Take A Look At Me Now is the story of Nell Sullivan, who loses her job unexpectedly and, instead of sitting at home waiting for another job to come along, decides to take a chance by blowing her redundancy cheque on a trip of a lifetime to San Francisco. When she is there she meets a host of colourful characters and starts to believe that her long-held dream of running her own business could be a reality. But when it's time for her to return to the UK, will she be able to make it happen?
Miranda Dickinson
You have been compared to Jill Mansell and Sophie Kinsella, so how does that make you feel?
It's very flattering to be compared to successful writers but I like to think that I have my own style of storytelling - especially after five years of publishing novels! My books are feel-good, romantic comedies that hopefully make you think about the possibilities of life. I hope they entertain and inspire readers!
Why are your books the perfect ‘me time’ reads to curl up on the sofa with?
Again, that's a lovely thing that has been said about my books! When I write a story I like to think I'm creating a world that people can wander through - filled with laughter, characters you can fall in love with, together with a few twists and turns to keep you guessing. I would love readers to feel as if I've written the story especially for them.
The book is very topical with the subject of redundancy, so was this something you set out to write about?
Yes, it was. With the uncertainty of the jobs market at the moment, redundancy is a very real thing that many of us have faced, are facing or are scared of facing. I wanted to look at the subject from a different angle, wondering what would happen if redundancy were the start of a new chapter of your life instead of a slammed door. When I was first discovered by my publisher I had just been made redundant: I couldn't see it then, but what happened after I lost my job led to me fulfilling a lifelong dream to write. I hope Take A Look At Me Now shows that setbacks can be key to you achieving your dreams.
What made you take the book to San Francisco?
I love America and so many people had told me how wonderful San Francisco was, particularly how positive an attitude the city has. I thought it would be a perfect setting for Nell to rediscover her dream and be encouraged that anything was possible. When I was writing the book my husband and I went to San Francisco for our honeymoon and we completely fell in love with the city, which I hope makes Nell's experience there even more vivid.
Your first novel Fairytale, of New York was shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the year Award 2010 and your third novel It Started With a Kiss was nominated for the RNA's Contemporary Novel of the Year 2012. What was your reaction to this?
It's amazing to be nominated and shortlisted for awards, especially by the RNA who represent romantic writers. I was surprised and honoured both times, not least because the award is voted for by readers.
You are a singer-songwriter, so how much are writing story through lyrics and writing story for books interchangeable?
It's very similar in that both are storytelling. When I'm writing songs I have to get to the heart of the subject in very few words, but when I'm writing novels I have to sustain the emotional heart of the story over four hundred pages. In my third novel, It Started With a Kiss, I actually combined both, writing a soundtrack CD of songs inspired by the book, which was really good fun to combine both my forms of storytelling!
Who are your favourite reads?
I love Sarah Addison Allen, Erin Morgenstern, Cecelia Ahern, Sir Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Simon Toyne. It's a bit of an eclectic mix, but I love reading books of different genres and actually read very little romantic comedy, especially when I'm writing.
You always had a head full of stories, so what were your first attempts at storytelling like?
A lot of 'Chapter 1s'! My early storytelling attempts were grand, epic tales that I got bored with very quickly, although I did start to write a novel in my teens that I got about halfway through and felt very proud of. I've always had lots of ideas but have had to learn to discipline myself to actually finish them over the years!
What is next for you?
I'm writing Book 6, which I'm very excited about because it is an almost-sequel to one of my previous books. It's something I've been planning for a while now and it's actually a lot of fun revisiting characters who feel like old friends. I'm also expecting my first child, so I'm so excited to become a Mum!
