Laura Heffernan spoke to Renée about her debut novel, America’s Next Reality Star. Laura’s avid television habit paid off when writing this series, and she also admits to loving goat’s cheese, travel, board games, and the Oxford comma. Laura is a fellow member of the 17Scribes, a group of authors whose debut novels come out in 2017.

Your new book, America’s Next Reality Star, is out now. What was the inspiration for the story?
A few years ago, my best friend appeared on a reality show. Her experiences got me thinking about what’s real versus what’s shown on the air, and what type of reality show it would be fun to participate in. The book took off from there.

Who is your perfect hero? And why?
Wesley from The Princess Bride is my perfect hero. Hot, witty, able to handle himself in a fight, and extremely loyal. And then there’s the accent…

Which author would you most like to meet?
I think it’s a tie. I’d love to meet J.K. Rowling, because she’s just so amazing in so many ways. But Sophie Kinsella has been one of my favorite authors since I was in college, and it would be wonderful to sit and talk to her about the genre and how it’s changed.

What is your favourite love story of all time, either book or movie?
The Princess Bride. (Shocking, after my perfect hero answer, I know.) I’ve loved that movie since I was a little kid, and nothing over the years has come close to replacing it in my heart. Although I’m also a big fan of When Harry Met Sally.

If you had a pet, which book character would you name it after and why?
When I was in college, my roommate and I got a cat we named Glorificus, after the Buffy character, because she was beautiful and a total bioytch. But whenever one of my characters has a pet, it’s named after someone in Harry Potter. So far, I’ve given characters cats named Hermione and Hagrid in different manuscripts.

About: America’s Next Reality Star

SEEKING THE SMART ONE

Twenty-four-year-old Jen Reid had her life in good shape: an okay job, a tiny-cute Seattle apartment, and a great boyfriend almost ready to get serious. In a flash, it all came apart. Single, unemployed, and holding an eviction notice, who has time to remember trying out for a reality show? Then the call comes, and Jen sees her chance to start over—by spending her summer on national TV.

Luckily The Fishbowl is all about puzzles and games, the kind of thing Jen would love even if she wasn’t desperate. The cast checks all the boxes: cheerful, quirky Birdie speaks in hashtags; vicious Ariana knows just how to pout for the cameras; and corn-fed “J-dawg” plays the cartoon villain of the house. Then there’s Justin, the green-eyed law student who always seems a breath away from kissing her. Is their attraction real, or a trick to get him closer to the $250,000 grand prize? Romance or showmance, suddenly Jen has a lot more to lose than a summer . . .

Follow Laura Heffernan on Twitter @LH_Writes and on her website.

Order AMERICA’S NEXT REALITY STAR today!

Amazon USA: America’s Next Reality Star
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iBooks
Google Play