  There are few things as fun as having writing friends close enough that you can participate in events together. Every time Sarahlyn Bruck and I have had a chance to connect, has been an absolute blast. Sadly, no getting together in person lately, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun with a virtual coffee chat ... If we were at a coffee shop, what would you order? Oh man, it’s been so long since I’ve had coffee outside of my house! I would order a flat white with whole milk—so creamy and yummy. I miss those. At home, do you have one go-to mug or do you pick by mood or whatever is within reach? I usually pick by mood and by what I’m drinking. If it’s coffee, we have these Fiestaware mugs I like—they’re the perfect size—in all different bright colors. Lately, I’ve been using the sunny yellow mug—a little brightness in winter. But for afternoon tea or the occasional hot chocolate, I prefer my favorite mug that my daughter gave me for my birthday many years ago. It makes me so happy. And holds, like, 16 ounces! As a writer, I’m obsessed with writing process. I love hearing how others work their magic. What’s your process like? Do you have certain routines/rituals? Ideally, I like to write in the mornings. I’d typically see my family off to work/school, walk the dog, grab a cup of coffee, and get to work. But during this pandemic, my routine has been totally thrown. We’re all home. The house is noisy. We’re all interrupting each other. So now I’ve reintroduced a daily to-do list, and my daily writing goals are part of it. If it gets done in the morning, great. If I don’t have a quiet moment until my daughter’s soccer practice, I’ll write in the parking lot. And you know what? It’s fine. It (mostly) works, lol.  I remember the first time you mentioned the concept for DAYTIME DRAMA and I’m so excited that it’s now being released. What was the idea (or coffee bean maybe? :-) ) that triggered this story?
I’m a California native now living in Philadelphia, and I’ve never gotten used to the winter weather. To put it simply, I was cold! Sunny Los Angeles sounded really nice in January-February of 2017, so I decided to “visit” in my mind. Your first novel, DESIGNER YOU, was set in Philadelphia which is where you currently live. I loved how personal that one felt. What made you decide on Hollywood as the setting for DAYTIME DRAMA? So part of reason I set the novel in Hollywood was because of chilly Philly, but also because my husband worked in the entertainment industry as an editor while I attended grad school. Most of our friends were part of the industry in some way, and it was such a hoot hanging around these fast, funny, creative people. That was a world I knew and loved—and wanted to write about. Can you give us a hint about what you’re working on next? Oh, yes! The book I’m finishing now is set in the world of girls’ and women’s soccer. It’s about an injured professional soccer player who is desperate to get back in the game, but when her father suffers a stroke, she’s forced to return home, and in turn, confront a horrible secret from her past. Revealing the truth will upend her soccer dreams and ruin her relationship with her best friend. But how can she keep their secret knowing what they did? Back to the coffee shop. Do you eavesdrop on folks at neighboring tables or tune everyone out? Great question! I do both. When I’m focused, I’m pretty good at tuning out the world. But sometimes my mind wanders, especially if the next table is having an especially juicy conversation. Finally tell me something about yourself that will make the people at the next table scoot closer to hear better … or maybe scoot further away. ;-) Ha! I’m so boring and quiet, especially at a coffee shop, I would suppose someone would need to scoot closer if they wanted to hear anything I had to say out loud. But it won’t be much!
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 The only thing that hanging out with writer friends, is getting to cheer on their new releases. And I'm so excited to have Cara here today to talk writing -- both fiction and nonfiction -- plus mugs and dogs and seriously can you stand the cuteness in that picture????? Oh, and coconut because ... COCONUT!!!!!! If we were at a coffee shop, what would you order? Tea! Some kind of black tea with an interesting flavor. My current favorite is Salted Caramel Chocolate tea, but I also love anything with coconut in it!  At home, do you have one go-to mug or do you pick by mood or whatever is within reach? Oh, yes, I have a go-to mug. It’s actually a hand made pottery beer-stein from an artist in Virginia. I’ve measured it and it holds 24 ounces! It would be rare to ever find me writing without that mug at my elbow – black tea in the morning, green tea after lunch, and rooibos tea in the evenings. As a writer, I’m obsessed with writing process. I love hearing how others work their magic. What’s your process like? Do you have certain routines/rituals? I generally start my day early, before dawn, with a dog nestled at my side and my first cup of tea. I read pieces from several inspiring books and then journal briefly. After getting myself and the menagerie fed (our three dogs, foster dogs, foster cats, horses, chickens, and barn cat), I’ll settle in and work through the morning into the afternoon on ‘nonfiction’ tasks: my blogs, freelance articles, the current non-fiction WIP, answering emails, pitching articles or querying for reviews, or Who Will Let the Dogs Out (the non-profit, I co-founded to raise awareness and resources for shelter dogs). The afternoons are reserved for my fiction. Writing then is a habit that grew out of my children’s nap schedules. Those kids are now adults, but I still write stories from 1-3pm most days. Any time left after I’ve spent all my words, I devote to social media and reading other people’s writing—either for students if I’m teaching or other author’s if they’ve requested it. That’s my dream schedule, but a houseful of foster dogs, puppies and/or kittens, plus a small farm to manage, and three starter-adult children who still need me on occasion means most days are interrupted often.  I’m so excited that Blind Turn is available for everyone to enjoy (I’m so honored that I had the opportunity to read an advance copy). What was the idea (or coffee bean maybe? :-) ) that triggered this story?
Thanks so much for being a reader. The support I’ve gotten from other authors has made publishing during a pandemic a little less lonely. As far as the inspiration for Blind Turn, the hardest thing I’ve done as a mom is teach my kids to drive. After having their lives in your hands for years, suddenly you have to put your life in their hands. About the time my oldest was learning to drive, there was a horrific accident in the county just east of us. A young driver hit an Amish buggy and killed the family inside. That accident haunted me and probably made me jumpier than need be in the passenger seat. I couldn’t shake it, so I wrote through the idea of how lives move on after a good kid does something so terribly tragic. It helped remind my worried mama soul that even in the worst of circumstances, we can find a way through. You also write non-fiction. How do you juggle the demands of two very different writing endeavors? Sometimes I don’t do it very well! I tend to lean in one direction or another when a book is in its launch period. But dividing my days does help. The nonfiction mornings are busy and active—lots of email or research or phone calls, plus sometimes I’m testing out a product or an idea. I can write nonfiction fast, so that’s the tempo of my mornings. I can also write nonfiction pretty much anywhere/anytime and love a good deadline. For fiction I have to switch gears. I definitely need quiet and solitude to work. When my kids were living here, that meant I didn’t write fiction in the summers because there were too many chances of being interrupted. (And I’m not nice to people who interrupt me when I’m in the midst of a story…just ask my poor husband.) The worlds of fiction and nonfiction publishing have been very different experiences, but there is plenty of overlap. I worry, often, that I can’t dig deep enough into either to be truly successful. It’s made me redefine success. Its also made me face up to the limits of what one person can do in a day. I love that you've been able to redefine success and limits. That's something I'm still struggling with. Can you give us a hint about what you’re working on next? I'm wrestling with too many projects and am hoping to settle on just one or two soon. I’m exploring another ‘dog book’ idea—working through the storyline and writing scenes. I’m also marinating two different fiction manuscripts—one is mostly finished but my agent is demanding a huge overhaul, so to avoid that task, I’ve been dabbling with another one that is nearer to my heart (but not quite so ‘commercial’). Plus, I have a nonfiction project about parenting and breaking an unruly horse (I promise there is overlap!), that has languished a long time on my laptop. That last one made me laugh. My teenage boy is much easier than the majority of horses I've worked with. :-) Back to the coffee shop. Do you eavesdrop on folks at neighboring tables or tune everyone out? I eavesdrop terribly – even if they aren’t speaking. I love to watch body language, study wardrobe choices, guess ages, and imagine lives. I can tune everyone out if I must. I wrote my newspaper column and started my first blog in a coffee shop, four hours a week while my oldest son was taking fencing classes. Finally tell me something about yourself that will make the people at the next table scoot closer to hear better … or maybe scoot further away. ;-) I grew up with Chris Coons, the senator from Delaware who took Biden’s seat and was recently in the running for a cabinet seat. His mom was my piano teacher and became one my mom’s best friends, so our families spent time together. I even lived with Chris (as a roommate) briefly when I was in Wilmington. He convinced me to be a mentor for his I Have a Dream project and he taught me how to make homemade pizza. He’s a great guy—the real deal when it comes to wanting to help people and make the world a better place. Plus, he’s wickedly funny and smarter than anyone I know. Where to find Cara ... www.carawrites.com whowillletthedogsout.org Facebook and on Instagram  The beauty of social media is that you connect with writers across the country and the world. Imagine my excitement when I discovered that a favorite author was moving not far from where I lived! What started out as an online friendship has now become an in-real life friendship. Every time Erika Montgomery and I get together (which, admittedly, isn't nearly enough) our conversations bounce around to everything from writing, publishing, books we're reading, sushi, coffee, family, and wine (not necessarily in that order). Over the last couple of years, Erika and I have commiserated over the progress (or lack of) manuscripts. She even got on zoom with me after I sent a text SOS earlier this year during a self-confidence fail over the book I was working on. And I'm so, SO excited that the story she'd been writing and rewriting will be releasing to the world on DATE. Even though we haven't been able to do an in-person chat this year, we've had our zoom calls and Erika very graciously agreed to this virtual coffee chat ...  If we were at a coffee shop, what would you order? A medium regular coffee (is that even a thing, LOL?!) I am so old school. I might splurge on a pastry, though. Or one of those cookies that are the size of a salad plate! At home, do you have one go-to mug or do you pick by mood or whatever is within reach? Oh Orly, it’s like you know me or something😉! I am ridiculously ritualistic (You know, I’ve heard writers can be that way—have you heard that too?) about far too many things in my day but mugs are at the top of that list. No joke, I have a weekday writing mug, I have a weekend mug, I have an afternoon once-in-a-while mug. My writing mug is a Christmas mug that is so faded I think only I can discern the smiling snowman. I also have a beloved Dolly Parton mug from my sister that is my editing mug and if I know I’m going to rework the previous day’s pages, I’ll likely pour into that. Even when I travel (Travel? What’s that again?), if we’re staying at a rented house, I tend to pick A MUG from the collection and use it all week. Still glad you asked? As a writer, I’m obsessed with writing process. I love hearing how others work their magic. What’s your process like? Do you have certain routines/rituals? I am fortunate to teach creative writing to a great group of high school seniors and one of the things I am constantly talking about is process—and how incredibly unique and personal every writer’s process is—so YES, I love to unpack this subject too! That said, I think I’ve struggled to be at peace with my own writing process after so many years because the more I write, the longer the process seems to take for me—which, on some level seems inefficient (that word comes up a lot for me when I write/edit) but honestly, I’ve had to retrain my brain not to see it that way. I worked in carpentry and construction for a while and I think that experience really cemented in me this concept that you want to really refine your process, whatever it is, be it cutting a length of board or loading up a truck bed, and how can you do it in the least amount of steps and secure accurate results (measure twice, cut once) and this implication that if something takes longer, it isn’t as efficient as it could/should be. But after so many years of writing, I’ve come to realize that my writing takes longer because I’m more aware than ever of what I need to do to make it richer/more layered/textured/etc so in that way, the idea of efficiency is irrelevant. That said, however, deadlines are deadlines! So there has to be SOME measure of efficiency in there somewhere.  I’m ridiculously excited about the release of A SUMMER TO REMEMBER on May 11! What was the idea (coffee bean? ) that triggered this story? Thank you for saying that! A SUMMER TO REMEMBER went through SO many iterations—as you well know, Orly, manuscripts always do, right?—but because I worked on this one for so long—and went through many significant life changes in the midst of writing it—it’s almost impossible for me to remember what it looked like when I first got the idea to start writing. I do remember, however, that there was always a sealed letter that needed to be delivered somewhere far away, and the desire to bring my love for Hollywood and cinema into a story. Let’s talk beach books (and not just because I’m sitting here freezing and dreaming about a vacation). This label always fascinates me because pretty much every list I’ve come across has a completely different make-up of books. To you, what is the perfect beach read (other than A SUMMER TO REMEMBER, obviously)? Such a good question! I love beach books that have a character coming to the beach for a brief time—I think there’s an added level of escape and decadence built in to that set-up. I love scenes of food and drink and general merriment. A romance is also a must. And a fabulous house to anchor it all is the icing on the cake—preferably an old beach cottage, the more rustic the better. Can you give us a hint about what you’re working on next? It’s still fairly early in the manuscript but I CAN tell you it takes place on the coast—I know, you’re shocked, right?—and follows the summer adventures of some pretty fabulous women through two time periods. Back to the coffee shop. Do you eavesdrop on folks at neighboring tables or tune everyone out? I’m a hopeless eavesdropper. And it’s not always intentional, I swear. I consider myself a hyper-aware/observant person—I can’t NOT be hearing/watching action around me. I think that’s why I can’t write in coffee shops—I can’t tune things out! Finally, tell me something about yourself that will make the people at the next table scoot closer to hear better … or maybe scoot further away. 😉 Ha ha—too late!! I’m pretty sure my answer to the mug question has already done the latter! Where to find Erika and pre-order a copy A SUMMER TO REMEMBER ...
www.erikamontgomery.com Facebook and on Instagram  The last time I sat down with Alison Hammer to chat was September 2019 Hotel Albuquerque during the Women's Fiction Writer's Association annual retreat. It was before her debut, You & Me & Us, released [you can read more on that here] and it was so much fun brainstorming marketing ideas and talking writing. Alison is truly one of my favorite people and I'm excited to have her here for a virtual coffee chat. Now, pour yourself a mug of something yummy and join us ...  If we were at a coffee shop, what would you order?
Oh, I wish we were at a coffee shop! I miss them so much, and it would be so wonderful to spend time with you IRL. Depending on the weather, I would order a nitro cold brew, or an Americano. Both with room for the nutpods (a non-dairy creamer) I take with me pretty much everywhere… At home, do you have one go-to mug or do you pick by mood or whatever is within reach? I have a few fun mugs, but they’re mostly for decoration or holding pens. When it comes to the mugs I actually use for coffee or tea, I have these big red stackable mugs that are almost like bowls. I love them, and since they sit right on the counter, that’s my go-to! As a writer, I’m obsessed with writing process. I love hearing how others work their magic. What’s your process like? Do you have certain routines/rituals? I’m a creature of habit in a lot of areas of my life—including my writing! After my first book took fifteen years to finish writing, I went to the other extreme and started participating in National Novel Writing Month. This will be my fifth year doing NaNoWriMo, an online program where people around the world are challenged to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I’m super competitive against myself and thrive on deadlines, so it’s great for me! I usually start the planning process in August or September, so I can have some time to get to know the characters and have a solid outline by November. I have a ritual of starting to write at midnight on Halloween with a glass of champagne as soon as it turns November. Since I write so quickly, I really embrace the idea of a shitty first draft. That really takes the pressure off of having to make it perfect from the start. The downside of that, is that when I get to my second draft (usually at least six months later), I retype the whole thing. I know it sounds crazy, but it works for me! Your debut, You and Me and Us released April of 2020. First, I have to gush how much I loved that novel!!!!! Book releases are a mixed bag of emotions to begin with, but you had the added headaches of launching during the pandemic. Setting aside the challenges, what was something positive and memorable from your launch? Thank you—that means so much coming from you! The emotions around launch were definitely heightened thanks to being just a few weeks into the pandemic, but I always try to look out for the silver linings. I was lucky that people weren’t burned out by Zoom or virtual events quite yet. I also made a decision not to try and recreate what I had planned for my in-person event (at that point, we thought the pandemic would only be a few weeks, and I might be able to reschedule). Instead, I planned an event that probably wouldn’t have been possible in person. Music is a big part of my life (listening, not playing!) so I reached out to Stephen Kellogg—a singer songwriter I’m a big fan of, who also had a book coming out. (Objects In the Mirror is a book of essays that came out in July!) He agreed right away to interview me and play a few songs. Other than all the technical difficulties (Zoom stopped connecting to Facebook for security reasons and we eventually had to move to Instagram) it was a pretty magical night. One I’ll definitely never forget! Book two, Little Pieces of Me, is scheduled for release in April 2021. Can you tell us where the seed (or coffee bean :-) ) for this story came from? The story started brewing (see what I did there?!) one night a few years ago when a friend told me that she’d gotten an email from ancestry.com, telling her that she had a parent-child relationship with a man that was not the father she’d grown up with. I knew right away that there was a novel-worthy story in there! I took inspiration from what happened to her, and let my imagination do the rest! But I’m really excited for the book to come out on April 13th! Can you give us a hint about what you’re working on next? I’m a crazy person and I’m working on several things. This week, I’m hopefully finishing up the second draft of my 2018 NaNoWriMo project, a story about three girlfriends who are dealing with the loss of a friend, while trying to help raise the baby she left behind. I promise it’s not as sad as it sounds! I’m also getting ready to start my fifth NaNoWriMo. I’m working on this one with a co-writer I’m really excited about. We’ve been working on the story together since July—and we’re actually going to announce the project on Halloween at midnight EST. It’s my NaNo tradition to start writing at midnight with a glass of champagne, so we’re going to do it together on Instagram Live! (it will be saved on IGTV for anyone reading this after Halloween!) Back to the coffee shop. Do you eavesdrop on folks at neighboring tables or tune everyone out? Oh, I totally eavesdrop! Pre-pandemic, I actually did most of my writing at coffee shops. To me, it’s the perfect balance of white noise. If a room is too quiet, I look for distraction. If it’s too loud, I can’t focus. Coffee shops seem to have just the right balance for me. But I definitely lean in when I hear an interesting conversation! Finally, tell me something about yourself that will make the people at the next table scoot closer to hear better. ;-) Hmm. When I was thirteen I was in a montage on America’s Funniest People. I was part of a stunt at Universal Studios that involved a plunger, a nail and a water balloon. I haven’t seen the tape in years, but I’m trying to find it! This was so much fun, thank you for having me. Can’t wait until the world is safe enough for us to get together in person at a coffee shop! xo! |
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