Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel - Interview with Author Bridget Siegel




Synopsis (from Amazon): When twentysomething political fund-raiser Olivia Greenley gets tapped to work on the presidential campaign of Georgia governor, Landon Taylor, it’s her dream job. Her best friend in the world is the campaign manager, and Taylor is a decent, charismatic idealist, with a real chance to be a great leader. Sacrificing her sleep, comfort, friends, family and income for a year to make the world a better place is the right call, but what happens when both Campaign Lesson #1, No Kissing the Boss, and Lesson #2, Loyalty Above All, go down in flames before the first primary? 

Bridget Siegel, veteran of the John Edwards and President Obama campaigns, vividly captures the idealism and chaos, as well as the emotional heat and corruption, of the candidate’s bubble. What becomes of Olivia’s best friends when she must keep from them the biggest secret of her life?   Is the candidate a true romantic or a political hypocrite? How far can she go to justify her happiness?

Told with savvy, humor, and delicious inside-the-Beltway detail, Domestic Affairs is a page-turning tale of love on the campaign trail—and its consequences—from a consummate political insider.



Q & A: with Bridget Siegel, Author of Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel 


Favorite color, food, drink and animal?
Blue, French fries, Patron Silver with a couple of limes and horses. 
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I'm in the process of finishing my first feature film. I acted in it and I'm producing it and the combination of the two takes up all my time, free and otherwise! It's called That Thing With The Cat and hopefully it will be hitting a film festival soon! 
When/Why did you start writing?
I have always loved to write but never actually thought I'd be lucky enough to do it professionally. I started in earnest after I stopped working on campaigns and had real time to reflect on all of the experiences. 
What is your favorite writing spot?
The NYC Subway or more specifically the N/R line and sometimes the Q if I have less to write. The subway is the only place I can actually get writing done. There's just enough commotion to keep me from daydreaming and not enough to distract me. I'm probably one of the few New Yorkers who is not excited to see them putting Wi-Fi in the subway tunnels. 
Do you have writing routine?
I board the closest subway and pull out my trusty BlackBerry. I have it down almost to a science -- I can write 2500 words if I go all the way to the Coney Island stop, 1500 to Atlantic Blvd and so on. 
Who are some of your favorite authors?
So many!   Paolo Coehlo, Lindsay Kelk, Jennifer Weiner, Andy Tobias, Jeff Madrick, Alberto Hazan
How's that for a random mix?! I also love reading plays, any and all. 
Can you read other books while writing your own?
Yes. Reading inspires me to write. 
What are currently (or last read) reading now?
I just finished reading Lauren Graham's book, Someday, Someday Maybe and I'm so excited to see it made into a tv show. As an aspiring actress I thought it was a great read and a good handbook for making it through! 
What is your favorite genre?
I'm a total sucker for romantic comedies. 
What is your favorite(s) song/movie/play/TV show?
Song - Anything by Eminem
Movie - I watch the old Sabrina almost every night. It's like my own version of a lullaby. And Animal House and Major League. I can literally recite both of those movies by heart. (So I'm really annoying to watch them with!) 
Play - The best play I ever saw was La Bete with Mark Rylance. He is bar none the most incredible actor I've ever seen take the stage. I also love musicals, especially Rent which I saw an embarrassing amount of times.
TV show - I love creative tv shows like Project Runway and Fabulous Cakes -- and I pretend after I watch them that I know how to do what they do, which usually ends with me covered in a mess of fabric or icing. I'm also obsessed with David Tutera's My Fair Wedding. His weddings are works of art. It's an event planner's dream! And I love Scandal, Newsroom, Modern Family, Friends, Will and Grace -- the list goes on and on. I love tv. 
If you could go anywhere for vacation/holiday, where would you go?
Disney World, my happy place. I'd also love to explore South Africa one day. 
Which would you pick:
Ocean/beach or pool: POOL, I don't like mysterious creatures under my feet, though I definitely love the seaside! 
Coffee or tea: COFFEE (though some would call what I drink milk and sugar with a touch of coffee) 
Fruit or candy: CANDY, this one was easy. The more sugar, the better. 
A book or e-book: BOOK 
Computer or tablet/smart phone: BLACKBERRY 
Camping or Hoteling: HOTELING 
Driving or Flying: DRIVING 
Connect:  You can connect with Bridget online at her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterst and GoodReads

Purchase:  You can purchase Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel online from Amazon for $15.99.


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