Guest Post : Q&A With Allison Rushby

About Shooting Stars 

What's Shooting Stars about?
Shooting Stars centers on Jo, a sixteen-year-old paparazzo living in LA. Jo is all about getting the perfect shot and doesn't mind doing what it takes to get it, either. That is, until she's sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett – teen superstar and the only celebrity who's ever been anything close to kind to her – at an exclusive rehab retreat in Boston. Taking, or not taking, the job is a huge decision for Jo. Taking it would mean finally having enough money to pay for her dream: real photography classes. But when she falls in love with Ned…? Suddenly everything in Jo's world isn't as black and white as it usually is.

Was there something in particular that inspired you to write this book?
The initial inspiration was reading an article about a real-life sixteen-year-old paparazzo. I found my eyes boggling as I read about how he got around LA either on his bicycle, or his dad drove him late at night. I couldn't imagine what this part-time job must be like (as I guessed it had to be extremely cut-throat, especially compared to working at McDonald's!), so I decided to imagine away and came up with Jo. I had an absolute ball researching this book, including reading trashy magazines and a lot of books written by, and about, the paparazzi (fellow Aussie Darryn Lyons's Mr Paparazzi is a fabulous one if you're looking). The things they had to say about celebrity – about the dark side of celebrity and fame – were truly revealing.

The love interest in Shooting Stars is a celebrity. Was it difficult writing about a celebrity and non-celebrity characters at the same time?
I think the most important thing here was removing Ned (and Jo) from the LA environment. In rehab, it doesn't matter who you are – everyone is on neutral ground (or so I hear!) and this is how things are for Ned and Jo. If I'd left them in LA I'm sure they would never have gotten together – their jobs were too much a part of what defined them as people. But in a neutral environment, their personalities are more important than their job definition, so they're able to get to know each other as real people.

About the author 

Do you have a favorite television show, or series?
Oh, that's easy. Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey (*shakes pompoms*)! I am completely in love with this series. So much so, I'm ashamed to admit I know they're starting filming again next week at Ealing Studios and will then move on to filming the scenes at Highclere Castle (one must refrain from stalking!). I've always been a huge fan of the 1920s and am very excited that this is where Downton is headed next. Of course, I'll have to wait for some time to watch the next series as we've seen all of season 2 in the UK, as well as the Christmas special. In the meantime, I'm having my own fun watching both seasons again on DVD.

Do you have any special talents (tying cherry stalks with your tongue etc.?!).
I think mine would have to be my secret bargain hunting habit. I am a slave to eBay and Gumtree. I love a bargain and am good at selling, too. It's the Taurean in me (I like to blame it on this or I just sound cheap!). I love giving things away on Freecycle too. I am crazy about de-cluttering.

What are you working on next?
I recently finished writing another YA novel tentatively titled Being Hartley. Since finishing that, I've moved on to writing something very different – a Downton Abbey-esque six episode e-serial for St Martin's Press, tentatively titled The Honourables, which will be published Summer 2012, with one episode being published per month. It's been a very steep learning curve learning all about writing serialized fiction, but I'm enjoying the writing very much, especially as the series is set in London in the 1920s.

What do you do when you're not writing?
I'm currently living in the UK for 18 months, so am trying to pack in a lot of travel throughout Europe in my free time. I've just got back from a long weekend in Dublin, the next trip is a week in Lapland and then I'm off for two weeks in Berlin, Prague and Vienna at Easter. On the way back home to Australia in August, I'm taking a 14 day cruise through Spain, France, Turkey, Italy and Greece, which I'm really looking forward to. I'm not sure I'll recognize the sun when I see it again.

What sort of books do you like to read?
Anything and everything! At the moment, I'm reading a lot of lovely fiction and non-fiction set in the 1920s, which has been great in helping to shape the dialogue in the historical e-serial I'm writing. A YA book I've read recently that I just adored was Stephanie Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss and I have Lola and the Boy Next Door all ready and waiting for me on my Kindle. I'm really looking forward to getting to it!

Do you have any pets?
I have a gorgeous Devon Rex cat, Violet, who is currently living with my parents in Australia while we're in the UK. I miss her sitting on my shoulders and keeping me warm while I'm writing! Devon Rex cats are very odd – rather like monkeys. They like to be up high, on top of bookcases (and shoulders!). After you've had a Devon Rex, you'll never go back to a normal cat! At one point we had three of them. Trust me, that's a lot of Devon Rex.

Thank you Allison! I really enjoyed your answers and can not wait to read Shooting Stars! I keep looking at it on my bookcase - I swear it's staring at me. I keep telling it the time will come very fast.

I hope your enjoying your time over here in the UK. Sounds like you are having lots of different experiences over here! (Oh and sorry about the lack of sun.. I hope you have enjoyed the snow though ;]) 

I will be looking out for Being Hartley.

Make sure you pick up your copy of Shooting Stars!

Find Allison

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