My next interviewee in the "Who's that girl?" series is Alexis Jane Lorimar, or ‘Lexi’ for short.
Lexi is the protagonist / heroine / female lead in Tabetha Rogers Beggs' forthcoming novel, "My Second Husband", and is someone most of us can relate to.
Here's my interview with Lexi, giving you an insight into this funny, resourceful, and down-to-earth character:
So Lexi, in a nutshell, what's your story about?
Lexi: Essentially, it is about the choices we make in life, and what we are prepared to risk to revisit our past and take control of our dreams.
My story starts when I am asked by an old friend in England to write a play for London’s T-Street Theatre to save it from closing it’s doors. To me it is simple; I’ll go to the UK for four weeks, work on the play, and come home again to my husband and children. But not everyone sees it as black and white as I do. As I keep jumping the hurdles in an attempt to ensure this trip happens, the more it no longer feels like a fun jaunt to help out old friends, but a deep set need to go back into my past and work out how I got to this future.
Where's it set?
Lexi: The events take place in a fictitious middle-class suburb of Perth, and around London where the T-Street Theatre is located.
They seem like worlds apart. Why those two places?
Lexi: Actually, they don’t seem so far apart to me. A piece of me belongs to both countries, but it means this tug-o-war on my heart makes life very complicated.
Tell us about your family.
Lexi: Well, there’s Dave, he’s my husband. We have two children, Elliot (8yrs old) and Ava who is 6, going on sixteen. There is my Dad, Arnie, and my Mum, Lizzie. They have been divorced for years, although you wouldn’t know it if you saw them together. I’m an only child, so that might explain some of my behaviour. ;)
Any significant characters in your story that we should watch out for?
Lexi: Well, they are all significant to me. Gina and Bec are my best friends. I’ve known Bec since primary school. She’s good at keeping me grounded. Gina, on the other hand, is my kindred spirit and we like to get up to mischief together.
Of course, back in the UK there are many important characters too: Karen, Saskia, Michael, Stu, Tony and Dario, all ex-members of the T-Street Theatre who have found fame and fortune in the performing arts industry, and have all committed to coming to London to perform for the fundraiser show that I’m writing. Oh, and maybe Gareth Dunhill, but nobody seems to know where he is these days.
Tell us a bit about Dave?
Lexi: Dave, Dave, Dave…what can I say about Dave? He’s a sensitive guy, whose world revolves around his job at the accountancy firm, his family and his finances. He’s a little awkward socially, and isn’t what I’d call open-minded about exploring things outside of his comfort zone. Before I met him, he’d never travelled outside of Australia or eaten anything as exotic as a Thai Green curry. He loves the kids and me, but sometimes I want to shake him and shout, ‘For God's sake, loosen up.’ He’s so serious… about everything!
He seems to annoy you a lot! What pisses you off the most, and why?
Lexi: Have you read my list of credentials for my second husband? Take all of those and reverse them. Really, I want him to laugh more and take life, or at least me, a little less seriously. That would help a lot!
So, back to you. What was your childhood like, and what did you want to be?
Lexi: Well, as I said, I am an only child, but I was never lonely. I totally lived in my own imagination. I was always writing plays and choreographing dances to my favourite songs. I’d round up all my friends and teach them the moves, then put on performances for the Mums and Dads. They had to pay 20c to see the show. I was quite the entrepreneur and always creative. (My creator, Tabetha, and I had a very similar upbringing!)
What I wanted to be was famous. I didn’t care so much for the fortune, I just wanted people to remember my name… FAME! What I really wanted to be was a really sexy rockstar. I always loved performing.
And what do you do now?
Lexi: You mean you haven’t got all my albums in your record collection??? Joking aside, I have my own business called ‘First Impressions Marketing’. I mainly write marketing plans for start-up organisations, and occasionally I get contracted to write grant applications and tourism award submissions for small business operators. On Sunday’s, I play volunteer radio DJ on Forever FM, a community run station for The Eternally Young at Heart. Gina produces my show. That’s how we met.
That's quite a difference. How did that come about?
Lexi: I don’t know, I guess I realised there could only ever be one Cyndi Lauper in the world, so I went and did a marketing degree as a back up plan. (I’ll never forget the look of relief on my parent’s faces when I told them I was doing something that didn’t involve grease paint and a guitar!)
What are the main things that define you?
Lexi: That’s a hard one. Different people would define me in different ways. It’s definitely not my cooking or time management skills. I hope my humour defines me, and my loyalty to the people I love. I’d like to think people see me as brave. Brave and funny.
What good or bad habits do you have, and if you could change one bad one, what would it be and why?
Lexi: That’s easy. I have a really bad habit of eating chocolate. I reckon they lace it with cocaine or LSD or something!!! I used to smoke, drink and have a penchant for bad boys, but Dave saved me from myself in many ways! (That’s not to say I don’t still crave all three!!!)
Good habits? I never forget to call a friend on their birthday, and I ALWAYS kiss and cuddle my kids goodnight.
What makes you happy?
Lexi: A sunny day, cuddles from my kids, my friends, and looking back on a life well lived knowing when its over, I never wasted a moment of it.
Other than Dave(!), who or what pisses you off and why?
Lexi: Ignorance pisses me off, and people who make rules. I don’t like rules.
Who do you aspire to be like, and why?
Lexi: Nobody. I just want to be me. Everyone is flawed in one way or another. I aspire to be the best person I can be.
Who or what influences you the most (good or bad)?
Lexi: Clever, creative, talented people. A good play, a catchy song, a beautiful painting or a moving story can make me feel like I can move mountains.
What is the major lesson you've learned as part of this story?
Lexi: If you don’t take a risk, you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering.
What wouldn’t we know by just looking at you?
Lexi: I have a small tattoo on my lower back. It reads Esse Fortissimos, which means ‘Be Brave’ in Latin. Dave thinks it says ‘Good fortune’, and I’ve never bothered correcting him.
Would you survive if you were stranded on a desert island?
Lexi: ABSOLUTELY! In fact, a couple of months on a dessert island might give me enough time to sort my life out. I’m not stranded there with Dave am I? If I’m stranded there with Dave, then I’d only survive by eating him! Ha ha ha ha (Oh that’s another bad habit, making jokes about Dave! I don’t mean them, honest!)
Okay, one last question. Do you find your second husband?
Lexi: What sort of question is that??? You’ll obviously need to read the book to find that out!
Thanks for this opportunity to leap off the page and speak to you Lisa. It’s been fun.
Love Lexi x
You can find more information about Lexi and her story, 'The Second Husband' on Tab's website www.tabethawrites.com
Check back soon for my next interview!