Pump Up Your Book Chats with Daisy Jordan – Author of Loves Means Zero

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Daisy Jordan is an obsessive tennis fan and wrote Love Means Zero, in which Hilton gets a job as a photographer for a tennis magazine, so she could live out her dream-job fantasy through Hilton. But don’t worry if you’re not a tennis fan; Love Means Zero still has all the drama and suspense of Daisy’s previous books! Those books include Everything Happens for a Reason…, the Spin the Bottle series, and All That Sparkles Isn’t Real Sapphire. Before she published her first book, Daisy grew up in Indiana watching tennis all summer every summer on TV and having her own fair share of high school and college boy drama, much like her characters. She now lives in Denver and religiously fills out brackets for every Grand Slam with her brother Josh, while still managing to find time for boy drama. Daisy can be found online at:

daisyjordan.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDaisyJordan
http://twitter.com/DaisyJordan06
http://myspace.com/daisy_jordan

Thank you for this interview, Daisy. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?

A: I started writing as early as kindergarten! Just recently my mom found one of my first stories, which features barely legible handwriting and some pretty weird-looking pictures! It is about a bus, because when I was little, I absolutely loved my school bus. My favorite number has always been 6 because that’s the number of the bus I rode. 🙂

As I got into elementary school, I spent a ton of time typing stories on my grandparents’ typewriter and my family’s old-school computer with the black screen and green type. I tended to start books and not finish them. I would start reading a new series and be influenced by it, and then my ideas for what I wanted to write about would totally change. My first published piece was a story relating to The Wizard of Oz that won a contest when I was in third grade and got published in a children’s magazine. I don’t really remember what it was about though!

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

A: The most frustrating side is trying to get publicity for my books. It has sometimes seemed that no matter how hard I try, it’s not working. I have started doing a lot more online publicity in the last couple years, and I’ve gotten more serious about promoting my work, which is paying off now.

The most rewarding side has definitely been people’s reactions to the books. Every time somebody new reads one of my books and loves it, and then tells me they loved it, it is the best feeling. I love talking with readers about their reactions, and it’s so cool when they can relate to the characters. It’s also so much fun to talk to those people who have read all the books and know the characters really well. Whenever I’m writing a new book, I’m practically bursting with excitement for them to read it.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?

A: I am single, but I am always crazy busy. I have another job besides writing, so I never have as much time for writing as I want. Plus I have a roommate and I’m really social, so that takes up time too! 🙂 I take naps most days after work and do most of my writing late at night when I’m the only one awake. I tend to write really fast, and even with all the other things I do every day, it hasn’t ever taken me more than a year to write a book. I just try to stay balanced – if I feel like writing, I’ll stay home and write, and if I feel like going out and doing something else, I’ll go out and do something else. It works well for me.

Love Means Zero What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing? Where do you like to vacation? Can you tell us briefly about this?

A: I love to hang out with my friends and family. I like going to sporting events, concerts, trying new restaurants, hiking, exploring cities, and, most of all, traveling. I try to go on as many little weekend trips as I can, because it’s always so rejuvenating to get out of town and see someplace new or go back to a place I love. Some of my favorite places to vacation are Fort Myers Beach, New York City, Madrid, and LA. There are so many places I want to see where I haven’t been yet too! Some of those up next on my list are France, Australia, and Portland, Oregon.

I also absolutely love being outside. I try to spend as much time outside as I can. I lay out, I play golf, I go to the park, I go on walks, etc. Other hobbies include reading and watching my many TV shows. 🙂

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

A: I would be in New York City exploring! No matter how many times I go, there’s always more to see! It is my favorite city in the world.

Who is your biggest fan?

A: I have two who I think are equal, my mom and my best friend Kendra! My mom is so supportive of my writing and lets me bug her endlessly about my books and characters. She is always the first to read every book I write. Kendra is the second to read every book I write, and she and I have awesome long discussions about each book as she reads it. Then she supports me by threatening not to be my friend anymore because she’s so mad about the cliffhangers at the end of every book. 🙂

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

A: At my computer in my room! It is a really cool setup, with a very comfortable chair and an amazing view of Denver right next to me out a huge window. My room has lots of cool angles, and I love how my computer is tucked away in a corner by the window. I focus really well here.

Do you have any pets?

A: Yes! I have two cats, Jello and Lancelot, who live with me now. I got them from a shelter just over two years ago. They are so goofy and friendly, and they make every day good. They are my babies. 🙂

At my parents’ house, I also have two golden retrievers, Malibu and Wrigley, and four more cats, Shadow, Tigger, Cow, and Yoshi. My love for animals comes from the first pet I ever had, my dog Domino, who I got for my fourth birthday, and my first cat ever, Calli, who was born in a drawer in the garage at my parents’ house when I was ten. 🙂

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

A: I used to be so in love with Andy Roddick that I had a tank top custom-designed to say “Mrs. Roddick.” Yeah…it’s true.

What’s on your to do list today?

A: Well, I only have about an hour left before bed! But I have to put away my laundry. 🙁 Yuck! Haha.

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you. If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

A: I think it would give him the idea of fashioning tennis racquets out of sticks and twigs and then using the racquets to hit rocks at passing boats. And then, when that didn’t work, he’d at least be able to amuse himself by hitting rocks or other objects around on the island. Or, maybe he could fashion a really giant tennis racquet on which he could float away till he reached a boat or, most likely, another piece of deserted land. Ha……

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi and the newest addition, Ellen DeGeneres, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars. What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

A: Well, I would definitely have to say an excerpt, because Ellen DeGeneres makes a small appearance in my book. And in the same scene, one of my characters acts like a total jerk, which maybe Simon would like! 🙂

You just got word that your book has received the 2010 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech. Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom. What would you say and who would you thank?

A: Wow, thank you, this is completely unbelievable, and such a huge honor. I’d like to thank my family, Mom, Dad, and Josh; my friends, especially Kendra and Megan, who read Love Means Zero way ahead of time; Llumina, my publishing company; and Pump Up Your Book Promotions, without whom I surely would not have won this award. I’d also like to thank all the players on the ATP Tennis Tour who have made tennis so exciting for me over the years and given me the inspiration to write this book. And, of course, thank you to all the readers and fans out there for your support; it’s all because of you guys that I’m standing here right now. Thank you!

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in September and October via a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

A: Everybody is online today! People are constantly getting updates from Facebook, Twitter, and other sites through their phones even when they are not at their computers. It is without question the best way to get the word about my books out to the most people. Because of websites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blogs, and Pump Up Your Book, so many people have heard about and read my books who never would have otherwise. I am so grateful I live in this digital era where all this is possible!

Thank you for this interview, Daisy. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

A: Thank you so much. I had a lot of fun doing the interview! 🙂

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach