Melissa Senate, an amazingly prolific writer who lives in Maine,
has just come out with her new book,
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE MARRYING,
The amazon link, which may look attrocious but that's Typepad's fault for changing buttons on me, is
Here's the description:
A very popular New York Times article lists fifteen questions couples should ask (or wish they had) before marrying. Ruby Miller and her fiancé, Tom Truby, have questions 1 to 14 almost covered. It's question 15 that has the Maine schoolteacher stumped: Is their relationship strong enough to withstand challenges?
Challenges like…Ruby's twin sister, Stella. The professional muse, flirt and face reader thinks Ruby is playing it safe. And that the future Mrs. Ruby Truby will die of boredom before her first anniversary or her thirtieth birthday, whichever comes first.
Challenges like…sexy maverick teacher Nick McDermott, Ruby's secret longtime crush, who confesses his feelings for her at her own engagement party.
But before Ruby can plan the wedding that may never be, Stella announces she's pregnant by a one-night stand whose name might be Jake (or James? Maybe Jason?) and who lives somewhere under the glittering lights of Las Vegas. Ruby and Stella hit the road to find him—with a lot more than fifteen questions.
And after three thousand miles, a stowaway relative and hitchhiking teen lovebirds bound for an Elvis wedding chapel, the Miller sisters might get some answers.
“Senate’s prose is fresh and lively.” –The Boston Globe
Bio: Melissa Senate is the author of seven novels, including her debut, the bestselling See Jane Date, which was made into a very cute TV movie for ABC Family, and Theodora Twist, her first YA. A former editor of romance novels and teen fiction, Melissa lives on the southern coast of Maine with son, his Pokemon cards collection, and their two witchy black cats. She’s hard at work on her next YA for Delacorte, and just sold her next two adult novels to Pocket Books.
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.:
A: “Should I or shouldn’t I?” And “Will she or won’t she?” In Questions To Ask Before Marrying, estranged twin sisters go on a long and bumpy road trip from Maine to Las Vegas, during which Stella, a professional muse and face reader, tries to convince Ruby, conservative school teacher, not to marry her “boring” fiance. Meanwhile, Stella, pregnant from a one-night stand, is searching for the father of her baby without even knowing his name. The sisters learn a lot about themselves, each other, and life on the road. But their bigges questions don’t get answered until the very end: those bumper stickers.
2. Your two favorite movies over the past twelve months and why?:
A: I loved the film Waitress, the out-of-the-box quality, the magical realism, the wistfulness, the dreaming, the friendship among the women at the pie diner. I can’t think of another movie this past year that I loved—probably because I see so many kiddie flicks with my son. I can tell you all about Kung Fu Panda. Next weekend, a girlfriend and I are going to see Sex In The City, which I’m really looking forward to. I loved that show, especially the first couple of seasons.
3. What was the one thing you learned in getting your book published that you were really surprised to find out?: That most of the people you know won’t read your books. They’ll be excited for you, they’ll ask for a book and a special inscription, but they won’t actually read it!
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. ______.
A: Definitely solitude. Solitude and absolute quiet. Maybe a purring cat at my feet, and there’s always a pair of purring cats at my feet. I also need a lot of Coke Zero, my addiction.
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?:
A: I love Elinor Lipman and Anne Lamott and Fay Weldon and Pam Houston. All very smart, very witty, but with heart. I don’t have a favorite genre, but I do love women’s fiction, whether it’s romance or chick lit or literary. My almost-six-year-old son constantly says: “If you like X (fill in the blank) so much, you should just marry it!” And then he burst into laughter. I feel this way about the book Loved Walked In by Marisa de los Santos. Truly special writing. I could marry this book!