"Landing butt first in mud. How symbolic of Karissa Newcomb’s life. The old life. Not the new one, please, God."
-- From The Best Life Book Club
by Sheila Roberts
Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as
far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her
with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. She and her
nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the
bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small
publishing company right in Gig Harbor. Her new boss seems like a bit of
a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of
possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous.
Soon she finds she’s not the only one in need of a refresh. Her new
neighbors, Alice and Margot, are dealing with their own crises. Alice is
still grieving her late husband and hasn’t been able to get behind the
wheel of a car since a close call after his death. Margot is floundering
after getting divorced and laid off in quick succession. They could all
use a distraction, and a book club seems like just the ticket.
Together, the three women, along with Alice’s grumpy older sister,
Josie, embark on a literary journey that just might be the kick-start
they need to begin building their best lives yet.
Interview:
What did you like to read when you were a little girl?
Probably what a lot of little girls read: Anne of Green Gables, every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. The first book I remember reading was The Wind in the Willows. I also ready some Zane Grey. I remember the librarian refused to check one out to me because that was an adult book and she didn’t
think I should be reading it. My father was a big Zane Grey fan. He and the librarian had a chat, and lo and behold, I got to check out my Zane Grey western. Thanks Dad!
What was the book you ever sold? How did that sale come about?
My first novel was a Regency Romance. I loved Regencies - adored Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, so of course, that had to be the first kind of book I wrote. An idea popped into my head about an upper crust lady who fancied herself a sort of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich families of the ton so she could support an orphanage. I had a friend who was a writer and thought, I should tell my friend about this idea. Then I thought, Wait a minute. I need money. I think I’ll write this book myself. And that was how my writing career started. I had many stumbles along the way, managed to crash my career twice, but I just kept going, changing my name and my style as I went along. I love writing and I’m glad I didn’t give up.
Let's talk about Karissa Newcomb. How did she come about?Were there any specific characteristics or personality traits that you knew she needed to have?
As often happens to writers, the character of Karissa just came to mind. I thought it would be interesting to have a women who was afraid to trust other women, leery of entering into any kind of close friendship. I value my girlfriends highly so I had to ask myself, what would make someone afraid to trust? I think I hit on a pretty good reason with Karissa. And I’m glad she took a chance and started her book club!
What do you like most about being an author?
There are so many things. I love tell stories. As I child I would put myself to sleep telling myself stories (I was always the heroine, of course! Usually a lady pirate.) So there’s that. Writing is a big part of who I am. I also love connecting with readers. I am a people person, and nothing makes me happier than being able to chat with readers online or at a book signing. I’ll be visiting several bookstores in May and am excited to get a chance to party with readers.
In all your career as a bestselling author, do you have any regrets such as not meeting your own expectations?
I think my only regret is in not figuring out who I was as a writer earlier. I tried a lot of different genres before I found the one that fit. I even wrote a mystery - rewrote that thing seven times, each with a different villain! It was titled TOURIST TRAP, and I finally put it up on Amazon as an e-read just for fun.
What's next for you, Sheila?
I’m excited about my upcoming Christmas book, THE MERRY MATCHMAKER, which I refer to as Jane Austen’s EMMA in a Santa hat. (Yes, I still love Jane Austen!) I hope readers will enjoy reading both that and THE BEST LIFE BOOK CLUB as much as I enjoyed writing them.
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