Interviu cu Renae Lucas-Hall + Giveaway

1. Tell us something about you. Did you always wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always loved reading and writing, but I wanted to be a teacher or an interpreter when I was a child.  I studied French, Italian and Japanese in high school and at university and I went on to teach English in Japan and Australia. This helped me to develop my writing skills and my love of the English language.

 2. Do you have a writing routine?

I don’t have set times, but I usually spend about four or five hours a day, every day, when I’m writing my novels. So I might start writing at 7:00pm and finish at 11:00pm and then start writing again at 8:00am and finish at 1:00pm the following day.

 3. For those who are unfamiliar with your book: TOKYO HEARTS, how would you introduce it?

Tokyo Hearts is a poignant love story that will catapult you directly onto the fashionable streets of Japan’s capital and into the hearts of Takashi and Haruka.Takashi is a young and popular university student who has fallen in love with his stylish and sophisticated friend Haruka. She is sweet and kind and adores shopping for high-end Japanese and Western brands. Every week, they meet up in the heart of Tokyo, enjoying each other’s company, and for Takashi, life is perfect.  But the path to true love is never easy. When Takashi discovers that Haruka is seeing her wealthy ex-boyfriend from Kyoto, his life begins to turn upside down.

 4. What inspired you to write it?

At university, I studied Japanese culture as well as the Japanese language. A few years ago, I noticed that many people were interested in the Japanese culture although they had no desire to learn the language.Therefore, I thought I’d bring together all of my studies and experiences in Japan, and develop a novel where the reader could learn more about Japan, and at the same time enjoy a sweet love story. I wanted my book to appeal to anyone interested in Japan even if they couldn’t speak Japanese.

 5. Do you have another project in your mind?

I’m currently working on the sequel to Tokyo Hearts and it’s called Tokyo Dreams.

 6. Which book do you wish you could have written?

I’ve always liked the classics, so I would love to have written any of the books by Jane Austen or Charles Dickens.

 7. Favourite author of all time? Or favourite book?

Favourite author: Charles Dickens.

Favourite book: Great Expectations.

8. What kind of music do you like to listen to?

I like to listen to R&B, but I have an eclectic taste in music, so I’m happy to listen to anything as long as it’s good.

9. Which is your favourite holiday?

My husband and I spent out honeymoon in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt at the Red Sea, so this would be my favourite holiday.

 10. Do you have an advice for your Romanian readers?

There is a saying by Samuel IchiyeHayakawa, a Canadian with Japanese ancestry, that says “it is not true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish” – I think this is good advice.

Romanian Version

1. Spune-ne ceva despre tine. Ai vrut sa devii un scriitor din totdeauna?

Intotdeauna mi-a placut sa citesc si sa scriu, dar cand am fost copil am vrut sa fiu profesoara sau interpret. Am studiat Franceza, Italiana si Japoneza in liceu si in universitate si am plecat sa predau Engleza in Japonia. Asta m-a ajutat sa imi dezvolt abilitatea de a scrie si iubirea mea fata de limba Engleza

2. Ai  o rutina de scris?

Nu am un timp stabilit, dar de obicei petrec 4 sau 5 ore in fiecare zi, atunci cand imi scriu romanele. Asa ca as putea incepe sa scriu la 7 seara si sa termin la 11 sau sa incep sa scriu din nou la 8 dimineata si sa temin la 1 la pranz.

3. Pentru cei nefamiliarizati cu cartea ta, TOKYO HEARTS, cum ai introduce-o?

TOKYO HEARTS este o poveste picanta de dragoste care te va catapulta direct pe strazile elegante din capitala Japoniei , in inimile lui Takashi si Haruka. Takashi este un tanar si popular student la universitate, care s-a indragostit de prietena lui stilata si sofisticata, Haruka. Ea este dulce si blanda si adora sa fac cumparaturi pentru marile branduri japoneze si occidentale.

In fiecare saptamana, cei doi se intalnesc in centrul orasului Tokyo, bucurandu-se de compania celuilalt, si pentru Takashi, viata este perfecta. Dar cararea catre iubirea adevarata nu este niciodata usoara. Cand Takashi descopera ca Haruka se vede cu fostul ei iubit bogat, viata lui incepe sa se rastoarne cu susul in jos.

4. Ce te-a inspirat sa scrii cartea?

La universitate, am studiat cultura Japoneza, la fel ca si limba Japoneza. Acum cativa ani, am observat ca multi oameni sunt interesati in cultura Japoneza desi nu au nicio dorinta sa invete limba. Prin urmare, m-am gandit sa adun laolalta studiile si experientele mele din Japonia  si sa dezvolt o poveste unde cititorul poate afla mai multe despre Japonia si in acelasi timp sa se bucure de o poveste de dragoste draguta. Am vrut ca ‘’Tokyo Hearts’’ sa fie destinata  tuturor celor interesati in Japonia, dar care nu pot vorbi Japoneza.

5. Ai alt proiect in minte?

In momentul de fata, lucrez la continuarea cartii ‘’Tokyo Hearts’’, care se numeste ‘’Tokyo Dreams’’.

6. Exista o carte pe care ti-ai fi dorit sa o scrii?

Intotdeauna mi-au placut clasicele, asa ca mi-as fi dorit sa scriu orice carte de Jane Austen sau Charles Dickens.

7. Autorul favorit din toate timpurile? Sau cartea preferata?

Autor favorit: Charles Dickens

Cartea favorita:  ‘’Great Expectations’’

8. Ce fel de muzica iti place sa asculti?

Imi place sa ascult R&B, dar am un gust electic in muzica, asa ca sunt fericita sa ascult orice atat cat este bun.

9. Care este vacanta ta preferata?

Eu si sotul meu ne-am petrecut luna de miere in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt la Marea Rosie, asa ca asta ar fi vacanta mea preferata.

10. Ai avea vreun sfat pentru fanii tai din Romania?

Este o zicala de Samuel IchiyeHayakawa, un Canadian cu ascendenta Japoneza, care spune: ‘’Nu este adevarat ca avem doar o viata de trait; daca putem citi, putem trai atat de multe vieti si atatea tipuri de vieti atat cat ne dorim’’ – Cred ca este un sfat bun.

Hope you guys enjoyed the interview and don’t forget to say what you think about Renae or about her amazing book, TOKYO HEARTS<3<3

V-a placut interviul? 

Si acum, este timpul pentru un concurs. Renae a fost atat de draguta, incat m-a intrebat daca vreau sa organizez un concurs cu o copie a cartii ei, ”Tokyo Hearts”. Evident ca am zis da 😀

Daca vreti sa participati, trebuie doar sa completati Rafflecopterul de mai jos:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NWU3NjU3NDY4ODA4OWI2ZGZlNmYzMGQ1NjFlYjAxOjI=/

SUCCES!