Jennifer O' Connell's latest INSIDER DATING has a very funny premise.

Abby Dunn, barely past thirty and still reeling from her divorce, has taken herself off the dating market.  Instead, she’s using her experience to turn the tables on the opposite sex by building a database to rank underperforming men and set women straight when investing their greatest asset:  themselves.

Here's our interview:

1. If I had to offer two bumper sticker explanations for my novel, they'd be "Appearances are deceiving" and "Mean people suck."  Tell me what your slogans would be, and why.

“Knowledge isn’t necessarily power.” There is such a thing as knowing too much too soon. Half the fun of not knowing everything about someone right off is getting to learn for yourself, which is something Abby, INSIDER DATING’s main character, has to learn for herself.

“Honk if you’re smart enough to know better.” Abby is very smart but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t make mistakes.

2. Your two favorite movies over the past twelve months and why?

Here’s where I admit I don’t go to the movies – in fact, that last “grown up” movie I went to was in 1993 (I say grown-up because I don’t think Shrek counts). I do rent movies, though, and I rented The Squid and the Whale a few months ago. I LOVED it. It was odd, disturbing, funny in a sad way and yet not depressing. Brilliant.

3.. What was the one thing you learned in getting your book published that you were really surprised to find out?

I wish I’d realized that the thrill that comes from finishing a manuscript lasts approximately 32 seconds – and then the reality sets in: you need to come up with another book idea to do it all over again.

4..  If you had to pick one and only one condition (beyond computer or pen and paper) that would allow you to write would it be: a. solitude   b.  caffiene   c.  sleep   d. food   e.  sex  or f.   ______.

Other: being around books (I usually write in bookstores).

5.   Do you have a favorite genre?  If so, who are your three favorite  writers? If not, who are your three favorite writers and how have they influenced your work? I really enjoy YA. I started reading it again before I sold my first YA, just to get a handle on it. I didn’t just read current works, but also those I loved growing up. My most favorite YA writers are Norma Klein and Judy Blume. They’re timeless and reading one of their books today you still feel like they understood what it’s like growing up.