Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Interview and Giveaway: Chanel Cleeton + I See London


Today I'm pleased to welcome author Chanel Cleeton to the blog to answer a few questions about her upcoming Contemporary New Adult novel, I See London. I See London releases on February 3rd from Harlequin, so be sure and mark your calendars, and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for all the details on a fabulous giveaway!

In I See London, Maggie has the opportunity to leave South Carolina and explore all a city like London has to offer. Before arriving, what three London tourist attractions topped Maggie’s list, and did any of them change once she found herself in the city?

Maggie is an International Relations major and she grew up fascinated by politics and international intrigue. Before she moved to London she tabbed a guidebook full of all the things she wanted to see. The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London were the top three spots on her list.

Once she got to London, though, life got in the way a bit and she found herself…distracted :) But eventually she made her way to all of the major tourist stops. What she discovered, though, was that as much as she loved the iconic London sights, the real magic in London was just the simple pleasure of walking down the street and taking in everything around her, or learning from her new friends from all over the world, discovering new foods and hearing different languages spoken on a daily basis.

If someone had told Maggie before she left that she would find not one, but two guys in London who would tie her in romantic knots, what would her response have been?

Disbelief :) She’s never been confident with guys but that’s about to change. Maggie’s a total hopeless romantic. She’s always dreamt of finding the right guy, but unfortunately for her, the “perfect” guy always looked more like a hero in one of her books rather than any boy she knew in high school. Meeting Hugh and Samir rocks her perfectly ordered life a bit. Which is exactly what she needs!

If you could hop a plane tomorrow and go anywhere in the world, where would you go and what one fictional character would you love to have accompany you?

I would go to London. I miss it so much. The four years I lived there were some of the best years of my life and it still feels like home. I have friends in the city and love going back to my favorite spots and visiting with them, reminiscing over some of our adventures.

If I had to pick a fictional character from my book to travel with, I would go with Maggie’s roommate Fleur because she knows all the cool places to go and would definitely be a fun—and slightly crazy—travel companion. If I were single, no contest, I’d go with Samir :)

What would you say is the most romantic spot in all of London? Would Hugh or Samir agree with you?

I think Hyde Park is the most romantic spot in London. London is such a busy city. It’s loud and there’s always something going on. But Hyde Park feels like a secret tucked away in the middle of the city. You can find quiet and peace there. There’s something about the trees and all that green in the middle of a bustling metropolis—it’s an incredible place.

Samir would definitely agree with me. I just wrote a very important and romantic scene that takes place there in the sequel.

After living in London yourself, is there any one particular Britishism that you picked up and found yourself using on a regular basis?

Ooh that’s a tough one :) I rarely use the word “line” anymore in favor of “queue.” I used to go clubbing with British friends and they always said they weren’t going to “Queue up” to get into a club so I think that one rubbed off on me. Also, instead of saying “college” I tend to say “university” because in England, “college” refers to what we think of as high school in the U.S. There are probably loads more!


Thank you for having me!

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I SEE LONDON


Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

AmazonB&NiTunes

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CHANEL CLEETON


Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university.  In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships.  Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever.  But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet. 

Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea.  An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book.  She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband.  Harlequin (HQN) will release Chanel’s New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.


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GIVEAWAY

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31 comments:

  1. Wonderful interview, ladies! I can see how the school would be filled with the ridiculously wealthy, as London seems to be crawling with the rich! I've never seen so many Ferrari's, Maserati's, and Bently's in my life! And this was after I just visited Paris! You'd think there would be more wealth there.

    I actually visited the Tower of London back in March last year and I have to say I'm glad I wasn't a prisoner there! The torture devices creeped me the heck out! I also visited London Bridge (on the cover). London is a very busy and beautiful city!

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  2. This was a fun interview, Jenny. You always ask great questions. I'm personally not too sure if the story is for me, because of the love triangle. You know I how feel about love triangles, Jenny.

    I've never been to London and for some reason unlike many other people I've never had the desire to go either. When I was applying to colleges abroad a friend of my dad pretty much forced me to apply, but it wasn't a place I wanted to live for 3-4 years. Anyways, great post!

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    1. Agreed! It was really fun answering all of the questions:) Definitely one of my favorite interviews. That's so cool that you went to school abroad! What country were you in?

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  3. Thank you for hosting me today, Jenny! I really enjoyed the interview!

    Thanks, Rachel! London is definitely over the top :) It's such a fun place! The Tower of London is an incredible spot and I completely agree- there's something in the air that's a bit macabre.

    I LOVE Paris! It's probably my second favorite city:)

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  4. Ooh, I love books set in foreign locations and one featuring a protagonist who's an International Relations major sounds fantastic! I'll have to add this to my radar, so thanks Jenny!

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    1. I'm was an IR major so I had to give IR some love :)

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  5. Great interview! I'm loving the premise of this series. Of course, I always want to read travel books, stories that push the MCs into different worlds and broaden their horizons!

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    1. Aww thank you! I really enjoyed mixing the travel element with the coming of age essence of NA:)

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  6. I agree with the others, you always ask great questions Jenny!

    I haven't heard of this one before but I am definitely curious now!

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  7. My visit to London was really short and I really want to go back and explore. Samir sounds interesting and I love the fact that he is biracial. Great interview, ladies!

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  8. Love New Adult and I'm happy to see something different that I definitely want to read!

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  9. Hearing other people talk about London makes me feel like I should appreciate it more. :P Though I do love Hyde Park, especially in the summer. Well... when it's sunny, which isn't always the same thing, hah. ;) Great interview, ladies! I haven't heard of I See London before, so thanks for drawing it to my attention. :)

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    1. So true! Hyde Park is at its best in the spring and summer. Especially after a long, dreary winter:)

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  10. Love this interview, such fun questions! I agree that the real magic in any city is just in walking around, absorbing the culture rather than seeing all the tourist sites. I love London and romance, so this sounds like a perfect addition to my TBR pile. Thanks for putting it on my radar!

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    1. Aww thank you! Whenever I go back to visit I never want to do touristy stuff, I always just want to walk around and explore. There's an energy to London that I really love.

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  11. Fun questions! I haven't ever visited or lived in England and I still pick up some things from books and movies. I say queue just because sometimes it seems to fit better then 'line'. And university just sounds so much better then college! This book sounds pretty good!

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    1. Thanks! Love that I'm not the only one spreading the "queue" love :)

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  12. I do always have the coolest interviews :)

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  13. I did not make it to England on my European trip in high school :( It remains on my list of places to visit, though. I always enjoy reading a book that can take me there vicariously and I am certain this one would do an excellent job since the author knows the city well!

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    1. Aww thank you! I hope so! I always refer to this book as my love letter to London. I also include trips to Paris and Venice :)

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  14. I love reading books that are set some place I'm familiar with, but I also love when they are set in place I want to go. It never fails, I start googling and bringing up the map wanting to see the places that are mentioned in the book. Someday, I shall go to London for real!

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    1. I'm the same way! I'm working on a book right now where my characters end up in Cuba for a bit. I'm Cuban so I've always dreamed of going there some day. Google has been my best friend:)

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  15. I kept looking for Doctor Who when I read this..LOL I enjoyed the setting.

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    1. I'm so embarrassed to admit that I've never seen Doctor Who. Everyone always talks about it and I feel like I'm missing out. Need to rectify that!

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  16. I am so juvenile, I can't stop thinking I see France I see someone's underpants. Yes, you can lambast me privately! But I think from the cover there, underthings seem to be missing anyway. So I'm not wrong.

    Of course Jenny, you are the ultimate Queen of Interviews. As always very entertaining! And even though it's NA, I want to read it. Probably because of the interview and the author's personality! You are good! I hope you are reviewing it. Would love your thoughts on it.

    Heather

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    1. Haha totally not juvenile. I'll admit to the occasional blush when people ask me what my book's title is:) Especially men...and friends of my parents...and strangers...

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  17. Oh, good! I'm planning a longish trip to London in March and I have a feeling I'd enjoy this for that alone, if nothing else. I must confess that the two guys thing worries me a bit, but it can be survived.
    As always, you ask the best questions, Jenny!

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    1. I'm a little jealous :) I've been dying to go for a visit again. Have fun! If you're a fan of Lebanese food, I highly recommend trying Ranoush/Maroush. It's a big chain in London and is probably one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Best hummus I've ever had!

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