Our guest today: Mike Greenberg
Why we want to spend 7 Seconds in Heaven with him: Not only does All You Could Ask For rock, but Mike is donating 100% of the proceeds from the book to breast cancer research!
His latest: All You Could Ask For
The Scoop: Brooke has been happily married to her college sweetheart for fifteen years. Even after the C-section, the dog poop, the stomach viruses and the coffee breath, Scott always winks at her in just the right moments. That is why, for her beloved, romantic, successful husband’s fortieth birthday, she is giving him pictures. Of herself. Naked.
Newlywed Samantha learns of her husband’s cheating heart when she finds the goods on his computer.
High-powered career woman Katherine works with heartbreaker Phillip, the man who hurt her early on in her career.
Brooke, Samantha, and Katherine don’t know each other, but their stories are about to intertwine in ways no one could have imagined.
And all three are about to discover the power of friendship to conquer adversity, the satisfaction of unexpected delights, the incredible difference one human being can have on other lives--and that they have all they could ask for, as long as they have each other.
Our thoughts: One of our very favorite books we've read in 2013--Greenberg's writing is insightful and will grab you from the first chapter. Make sure it's next on your TBR list!
Giveaway: FIVE copies! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win. We'll choose the winners on Sunday, April 7th after Noon PST.
Fun Fact: Our husbands have crazy man crushes on Mike--he is a hugely popular co-anchor and radio host at ESPN.
Where you can read more about Mike: Facebook and Twitter.
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...7 SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH MIKE GREENBERG
L&L: How does an ESPN anchor host end up writing *gulp* WOMEN'S FICTION? How are your colleagues there taking the news?
The book was inspired by the real life battle with cancer that my dear friend Heidi Armitage went through in 2009. One minute she was a healthy, vibrant, sexy, fun soccer mom, the next she was a patient. In seven months she was dead. It was the most horrific and unjust thing I have ever seen a family endure. I knew I needed to do something, and so I wrote this book in her honor and am donating all of the author’s proceeds to fund Breast Cancer research. My wife and I formed a foundation called “Heidi’s Angels” and 100 percent of the author’s proceeds from the book will be donated to The V Foundation For Cancer Research in her memory. So, it’s a departure for me, for sure, but in a way it makes all the sense in the world.
L&L: We loved ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR! The narrative for the three women was very insightful. What women in your life inspired you?
MG: The best advice I received was from my friend Jane Green who told me: If you know your characters they will write themselves. And so each one is based on someone in my life, though distantly, I’m not sure they themselves will recognize that. But their voices, mannerisms, etc, are alive in my head. Again, the stories are completely fictitious, but the voices are real.
L&L: We host a *few* good men here, but CLIND is usually a big ol' lady party! Tell us why women will love your novel.
MG: Well, I am hopeful that anyone would like it, because I think the subject matter, which is about the power of relationships to transform lives, is universal. But perhaps women are more inclined to be open about those emotions than men are. I hope that men and women will both like it.
L&L: What's your fave book of 2013 so far?
MG: I just finished Tom Wolfe’s Back To Blood, which I liked very much, though it took me forever to get through it. Last night I opened the new Virgil Flowers novel by John Sandford. I love that series.
L&L: Many aspiring authors swing by the site--what advice would you give them?
MG:Don’t give up. This is the third novel I’ve written, neither of the first two ever got published. That was crushing to me, both times. But here I am now and it feels great.
L&L: What's up next for you? More women's fiction?
MG:I am working on my next novel now. It is narrated by a man this time, but I hope it will appeal to women. It is about a guy who feels his marriage is falling apart and in order to figure himself out he needs to go in search of his past, which he has denied all his life. It sounds more dramatic than it is, the whole thing, I hope, is very human and relatable to both women and men.
L&L: Liz's husband listens to your show each morning and has a serious man crush. He demanded we ask who you believe will win the NBA championship!
MG: I would bet on Miami, for the next three years!
Thanks, Mike!