“Drinks for everyone,” Natasha shouts out over the crowded bar.
Okay, so maybe not exactly EVERYONE (and not exactly drinks). Even better… She’s giving away TWO BOOKS!
(I’ll drink to that! See end of post.)
There is one copy each of: If I Should Lose You and What is Left Over After.
(Are they not the most intriguing titles??)
For those new to Natasha, she is a very generous author (obviously) and her website is ‘chockers’ with information for writers. For readers she has great stories, of course. But how will she cope having a bar yarn with me as I ask her the hard questions? See for yourself.
First up, here is a beer coaster! Take a minute to jot down the blurb for one of your books.
If I Should Lose You
Alix is a brilliant heart transplant surgeon. She sees hearts as purely functional – until she falls in love with Dan. Then a sudden tragedy forces Alix to rethink the way she views love and medicine and the consequences of this are felt many years later, by her daughter Camille.
Camille has two daughters of her own, and one is critically ill. Camille has no time to caretake her failing relationship with her husband, no time to face up to a niggling suspicion she holds about her mother. Because Camille is the one person who can save her daughter. Her daughter needs a new liver. Camille is an organ donor coordinator. How far will she go to keep her daughter alive and what might it cost another child waiting on the list?
(Did you know I have an organ in Simmering Season? Okay, so it’s only a church organ. Nothing too dramatic in that, until a teenage Maggie is forced to play another rendition of ‘I Honestly Love You’ for a gushing bride and groom. Then there’s some drama. ;))
C’mon, Tash… grab a pew. What can I get you to go with your beer nuts? (Shandy? Wine Spritzer? Pink Lemonade?)
A: Definitely a Gin, especially if it’s 5.30 and thus bath-time, dinner-time and general chaos-time for me and the 3 kids!
Hey, did you hear the one about …
A: All of the jokes I now know are suitable for a 3 year old to understand as that’s how old my youngest is, so I can’t promise and great laughs, but here goes:
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Barbara!
Barbara who?
Barbara black sheep, have you any wool…
I’m a beer nut nut! What bar snack would you be and why?
A: A pretzel. Twisted into all kinds of weird shapes from trying to do 10 things at once, and from trying to be here, there and everywhere. Also from all the strange but relaxing yoga poses I try to practice a couple of times a week.
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 neat nut case or “What desk? Where? Is there a desk here somewhere?”
A: I have to go with a 5 because my desk is either one extreme or the other, so both extremes cancel one another out and end up somewhere in the middle. If I’m very into the book I’m writing, my desk will be an absolute mess; if I’m in an admin phase or not right in the middle of a book, it will be relatively neat. (There is always a cup of tea and a baby monitor on my desk, as the photo shows).
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?
A: I have to confess to knowing none of the moves to Gangnam Style and I hate washing dishes. I do still remember many of the words to Take Me Home, Country Roads after learning it in primary school in the old Singing and Listening Sessions we used to have piped into the classroom every Friday afternoon – anyone else remember those? So, the karaoke option it will have to be – better clear the pub out now!
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.
- I’ve been getting into a 1920s theme with the book I’m writing so Ain’t Misbehavin’
- Dancing Queen – Abba
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
An author, an agent and a chicken walk into the bar… how do you know which one crossed the road?
A: We have 5 chickens and none of them are clever enough to have crossed the road. The agent is probably a mirage, teleported in by the author’s wishful thinking that she might actually acquire one, one day. So it would have to be the author, who probably needs a drink while she’s waiting to hear if her latest book has been accepted or not.
There’s a stapler on the bar. Tell me what it’s doing there.
A: Because I’m trying to keep my kids occupied with craft while I attempt to have a conversation that lasts for more than 3 minutes without an interruption of “Mum!”
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 laptop (self explanatory)
- My kids and hubby (also self explanatory)
- Sleep
There are a few good prizes up for grabs in the bar jackpot. Do you have a lucky number?
#4. I have no idea why, it just is.
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.
Like most authors I have a website: www.natashalester.com.au and I’m also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NatashaLesterAuthor and Twitter https://twitter.com/Natasha_Lester
I also blog most weeks at: http://whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpress.com so I’m pretty easy to find on the net.
You can buy my books through Booktopia: http://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=natasha+lester&productType=917504
Leave a comment below to go into the giveaway draw. Maybe tells us… What is your favourite ABBA song? CLOSED
In the meantime, watch out … It’s on the way …
This storm season, in Calingarry Crossing, a perfect storm is heading Maggie Lindeman’s way.
Find out more, right here. Simmering Season: April 1, 2014
For emergency alerts and warnings for Simmering Season, subscribe to Jenn J McLeod’s blog before you go, or follow her on Facebook.
I feel like I’m discovering two authors in a space of a day whose writing styles and books really appeal! (Don’t worry Jenn, I’m not writing this to win anything as I’ve had my win this week already!).
I really look forward to reading If I Should Lose You – my brother in law had a heart/lung transplant a few years ago so organ donation is a hot topic in our family.
Favourite Abba is without a doubt “Waterloo” – Muriel’s Wedding did it fabulously as did my husband and I when we did a 12 month trip around Australia 11 years ago -everyday was started by blasting Waterloo as our trip’s theme song before hitting another dusty road in our troopie – a great way to start the day, one I should probably reestablish in our household!
Thanks for your comments Louise. Glad to hear you think If I Should Lose you might be a topical book for you. Hope you enjoy it if you get a chance to read it.
Fav ABBA song would have to be dancing queen, always got us going on the dance floor. Would love to read your books Natasha and thanks Jenn for introducing Natasha to us 🙂 looking forward to simmering season
Waterloo love to dance to this
Love all ABBA songs but probably the favourite is Fernando (may have something to do with loving that book about Ferdinand the bull as a child??)
My sister and I (who had nerve deafness and wears hearing aids) can get a perfect score singing this together on Sing Star!
I loved Fernando too! So moody and melodramatic!
you life sounds very much like mine with 3 little kids, and fav ABBA song – Staying Alive as I have to think that is what my day is like sometimes.
Mamma Mia, here we go again!
I hear you on all these answers Natasha! Especially the one about Singing & Listening. Yes, I remember Country Roads Take Me Home, and ‘Can’t Roller Skate In a Buffalo Herd’…
I loved your answers. I have 2 kids, 6 and 4. I can’t imagine having 3 with the eldest being 3. Yikes!
And I think that’s the best name for a blog I’ve ever heard!
Cheers
Lily M
(p.s. Hi Jenn. Not many more sleeps. I know your book is out and about already, but an author still has a release day for a reason!)
Oh yes, I’d forgotten about roller skating in a buffalo herd! So many wacky songs. Thank you!
Thanks for another great Bar Yarn, Jenn. ALWAYS great fun!
My favourite ABBA song is a tough one – loved ABBA! The first single I ever bought was Dancing Queen. I think “Super Trouper” would be one of my favourites, though.
Thanks for the Barn Yarns, I look forward to them, thanks Natasha for your comments.
Now ABBA, all their songs were Super Trouper, a great musical group, they
bought music back into my life after The Beatles.
Thank you Rob!
Rob! I never really GOT Super Trouper!!! It’s one of the Mamma Mia songs – the movie brought it to my attention. They had so many songs and I think I only ever knew 50%. Thank you for being such a great supporter.
This was my first Barn Yarn and it definitely won’t be my last — I loved every word. Of course, it helps that I have a great deal of admiration and respect for Natasha Lester, after attending her Nail Your Novel course through UWA Extension last year. Looks like I have another witty and erudite author to “like” — your interviewing style has me intrigued, Jenn.
Before I forget: My favourite ABBA song is definitely The Winner Takes It All — I love the combination of sorrow and hope conjured by the lyrics.
Hi Maureen, I totally agree. I must confess that some ABBA songs only came to my attention after the Mamma Mia movie came out and yes, I agree with you on The Winner Takes it All. Thx so much for connecting with me here. Witty is good! 🙂
Congratulations Maureen. You will have Natasha’s books heading your way soon. Thank your for visiting us. I guess the winner DOES take it all! (Now I have to watch Mama Mia again. Love Meryl Strep doing that song.)
Thanks so much, Jenn — and Natasha. I am absolutely thrilled to learn I’ve won copies of Natasha’s first two books. And I’ve had such fun discovering so many of your other interesting Bar Yarns, Jenn. I continue to be amazed and impressed by the scope of work produced by the two of you, and other talented Australian women authors. You are fabulous role models and deserve an abundance of accolades. Thanks again!
I really enjoyed your barn yarn, this is my first stop by, but I will definitely be stopping by again. My favourite ABBA song would be Money, Money, Money, it brings some fond memories as a kid, I used to love singing along to my Mum’s ABBA vinyl record albums! I named my favourite toy Money – a bunny – after that song, I still have it too!
I have a copy of the Simmering Season, sitting on my TBR shelf to read, can’t wait to dive in 🙂
Happy diving in, Amanda. Your comment is making me inch my way to the DVD shelf. A little Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia in on order! Thank you for dropping by. PLs let me know what you think about Maggie’s story.