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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Preloved Blog Tour - Interview with Shirley Marr and Giveaway

Today I have the lovely Shirley Marr stopping by as part of her Preloved Blog Tour! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Preloved the blurb says...

If you had a second chance at love, would you do it all over again?

Amy has enough to deal with for one lifetime. A superstitious Chinese mother. A best friend whose mood changes as dramatically as her hair colour. A reputation for being strange. The last thing she needs is to be haunted by someone only she can see.

Logan is a ghost from the Eighties. He could be dangerous. He's certainly annoying.

He might also be Amy's dream boy.

**************************************************************************

I've just finished reading Preloved so I haven't had a chance to review it yet but, I loved it! Like Amy, I have often felt I have grown up in the wrong decade, although my reasoning is more to do with music than the fashion! Stay tuned for a review next week.

In the meantime, Shirley has answered some questions to help us get to know the real Shirley Marr!

I was the kind of kid who…
was always lost in her own world. Sitting up in trees and imagining stories. I remember me and my sister lying in our white walled bedroom and I would describe to her this magical land we were in instead.

My mother always told me…
never to trust smart, witty and good looking boys. If they are too good to be true, they are probably demons. Or ghosts. Or even worse - your imagination.

The biggest lesson I learnt at school was…
I could be both a Goth and also sit at the front of the class (because I liked learning) and not get struck down by the Stereotype Lightning God. So I go through life these days just being generally weird, and being anything I want to be.
<--------- Teenage Goth Princess Shirley


My first big crush was…
David Bowie. Goblin King. Pants magic pants. How could I resist?

I earnt my first pay cheque…
Being an accountant. I am still earning my pay cheques this way these days! Writer Shirley is poor and lives on love and raindrops.

I really hate it when…
I'm reading a book on public transport and I start to cry.

I’m very good at…
baking. I had to fold my cupcake catering side-business when I became an author because I couldn't hold down two hobbies. I'm always going to kinda regret I never got my own little baking van. --------> Pacman cupcakes for an 80's inspired party.



The hardest thing I’ve ever done…

is writing novels. I put all my soul into it. Both Fury and Preloved feel like my horcruxes.

I’m frightened of…
ghosts

When I’m in the shower I sing…
Naked and Sacred (I guess it's fitting?) by Chynna Phillips. I'm a diehard 90's teen. It's also my Karaoke song!

The last book I read was…
On The Jellicoe Road By Melina Marchetta. She demonstrates why the Aussie YA crown belongs to her with this book.

I would love to meet…
Every fictional character I have ever had a crush on.

When I get the munchies I eat…
anything sweet. if I am desperate, I make this Five Minute Mug Cake. I eat it with guilty pleasure and then pretend nothing happened.

I hope I never…
have to cry again.

Life is…
too short. Read and re-imagine a better world. Write a novel and live forever.

Thank you Jess for having me on your lovely blog today. Tomorrow I will be heading over to My Girl Friday to talk about the awesome 80s, so please join me then!

~Giveaway~

Thanks to Walker Books, I have a copy of Preloved to give away! To enter, please leave your first name, email address and answer to the following question, in the comments below. Entries close 30th April 2012 AWST and winners will be drawn using random.org.

Now to stick with our 80's theme and because I love 80's music...
What is your favourite song from the 80's?

24 comments:

  1. Name: Skyla
    Email: skylariver at gmail dot com
    Favorite 80s song: I like a lot of 80s songs but I'm going to go with Hold On by Wilson Phillips or Take on Me by A-Ha =)

    And I too am scared of ghosts, just not the one of the little girl who follows me around constantly. She is very sweet and always a conversation starter with strangers =)

    P.S. I love the cupcakes, they are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Tainted Love by Soft Cell

    I have a mega sweet tooth as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. My name is Elena, my email is onpeakhill(at)gmail(dot)com and oh boy, just left a super long comment about my favourite 80s songs on another blog. I guess I will just go with Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place! :)

    Aw, I love that Shirley used to do cupcake catering! I have a major sweet tooth but can't really bake, ha. I suppose it's better cos I would have loads of cavities by now. "Write a novel and live forever" is such a great sentence!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shirley writes great interviews. Living on love and raindrops..my grandpa said if you are planning on living on love you are going to get awful skinny!
    Fav 80s somg..wow,lomg list here
    Take My Breath Away..Berlin
    Longest Time and Innocent Man Billy Joel
    Eternal Flame Bangles
    I'll Be There for You Bon Jovi
    I Don't Want to Live Without Your Love Chicago
    I think I will stop now :)
    Email rnydayramblings@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Name: Karen
    email: kalasyn@hotmail.com
    My 2 favourite bands are from the 80's so that's an easy question for me.
    The Look - Roxette
    You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
    p.s. the pac man cupcakes are adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  6. name: gita
    email: gitapar at hotmail dot com
    song:lauper's time after time

    ReplyDelete
  7. Shirley, I didn't know you loved baking too, your cupcakes look awesome!

    Jess, it's great to find your blog, this blog tour has been a lot of fun :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Name: Celine
    Email: celine8olivia(at)gmail(dot)com
    My favourite song from 80s is Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi!

    And what an awesome post! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Name: Jammie
    E-mail: smile_jammie(at)live(dot)com(dot)au
    I don't think that I know very many 80's songs, but I pretty much love anything by Cyndi Lauper :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. Name: Renee
    Email: renee.jasmin@hotmail.com
    Favourite song from the 80's has to be Let's Dance by David Bowie. Always puts me in a good mood! And I loooove that the video clip was filmed in Australia :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Shirley your cupcakes are amazing! Also love your 90s shower singing, I'm a Meryl Bainbridge girl myself ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Aw, Shirley! I love you forever for saying that your books are your horcruxes! And I love that you're an accountant, writer, AND baker! Cupcaker? :)

    My favorite 80s song is Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson. Haha.

    -Maggie (youngadultanonymous at gmail dot com)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Another fab post Shirley! those pac-man cakes looks scrummy!

    My fave song from the 80's is Like a Prayer by Madonna!

    thanks for the giveaway Jess and Shirley! :)

    thereadersden@hotmail.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  14. LOL I love what your mother told you about certain boys, Shirley. XD So awesome. And I really want one of those Pacman cupcakes! They look delicious. :) Wonderful post!

    I'm not sure if I have a favorite 80s song, but Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley cracks me up. :D

    naruto_and_hinata(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. It has to be everything Bon Jovi. Don't make me choose.

    Mary P

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Brilliant post Jess & Shirley.
    I feel like I would have been best friends with Goth princess Shirley. :-D


    This blog tour has been such a great way to meet new bloggers! Yay!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love Shirley Marr! She's so sweet.
    Awesome interview too, those were great questions :)
    for the 80s song im gonna say.. some classic MJ can do no wrong right? Thriller. :)

    Arielle
    arielle(dot)yeap(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Shirley! You create novels AND cupcakes?! You truly are a gift to the world :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. I loved Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves!

    susanw28 (at) mindspring (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great interview - thanks - I just bought this book, and now there is even more reason for me to read it - Shirley Marr is cool (and the book sounds good!).
    Thanks, Isme

    P.S. I'm not really an 80s kid, but off the top of my head, You Make my Dreams Come True by Hall and Oates!?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Really great interview!

    And that is a REALLY hard question:
    Love Cats - The Cure
    Train in vain - The Clash
    Under Pressure - David Bowie/Queen
    Lovers in a Dangerous Time - Bruce Cockburn

    I could go on and on! I am ridiculously excited (and also somewhat selfishly protective) that the 80s is coming back into fashion.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great interview! The book sounds great!
    Jenny V
    tea4my3 (at) gmail (dot) com

    I Love:
    Every Breath You Take - The Police
    Paradise City - Guns N Roses
    Fascination Street - The Cure
    How Soon Is Now - The Smiths

    ReplyDelete
  23. Kate B - kashtastic(at)gmail(dot)com

    My favourites:
    Jenny by Tommy Tutone
    Your Love by the Outfield


    Those cupcakes are making me hungry!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Name: Alice S

    Email: alice DOT 28 AT optusnet DOT com DOT au

    Favourite songs of the 80s? HMMM that's hard....though I have to say I do adore Take on Me by A-Ha! :D I still jam to it in the car and can never hit the high notes....

    ReplyDelete

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