American author Lauren Kate landed on Kiwi soil recently to promote, Passion, the latest book in her bestselling Fallen series. Gloss handbag snoop Emma Smith was lucky enough to catch up with her for a good old rummage through her handbag.

Lauren’s first book in the Fallen series hit New Zealand bookshops in December 2009 and was on the bestsellers’ list for 10 weeks, Torment, her next, came out in October last year and was a number one bestseller, appearing on the bestsellers’ list for 15 weeks.

Teenage girls everywhere are hooked on the epic romance between the book’s characters Luce and Daniel with more than 100,000 copies sold in Australia alone. Now, with a film slated for release in 2012, the demand for her books is sure to stay at fever pitch.

Not only does Passion give insight into the characters, but it seamlessly moves ahead of the main plot, setting up an incredibly thrilling and climatic introduction to the fourth and final chapter in the Fallen series due for release in 2012.

Lauren was born in Texas, grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing while living in New York. She shares her life with her husband – a Shakespeare scholar and an adorable boxer the pair recently rescued for the dog pound.

I was very excited about meeting Lauren and couldn’t wait to find out what a bestselling author carried in their bag – so what did I find?

Do you prefer a small or large bag?
Well, now that I work from home I tend to take a small bag because I’m only out for a little while.  But when I’m travelling on a book tour, and when I used to work in an office, it was always a massive bag, crammed with way too much stuff!

Do you have a favourite style of bag?
I have a lot of bags. I’ve probably got about 50 random bags because I like to buy them when I’m travelling. Most of them are purchased on some sort of vacation when I’ve needed to stash a bunch of stuff I’ve picked up along the way. I think it’s really important to collect things that remind you of places you’ve been so my bag fills up pretty quickly when I’m travelling.

Do you have a favourite label or designer?
The one I have today is a designer bag but it was given to me my grandmother. I was studying abroad at university in Paris and she bought it for me when she came to visit. Apart from that, not really, I don’t have a preferred label or designer.

What can’t you leave home without?
Apart from the usual, cell phone, keys, and wallet, I always have my chapstick and sunglasses. I think blue-eyed people might be a little more sensitive to sunlight; I can’t even be outside for a second without having my sunglasses on, otherwise it drives me crazy. I always carry a book too so I have something to read.

What don’t you need?
Before I left America I had a massive clean out of my bag but it’s starting to fill up quickly. I probably don’t need the baby UGGS I’ve bought for my publicist in New York. She’s just had a baby and I couldn’t resist getting her these, they were so cute.

What has been the most embarrassing thing to fall out of your bag?
That’s a really good question! I used to teach a creative writing class to a whole bunch of undergraduates (19-20 year old boys) and I remembering reaching into my bag for the syllabus and there was some sort of an under garment in there, something lacy and very see-through.  I’d completely forgotten it was in there.  I blush very easily, and I went very red! It was very embarrassing but I think my students liked me a whole lot more that quarter.

To celebrate the release of Passion, Lauren has very kindly given us a signed copy of the book to give away to one lucky person. To enter click here

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