Interview Roulette: Amy Aislin

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Amy Aislin spins the wheel today!

  1. Describe a hobby one of your characters likes to engage in.

Sam, one of the MC’s from my upcoming release, As Big as the Sky (available August 4), gardens as a hobby. It’s something he learned from his father and it’s a way for him to get out of his own head space. However, he only gardens with native plants (plants native to the soil type where he lives), as a way to naturalize his garden and attract pollinators and create a safe haven for insects and birds.

2. What is your spirit animal?

My first thought was a turtle, because I like to take my time with things and don’t like to be rushed. But then I asked my sisters. Sister #1 said a fox “because it’s nice and wants to be left alone.” Sister #2 said a big fuzzy bear because “you’re big and fuzzy when you want to be, but also have a hibernation side.” Anybody seeing a pattern?

Confused, I turned to the internet (because we all know Google is right about everything, don’t we?) and did one of those “What is your spirit animal?” quizzes. The result? A whale. Because of my strong inner voice and ability to follow my gut and what I know is right, and because I’m in touch with reality, am self-aware, and don’t get involved in drama. Also, I have strong bonds with loved ones.

Conclusion? I have no idea what my spirit animal is.

3. Say you met your all-time favorite celebrity, would you play it cool? Or would you utterly humiliate yourself?

Oh man. I would try and act cool, but I’d fail miserably. One time I had to talk to a cop for something and I couldn’t remember my own birthday. I feel like meeting my all-time favourite celebrity (Julie Andrews) would be ten times worse. I wouldn’t remember my name, I’d stutter, I’d forget my words, I’d blush like a tomato. Also, I’d probably cry.

4. If you could instantly learn another language, which would you choose and why?

Greek. My family is Greek on my dad’s side and I’d love to be able to follow along when they speak, and hold a conversation with my grandparents. They’ve been in Canada since the 60s, so they speak English, but it’d be a completely different experience to converse with them in their native tongue.

5. What is your favorite time of day?

Early morning or late at night when everyone else in the house is asleep except me.

6. Which (living) celebrity would you most want to have dinner with?

Julie Andrews. I love her. She seems so wise and all-knowing and she’s so classy and put together. I’d quiz her on what it was like to film The Sound of Music (my favourite movie!). Mostly I’d want to talk with her about…well, nothing and everything. I just want to hear what she has to say about life in general.

7. If you had to live in a movie, TV show, or book, which would you choose and why?

Harry Potter! Because magic. And Hogwarts.

But also maybe the world of Star Trek. No war, people working hard for the sake of being better people. Plus, a chance to see the stars? Yeah, I dig it.

8. Describe your ideal writing environment.

I need internet access so I can research stuff I don’t know. I need my three thesauri/writing books. I don’t need quiet necessarily, but I do need people to leave me alone, which means I can write pretty much anywhere. I’m very good at ignoring what’s happening around me and focusing on what I’m doing. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

9. Who are your favorite visual artists and why?

One of my favourite artists is Edward Spera. He does beautiful wildlife paintings of animals in the wild. They’re so detailed, they could be photographs. I have a couple of his small prints and whenever I go to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, (which isn’t far from where I live) I pop into his gallery.

10. What invention would you love to see created in order to make your life easier?

A teleportation device, like in Star Trek. It would cut my commute to work from an hour and a half to only a few seconds!

Book blurb:

Former best friends turned lovers Christian and Riley haven’t seen or spoken to each other in six years…is there a better time than the holiday season to reconnect with your favorite person? The last person Christian wants to run into on a visit home to spend time with his mom over the holidays is his former best friend-turned-lover-turned-ex. But there Riley is, in all his tall, chiseled, blondness. The same guy who walked out on him six years ago, breaking his heart in the process. Who knew he’s still in love with the jerk? (Oh yeah, he did. What? Who says denial isn’t healthy?) Two years ago, Riley was injured out of the NHL, but he’s got his own bakery now and a quiet life selling quiches and cupcakes to his customers. Then Christian unexpectedly walks back into his life, forcing Riley to question his choices. Especially that one choice he made six years ago that walked him out of Christian’s life. Now if only he had the courage to tell a boy how he really feels about him…

Book buy links:

MLR Press: https://goo.gl/9YvKYu

Amazon US: https://goo.gl/6OyYTp

Kobo: https://goo.gl/TdTZkB

B&N: https://goo.gl/6phQfP

iBooks: https://goo.gl/TChKPr

Smashwords: https://goo.gl/w1m7rP

 

Author bio:

Amy Aislin started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in Oakville, Ontario, she’s a marketer at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, her interests are many and varied, including traveling, astronomy, ecology, and baking.

Visit Amy’s website at www.amyaislin.com or find her on social media.

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