Our guest: Barbara Delinksy
Why we love her: Her books never disappoint!
Her latest: Sweet Salt Air
The Scoop: Charlotte and Nicole were once the best of friends, spending summers together in Nicole's coastal island house off of Maine. But many years, and many secrets, have kept the women apart. A successful travel writer, single Charlotte lives on the road, while Nicole, a food blogger, keeps house in Philadelphia with her surgeon-husband, Julian. When Nicole is commissioned to write a book about island food, she invites her old friend Charlotte back to Quinnipeague, for a final summer, to help. Outgoing and passionate, Charlotte has a gift for talking to people and making friends, and Nicole could use her expertise for interviews with locals. Missing a genuine connection, Charlotte agrees.
But what both women don't know is that they are each holding something back that may change their lives forever. For Nicole, what comes to light could destroy her marriage, but it could also save her husband. For Charlotte, the truth could cost her Nicole’s friendship, but could also free her to love again. And her chance may lie with a reclusive local man, with a heart to soothe and troubles of his own.
Our thoughts: REALLY great--and we love the cover too!
Giveaway: TWO copies! Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on June 23rd after 3pm PST.
Fun Fact: Barbara has NINETEEN NYT bestsellers under her belt--WOW!
Where you can read more about Barbara: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BARBARA DELINSKY'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS
KISS
First: His name was Paul, we were dancing in a darkened basement to “The Twelfth of Never” (Johnny Mathis), and he wasn’t the greatest kisser. Or so I learned. Which leads me to the following.
Last: My husband. This morning. He knows what he’s doing.
BOOK YOU READ
First: Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey – at least, that’s the first one I remember. Hey, I’m from Boston. What more can I say?
Last: I just reread F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in advance of seeing the movie. Starting it, I felt it was unnecessarily dense. I kept hearing my editor say, “Spit it out, say what you want without getting lost in the words.” Then I started to love getting lost in Fitzgerald’s words. I just finished it, and I’m haunted by the tragedy of these characters’ lives.
RISK YOU TOOK
First: Daring to write a book. Actually no, that wasn’t the risk. The risk was daring to send the book I’d written to New York. It wasn’t easy. My book is my baby. What if I send it to strangers who cut it to bits?
Last: Switching from PC to Mac. Nothing about technology is intuitive to me. Sorry, but my mind just works a different way. But I needed a new computer and my web designer swore by his iMac. I told myself that I could do it, and a dozen migraines later, I have!
HELL YA! MOMENT
First: My childhood wasn’t terribly happy, not the least of it being social misery in high school. So when I started college, I chose a new name. From freshman orientation on, I wasn’t Barbara, I was Bobbi. I felt like a different person, acted like a different person. Hell ya! I was reborn. Those college years were phenomenally happy for me. The funniest thing, of course, was being home over vacations, having college friends call on the phone. and hearing my dad say, “Bobbi? Who?”
Last: Several weeks ago, grandparents’ visiting day was held at my grandkids’ school. What to wear? I mean, most of the other guests would be dressed like, well, grandparents. I didn’t want to look outlandish by comparison. But I do like my purple nail polish. And my leopard leggings. And the feather in my hair. Hell ya! This is the me my grandkids know.
Thanks, Barbara!