Keep Me Safe by Maya Banks with Author Interview!

If you're looking for a weekend read that is not only super sexy and romantic but is full of suspense and thrills with a dash of the supernatural then look no further than "Keep Me Safe," by Maya Banks.

When Caleb Devereaux’s younger sister is kidnapped, this scion of a powerful and wealthy family turns to an unlikely source for help: a beautiful and sensitive woman with a gift for finding answers others cannot. While Ramie can connect to victims and locate them by feeling their pain, her ability comes with a price. Every time she uses it, it costs her a piece of herself. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb successfully find his sister nearly destroys her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can.  Deeply remorseful for the pain he’s caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie’s vanished forever, she reappears. She’s in trouble and she needs his help. Now, Caleb will do risk everything to protect her— including his heart. . . mayabanks.com

"Keep Me Safe," was a great read.  It was a lot darker, in a good way, than I expected.  Ramie and Caleb's sister Tori both reacted to their traumas in different and realistic ways.  The dark themes were contrasted with the sweet and spicy relationship between Caleb and Ramie which progressed at a slow and tentative pace before kicking into high gear.  The ending will also really throw you for a loop, you definitely won't be able to predict how it ends, unless you too have a psychic gift ;) 

Maya Banks was kind enough to participate in an email interview with me.  Read on for more about her and the "Slow Burn" trilogy.

JN: Keep Me Safe deals with characters who have unique psychic abilities. Have you had any firsthand experience with psychic phenomena?

 

MB:  Nope, none whatsoever! It’s fun to imagine though. Or to say “what if” and that’s really the premise of the entire series. What IF someone possessed a unique ability in today’s world? What kind of obstacles would they face?

 

I loved the depth of the characters in Keep Me Safe. For example, Ramie is a unique combination of a strong woman but also a wounded and vulnerable woman.  Where do you draw the inspiration for your characters?

 

I just try to imagine how a person would react under certain circumstances. How ANY human would react. We aren’t always going to be kickass and strong. We all have our vulnerable moments and our weaknesses just as we all have our strong points. I like my characters to have a mixture of these elements. To me it makes them more realistic.

 

What, if anything, can you share about the next installment in the Slow Burn series?

 

Ari, the heroine in IN HIS KEEPING has a very interesting past, as we learn at the beginning of the story. Abandoned on the doorstep of a wealthy, childless couple, she grew up extremely sheltered. For a reason. When she was a mere infant she displayed remarkable abilities. Telekinesis. And we learn as the story progresses that her powers are so much more but were never explored because her adopted parents wanted to protect her and encouraged her to hide her abilities from the rest of the world.

 

I really want to know more about Tori, will we learn more about her in subsequent installments in the Slow Burn series?

 

Absolutely! She’ll even get her own story later in the series :)

 

Did you always want to be a writer?

 

Well yes and no. I’ve always loved to WRITE but I never thought it possible to write for a living. I just assumed it was a pipe dream so I never even pursued it until I was in my thirties.

 

About how long does it take for you to take your story idea(s) and transform them into a finished novel?

 

Sometimes, as was the case with the Slow Burn series, it takes YEARS from the time I first have the idea to when I can actually publish the stories. Very frustrating! But once I have the green light it usually takes about two months for everything to pull together.

 

Have you ever experienced writer's block, and if so, how did you work through it? 

 

I don’t believe in writer’s block. At least not in the way it’s mostly described. If I’m not writing, it’s for one of two reasons. Either I’m being lazy and am unmotivated. OR there’s something wrong with the story. Once I go back and figure out where I veered off the path or where I went wrong then I can fix it and move forward once more.

 

Besides yourself, who are your favorite authors?

 

I have many. But just to name a FEW I love Nalini Singh, Kresley Cole, Christine Feehan, Sharon Sala, Elizabeth Lowell and Linda Howard.

 

I saw in your biography that you love to travel.  What is your favorite place that you have visited? 

 

Oh I have so many favorites. My favorite “family” trip was to Ireland. The kids LOVED it there and so did my husband and I.

 

What place would you like to travel to that you haven't had the opportunity to visit yet?

I want SO badly to see the Northern Lights. It’s definitely on my bucket list!

 

Want to win a copy of "Keep Me Safe," by Maya Banks? Of course you do!! Simply put your information in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win.  If you are not a lucky winner, please pick up "Keep Me Safe," at your local bookstore.

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Special Thanks to Ms. Banks for taking the time for an email interview and to Ms. Banks' publicist for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

10 Things About Amanda Cerreto and Fall From Grace

I have a very special 10 Things post for you today! Rather than the typical list, I'm going to give you 5 things I loved about the book and 5 things you should know about the author.

Amanda Cerreto and I met in grad school in, of all things, a creative writing workshop class. Our shared love of books, young adult, and writing quickly made us friends and I was thrilled to hear that she was publishing a book this year!

Since I had the inside scoop, I asked Amanda a few questions, which she was happy to answer:


1. If you had to tweet a summary of your book, what would it be?

Part mystery, part love story, and part paranormal, Fall From Grace will keep you guessing and appeal to all ages!

2. Where did you get the idea for Fall From Grace?

Shortly after graduating college, I was lying awake in the middle of the night and the idea of Jack just popped into my head. I grabbed my laptop and wrote the prologue, and then from there I began writing different scenes. Once the idea started to shape, I added scenes from Grace's POV and it kind of snowballed from there!

Originally, I never had the idea to create a paranormal element to the book. I was innocently writing the car-crash scene from Jack's perspective, and it just worked its way in. Then, of course, I had to re-write half of the book, but it took on a mind of its own and wouldn't be denied!

3. Can you talk a little bit about your publishing journey?

It took nearly two full years to write, edit, and workshop Fall From Grace. I queried agents left and right, and in return received about thirty standard form letters. I took a breather, edited some more, and tried again, this time expanding to small independent presses. Twenty queries and six manuscript requests later, I had some personalized rejections and four somewhat promising letters, all saying the same things: "We would take this on and publish it if the market were not so saturated with this genre."

I thought that was the end of it, but I found myself unable to stop thinking about my story. I wanted people to read it, even if it couldn't be done through the traditional route. As a result, I spent many months researching self-publishing and decided to give it a go. It was a huge learning process, and at times incredibly tedious. However, it was great to have creative control over the entire process.

4. What author or book do you think has had the greatest impact on you?
This is a tricky one, because there are so many great books and great authors out there. If I had to pick one that had the greatest impact on me, I would have to pick L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. I first read it in elementary school, and recently re-purchased the entire series because the books I had growing up were so worn out. Anne was such a great role model for young girls: she was fiery and self-assured, she owned up to her mistakes, and her dramatic flair was amusing and relatable. It's a book (and a series) that can be re-read over and over, and it has impacted me differently depending on what stage of my life I was in. Now that I'm closer to getting married to my own high-school sweetheart, it will be interesting to see how I read the series now!

Rebecca T here - I love that you picked L.M. Montgomery! She's my favorite author and I agree with so many things you said here. So, there you have it - if you haven't read the Anne books (or any of Montgomery's others) you have two strong recommendations on something to read after you finish Fall From Grace.

5. What is your favorite dessert?

Brownies, for sure! I do not have a very sophisticated palate; my food preferences generally match up with a 7 year-old :)

Another great choice! You can see why we're friends. We could just sit around eating brownies and reading Anne of Green Gables all day.

Thanks Amanda! It was great to hear a little more about the book and you. If you want to follow Amanda, you can find her author page on Facebook and she'll be adding more to her author website soon.

Now it's time for my list of 5 things I loved about Fall From Grace:

1. The alternating viewpoints. Okay, so I think I have pulled this out every time I review a book that does this, but it can be hard to pull off while still telling the story that needs to be told and Amanda does a great job of using Jack and Grace to move the story forward and give us information and keep certain things hidden when necessary.

2. The unraveling of the situation. The basic premise was pretty clear to me from the beginning, but there were enough twists and turns and slow revelations to keep me intrigued throughout the whole book. Even though I thought I knew what was going to happen, Amanda really did keep me guessing until it was all revealed.

3. Jack. I really liked the twist on angels and guardian angels with Jack. I won't spoil anything, but I really liked the way Jack's character, in particular, developed and the way Amanda crafted her mythology.

4. Grace. She's a strong female character who is dealing with a horrible situation - her two best friends died in a car crash while she was driving and she is the only one who survived. The anger of her classmates, and the indifference of her parents really could have crushed her, but she pushes forward, holding onto strands of hope and works really hard not to let bitterness and anger overtake her completely.

5. The ending. I really liked the way that it ended. It was a hard ending to pull off satisfactorily, but I think Amanda nailed it.

So if you want to read Fall From Grace you can get it from Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million or check out the posting on GoodReads.

An interview with author Michelle Zink

Back in 2009 the Borders Staff had the privilege of meeting author Michelle Zink.  Her first book The Prophecy of the Sisters was about to launch and she wanted to use our bookstore for her launch party.  As the Assistant Manager it was my job to make sure the event went off without a hitch.  What I didn't realize was that I would end up becoming friends with her.  She became a huge part of our Borders family.  She again came to our store for the release of The Guardian of the Gate.  We had an event set up for the final book in the Prophecy series when the bad news came down that we were liquidating.  

I actually found out Borders was closing from her twitter feed, which was devastating to me.  She came to support us during our last week of business, bringing us goodies to cheer us up. Michelle is truly a special member of the Borders family and we try to do what we can to support her as an author and a friend.  I miss talking shop with her like we used to.  We would stand in the middle of the Young Adult section and just talk about what authors were doing well and what wasn't.  

Part of this interview was supposed to be published back in April 2012, but unfortunately due to issues on both ends (including the early birth of my daughter) it never got done.

So here is our interview with Michelle.  and when you're done reading this, make sure to enter our giveaway for her latest book This Wicked Game.  

1) Alan: If someone (let’s just say it’s a middle aged man who reads a lot of mystery/thrillers and suspense - not that I can think of anyone like that off the top of my head) asked you to recommend one of your own books, which one would you pick, and why? 

Lol. ;) Right now I'd probably suggest starting with Prophecy of the Sisters. It's very much a classical fantasy/mystery in the vein of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, with a paranormal twist, and the next two books, Guardian of the Gate and Circle of Fire, have a quest-type element a la Lord of the Rings. That said, I have a couple of thrillers in the works that haven't been announced yet. 

2) Claire: Could you explain the process you go through while writing a book?

Drafting is such an organic process for me that it's hard to quantify, but let me see if I can try. Once I have an idea, I start by fleshing out the main character -- their motivation, appearance, psychology, etc. After that I look at the inciting incident and surrounding events, which helps me figure out where the book should be begin. In YA especially, you really don't have the luxury of a big build up. I try to start my books as close to the inciting incident as possible to draw the reader in quickly. Once I have all of that nailed, I move onto supporting characters, major plot points, and themes, if any (sometimes a theme doesn't reveal itself to me until I begin writing). The last thing I do before I begin drafting is create a Sequence of Events. This is a list of big things that must happen to get me from the beginning of the book to the end (I often have the last line in my mind before I even start writing). The sequence of events has been transformative. By allowing me to see all the big things that must happen, the book kind of reveals itself as I figure out how to get as expeditiously as possible from one major thing to the next. 

3) Claire: Where do your ideas come from and how exactly do you turn them into stories?

Now THAT is organic. I get ideas everywhere, nearly everyday. They can come from movies, stories in the newspaper, things I see my teenagers go through, memories of my own adolescence, and sometimes out of thin air. 

4) Claire: What is next on your agenda?

I have a book/TV option with ABC that I can't talk about, two new books coming out with HarperCollins (2015 and 2016), an adult book in process, and several YA ideas that I'm toying with. I've also been lucky enough to have some out-of-the-box opportunities, like writing for app companies and working on companion novels or "punch ups" of book/TV tie ins (a punch up is where one person writes a book or script and another is hired to make it better, or "punch it up"). I'd love to write literary fiction for adults, but right now I'm focusing on the projects in front of me. I'm also toying with the idea of trying my hand at self-publishing and/or writing more semi-erotic fiction (as in my Shadowguard novella series). Sorry you asked yet? :)

5) Jenn N: After reading your biography I noticed that you started writing later in life. What gave you the courage to pursue a new, challenging career and what advice can you give to other 30 somethings wishing they weren’t stuck behind a desk all day?

I've always been a writer, I just lost my way trying to make a living. Lol. First and foremost, determine if there's any way you can give yourself more time to pursue your goal. Can you downsize your lifestyle at all? Live less expensively so that you might work a less demanding job? I sold my house in California and moved my family to an inexpensive rural town, then sold antiques online to make a living while I wrote. It was terrifying but I was very determined not to spend my life doing something I didn't enjoy. That might not be possible for everyone, but in almost every case, compromises CAN be made to make more time an achievable goal. If that's not possible, create a schedule that sets aside time for your goal every single day. I live and die by mine, and I always have. Back when my kids were small and I had to sell antiques to make a living (which involved spending a lot of time at auctions, taking pictures, listing stuff, packing stuff, etc.), I wrote every night from 9pm to 3am. I gave up TV in 2006 when I was revising Prophecy of the Sisters, because I was determined to become published and just couldn't justify the time away from achieving my goal ( I wrote five books in two and a half years that way. Prophecy was the fifth). Even if you're working a day job, you can build in an hour for yourself every day. That hour should be sacred -- no TV, no social networking, no email. Just focus on doing something to meet your goal for on hour (or however much time you can eek out) a day. With writing, you can write 1,000 words an hour once you get in the habit. That's a book every 2-3 months working one hour a day. Lastly, don't let anyone tell you it isn't possible. It is never too late to reinvent yourself.

6) Rebecca: I know your kids are pretty involved in promoting and such. I was wondering how much they are involved and what they think about having a mom who writes young adult. Also how does having teenagers in the house impact your writing. Do you draw inspiration from them and their friends?

My older two kids are in college now, and they're very busy with their own projects (art and writing respectively). My younger two are less interested (one of them is a political junkie and the other an aspiring filmmaker). Plus, I think the novelty of having an author for a mom has worn off in the face of the not-very-glamourous reality (deadlines, work in your pajamas, mass quantities of caffeine and candy, etc.). They absolutely inspire my writing, even if it's just a seed from something that happens to them or something I hear them talking about. I try to be careful not to pilfer directly, but I do gain inspiration by being around young people so much, and I find that I have more New Adult ideas now that my older two are in college. 

7) Jessica P: Which of your books is your favorite?

The Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy is really the story of my heart. It has the most of me in it, and it's the book that changed my life. 

Jessica P: Do any of your books stand out as being easy or hard to write?

Alice in Prophecy of the Sisters and Raum in A Temptation of Angeles were both challenging. I don't like to create cookie-cutter villains, so I really worked to make them nuanced and human and three-dimensional. One of the things I'm most proud of is Alice winning Best Villain against Lord Voldemort in the Teen Reads Awards, not just because of the award, but because even as people were truly afraid of her, I received emails almost daily from readers who said they felt sorry for her. I consider that a writing win. 

9) Jessica P: Which character from your books would you invite to dinner, and why?

There is a very mysterious character in my upcoming 2015 book with whom I'd love to chat. ;)

10) Jessica P: Are there any authors out there who inspired your writing at all?

So many! Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Janet Fitch, Margaret Atwood, Michael Koryta, Sarah Waters, Lois Duncan. The list goes on! 

11)  What is your favorite tv show?

Six Feet Under will forever and always have my heart.

12)  What type of movie do you like to watch?

We're movie fanatics! I like movies that do something different, which makes Indies a favorite. Lately I've loved Beasts of the Southern Wild, Cloud Atlas, Prisoners, The Master, Twelve Years a Slave. I'm also a sucker for a good inspirational film or tear jerker (Invictus, The Blind Side) and enjoy the occasional smart comedy. 

13) Do you ever get influenced by music while you are writing?

All the time! I purposefully choose film scores that mimic the atmosphere I want in the book I'm writing. They become the "soundtrack" of that novel, and it really helps me stay true to my original vision for the book. 

14) What would be your perfect last meal?

Some kind of mexican food. 

15)  Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Plenty! I love the occasional trashy erotic romance (Black Dagger Brotherhood anyone?), HGTV while I wrap Christmas presents with my girls, A "fruit salad" that my grandmother used to make in the midwest that is little more than apples, oranges, bananas, walnuts and mayonnaise (don't judge!), and probably worst of all, Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos. ;) 

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34 Pieces and 5 Questions

Carmen Rodrigues' second novel, "34 Pieces of You," was released yesterday and it's a real page turner that is hard to put down.

The YA novel is told from the perspectives of teenaged friends Jake, Jessie, and Sarah as they deal with the aftermath of Jake's sister Ellie's sudden death.  Shortly after Ellie's death, Jessie finds a box of full of 34 little notes under Ellie's bed that slowly reveal the circumstances behind Ellie's death.  Did Ellie die of an accidental overdose, a deliberate suicide or something in between?  Jake, Jessie and Sarah each harbor secrets about each other and Ellie that they all believe may have lead to Ellie's death.  As the trio tries to put the pieces of Ellie's tragically short life together, they in turn learn to put the pieces of their lives together as well.

Sometimes novels told from varying perspectives can be confusing or add little to the story other than being a creative plot device.  Fortunately,  "34 Pieces of You," is not one of those stories.  Jake, Sarah, and Jessie's voices were distinct and well developed.  Rodrigues' technique of putting you into each of their heads separately gave you a clearer vision of their personal grief and struggles as well as showcasing Ellie's multi-faceted personality.  Without giving too much away of the plot, as the secrets drive the story, this novel dealt with a lot of heavy topics such as suicide, addiction, and sexual abuse.  While that might sound quite grim and the novel doesn't have a bright happy ending, the novel does come to a satisfactory conclusion that promises hope.  If you enjoy books about social issues with great character development, I highly recommend "34 Pieces of You." 

I met the Carmen Rodrigues at Book Expo America, where I received the review copy of this novel, and she was kind enough to answer a few questions via email. 

Carmen Rodrigues

1. What inspired you to write 34 Pieces of You?
It began as a game of "what if." I asked myself, what if two friends overdosed--accidental or not--and only one survived. What would happen then?

Having grown up in a neighborhood where I closely observed a few toxic friendships, I felt like this starting point, set within the claustrophobic confines of a closely-knit neighborhood, would lead to an interesting exploration of human behavior--the ways in which we  influence and alter each other for better and worse.

2. "34 Pieces of You" is a dark but deeply moving novel, what message do you hope your readers take away from it?
I think it's a book that asks you to be more compassionate to those around you; to not run away from the hard moments in relationships, because those are the moments that, if you fight through them, can lead you to a place of greater truth and understanding towards yourself and each other; and that secrets, especially the darkest ones, need to be shared, because that's the only way to fully let them go, to heal.


3. Could you briefly summarize your writing process (from idea to finished project).
Gosh, it's pretty organic. Initially, I come up with a premise, and then I try to get a first draft down. This first draft took about a year. That's because I let the characters take me where they wanted to go, which means I didn't really plot this out. Then, I revise a thousand times and get several readers to weigh in and I revise some more. That's the point where the editor or agent gets involved. More revision, questioning, double-checking experiences that I don't know firsthand-- in this book, the cutting--and more revision. Finally, someone pulls the book out of my hands and I, reluctantly, declare it done.

4.  What are you working on next?
I'm working on a novel called CARRY YOU WITH ME. It's about love, family, and astronomy.  It'll come out in 2014 from Simon Pulse.

5.  What do you like to do in your spare time?
So much! I just moved to L.A., so I'm really into hiking. There is a great, relatively easy hike up to Griffith Planetarium which is becoming a favorite. I also go through stages where instead of writing, I want to read new books and watch new movies. Great works inspire me to become better at my craft.

For more about Carmen Rodrigues, and her novels, visit her website, carmenrodrigues.com and look for "34 Pieces of You," at bookstores everywhere.

Also note that I received no financial compensation for this review or interview.  I just love to promote great reads!

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

One of the highlights of Book Expo America was having the opportunity to meet Jennifer Weiner, best-selling author of hits such as "Good in Bed," "In Her Shoes," and the book I received from her at BEA, "Then Came You."  Jen gave a hilarious and motivating speech at the Blogger Con prior to BEA.  You can read the transcript of this speech on her blog.  She enthusiastically hyped her new novel, "The Next Best Thing," which will be released on Tuesday, July 3.  I was fortunate enough to be able to receive an advance copy of the novel and I read through it at a rapid pace; it was hard to put down.  "The Next Best Thing," is perhaps thee best thing Ms. Weiner has written.

"The Next Best Thing," follows Ruth Saunders, an aspiring 28 year-old writer who lives in Los Angeles with her grandmother.  Ruth's parents were killed in a car accident when she was just a little girl.  Ruth survived but suffered severe facial scars that impact her self esteem.  However, Ruth is determined to realize her childhood dream of writing and producing a sitcom as warm and funny as the ones she grew up with.  When her dreams are realized and she gets produce her show, "The Next Big Thing," she soon discovers it's not as dreamy as she thought when meddling executives, temperamental actresses, and budgets threaten her creative vision.  On top of that she is trying to cope with her grandmother's engagement and her unrequited crush on her adorable boss, Dave.

I loved this novel.  I've always wanted to be a screenwriter.  I went to college with dreams of being a writer/producer.  I've got tons of ideas and scripts that never went anywhere so it was exciting to read a story about a girl who gets to live that dream.  While Ruth's experiences prove that it isn't quite as wonderful as you'd imagine, she was so motivated that it made me motivated. I also enjoyed Ruth's grandmother's Hollywood experiences as an extra and her relationship with Maurice.  It was so refreshing to read about a 70 year-old who still lives boldly. It was also interesting to read about Ruth's (seemingly) unrequited love Dave.  His paralysis didn't get in the way of his dreams either.  While this novel is full of heart, it doesn't shy away from criticizing Hollywood's quirks.  Ms. Weiner was the co-creator and co-executive producer of the short lived ABCFamily sitcom, "State of Georgia,"  so she certainly has first-hand experience of the tribulations a showrunner would face.

I encourage everyone to read "The Next Best Thing."  You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll stay up all night reading it!  You can read a sample of the novel, here, where you'll also find a list of all the places where you can pre-order it.

What's the next best thing to a sit-down interview?  An email interview, of course.  I recently had the opportunity to interview Ms. Weiner via email for a brief chat about the novel, writing, and The Bachelorette.

You said on Twitter that “not a lot” of “The Next Big Thing” was related to your “State of Georgia” experience.  Could you share a situation that was?

For an episode about the girls falling for a pair of grow-your-own-everything urban farmers, we had to cast a goat. Easy, right? Except the goats had head shots. And resumes. And reels. Eventually, I just went with the grand Hollywood tradition of hiring the skinniest one...but that was too funny not to use in the book.

I loved the relationship between Ruth and her grandmother.  Was this relationship inspired by your own life and if yes, how so?

My Nanna -- God love her, she's 95 and totally with it – and I are very close. We didn't grow up living near each other, but she's very much a part of my life, and my daughters' lives, so I used a lot of her character as inspiration for Grandma Rae.

How did you research the experiences of someone who uses a wheelchair like Dave?

Priscilla Hedlin, who blogs as Wheelchair Mommy, was nice enough to read an early version of THE NEXT BEST THING and tell me what I got wrong and right.  

Ruth is a huge fan of “The Golden Girls,” and classic 80’s sitcoms.  What were some of your favorite shows as a child?

I wasn't allowed to watch TV as a kid! My parents were very strict, so it was PBS and maybe, if we were lucky, some Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. But when I was old enough to watch on my own, I loved "The Golden Girls," and the friendship among the four women, and the notion that you could build your own family -- find people you love and make a life with them.

You have a lot of advice on your website for people interested in getting their novels published.  I’m 30 and have been writing screenplays as a hobby for over a decade.  Do you have any advice for budding screenwriters? 

Not so much...I'll have to think of some, and add it to my website. I don't know that I'd recommend my path -- move to Philadelphia, write novels until someone notices them -- to other wannabe screenwriters. You kind of have to move out there to make it happen. 

Could you briefly describe your writing process from idea to finished project?

I come up with a character -- a voice in my head, an idea of who this woman is, where is and where she's going. Then I'll outline, start writing, veer wildly from outline, rewrite, and have a draft after about six months. My agent will give me notes, I'll rewrite, then give it back, then she'll give me more notes, and I'll rewrite again. Same thing happens with my editor...and then we're done, about 10 months from the start! 

You’ve written two novels about Cannie Shapiro.  Do you have any plans for new stories about characters from your other novels?

Not at the moment, but we'll have to wait and see. 

You’ve been very vocal in your criticism of The New York Times for not giving fair recognition to female writers.  What books by female writers, besides your own of course, are you most excited about lately?

I just posted a summer reading list on my blog, with lots and lots of great female authors: http://jenniferweiner.blogspot.com/2012/06/first-can-i-kvell-there-is-amazing.html.  

How do you find time to write, blog, tweet, promote your work, and raise a family?

LOTS of help. Seriously. Tons. I have an assistant and a sitter who both work eight-hour days, and in the summer my sister and my mom pitch in, and my daughters go to camp, so I have part of my days free for writing.  I worry sometimes that my daughters will remember me as faceless-woman-behind-computer...but I hope they'll see me as someone who found work she loves, and was able to make a living doing it. Which, of course, is what I want for them -- to find work that fulfills them, so they're happy to get out of bed and go to work, every day. 

As someone who live-tweets for the Bachelor/Bachelorette, who’d you like to see Emily up with this season?

I think she's got some good chemistry with Arie, but Jef-with-one-F cracks me up. I have a hard time seeing them together, long-term, but he's good viewing.  

If you'd like the opportunity to meet Ms. Weiner and ask her some questions of your own, head on over to her blog for details on how you can win such an opportunity.  Or, you could attend one of her signings.

Happy Reading !

Note: I received no financial compensation for this review or interview.  I just love to promote great books.  Special thanks to Jennifer Weiner for participating in my email interview and her publicist for sending me an advanced copy of "The Next Best Thing."