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| Dorothy Koomsom |
 The latest in a new plethora of chicklit novelists is Dorothy Koomsom. Dorothy grew up in London and went to College in Leeds. She penned her first, unpublished novel when she was 13. It was a big hit with her fellow convent school pupils so, naturally, she's been chasing the same adulation ever since. In the intervening years, she's written, edited and subbed for women's magazines and national newspapers. Although she wanted to live in Leeds where she studied for my first degree, the cold forced her to move back to London. She studied for her Masters degree in South London and has now settled down there with Angel and Oprah, her two fish. Chicklit caught up with Dorothy to find out more about her background, her life today and the process that ended with the publishing of The Cupid Effect.  The Cupid EffectAfter watching too much Oprah, Londoner Ceri D'Altroy decides to take a chance and follow her heart's desire by going back to lecture in psychology in Leeds. Despite her best efforts not to get involved, Ceri's new start seems to disrupts lives: within days she's reunited a happily uncoupled couple, encouraged her new flatmate to do something about his unrequited love, and outed the secret relationship of her two colleagues. Only, while Ceri's playing Cupid for others, the highlight of her social calendar is trying a new hair conditioner. Can Ceri really stick to her vow to give up her accidental matchmaking for good? Readers comments: Having read about Dorothy and her novel on a chicklit site, I had a feeling that this book would be for me...A sucker for all things romantic, I devoured it instantly. Dorothy has a refreshing approach to writing - she writes as I speak! As I read 'The Cupid Effect' it was as if I was telling the story, and having read it to my boyfriend I really was! The book is amazing, telling the story of Ceri, a chick who has a 'luuurve' effect on everyone she comes into contact with. Now if you're anything like me, you'll be able to relate to the fact that she has one of those faces that everyone wants to tell their life story to at bus stops, but Ceri's more than that, unlike me who just smiles sweetly and tries to escape, she gets involved - the effect of which has some funny, alarming and v.interesting results! Reading 'The Cupid effect' is like chatting to your best mate - I loved it! 9/10  The%20Cupid%20Effect" target="_blank"> click here to buy The Cupid Effect Chicklit caught up with Dorothy to find out more about her background, her life today and the process that ended with the publishing of The Cupid Effect. Chicklit talks to Dorothy Where do your ideas come from? Odd things often seem happen to me and I take that experience then build on it, taking the situation to its illogical conclusion. For example, Cupid Effect is based on something that happened on a weekend visit to Leeds. Other ideas come from thinking too much and silent conversations I have with myself on public transport. If you spot a woman with a vacant stare, it's probably me having an idea for a novel. How long did it take to write? Once I had the idea for The Cupid Effect it took virtually no time to write, compared to other novels I've written (I've written since I was 13 so have several novels and wrote one grown up novel just before this). Cupid Effect flowed from my pen: the characters, plot and situations were very clear. The whole plot came to mind with the idea. I had the idea in April 2001 and finished the first draft in August 2001. It was pretty much writing on the train on the way to work, in the evenings sat in front of the telly or in bed before I go to sleep. I write all my novels long-hand then type them up (someone said I was like Dickens). I do rewrites and edit as I type them up, then edit on screen a few times before printing them out. Then I edit on page a few times. (As a result my flat is buried under a mountain of paper and notebooks I still have the stories and novels from when I was 13). I finished the first draft in August, sent it to one agent. She got back to me a couple of weeks later saying she loved it and could I go see her. I was majorly excited, and then on the morning of our meeting she called me up and cancelled saying she couldn't represent me after all. Rather than destroying me (don't get me wrong, I ranted long and hard about it) I did a classic Dorothy and thought, "I'll show you!" and rewrote it, adding 10,000 words, trimming some characters, increasing the role of others. This draft, the one closest to how it appears now was finished by the middle of September, meaning it took six months to complete. I was typing up what will be my second novel when I came upon the idea of The Cupid Effect. I'm finishing the second novel now so it's taken me nearly two years to write that one with time off for a spot of Cupiding. Did you do the agent round first and then turn to the slush pile, etc.? My route to being published was unconventional. I had an agent for another book I'd written, but it was rejected by most publishers. She liked my idea for another novel, but when I sent her the first 3 chapters of Cupid Effect she was extremely underwhelmed and suggested we see other people. I believed in Cupid Effect and knew deep down I had a good idea. I finished it, and sent it to about ten agents. I got a few nice rejections but still rejections. In October I sent the first 3 chapters to Piatkus because I knew they were a good publisher. They got back to me in a month asking to see the full manuscript. About two months after that, I got the letter saying they were offering me a two-book deal. Once I got over the excitement (which took a couple of days) I rang one of the agents who'd written a nice rejection note to ask her advice. After chatting for a while we decided to work together. She then renegotiated the deal I'd been offered. Do you have a writing routine? My writing routine varies depending on what I'm doing. If I'm working in Central London, I'll write or edit on the train there and back (I love sitting in the corner scribbling away). If I'm working at home, I get up late and work on my journalism or harass friends to talk to me. I'll start writing or editing at about 7pm when the soaps start. I don't know why, but writing/editing seems easier with the TV ( particularly the soaps) on in the background. I'll then stick at it until about 2am, sometimes later. When I finished the latest draft of my second novel I only realised it was 6am a couple of times because it started to get light outside. I am trying to get the balance right now by making Friday my fiction day and trying to write during daylight hours. What sort of things do you read and who are your fave chick- lit authors? I've always read a lot of books. I'll read virtually anything even if it takes me several goes (I'll go back to a book weeks or even years later I've only ever given up on one book which was so appalling it made me realise life is too short). My favourite author is JG Ballard - there's no-one better for finding out about plotting and genuine twists in the tail. I also think Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett's novels are wildly funny and clever. Chicklit authors whose books I've enjoyed include Melissa Nathan, Sarah Ball, Maggie O'Farrell, Marian Keyes and Robyn Sisman. Plus Mark Barrowcliffe & Nick Hornby (ok, not girls but very funny). Have you any advice for people who want to write a Novel? Just do it! Stop talking and just do it. Even if you don't get published straight away, you'll get the satisfaction of achieving something other people don't. You can find out more about Dorothy at www.dorothykoomson.co.uk Reviews Recently we have been reviewing and changing our review process. It is now our policy to offer a review package of: * Independent review of book * Book cover * Author interview or biography * Photo of author * Links through to author's site and/or publisher's site. We now charge £99 for this service. If you'd like to know more please visit here Other authors: Cecilia Aherne / Harlan Coben / Jane Green / Sophie Kinsella / Carole Matthews / Jodi Picoult |
| Posted: 31/03/2005 22:17:12 Last Updated: 11/07/2008 16:26:41 |
Chick Lit > Chick Lit Authors :: Dorothy Koomsom