Today we talk about Diary of a Superhost, a book by Marlène Leclerc published with our Publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Marlène Leclerc, to get to know her better, where she found the inspiration to write her book Diary of a Superhost, as well as how her passion for writing started.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Where did you find the inspiration to write your book?
It came naturally, when I started to post short stories on Facebook, on what was happening at my little Airbnb flat called Flamingo View. Actually, a couple of my friends pushed me, ‘you should get this published, make a book or a tv series out of it, we’re in stitches it’s so funny’ ….the stories just kept on coming, it’s simply unbelievable what can happen during people’s holidays! I had learned that already during my first career long time ago, when I worked for the tour operator Thomas Cook all over the world, stories ranging from unbelievable, hysterically funny, and sometimes very sad!
- What is the message you want to send out with your writing?
My main aim with this book is really just to make people laugh. Airbnb has become such a big thing in cities all over the world, I think a lot of people don’t realise all the hard work that goes in it…..to earn your Super Host status is one thing, but to keep it is really quite a battle sometimes! This book is focused on the fun stories, I have been quite lucky and had really nice guests, with the occasional weirdo but let’s be honest, I am very grateful for the weirdos, or the ones with unreasonable demands (asking to see the flamingos fly by, as if I have a direct phone line to them??) as they are the ones that bring in more stories. Of course, people that travel using Airbnb accommodation, booking.com and the likes, might learn a thing or two of what is really annoying for hosts. Asking for an early check-in for example, which makes us change cleaning planning and everything, only to rock up late at night. Don’t ask for it if you don’t need it. Same for late check-out, it’s impossible to give everyone an early check in, and the other guests a late check out, on the same day, in the same little flat.
- How did your passion for writing start?
I have always loved to write. Having lived in different countries I have started various books, some in Dutch, some in French, and now in English. I love to tell stories, share experiences, dream on about new book ideas. It’s terrible but I have a hard drive full of ‘book concepts’ with a couple of pages per idea, but I should obviously find the time and work these ideas out!
- How was your publishing experience?
Very positive, I felt very supported by the Europe Books Team who all seem to be very patient, supportive, patient and understanding with e newbie like me. I am looking forward going to the London Book Fair in March and meet some of the people I have been in correspondence with. It still seems unbelievable to me that this is actually happening, it’s an old dream come true! I can highly recommend the experience with Europe Books, and I do hope to grow further with them after this first book, I am super excited to see how it is going to be received.
- Are you planning to write more books? Can you tell us more about it?
Yes, I have actually already started on the sequel to ‘Diary of a Super Host’ which will be focusing more on the negative stories of Airbnb / short term rental. Still in a humorous way though. Nothing too dramatic, but the horrible guests will have their fifteen minutes of fame in that book! I have also used stories from befriended hosts, some that are quite gruesome, a friend who had a serious crime committed at his Airbnb, another one who was delisted by booking.com after a complete unfair and untruthful complaint of guests. I always say that I only have a couple of ‘funny’ books but there is more serious stuff in the pipeline as well. After the two Airbnb books I would love to finalise a book I have been working on aimed at expats moving to Cape Town, or South Africa in general. It details all the quirky funny things you have to find out the hard way as a foreigner in this wonderful country. The last -for now- of the ‘funny’ books is a book called ‘Is you a stewardess’ (grammar error on purpose) detailing unbelievable but true stories of my decade+ of traveling all over Africa, and the world, as a corporate high flyer. The only woman in business class, the only woman (the one not paid by the hour if you see what I mean) at the hotel bar, and the interesting characters I would encounter and the various ways they tried to find out how on earth I ended up in Sudan, or Uganda, or Sierra Leone. Then on to the more serious stuff, I have started writing about the most important men in my live, previous lovers, partners, husbands (not plural, I was only married once, almost twice though 😊) on to my latest and relatively recent heartache, and what each relationship taught me, the hard way. My biggest challenge is to find the time to write, and the mental space. I do a lot of yoga, hiking, running, it helps, but still, life goes on and there’s always so much to do, not just in the Airbnb, but also in a couple of other places I manage. I think I need to escape to Antartica on a writer’s retreat, it’s only a couple of hours flight away from Cape Town!
Europe Books thanks the author, Marlène Leclerc, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book Diary of a Superhost. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, that the stories of the travellers told in this book will make you laugh and have fun and that at the same time it will provide you with valuable advice regarding certain events that can happen when you are travelling.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!