Renee Riva's "Happy Camper"

Title: Happy Camper

Publisher: Stonehouse Ink

Cover blurb: “A delightful romantic comedy. Allie Jaskie, recent fashion school graduate, needs a job. Charlie Braun, editor of Happy Camper Magazine, needs a field reporter. The clock is ticking for an article about summer snow camping on Mount Rainier. Allie is not fond of camping, much less, snow. But she's down to her last can of tomato soup. What's a hungry girl to do? She changes her name to Sage Forester, and shows up for an interview in a comical ensemble of old camping attire, courtesy of Goodwill. Something about Sage Forester doesn't quite add up, but Charlie is intrigued enough to give her a chance.
When Sage returns from Mount Rainier with her article: “Fashions in the Forest,” the editorial staff roars hysterically—until their boss says “run it.”
Sage is an instant hit with the ladies. Who would guess so many would love the idea of trading in their army green camping gear for pink tents, and bright hiking attire?
Sage's celebrity continues to soar—until Charlie discovers that Sage Forester is not who she says she is, nor is she spending those invigorating nights sleeping in the snow, as all were led to believe.
Readers of all ages are in for an avalanche of fun in this heartwarming adventure as Sage and Charlie battle it out in Paradise on Mount Rainier. Young Adult; ages 12-100

1) How did this story come to you?
I was watching an old Christmas movie about a single woman who lived in a New York highrise and wrote a column as “The American Housewife.” She pretended to be writing from her farm looking out over the fields, when in reality she was looking at the brick wall of a highrise next door. She eventually got found out, but it was quite comical watching her try to pull this off. I thought it would be fun to try this with a modern day twist of someone who ends up with a job that is in direct opposition with their true intrests.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I started this book five years ago during Nanowrimo (National Novel ist Writers Month). Shortly after I began, I got a contract for two sequels to Saving Sailor and had to put Happy Camper on the back burner until this past year. So I pulled it back out one day and decided I still enjoyed the story and the characters enough to finish it. The Stonehouse Ink publisher who published Farley's Five and Dime also published Happy Camper.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I can't type without looking at the keys. I will only write happy stories because I get too depressed reading or writing about unpleasant things. I put my Christmas tree up on Halloween because I was writing a Christmas scene—really threw the neighbors for a loop and scared a few of the trick or treaters.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on a sequel to Happy Camper called Liza, about the twelve year old girl who lives at The Mountain View Inn on Mount Rainier. She was a very endearing character to me and I'd like to write about everything a little girl should be in a world that lets kids be kids.

5) Parting comments?
I love to write books that entire families can read together. One family read saving Sailor around the campfire; the mom and dad and kids all read the parts of the character they most identified with. That just thrills my heart to no end!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.reneeriva.com/ and Happy Camper is available on amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Camper-Renee-Riva/dp/098277057X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304051977&sr=8-1