Phillipa Ashley Interview (and GIVEAWAY!), Author of Dating Mr. December

I recently read, reviewed, and enjoyed Phillipa Ashley's Dating Mr. December. I am very excited that Phillipa Ashley is on Laura's Reviews today to answer all of my questions I had while reading the novel. I have my DVR set to record the 12 Men of Christmas this weekend (the movie based on the novel) and I can't wait to see it!

LAG: What was your inspiration for Dating Mr. December?
PA: I’ve always been an admirer of mountain rescue teams and this book gave me a chance to chat up our local team and ask if they’d mind getting their kit off! Seriously, I did tour a base (literally about 5 mins walk from our apartment - see below.) The team had to raise lots of money to build it and that’s how the idea came about.

LAG: Forgive my ignorance of England, I know the Lake District exists and I loved it as the setting for Dating Mr. December. Do you live near the Lake District? Why did you choose it as the setting?
PA: Well done on even knowing the place exists, Laura, because it’s a very small region of England. We have a holiday apartment in the Lake District which we also rent out. Whenever we arrive, something just clicks in me and I instantly relax and feel inspired. The natural beauty, the changing weather moods, the literary associations and the tight-knit community all strongly appeal to me.

LAG: Will Tennant is a very athletic man. Do you do any of the climbing or bungee jumping that he so enjoys?
PA: I did abseil (rappel) off a small (50ft) cliff for one of the scenes because the editor had suggested I could make more of Emma’s fear of heights. It made the scene stronger but I would never do it again and as for bungee jumping or climbing – no way! However, I do love hiking in the mountains. When went to see the movie set, we walked some trails in the Rockies – terrified in case we saw a bear or a cougar!

LAG: Have you seen the movie, 12 Men of Christmas, based on your novel? How do you think it transferred to the television medium?
PA: I’ve seen it many times. When it was optioned, a writer friend said it was very filmable because there are lots of action and conflict and a strong sense of place. The men are a dream for a movie too, of course, although they are more obviously hunky and handsome in the movie than in my book. No complaints there! However, there are big differences, not least being my book is set in Britain rather than the USA. I also think that the screenwriter made more of the comedy aspects, whereas in Dating Mr. December the romantic relationship drives the story and you learn a lot more about the character’s motivations – particularly Will’s back story. And my book is much, much sexier than the film!

LAG: What other novels do you have coming out in the U.S.? You write a great romance novel!
PA: Thank you! I’ve been genuinely delighted with the response to the book and the warm welcome I’ve got from the US romance community – you’re very passionate about the genre here. Sourcebooks are publishing another three of my novels. The next one is Wish You Were Here, released in summer 2011.

DATING MR. DECEMBER BY PHILLIPA ASHLEY – IN STORES NOVEMBER 2010
Praise for Phillipa Ashley:
"Ashley’s writing is deft, sexy, and full of humor."
—Trashionista.com

"Lovely books filled with warm and likeable characters. Great fun!"
—internationally bestselling author Jill Mansell

"Sharp, sexy, and exuberant."
—SingleTitles.com

She doesn’t need rescuing, she only needs a change of scenery...

After a disastrous discovery loses Emma Tremayne both her boyfriend and her high-profile PR job in London, she moves to the Lake District to recover her confidence and live a simpler life. She loves her new job with the tourist board, and she’s settling into small town life just fine—until she ends up responsible for a fundraising effort that calls for twelve naked mountain rescuers...
Buy it here: Amazon Barnes & Noble Borders

ABOUT THE AUHOR

Phillipa Ashley studied English Language and Literature at Oxford before becoming a

freelance copywriter and journalist. Dating Mr. December (called Decent Exposure in the UK) was the basis of last year’s Lifetime TV Movie “The 12 Men of Christmas.” A frequent guest on BBC national, local and independent radio on all matters romantic, she lives with her husband and daughter in Staffordshire, UK. For more information, please visit http://phillipa-ashley.com/, follower her on Twitter or find her on Facebook!

Giveaway Details
Danielle of Sourcebooks has been kind enough to offer two copies of Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley for this giveaway.

If you would like to win a copy of Dating Mr. December, please leave a comment about what intrigues you about the novel or this interview.

As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.

I will be using random.org to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to US and Canadian residents (Sorry!).

No P.O. Boxes.

The deadline for entry is midnight, Friday December 10th.

Good luck!