BOOK PROMOTION & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - CONFESSIONS OF A PARIS PARTY GIRL BY VICKI LESAGE

Title: Confessions Of A Paris Party Girl

Author: Vicki Lesage

BLURB from Goodreads

Wine, romance, and French bureaucracy - the ups and downs of an American's life in Paris. This laugh-out-loud memoir is almost too funny to be true!

Drinking too much bubbly. Meeting sappy Frenchmen who have girlfriends or are creeps or both. Encountering problème after problème with French bureaucracy. When newly-single party girl Vicki moved to Paris, she was hoping to taste wine, stuff her face with croissants, and maybe fall in love.

In her first book, this long-time blogger and semi-professional drinker recounts the ups and downs of her life in Paris. Full of sass, shamefully honest admissions, and situations that seem too absurd to be true, Vicki makes you feel as if you're stumbling along the cobblestones with her. 

Will she find love? Will she learn to consume reasonable amounts of alcohol? Will the French administration ever cut her a break?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & INTERVIEW

Vicki Lesage is an IT Director by day, writer by night. And a full-time nerd. She loves fondue, wine, math, and zombies. She lives in Paris with her French husband and rambunctious son.

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

I’m Vicki Lesage and I was born in Colorado, raised in Missouri, and have been living in Paris for the past 9 years.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?

I’m an IT Director by day and write in any spare minute I can find. While I’m mathematically oriented (it’s what I studied in college) I like to balance that with my creative side in my free time.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?

My latest (well, first!) book is called “Confessions of a Paris Party Girl.” In less than 20 words: It’s a juicy memoir that highlights the ups and downs of an American party girl’s life in Paris.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

I have already started a sequel, which will pick up where “Confessions of a Paris Party Girl” left off. It will be mostly focused around pregnancy and raising kids in Paris - which is no easy feat!

What genre would you place your books into?

Officially my book is a memoir that can also be categorized as humor. But when compared to other books in those genres, I feel like mine doesn’t quite fit in. It’s certainly not chick-lit - it’s based on my real life - but I think readers of chick lit would enjoy my story. So in a lot of my marketing efforts I target chick-lit readers and not just readers of memoirs.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

Um, me? Just kidding. Since my book is based on my life it’s hard to say who my favorite character is. I’d say either my husband, who balances out the annoying French people in my book by being absolutely wonderful 100% of the time, or Anne Marie who is lovable but isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. I’m lucky to have people like that in my life and I hope their personalities come across well in my book.

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?

“The Time Traveler’s Wife,” by Audrey Niffenegger. It’s a well-written, fascinating story that is emotional to its core. It’s one of the most romantic stories I’ve ever read, but is heart-wrenching at the same time. During a road trip I was describing the book to my husband (as English is his second language I knew he would never get around to reading it) and I actually started crying just talking about it. I don’t think I have it in me to read it again but it’s a book I continue to recommend to people because it just had such an effect on me.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)

I’m currently reading “The Pollyanna Plan” by Talli Roland on my Kindle. She’s my new favorite author because you just can’t go wrong with her books. Bogged down by technical requests and spreadsheets during my day job, I just want to relax at night, either by working on my own book or reading fun chick-lit with a happy ending, which is what I know I’ll get with Talli Roland.

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?

I have to admit I’ve never caught on to the Jane Austen craze. The books just read a bit too slow for me and I can’t get into the characters. But I don’t like not knowing what’s going on, particularly since it seems everyone else knows all the stories! So I made a compromise - I read “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Much more my style! Now I know who Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy are without having to suffer through their slow, infuriating courtship. Zombies make everything better!

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?

Don’t give up! Write or edit or work on your marketing plan each day, depending on if you’re in a more right-brain or left-brain mood. It all needs to be done eventually so just keep plugging away at it and you’ll make it. And ALWAYS have an editor review your work. Even if your finished product is good, an editor can make it great!