#5Questions

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Author Bio (via Goodreads) 

I grew up in Monkstown, Co. Dublin and studied English at Trinity College, Dublin and at Hertford College, Oxford. I worked in publishing for several years before writing my first book The Out of Office Girl, which was shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year 2013 in the Romantic Comedy category. 
My second book, If I Could Turn Back Time, is out now from Headline. I like cooking, running, watching make-up lessons on YouTube, New York, California, Friday Night Lights and Stila eyeliner. I live in Highbury, north London, with my husband and no cats (yet).

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Title: If I Could Turn Back Time

Author: Nicola Doherty

Publishing Date: April 10th 2014
Publisher: Headline Review 

ISBN: 0755386884

What if you found The One, then lost him again? 

Or not so much lost him as became the neurotic, needy girlfriend from hell. The girl who tried to make him choose between her and his job, and got seriously paranoid about his relationship with his best female friend... 

Zoe knows she doesn't deserve another chance with David. But if there's the tiniest possibility of making things right, she'll snatch it. Even if it means breaking the laws of physics to do so...

1. How did you get into writing?

Completely by chance. I never thought I could write a book, but I worked in publishing and my favourite part was always the editing process. When I left that job to go freelance, I started writing a novel ‘as an experiment’. I’m a big believer in doing scary things ‘as an experiment’ – it takes the pressure off! I was incredibly lucky to have my first ever book published and I think it was possibly because I started so late.

2. When starting a book how much of it comes straight from your imagination and how much is research?

I hate doing research, it’s my bane. I can see why people write about elves and trolls; it’s because they don’t have to research the darned things (though I know it must be hard in other ways). So it’s mainly my imagination plus of course my own experience. Then once I’ve written the first draft I will go in and do the research to fill out technical stuff, eg, people’s jobs. That’s the part I find hardest. I don’t mind travelling places for research purposes – or, you know, visiting nice bars and restaurants, etc …

3. Who is your favourite character you have written and why?

Oh gosh. Tricky one. It might be Annabel in The Out of Office Girl – purely she’s completely nuts and an absolute monster, but she also makes me laugh. I have no idea where she came from; I’ve never met anyone like her, thank God. So I’m 100% responsible for her, which is a terrifying and also amusing thought.

4. Do you go into a book knowing how you want it to end?

Yes, I do, and the overall destination tends not to change – though of course the way I get there does! I often find that you don’t really understand what a story is really about – I mean its deeper themes – until about the second or third draft. That’s what makes it exciting.

5. What 5 books would you recommend for your readers?

Of course I thoroughly recommend my own books. Once you’ve read those, then why not read the following:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight – Most people have probably read this but just in case; read it now! The ultimate romantic story about two teenagers who meet on a plane.

Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin – this story about an intersex teen – not quite boy or girl – blew me away. It’s pretty wrenching, tough reading at times, but a great book.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice – a wonderful, romantic story set in the 1950s just before Elvis becomes a megastar; as comforting as a hot-water bottle.

I Capture the Castle – another amazing, lovable hot-water-bottle book that you can read again and again and find something new each time.

Something Borrowed – a great chick lit book and also one of the best books I’ve ever read about the downside of female friendship.