Today I have author Katherine Chloe Cahoon joining us at My Reading Room, she is the author of The Single Girl's Guide to Meeting European Men which comes out October 1. I have the book in my hands and I'm anxious to read it, so my review will be coming in the next week or so. Until then please enjoy this interview. More information about the book follows the interview.
How did you celebrate when you found out The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men to would be published?
I vividly remember the day I received my book deal. I was in LA juggling what seemed like a kazillion meetings…some were at studios and some at production companies. Because my meetings were back-to-back and I had to dress more formally at certain places, I was literally changing en route. It was crazy! When I got the news, I absolutely wanted to celebrate, so I went to Crumbs Cupcakes. If you have never been there, it’s a must-go! This is cupcake heaven. Seriously, I can’t think of what better celebration a girl could have…well maybe she could add an appealing man to share her cupcake.
How would you describe The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men to others?
My book is a hybrid of dating/relationship and travel with a chick lit feel. The latter comes from all of the true man-meeting stories it features about my girlfriends and me. I tell what worked, what didn’t, and why. These stories can be read just for fun, or to obtain practical advice. My book is a useful travel guide in the sense that I tell where different types of girls can go in 20 different European countries to find intriguing European men. The spectrum ranges from top places for ladies interested in outdoor sports to ones for those who want to hit the clubs. Every hot spot in my guide is tried and true…meaning that my friends and I had très excellent experiences at them!
Where did the idea for The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men come from?
Every time I returned to Vanderbilt after a summer in Europe, my girlfriends asked me an avalanche questions about the guys I met and my flirting tips. They urged me to write a book to help with their vacays abroad, so I did. I wanted them to have fabulous times too!
You spent summers in Europe during college, what is one of your most memorable moment when meeting a European man?
There are so many memorable moments! One of my favorites is when I first dared to venture out in Europe on my own. In my book, I advise women to not be afraid to go places by themselves—that is, during the day when it is safe. The first time I got the courage to go solo was when I was in London. There was this restaurant in the performing district that was shaped like a theater. Noteworthy opera singers showcased their work and guests dined at tables in the balcony, boxes, and orchestra pit. I really wanted to go, but for some strange reason, none of my friends were interested. I went alone and had the best time. The host seated me at the only table onstage. It was next to the pianist. The lead singer dedicated a song to me, and some appealing guys invited me to join them for tea. Then they invited me out for the evening.
What is one tip you would share from your experiences?
Don’t worry about being so-called “perfect” looking. What is that anyway? I feel like today when plastic surgery is so prevalent, girls think they are supposed to look a certain way. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against letting a girl look her best, and I’m not against plastic surgery if that is what she truly wants. I have just noticed that many females don’t feel good about themselves if they don’t fall into the “perfect” cookie cutter image. Let’s face it, no one does.
From spending so much time in Europe, I have noticed that many men there are much more concerned about a girl’s personality than her physical features… So a woman should play up the great assets that she does have and go out with confidence. I have a friend who is in Scotland right now. She emailed me recounting a story of when she arrived. Having traveled for hours, she entered a pub in sweats. All of the other girls were dressed to the nines in mini-skirts, but this didn’t seem to matter. My friend had a charming personality that drew the men in. She was swarmed by suave Scots.
Did you plan this book out or do you just write and see where it took you?
I honestly jumped in, started writing, and saw where the ideas took me. As I stated before, I originally wrote The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men as a little tip book for girlfriends. Then during a meeting for one of my screenplays, a producer asked if I had ever written a book. He had been affiliated with the movie He’s Just Not That Into You and was interested in book/movie adaptations. I told him about my little tip book. He loved the idea, gave me guidance, and encouraged me to turn it into a real book.
Do you get time to read? What are your favorite types of books to read?
I try to find time to read. Honestly, I love a variety of books from The Catcher in the Rye which mostly appeals to my guy friends, to very girl-centric classics like Gone with the Wind.
What is your favorite room in your house?
I know it sounds bad, but I would have to say the kitchen. I LOVE to eat!!
What is your favorite spot to read in?
A bubble bath. I pick out a Lush bubble bar fragrance depending on the feel of the book. For example, if I’m reading a romance novel, I go for something like their French Kiss bar which is made with lavender and is soothing. If I’m reading a book filled with history that calls for deep thinking, I choose something like their Phoenix bar which has rejuvenating ingredients to turn on the brain.
What is your favorite snack food?
My favorite healthy snack food is fruit…I especially like straight pineapple blended into a smoothie. I first had it in Hawaii and drank the blend directly from the pineapple. My favorite unhealthy snack food is Ben & Jerry’s ice cream all the way!
What is your favorite season?
I really love fall with the turning leaves. When I was little, my grandpa and I would rake the leaves up after they fell and make Halloween decorations out of them, so fall brings good memories. He has passed away, but every time I see the leaves, I feel like he is near.
Since fall is such a favorite of mine, it is especially nice to have my first book come out during that season.
Do you have a schedule for writing each day or do you just do it when you can?
I write almost everyday, but not at set times. My writing schedule really depends on when my meetings are held. I have quite a few of them between my book and my screenplays. Sometimes I get my best ideas when I am doing other things, like going to a party, taking a dance class, or getting ready for bed. I often keep a little notebook handy where I can jot down thoughts.
Where do you do the majority of your writing?
I travel between Seattle, my hometown, and LA, where I take screenwriting meetings. Because of this, I write in a variety of places from in my office to on airplanes, and at the beach. When a fast-approaching deadline was bearing down on me, I even took my netbook to the salon and typed away while getting my hair cut. My stylist joked that her salon could double as an office!
Did you find writing The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men to be difficult or did the book just take off with no problems?
I especially enjoyed the creative stages of my book. The ideas flowed easily. The hardest part of writing my book was the editing stage. I’m dyslexic, so I often mangle letters within words and words within sentences without knowing it. For example, I’ll write that a girl sits on a “coach” instead of a “couch.” Not exactly the meaning I intended! I really have to eagle eye all of my work before submitting it.
Any book signings/conferences/public/blog appearances in the near future?
I’m doing a philanthropy U-Tour (University Tour). At these book signing events, I will donate all my proceeds to a sorority’s favorite philanthropy. I’m very excited to be able to do what I love and at the same time support worthy causes. At one of the schools, a student was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer, so we are planning a special event to help her. The students are coming up with such creative ideas for these occasions. One is even setting up a European male runway show. It will be a lot of fun!
I have other book signing events and a radio tour. I keep an updated list of the events that are set in stone on my website: www.MeetingEuropeanMen.com
Do you have a new book in the works?
I actually wrote a children’s book a long time ago. It is a story about one of my childhood fantasies written in the form of a poem. I used it as inspiration for a secret garden in my backyard. When I was 16, The Northwest Flower and Garden Show gave me the Golden Scoop Award for it. I was their youngest winner ever. Here is the link to The Seattle Times article about my garden based on my poem: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2003/0511/plant.html
Last summer, some little girls wanted to come to my garden for a tea party. Their grandma had asked me for a copy of my children’s book and read it to them. They were so adorable! They had the story memorized and reenacted everything in my garden. Maybe when my life settles down, I will submit my children’s book to publishers. Think about going from The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men to a children’s book…quite the crazy leap!
Anything else you would like to say?
There are some man-meeting events and tips in The Single Girl’s Guide to Meeting European Men that I thought would be best understood if girls could see them in addition to reading about them. Because of this, I created short video-blogs to accompany my book. They are on my website, www.MeetingEuropeanMen.com, under “Video Archives.”
An example of an event-based v-blog is, “Oktoberfest…a Manfest for Single Girls!” In it, I show pictures of the festivities with commentary and reenactments to help girls get a feel for the event and how best to meet the guys.
A tip-based video is “Be a Beach Beauty…On a Ben & Jerry’s Diet,” In it, I show different bathing suits that are flattering for different girls’ body types. The idea for this v-blog came about after my appealing girlfriend was so self-conscious about her body that she wouldn’t take the cover-up off her bathing suit at a European beach. Sadly, she stayed on her towel and didn’t meet the Euro men. Some friends and I took her shopping to find a bathing suit that she felt good in. I created this video because I don’t want any girls feeling bad about their bodies the way she did. They can be having so much fun instead.
I will be posting more videos in the future.
Thanks so much for agreeing to do an interview with me. It was my pleasure!
The Single Girl's Guide to Meeting European Men by Katherine Chloe Cahoon
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Release Date: October 1, 2010
Paperback, 272 pages
About the Book:
A one-of-a-kind book packed with road-tested tips on finding love or lust abroad, and everything in between.
Forty flirty tips, plus a hookup guide broken down by country: This unique book first gives single girls forty proven tips for meeting and interacting with European men, and then takes them through the hottest man-meeting spots in Europe country by country--including phone numbers, addresses, and websites.
Designed for any type of woman to catch any type of European man: Whether scouting around for a spontaneous European fling or prowling for Mr. Love-of-Her-Life, single girls of all kinds can benefit from Cahoon's tips, which take into account the various approaches, boundaries, and goals that women have while dating in Europe. Her advice ranges from the traits of men from different countries, to how to stay safe while meeting them, and how to deal with beaus back home who may complicate an amorous European getaway.
Written with its target audience in mind: With sexy and often hilarious real-life stories from each country, and told in a frank, trendy voice, The Single Girl's Guide will appeal to women ages 18 to 35 who are Europe-bound and looking for a new man-filled adventure. Single girls have found that Cahoon's flirting tips are so successful they work on men at home too.
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