1. What is your name and where do you call home?
I'm Luisa Plaja, and I've lived in a lot of different places, but I grew up in London and I now live in Devon.
2. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
Kiss Date Love Hate will be out in February 2012, published by Random House. Lex discovers she can change her friends' loves, lives and looks through the profile settings of a computer game. That's 19 words (!) so I'll add: Wow!
3. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Kiss Date Love Hate is a standalone. I have lots more plans and ideas...
4. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I've been writing since I was little, and I was inspired by a love of stories, books and reading. I've always been a book-lover.
5. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Sometimes - it depends whether I have spare copies.
6. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
It was designed by Random House Children's Books.
7. How did you come up with the title for your book?
It's based on the settings of the Sims-style computer game that Lex and her friend George play.
8. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I honestly love them all! I probably buy twice as many books now that I have an e-book reader - and that means a lot - but I wouldn't have it any other way. I also download a lot of audiobooks, and I love the way I can listen to those on my reader too. The books I've written are currently being recorded as audiobooks, which I'm thrilled about. (Split by a Kiss is available now, Swapped by a Kiss should be out very soon and the others will follow.)
9. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
No, my books are traditionally published.
10. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
There are lots of books I've read many times, especially the ones I first read as a child. Nowadays I often read books twice when I don't get around to reviewing them immediately, or when I love them so much that one reading just isn't enough. I regularly listen to audiobooks more than once, too - I've recently done this with Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, and Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson.
11. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I have a few books on the go in different formats, which is normal for me! I'm listening to Beauty Queens by Libba Bray on audio - that one is taking a while as it's about 16 hours long! I'm also halfway through the e-book of Fringe Girl by Valerie Frankel, and have nearly finished reading a paperback of The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen. Oh, and I'm also reading Opal Moonbaby by Maudie Smith with my kids. It's great!
12. Where can your readers follow you?
Blog: http://www.luisaplaja.co.uk/latest-news
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Luisa-Plaja/326625221758
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1248134.Luisa_Plaja
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LuisaPlaja
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Luisa-Plaja/e/B0034NK9QU
Chicklish, the book review site I edit: http://www.chicklish.co.uk
Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!
Thank you very much for interviewing me, Rachel!
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