Thanks so much Carol for joining me today with this interview about Love's Reflection and being a part of this blog tour. I'll have my interview of Love's Reflection up later today. And don't forget about the great tote bag giveaway we are hosting on Martha's blog (and comments on this interview get you extra entries). Part 1 of the interview is up here.Crystal: Can you summarize Love’s Reflection in one sentence?
Carol: Hunky scientist creates a robot in the exact image of the woman who rejected him, a film superstar; then the fun begins.
Crystal: The fun definitely does begin there. It's an intriguing concept that plays out really well in the book.
Do you have a favorite scene in the book?
Carol: One of my favorites is when Zoe Parker, film superstar, invites Alpha, the robot, to do "girl stuff." While Zoe teaches makeup application, she wises up Alpha about the woman's role in society. So the robot tells Cort to make his own lunch and informs him she expects to be paid for the work she does in his laboratory.
That scene is in Alpha's point of view so the reader sees the "thought" processes of the robot and how she comes to logical conclusions about emotional issues. Wish I had known how to do that when I was married. My ex wouldn't have won a single argument.
Crystal: I think this scene is really empowering for women and amusing to watch.
Your story involves a humanoid type robot – did you do any special research for that?
Carol: Love's Reflection came out of a course I wrote for Motorola, "Introduction to Programming Robots." While researching the training project, I realized how close we are to creating a humanoid robot. The book was conceived when I worried about the "feelings" of the robot, and then saw the humor in a chauvinistic scientist creating a super-woman smarter and stronger than he. I did additional research while writing the book, and designed a viable outline for creating a humanoid. (That's from the geeky, tech writer part of me.)
Recently, a noted scientist wrote Love and Sex With Robots. He predicts that before 2050 humanoid robots like Alpha will be a reality.
Crystal: Wow - I didn't know we were that close - I mean I grew up thinking we would have robots by the time I was grown, and now I've been grown for awhile. And how cool that you designed an outline for creating a humanoid - you have a cool geeky, tech writer part of you!
What do you think readers will like best about Love’s Reflection?
Carol: The humor in watching Alpha's birth and how her personality develops. She becomes all that is good about being female. On her road to passing for human, she helps the repressed, chauvinistic scientist find his humanity and get in touch with his "feminine side."
Crystal: This is a release of LR with a new publisher. Did you have some special publishing difficulties regarding this book?
Carol: There are a few situations where I could recommend requesting return of rights, including when edits are ruining the book, when the publisher is proven to be understating royalties, when the publishing company is going under, or when the publisher is in breech of contract. Even under any of these circumstances, I believe the author and the publisher should try to negotiate a resolution. I requested return of rights for two books, when a particular situation could not be resolved.
I do not believe an author should frivolously request return of rights if the publisher is fulfilling the terms of the contract. It's up to the author to research publishers and contract terms before submittal.
Crystal: Wow - the things you learn about the publishing world when you interview authors. I had no idea that things like this went on. I agree that an author should be able to request a return of rights when there are problems. I'm sorry you went through all of this.
Thank you again for joining up today Carol!
MySpace Link:
Trailer on Carol's website:
Please join us 11/5 at I read . . . for Part Three – Questions about the Book: Miss Bisque and the Colonel!
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9 comments:
Hi Crystal and Carol! Good interview! That is interesting how Carol developed the idea for Alpha from a tech course!
Crystal, Nice interview. And Carol awesome answers as always.
Hi Crystal:
Thanks for the great interview questions and for giving my book coverage on your blog.
Thanks to Martha and Sumanam for being a part of the blog tour.
she helps the scientist get in touch with his feminine side - oh this has got to have some humor in this book. Am I right? I'd love to read it.
Hi Robynl:
Yes, it's a romantic comedy with Alpha convincing Cort to buy her expensive perfumes and clothes. The poor guy knows he's being had and keeps blaming himself for uploading all that "feminine literature" to her database, like Vogue and Heloise. Alpha runs cort around in circles. Love's Reflection is like a training course for females having to deal with men and how to make men like it.
Hey Crystal! Good review! It doesn't have a comment box though?
Great review! I love the title of this book! I am going to have to keep my eyes out for this, it sounds really good!
Sorry about the no commment box on the review - it's fixed now. I must have hit something by mistake. Oh the fun of having a blog! Thanks everyone for the comments.
Great review.
Interesting to find out how Carol came about creating Alpha. Interesting indeed but a bit creepy. Hmmm...I am though wondering what Alpha's personality is like and how she adapts because it seem that she has some adapting ability, yes?
Thanks for the further insight.
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