Today’s #AuthorInTheSpotlight is Lilo Moore. Lilo Moore is the steamy romantic comedy pen name of travel romance author Leonie Mack. She lives among vineyards in Germany, creating fictional worlds and counting down to her next trip. Today she’s chatting about Berlin Calling, her Eurovision inspired novel. Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to take part in the blogtour.
What inspired you to start writing?
I started writing stories as soon as I picked up a pencil. I remember writing stories on dot-matrix printer paper in the corner of the classroom when I was about eight years old. Writing was always my favourite hobby and I decided to hone my skills and write more seriously when my youngest child had a few hours in a play group.
Tell me about your journey to publication.
I have an unusual story, which probably shows a lot about the publishing industry as it is today. My main focus is on my other pen name, Leonie Mack, where I publish destination romances set in swoony locations with Boldwood Books. But during the journey of bringing my first few books out, I found the fears about books selling, the mind games about the market, discoverability and networking were having a detrimental effect on my writing, so went back to basics and just wrote a story for fun, without publication in mind. The story I wrote was a zany, steamy Eurovision romance. It’s niche. It’s over-the-top. It’s quite silly, although it still has some powerful messages about solidarity, diversity and tolerance. And I love it. It’s not really a book for my publisher (or possibly any publisher!) but I love it so much that I decided to publish it myself, for the niche audience that has been waiting their whole lives for a Eurovision romance!
In a nutshell, what is your book about?
It’s about a songwriter, Rose, whose song is selected to represent the UK at the ‘European Song Contest’, my fictionalised version of Eurovision. She meets a man seemingly by chance while she’s out celebrating and they hook up, talking and connecting afterwards, but certain they’ll never see each other again. Of course, their meeting wasn’t chance and Emil, her hot German hook-up, is representing Germany, so they will see each other again during event week in Berlin. There is a whole cast of colourful contestants, a little bit of intrigue and a whole lot of tension, when Rose and Emil meet again.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
During Eurovision, the points awarded by the broadcasting corporations of the different countries are often announced on the big screen by a person who says, ‘Hello, this is Prague calling,’ or similar. Since the book is set mostly in Berlin, the title made sense.
Do you have a work in progress just now?
I have lots of exciting things coming up. My next Leonie Mack book, A Taste of Italian Sunshine is due out on 12 May, and my second book under this pen name will be out in June, with the cover copy soon to be announced! It’s called Beerfest and is about two best friends attending a reunion at Oktoberfest who discover there could be more to their relationship.
What are you reading just now?
I’m currently reading Lucy Morris’ next Viking romance, as we read each other’s work early to give feedback. I’ve recently finished Anita Faulkner’s Gingerbread Café and Juliet in Verona by Alessia Saint.
Is there a book you’d love to see made into a film?
I’d love to see Netflix pick up more of the great romances out there! They have started producing a lot more romcoms, but they’re never quite as satisfying as any of the books I love. Playing for Love by Jeevani Charika would be great as a film or a TV series!
How can people follow you or connect with you on social media?
Instagram: Instagram.com/lilo.writes.romance
Facebook: facebook.com/lilo.moore.author
Mailing list: subscribepage.io/0EjRqT
Full details of the book
The song contest is hotting up, on and off the stage!
Rose writes twee pop, smiles a lot, and believes in magic and rainbows. When the cheesy love song she wrote is chosen for the European Song Contest, her luck seems to be turning around – especially when a chance encounter leads to the hottest one-night stand of her life. It’s almost too bad she’ll never see him again.
But then Rose discovers it wasn’t a chance encounter. The hot German DJ with the sexy deep voice is her rival for song contest glory.
Grumpy Emil is incredibly talented and the song he spins with his sister could be a winner, even if he doesn’t appreciate the playful spirit of the contest. As the continent falls in love with Rose and Emil’s competitive banter on social media, they must hide their history from the press or risk losing credibility – and a future songwriting career.
With an anonymous gossip out to ridicule the colourful contestants and a plot to undermine European public broadcasting bubbling under the shiny surface, Rose must be strong in the face of criticism and stand up for everything the contest means to her.
If this Canadian girl can save the contest, maybe she can believe that her feelings for Emil are the real deal.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Berlin-Calling-Steamy-contest-romantic-ebook/dp/B0BN42SLN9/
US – https://www.amazon.com/Berlin-Calling-Steamy-contest-romantic-ebook/dp/B0BN42SLN9/
Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lilo.moore.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeonieMAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilo.writes.romance/
Mailing List – http://subscribepage.io/0EjRqT
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