Sometimes A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

I would definitely opt for judging this book by its cover.  It's fabulous.   Karen Neches, who is also known as a very important person in the blogosphere and a writer of renown, is the pen name for the Creator of this comic novel:

As Publishers' Weekly put it, EARTHLY PLEASURES is:

"...Appealingly unorthodox... a heaven where angels lust, drink and follow terrestrial celebrity gossip… A tangled story of cold ambition and true love unspools. Neches’s funny and sweet novel shows that to err is human and angelic as well."

      The novel is also a BOOKSENSE NOTABLE for February.  Here's the synopsis:

Welcome to Heaven. Use your Wishberry to hustle up whatever you want. Have an online chat with God. Visit the attractions such as Retail Rapture, Wrath of God miniature golf and Nocturnal Theater, where nightly dreams are translated to film.

Your greeter might just be Skye Sebring who will advises her newly dead clients on what to expect now that they’re expired. “Heaven is like a Corona Beer commercial” she assures her charges. “It’s all about contentment.”

So different than Earth where chaos reigns. Unfortunately for Skye, she’s been chosen to live her first life. She’s required to attend Earth 101 classes, which teach all of the world’s greatest philosophies through five Beatle songs.

Skye has no interest in Earthly pursuits, until lawyer Ryan Blaine briefly becomes her client after a motorcycle accident. Just as they are getting to know each other, he is revived and sent back to Earth.

She follows his life via the TV channel “Earthly Pleasures” but discovers he has a wife as well as a big secret. Why then does he call a show for the lovelorn to talk about the lost love of his life?

Here's my interview with the elusive and tantalizing Karen Neches:

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.

My first slogan is “love transcends all” since EARTHLY PLEASURES is about a greeter in Heaven who falls in love with a mortal on Earth. (Getting them together was a small miracle.). The second one is “Heaven is a state of mind” because even though my main character Skye can eat unlimited chocolate without gaining weight, order up whatever she wants on her Wishberry and is able to loll around in paradise all day, she feels like something is missing from her life.   

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

RENT. I’m a total Rent-head, A lot of people hated the movie, thinking it was overly sentimental but that’s why I loved it. I also enjoyed Waitress for the same sappy reasons. I’m a sucker for a feel-good flick.

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

I had no idea how much promotion work the author has to do. I knew there’d be some involved but there are times when it feels like a full-time job.

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. caffeine   c.  sleep   d. food   e.  sex  or f.   ______.

I have to chew Extra Watermelon gum when I write. I used to chew a weird flavor called boysenberry but Wrigley discontinued that flavor so I had a hellish week training myself to like watermelon. Now I’m hooked.

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 don’t have a favorite genre, but my favorite writers are Anne Tyler, Donna Tartt and Anne Lamott. The two Anne’s are so wickedly funny and since I fancy myself as a writer of humorous novels, I’m inspired by them. I’m in awe of Donna Tartt’s SECRET HISTORY. I think it’s the best novel ever written. You could learn to write from this novel because she has it all, plot, characters, setting and voice.