Her debut novel is Just Friends With Benefits! An ebook!
When a friend urges Stephanie Cohen not to put all her eggs in one bastard, the advice falls on deaf ears. Stephanie's college crush on Craig Hille has been awakened 13 years later as if soaked in a can of Red Bull and she is determined not to let the guy who got away once, get away twice. Stephanie, a 32-year-old paralegal from Washington, D.C., is a 70's and 80's television trivia buff who can recite the starting lineup of the New York Yankees and go beer for beer with the guys. And despite her failure to get married and pro-create prior to entering her thirties, she has so far managed to keep her overbearing mother from sticking her head in the oven. Just Friends with Benefits is the humorous story of Stephanie's pursuit of love, her adventures in friendship, and her journey to discover what really matters.
1. What made you start writing?
As a daydreamer with an overactive imagination I figured if was going to drum up stories, I might as well put them in writing! I realized my passion for writing when I began getting way too much pleasure from writing work-related emails to clients and I started writing children's stories. That didn't stick and so I began writing a personal/dating blog. I loved it, but became paranoid about putting my business out there and decided to switch to fiction.
2. Why chick lit?
"Just Friends With Benefits" started out more of a romance but my voice and writing style naturally lends itself to chick-lit. I couldn't help myself :) Chick-lit is my favorite escape when it comes to reading so it's no surprise it's also my favorite escape when it comes to writing.
3. Any new stories you have in the works?
Yes, I'm over 200 pages into the first draft of my second novel. Also chick-lit. It's about a late twenty-something woman who, after ending a 9 year relationship with her high school sweetheart, dives back into the dating pool and realizes it's not as easy as she thought it would be. The premise is what happens when the Type-A 'planner' realizes she cannot plan the actions/reactions of other people, specifically, men.
4. Are you looking for love with an agent this round or sticking with the epublishing?
I will definitely try to obtain an agent with my second novel, but wouldn't hesitate to continue with e-publishing. It's the wave of the future!
Fun & Random Questions:
Favorite book: I loved "Something Borrowed" by Emily Giffin. But "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold really touched my heart.
Favorite Pizza Joint: Nanuet Restaurant in Nanuet, New York. AWESOME.
Writing spot: Starbucks
Faster at writing or editing: editing
Ocean or Snow: ocean!
Way to get rid of writers block: Just get in front of the computer and start typing. The toughest challenge for me is making the time to write; once I'm there, the words begin to flow.
