I asked Nora James to drop into Calingarry Crossing pub for a bitova yarn because I was both captivated and intrigued by her new release’s cover and title – Dark Oil. (Isn’t it a great cover? Look at those eyes.)
So, first up, Nora, here’s a beer coaster. Take a minute to jot down the blurb for your book.
In DARK OIL lawyer Lara Beckham is sent to Africa to save her company’s multi-million dollar investment and she’s devastated at leaving husband Tim behind. But what can she do? She’s needed on the other side of the world to fight corruption in a country of rolling sand dunes and roaming camels.
On her return, however, it becomes clear that Tim has had plenty of company while she was away. Now, on top of dealing with a complicated legal system, an African coup and a marriage beyond saving, Lara has one more ball to juggle: her effortlessly seductive co-worker, Jack Norton, is joining her on the job… and he oozes trouble.
Now, grab a pew. What can I get you to go with your beer nuts? (Shandy? 
Wine Spritzer? Pink Lemonade?)
How about a Shandy-Wine Spritzer-Pink Lemonade cocktail?
I’m a beer nut nut! What bar snack would you be and why?
A plate of Spanish tapas because life should be colourful, extraordinary and full of flavour.
Ahh, that beer hit the spot. Let me slip a drink coaster under your glass while you tell us—on a scale of 1 to 10—as a writer are you a messy desker or tidy desker? (NB: 1 = “I am a neat nut case” and 10 = “What desk? Where? Is there a desk here somewhere?”)
Depending on the day I’d score a 1 or a 10. I tidy up on a regular basis and then, as I fall into the world of my story and my characters, my desk becomes a plane, a desert, a park in Paris in my mind, and so I take no notice of the accumulating mess. A few days later, perhaps because I finish a chapter or we are threatened with visitors, I come back to Earth and wonder what’s happened to my desk. I eventually find it somewhere under the research, the pile of books waiting to be read, notes to self, notes to others and more notes to self.
The publican offers you free drinks all night if you will:
Dance to Gangnam Style
Sing John Denver’s ‘Take me Home Country Roads’ on the Karaoke machine
Spend an hour washing dishes
Which do you choose?
Dance Gangnam Style to Take me Home Country Roads. It kinda goes together, the horsey movements and the song about the country, doesn’t it? I definitely wouldn’t do the dishes – I do enough of those at home.
Time to liven the place up. Got a buck? We can crank up the old jukebox in the corner. You get to pick three songs.
- Sweet Thing by Keith Urban ‘cause I like to imagine he’s talking about me.
- Whisper Your Name by Harry Connick Jr. I just love that voice.
- The Cold Mountain soundtrack. There’s nothing like a bit of banjo in a country pub.
An author, an agent and a chicken walk into the bar… how do you know which one crossed the road?
Well, that’s easy. The chicken crossed the road first. The starving author spotted it and followed, hoping to catch lunch. The agent saw the author and thought “hey, that person’s going places. I’d better catch her before another agent does.”
There’s a stapler on the bar. Tell me what it’s doing there.
It’s waiting for another stapler to be placed next to it. Not any other stapler, mind you. It’s waiting for The One. Because even staplers need love.
The pub is the heart of a small town and most locals would be lost without one. What are three things you’d be lost without?
- My family (including my pets) for pretty obvious reasons.
- Food. You know how people sometimes say it’d be great to be able to take a pill and not worry about eating? For me that would be one of the worst forms of progress.
- Lip gloss or lip balm. I hate dry lips!
There are a few good prizes up for grabs in the bar jackpot. Do you have a lucky number?
Your lucky number is: the winning number. It goes something like this:
– Monday night:
“And the winner is… number 309.”
“What? That’s incredible! That’s my lucky number. I don’t know how I didn’t get it tonight.”
– Tuesday night:
“And the winner is… number 15.”
“What? That’s incredible! Fifteen’s my lucky number. I don’t know how I didn’t get it tonight.”
– Wednesday night:
You get the picture.
Last drinks, my friend! It’s been great, but before we go, tell us how we can find out more about you and your writing/books.
You can find out more about me and Dark Oil at: www.norajames.com.au (Check out that fabulous review by top reviewer Jeannie Zelos while you’re there.)
Or find me on Escape Publishing’s website:
I’m also on Facebook
Thanks for dropping into Calingarry Crossing pub, Nora, and all the best with Dark Oil.
Hope you enjoyed this Bar Yarn.
over ice. I once lived on this for four days in a row.
everything listed in them and thereafter be incredibly successful. After I have read my back issues of ‘Men’s Fitness’.