Lisa Becker is the author of the chick lit Click series, which includes Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click, and Right Click. Lisa was here in January 2013, when she braved my 20 Questions and shared an excerpt from book one. In April 2013, not only did she sit down for an interview with me, she also shared a talk she had with her main character Shelley Manning, and she brought an excerpt from Double Click. I'm happy to have Lisa back today with the third and final installment of the Click series.
About the book:
Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."
Click: An Online Love Story Book Trailer
Interview with Lisa Becker
Lisa, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I remember writing short stories and poems as a little girl and always told myself I would write a book someday. So, it was incredibly gratifying to see a “bucket list” item/dream come true when Click: An Online Love Story came out in 2011. The feedback has been tremendous, so much so, that I’ve turned it into a trilogy which includes Double Click, released in 2013, and Right Click, which just came out in May 2014.
What’s the story behind the title of your books?
I liked the double meaning of click – both “clicking” a mouse while using a computer for online dating and “clicking” or making a special connection with someone.
Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m fortunate to have had a series of wonderful careers outside of writing including being a wife, mom, PR professional, college professor, community volunteer and Girl Scout troop leader. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment around here.
How did you create the plot for this book?
My husband and I met online on a popular dating website. After we married, I was recalling some of the hilarious experiences that I had with both traditional and online dating. I decided to capture some of them in writing and from there, a novel emerged. The books are loosely based on my real-life dating experiences, as well as stories friends have shared with me. In some cases, things are written as they actually occurred. Other scenarios are exaggerated for entertainment value or comedic affect. And some scenarios are completely fictionalized. I really did go out on a date with someone I met online who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking last night.” The ultimate goal was to create a fun read for anyone who has ever had a bad date, been in love, been dumped, or is searching for "the one." But, the happy ending is real. Steve and I have been happily married for more than 10 years and have two amazing daughters - ages 9 and 7.
Which character did you most enjoy writing? Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
I most readily identify with Renee. She and I share a lot of qualities including a self-depreciating sense of humor, fear of flying, motivation in our PR careers and love of baking. Mark is loosely based on a friend who encouraged me to try online dating. He’s a terrific guy who is still himself searching for “the one.” So if you know any nice single girls, let me know. But my favorite character is Shelley. She’s confident, brash, outrageous and wholly unapologetic for her choices. She was so fun to write. Her hilarious habit of giving nicknames to her “man du jour” was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who had a nickname for a guy in college that she admired from across the dorm cafeteria. She called him Maverick because he looked like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Much like Shelley, she is a self-confident, gorgeous, lovely gal and it wasn't long before they met and dated for a spell.
What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I just finished the independently-published book Ripple by L.D. Cedergreen. She is a friend, and her son goes to school with my daughter. It’s a wonderful love story about difficult choices and the consequences they create.
Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I sit in my home office at an HP desktop computer with a really big screen. My eyes grow tired pretty easily in my old age;) And I like to write with the television on in the background. When I first started writing, I was obsessed with Law & Order reruns. Now, I can’t seem to get enough of NCIS. I guess there’s a part of me that likes to see justice served.
If you were leaving the country for a year, what’s the last meal (or food) you would want to have before leaving?
I’ve had this question before and honestly, if I could only have three foods for the rest of my life, I’m confident I could survive on macaroni & cheese, carrot sticks and chocolate pudding.
Why did you decide to self-publish? Are you happy with your decision?
Don’t write off (HA! Like the pun?!?) self-publishing. I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute, and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. Self-publishing is a way to get your work out there.
I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me: "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“So shines a good deed in a weary world.” -Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
What’s your favorite candy bar?
I’ve been known to hide candy bars all over the house and my office, so I’ve been known to sneak a Snickers or two among others.
Snickers with almonds? They're the best! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I live in a part of Los Angeles County called Manhattan Beach, less than two miles from the ocean. I love walking along the strand, looking out over the ocean, searching for dolphins and playing in the sand with my girls.
What are you working on now?
Like most everyone else in Los Angeles, I’ve decided to try my hand at screenwriting. I’m nearly finished with my first script called Clutch. It’s a light romantic comedy about a young single handbag designer in Los Angeles who has a series of relationships that she equates to different style handbags, searching for “the one” she wants to hold onto or “clutch.” I hope it is coming to a theatre near you soon.
More about the Click Series
Click: An Online Love Story-Fast approaching her 30th
birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a
prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click:
An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to
find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds entirely through
emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the
overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the
gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story
with "My buddies and I were out drinking one night," to the egotistical
“B” celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee wades into
the shallow end of the dating (cess)pool and endures her share of
hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and
inadvertent Reply to All's, readers will cheer, laugh, cry and cringe
following the email exploits of Renee and friends. And ultimately, they
will root for Renee to "click" with the right man.
Double Click - Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley,
Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six
months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a
date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will
Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a
marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.
About the author:
Lisa Becker had endured her share of hilarious
and heinous cyber dates, many of which inspired Click: An Online Love
Story, Double Click, and Right Click. She is now happily married to a
wonderful man she met online and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and
their two daughters. So, if it happened for her, there’s hope for you! Connect with Lisa: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Sophie Whelan is the epitome of the modern superwoman. When she operates at peak performance, she can cajole balky employees, soothe her cranky children, troubleshoot career disasters, throw a dinner party for ten and draft an upbeat Christmas letter — all in the same day.
But as Sophie’s fortieth birthday looms, her seamless life reveals disturbing web-like fractures. Conflict with her boss, blossoming jealousy of her husband’s femme fatale business partner and her feelings of hopeless inadequacy as a mother and daughter are cracking the edifice of her life.
Rescue may be at hand when Lillian Parker, a wealthy widow who befriended Sophie during her university days, makes Sophie an irresistible offer. Why, then, does Sophie hesitate? The answer is the reappearance of Lillian’s nephew, Will Shannon, the great unresolved love of Sophie’s life. As she remembers the vivid drama of their college romance, Sophie confronts the choices she has made in life and in love and looks for the one answer that has always eluded her: what does she really want?
The Hole in the Middle is a heartbreaking love story, a laugh-out loud portrayal of the twin demands of work and family and a fresh take on the hot debate about having it all.
Interview with Kate Hilton
How long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I’ve always had jobs that required me to write. But I didn’t start writing creatively until three years ago, when I realized that I was heading towards my 40th birthday and I needed to get moving if I wanted to write that novel!
How would you describe The Hole in the Middle in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)
Modern superwoman has midlife crisis. Contemplates road not taken. Seriously funny, and just the right amount of sad.
Perfect! Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?
I always write with an outline. I’m a lawyer by training, so I’m a fan of structure.
Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Lillian Parker. I absolutely love her. People often ask me if she’s based on a real person in my life. I wish she were. She’s who I’d like to be when I grow up.
Who are your favorite authors?
I have so many, for so many different reasons. To name just a few: L.M. Montgomery, Lionel Shriver, Jane Austen, Jonathan Franzen, A.S. Byatt, Nora Ephron, Nick Hornby, Kate Atkinson, Helen Fielding and Allison Pearson.
Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
My husband and I bought an old house that had been broken up into apartments and I took over one of the many kitchens for my office. I ripped out all of the cabinets and appliances and painted it white except for two walls, which are hot pink. It’s a funky, feminine space that is my refuge in a house full of boys. I prefer to write in the morning, which is when I think I do my best work, but I’ll take any quiet block of time I can find.
What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow." Alice Mackenzie Swaim
I love that! If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I think I’d live where I live now, which is in Toronto. It’s an amazing, multicultural city with fantastic food and a rich cultural scene. Plus all of my friends and family are here. But I’d have a second house in Italy. And maybe a third in Turks and Caicos to get away from the Canadian winters.
Excerpt from The Hole in the Middle
I show up at Sara’s house around eight, and book club is in full swing. I’ve come straight from the office, and my prescription is still in my purse. I’d say that I haven’t had time to fill it, but even I know that for once, lack of time isn’t the issue.
I ring the bell. Zoe answers and steps out onto the porch with me for a moment. “I was hoping it was you,” she says. “I’m not ready to tell anyone else about what’s going on with Richard, OK?” She gestures toward the house, where the rest of the book club is waiting.
“Of course,” I say. And in any event, I feel a little fuzzy on the details of Zoe’s marital crisis. Lunch feels as though it happened a week and not six hours ago.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
She shrugs. “It helped to see you at lunch,” she says. “But I think this is one of those situations where it’s going to keep feeling worse until something big changes. I’m just not ready to think about what the something big is.” I give her a hug, and we go in. “Look everyone,” she calls. “It’s a special guest appearance by Sophie!” She drags me into the living room, where the rest of the book club bursts into enthusiastic applause.
“I haven’t read the book,” I say.
“Don’t be silly,” says Laura. “No one ever reads the book.”
“I do,” says Sara pointedly. “And it would be great if we could make a tiny effort to talk about it once in a while, even for five minutes. Hi, Soph.” She pauses. “What did you do to your arm?”
“I sprained my wrist,” I say. “It’s nothing.”
“What was the book again?” asks Laura.
Sara raises an eyebrow. “Are you really interested, or are you just trying to humor me?”
Laura laughs. “Was it good?”
“Not especially,” says Sara. “We can stop talking about it now. What’s Megan going on about?”
Like Sara, Megan is one of my old friends from the student newspaper, and I’ve caught her in mid-rant. Nora is leaning back slightly to avoid Megan’s violent gesticulations, which are, as usual, aimed at hapless, absent Bob: “And then he looks into the stroller and says, ‘I’m starting to get to the point where I remember that he’s around. Do you know what I mean?’ And I think, ‘What kind of fucking question is that? It’s kind of hard for me to forget that our baby is around when he’s hanging off my tit 24/7, but I guess you don’t have that problem, do you Bob?’ Honestly! I just looked at him and said ‘I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.’”
Megan takes a breath, looks around, and realizes that she is the main attraction. “Hi, Sophie,” she says. “Good to see you.”
I wave. “Still married?”
Megan snorts. “Barely,” she says, but she smiles a little before turning back to Nora to continue itemizing Bob’s shortcomings as a husband and father.
“What can I get you to drink?” asks Zoe. “Prosecco?” I nod, and she disappears into the kitchen. I sit down next to Sara.
“How have you been?” she asks.
“Bad day to ask,” I say. “I’d say I’ve been stressed to the point of hysteria, while at the same time struggling to find enough meaning in my work to justify my level of anxiety. I mean, shouldn’t you have to care about a job to get this worked up about it?”
“Of course not!” Zoe reappears with my glass and plops down on the sofa with us. “Do you remember the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel are working on an assembly line at a chocolate factory? No? You know the scene in Pretty Woman where Richard Gere takes Julia Roberts up to the penthouse for the first time, and they have a fight, and then they make up, and then they stay up late watching TV?”
“Oh, yeah,” says Sara. “Right before she gives him the blow job.”
“Exactly. That moment where you think, am I really supposed to be rooting for these two to get together in the end?”
“Totally.” Megan and Nora have finished with Bob and rejoin the group. “But they aren’t watching the chocolate factory episode,” Megan says. “They’re watching the wine-making one, where Lucy runs around in a giant barrel and throws grapes at everyone.”
Zoe rolls her eyes. “The point I’m making,” she says, with the deliberate enunciation of a woman who has had too much Prosecco, “is that the chocolate factory is a perfect example of a job that is both stressful and meaningless. The chocolate starts coming faster and faster and they can’t wrap it quickly enough, and by the end they are stuffing the chocolates down their shirts and in their mouths and looking completely panic-stricken, but to no real end.”
“And this relates to Sophie’s job how?” asks Laura.
Zoe waves her hand vaguely. “Email, voicemail, staff meetings – the whole tedious routine is a modern-day, white-collar version of the conveyor belt.”
“Well, that’s a pretty bleak assessment,” I say.
“Only if you plan to be stuck beside the conveyor belt for the rest of your life,” says Zoe. “But since you don’t actually work in a chocolate factory, you have a few options. And if you would admit that you are having a midlife crisis, you could start looking at ways to change it up.”
“I’m not having a midlife crisis,” I say.
Laura laughs. “Everyone’s having a midlife crisis, Sophie,” she says. “You might as well join the club.”
About the author:
Kate Hilton has worked in law, higher education,
public relations, fundraising and publishing. She has an English
degree from McGill University and a law degree from the University of
Toronto. She holds down a day job, volunteers for community
organizations, raises two boys, cooks, collects art, reads voraciously
and likes her husband. In her free time, she writes. On good days, she
thinks she might have it all. On bad days, she wants a nap.
The Hole
in the Middle is Kate’s first book. Kate is represented by Beverley
Slopen of the Beverley Slopen Literary Agency in Toronto.
Erin Cawood is here today with Chick Lit Blog Tours to give us a peek at her contemporary women's fiction novel, Tainted Love. And don't miss the Giveaway at the end of the post.
About the book:
Is it possible for a heart to survive twenty five years of abuse on the most intimate level?
For
anyone in a relationship, the words 'we need to talk' can only mean one
thing. In the last twenty-two years, the McKenzies have been through
it, survived it, learned by it, and grown stronger from it, because life
didn't stop for breath when they needed it. Amongst the tears and the
tragedies, the hopes and happiness, they've built something amazing: a
happy family, a luxury lifestyle and a booming empire. Don't they
deserve to have it all?
But for the perfect wife, those four
sinister words mean something entirely different. They're a summons into
a private world where what happens behind closed doors stays behind
closed doors.
Faith has no doubt in Calvin's undying love for
her. It's what kept her sane in the darkest hours. If only she could
figure out what it is she does wrong...because it's rapidly becoming
apparent their tainted love is running out of time.
Tainted Love is an intimate look at a side of marriage many people never see.
Excerpt from Tainted Love
I still remember that day like it was just this morning. The aroma of fresh bread and sandwich meat in the air. I still hear the sounds of senior boys laughing with junior high school girls as they learned flirting and practiced flicking their hair. You were all so patient with Georgia and her friends, even though you were six years older.
I remember telling you to stay out in the front, stay off the drive and to stay out of the workmen’s way. It was the year we had a super hot summer and Cal decided we needed a pool. It was the same year we bought Caleb his new bike. It was black with racing car red flames at the wheels and he loved it. He had just turned nine and really started to spread his little wings. It was getting to the point where I’d only see you guys when you were hungry.
Caleb had taken off on his bike to James’ house early that morning. You and Georgia were out front with your friends, and I was in the kitchen feeding what seemed like thousands of kids when it happened — the screech of tires, then a crash and a bang.
Then all I heard was screaming. My heart stopped. I flew out the door. Everyone was running in one direction. But not me. I froze at the porch. My eyes scanned the street. Where were you? I was looking for the most important three kids. No, two, because Caleb wasn’t there.
So far, I could only see Georgia. I saw the tears were pouring from her eyes. My heart dropped into my stomach. The fear, it lodged in my throat like a ball. “Darryl!”
I shot to the edge of the garden. The street was a war zone of twisted metal and tilting poles. Streets lights were held up by cables and solider like old oak trees.
“Someone call 911!” I yelled and pushed my way through the crowd. I dreaded what I’d find there. Some combination of you mangled with a car.
“Darryl!” I yelled again as I burst through the front line. I felt sweet relief. You were crouched by the rear of that blue sedan. You were perfectly fine. My heart started beating again. That’s when I saw the red flames. They were underneath the car’s back wheel.
“Oh, God.” There was no blood thumping through my eardrums. There was nothing else in the world at all. Just those red flames and that car tire. I think that’s when I sunk to the ground. “Oh, God, no.” It wasn’t happening. My baby. Caleb. My little man. “No.”
“It’s really uncomfortable D, but I’m really okay.”
His voice was sweet music to my ears. I just sat back on my heels for a second and took a deep breath. He was awake, he was talking, and he said he was okay.
“I know, buddy,” you said. “But it’s just until the EMT gets here. They need to say you’re okay, and then you can get up.”
The bike’s front wheel was under one wheel but the rest of the bike lay untouched underneath the vehicle and Caleb’s legs were still straddled around the frame. I sent prayers of thanks to the man above, because considering the street and how lucky Caleb had been, someone had performed one hell of a miracle.
“Hey, little man.” My voice was shaking as I crawled towards you. “Darryl, can you update Georgia and call Cal?” You nodded and went to move. “Then come back.” You met my eyes. I think you knew Caleb wanted you there. “Little man, I need to check your heart rate, okay?” Caleb nodded. I reached for his wrist and found his pulse, then looked at the seconds on my watch. I trembled inside and my own heart rate hadn’t stopped racing and I had to recount twice. “I think it’s okay.” I couldn’t be sure. My head was second guessing what I recalled from a lifetime ago. “Do you hurt anywhere?”
“I think I grazed my knee.”
“Oh.” That couldn’t be all. He was virtually trapped under a car! “Can you live with that?” I asked as you returned to my side. “Or do we need to chop it off?”
He giggled and shook his head. The laughter came to an abrupt stop. He looked at his tee. “Is that blood?”
I stared at the dark mark on his white t-shirt. It didn’t look like blood to me.
“No, buddy,” you said. “It’s oil.”
“What’s it doing on my shirt?”
I’m so glad you were there. My eyes were too focused on finding where it had come from to reply. But your attention was only on keeping Caleb calm. You simply said, “Didn’t your Mom and Dad tell you? You’re a robot.”
“Wicked!”
About the author:
Erin Cawood is a commercial women’s fiction author, with a taste for
dramatic storylines and a passion for strong lead characters she really
gets behind, cheering on right to the very end of their story. Her
focus? Taking romance into the darker, edgier side of contemporary
fiction.
Erin lives in Leeds, UK, with her partner of thirteen years and
their fourteen-year-old cat. She spends her days somewhere between the
fiction world and the student world. Fascinated by web design and digital
communication, Erin is studying a BA (hons) in New Media at the
University of Leeds. Before returning to full time education two years
ago, Erin worked at a theme park, a convenience store, a public
house/restaurant both in the kitchen and waitressing, as an insurance
agent and currently works part time in a customer contact
centre.
Karen Frankola is here as part of her Chick Lit Plus blog tour for her novel, Appetites. In addition to answering some of my questions about writing, Karen treats us to a book excerpt and a guest post. Everyone who leaves a comment below will be entered to win a $20 Amazon
gift card. Anyone who purchases a copy of Appetites before June 1
and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will
get five bonus entries. Appetites is free on Kindle May 18-19.
About the book:
Sarah hates her life. Even though she’s got a great job in Manhattan, she's on the wrong side of forty, chubby, and can barely remember the last time she had sex. It doesn’t help that her younger sister Max has the world’s best butt, despite a diet of burgers and beer.
Out of the blue, Sarah hears from Harry, the Brit she almost married twenty years ago. He's visiting New York in four months. Sarah refuses to see him unless she can lose a lot of weight—fast! Her solution? She asks Max to lock her up in her basement and feed her nothing but healthy meals. Max, a struggling waitress, agrees begrudgingly. She has her own set of appetites—for drink, drugs, and great-looking losers.
Sarah thinks a summer in Max’s basement will give her a new body, a fresh start with Harry, and the friendship she’s long craved from her sister. But things quickly go wrong. Can Sarah turn back time with the man she lost or will she and Max kill each other first? Can either sister ever learn to say no?
Guest post
Writing for the Ear
by Karen Frankola
Dialogue is my favorite thing to write. Once I get a handle on my characters, I almost feel as though they are coming up with their own words and I’m just eavesdropping.
One of the hardest challenges for a writer is to give her character’s different voices. Unfortunately, in many works, everyone seems to talk in a similar manner. I loved Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing, but all of his characters tended to speak like geniuses in a hurry. Well, it was a show about overachievers.
I think one of the most effective ways to write realistic dialog is to read aloud as you write. And early in the process, I’ll even record myself doing that and play it back. It almost allows my characters to exist outside my own head. This can make me realize that they sound too similar, or don’t sound genuine.
In Appetites, it was a challenge to contrast the voices of Sarah and Max because they are sisters who share the same upbringing and a similar level of education. But Sarah writes for a living and likes to use words as a weapon, overusing big words and long sentences. Max says less, but the few words she says carry more weight.
One major driver of the plot in Appetites is that the sound of Max and Sarah’s voices is almost identical. I got the idea because my sister and I have very similar voices. When I say “Hi Mom” on the phone, I immediately have to say “It’s Karen” afterwards or my poor mother won’t know who she’s talking to. I put that into the book, but the deception that occurs because of it is pure fiction! I can’t imagine writing a novel about identical twins because it would be even harder to contrast their dialogue.
The most fun character to write dialogue for in Appetites was Harry, the British man Sarah almost married and now wants to reconnect with. He speaks much more formally than anyone else and of course, uses British expressions. I lived in England for a few years and it seemed most college-education people spoke that way.
In Appetites, a good chunk of the dialogue is actually email messages between Sarah and Harry. It’s tougher to keep a reader’s interest because you don’t have that back-and-forth. But email is so informal that it’s similar to conversation. I’m sure there is someone out there now writing a novel made up of tweets! Another challenge in writing Harry’s emails was that my spell-check kept trying to correct his British spelling.
As a reader, I love to listen to books on tape, and of course, dialog really comes alive there. A skilled actor can make up an author’s deficiencies by changing the pitch and tone of his or her voice for various characters.
The ultimate technique in writing for the ear is creating dialect. I admire authors who do this, but as a reader, it’s quite a distraction that slows down my reading. I think a little unconventional spelling of words goes along way.
A similar challenge is the use of regional slang and idioms. I wrote a memoir set in my home town of Pittsburgh where characters use words like yins (the plural you) and gumbands (rubber bands). If you’re trying to write realistic dialogue, you want to use slang. But you don’t want to confuse the reader, so you need to put it into context.
I hope the dialogue in Appetites rings true for my readers. My ultimate dream would be to see it turned into a movie and actually hear Sarah and Max arguing!
Interview with Karen Frankola:
Karen, how did you come up with the title Appetites?
I had the title almost from the beginning because it covers all of the book’s themes—the obvious desires of Sarah and Max for food, drink, and sex, and their much deeper desire for love. Not just romantic love, but love for each other. I think in general, women believe their appetites are bad, shameful, and unhealthy. I wanted to explore those feelings, which have impacted much of my own life.
Do you have another job outside of writing?
Writing has pretty much paid my bills my entire life. I was a journalist for a long time and now work in corporate communications. I do all types of writing and help others communicate. Writing for work is much easier than writing creatively. A press release, blog, or white paper has a structure that simplifies the process. Not to mention, hard deadlines help you to focus!
How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)
A woman desperate to lose weight for a man she almost married does the unthinkable. Appetites – a novel for anyone with a problem saying no.
Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Max, because she’s so different from me. She’s the kind of woman I spent my whole life being jealous of—because she’s beautiful and is indifferent to food. She’s also an alcoholic and has made a mess of her life, but I would still be jealous of her! I really wanted to explore her choices, because they are so different from my own. There is one point in the book where Max forgives one of the main characters for something that is really unforgiveable, because I honestly believe that’s what Max would do.
Are you like any of your characters? How so?
I am a lot like Sarah in that I have struggled with overeating for much of my life. I have also had trouble finding a balance between work and the rest of my life, although I’ve done a little better since I got married! And I have had a tendency to think about old boyfriends and wonder, what if? Sarah is a version of a woman I might have become if I had made different choices. I have never locked myself in a basement to lose weight, although I have to say in some ways it sounds very tempting.
With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?
Adam, the man both Sarah and Max fantasize about in different ways. He’s gorgeous, great in bed, and smart. Best of all, on a desert island I wouldn’t have to worry about him cheating on me!
What song would you pick to go with your book?
“In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. I know you could never use it in a movie again after Say Anything, but that song taps into the desire and longing I think we all have felt for someone at some point in our lives. An alternative would be “Just Say Yes” by Snow Patrol. Sarah is so obsessed with saying no to food that she has trouble saying yes to love.
How do you handle criticism of your work?
Gosh, it’s hard, but criticism is so important to improving. I used to teach at the University of Missouri and every day we did a group critique in the television newsroom of everyone’s work. I honestly believe one of the best predictors for success at work is a person’s ability to not just accept the criticism that comes your way, but to actively seek it out.
I really want to learn from my readers—about what they thought worked and what didn’t. Of course, you also have to realize that everyone has different tastes and not get too upset when people tell you they dislike your writing, without explaining why. I belong to a book club and for any given classic we read, half of the group doesn’t like it. It helps you appreciate the varying perspectives readers bring to a book.
Where do you prefer to do your writing?
I’m lucky enough to have a desk with a window overlooking our back yard and woods behind it. I often glance away from the computer screen to watch squirrels chasing each other, cardinals and blue jays flocking around our feeders, and sometimes even a deer nibbling away. My dog Rascal keeps me company, either napping on the couch next to me, or often curled up under my desk.
Where’s home for you?
A little over two years ago, my husband and I had the opportunity to move anywhere because I was working virtually. We liked New Jersey but were getting tired of the cost of living. We chose Durham, N.C. It’s amazing—-really friendly, highly educated people, and lots to do. I’m a little Type A, so I like the slower pace. I feel like I’m a better, more patient person when I live in the South. Plus I love seeing my daffodils come up in February!
Excerpt
When their food arrived, Sarah looked jealously at Max’s
swaggering stack of three fluffy pancakes. Sarah had ordered was the
spinach omelet, no toast, no home fries.
“So, do you do reference checks on your roommates?” Sarah asked.
“Sure,
my HR department handles that,” replied Max, spreading the giant pat of
butter in the center of her pancakes out to the edges in excruciatingly
slow, even strokes. "It wouldn’t have mattered,” she continued. “She
would have just given me the name of any lowlife she was friends with.”
“Did she even pay you any rent?”
“A
month’s worth, but I gave three weeks of it back, except for what she
stole, of course. Well, she said she was just borrowing it.”
“Hmm,”
said Sarah, as she swallowed another small bite of her omelet. The smell
of Max’s pancakes, mixed with the butter and the maple syrup she was
now drenching over them, was almost overwhelming. It made her bland
omelet—-she had also told them to hold the cheese-—taste almost like
cardboard. Sarah put her fork down. Maybe Max won’t finish her pancakes
and I can have a bite or two, just so it won’t go to waste?
“Oh, so
you would have had her arrested, or sued her, or what?” Max asked,
slicing off a large section of the pancake tower and stuffing it into
her mouth.
Sarah shrugged. Neither of them talked for a few moments,
while they focused on their meals. Sarah could never understand why Max
was able to eat whatever she wanted and stay so skinny—-although she had
to admit that Max could easily skip a meal. It was like Max never
thought about food or took great pains to get a hold of it, but if
something tasty was placed in front of her, she would enjoy it. If Max
and Sarah were two cars driving down the interstate, Sarah would pull
off every time she saw a new gas station with a tempting sign, while Max
would just wait until she was on empty.
Sarah tried to get a
conversation going, but her sister was so focused on plowing through her
pancakes that Sarah ended up delivering an extended monologue about how
much she hated her boss. When Max finished everything on her plate,
Sarah felt so pained that she thought about coming come back the next
day to get her own pancakes. She was starting on her third day of
healthy eating, but there was no way it was going to last.
“Sorry, I gotta go,” Max said, flagging down the waitress. Sarah reached for the check as soon as it came.
“Sarah, for Christ’s sake, I can afford pancakes.”
“You get the next one,” Sarah said, pulling out her wallet.
“Whatever,” said Max, and a beat later, delivered a soft “thanks.”
“So, are you in a rush?” Sarah asked.
“Uh,
well, I’m meeting this guy in the city-—we’re going on some yacht around
Manhattan with an open bar, so I can’t be late.” Max described this as
though she was planning to have her nails done, which was what Sarah’s
afternoon plans were.
“So you’ve replaced Ed already?” Sarah asked. It was a stupid question because Max met someone new every night.
Max yawned.
“It’s
just a guy who asked me out before I even met Ed. He was at the bar on
Wednesday, and this time I said yes. He lives in Tribeca and is some
kind of investment guy. He’s got a few clients in Montclair which is why
he goes to McCabe’s a lot.”
Sarah tried to imagine a world where a
rich, smart guy pounced the moment she broke up with her boyfriend. When
she was growing up in Ohio, Sarah used to read Glamour magazine and
imagined living in New York City, where handsome men in limos took her
to fancy parties with champagne and lobster. She pictured herself
dressed in some fantastic outfit that showed off her cleavage and small
waist. Her hair and makeup would be perfect and her heels would be high
enough so she could kiss her tall boyfriend while they slow-danced.
But
that world never existed for Sarah. The only time she went to an
expensive restaurant or hotel was for a work party. She would wear a
cheap black dress because she was always planning to be thinner in the
future and it didn’t make sense to spend money on something fancy she
would never wear again. Her feet suffered from plantar fasciitis, no
doubt caused by her excess weight, so she could never wear anything
higher than a one-inch heel.
Sarah told Max to have fun and they
hugged clumsily. When Sarah got home from the nail salon, she picked up
her laptop and finally, there was a message from Harry, sent just a few
minutes ago. He had written to her at ten-thirty on a Saturday night.
Had he come home after a movie or dinner with his wife and tell her he
would be upstairs in a few minutes? Or perhaps he spent the evening at
home watching T.V. with her, composing an email on his laptop?
I've
stared at your message many times this week, trying to work out how best
to reply. If we are to keep corresponding, I must be honest - with
both you and myself.
Firstly, let me apologise profusely. I clearly
caused you great pain; indeed, it comes through even from this distance
in time and location. You must know, however, that the last thing I ever
wanted to do in my life was hurt you. So what happened, why didn’t I
contact you?
About the author:
Karen Frankola wrote Appetites to explore the hard
choices women make in love and work. Karen spent much of her career
writing very short stories at news organizations like CNN and MSNBC, so
creating a novel was challenging. She now does a variety of writing for
corporations and nonprofit organizations. Karen is lucky enough to work
mostly from home, with her dog Rascal curled up under her desk.
Karen
grew up near Pittsburgh, where she spent much of her childhood reading
books in the cemetery that bordered her family’s backyard. Karen moved
to nine different states and England. Some of her favorite jobs were
teaching journalism at the University of Missouri, working as a
television news director, and handling video shoots for Deloitte around
the world. She also spent a summer repairing motors at a steel mill and
hopes to soon publish a coming-of-age memoir about that experience.
Karen
and her husband Troy now reside in Durham, North Carolina, where they
enjoy watching deer in the woods behind their house, lots of live music,
beautiful biking trails, and great neighbors.
Karen is working on a sequel to Appetites and would love to hear what you think of it.
