I’m so very excited that, Angie of Lilac Wolf and Stuff agreed to visit on Kshoop.com today! Angie’s fantastic site is a must-see for any reader. Her reviews are deeply considered and clearly presented giving readers an ally in choosing books! She’s a reviewer to follow for sure! Today you can take a look at what she has to say about questions that were inspired by [amazon_link id=”B00AN99FIQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Love and Other Subjects[/amazon_link]! She is certainly the kind of person who has learned a lot about life and adjusted accordingly–easier said than done! So glad her life-path took her to reviewing books instead of crunching numbers! Don’t forget to check in with Angie on her blog, Lilac Wolf and Stuff–adorable graphics and design, BTW–cutest I’ve seen.
- What was your favorite subject in school? Least favorite?
- English. Granted I didn’t enjoy writing papers, but I loved reading the stories in the textbooks. I was probably one of the few who looked forward to getting that new book every year. Once, my senior year, my teacher noticed I always had a book with me. He recommended “How Green was my Valley” and when he recovered from the shock of seeing me reading it, he offered me extra credit for a book report. And as I mentioned, I didn’t care for the papers, so I jumped at any extra credit I could find. BTW, it is an EXCELLENT novel.
- In the book, the name of Carolyn’s love interest is “Jeep,” or “Money” as she pseudo-affectionately calls him. What’s your favorite character “pet name” from a book or movie?
- Oh I don’t know about this one. I read so much that it’s hard to keep it all straight. I’m not very good with remembering names in real life, I’m not much better in novels. I will say this, I can’t stand when an author has a few characters with similar sounds starting several names. Makes it near impossible for me to keep everyone straight as I read. But I usually keep that to myself as I’m sure it’s just me.
- Coors Light or Chardonnay?
- EWWWW, neither. My favorite drink would be a Mojito. The Hard Rock Café has a Raspberry Mojito that is to die for! At home I usually unwind with a little orange juice (got to get my vitamin C) and spiced rum.
- What teacher do you remember most? Why?
- That would be Mr. Kullberg. He was my history/economics/government teacher in high school. I loved him so much because of his passion. I mean, come on, the man made economics seem interesting.
- What advice would you give to young women just out of college?
- Don’t be in a hurry and spend some quality time being single. It might be the only time in your life that you get to be alone. Trust me, now if I get to pee without an audience I’m happy. And if you don’t want to get married and have children, don’t. It’s not like the world is running out of humans.
- Is your first post-college love, someone to remember or someone to forget, why?
- Well, I was married before I graduated college. And that was a mistake. We divorced shortly after I received my MBA. I dated a little and when I finally met my husband we clicked so well, that we just kept moving forward. I’d say he’s memorable. We’ve been together for 10 years and married for nearly 9 years. We have 2 boys, so even if I wanted to, I can’t forget him.
- Talk about your first job—one to remember or one to forget? Why?
- My first job, as with most girls, included babysitting. I did love it. Usually the kids were awesome. I had the biggest crush on my mom’s boss, he resembled Christopher Reeve. His little boy was super-adorable too. However, I had neighbors who I told to never-ever call me again. So it was a tossup.
- In thinking about your circle of friends right out of college—what do you remember most about the time you spent together?
- This might sound weird, but I don’t have any friends from college. I’m really a loner and as I get older I am realizing that I have trouble letting people into my inner circle. I just really value my alone time. And I know Facebook has made it easier to get in touch, but remember that name problem I have? Yeah, can’t remember a single person…
- How about villainous bosses? Was your first job a version of “Devil Wears Prada” or “Mentor from Heaven?”
- I remember my boss from a daycare I worked in when I was getting my bachelor’s degree. I thought she was mean and scary, and I tried to avoid her at all costs. But as I observed her, I realized she wasn’t mean, she was firm. She cared about the center, and wanted everyone to give those kids the best care they could. I’ve had many bosses who gain my respect and a few who make me shake my head in disbelief.
- Did your in-laws welcome you with open arms or scare you off with inside jokes and hoops to jump through?
- Well, my husband lost both his parents long before I met him. But Gramps hugged me and told me I reminded him of a beautiful Hungarian woman he met when he was in the service. Oh yes, I loved that man. His aunts and the rest of the family also welcomed me with open arms.
- In addition to his maternal family, Chris was “adopted” by the Andersons. They are an older couple, who he met when he moved into their house with their granddaughter. When she moved out and they broke up, they kept him. Now they are my family too, and the boys grandparents. They are the most inspiring people I know, always helping others.
- Carolyn’s hopefully someday future sisters-in-law used “The House of Mirth” to talk about her in negative ways…did you ever feel like you were a character in a book?
- No, I don’t think I’ve ever really felt like a character in a book. But I have had characters that I relate to more than others. Usually the quiet ones who are afraid of making their families angry. The family is usually pressuring the character to do something they don’t really fit into. My family wanted me to be an accountant, the minute I decided I liked math. Never mind that I’d been reading since I was 3, not once did anyone ask if I wanted to be an editor or writer. I was told there was no way I could be a policewoman, and no one was happy when I did pursue child development. Now I’m 38, and have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. For now, I’ll just keep reading and taking care of my boys.
Wow! Thank you for your kind words. What a nice thing to see this dreary snow day. 🙂
Hi Angie, you’re so welcome! I agree…your review was a magnificent treat for me. I know you really liked the first two, but this one is so different, I didn’t know what you’d think…thanks so much!!!
I love how you center your stories around a central issue or conflict, but you put so many character details that the flow is always smooth. Yup, I’m a fan. 🙂 I’m already waiting for what’s next.
Thank you so very much, Angie! I’m working on a follow-up to The Last Letter! More to come on that soon! I’m also going to have a novella in an anthology with four other writers…it’s a really clever little book and I’ll give you the details soon. They’re all love stories–so that’s a departure for me, but it’s been really fun to write something different and to write short–20,000 words! Yikes, talk about hard for me to do that. I’m really glad my writing resonates with you and I hope it continues to do just that!