Friday Evening, Eight O'Clock by Nino Gugunishvili (VNBtM, guest post, excerpt and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

I have the pleasure of a guest post by author Nino Gugunishvili (and offer my thanks for the birthday wishes and congratulations on her debut novel!)


ELF: What do you think is the strongest attraction about the genre(s) you like to write in?


NG: Before talking about the blog topic, I would like to thank you for inviting me over! This is even more special because today is ELF's birthday! So, a I wish you a very happy birthday, filled with lots of fun, love and thrilling experiences!!!

When I started writing my debut novel Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock from the very beginning, honestly, I didn’t know exactly what genre it would be. However, as the story developed and formed and as more and more characters were born I understood that this would be a contemporary women’s fiction, or a chick - lit as it’s often called and I personally don’t have anything against that definition. The more so, I think many of the elements that identify this sub-genre, primarily with female protagonists trying to find their voice and place, competing for love or overcoming their little and big everyday struggles is there in this book.

Why are we so attracted to the stories where predominantly women tell us about their own lives? I think this happens because as we follow and observe characters through different situations we easily recognize ourselves. We identify our own personalities, our paths, our wishes, fears and insecurities. We feel empathy towards those women who may have the same problems with their partners or husbands, or children and friends and colleagues, as we all do. They may be far from being ideal, and their mistakes are similar to ours, they are just like us and that’s why we so desperately want them to succeed and see how their dreams come true.

Women’s fiction gives enormous spectrum of psychological, cultural and social issues to explore. While it portrays our reality and brings up eternal, universal questions on human relationships such as love, friendship, family, at the same time it gives a possibility to maneuver within the chosen genre, set a tone, often humorous, sarcastic and witty. Whether we stack our beach bags with those books or curl on the sofa on a winter Friday evening, I think it’s a read that we’ll always look forward to find, not only to entertain ourselves, but to think, analyze and maybe, someday write a book of our own.


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Friday Evening, Eight O'Clock

by Nino Gugunishvili

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GENRE: Women's Fiction, contemporary, romance

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BLURB:

Tasha is a dreamer in search of a new dream.

She's bored with Pilates. She's never tried yoga. She doesn't even have a driver's license. She lives a pretty ordinary life as a freelance writer who battles the occasional flow of melancholy with the regular flow of martinis. Nestled into her couch, her television remote in one hand and a cold adult beverage in the other, she's found a favorite way to pass the hours on a Friday evening. It's comfortable and familiar, but it's not exactly an exciting way to live. With two of her closest friends, a bossy mother, an eighty-two year old grandmother, and Griffin, her fat yellow Labrador at her side, she knows that there has to be something better out there.

But where?

When she gets an unexpected offer to relocate to France to write a magazine column, she thinks her circumstances are improving. But life in a new country isn't all pêches et la crème. Now far away from her comfort zone, Tasha must find the inner strength to start a new career and navigate the bizarre and unknown world of professional jealousy, intrigue, and conflicting personalities in a very foreign land.

It's enough to make a girl yearn for those quiet nights on the couch.

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EXCERPT

“Hey Liz, it’s me, what’s up?” Balthazar finally got through to her. “Listen, where did you get it?”

“Get what?”

“That unromantic goddess piece. Very nicely done, Liz. Find the author as soon as possible, please. I need her here. You can do it, right?”

“Sure I can, Balthazar. The only thing is, she lives in another country. It will probably take time.”

“Hope you can arrange everything, her work permit, visa, and all. I need her as a columnist. I’m thinking of starting a new column right away. Well, that’s all I wanted to say. See you later, Liz.” What an asshole! thought Liz, with her lips pressed to her old cell phone. She didn’t have time to buy a new one. She barely had time for anything more than her job lately. She was becoming a workaholic and hated herself for that discovery. Okay, fine! I will try to reach the unromantic goddess by phone and send her an email. That’s it. Come on, Balthazar, the new issue is just a week away, and I don’t think it’s perfect timing for a newcomer to come in. I’m not your secretary, after all!

Liz took a last sip of coffee and suddenly brightened. A good cup of coffee always changed her mood.

She opened her laptop and easily found what she was looking for in her database of new authors. There she was. Her name was Tasha. She looked young and wore big glasses. Her haircut was simply awful. That’s fine. Her haircut can be changed, Liz thought as she started typing an email.

Links to the book:

Amazon

Archway publishing
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Google+

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Nino Gugunishvili holds an MA in arts and has worked in film and television industries. Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock is her first published work of fiction. She lives in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Book Page on Facebook

Nino’s twitter account

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here