Author Interview...Emily Harper

Emily Harper is the author of White Lies. She kindly agreed to chat with HerBookList. 

Can you tell us a bit about White Lies and how it came about?

White Lies is about a woman who is unsure of herself and her abilities, but at the same time wants something more out of life.  I wanted Natalie Flemming (the main character) to be a reflection of a lot of women’s insecurities.  Her actions and thoughts are her own, but I think a lot of women can relate to her “waiting for her life to begin” and wondering where her happy ending is.

How did you get into writing?

I started noticing funny things but thought “I know what could make this a lot better…” so I started putting it down on paper.  There is a lot of things going on in my head on a daily basis- my writing is a reflection of that.

What is your average writing day like? 

I try and write every day, but I don’t put pressure on myself for length.  I think about what I want to happen in the story throughout the day and I think that really helps with writer’s block.

Who is your favourite character in White Lies and which character would you most like to bitch slap?

I love Natalie- it’s hard not to, but I also love Hank - because he is fabulous!  I think the character I would most like to slap is Claire- the nasty receptionist.  She isn’t overtly nasty like Angelica, but she just has those moments (that I think we have with everyone in life) that just grate on your nerves but not to the point you would actually say something and confront her.  It’s a subtle hatred lol.

Which character did was most difficult to write?

Oliver, hands down.  Because the novel is written in the first person, from Natalie’s perspective, it is difficult to write how Oliver is feeling/thinking because we only see him through Natalie’s eyes.  I had to write his feelings through his actions, and Natalie’s observations to his actions.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My favourite quote in life is from Winston Churchill- it’s simple but it’s real.  “Never, ever, ever give up.”

White Lies

Synopsis

Imagine standing in line at Harvey Nichols waiting to buy the most gorgeous silk Gucci dress. The only minor problem? You can’t afford it, it's a size smaller than you are, and you have absolutely no place to wear it. 

Meet Natalie Flemming: a twenty-something woman working in London for a fabulous shoe-designing firm, but the only thing they let her touch is the company’s tax forms. She has decided to give fate a vacation and takes the task of finding the man of her dreams (or Johnny Depp if he would just return her calls...) into her own hands. 


She craves adventure, spontaneity, passion- or will just settle for a decent date.

White Lies can be purchased via (Amazon). You can find her on Twitter (@emilyswhitelies) or on her blog (http://emilyharper.wordpress.com/)