Jonah Briggs and his friends are delighted that today is **launch day** for A SUMMER OF LOVE. They're having a party over at Facebook right now. I'm sure they'd welcome you!
I've read M. O'Brien's other Crooked Cat novel - Playing on Cotton Clouds - and it was a fan tastic read. I'm sure we'll find A Summer Of Love an entertaining novel, too.
Let's get to know Jonah a bit better...
Where do you hail
from?
I’m from a small village in Cornwall,
not too far from Penzance. It’s a typical
Cornish village, with old cottages, a small harbour and a large beach. It’s a
romantic place and very inspiring, for an artist like me.
That's sounds like somewhere to stay forever, but I've heard that's not where you are now. Where are you
currently living?
I move around a fair bit. I lived in Cornwall,
Bristol, London…
Okay! A bit of a rolling stone... Tell me 6 things
about yourself.
-
I’m an artist, described as neo-surrealist, and I’m
quite successful at what I do.
-
My father is a Vicar in a Cornish Parish. We see life
differently and there has been a lot of friction between us. We haven’t always
understood each other.
-
Following a tragic accident, I had to spend two and a half
years in prison, something that changed the course of my life.
-
I’m a romantic at heart. I never forgot Sally, my first
love, even when life has split our paths.
-
I tend to keep my feelings to myself, something that
has led to misunderstandings in the past. I try to be more open, now. Honesty
is often the best policy.
-
I met the best friend I ever had in jail. Gary’s a bit rough around
the edges, but has a heart of gold. I wouldn’t change him for the world! It was
refreshing to find someone like him, after having been betrayed by my friend
Ewan…
I’d love to go to Italy.
I’d visit the art galleries, enjoy the food and wine, soak
up the culture.
I'd love to accompany you to all those galleries. That's exactly my kind of holiday! On to a different sort of question. What makes you happy?
Painting. It’s the best way I have to express myself and my
feelings, even when I’m expressing pain. I can be a bit of hermit, but I
discovered that time spent with your loved ones is precious. Family and
friendships are important to me, now.
Ah! You want to change
your lifestyle. What would you change first?
As I said, I’d be more open with the people who care for me.
I also have a bit of a temper, so I’d try to control it more. And perhaps I
will need to change my daily schedule, as I tend to start the day late and then
work into the small hours. I might have to adjust my routine now that… no, I’m
not giving the story away!
Not even a tiny little bit? I guess I'll have to make do with the blurb then... till I can read the whole story. Thank you Jonah for taking time out to let me get to know you a bit better. Best wishes with the book launch today!
Michela O’Brien was born in Milan, Italy, in… well, let’s say some time in the last third of the 20th century. In Milan she grew up, studied, worked as a teacher, made friends and wrote, commending thoughts to page, imagining plots and characters, recording events in her life, noting observations about the world: stories, diaries, letters… In an era before personal computers, internet, blogs and social networks, it was pen and paper and she still carries a notebook and a pencil with her to sketch ideas on the spot.
She moved to England in 1994 and for a while she focused her attention on her new family. Writing was sidelined, until, about ten years ago, she went back to her love for words and wrote a novel, published in Italy, and a series of short stories, all in her native language.
Several people asked her if she would ever consider writing in English, but her standard answer was “I wouldn’t be able to. My English is not good enough.” Then, almost as a joke for some friends, she started writing “Like A Rose”, her first attempt to produce a piece of writing in English. It was received so well by those who read it that she thought maybe she could do it again.
She wrote two novels, “Playing on Cotton Clouds”, published by Crooked Cat in April 2012, and “A Summer of Love”, released in January 2013.
She is currently working on her third novel.
Michela can be found at these places:
Blog: http://words-in-a-jar.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michela-Sacchi-OBrien/16450121895
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michela_obrien
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5822651.Michela_O_Brien
A SUMMER OF LOVE – Michela O’Brien
Successful artist
Jonah Briggs is a man who has made mistakes. Aged just eighteen, he was sent to
prison for two years, leaving his family shattered and his first love, Sally,
to wait for his return.
But
at eighteen, two years seem like a lifetime, and some promises are hard to
keep.
When
Jonah reappears in her life, Sally finds herself torn between him and Ewan, the
young Cornish farmer she has married, divided between loyalty and passion, duty
and love.
Over
the course of almost two decades, through meetings and partings, secrets and
revelations, and two momentous summers, Jonah will have to confront his past
and heal old wounds, while Sally will face the consequences of her choices –
whether to follow her conscience or her heart.
Buy from:
Amazon
Crooked Cat Books
Thank you for bringing Jonah to visit, Michela, and best wishes with A Summer of Love.
Hope you're all having a wonderful time at your Facebook Launch Party today!
ReplyDeleteFascinating read - thanks to both of you (and Michela!)
ReplyDeleteHi Cameron. Great to have you comment - thank you.
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