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Bookchat: Paige Nick

Paige Nick is just as you would imagine: fun, bubbly and a laugh a minute.  She is the popular author of A Million Miles From Normal, a novel that has shown that South African writers are just as good as their international competitors.

The book is literally flying off the shelves and if you find a woman giggling as she reads, the odds are pretty good that she has it in her hands (if you want it in your hands, click here).

I couldn't wait to interview Paige and find out more about her life, her work and her inspiration.  Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be fun.

Q: A Million Miles From Normal has been a tremendously successful and popular debut novel. Did you have one of those Stephenie Meyer "It came to me in a dream...I had never written before, and then my agent immediately loved it and the next thing I know I'm on Oprah" moments, or was the getting published process more difficult than it appears?

A: I think I've been incredibly lucky. The getting published process wasn't that difficult, but the physical writing of it was quite tricky.

I've always wanted to write a book, and over the last six or seven years I've made a number of false starts on other books, but I've never made it past the first chapter. So figuring out what genre and what story to write was the hard part for me.

But as soon as I had the idea for A Million Miles from Normal then things started to slip into place.

Q: What inspired you to write the book?

A: I've always loved books and TV shows set in the world of advertising, probably because that's the industry I've been in for the last sixteen years and it's something I'm really passionate about.

But there aren't that many books out there set in adland, so I wanted to write about that.

Q: Rachel Marcus (the main character) is a copywriter, just as you are in real life. Is the story biographical in any way? Do you share the same quirky personality traits?

A: The book isn't necessarily biographical, some of the things that happen to Rachel, and some of the people she meets along the way are loosely based on people I've met, things that have happened to me or people I know, dates I've been on, clients I've worked with and colleagues I've had over the years.

But most of the stories have been largely fictionalised and don't really resemble the facts so much anymore. I think I share some of Rachel's quirks and her sense of humour, and I definitely share her dodgy taste in men, but other than that she's 95% fictional.

Q: As you have a full-time job, where did you find the time and motivation to write?

A: This is going to sound so clichéd but you can never find the time, you have to make the time. It helps that I get completely obsessed when I'm in the middle of a draft and don't want to do anything other than write.

My character's voices chatter on in my head constantly and the only way to get them to shut up is to write down what they're saying. I also try to get my first draft down as quickly as possible, and that helps to keep the momentum and motivation going.

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer?

A: Yes and no. I've always wanted to write a book. And then by the time I finished school I was completely passionate about going into advertising.

And since I can't draw to save my life, and I like to write, becoming a copywriter was the most natural choice.

Q: I have heard people refer to you as the "South African Marian Keyes", although I personally find it difficult to classify your writing as pure "chick-lit". How would you describe your style and what type of reader did you have in mind when you wrote "A million miles from normal?"

A: Being compared to Marian Keyes is a huge compliment. She's such a talented writer. Oddly enough I never actually had a specific reader in mind, mainly because I never really thought past getting the manuscript finished.

It was a case of simply putting one word down after another, obsessively, until it was finished. I enjoyed the process of writing it so much that I just hoped like hell that other people out there would like reading it.

Q: Do you have any advice for wannabe writers and novelists?

A: This is all pretty new to me, so I feel a bit strange giving advice, but if I had to I would say that the only advice I can give is to write.

I know it seems obvious, but I believe that you have to actually sit down and write, every day, if possible. You have to keep your writing muscle fit and writing helps you find your groove and style.

Q: Your writing, both in your book and your blog, is extremely humorous and I often spot people reading your work and laughing out loud. Are you like this in person as well? In other words, are you the life and fun of the party as you appear to be through your writing?

I have a ridiculous laugh. Somebody recently described it as 'a vuvuzela on helium'. I like to laugh and make people laugh, and hearing people say that they laugh out loud when they read either the blog or the book makes me feel really proud and happy.

Q: What else do you enjoy doing, apart from writing?

A: The usual stuff, things like reading, gyming, hanging with friends and family (I come from an extremely large family).

I've also been known to drink the odd Johnny Walker Black Label on occasion, I surf the net relentlessly and I'm embarrassed to admit that I'm a sucker for reality television.

Q:. What has been the best part of being published? What do you enjoy most about having your name and writing out there?

A: Seeing my book in book stores is such an amazingly surreal experience. I also love it when complete strangers tell me they've read it and enjoyed it. That means a lot to me because it's such genuine feedback.

Q: Whose writing inspires you? What types of books do you enjoy reading?

A: I'll read anything. Sometimes I wish I had four eyeballs so I could read two books simultaneously.I've recently discovered an author named Jim Crace and I'm totally addicted to him. I'll inhale anything he's written.

Q: Are you busy writing a book right now? If so, please give us a sneak preview of what it is going to be about...

A: I've just finished the first draft manuscript for my next novel and have sent it off to my editor at Penguin. So I'm waiting nervously with bated breath to hear what he thinks. It's a story of the insane adventures of a group of five mad sisters, who live in Cape Town.

Then finally, I just have to know:

Q: What is your favourite sweet/chocolate?

A: Oooh that's a cool question.

I love chocolate covered peanuts. My Art Director, Karin and I call them 'naughty peanuts'. When I'm writing I'll make myself a cup of tea and open a bag. Yum. Lindt Balls are winners too. Damn, now you've made me want need chocolate!

You can read our review of A Million Miles from Normal here.

We're also giving you the chance to win 1 of 3 copies of A Miles from Normal, so make sure you read the review and enter our giveaway here.

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