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Today we are interviewing Piper Lawson about her new adult/contemporary romance novel, "Schooled" (Book 1 of the Travesty series).
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m
a new writer and long-time romance novel devourer! I particularly love
new adult and college-type romances, because they’re such coming-of-age
stories. Though my background is in economics, writing is my REAL
passion. This particular story, Schooled, has been burning in the back
of my mind for a couple of years and I finally needed to get it out!
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Readers who like smart, sassy characters. A lot of romance novels - even contemporary ones - feature damsels in distress. I love strong heroines who aren’t afraid to say what they want.
Tell us a bit about the protagonists, Alexis Caine and Dylan Cameron.
Lex is stubborn - sometimes too stubborn - and thinks she has everything right. Dylan’s trickier because we don’t know all his secrets. We think he’s one thing, then find out it’s not that simple. They’re both surprised by what springs up between them, and at a loss for what to do about it. This book’s about how they deal with that.
Who was your favorite character to write?
Dylan. So many readers have said Dylan is their fave book boyfriend. He’s mine too :) I think the reason they like him is that he’s almost an anti-hero - he’s not the typical alpha male, or sports star, or guy from the wrong side of the tracks. Dylan has so many sides. It keeps you - and me! - guessing where his head’s at.
Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
So many. Ilsa Madden-Mills, Abbi Glines, Samantha Young, Jay Crownover. Colleen Hoover is masterful - she could wring emotion from a rock. My favourite is probably the writing duo of Christina Lauren. Their Beautiful Bastard series was a big part of why I decided to write.
What do you have in mind for your next project?
The second book of Travesty, Stripped (Ava’s story!) is due out in September. I’m partway through a third book that’s unrelated - but I’m excited to share it with the world this fall…
An excerpt from "Schooled":
The
light brush of his lips was fleeting. I’d intended only to assess, but
my eyes fluttered closed at the first touch. His mouth was just the
right mix of hard and soft. A tingling lasted for seconds after his lips
left mine, then faded into nothing at all.
I felt strangely exposed until Dylan’s mouth came back. This time it was firmer, lingering. His lips brushed. And they clung.
My
eyebrows rose in surprise as little sparks ignited in my brain,
pinpricks rising along my arms. Dylan’s mouth moved over mine, still
slowly, but more deliberately by the second.
The kiss was deceivingly
casual, like Dylan himself—smooth on the surface with an edge lurking
just underneath. It struck me suddenly that he was right: I didn’t know
him at all, and it might be more than a little bit dangerous to assume I
did.
His lips slanted over mine, coaxing, his mouth asking for
things that couldn’t be put into words. It felt like he wanted my
permission to explore, to savor. I wanted to let him do that and more,
and the realization shook me. I sucked in a breath, having to
consciously will my hands to stay at my sides.
After a moment, or five, he pulled back and I did too.
Well
damn. It was going to take me a moment to regroup—from his kiss and
from my reaction to it. I blinked, trying to focus my gaze on the denim
that stretched over his knee until my eyes uncrossed enough to meet his
gaze. Our knees were still touching.
Whoever had told him he didn’t
have any moves was sadly mistaken. Part of me wanted desperately to see
his eyes, but I didn’t trust myself to look up quite yet, though I could
feel his eyes on me. “Well.” Was that my voice? I cleared my throat.
“That was—”
My words were cut off as I felt fingertips on the back of my neck, searing my skin as he pulled my mouth back to his.
That’s when Dylan Cameron really kissed me.
More Information
Buy "Schooled" on Amazon
Visit Piper Lawson's website
Follow Piper Lawson on Twitter
Like Piper Lawson on Facebook
Today we are interviewing Nicholas Wyman, author of Job U - How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.
Tell us a bit about yourself.Nicholas Wyman is a speaker and expert on applying real-world solutions to the challenges companies face in finding skilled employees. He is CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation, which develops mentoring programs for corporations and places people in apprenticeship and training programs globally. He has an MBA and has studied at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government. He started his skilled career as an Apprentice chef.
Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
Millions of people are unemployed or underemployed, and at the same time, industries are struggling to find skilled people to fill well-paying jobs, to the extent that they have to send jobs overseas. This mismatch is called the Middle Skills Gap, and it’s a huge threat to the economy. I show individuals and industries how to find one another.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Whether you are recent high school or college graduate, or well along in your career journey, Job U is written to help people of all ages and backgrounds find a more secure and prosperous future.
What inspired you to write a book about employment and education?
Having seen the power of Apprenticeships myself at an early age, my company the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation has launched over 10,000 young people in satisfying and rewarding careers through apprenticeships. I wanted to help people ‘imagine the possibilities’ around the emerging opportunities in employment and education.
When did you first notice there is room for improvement with job-seekers today?
I recognize 2 key changes that are transforming the way people live and learn and the gap that has emerged some call the skills gap – I call people without jobs and jobs without people. Globalization and rapidly changing technology are impacting the way people all over the world live and they way they learn and this will dictate the skills employers need into the 21st century. Job-seekers need to understand these changes and equip themselves with the transferable skills they will need to get – and keep a job.
In the book, you reference the fact that 53% of college graduates are unemployed or underemployed. During the course of your research, what did you discover to be contributing to this number? Is it going up or down?
Unemployed American college gradates are not alone. The International Labor Organization in Genève recently noted there are nearly 75 million unemployed young people worldwide. Many of these people have college and university degrees, yet can’t secure meaningful work. With a rapidly changing global economy, people need to consider the options and job prospects in a particular industry before committing to an often ‘pricy’ college education – expecting a guaranteed job on graduation. This is no longer the case. Americans owe over 1 trillion dollars in student loans. That’s more than Americans owe on credit card debt!
Why do you think vocational/technical education, apprenticeships, etc haven’t received the attention they deserve?
There has been a myopic mindset of ‘college for everyone’ whilst other career pathways, such as vocational ‘earn while you learn’ have been seen as second best. There is often a stigma around apprenticeships and vocational careers - which Job U debunks.
What was the most interesting thing you uncovered while writing this book?
How astute employers are taking steps to make human capital their point of difference - their competitive advantage. These employers are opening up to whom they might employ and breaking from traditional hiring practices. Companies like IBM, Cisco, Verizon, Microsoft, Motorola, Con Edison and National Grid who are partners in the Early College STEM schools are leading the way and graduates of these schools are first in line for jobs.
How do you think reading your book will impact people?
Simply put – I hope people who read Job U see how they to can have a satisfying and rewarding career and follow their passion.
You’re fairly active on Twitter. Have you found it to be an effective medium for sharing information?
Twitter is a great way to have short conversations with people, no matter where they live. It’s an opportunity for people to ask me questions and for me to get to know people and their interests.
You are hosting giveaways on Twitter and Goodreads. Tell us a bit about them.
We set up a @goodreads giveaway promotion up to and including the books release #giveaway http://bit.ly/1FQnLzx
For people who Preorder the book now we’ll send them the first chapter with advice and career resources and a JOB U bumper sticker. People can buy the book online and register for the offer at www.jobubook.com.
Will there be a book tour in support of your book? If so, where can fans see a schedule?
Tour dates, upcoming events and speaking engagements will all be listed under events on www.jobubook.com.
What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
I like to start conversations and see what people are interested in. I wrote a blog ‘Can’t Find the Right Person to Fill the Job? The Single Most Obvious Place You Might Not Have Thought to Look’ recently and was overwhelmed with 25,000 views, 200 detailed comments.
More Information
Book website
Pre-order the book on Amazon
Follow the author on Twitter
Publisher website
