Today I have an interview with the author of Bombay Mixx, Shar Lewis.
Describe Bombay Mixx in a tweet
Bombay Mixx is a new women’s fiction novel, which blends the emerald aisle of Ireland with the alluring spice of Bombay, India.
Taking a journey of self discovery with the main character, Nita, we get to empathise with her sibling rivalry, with her younger sister, Gabrielle, her close relationship with her brother Renesh, the loving connection with her doting parents, Niamh and Parwez, and her unique friendships with fashion conscious, Amelia and no nonsense Russian escort, Anya.
Fast paced, with the ability to get to know each character in detail, Bombay Mixx makes you feel like you are on Nita’s rollercoaster of a life, without the urge to jump off.
With strong characters, witty humour, sensitive scenarios, constant twists and turns with an ultimate taboo plot; Bombay Mixx sets itself apart from the usual Chick Lit novels.
Which one of your characters do you most relate to and why?
I think I relate to the main character, Nita, the most.
Like Nita, I have been a little naïve with my quest to find Mr Right, (I don’t think the fairy tales my mother used to read me, set me up with the right plan to find the perfect match! Lol), and have got myself into some interesting situations, when I was younger, trying to find myself. However, all these interesting stories, just add more substances when I am writing my scenes and introducing characters into my novels.
It has been said that authors can fall into one of two categories- Plotters and pantsers. Do you plan out your novels or so you just kind of “fly by the seat of your pants” when writing?
I would love to say I am that cool, fly by the seat of my pants author, however, I am a little too erratic to be that free and due to my short attention span (put a handsome man on the television, in shorts, and he suddenly appears in the middle of a funeral scene in my latest novel!), I have to plan my novels, just to avoid going from chick lit to science fiction in one paragraph!
What do you do when you have writers block?
I don’t recommend this to all authors, however, I find to solve writers block, I give myself a free days off from writing, do things that have nothing to do with the book and go back to it when I feel refreshed and distressed, with a nice, large, glass of wine and new experiences to add to the story.
What are three facts people would be surprised to know about you?
This is always a difficult question as you don’t want to sound boring or just very weird, so I would say the three facts people would be surprised to know about me is: 1) music helps me to create scenes and characters and I regularly play music, close my eyes and think of where the music wants me to go for that particular chapter.
2) I am obsessed with the Olympics and when I saw Usain Bolt, he inspired me to take up running! Although this lasted a week, I was quite fast and intend on getting back into it.
3) I am a keen horror fan. I absolutely love horror films and literature. Many of you would be wondering why did I decide to write a women’s fiction book instead of a Horror novel…well who knows maybe in the future, I will, but for now I enjoy writing women’s fiction.
What are some of your favourite sites on the internet?
I think my three favourite sites on the internet must be Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I love communicating with different types of interesting people from all walks of life and I love the creativity behind Pinterest.
If we looked under your bed right now, what would we find?
Apart from dust, reminding me how undomesticated I am, I think you would find old celebrity magazines, receipts from purchases I shouldn’t have bought and lists of reminders that I have forgotten to do.
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Bombay MixxOne lavish celeb-style wedding. Four friends with very delicate secrets, all hoping to avoid them being exposed. One of the friend’s unaware that the happy proceedings will be an event to remember, from a simmering secret that no one could have predicted. With no morals, taboo’s or thought of destroying the special moment or a family, can the Patel’s pull together to get over this life changing revelation from this strange gatecrasher and her younger sidekick?
Walking through the door of this countryside mansion, you could be mistaken that you had walked into a rich Moroccan Sheik’s tent.
With a Middle Eastern theme, rich colours of deep red, orange and gold; the engagement party filled the entering guests with immediate Eastern promise. Although she managed to escape the stresses of her current situation, with the constant demands from the dominating bride-to-be, her spoilt sister, Gabrielle, Nita always had her girlfriends Amelia and Anya to pass some of the burden to, along with her new, perfect boyfriend, Yatin.
Nita is 28, half Indian and half Irish, with a down-to-earth, loving personality who is desperate to meet Mr. Right. With a doting father, strong mother and close siblings, Nita has everything she needs until her first relationship ends and she has to move back in with her parents.
Getting the break she so desperately needs, she accepts a job in the city as a secretary and moves into her parent’s apartment in North London and begins to realise the single life is not so bad when you have a cut throat Russian Escort, an eccentric Fashion Buyer and your WAG wannabe sister to welcome you to this new world!
With these wild, drunken nights, enjoying the high life by accepting the invitations to all the fashion after show parties Amelia would arrange each weekend, an affair with your boss and questioning her sexuality with a co-worker, it’s not surprising Nita didn’t see the start of her brothers, and parent’s marriage deteriorating with the arrival of this new mysterious woman!
But who was she? Why did she have a strong affect on her father? And how was her brother connected to her immoral revelations?
Find Shar online:
While you guys are here, have you entered the two awesome giveaways that I have going on right now?
1. Win a choice of three awesome YA books!
2. Win a copy of the much anticipated The Wild Ones (New adult book)
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Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings
Blending
ireland and India is something I haven’t seen before that should make for and interesting read. I always laugh about the under the bed question. Usually under mine are cat hair balls…but I just had carpets clean so it should be nothing except my cat!