Reblurbing the Blurb

(Bear with me, just for the sake of this article!)

Just Like a Movie is a romantic comedy set in summer 2000. It tells the story of recently divorced Gemma who is moving to Ibiza to build herself a life more aligned with the woman she wants to be. Financial independence is paramount to Gemma, who turned down her divorce settlement so that she would have to stand on her own two feet, thus rebuilding her self-confidence after years of being put-down by her cheating husband. She loves Ibiza, having often spent time there with her best friend Celeste who moved to the island years ago, so the plan is to move in with Celeste while finding her financial footing. Gemma feels connected to Ibiza’s bohemian vibe, and her creative talents suggest she will have no problem in supporting herself there. She’s all psyched up and ready to DO THIS!

However, on the flight to Ibiza she finds herself sitting next to her long-time idol, Spanish pop sensation Emilio Caliente. Gemma and Emilio exchange pleasantries during the flight, then accidentally walk off with each other’s carry-on bags. So, they have to meet again…

Will this encounter with Emilio scupper Gemma’s big personal plans? And can she really wish upon a superstar without risking a broken heart?

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Maybe you already know what the story is about. Nevertheless, I wanted to add a slightly more fleshed out version. Just because.

Anyway…

I wrote Just Like a Movie at a difficult time of my life. To cope with all the heavy stuff that was happening around me, I’d retreat into my office and open the magic portal. I’d put on a Café del Mar CD, turn on the computer and escape to Ibiza to have fun with Gemma and her girlfriends Celeste and Laura, joining them on all kinds of crazy, hilarious adventures. I based the character of Emilio Caliente on my own pop idol, Ricky Martin. I had a poster of Ricky on the wall above my desk, so inspiration came relatively easily. Day after day, magic happened. The writing was joyful, playful. It simply flowed.

Every evening, after I’d finished writing, I’d send my new chapter to a few carefully selected girlfriends who could never wait to know what happened next. The heady combination of knowing that my friends wanted more, and the thrill of my imaginary escapades spurred me towards a romantic, goosebump-inducing finishing line that left me feeling both elated and depressed. Elated because I’d written a book that people clearly loved, and depressed because I’d written The End and all those wonderful characters had suddenly left the building, and what was I going to do without them?

 The journey to publishing the book has been long and bumpy. Initially, my confidence soared because it looked like very cool things were going to happen. I put pressure on myself to write an even better second book. And everything crashed and burned. For many years I couldn’t even sit in front of the computer without feeling nauseous. I switched tracks, and Just Like a Movie was eventually published by an e-pub in America under its initial title, Mucho Caliente. However, the fit was never ideal as the company specialized in erotica, and while my book contains a little spice, it is definitely not erotica!

 I eventually asked for my rights back, intending to quickly seek an alternative route to publication, but a series of health issues forced me to shelve those plans for four years. Exhausted, I was very close to giving up altogether, but Gemma, Emilio and co seemed to keep on jumping up and down, clamouring to be given another chance at making readers laugh and smile, at making them feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

To keep the pressure at levels I can deal with, after spending many months slowly re-editing the manuscript, I chose to publish independently.

The response from new readers has been lovely. The feedback and reviews are excellent, proving that the themes explored in the book resonate with readers of all ages just as they did twenty years ago, which shouldn’t amaze me as much as it does, but there you have it. I’m proud I persevered, and I truly hope you enjoy reading Just Like a Movie as much as I enjoyed writing it all those years ago, with gorgeous Ricky Martin gazing down at me from the wall above my desk.

Will you let me know?