A Musical Chat With Simona

Not too long ago, Simona (from Sky's Book Corner) and I wrote posts about books we suggested the other should read (HERE and HERE) and as we also have a common interest in musicals we thought we would send each other questions about them to answer in a post! You can read my response to her questions HERE!

1.  In THIS post you name Les Miserables as your favourite musical. Is there a particular scene in it that you love?

There are so many scenes I love in this musical. One of them is when Eponine sings On My Own, the song is beautiful and this scene is so touching. Another I scene I’d like to mention here is the last one, when all the dead characters come back and they all sing Do You Hear The People Sing, god that’s so emotional, I have to cry every single time, it’s the Grand finale.

2. What are your top three songs from Les Mis?

This question is mean, I can’t answer that!! I’ll just do it for you lovely ;)
One My Own, Do You Hear The People Sing and At The End of the Day is at a tie with I Dreamed A Dream. (Sorry, but I had to cheat a little bit.)

3. What are your top five musical songs?

On My Own – Les Miserables
Defying Gravity – Wicked
As Long As You’re Mine – Wicked
Do You Hear The People Sing – Les Miserables
Who Will Buy – Oliver!

There are many more...
 

4. Are there any musicals that you haven't seen (either on film or live) and want to?

The Book of Mormon, Spring Awakening, Newsies...

The Phantom Of the Opera, Sweeney Todd and Hairspray. I’ve seen the movies, love the songs and the stories, so it’s definitely time to see them live.

5. What makes musicals awesome to you?

An awesome Musical needs a catching story, amazing music with meaningful lyrics, brilliant actors, vivid scenes and dances, plus a an adorable setting and costumes (so great in Mathilda or Wicked). The whole constellation has to fit and for me the combination of dancing, singing and acting is essential and this makes an awesome musical.
 

6. Out of Marius, Fiyero and Link, who would you like to go on a date with (with songs sung to you and everything!)?

Do I have to decide?
Well ok, I’d say Link. Don’t ask me why though ;)


7. What musical soundtrack would you put on to make you feel motivated?

Hairspray, no question about that!!! The songs are so vivid, sparkly and bubbly.

8. What are your top three musical songs that make you sad/emotional/cry?

Do You Hear The People Sing – Les Miserables
As Long As He Needs Me – Oliver!
Close Every Door – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

9. What musical are you most likely to cry because of?

Les Miserables, there are so many emotional scenes in this Musical.
Blood Brothers, the ending is sad, touching and moving.

10. Who's your favourite female character in a musical?

Maria in The Sound of Music. A great role, wonderful with children and she has some awesome songs to sing!

And Elphaba in Wicked! <3

11. Who's your favourite male character in a musical?

Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, such a powerful and strong role.

12. Do you have a favourite musical couple?

Oh, you're really challenging me with this questions!!! I have to say Elphaba and Fiyero <3 I love when they sing As Long As You’re Mine.

13. Who is your favourite musical actor and actress?

My favourite musical actor is Oliver Tompsett. I saw him in Wicked and I instantly fell in love with him, and his voice too. He's an amazing singer and such a talented actor. I had to buy his cd and it was definitely worth it, a lot of great songs on there.

Oh and he's gorgeous ;)

My favourite musical actress is Katharine McPhee. She has an awesome voice, is a great dancer and talented actress. I loved her in Smash and I'd love to see her in more musicals.

14. If you met someone who hadn't seen a musical before, what musical would you recommend?

Les Miserables or Wicked, because they’re brilliant!
For Kids I’d say Oliver! or Mathilda, both really great Musicals with adorable kids involved.

15. If you were in your own musical, would your main song be slow and sad or happy and upbeat?

Probably slow, sad and melancholic with lots of feelings involved. I’m a really emotional person and love expressing them in a song. There could be other happy songs in the Musical, cause I like them too.

16. If you were in your own musical, what would the perfect setting be?

A musical playing in a great city like London or New York, with a love story developing, some romantic scenes and songs, but still enough drama and rock songs, that would be perfect.

17. Who would be your dream actor to play opposite you in a musical?

That’s the hardest questions ever, let’s see I have about 5 men in mind.
The first two are my celebrity crushes Henry Cavill and Chris Hemsworth, they’re sexy and talented actors, but not sure whether they can sing and dance, so… Henry would be it otherwise, in a normal movie for sure <3
Then there is Hugh Jackman, he’s brilliant, but I guess he’s a little to old for me ;)
Then there are Oliver Tompsett, Aaron Tveit and Eddie Redmayne. I love them all <3 I guess it would be Oliver Tompsett, his voice is amazing and he is such a great actor, oh my… That was so difficult, can Aaron be the understudy please?

18. What book do you think would make a great musical?

Oh, wow…
A lot of them actually, books I love books and Musicals so much. I was just thinking about the books I’ve read recently and The Dead Wife’s Handbook by Hannah Beckerman would be interesting or I Love the 80s by Megan Crane.

Thank you to the lovely Simona again for answering my questions and for having me on her blog too! If anyone is interested in doing something like this with either of us, feel free to comment below, on Simona's post or tweet us: Simona: HERE; me: HERE.

Books & Musicals,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. I've also written about musicals before on Simona's blog HERE. 

A Chat With Paige Toon

Paige Toon is one of my favourite authors. She writes chick-lit novels that make it an obsession to turn the next page to delve into the worlds she creates. She awesomely answered a few questions I had, so here we go!

1. What were your goals in writing when you first started?

I always wanted to write, ever since I can remember. When I got a book deal to write Lucy in the Sky, it was easily one of the best days of my life. I loved writing it so much and I hoped that if my readers could feel what I was feeling when reading it, then they'd love it to. They did – and that's been my goal ever since: to make sure I'm enjoying what I'm writing in the hope that my readers will enjoy it too.

2. Are any events in your novels inspired by something you've experienced?

I grew up between England and Australia (and America too for a little bit). When I went to university and met my husband-to-be, my parents moved back to Australia. I felt very torn between the two countries and I wrote about that in Lucy in the Sky

3. Who is your favourite character out of the novels you've written and why?

I find this very difficult to answer because I'm so deep inside their heads when I'm writing my books, that I feel very connected to each and every one. Often the heroine in the book I'm currently writing feels like my favourite, so that would mean Bronte from next year's Thirteen Weddings. I love her! I really loved Jessie from The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson (out in Jan) too. Looking back at my books, possibly Lucy or Lily, from Pictures of Lily.

4. How do you go about writer's block?

I had a nasty case of writer's block for a week in the run-up to my deadline for Thirteen Weddings, which was tough! I asked for an extension to my deadline so that took the pressure off a bit, then I went for some long walks until my characters started talking to me again!

5. Who are your favourite authors?

Marian Keyes will always be a favourite of mine, but I also love YA sci fi so Suzanne Collins, Stephanie Meyer and Cassandra Clare and current faves.

6. What's your favourite book that you've read this year?

The Immortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - I was hooked!

7. What's the most nerve-wracking thing about writing?

The final page proof stage when you read it through for the final - and usually about the fifth - time. I start to have doubts then that it's any good, but it's usually because I've read it so many times!

8. What's your favourite thing about writing?

Losing myself in the parallel universe of my heroes and heroines. It's like being inside my own personal movie.

9. When you're naming your characters, does a name you consider ever sound "wrong" in your mind?

Often. I change names quite a bit and often they will have already appeared on a synopsis on Amazon, which is very confusing for my readers!

10. What would your number one piece of advice be for aspiring writers? Enjoy what you're writing - if you don't, how can you expect your readers to enjoy reading it? Also, check out a blog I wrote about getting published on www.simonandschuster.co.uk - search for Paige Toon Author Voice!


I, of course, must say a huge thank you to Paige Toon for taking the time to answer my questions. I really enjoyed reading her answers. If you have any questions for her, you can tweet her HERE. Keep an eye out for her 2014 novels. I can just tell they're going to be perfect.

Stardust & Sunflowers,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

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