Skip to main content

Blog Tour Stop "The Cows" including - Q & A with Dawn O'Porter

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for The Cows by Dawn O'Porter!

 

Q&A With Dawn O'Porter


The Cows is written from the point of view of three very different women - Tara, Stella and Cam. Which of the three girls do you think is most like you? Or at least that you relate to the most?

Really, it’s a mix of all three. They all carry an element of who I am. I feel like I relate to them all. I really didn’t put as much of myself into this book as I have before, but I would be lying if I said they didn’t all represent different elements of who I am.
 
Do you think if you knew them in real life you would be friends with Cam, Stella and Tara?
 
Yes for sure. Tara and Cam anyway, they are my kinds of women. Stella would be spikey, she’d probably hate me. But she has a softer side in there, something I’d like to think I could tap away at. I like how ‘un-fluffy’ she is. That appeals to me more than girly types, so I think if we were stuck in a lift together we’d eventually get on. Online shaming is also an important part of the book.
 
Has writing it changed your own attitude/behaviour on social media?
 
Nope. My persona on social media is very much who I am. I refuse to edit myself for fear of being disliked or objected to. I am, however, careful not to insult people who don’t deserve to be insulted. It would be so awful to make a bad joke, or try to make a good point badly and be accused of being discriminative. So if I am posting about a touchy area of society, I think before I tweet. But that’s just the decent thing to do, I think.
 
 
What advice would you give to young women today?
 
Take control of your own life. Don’t allow people to steer you in a direction you know isn’t right. In any part of your life. Keep your eye on your goal and get there your own way.
 
What does your writing day look like?
 
Up between 6/7 with my little boy. Two hours of play/breakfast/getting dressed with me subtly answering a few emails from the UK as there is an 8 hour time difference. I drop him at nursery at about 9 and walk the dog, then write from 10 – 4. At 4 I cook him dinner, walk the dog, pick him up and that is it. I have less hours than ever to get things done but I refuse to sit at my computer when I’m with my kid. Sometimes I write at night if I have a deadline. When Chris isn’t filming he takes over with Art, and I will work more of a 12 to 8pm kinda day. My best hours are 3pm onwards, but it’s hard for me to get that time these days. But the usual is 10-4 and at home.
 
Best piece of advice you've ever been given as an author?
 
Sit down and write. It’s that simple. So many people tell me they want to write, all I say is…well go on then! As soon as you start getting your ideas on paper you are a writer.

What do you enjoy most and least about being an author?
 
Most is the moment people take time out of their life to read your story and it sparks some kind of emotion in them. Weirdly, even if they didn’t like it, but they still read it and didn’t stop, it still counts. But when people come up to me, or write to me, and say that my book touched them in some way, nothing beats that moment.
 
The worst is that I have to write 70k plus words to get to that point. It’s perpetual homework, when you write you are never not working. I have constant fear that what I am doing is pointless and rubbish, the self-doubt in a job like this is really intense. I worry about my work being shit all the time.
 
Did any other books inspire you to write this one? If so, which one?
 
No, happy to say I’ve never read anything like The Cows. I’m quite proud of that.

 HarperFiction | 6th April 2017 | Hardback | £14.99 

The new hilarious, poignant, and refreshingly candid novel from Dawn O’Porter.

Praise For The Cows:

‘The Cows looks at motherhood and female friendship through a frank and funny prism that reminds me of the TV show Catastrophe. Smart, fresh and really readable - I loved it.’ Tasmina Perry

‘A funny, smart, kind, incredibly truthful book about women . . . all the shame, judgement, envy and love that being alive and female entails’ Polly Vernon

Fearlessly frank and funny, THE COWS is a powerful novel about three modern women who are dealing with shame and judgement – judging each other, but also judging themselves.

It’s bold and brilliant.
It’s about friendship and being female.
It’s a searingly perceptive novel about modern life.
It's about never following the herd.
And everyone is going to be talking about it.
 
 
About The Author:

Dawn O'Porter is a novelist, columnist, broadcaster and designer who lives in Los
Angeles with her husband Chris, son Art, cat Lilu and dog Potato. She has made numerous documentaries about all sorts of things: polygamy, childbirth, Geisha, body image, breast cancer and even the movie DIRTY DANCING. Dawn is the critically acclaimed author of Paper Aeroplanes and Goose.

Dawn founded 'Help Refugees' in 2015. A charity that sends urgent care to refugees across Europe.  

Dawn is also the founder of 'BOB by Dawn O'Porter' an online vintage fashion boutique, and host of 'Get It On' a weekly podcast where she interviews interesting people about why they wear what they wear. 

 
 Photo Credit David Loftus


What I Say:

Honestly, I'm not sure how to review this book. I think I need to keep it simple.
 
 
So, quite simply, read this book. It portrays female relationships perfectly, no-holds barred. We can be nasty, bitchy and two-faced. We can also be supportive, sympathetic and loyal. The Cows takes a look at all of these elements in a funny, frank and honest way. The 3 main characters each bring something unique to the story and each has something very likeable about them.

 
The Cows is quite easily one of the best novels about female friendships I have read in a long time and its' one I will highly recommend. 9/10
 

Thanks, Dawn! I've really enjoyed  having you visit. This book is going to be big! It's fantastic!
 
Thank you to Emilie Chambeyron at Harper Fiction for sending me a copy for review and for allowing me to participate in this tour.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Tour Stop with Extract and Review - What Happens in France by Carol Wyer

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for What Happens in France by Carol Wyer! What They Say: She stood and took her place in front of the camera... It was now or never” Bryony Masters has been looking for her long-lost sister, Hannah, for years, but when their father has a stroke her search takes on new urgency. So when primetime game show, What Happens in France, puts a call-out for new contestants, Bryony spots the ultimate public platform to find her reality TV-obsessed sister, and finally reunite their family. With the help of handsome teammate Lewis, it’s not long before she’s on a private jet heading for the stunning beauty of rural France. With a social media star dog, a high maintenance quiz host and a cast of truly unique characters, Bryony and Lewis have their work cut out for them to stay on the show and in the public eye. Yet as the audience grows and the grand prize beckons they find that the search that brought them together may just fulfil more tha

Blog Tour Stop with Review - The Book-Lover's Retreat by Heidi Swain

Welcome to my blog tour stop and review of The Book-Lover's Retreat by Heidi Swain! What They Say:  One long summer. One perfect setting. Can fiction inspire real life…?   Sometimes a book grabs you by the heart and grows to mean everything to you. That’s what  Hope Falls  is to friends Emily, Rachel and Tori. So, when they get the chance to spend a whole summer at the cottage in Lakeside where the film adaptation was located, they know it is going to be the holiday of a lifetime. Spending six weeks away will give them a chance to re-evaluate their life choices. For Emily to decide which way her career will go – the safe route, or the more risky creative option? And for Rachel to decide whether to move in with her partner Jeremy. Then Tori has to drop out at the last moment, and her space is offered to another  Hope Falls  afficionado, Alex.  But when Alex turns out not to be who they expected, the holiday takes an unforeseen turn. And as the summer develops, so does their friendsh

Blog Tour Stop with Review of A Truth For A Truth by Carol Wyer

  First off, I must apologise to Zoe and Carol. My blog tour stop was yesterday, and somehow my post got lost in the ether. I didn't notice until today, as thr hubby hasn't been well, and my time has been taken up with my dogs and caring for hubs. So, a day late and pared down from my original post due to lack of time, here is my review of A.Truth For A Truth by the wonderful Carol Wyer. Review: What can I say?? Any book by Carol Wyer is going to be a hit in my opinion, and this is no exception. DI Kate Young is a flawed character who is full of heart and humility. I think she's been dealt a shit hand in life, and struggles to figure out her path. Traumas and dramas, untrustworthy men, and unstable mental health make her slightly difficult to bond with sometimes. But still, I care a lot about her wellbeing. This installment of her series is really compelling, and an interesting take on a "who dunnit". More of a "who will they THINK dunnit"! I loved that!