My Guest Star author this week is Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of the Charlotte McNally Mystery series, Prime Time, Air Time,and Face Time.
About AIR TIME, the latest in the series:
Star reporter Charlotte (Charlie) McNally enters the glamorous and high-stakes world of high fashion ...and soon discovers when the purses are fake, the danger is real.
To break her latest big-money blockbuster, Charlotte must go undercover--but what if the bad guys recognize her? This savvy TV journalist must face more than her fear of flying when her inside scoop on designer duplicates suddenly turns deadly.
Carrying a hidden camera and dressing to deceive, Charlie finds she's not the only one disguising her identity. Nothing--and no one--is what they seem. And that means nothing--and no one--can be trusted. In her high-risk job and in her suddenly steamy love life, how can she tell the real thing?
Charlie is forced to make some life-changing--and life and death--decisions. With only a split-second to act and with her own life in the balance, Charlie knows if she chooses wrong it will be the last decision she ever makes.
Real-life investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan devises a scheme so timely and innovative you'll wonder why someone hasn't tried it. AIR TIME takes you behind the scenes of TV news--and reveals what can happen when a savvy, sexy journalist turns from hard-working reporter into becoming a killer's target. And here's an awesome interview with Hank!
1. Charlotte (Charlie) McNally is an investigative TV reporter, and so are you! What qualities do you share with Charlie, and how are you different?
When my husband talks about Charlie, he calls her "you." As in--when "you" are held at gunpoint, when you track down the bad guys, when you solve the mystery . . . and I have to remind him, "Sweetheart, it's fiction. It didn't really happen."
But a couple of things: I've been a TV reporter for more than 30 years. (Yes, really.) And so it would be silly, in writing a mystery about TV, not to use my own experiences. Think about it--as a TV reporter, you can never be wrong! Never be one minute late. Never choose the wrong word or miscalculate. You can never have a bad hair day, because it'll be seen by millions of people! It's high-stakes and high-stress--literally, people's lives at stake--and I really wanted to convey that in the books.
And everything that TV people do and say in the books is authentic and genuine. (Of course, Charlie can say things I can't say, and reveal things I can't reveal.) We're both devoted journalists, and over-focused on our jobs.
But Charlotte McNally is different, too. She's single--I'm happily married. She's ten years younger than I am, and so is facing different choices and dilemmas. She's braver than I am, certainly. Funnier. And a much better driver.
2. Charlie has some exciting adventures in your mystery series--going undercover, confronting some really bad guys. Tell us about some of your adventures as an investigative reporter.
There's a huge been-there-done-that element to the books--I've wired myself with hidden cameras, confronted corrupt politicians, chased down criminals . . . been in disguise, been stalked, and threatened and had many a door slammed in my face. I've had people confess to murder, and others, from prison, insist they were innocent. So when that happens to Charlie, it's fair to imagine me. Although the plots are completely from my imagination, those are real-life experiences.
3. Your job sounds very demanding. How (and when) do you find the time to write? Do you ever take a vacation, and, if so, what do you do with your time off?
Short answer--no. I don't take vacations anymore. We used to! We love Nevis, a tiny island n the Caribbean with empty white beaches and nothing to do. We love to go to western Massachusetts, to Tanglewood, to go to plays and the symphony and museums. We love to go to Cape Cod, to Truro, to sit on the beach with pals and read, then go out to wonderful dinners. All in the past. Now, I write. And Jonathan lounges in the back yard. Luckily, we have a lovely yard, with a pool and beautiful gardens.
4. Charlie is afraid of flying, and the airlines are constantly losing her luggage. When you write in Charlie's voice about these dilemmas, you sound like you're writing from experience. Is this true?
Sigh. Yes. I am a luggage-loss magnet. If they can lose my bags, they will. It's almost funny. Almost. As for fear of flying, yes, I am afraid. (Although not as much has I used to be. I've worked very hard and tried a lot of things to get over it.) I was once covering a very bad plane crash, in a major airport, and was in a room with a lot of the bleeding and upset survivors of the crash. I often wonder if that bad energy someone affected me.
5. Even though Charlie has a love interest, basically she's married to her job. You are married to a very successful criminal defense and civil rights attorney. Is it difficult to maintain a balance between the demands of your careers and your relationship, or do your exciting careers help "keep the fire going."
Fire? Well, hey. We both really respect each other, and we each think the other is really attractive and funny. We each understand when the other is immersed in work--in a story, or a writing a book, or handling a big case. We think each other's work is fascinating. Jonathan is incredibly patient. An endlessly interesting. It's wonderful for me to have in-house counsel to make sure my books are authentic when it comes to legal issues--and it's fun for him to have a writer-wife who had advised him on his dramatic closing arguments.
Our Guest Star author this week is Joanne Rendell, author of the new novel, Crossing Washington Square, which I had the pleasure to read an advanced copy of earlier this year. And so I can say with authority that it's a fabulous read!
A story of two strong-willed and passionate women who are compelled to unite their senses and sensibilities, from the author of The Professors' Wives' Club.
Professor Diana Monroe is a highly respected scholar of Sylvia Plath. Serious and aloof, she steadfastly keeps her mind on track. Professor Rachel Grey is young and impulsive, with a penchant for teaching relevant contemporary women's stories like Bridget Jones' Diary and The Devil Wears Prada, and for wearing her heart on her sleeve.
The two conflicting personalities meet head-to-heart when Carson McEvoy, a handsome and brilliant professor visiting from Harvard, sets his eyes on both women and creates even more tension between them. Now Diana and Rachel are slated to accompany an undergraduate trip to London, where an almost life-threatening experience with a student celebrity will force them to change their minds and heal their hearts...together.
And here's my interview with the author!
1. Any fan/fan mail stories you care to share?
My first novel was The Professors' Wives' Club. A couple of months after its release, a woman contacted me and said she'd read and enjoyed the book. She told me she was a professor's wife and after a few emails, she revealed that she was the wife of a very distinguished professor of cultural studies whose work I'd read, who I'd seen giving keynotes talks at conferences, and whose work greatly influenced the writing of Crossing Washington Square. Not really a "rock star" moment, but still exciting to know the wives of influential professors (professors I really dig!) read my book.
2. Where do you write?
I write at my desk at the front of our apartment. We live on a very busy street in Manhattan so my writing is "lulled" by taxis honking, firetrucks hooting, and jackhammers pounding. With all this practice, I could probably keep writing through a asteroid shower!
3. What was your inspiration behind your latest novel?
The idea for Crossing Washington Square evolved over a few years. As someone who has lived the academic life (I have a PhD in literature and now I'm married to a professor at NYU), I've always loved books about the university - novels like Michael Chabon's Wonder Boys, Richard Russo's The Straight Man, Zadie Smith's On Beauty, and Francine Prose's Blue Angel. But what I noticed about such campus fiction was the lack of female professors in leading roles. Even the female authors like Francine Prose and Zadie Smith's novels focus on male professors. Furthermore, most of these male professors are disillusioned drunks who quite often sleep with their students! I wanted to write a novel with women professors taking the lead and I wanted these women to be strong and smart and interesting – instead of drunk, despondent, and preoccupied with questionable sexual liaisons!
4. What line or section of your novel are you most proud of?
Rachel Grey and Diana Monroe are both literature professors in the old boys club of Manhattan University. While this should create a kinship between them, they are very much at odds. Rachel is young, emotional, and impulsive. She wrote a book about women's book groups which got her a slot on Oprah and she uses "chick lit" in her classes. Diana is aloof, icy, and controlled. She's also a scholar of Sylvia Plath who thinks "beach" fiction is an easy ride for students. My favorite scene is where these two women face-off in a department meeting. Neither of the professors is a shrinking violet and thus sparks really fly! The scene was such fun to write.
5. If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?
Crossing Washington Square loosely echoes Austen's Sense and Sensibilty - with one professor being led by her sense, the other by her sensibility. I love the Ang Lee adaptation of Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet playing the two very different Dashwood sisters. I'd love Emma and Kate to play my professors too!
Praise for Crossing Washington Square:
"Joanne Rendell has done it again! Crossing Washington Square is a book that will stay with you long after you turn that final page. Curl up on a park bench somewhere, watch the leaves fall, and spend some much beloved time with Rachel and Diana." -Jessica Brody, bestselling author of The Fidelity Files and Love Under Cover
"For every reader who has ever wondered why nineteenth century novels about women are called ‘the canon’, but contemporary novels about women are called 'chick-lit' comes a charming, witty and cerebral novel about Rachel Grey, an Austen-worth heroine fighting for love and respect in the academic shark tank." -Nicola Kraus, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Nanny Diaries
Joanne Rendell was born and raised in the UK. After completing her PhD in English Literature, she moved to the States to be with her husband, a professor at NYU. She now lives in faculty housing in New York City with her family. Visit Joanne's website at: JoanneRendell.com
Our Guest Star author this week is Carleen Brice author of the new novel, Children of the Waters.
Here's what the book is about:
Still reeling from divorce and feeling estranged from her teenage son, Trish Taylor is in the midst of salvaging the remnants of her life when she uncovers a shocking secret: her sister is alive. For years Trish believed that her mother and infant sister had died in a car accident. But the truth is that her mother fatally overdosed and that Trish's grandparents put the baby girl up for adoption because her father was black.
After years of drawing on the strength of her black ancestors, Billie Cousins is shocked to discover that she was adopted. Just as surprising, after finally overcoming a series of health struggles, she is pregnant--a dream come true for Billie but a nightmare for her sweetie, Nick, and for her mother, both determined to protect Billie from anything that may disrupt her well-being. And here's my interview with the author!
1) How do you come up with the names for your characters?
I often use family names or names of friends to start and then see if the name changes as I go along.
2) When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate? If you've sold more than one novel, do you have a celebration ritual for subsequent sales?
I yelled and cried and beat on the steering wheel (my agent called just as I was leaving for work). I bought myself a pair of diamond earrings and got hubby a guitar, and there’s been lots and lots of champagne. This is my 2nd novel and it was part of a 2-book deal, so I celebrated the deals for both at once, but I also partied when each book was released.
3) If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?
Halle Berry could play Billie. Jennifer Aniston as Trish. Or Alicia Keys as Billie and Reese Witherspoon as Trish.
4) Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?
Attended awards ceremonies and actually received 2 awards! Almost like the Oscars! (not really, but you know what I mean)
5) If you could be a superhero, what would you superpower be?
Invisibility. (She said after months of doing self-promotion.)
Paise for Children of the Waters:
"I was exhausted and singing the blues the hour I began Carleen Brice's new novel, CHILDREN OF THE WATERS. Five hours later, I'd finished this fresh, free-rein novel about mothers' secrets and children's sorrows and was shouting 'Hurray!'" --Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean
Carleen Brice was recently named 2008 "Breakout Author of the Year" by The African American Literary Awards Show for her debut novel Orange Mint and Honey, which was also a selection of the Essence Book Club. She is also the author of Walk Tall:Affirmations for People of Color, and Lead Me Home: An African American's Guide Through the Grief Journey and edited the anthology Age Ain't Nothing but a Number: Black Women Explore Midlife. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and two cats. Visit her online at: www.CarleenBrice.com
I had the privilege to read an early copy of this novel and to blurb on it. Here's what I had to say:
"Riotously hilarious, unabashedly honest and positively impossible to put down. Samantha Wilde's debut is a must read for all moms and non-moms alike." -Jessica Brody, author of The Fidelity Files
Here's what the book is about:
The Mother of all Motherhood novels.
In this riotously funny, ruefully honest, and irresistibly warmhearted debut, Samantha Wilde writes about one new mother who discovers the wonders and terrors of motherhood--one hilarious crisis at a time. For new moms, potential moms-to-be, and anyone who just wants to (wisely) live the experience vicariously... New mom Joy McGuire hasn't changed her sweatpants since her baby was born. Of course she's crazy about her newborn son; it's her distracted, work-obsessed husband and his impossible mother she can't stand. Joy turns to her own mom for support, but she's too busy planning her fourth wedding to a suspicious self-help guru. Sure, Joy's a woman on the brink, but it's nothing a little sleep, sanity, and chocolate can't fix.
Until her old college boyfriend shows up at their ten-year reunion. The one she was still in love with when she married her husband. It must be the lack of sleep, because Joy is starting to think she might have ended up with the wrong man. Not to mention she's obsessed with her sexy yoga instructor, who might just be interested in her. Joy used to be single, skinny, and able to speak in complete sentences, but who is she now? As she's trying to figure that out, her husband goes missing….
Frank, bawdy, and full of keenly self-aware observations, this novel tells the story of one new mother, three men, one marriage, and the baby love that keeps us up at night.
And here's my interview with the author!
1) What was your inspiration behind this novel?
Life with babies. The incredible transformation into motherhood. A growing fascination with mothering, what it means to mother, what becomes of a woman who becomes a mother. And what becomes of a marriage when a baby is born. I wrote the story I wanted to read, essentially.
2) Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?
I bought new bras! Of course that's not so glamorous but I went to the expensive bra store and had a proper fitting and paid a LOT for them and wore them for my book signings. That IS glamour when you live in the country.
3) Which scene (or scenes) in your novel did you love writing? Why?
I loved writing the fights between Joy and her husband. It was more fun than fighting and used up all my crankiness. Actually, I enjoyed writing most of it. Joy is so sassy and funny, I looked forward to what she might say or do.
4) What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten about writing?
My mother, Nancy Thayer, has been quoted as writing, "It's never too late, in fiction or life, to revise." We laugh, because this is true and also not true. (When it's on the shelves, it's too late.) Still, it helps when I'm writing to know there is a time later to perfect things. She also always said to me, "put it in your work." I do. I put it all in my work. It's a great place for things, the good, the bad and the ugly. And it makes of a mess, a meaning.
5) If you had to to offer a bumper sticker explanations for your novel, what would it be?
Welcome Judi Fennell, this week's guest star author! She's just released a brand new novel, IN OVER HER HEAD and she's taken the time to answer some of my questions about her work.
Here's an overview of the book:
When Erica Peck, one terrified-of-the-ocean marina owner, finds herself at the bottom of the sea conversing with a Mer man named Reel, she thinks she's died and gone to her own version of Hell. When the Oceanic Council demands she and Reel retrieve a lost cache of diamonds from the resident sea monster in return for their lives, she knows she's died and gone to Hell.
When they escape the monster and end up on a deserted island, she amends her opinion - she's died and gone to Heaven.
But when Reel sacrifices himself to allow her to return to her world, she realizes that, Heaven or Hell, with Reel, she's In Over Her Head.
"Nora Roberts? Danielle Steel? Much acclaimed romance writers should step aside. There is a new romance writer in town and she is certainly causing a great splash with her debut novel, In Over Her Head." -ABibliophile.com
"I truly found a pearl in my oyster when I read this delightful tale. I was surprised how good of a book In Over Her Head is. It is extremely well-written, the storyline flows and I was hooked from the first page." -LongAndShortReviews.blogspot.com
And check out this awesome contest where you could win a romantic beach getaway!
To celebrate the release of each of her books, Judi Fennell and the Atlantis Inn (www.AtlantisInn.com) and the Hibiscus House (www.HibiscusHouse.com) bed and breakfasts are raffling off three romantic beach getaway weekends. All information is on Judi's website, www.JudiFennell.com
1.How do you come up with the names for your characters?
All of the names in my stories mean something, whether they are a play on words, a twist on other characters, named for people I know, for a certain characteristic, etc., rarely do I just pull a name out of the air and assign it to a character.
2. When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate? If youve sold more than one novel, do you have a celebration ritual for subsequent sales?
I got an email first from my editor that she couldn't believe it hadn't sold yet and could I call her. So I had an idea going into the call. She let me know she was taking it into the editorial meeting the next day, so, again, not a total surprise. Then I got the email from the meeting that she wanted it AND the next two stories, and, yes, I cried. I think I squealed first, then I cried. Then I stood in my family room, flapping my hands and being speechless while the kids and Hubs laughed and cheered, then I calmed down and called my agent. Then after I made a few more calls, the emotions got to me an I picked up the book I'd been reading and parked my butt on the sofa and just read and read and read. Champagne and flowers followed over the next few days. It was a great time.
3. If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?
I could see either Matthew McConaughey or Zac Efron for Reel, and Sandra Bullock, Kate Hudson or Anne Hathaway for Erica. I don't know any stunt remoras, so I'll leave that up to the casting director. And if we could get Susan Sarandon for Ceto, the sea monster, that'd be great.
4. What was your inspiration behind your latest novel?
I was writing a series of twists to fairy tales: Beauty and The Best,Cinda Bella, and Fairest of Them All, and I wanted to twist The Little Mermaid. The best way to do it was to make him the Mer.
5. Desert Island time. You can bring one person and one "thing" what would you bring?
I'm bringing Hubs - he and I can use some uninterrupted time after the whirlwind since selling, so we need a vacation. As for what we'd bring, suntan lotion. If it's deserted, who needs clothes, but we'd need the lotion. And, hell, lotion? 'Nuff said.
Welcome Sheila Curran, this week's guest star author! She's just released a brand new novel, EVERYONE SHE LOVED and she's taken the time to answer some of my questions about her work.
Here's an overview of the book:
A wise and triumphant novel about powerful bonds among four women who’ve come of age together only to discover that – when it comes to the essentials – life’s little instruction book will always need revising.
Penelope Cameron, loving mother, devoted wife and generous philanthropist, has convinced her husband and four closest friends to sign an outlandish pact. If Penelope should die before her two daughters are eighteen, her husband will not remarry without the permission of Penelope’s sister and three college roommates. For years, this contract gathers dust until the unthinkable happens. Suddenly, everyone she loved must find their way in a world without Penelope.
For Lucy Vargas, Penelope’s best friend, and a second mother to her daughters, nothing seems more natural than to welcome them into a home that had once belonged to their family, a lovely, sprawling, bed and breakfast on the beach. This bequest was only one of the many ways in which Penelope had supported Lucy’s career as a painter, declaring her talent too important to squander. But now, in the wake of a disaster that only lovable, worrisome Penelope could have predicted, Lucy has put her work on hold as she and Penelope’s husband, Joey, blindly grasp at anything that will keep the girls from sinking under the weight of their grief.
With the help of family and friends, the children slowly rebuild new lives. But just when things start to come together, the fragile serenity they have gained is suddenly threatened from within and the unbreakable bonds they share seem likely to dissolve after all.
In this moving and uplifting novel, Sheila Curran explores the faith one woman placed in her dearest friends, the care she took to protect her family, and the many ways in which romantic entanglements will confound and confuse even the most determined of planners. A story about growing up and moving on, about the sacrifices people make for one another, about the timeless legacy of love, Everyone She Loved is, above all, about the abiding strength of friendship.
1. How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Often I have the name as soon as I think of the character. I’m not sure why.
2. What’s your favorite part about the publishing process?
Working with my agent and editor to get the book ready and in shape and hearing from readers that they loved it. Your least favorite part? Worrying my novel won’t catch the eyes of readers. I know they’d like it if they picked it up, but how do you stand out in the crowded marketplace? I know that when I go to a bookstore, I’m overwhelmed by the choices and so I know that my prospective readers face the same obstacle.
3. When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react?
I called my husband, then my parents. My mom had had knee surgery that day.
How did you celebrate?
Oh, I believe there were festive beverages involved.
4. If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role? Patrick Dempsey (McDreamy on Grey’s Anatomy) or Liam Neeson could play Joey Adorno. Jessica Sarah Parker or Kyra Sedgewick could play the interloping nutritionist. Penelope Cruz or Holly Hunter would be great as Penelope. Lucy, Kate Winslet, Scarlett Johannsen, or Catherine Keener, who played Harper Lee in Capote and the love interest in 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN. Martha, Cameron Diaz or Ellen Barkin. Susannah, Sandra Bullock, Tea Leoni or Kate Hudson.
5. What was your inspiration behind the book?
For the full story, readers should go to my website and click on Backstory. But the short version is this: in some states, if a parent hasn’t named a guardian in an official will, their children can be taken into foster care if the parents die. I was talking to a friend about how difficult it is to make the choice of who, among my siblings and friends would be the best replacements for my husband and I. Suddenly, I said, “Oooh. You know what would be worse? What if I died and John fell in love with someone who was just awful?” I thought for a minute more and said, “I know. What if he couldn’t remarry unless my sisters and best friends approved?” I knew, deep down, that whatever happened, as long as my friends and family approved of the new wife, then she’d be good for my kids. So I began to imagine a character like me, except she’s really rich, has had even more reasons in her life to become a bit of a control freak than have I and she is so charming in her ridiculous catastrophizing that her husband and friends finally say, “Enough, already! You’re not going anywhere, but if it makes you feel better, we’ll sign the damn thing.” So begins the premise for my novel, the plot of which is set into action by my character’s codicil. It’s about motherhood, wifehood, childhood, and most of all, the sisterhood of great friends who’ve come of age together.
Time for another guest star! This week it's April Henry, co-author of the bestselling mystery novel, FACE OF BETRAYAL.
Face of Betrayal Thomas Nelson Books April 7, 2009 ISBN: 978-1595547057 Author's Website
"A sizzling political thriller… The seamless plot offers a plethora of twists and turns." - Publisher's Weekly
When 17-year-old Senate page Katie Converse goes missing on her Christmas break near her parents' white Victorian home in Portland, Ore., law enforcement and the media go into overdrive in a search for clues. Three friends at the pinnacle of their respective careers--Allison Pierce, a federal prosecutor; Cassidy Shaw, a crime reporter; and Nicole Hedges, an FBI special agent--soon discover that Katie wasn't the picture of innocence painted by her parents. Did Katie run away to escape their stifling demands? Was she having an affair with the senator who sponsored her as a page? Has she been kidnapped? Is she the victim of a serial killer?
And here's a special interview with me and the author:
1. How do you come up with the names for your characters?
For my teen books, I keep a list of kids at my daughter’s school, because kids these days are certainly not named Debbie, Nancy, or Lisa. I write down unusual names I hear and like. For this adult mystery series, it was hard to find good names for the three main characters. Originally, they were called Allison, Jacqueline, and Cassidy, but Allison and Jacqueline were too similar. We finally settled on Allison, Nicole, and Cassidy.
2. What's your favorite part about the publishing process? Your least favorite part?
I like thinking of new plot twists and turns. Beginnings are fun. There are so many possibilities. Really detailed editorial letters are hard. I have to psych myself up to act on them.
3. When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate? If you've sold more than one novel, do you have a celebration ritual for subsequent sales?
I’m not very good at celebrating or relaxing. When I got my first contract, a group of friends broke out a bottle of champagne, and that was wonderful. And quitting my day job a year ago was the best celebration ever. Sometimes I’ll let myself take a day or two to relax and read one of the hundreds of books I keep meaning to read “someday.” But I feel at loose ends if I’m not writing.
4. Desert Island time. You can bring one person and one "thing." What would you bring?
My husband and a satellite phone for when we need to be rescued.
5. Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?
I’ve had my face made up for a TV appearance. TV studios are dinky and drab. But on camera I looked great. It’s all about illusions, baby!
6. What line or section of your novel are you most proud of? Is there a story behind it? Or a reason why you like it so much?
There’s a section where a runner finds a body part. We had written that scene, but then I started thinking we needed a new scene with him, even though he is just a walk-on character. So we worked on another scene where he realizes that he needs to take the body part out of the woods with him (for reasons that might be spoilers). It was fun to write about his dawning horror.
Hello all! Time for another guest star! This week it's Carolyn Jewel, author of the fantastic new romance novel, SCANDAL.
Scandal Berkley Sensation February 3, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-425-22551-6 Author's Website
The earl of Banallt is no stranger to scandal. But when he meets Sophie Evans, the young wife of a fellow libertine, even he is shocked by his reaction. This unconventional and intelligent woman proves to be far more than an amusing distraction-- she threatens to drive him to distraction. Unlike the women who usually fall at Banallt's feet, and into his bed, Sophie refuses to be seduced. And soon Banallt desires her more than ever-- and for more than an illicit affair.
Years later, the widowed Sophie is free, and Banallt is determined to win the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she doesn't believe his declaration of love and chivalrous offer of marriage-- her heart has already been broken by her scoundrel of a husband. And yet, Sophie is tempted to indulge in the torrid affair she's always fantasized about. Caught between her logical mind and her long-denied desire, Sophie must thwart Banallt's seduction-- or risk being consumed by the one man she should avoid at all costs...
And here's a special interview with me and the author:
1. Who is your most embarrassing in-retrospect heartthrob?
I have only ever loved Adrian Paul and Jet Li. Ever in my whole life. But Ringo was my favorite Beatle.
2. Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?
HAHAHAHAHA! The dishes?
3. What's the main thing you hope people take away from your book?
A burning and insatiable desire to buy my backlist and everything else I ever write for the rest of my life. And to tell everyone they know to do the same thing. OK, seriously, I just hope they enjoy the heck out of the story.
4. What is your process of getting out a first draft? How long might it take?
I print out drafts from time to time because the words look different on paper. I rarely have a complete draft. I just have more and more words that make up a mess that needs constant and massive fixing which I do constantly until somehow the story isn't a mess any more. And then it's done.
5. If you could only own and read 5 books for the rest of your life, (excluding your own) what five books would you choose?
Villette by Charlotte Bronte, Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Some edition of O'Henry Best Short Stories, A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh.
Happy New Year everyone! Well, I'm back from my blog-vacation. Or shall I say "blog-cation"...okay, sorry, I won't go there again. And what a treat to be back with a new guest star!
This week it's the incredibly talented Brend Janowitz, the author of a brand new novel called JACK WITH A TWIST, which is the sequel to her praised, SCOT ON THE ROCKS.
Here's a quick summary of the book and my interview with Brenda.
About the Book:
Planning a wedding can be a trying experience…
A little prewedding anxiety is normal for every bride, and Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller isn’t worried. She’s got the loving support of the world’s greatest guy, so planning her nuptials should be a piece of cake.
But that was yesterday.
Today, Brooke’s landed her first big case and has just discovered that the opposing attorney is none other than her fiancé, Jack. But that’s okay. These two professionals aren’t going to let a little courtroom sparring get their legal briefs in a bunch.… Right? Wrong! Now Jack’s pulling every dirty trick in the law books, and Brooke’s starting to suspect that maybe he isn’t the man she thought he was. Warring with her fiancé at work and at home, Brooke realizes that she’ll have to choose between the case of her life, or actually having a life.
Author Interview:
Q: How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Q: What’s your favorite part about the publishing process? Your least favorite part?
Writing the book is the fun part for me. I had no idea, when I published my first novel, that once I finished writing my book, that the real work would then begin. As you’re writing your first novel, you tend to think that that’s the hard part—that once you finish, fame and riches await.
In reality, it’s a long road to getting your grand opus published, and there’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved with getting it onto book shelves and then marketing it.
Presumably, fame and riches will be there at some point, but it’s a hard long road to get there!
Q: When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react?
I was sitting in my office when my agent called me to tell me about it. The whole thing was incredibly surreal and exciting. You spend so much of your time writing and not knowing how the outside world will react to your work. When it finally happened for me, it was just this overwhelming feeling of elation and that Sally Field sentiment of: “They like it! They really like it!”
Q: If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?
What a fun question! I’d love Drew Barrymore for Brooke, and Fran Drescher as her mom. For Jack, I could see a lot of my Hollywood crushes playing the part: Adam Sandler, Jack Black, or Paul Rudd would be perfect. (Yes, I like me a funny guy.)
Q: What was your inspiration behind your latest novel?
When I finished SCOT ON THE ROCKS, I just knew that Brooke’s story had to continue! Since both she and Jack are lawyers, I thought it would be so much fun to pit them against each other in the courtroom… all while planning their fairy-tale wedding. Thus the idea for JACK WITH A TWIST was born!
If you'd like more information about Brenda and her novels, please visit her website at: www.BrendaJanowitz.com
After too many vodka tonics at her best friend's baby shower, twenty-seven-year-old Sasha finds herself having a ladies' room epiphany. How quickly life can change, she thinks to herself: one minute she's writing a master's thesis about a TV comedy show for kids–and the next, the program actually gets optioned with her as the star. But Sasha’s awe at the twists of fate proves to be premature. The real shock comes the next day, when her routine visit to the ob-gyn reveals that she’s pregnant—even though she hasn't slept with anyone in more than two years.
To her unbelieving ears comes the doctor’s diagnosis: Sasha’s body has unwittingly hosted a cellular hitchhiker, a medical anomaly known as “lazy sperm.” And now that this plodding genetic contribution has finally fulfilled its destiny, it will be up to Sasha to summon the courage to revisit her past loves even as her future slowly takes shape inside her. Which of her exes will be the father and how will he take the astounding news? And what will the end of the mystery mean to Sasha? The answers are revealed in this wonderfully inventive debut about the bonds that linger between people even after they part ways, and how the future can change in the twitch of a tail.
This book sounds fantastic and I'm excited to feature my interview with Melissa here. Check it out!
How do you come up with the names for your characters?
They seem to find me. I can't remember how I came up with "Sasha", but her last name is "Salter" and that is the last name of the friend who suggested I write my crazy idea as a book rather than a movie.
What's your favorite part about the publishing process?
I loved traveling to conferences and speaking on panels and doing readings. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this part. This, of course, comes second to the actual act of writing the book in the first place.
When you got that first phone call announcing your had sold a novel, how did you react? How did you celebrate?
I have a crazy publishing story...probably too long to include here, but I knew from a third party that the editor was going to call and make me an offer before she did, so when she called I had to pretend I knew NOTHING. It was the best and only acting job of my life. I can't remember what happened when I hung up. Probably a lot of screaming and an embarrassing victory dance.
If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?
Jennifer Garner, Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore... depending on who is free.
What was your inspiration behind your latest novel?
I was having lunch with a friend and overate. I lifted my shirt to expose my bloated belly and the friend said, half joking, "Are you sure you're not pregnant?" and I said, "Yeah, right, from a lazy sperm." I went home that night and started outlining the idea for a movie. I decided, eventually, to write it as a novel instead.
Today our special guest star is the fabulous Malena Lott, author of DATING DAVINCI, about finding love and la dolce vita in the last place you would expect.
A Quick Summary:
Ramona Elise is in a rut--a 36-year-old widowed mother of two, she can't seem to find what make her truly happy in life. Making sure her kids are happy isn't the hard part; Ramona's looking for the passion she lost two years ago when she lost her husband and her world turned upside down. When a handsome Italian immigrant walks into her English class, Ramona never expects to find--la dolce vita (the sweet life)--in a younger man...or in her self!
I was lucky enough to be able to ask Malena some questions about her latest release and her career as an author. Check out my Q&A below!
Q: I LOVE the title of this book. How did you come up with it?
A: The title came pretty quickly, early on. I love alliteration and really wanted to incorporate da Vinci since he’s the catalyst that starts Ramona’s renaissance. Since publishers have final say, I don’t get too attached to my working title, though. I do like getting credit for this one, though! Of course the book isn’t just about da Vinci and romance is only a part of the story, but I think it’s catchy and hopefully it will catch people's eye to learn more about the book.
Q: As an author, what's your biggest fantasy? (the clean kind...just thought I'd clarify)
A: Writers already have active imaginations, so this one is a no brainer. Vision board, here I come! Hit the top 10 of the New York Times bestseller list, have a long line waiting for me when I arrive for book signings, have my books optioned for films that actually get made and made well, and a few national TV appearances to boot. TODAY show, The View, Oprah, you know. Just the small stuff, you know? Not that I’ve given any of this much thought. Not a bit.
Q: Procrastination is a big obstacle for me as a writer. What about you? Do you have any tricks for beating it?
A: I have to say, I'm pretty lucky. Hugh (Jackman) typically promises a shirtless steak dinner (him, not me) if I meet my word count goal. If that's not enough motivation, Brad's aromatherapy massages usually get me in the mood, though sad to say, it's not for writing. Heck, usually my imagination can trick me into getting back on the laptop to write away into the sunrise. Like, "finish this and you'll be as famous as Sophie Kinsella and you'll never have to buy groceries again and you can spend all your time lounging on the beaches drinking frozen Flirtinis!" I'm so easy.
Q: I, too, dream of becoming the next Sophie Kinsella! What would you do if it really were to happen?
A: Well, after hiring the cook, the nanny and the housekeeper, I guess I'd start interviewing stylists and personal shoppers (loathe grocery shopping.) No, seriously, I don't think much about my life would change except that I wouldn't get "that look" from my darling husband when I've gone on a shopping spree and I'd get to vacation more and feel good that my kids can go to college easily and perhaps not have to work as much as I did. *Not* that I'm complaining. On second thought, maybe I would spring for the housekeeper. Loathe laundry nearly as much as grocery shopping. That reminds me, that load needs to be changed out. Be back in a sec.
Q: Thanks so much Malena, do you have a sample chapter that readers can take a peek at?
A: Thank you! And yes, you can read the first chapter at www.MalenaLott.com
Today my guest is Saralee Rosenberg, the author of DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD, a comic novel about two warring neighbors who put the Desperate Housewives of Wysteria Lane to shame!
Here's a brief summary of the novel and my interview with Saralee!
Nora Ephron Hates Her Neck. Big Deal! Mindy Sherman hates her whole body.
In Mindy's yoga-obsessed, thirty-is-the-new-wife neighborhood, every day is a battle between Dunkin' Donuts, her jaws-of-life jeans, and Beth Diamond, the self-absorbed sancti-mommy next door who looks sixteen from the back. So much for sharing the chores, the stores, and the occasional mischief to rival Wisteria Lane.
It's another day, another dilemma until Beth's marriage becomes fodder on Facebook. Suddenly the Ivy League blonde needs to be "friended," and Mindy is the last mom standing. Together they take on hormones and hunger, family feuds and fidelity, and a harrowing journey that spills the truth about an unplanned pregnancy and a seventy-year old miracle that altered their fates forever.
Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead is a hilarious, stirring romp over fences and defenses that begs the question, what did you do to deserve living next door to a crazy woman? Sometimes it's worth finding out.
Interview with Saralee Rosenberg
Q. What comes first? The title or the idea?
A. For DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD, the title came to me only a few months before publication and trust me, by then I was in a total panic. The original title, based on the very earliest draft, was ALL IN THE CARDS, but everyone agreed that was kind of boring. Then I submitted a list of twenty titles, some interesting, some wacky, some that would never fly because they involved curse words. Here is a sampling: Hot, Hungry and Hormonal; Ask Your Doctor if Stress Is Right for You; Same SH-T, Different Zip; If Lucy Hated Ethel; and one of my personal favorites, The Bitch Next Door. No, no, no, my editor said to all of those. Then I came up with Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead and she smiled. We have a winner!!! And I must admit, it’s a beauty. Everyone gets it. No need for an explanation. As for my novel, CLAIRE VOYANT, that title came to me years ago and it took me a while to create an entire story based on the premise that a girl named Claire would have super natural abilities.
Q. Do you put friends in books? Have any of them recognized themselves?
A. I get asked all the time by family and friends to be in one of my novels, but I tend not to go there unless they’re willing to buy several dozen books in appreciation for being immortalized (if Girl Scout Moms can bribe, so can I). Once I did give in and named a character after a friend, only to describe the character as a philandering shoplifter. She was horrified and wanted to know how I knew? I didn’t know, I made it up, but boy did that make things interesting afterwards... Also, my husband’s business partner had been prodding me for years, to which I would say that a character who sold insurance, played golf and visited his grandkids in Florida would not exactly be memorable. But finally, in Dear Neighbor, to get him to stop bugging me, I did name a minor character Steven Hoffman. I made him a lawyer in Portland, and it really made Steve’s day... then he asked why he wasn’t a major character and could I feature him again in the next book? Men!!!!
Q. When deadlines hit, what happens in your house?
A. Let me put it this way. Please don’t ring my bell unless you’re bringing fresh baked cookies because I don’t want you to see that the dining room looks like a mini landfill. And that’s before you reach the piles on the stairs (I swear there is one that has been there since Clinton was President). The clothes in the dryer go round and round for days because I keep hitting wrinkle remove, we run out of milk, the shows saved on Tivo go unwatched, calls from my kids get answered with, “Make it quick and NO CRISIS’s today”. Also I look like hell and probably need of a touch up. As for dinner? The family is on their own... although they would tell you I say that every day. Basically it’s every man/child for himself and don’t give me a hard time about anything... This is why I write all the time, otherwise I’d lose my privileges, lol.
Q. Which scene or scenes in the book did you love writing?
A. I am crazy about writing dialogue and would spend days working on a scene between Mindy and Beth to make sure that I got the tone, the phrasing, the timing and the subtle nuances just right. There was so much that they wanted to say to each other after eight years of making each other crazy, I just had to let it out a little at a time, like air coming out of a balloon. But the scene I loved writing the most was the one where they are in a hotel room and Beth confronts the fact that she might be pregnant. It is a funny, poignant moment where both characters reveal their greatest joys and misgivings of motherhood and I remember when I sat at my computer, the words just poured out and I had to sit still to hear every last word coming through. I realized at the end that they had just broadcast my own conflicts and vulnerabilities about being a mom and it was whoa... where did that come from?
Q. What was the inspiration for Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead?
A. Of my four novels, DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD is the only one that was inspired by, well, me! This story is based on my first novel, ALL IN THE CARDS, which was never published, but did take a very exciting journey to Hollywood. Back in 1997, Bette Midler optioned it for a feature film (she was looking for a follow up comedy to “First Wives Club”). Exactly! Wow! First time out and it’s a homerun. Sadly, the reason you never heard of it is because ultimately, Bette and her partner couldn’t get financing or find the right screenwriter to adapt it. Bye bye Bette... Now fast forward to a few years ago. My novels, A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE, CLAIRE VOYANT and FATE & MS. FORTUNE had done very well but were about single women looking for love in all the wrong places. I wanted to write about my “peeps” in the suburbs and pitched my editor on letting me rewrite ALL IN THE CARDS. She was hesitant because she wasn’t sure Avon was the right publisher for a suburban/soccer mom story with bickering neighbors. Then came “Desperate Housewives” and suddenly it was, get me suburban/soccer mom stories with bickering neighbors. Timing is everything.... So although DEAR NEIGHBOR is an incarnation of my earliest novel, it is a much richer, deeper, funnier story and is resonating with readers of all ages.
For more information about Saralee and her novels, please visit her website: www.saraleerosenberg.com
Hey everyone! I'm so excited to be part of a fantastic new community of authors called the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit where we host members on our blogs to help them promote their books!
So my very first hosted member is the fabulous, Ms. Kelly Parra who writes edgy YA novels. Her first book, Graffiti Girl has done extremely well and her latest release, Invisible Touch just hit bookstores this fall from MTV Books! I was fortunate enough to be able to ask Kelly some questions about herself and her writing process. And here they are!
1. How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Good question. I'm actually a pretty visual writer. I like to picture the characters in my mind, and then find the perfect fit with a name. Sometimes if I can't come up with something unique I'll scan the Internet or even the phone book to make the right match.
2. What's your favorite part about the publishing process? Your least favorite part?
Besides writing the book as my favorite part, I LOVE reading the galleys for the first time and seeing how the book's layout will potentially look in published form. My least favorite part is promotion, it takes a lot of hard work and lots of savvy to pull off good promo. :)
3. If your book were to be made into a movie, who could you see playing the lead role?
Kara would be possibly be Vanessa Hudgens. Anthony would be a younger Milo Ventimiglia.
4. Since becoming a writer, what's the most glamorous thing you've ever done?
It might not seem very glamourous to some writers, but to a simple gal like me it was attending the Romance Writers of America RITA ceremony. The dresses were glam, the show fab. It was an experience to remember.
5. If you could be a superhero, what would you superpower be?
It would be transport anywhere by just a thought. That would be so cool. New York, no problem. Hawaii, just one second. :)
More information about Kelly Parra and her novels can be found on her website: www.KellyParra.com. Check it out!
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