Hello Readers! Check out the interview that I conducted with Lisa Barham, author of The Fashion-Forward Adventures of Imogene as she tells us about her latest book, what's next for Imogene, and fashion! Thank you for the great interview, Lisa! (:
Bookworm: Why did you want to write A Girl Like Moi?
Lisa: The initial spark of my idea was humor. In my neck of the woods, it's not uncommon to see preteen/teen girls walking around with $2,000 Chanel bags. Girls today are faced with so much temptation, and are so plugged in and are such voracious consumers of everything from designer clothing to computers, communication, travel, electronics, music, and entertainment. All this while straddling two worlds: the world of high school and childhood, and that of the grown up workaday world yet to come, and the struggle for how to keep true to one's self amid all the pressure and noise out there. Mix into that a yearning for fame, stardom, notoriety, or whatever you want to call it. To me, that was all such a good backdrop for conflict and storytelling. It was so easy for me to see characters dropped into that crazy life.
Bookworm: How many books are you planning to write in the series?
Lisa: So far, there are three. The third book in the series, Accidentally Fabulous, is due out next month (August 26).
Bookworm: What's next for Imogene?
Lisa: She and Evie are going to be stirring up plenty of trouble in Accidentally Fabulous at L.A. fashion week.
Bookworm: What was your favorite book to write?
Lisa: I love them all, but A Girl Like Moi is closest to my heart. It being the first book in the series, I paid closer attention to exposing the things that make Imogene tick--her deepest desires and dreams for herself, as well as her flaw, foibles, and life conflicts--the things that have been holding her back.
Bookworm: Who is your favorite character?
Lisa: I suppose it's Imogene. Mostly because she has the most to deal with. Her parents are by no means well-off. Yet she is surrounded by great wealth. She's the one "have-not" in a town full of "haves". Additionally, she doesn't always have the best judgement. But despite all the wrong turns, stumbles, and mistakes she makes, she learns from them. And she knows, despite her insecurities--the insecurities that all girls her age face--she is driven. And completely optimistic. She knows that it's only a matter of time before she makes her mark on the world.
Bookworm: Which character are you most like?
Lisa: Imogene's mom!
Bookworm: Who is your favorite fashion designer?
Lisa: OMG-I love them all...just like Imogene. Lately, I'm especially loving everything from Rodarte. And I go into a complete frenzy at fashion week. (My heart beats faster just thinking about it!) And I have an obsession with great accessories--from hats, to gloves, to belts and bags, to shoes.
Bookworm: Why did you choose to write about fashion?
Lisa: Having graduated from F.I.T., in New York City, I began my career in the fashion business. I moved from buying and merchandising to fashion forecasting where I began my writing career--as NYC editor I covered the NYC Collections, and everything about fashion in New York. Along the way, I was exposed to a number of very colorful characters and situations. I guess Imogene had been cooking all that time.
To read a review of Lisa's first book, A Girl Like Moi, click here.
Watch out for the review of the second book, Project Paris, coming soon! And be sure to check out Lisa's latest book in the Imogene series, Accidentally Fabulous, coming into bookstores on August 26!
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