Interview with Suzanne Rindell + Giveaway of THREE-MARTINI LUNCH
What a pleasure to have author Suzanne Rindell with us in the guest chair today! Suzanne discusses her latest novel THREE-MARTINI LUNCH, a story of hipsters and editors crossing paths in Greenwich Village during the Beatnik Generation. She gives us some insight into her earlier novel, THE OTHER TYPIST, as well.
If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of THREE-MARTINI LUNCH! Or retweeton Twitter, and/or share onFacebook by noon (EST) October 14th to win a copy (US only.)
Welcome, Suzanne!
The road to publication is twisty at best–tell us about some of your twists.
I was working at a literary agency when I wrote my novel. Being a published author wasn’t really on my radar. Helping other authors, yes. Being one myself, no. I think — in my mind, at least — the very idea of trying to make it as a full-time author was not in the realm of what was practical or even possible. So when I began showing my manuscript it was kind of shyly, haphazardly, and without a whole lot of designs on the outcome. A fellow agent (who is now my agent) read with enthusiasm and wanted to send it out to editors — and WHOOSH! — suddenly the book had sold to a publisher.
Talk about one book that made an impact on you.
My first book was inspired by The Great Gatsby for sure. It was one of the first books I loved as a teenager, and over the years I’d had to read and teach that book so many times, it was ingrained in the fabric of my being. Looking back now I definitely see The Other Typist as fulfilling a need I had to engage that book on an even deeper level; I wanted to enter into a sort of literary “conversation” with The Great Gatsby (and ideally/ambitiously add a few comments about feminism and narrative point of view…). A good book can make you want to keep “conversing” with it long after you’ve put it down.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
Read, read, read. Reading is the best advice any writer can give. Reading can lift you out of a terrible spell of writer’s block. Reading can give you that thirst to be a better writer, and renew that thirst whenever you’ve lost it. I think part of the reason I was so primed to write my first novel is because I was reading so much at the literary agency, and constantly thinking about what makes for a good book. You really get the feel for the shape of a novel that way.
What is the best perk of your job?
It’s corny, but being able to hug my dog in the middle of the day. Sometimes I hate working from home — there are pros and cons, of course. But I’ve discovered those mid-day doggie hugs can actually work small miracles on one’s morale.
If you were a drink (preferably alcoholic), what would you be and why?
With my latest book titled THREE-MARTINI LUNCH, I kind of have to pick this question to answer, right? And the obvious answer should be a martini… but actually I prefer a good classic champagne cocktail (champagne over a bitters-soaked sugar cube). I think it describes my writing style, too… I fond of adopting vintage writing voices and do it often in my work. The flappers in THE OTHER TYPIST got to drink a lot of classic champagne cocktails. 😉
Suzanne Rindell is a doctoral student in American modernist literature at Rice University. Her first novel, THE OTHER TYPIST, debuted on May 7, 2013. It has been translated into 15 languages and optioned for film by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Her second novel, THREE-MARTINI LUNCH, was published by Putnam on April 5, 2016. Rindell spent most of her life in Northern California (Sacramento, San Francisco) but currently lives in New York City and is hard at work on a third novel.
“Think of it as the publishing industry’s take on Mad Men: a gripping fictional dispatch from the world of talented writers and editors with big dreams, secrets, and booze bills.”—Entertainment Weekly
Amy Poeppel grew up in Dallas, Texas and left the south to attend Wellesley College. Since then, she has worked as an actor, a high school English teacher, and most recently as the Assistant Director of Admissions at a school in New York City. Her three fabulous boys are all off in Boston attending school, and she and her husband now split their time between New York and Frankfurt, Germany. A theatrical version of SMALL ADMISSIONS was workshopped at the Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit. She later expanded it into her first novel.
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