Have you ever wanted to ask your favorite authors 20 questions to get to know them better? We came up with a fun way to do just that!
Today, author Cavanaugh Lee joins us to kick off our newest feature, 20 Questions. We couldn't be more excited! Thanks, Cavanaugh!
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Kindle or Nook? Can you believe that I have neither? I wrote my first novel, SAVE AS DRAFT, entirely in emails, texts, tweets, Facebook status updates, and on-line dating profiles, and I don’t have a Kindle or a Nook which is arguably the best literary venue to read SAD. It’s almost sacrilege. I just love the hard cover format that I’m not ready to venture into the electronic one… yet…
iPhone or BlackBerry? Blackberry, but the moment I have enough money saved I am SO buying an iPhone because I think it’s the coolest thing since… sparkly lip gloss and such things.
Coke or Pepsi? Can I pick 7-Up? I’m a fan of fizzy see-through drinks.
Coffee or tea? I gave up coffee after vacationing in China this past December. Everyone there drinks hot tea. Now I’m a 95% tea consumer (and 5% coffee drinker).
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? One of my best assets is that I don’t have a sweet tooth. I do, however, love salt which cancels out my lack of a sweet tooth.
Flats or heels? Heels. Stiletto, if possible. I’m 5’4” and strive to be 5’7” so heels makes that possible (flats do not).
Facebook or Twitter? BOTH, of course! You can find me on Facebook under “Save as Draft” and on Twitter under “cavanaughlee”!
Call or text message? Duh, haven’t you heard of SAVE AS DRAFT? Obvi text message, however the whole theme of my novel is that we should text less and call (or meet in person) more often so… I’m trying to pick up the phone to connect a little more these days!
Favorite song right now? “Forget You” by Cee-Lo
Celebrity crush? Kiefer Sutherland (well actually Jack Bauer who is played by Kiefer Sutherland)
Last movie you saw? “The Adjustment Bureau.” I’m a sucker for a good romance that revolves around fate.
Favorite television show right now? I don’t watch TV shows, because that’s my writing time.
Favorite snack food? Cheese.
Your most overused word or phrase? “Done and done.”
Your hidden talent? Massively failing in the romance department. Oh wait, that’s not actually a hidden talent anymore since I wrote a book about it!
Your biggest pet peeve? Flakiness.
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? If I’m not working my day job as a federal prosecutor, then I’m writing. If I’m not writing, then I’m working my day job. I’m thinking of taking a cooking class though… and I do love to enjoy a couple glasses of red wine with my girlfriends on a Friday or Saturday night.
Favorite authors? Harper Lee and William Shakespeare
Favorite books? Hands-down, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Comment heard most often from your readers? “That is the most awesome cover ever!” and “What an ending! Not what I was expecting!”
After graduating top of her high school class in San Francisco, Cavanaugh Lee decided to “go for it” and moved to Los Angeles to become an actress. After graduating from UCLA School of Theatre, she worked steadily as a “wactress” (waitress/actress) for four years, writing and producing an autobiographical play called ROCKSTARNERD and authoring a screenplay. True love (or so she thought) then led her to the deep south of Mississippi, but when that relationship crashed and burned, she changed course and soon found herself graduating from UNC Law School. Now, by day, she works as a federal prosecutor where she puts the bad guys behind bars. She writes, of course, by night. After recently toying in the world of cyber-dating, finding true love, becoming engaged, and then becoming unengaged (yes, he’s got the ring, she’s got the dress), she decided to parlay her modern romance experiences into a hilarious, heart wrenching novel that all young women will relate to and enjoy. Oh, and by the way, this girl’s still very single, so count on a sequel!
About Save As Draft
Lee, a federal prosecutor by day, makes a foray into chick lit with this autobiographical novel told entirely through e-mail, text, and Web exchanges. Early chapters, during which bubbly protagonist Izabell "Izzy" Chin connects with an eHarmony hopeful named Martin, give way to a winning mix of humor and pathos. After a successful first date, Izzy dumps Martin for her best friend Peter; the two fall hard and get engaged, but the whirlwind coincides with Peter getting a demanding new job. E-mail, Facebook, or text missives show the spark fading as Peter gives in to his workaholic boss's demands and Izzy drifts back to Martin. Lee's inherently intimate format succeeds most when a character's thoughts are revealed in unsent e-mails ("save as draft"), revealing the outcomes that could have been had more fearless actions been taken and how matters are misinterpreted and misunderstood. Lee further complicates things with comic exchanges between friends addressing online dating and the true nature of marriage with decidedly mixed results.
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Can you relate to Cavanaugh's answers? Have you read Save As Draft? If not, do you want to? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! And stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!