the PR as well as doing all of the interviews and guest blogs. For the US launch I sent PR to 80 US newspaper book editors and around 40 chick lit blog sites. It's through word of mouth that Single in the City will become a success in the US.
Gorman also sings the praises of social media, which are not just great procrastination tools, but are great for getting the word out as well.
9/2/2010 by Stephanie
Michele Gorman's debut'Single in the City (previously released as'The Expat Diaries) opens with a scene very familiar to me: the fateful ordering of a salad sandwich in Britain. Used to leafy monstrosities full of vegetably goodness bursting from thick wedges of dark rye, I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed at finding that in Oxford, three pounds (not a trifling amount when you've exchanged from Aussie dollars) buys two wilted pieces of white bread, two dried-out circles of cucumber possibly taken from the missus's nightly eye mask, and a lank bit of lettuce (and, fortunately, sandwich pickles, the only thing redeeming my tragic meal). No wonder the guy behind the seemed to appraise me for an eating disorder before adding rather doubtfully, 'is that all?'
Given the fact that Australia is a fairly recent offshoot of the ol' Mother Country, that we too speak a non-rhotic variety of English (except those of us who have watched too much American TV), and that we're exposed to all manner of Britishisms thanks to parents obsessed with quality television programming such as'Keeping up Appearances,'The Bill, and'Heartbeat, I rather thought that I'd slot right in to British life. Unfortunately, it seems that British English and Australian English are not actually dialects of the same language: it turns out that they're not at all mutually comprehensible. And weirdly, language barriers aside, things were similar enough that the differences seemed all the more noticeable, sort of like being thrust into an alternate dimension where everything is the same except that it rains doughnuts in the mornings. Still, my slight communication issues and general gaucheness were far less of an issue than those of Hannah Cummings, who has clearly not seen an episode of BBC TV in her life (not even Super Ted, it turns out!).
Like many major events in Hannah's life, her arrival in London is largely attributable to a drunken whim. Having been recently sacked from her middling role as a junior PR exec (it's cheaper and more effective to outsource such roles to India, we're told, and, well, given the combination of Hannah's dubious job skills and her liking of designer clothing, it's rather hard to debate this), Hannah finds herself lost in the angsty throes of a quarter life crisis, the answer to which, of course, is a fresh start. And her move to London is about as fresh as it can get: she arrives homeless, friendless, and work permit-less. But fortunately, Hannah is no retiring wallflower, and within mere hours she has unnerved all manner of polite Brits by making eye contact on public transport, attempting to pay for small items with large notes, and walking on the wrong side of the footpath (or 'sidewalk', in Hannah terminology). That same night, apparently frustrated by how long it seems to be taking her to integrate into English culture, Hannah seeks out something quintessentially British: the local pub. It's fair to say that she has rather more luck here than she does in situations where sobriety is the preferable state of mind, and it's not long before she's raising eyebrows amongst the hotel staff with her rather forward (American?) behaviour.
With one important cultural divide bridged, Hannah decides it's quite possibly time to engage in other adult (ahem) activities, such as the slightly less eyebrow-raising tasks of getting a job and finding somewhere to live. Needless to say, both of these are rather more fraught than they first seem, and after a while, Hannah resigns herself to living with some unintelligible Australians (also known as Or-STRAY-uns) and to taking up a position working for the very man who, after several pints of strong beer, helped her bring America and Britain that little bit closer together. Unfortunately, the role is not quite what Hannah had mindand neither is the man. But while she can deal with the work situation, a boyfriendless life is not for Hannah, and this needs to be rectified immediately. Fortunately, wily Hannah's strong suit is hunting (both men and ducks, as it turns out), and there's no shortage of hilarious situations that ensue as she doggedly searches for Mr Right, committing perhaps every faux pas in the book as she attempts to understand the subtle nuances of British culture and the not so subtle nuances of men.
Single in the City is a fun and sardonic read, and humorous situations and witty repartee abound within its pages. I must say that Im glad that Hannah's humour doesn't devolve into snark: despite the truly bizarre situations in which she continually finds herself, she instead tends to poke fun at herself and pick herself up and carry on (sometimes quite literally, such as in the case of an unfortunate bicycle incident). However, there are times when the humour does seem a little forced, particularly when it comes to Hannah's constant misunderstanding of Britishisms, which, while often amusing, does bridle after a while. Some of the dialogue, too, borders on too witty, particularly in the early parts of the book, although this evens out after a while. A slightly less successful attempt at humour is the series of footnotes designed to explain certain American phrases or items that the reader is unlikely to understand. While a few of these are gems, mostly they tend to distract from the narrative and tell the reader things we already know. (I may never have seen Cheez Doodles in person, but given the inescapable ubiquity of American culture, I have a pretty fair idea of what they're like, and that I'll certainly avoid them if ever I am to meet them.)
Its a combination of the rich humour and Hannah's social largesse that largely carry the novel, as the plot is fairly slight and not especially complex. If you have a love of situational humour, you'll probably find yourself clutching this book to your chest as you rub your aching stomach muscles. Still, while I'm willing generally to let plot slide (I've read enough literary novels in my life to know that plot is something that can be happily done away with), there are some things that didnt quite work for me hereHannahs sudden promulgation of love to her Mr Right is a slightly whiplash-inducing reversal, as while this character is present throughout the book, Hannah has scarcely given him a second (and strictly platonic) glance during any of their earlier meetings. It seems odd that she should suddenly declare him her One and Truly with little in the way to preface this. Moreover, while Hannahs romantic escapades are entertaining, after watching her chase random men for a few hundred pages, its rather difficult not to feel frustrated by her neediness (and, increasingly, her rather painful ditzinessat times shes about as useful as Bella from Twilight, although admittedly she does have better taste in men). Another plot issue is the fairly abrupt ending that doesnt quite feel layered on to the rest of the narrative.
However, Gorman brings in a wonderful set of secondary characters to balance any frustrations that might be had with Hannah. While some of them border on caricatures, this isnt too much of an issue in a book whose success hinges so firmly on its comedic appeal. Gorman draws some delightful characters in Hannahs Australian flatmates (although as an Aussie, I do take issue with their Crocodile Dundee-esque accents), her frosty boss, and her oversharing friend Stacy, who regales the household nightly with stories of her latest exploits over the answering machine. Moreover, although its true that some of the comparisons between British and American culture are hammered home with all of the subtlety of a mallet pounding a steak, there are a good deal of these that are absolutely spot on, and I found myself reading sections aloud to my long-suffering boyfriend, something which is (luckily for him) a rare treat indeed. If you like your chicklit light, fluffy, and self-deprecating, and you can deal with a heroine who is scarcely able to tie her shoes but is not above a bit of crafty blackmail, youll find a lot to like here.
FROM MICHELE GORMAN WEBSITE:
Love Is A Four-Legged Word (2016)
Perfectly blending romance, fertility and dogs, this story centres on best friends and partners Scarlett and Shannon who run a dog business together. Scarlett is married to Shannon’s best friend, Rufus, while Shannon harbours a major crush on “Mr Darcy” - a man she sees in the park but lacks courage and confidence to approach him. The business is doing well, with Scarlett providing dog training and Shannon providing dog walking, but Scarlett and Rufus have been struggling to conceive. After several months of trying, they go to a fertility specialist to be tested, but discover their plans aren’t going to develop as they had hoped. The stress puts a major strain on their marriage and thrusts Shannon into the middle.
I really enjoyed this story as I got to know Scarlett, Shannon and Rufus. I got a really good sense of Scarlett’s frustration over her pregnancy woes and her feelings of anger and resentment towards pregnant women. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of Scarlett’s dog training clients - both the four-legged and two-legged ones. The secondary characters bring interesting layers to this story with their own personalities and voices. I felt more connected to Shannon and could relate to the awkwardness she feels and was cheering for her to find her happiness. I especially liked her attraction to “Mr Darcy” and am hopeful there is a story for Shannon in the future.
If you want hours of entertainment when you read, you can’t go wrong with Michele Gorman. She <
Match Me If You Can (2016)
Best friends and housemates Catherine, Rachel and Sarah are all single, but not too sure whether they’re really ready to mingle. Finding Mr Right isn’t an easy task and there are quite a number of strange guys out there. So, when Catherine convinces her two friends to join her own matchmaking website, RecycLove, Rachel and Sarah are curious to see what it will bring them, especially since you can only sign up together with an ex...
Match Me If You Can is definitely one of Michele Gorman’s best novels so far. The book ticks the box for numerous things an entertaining romantic comedy novel should have such as great characters, several interesting storylines, a comfortable and well-paced writing style, and of course a lovely dose of romance. The chapters are told from the different perspectives of the three main characters which really provides the reader with an insight into their lives and thoughts. Catherine, Rachel and Sarah are relatable and realistic female characters, and I think many readers will be able to recognise certain situations or feelings. I have to admit both the title and the description of the book resulted in me expecting a bit more focus on the matchmaking aspect (and the original idea of ‘recycling’ your exes) but I certainly wasn’t disappointed by how the story turned out instead. Overall, this is another fabulous read by Gorman; a relatable, fun, amusing and light read that will be enjoyed by any chick lit/rom-com fan out there. (JoH) 8/10
Perfect Girl (2014)
Carol is the daughter and sister everyone would love to have. She has a high demand job in the securities industry as an analyst and her days are long and stressful. In her spare time she organises her family's lives which leaves her no time for herself. After offering to help her friend find a significant other, she simply does not have enough hours in the day left. Carol is falling apart but she wants to please everyone and cannot say no.
Michele Gorman has done it again, she is a fantastic storyteller and brings her stories to life for me. I felt for Carol, trying so hard to be the dependable one and not wanting to let anyone down, but she did not realize she was letting herself down most of all. This explores a great family dynamic and when everything comes to a head, what will Carol do? It's a great read - Michele Gorman does not disappoint! (KARM) 8/10
The Curvy Girls Club (2014)
When friends Katie, Pixie, Ellie and Jane decide to relish life instead of attend depressing Slimming Zone meetings each week, they do so by forming The Curvy Girls Club, a group devoted to enjoying life no matter what size you are. With Katie as its president, The Curvy Girls Club takes off and becomes a real enterprise, with paying members and widespread recognition. However, when Katie begins to drop weight and experience life as a thin person, Pixie, Ellie and Jane wonder if she is really the right person to represent a group devoted to larger-sized women.
I really enjoyed this story. The characters are diverse, yet endearing and completely real; I know someone like each one of these women. Their struggle with weight and acceptance is universal and to read a story about great friends helping each other through their ups and downs is really heartwarming. (LEK) 8/10
Bella Summer Takes a Chance (2013)
Bella Summer, known to all as B., embarks on a journey of self discovery when she realises that her life has become stagnant. Her decade-long relationship with boyfriend Matthias comes to an abrupt end when she concludes they were never in love. Her reliable consultancy job has caused her musical career to take a back seat, so she decides to take control of her life, and with the help of her best friends, goes on a search for true love, happiness and a successful singing career.
I really liked B. as a character. Her big realisation about her relationship drew me into the story from the beginning. When she decides to become serious about her musical career, it really begins to take off and she is quite an inspirational character in that she takes a huge leap of faith in order to follow her dreams. Her friends were brilliant, my personal favourite was Frederick, and I felt that they really added to the story. B.'s love life after Matthias consisted of a series of men, none of whom were fatally flawed but weren't quite right for her, which I felt was true to real life. I had my eye on a certain man who I thought was perfect for her, and I was slightly disappointed when they didn't get together in the end. Michele Gorman has an excellent style of writing that keeps the plot flowing effortlessly and keeps the reader engaged throughout. (LO) 8/10
Misfortune Cookie (2012)
Hannah is no stranger to rash decisions - she moved from America to London on a dare, where she met the charismatic Sam. Now she's decided to move to Hong Kong because Sam has gotten a new job there. Starting over in another new city is hard, and particularly so because Sam has been posted to a position in another country. Despite having her best friend move over to live with her, Hannah begins to have doubts. Sam didn't technically ask her to move with him, and the long distance is taking its toll on their relationship. When things start to go wrong in the dream job that she landed despite the odds, she begins to wonder if she can make a life in Hong Kong after all, or did she make a terrible mistake? The protagonist Hannah is humorous, witty and relatable, I fell in love with her from the beginning. The descriptions of Hong Kong were particularly well written. A funny, feel-good read. (LO) 7/10
Single in the City (2010)
Hannah has decided on a whim to move 3000 miles away from her life in America to start a new life in London. However, Hannah is in for a shock when she realises the cars drive on the other side of the road, she doesn't know the lingo at all, she has trouble making friends, and she can't find a job. Then things take a change for the better - but not before a few disastrous mishaps - when she meets a man who gets her a job at his company. She finally makes some friends, but on the downside, the boss is a certified bitch. What can she do? She has no other choice but to deal with it and soon she moves into a house with three Australian men who like to walk around half naked. Not that she minds really, but it's a shame that she has no feelings for any of them. In truth, she's really smitten with the man who got her the job. Trouble is, he's married. Will Hannah ever find her true love and will she be able to settle down in London?
This is <>. Hannah is a smart and sassy character, looking to make her way in the world - though maybe she should have prepared a bit first before jumping on a plane to Britain. Though all in all, that makes her all the more admirable and fun to travel along with on her journey. (AS)
10/24/14
Victoria Smith
10/24/14
Last week I reviewed author Michele Gorman’s Perfect Girl, a romantic comedy about a woman named Carol who tries to be everything to everyone in her life. Michele kindly offered to virtually sit down with Girl Tries Life for a little interview from one aspiring author to a USA Today Best-selling author.
GTL: I feel a lot of women will resonate with themes in Perfect Girl. Expectations are higher on women today than ever. Was this something you consciously started out with, or did it develop as you wrote?
MG: It was definitely something I set out to do from the start. If I don’t have a big theme in mind when I begin a book I have a hard time controlling my characters. I can’t just let them loose to see what narratives they develop. If I do they get unruly and go off on tangents. So I keep a close eye on them.
Perfect Girl was a story I’ve wanted to tell for a while. It seems like more and more women are barely keeping their heads above water, between the demands of family, children, spouses, friends, colleagues and practically everybody else. Yet for some reason when another demand piles up, we say “Sure, I can handle that”. And ironically, when our loved ones complain about the demands they face, we’re the first ones to tell them to refuse them!
GTL: You’ve been writing for a number of years now. How do you feel your writing has changed over time? Your writing routine?
MG: I actually began writing literary fiction (which is just a name for books that can’t be categorised into a genre), so my debut, Single in the City, was the first evolution in my writing. That series (there are three books) was very fast-paced and funny, with a lot of observational humour. But as I’ve become more experienced I’ve been able to write more nuanced characters and explore big themes (still with humour though!). So Bella Summer Takes a Chance, for example, is about the compromises we make when it comes to what we want in life, and The Curvy Girls Club is about belonging and learning to love yourself.
My writing routine hasn’t really changed over the years. I set a word count of 2,000 words a day, which can take from one to four hours depending on how well it’s going. I always make time for a nice lunch, a walk or jog in the park and a nap J and never write in the evenings.
GTL: If you could have known one thing that you know now when you started out as a writer, what do you wish it would have been?
MG: I wish I’d known that that crisis of confidence around the 30,000 word mark is something nearly every author goes through… with every book. I always have to dig deep to keep going and when I get to the end and read back through the manuscript, luckily I’ve always found that I like it!
GTL: What is it about Carol that you connect with? Do you share any traits?
MG: Well I loved her from the very start, and in fact, she came to life in another book (Christmas Carol). She’s so smart and funny and feisty (if only in her head at first) that I didn’t want to say good-bye when Christmas Carol ended. Originally I had another main character for Perfect Girl but she just wasn’t right for the part. I tried rewriting her a few times but nothing worked. Then Carol appeared and I knew she’d be, well, perfect.
I was probably more like Carol in my twenties than I am today (though I was never even close to perfect!). Now that I’m older I’m not generally afraid to say no when requests come my way so, luckily, I don’t often feel the pressure that Carol does.
GTL: What have you learned about yourself through writing?
MG: I’ve learned that I like routine. And coffee. I like coffee very much.
Best-selling author Michele Gormans debut novel Single in the City'is about new beginnings, bridging cultures, and stepping out on ones own, and Gorman has found that life is very much inclined to follow art. After learning that US publishers were hesitant to take on her book, citing concerns that American'chick lit fans couldn't understand the culture-specific humour, Gorman has decided to step out on her own, bringing her book directly to her US readers.
Its not that US publishers'won't accept a book set in the UK, because there is a lot of excellent chick lit coming from here, says Gorman. Rather, they didn't think US women would 'get' it because many haven't been to the UK. And its this that she disagrees with. After all, she adds, if this is truly the case, the only American women living in London would have bought the book when it was published year.'But not only was the book a bestseller in the UK, but it sold strongly in many other countries as well. I dont think theyre giving the readership enough credit.
So what exactly is it about the book that will apparently miss the mark? It is the'fish out of water element of your book, which sees fun being poked at the American protagonist? On the contrary, I think we Americans like to laugh at ourselves, says Gorman. I think we''I also think we get a chuckle from characters that remind us of embarrassing situations we've found ourselves in. That 'Oh my gosh that's me' feeling is fun. And everyone can identify with the discomfort of an unfamiliar social situation.
Though the publishers liked the self-deprecating humour that runs through the book, it was the cultural differences fish out of water scenario that posed a problem. Though they like this element of the book, they didn't accept that being thrown into an alien situationwhether that's moving to a new city, or country, or starting a new job or going to college or fitting in with your boyfriend's familyis a universal theme. I think their belief that most US women won't get the humour of the cultural differences overrode all the other things they did like about the book.
Going it alone
Like her protagonist Hannah, Gorman knows that stepping into unfamiliar territory is far easier when youre accompanied by someone else. Fortunately, Gormans agent, Caroline Hardman at Christopher Little, is on her side. She's been a constant support in my writing career, and the US launch is no different.'She's worked really hard to help me launch the book, from finding out how to go about the logistics to advice on the cover and the marketing.
Though Hardman didnt suggest that Gorman make changes to the manuscript, Gorman opted to revise the text before putting it on the market. I was lucky enough to have a year of reviews from bloggers and readers, which allowed me to see what they liked and didn't like. For example several readers would have liked to see less drinking. Although the odd tipple is a popular past time in the UK,'she acknowledged that Hannahs liberal approach to alcohol wasnt a hugely important part of the story, so she opted to tone down this element.
Hannah is also a bit more of a rounded character now, and I've deepened the scene settings to give a stronger sense of placeit's now a bit more descriptive. She has also removed the footnotes that were used to help explain some of the differences between American and British culture.
Publishing rights (and wrongs)
When Gorman points out how widely her book has been enjoyed, Im curious to learn about her opinion about publishing rights. As an Australian-based reviewer Ive had publishers decline to send certain books my way, even though I could easily pick up those books on a site such as Amazon or Book Depository. Ive also seen moves to purchase more wide-reaching rights. Are territorial rights still relevant?
I hate to think that publishing rights are irrelevant, says Gorman, noting that such a move would be bad news for her as an author. If those rights aren't observed then distributors will sell my book in territories where they do not have the right to do so. As it is, the UK version of the book is listed for sale on Amazon by distributors who don't have the right to sell the book in the US.
Authors lose out in such a scenario, adds Gorman, which is why the careful management of rights is vital.
When we sold publishing rights to Penguin UK we held back the US rights, so I owned them. This is also true for the English language rights in many other countries such as Brazil. I also own the foreign language rights in every country except for Russia. Russian rights have been sold to Atticus, which is publishing Single in the City in Russian.
On covers and conceptualisation
Though immensely popular as a genre over the past few years, and particularly so in the UK, chick lit has been getting a bad rap in the media of late, with reports of sales slumps abounding. Gorman suspects that rather than a reconceptualisation of the genre, which has been touted as the way to address this issue, that chick lit novels need to simply be accepted as such.
There's no doubt that the genre is maligned, but we should consider the source of these judgments when deciding how much credence we give them, says Gorman. Often, she says, those who speak poorly of the genre dont necessarily have any experience with it, but'are making their proclamations based on what they've read about it.
'The problem with chick-lit, they tell us, is that it doesn't deal with the real issues that women face. Gorman is quick to point out how far from the truth this is. From sibling rivalry to infidelity, addictions to poor body image, a woman can take her pick within the genre if she wants to. And the rest of it? It's meant for pure indulgent enjoyment, and there's nothing wrong with that.
In fact, Gorman suspects that its this indulgent enjoyment that grates with some. I think it's a reaction to popular culture from a particular part of the population. There will always be people for whom anything with mass appeal, whether in fiction, film, music or fashion, is a Very Bad Thing. These critics have been present through the ages. By definition, if they're against mass appeal then they are not part of the mass population and therefore must be in the minority. Let them have their opinions. We'll enjoy our reading.
So chick lit isnt in need of reconceptualising in order to make it more palatable to the mainstream? Not at all, says Gorman. In fact, thats needed is integrity and honesty in branding and marketing. Part of the issue is that books are being inappropriately branded as chick lit when theyre patently not, or as something else entirely when theyre clearly chick lit, she says. The latter is a particular issue in the US, she adds, although the issue has blown up in the UK media as well, with the firing of author Polly Courtney being one such case.
The recent case with Polly Courtney was to do with the fact that'her publisher has branded her books as chick lit when that's not what she writes, says Gorman. There are a lot of books out there with 'chick lit' covers when they're not chick lit.
As noted above, the opposite is true, as well: many chick lit books are given photographic covers that seem to indicate that the book sits within another genre altogether. When doing research for her US cover, Gorman says that she was surprised to see so many covers that did not make it obvious at all that the books in question were chick lit.
Most chick lit in the UK has illustrated covers, but in the US there seems to be a broad brush approach taken for the covers of books written by or for women. Gorman muses that this may be to do with the negative press that chick lit sometimes receives, pointing out that she has seen many'comments from women who say they wouldn't be caught dead reading a book with a pastel cover. To her, though, this means that the women in question simply dont like chick lit, and arent the market that the publishers should be chasing.
Perhaps the publishers see these comments and think that'if they put a different cover on the book then those women will buy it. This may be the case, but it could well risk ending up with an unhappy reader at the end of the transaction. If you market cheese as chocolate you just disappoint chocoholics and miss out on the cheese lovers.
Bearing this in mind, Gorman'made the decision to brand my book with an illustrated pastel cover that signals that it's fun, funny chick lit. I'm very proud to write chick lit and I want my book to be bought by chick lit lovers. After all, I am writing for them. I'm more than happy to forego sales to women who don't like the genre. I don't want to trick anyone into buying my book.
And for those who do object to the cover, she adds with a grin, having it'in eBook form is the 21st century equivalent of the brown paper bagno one can see what you're reading.
On visibility
Gormans mention of the invisibility of an ebook is an interesting one, and its an idea thats particularly relevant now that shes stepping out without the support of the marketing and media networks of a publishing company.
Traditional publishers do two important things in terms of getting a book in front of potential readers. First, they're great at getting the physical book into sales outlets.'The second thing traditional publishers do is to publicise the book through their in-house PR department. Gorman benefited from both of these when working with her UK publisher, where she had an excellent experience. Her book ended up in supermarket chain Tesco and on the sales table at WHSmith, and she had an extraordinary PR agent working tirelessly on her behalf. So she believes in the partnership between excellent publishers and writers.
I was extremely lucky to have Helen Holman, she says. She wrote my PR and sent it out to dozens of newspapers, magazines and blog sites. It was very much a partnership for us. For example I also came up with a very long list of chick lit blogs to get in touch with. When the requests came in, I set about writing up the interview or guest post.
Its these book blogs (like, er, this one) that Gorman is looking to when promoting the US release of her book. Im very grateful for them, she says.
Since the US edition of Single in the City is an eBook it won't receive the physical promotion the UK edition did, meaning that the review blogs even more important. Gorman is following the same path used for the UK launch, except this time around shes not working with Helen. I'm sending the PR as well as doing all of the interviews and guest blogs. For the US launch I sent PR to 80 US newspaper book editors and around 40 chick lit blog sites. It's through word of mouth that Single in the City will become a success in the US.
Gorman also sings the praises of social media, which are not just great procrastination tools, but are great for getting the word out as well.
9/2/2010 by Stephanie
Michele Gorman's debut'Single in the City (previously released as'The Expat Diaries) opens with a scene very familiar to me: the fateful ordering of a salad sandwich in Britain. Used to leafy monstrosities full of vegetably goodness bursting from thick wedges of dark rye, I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed at finding that in Oxford, three pounds (not a trifling amount when you've exchanged from Aussie dollars) buys two wilted pieces of white bread, two dried-out circles of cucumber possibly taken from the missus's nightly eye mask, and a lank bit of lettuce (and, fortunately, sandwich pickles, the only thing redeeming my tragic meal). No wonder the guy behind the seemed to appraise me for an eating disorder before adding rather doubtfully, 'is that all?'
Given the fact that Australia is a fairly recent offshoot of the ol' Mother Country, that we too speak a non-rhotic variety of English (except those of us who have watched too much American TV), and that we're exposed to all manner of Britishisms thanks to parents obsessed with quality television programming such as'Keeping up Appearances,'The Bill, and'Heartbeat, I rather thought that I'd slot right in to British life. Unfortunately, it seems that British English and Australian English are not actually dialects of the same language: it turns out that they're not at all mutually comprehensible. And weirdly, language barriers aside, things were similar enough that the differences seemed all the more noticeable, sort of like being thrust into an alternate dimension where everything is the same except that it rains doughnuts in the mornings. Still, my slight communication issues and general gaucheness were far less of an issue than those of Hannah Cummings, who has clearly not seen an episode of BBC TV in her life (not even Super Ted, it turns out!).
Like many major events in Hannah's life, her arrival in London is largely attributable to a drunken whim. Having been recently sacked from her middling role as a junior PR exec (it's cheaper and more effective to outsource such roles to India, we're told, and, well, given the combination of Hannah's dubious job skills and her liking of designer clothing, it's rather hard to debate this), Hannah finds herself lost in the angsty throes of a quarter life crisis, the answer to which, of course, is a fresh start. And her move to London is about as fresh as it can get: she arrives homeless, friendless, and work permit-less. But fortunately, Hannah is no retiring wallflower, and within mere hours she has unnerved all manner of polite Brits by making eye contact on public transport, attempting to pay for small items with large notes, and walking on the wrong side of the footpath (or 'sidewalk', in Hannah terminology). That same night, apparently frustrated by how long it seems to be taking her to integrate into English culture, Hannah seeks out something quintessentially British: the local pub. It's fair to say that she has rather more luck here than she does in situations where sobriety is the preferable state of mind, and it's not long before she's raising eyebrows amongst the hotel staff with her rather forward (American?) behaviour.
With one important cultural divide bridged, Hannah decides it's quite possibly time to engage in other adult (ahem) activities, such as the slightly less eyebrow-raising tasks of getting a job and finding somewhere to live. Needless to say, both of these are rather more fraught than they first seem, and after a while, Hannah resigns herself to living with some unintelligible Australians (also known as Or-STRAY-uns) and to taking up a position working for the very man who, after several pints of strong beer, helped her bring America and Britain that little bit closer together. Unfortunately, the role is not quite what Hannah had mindand neither is the man. But while she can deal with the work situation, a boyfriendless life is not for Hannah, and this needs to be rectified immediately. Fortunately, wily Hannah's strong suit is hunting (both men and ducks, as it turns out), and there's no shortage of hilarious situations that ensue as she doggedly searches for Mr Right, committing perhaps every faux pas in the book as she attempts to understand the subtle nuances of British culture and the not so subtle nuances of men.
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Its a combination of the rich humour and Hannah's social largesse that largely carry the novel, as the plot is fairly slight and not especially complex. If you have a love of situational humour, you'll probably find yourself clutching this book to your chest as you rub your aching stomach muscles. Still, while I'm willing generally to let plot slide (I've read enough literary novels in my life to know that plot is something that can be happily done away with), there are some things that didnt quite work for me hereHannahs sudden promulgation of love to her Mr Right is a slightly whiplash-inducing reversal, as while this character is present throughout the book, Hannah has scarcely given him a second (and strictly platonic) glance during any of their earlier meetings. It seems odd that she should suddenly declare him her One and Truly with little in the way to preface this. Moreover, while Hannahs romantic escapades are entertaining, after watching her chase random men for a few hundred pages, its rather difficult not to feel frustrated by her neediness (and, increasingly, her rather painful ditzinessat times shes about as useful as Bella from Twilight, although admittedly she does have better taste in men). Another plot issue is the fairly abrupt ending that doesnt quite feel layered on to the rest of the narrative.
However, Gorman brings in a wonderful set of secondary characters to balance any frustrations that might be had with Hannah. While some of them border on caricatures, this isnt too much of an issue in a book whose success hinges so firmly on its comedic appeal. Gorman draws some delightful characters in Hannahs Australian flatmates (although as an Aussie, I do take issue with their Crocodile Dundee-esque accents), her frosty boss, and her oversharing friend Stacy, who regales the household nightly with stories of her latest exploits over the answering machine. Moreover, although its true that some of the comparisons between British and American culture are hammered home with all of the subtlety of a mallet pounding a steak, there are a good deal of these that are absolutely spot on, and I found myself reading sections aloud to my long-suffering boyfriend, something which is (luckily for him) a rare treat indeed. If you like your chicklit light, fluffy, and self-deprecating, and you can deal with a heroine who is scarcely able to tie her shoes but is not above a bit of crafty blackmail, youll find a lot to like here.
In a rather spontaneous decision to follow her dreams Right This Second, Hannah has left Connecticut behind and moved to London. She doesn't have a flat, she doesn't have a job, and she doesn't have any friends, but she has more important things to worry about on arrival. Like how to deal with potential lovers who are too posh to wash and how to get the guy in the sandwich shop to understand her order. As she navigates her way through the highlights and pitfalls of life on this side of the pond she chronicles all the little intricacies that we would never consider twice.
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The story is a good one, if a little too good to be true at times: within chapters Hannah has a fab, affordable apartment, and the sort of job I'd love the chance to do, not to mention a row of suitors lining up at her door. As the pages fly by the characters on both sides of the Atlantic come to life, and you get swept away with Hannah's new life. The ending wasn't to my liking, but it only warrants the docking of half a star as the rest of the book is so stellar.
Throughout the book, the author includes little footnotes to explain certain brands or cultural references. Most of these are translations of American institutions for the British audience (Betty Crocker and Chuck E Cheese are two, though given the proliferation of the former in our supermarkets these days, it was hardly needed) while a few seem to be the other way round – she explains the concept of Costa Coffee to the USA contingent. I liked these footnotes, not because I really needed them (time spent living Stateside and a fondness for American media sorted that out) but because she adds her own wry take on them. I might know who or what Lilly Pulitzer is, but I still like hearing that it's America’s ode to the belief that wallpaper can be fashionable when worn as a dress.
I flew through this book. It was full of humour and life, and definitely had the feel good factor. Much better than I was expecting it to be, I would highly recommend it.
3/15/2016
Jenny Banks
Catherine may be London’s finest matchmaker, but all isn’t fair in love and business. Her company is taking on new clients every day, though she is yet to find her Mr. Right. But determined Catherine is looking forward, and she is taking her best friends, Sarah and Rachel, with her, as they join her dating site, RecycLove. Soon they are rating and recommending their ex-boyfriends, and finding that putting your heart in someone else’s hands can lead to surprising results.
Match Me If You Can is a very fun, witty and warm book. The central dating site plot promises some humorous situations as they each meet new people. The rationale behind RecycLove is really interesting, and it was amusing to delve into the ladies’ old relationships so they could carve out a chance at forging new ones. It could be a painful process to be rated and recommended in this way, but the ladies are soon learning new things about themselves. In Rachel’s case, she is also learning more about her ex-boyfriend and colleague, James.
Catherine, Sarah and Rachel are each engaging and hugely likeable in their own ways. After divorcing from best friend Richard in her twenties, Catherine went on with him to form RecycLove and Love Match, another part of the business. Catherine is very hardworking and motivated to find the best dates for her clients, and she seems happy to put her own love life aside to focus on other people. Sarah is kind and gentle, a keen baker, and has an incredibly sunny disposition despite enduring a tough time. She hasn’t been the same since the death of her mother, and is also trying to find a suitable place for her sister Sissy, who has Down’s syndrome, to live. Sissy was a real highlight of the book – she is earnest and funny and full of teenage spirit. Completing the trio is Rachel, up-and-coming architect and possessor of a fabulous fashion sense. Rachel is currently locked in a friendly battle over a work project with James, who is morphing into a changed man. There was a lot of bantering between the pair and it’s obvious that they once made a great couple.
I felt like I knew Catherine, Sarah and Rachel very easily and they retained their distinctive characters through the alternating chapters. I would have always welcomed more interaction between the three of them, purely because although they are great individually, they complement each other perfectly as friends, and as housemates. They have created a very cosy set up at home, even with plenty of intrusion from errant builders as their house is renovated. There are lots of subplots in Match Me If You Can, from Catherine having to deal with Richard’s fiancée, Magda, as her new business partner, to Sarah auditioning for The Great British Bake Off. The book zips along, never failing to keep the reader entertained.
Michele Gorman has delivered a treat with Match Me If You Can. It’s a brilliant, fun and hugely enjoyable book about friendships and relationships and how there really is someone for everyone.
Lucy Moore
7/25/2016
If you have ever attended a diet club, you will be able to relate to this book. The motivational one-liners, the excuses and the promises- it's all in there.
The Curvy Girls Club
The Curvy Girls Club
The protagonists are as normal as you and me so they are so easy to relate to and familiar- their conversations reminded me of the ones I have with my own mates while we've been on the latest diet fad.
Best mates Pixie, Ellie, Katie and Jane have had enough of being on a constant diet so they start a club where everyone is welcome and size is irrelevant. It affects their lives in ways they never anticipated.
The timing is bittersweet however as the club goes from strength to strength, while behind closed doors they each have everyday relationship and body confidence problems to deal with.
Katie has a crush on the handsome guy in the office- but is he suddenly paying her attention for the right reasons?
Pixie wants to leave her husband- but can't summon up the courage- can her friends help her to find her inner strength?
Jane flits from one extreme diet to another- will one of them eventually take a toll on her health?
Ellie has trust issues over her boyfriend and with the help of Kate she finds out what he's been doing.
I <
It reinforces the point that people should love you for you. In fact, quite often they do- but sometimes the pressures of external influences can convince you otherwise.
It has a really strong, positive message- all young girls should read this book to reassure them that<< with the right people around you- you can move mountains>> and to live with what's comfortable for you because everyone is so different.
I read this while on holiday and it certainly made me focus less on my body and more on having a good time-which is what it's all about. The ideal summer read if you want to put things back into perspective.
Oh and to let you know-every time you pick up this book- the cover will make you want to eat cake- just saying!
Match Me If you Can by Michele Gorman revolves around three best friends who share a house together and partake on a mission to find love. Lucky, one of the best friends, Catherine, is a matchmaker. Catherine and her ex-husband run Recyclove, where you two former couples join up, give each other an assessment of the other person, and then they are able to have access to the other members on the dating site.
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I really enjoyed the storyline and thought it was unique and fun with a new twist on dating. The author did a great job, not only with the dialogue between the characters, but with the depth of the friendships and their experiences, as well. I happy to report all three friends will be successful in their journey, but it takes a little bit to get them there.
If you are a fan of chick-lit and recycling your ex sounds like a great plan, definitely grab Match Me If you Can!
Book Info:
Ever thought about recycling your ex?
Best friends Catherine, Rachel & Sarah are fun, smart, successful and single – just like millions of women with a low tolerance for idiocy in their dates.
Mr. Right hasn’t turned up yet, and Mr Right-Now isn’t worth booking a wax appointment for. So when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets Rachel and Sarah to join her dating site where they can recycle their ex-boyfriends in exchange for an upgrade, they soon realise that anything could happen . . .
Three best friends, proving that sometimes it really isn’t you… it’s him