Interview with Angelina Goode, author of 'The Average Girl'

 We're thrilled to be hosting Angelina Goode, author of the romantic comedy, THE AVERAGE GIRL, on her Pump Up Your Book virtual book tour!

Angelina Goode began writing as a teenager. Though her first works were poems about love-struck teenagers, she grew her craft while earning her degree in Journalism and Creative Writing. A former grade school teacher that loved teaching children to write, she enjoys finding creative ways to present everyday events. Now she primarily writes light-hearted contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Los Angeles where she enjoys the occasional celebrity sighting and year-round sun.

Angelina started gaining first-hand fan and celebrity experience as a devoted follower of her generation’s boy band. Her experience shifted in college when she interned in the promotions department for a Los Angeles based radio station and for the public relations department of a network television station. There she was able to learn about the ins and outs of promoting celebrities and all the backstage activities that are rarely seen by the public eye. She was also able to observe fans’ behavior from an objective perspective, seeing what it looks like to an outside observer

Now she combines her experience as a loyal fan attending numerous concerts and meet and greets every year, her brief but educational stint in the entertainment industry, and a highly active imagination to create fiction for celebrity lovers of all ages. 

Her latest book is the romantic comedy, The Average Girl.

For More Information

• Visit Angelina Goode’s website.
• Connect with Angelina on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Angelina at Goodreads.

About the Book:

Title: The Average Girl
Author: Angelina Goode
Publisher: Beach Blanket Publishing
Pages: 228
Genre: Romantic Comedy

Being average can lead to wonderful things…

Olivia Fowler, helper of the star-struck, runs a successful business helping average people meet celebrities in everyday ways. Flawless at what she does, the celebrities don’t have a clue they’re part of a pre-planned meeting. Business is booming and Olivia knows everything there is to know about Hollywood’s famous and their behavior. Her clients trust her because she is just like them, not famous.

But when Olivia accidentally meets the super-famous Alexander Young at the grocery store, her world is flipped upside-down. She can’t possibly resist those charming eyes and sexy arms. As their romance blossoms, Olivia learns she may not know as much as she thought she did about celebrities and their ways.

Then Olivia’s most important and loyal client requests to meet Alexander. Suddenly, Olivia is forced to choose between her love and her business.

Will Olivia be able to keep her booming business a secret from her soon-to-be boyfriend? Will her clients still trust her if she is no longer the average girl?

For More Information

• The Average Girl is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

I first came up with the idea for The Average Girl when attending concerts for my generation’s boy band. I am always fascinated with the loyalty and dedication the fans have. The experience got me thinking about how fun it would be if there was someone that helped facilitate “accidental” meetings between fans and celebrities. That gave me the basis for my novel. Then I thought how complicated it would be if she herself fell for one of the celebrities.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

I had a great time writing The Average Girl. Since it is a topic I enjoy thinking about, it came very naturally to me. I’ve also lived in Los Angeles all my life, and that’s where the story takes place. It was nostalgic to be able to incorporate different locations I have visited throughout my life and exciting to learn about new places I’ve never been to in my own hometown. The best tip I can pass on is to write what you know. Or if you don’t know about what you’re writing, learn everything you possibly can. It sounds cliché, but I think the best way for your work to be authentic is for you to know your topic well.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

While I was writing The Average Girl, I wasn’t sure where it was going to take me. When I finished it, I decide to self-publish. I have always wanted to be a writer, and I just felt like this was a good way for me to get a real feel for it. I did want my book to look as professional as possible, though, so I hired an editor and a book cover designer. I have learned so much in the process. I would like to go the traditional route in the future.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

I was surprised by the amount of marketing that needs to be done just to get people to notice your novel. It really is a constant effort to get it in front of the right people. When you self-publish, your book is only as available as you make it. You don’t get the automatic marketing of having it sitting on the bookshelf of a major bookseller where people that are there for the purpose of buying a book can come across it. It has been a very educational journey.

Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be published?

I am currently working on a novel about a conservative single mom that takes a job pretending to be a Hollywood bad boy’s girlfriend to help boost his reputation. I’m having fun writing the two main characters that couldn’t be more different from each other. It should be out within the next couple of years.

Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?

Maybe I shouldn’t admit this publicly or people will unfriend me, but I love browsing Facebook. I love to read what’s going on in other people’s lives, then twist it around in my head and see what kind of storyline I can come up with. There’s quite a bit of inspiration out there.

Q: What’s your nightly ritual before retiring for the night?

I’ve always been a bit of a night owl, so I’m usually up much later than everyone else in the house. Once the house quiets down, I’ll think about what I need to accomplish the next day, both in writing and life in general. Once that is all sorted out, I either get to writing, or I sit down and lose myself in a good book. If I’m reading a really good book, I’ll be lost for a few hours.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

  

I just want to be able to help people escape from the real world, if only for a little bit of time. If someone does take a message away with them, I hope it is that you should follow your dreams. Whether it’s starting your own business that’s different from what’s already out there, appreciating a celebrity, or following your heart; and to think of others. Our actions affect other people and we should keep that in mind.

Q: Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

Thank you for interviewing me and I hope you enjoy The Average Girl.