BooksChatter: ℚ♫ The Replacement Wife

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Rowena Wiseman to talk about The Replacement Wife (1 September 2015, AUS Impulse, 131 pages) a Contemporary Romance.

Author Q&A | Synopsis | Teaser | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Hello Rowena, welcome and thank you for joining us on BooksChatter today.

As we love music, I asked Rowena if she had a playlist associated with The Replacement Wife - you can listen to the songs she chose using the YouTube player below!

What was the inspiration for The Replacement Wife?

"The Replacement Wife is about a woman who falls in love with another man, so she tries to find a wife for her husband. The idea came at the kitchen sink while washing dishes. I knew a lady who had started dating a man who had an 8-year old daughter and she wasn’t getting along with the daughter. I thought it would be interesting to write about someone who wanted to break up with their husband, but wanted to manipulate who would play a part in their child’s life – to ensure they ended up with a decent stepmother."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Replacement Wife - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"HarperCollins organised the cover for The Replacement Wife. I felt that the first cover that was presented didn’t accurately represent the book, so I sent them feedback and asked for something a bit more playful and quirky. I also told them I prefer illustrative covers to photographic covers. They were really responsive to my feedback and I’m so pleased with the new cover. I love how one of the female figures is being erased and the other is being drawn in!"

Why should we read The Replacement Wife and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"I’m hoping The Replacement Wife is a different take on the age-old story of what happens when you fall in love with a person and have to fall out with the other. Luisa has taken a creative approach to her situation – she thinks she can avoid pain and heartbreak if she can play matchmaker and set her husband up with somebody else … "

Can you tell us something quirky about The Replacement Wife, its story and characters?

"Luisa’s love interest is a sculptor named Jarvis. I was at the McClelland Sculpture Award a few years ago and there was a sculpture with dangling gold tinsel and I thought it was the weakest work in the show. But my friend, a sculptor himself who had been to art school, thought it was fantastic. This work stuck in my mind and manifested its way into the novel. Jarvis works on a series of tinsel sculptures. Luisa loves the idea of being with an artist, but secretly hates these tinsel works!"

Who would you recommend The Replacement Wife to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in affairs of the heart and has an open mind. It’s not your typical romance book, so if you’re looking for happily ever after, you won’t find it here."

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I also write children’s stories and young adult. I like to challenge myself by writing for different age groups. Usually the idea comes first and then I decide who the audience is. I read a lot of children’s books with my young kids and I like reading literary fiction myself. Right now I’m reading John Updike’s The Witches of Eastwick – a fabulous read!"

What is your writing process?

"Usually I write down dot points to get me started. I never have a really good writing plan, although that’s something I’d like to work on in the future! I like to write my first drafts quickly, before the inspiration dries up. My first drafts have lots of gaps that I then go back and fill in later on. When I’m in an intense writing period, I like to wake up at 5am, as I write best first thing in the morning before other things have clouded my mind."

What is in store next?

"I’ve started a draft about a group of suburban swingers. Where I live is rumoured to have been the swinging capital of the state in the 70s. I don’t know if it’s an urban myth or not, but many people I meet around here seem to have a tale to tell about it …"

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"We’ve got a Labrador who is now 11, named Jeza. Unfortunately, she went blind a few years ago. But she’s still able to sniff her way around without too much trouble and she’s adored by the whole family."