Today I have Rosie Wilby stopping by the blog for a wee interview. Rosie has kindly given me two tickets to her comedy show to give away. So grab a cuppa and get comfy. Enjoy, Kelly xoxo
Book Jacket
Bittersweet, original, honest and so funny. Rosie Wilby nails the challenges of intimacy and romance in this depressing age of Tinder. Would it be wrong to end a life of monogamy and leave my husband for her? Viv Groskop “My favourite way to learn is when a funny, clever, honest person is teaching me- that’s why I love Rosie Wilby!” Sara Pascoe
In early 2013, comedian Rosie Wilby found herself at a crossroads with everything she’d ever believed about romantic relationships. When people asked, ‘who’s the love of your life?’ there was no simple answer. Did they mean her former flatmate who she’d experienced the most ecstatic, heady, yet ultimately doomed, fling with? Or did they mean the deep, lasting companionate partnerships that gave her a sense of belonging and family? Surely, most human beings need both.
Mixing humour, heartache and science, Is Monogamy Dead? details Rosie’s very personal quest to find out why Western society is clinging to a concept that doesn’t work that well for some of us and is laden with ambiguous assumptions.
‘Real You’ Interview with Rosie Wilby
- Welcome Rosie, please can you tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your publishing journey.
I’m an award-winning comedian and have been touring solo shows internationally for a decade. Before turning to comedy, I’d been a musician and a music journalist (for Time Out and various North London papers). So the idea of writing had always been there.
In 2009, I embarked on a trilogy of shows investigating love and relationships. In 2013, the middle part of that trilogy was Is Monogamy Dead? It spun off into a TEDx talk, a Radio 4 piece and lots of articles. There just was too much to say to get into a comedy show.
So I started writing a book proposal. I had also been writing a memoir about my music career and entered that in a Mslexia competition. It got shortlisted. Around the same time, I managed to get a literary agent, Laura. Then we pitched the proposal around (after many rewrites), had some meetings and found a publisher.
It was a pretty long process.
- Describe yourself using three words?
Ambitious, resilient, loving
- What inspired you to write your first novel?
As above, it came from my comedy shows. It’s non-fiction though written v much in a fiction format with a narrative arc/drive. That’s how I like to structure my comedy shows.
- What time of day do you like to write?
It really varies depending on if I’ve had lots of late evening gigs. Though late afternoon / 4 pm often seems a good, sudden burst of motivation to get something done before the end of the day.
- What is your favourite book and why?
I laughed out loud at Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman and found it so relatable. I also recently loved Juliet Jacques’ memoir Trans. I loved the sense of personal journey interspersed with some factual information. Given my music past, I love music memoirs – Viv Albertine and Carrie Brownstein were two amazing ones.
- How did you pick the title of your book?
It was the title of my comedy show.
- Are the characters in your book based on real people?
It’s non-fiction so yes! Though names have been changed.
- Do you plan your story beforehand or go with the flow?
I did have lots of story arcs mapped out for the four sections.
- Who is your favourite Author?
Sarah Waters and Stella Duffy are two favourites.
- Where in the world is your happy place?
The walled garden in Brockwell Park, Brixton close to where I live. It’s a haven of peace and calm. A team of volunteers keep it really beautiful.
- If you had one superpower what would it be?
Flying. When I was little, I asked my parents when my wings would grow. I was so disappointed to find out that they wouldn’t! I just thought grown ups kept them folded away.
- Are you working on a new project?
I’ve just received Arts Council England funding for a new project called The Breakup Monologues. I’ll be hosting several events where my fellow comedians tell me their breakup stories. We will be recording for a podcast and the eventual plan is for an anthology.
- Do you have any upcoming events our members can attend?
I will have several book launch events including one on publication day itself, August 3, at Lighthouse Books in Edinburgh at 1pm. That same day, I open my Edinburgh Fringe show at 6.30pm at The Counting House. It runs daily throughout August.
Order your copy here and have a sneak peek ~
Giveaway ~ Tickets to a Rosie Wilby’s Comedy Show Near YOU*
Check out the Rosie Wilby website for more information on the solo shows.
http://www.rosiewilby.com/soloshows
To enter comment below on the blog telling Rosie why you would love to attend one of Rosie’s shows and I will get Rosie to pick a winner on the 10th Of Aug 2017.
Terms & Conditions
- UK Only
- Over 18’s
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Kelly Lacey & Love Books Tours 
Nice
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Really interesting premise, looks like a great read.
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