Interview + Giveaway: Author Luisa Plaja

Luisa Plaja is the author of two books I have thoroughly enjoyed, Split by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing. She lives in the UK, is the mother of two small children, works a day job, and keeps a blog of book reviews and more. Despite this incredibly busy schedule, she graciously took some time to answer a few questions for me. Thanks, Luisa!

Tea or coffee? Tea.

Favorite TV show? Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Favorite book? Masha by Mara Kay.

You think astrology is... fun.

When you are not writing, you are usually... reading, book blogging, or reading other people's book blogs.

The most extreme place you've been kissed is... (referring to geography, not anatomy. This is a G-rated interview) Hee hee. Hmm, maybe the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, after I eloped. :)

What drew you to write teen chick lit? I find the teenage years fascinating - it's a time full of first experiences, decisions to be made, and open paths branching out in front of you. It's also often a time when you start challenging your identity. I love reading coming-of-age stories. I've discovered that I also absolutely love writing them.

How did you come up with your book titles? I had a lot of help from the amazing staff of Random House Children's Books for 'Split by a Kiss', which I'd entitled 'Limey Girl Split'. 'Extreme Kissing' was my original title, though. Really, once I'd decided that the book would be about Extreme Travel, and risk-taking in teenage relationships, the title wrote itself.

Which of your characters was the most fun to write? That's hard to answer - I get wrapped up in the lives of all of them! Writing the two sides of Jo from Split by a Kiss was a fascinating puzzle. Carlota from Extreme Kissing was also a lot of fun to write. But the character I've felt most involved with so far has probably been Rachel from Split by a Kiss. Long after I'd finished the book, I couldn't stop thinking about her - so much that I was dying to write a book about her.

According to your bio, you have two children. I have a couple myself, so I'm wondering... when and how do you find time to write? It's difficult! I usually write when they're asleep at night. The main problem with that is having to get up at child o'clock in the morning.What's up next for you?

Do you have a new book in the works? Yes, I'm working on Swapped by a Kiss, the sequel to Split by a Kiss, and you might be able to guess who the main character is from what I said above. :)

I loved the extreme travelling idea from Extreme Kissing. Have you tried extreme travelling, and if so, please share a story. Probably the closest I've been to real Extreme Travel was when I lived in USA. We'd wait until the airlines announced their cut-price last-minute special weekend deals and then use them to fly anywhere in the States for a couple of days, at extremely short notice. It was an amazing way to explore and we went to some fantastic places.

Is there anything else you'd like to add? Thank you very much for interviewing me

Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed! Now, on to the giveaway.

Luisa has graciously offered to give away a copy of each of her books. One winner will receive Extreme Kissing, and one reader will receive Split by a Kiss. To enter, just leave your email address in the comments. This giveaway is open internationally (Thanks, Luisa!) and will close August 22nd.

Want extra entries? You'll get one for tweeting, blogging, shouting from the rooftops, or otherwise publicizing Luisa and this contest. Just mention it in your entry. Good luck, all!