Maryann McFadden

[0:31]" There -- Jordan -- the seniors now."

[0:34]" nice to have you must show I read the book because -- my name in the title cut the richest season no actually it's it's a lot of fun and we'll talk about it a -- but. I understand this the way this happened for you it's it's almost -- they called the the publishing lottery but it's almost a fairy -- how did this come about as a hit book major publishing -- speaking at --"

[0:54]" It's actually a long story. I he originally wasn't writer and frenetic politics freelance Christian magazines and newspapers and and left writing there. Home nearly a decade I didn't write at all and I got -- real -- Ethnic we're leaving home I decided you know and writing. Now I got back into it got and the actors and my novel the rich even actually started up my master's -- no. When I graduated I decided to can -- because things can reach feedback and and fortunately I finished it right before 9/11. Which was the first time I found myself -- long time for our time. Anyway over the next six years. You know like I just got reject and kept increasing responses from agent to wanted to humor. As chemical it was exploding -- it was not check it. And so I eventually decided to self published because I was I was really convinced I have some thing special. And I decided to take my marketing skills from real estate and you know my freelancing days. And used them actually -- lack -- power houses I can. And what happened or forget that it cannot may have I was sick and by the end of seven. I had to learn that it met with forty book club. I did signings that 25 different bookstores. -- outfielder kite runner and a handful of Independent -- yeah. And I finally got an agent to who recognize that you know what if that doesn't have an audience. Aren't I signed with the car and within a few months she had the look -- I had multiple publishing pinning."

[3:59]" I'm with -- McFadden spent little time in my friend Mary and she's the author of a book called the richest season -- hit and I'll tell -- why it's -- from my perspective since I have read it. Over the last week and it is by no means even though. It it would certainly appeal to women primarily at first but outside it is not the traditional quote unquote chicklet book at all. It involves a couple and midlife crisis. But for once -- the lady -- the crisis -- at -- and it's -- really interesting -- not -- also -- third -- com and older -- facing -- sort of -- and you can't -- 200 pages -- reading about these people -- you start -- care -- and I've told everybody everything about the -- let -- Have you talked about it. A -- about this it takes place -- down along the eastern seaboard where a lady takes off from New Jersey your -- in and has had enough of blood being the wife of a corporate guided doesn't -- tell us more about the of the origin."

[4:57]" At tag I -- in my real estate -- electric a lot of corporate family and while the lifestyle really clamor from the outside because. They typically move every year to it to a bigger house. Better neighbor it in at approximately financial and the top gets bigger pack. You know -- the lifestyle is really difficult for for many people and you know I worked with a number of corporate life to has been and gone all the time. And they were the ones making the move speaking at schools the doctors and dealing with fallout. Children who did not who can -- Every year -- and I I used this as the basis because I wanted to write about from the very different and myself. And I think in the same small town almost my entire life. So my challenge was to get to the head of this woman's -- So I have her basically. The day after finding out that her husband committed there about two and then began she had a -- just literally -- and decide not doing this again and she walked away from her life. And she goes to -- silent in South Carolina. Which is a place like injured many times on vacation and as a magical. I'm spoilt little island off of South Carolina -- I used to help transform -- that the corporate life. As well as great the older woman that -- and living -- The same time I I do include the husband story and that's what makes this but --"

[6:30]" That's indeed what makes a difference yeah."

[6:31]" Gap because mr. deterrent is that your unbalanced you know you get the white. The -- story -- life through her eyes but when I started writing the corporate has been to ironically is putting more of me in this character in the other two. I I really felt that kick I have to test it was like to. Like like like for this -- And he loses her life and you loses his job you'll get any way. An and everything that different from the opening. And he's not a bad got a high like. Everybody out and caught up in the rat race. You know there's only so many hours now."

[7:07]" It's true the guy's point of view is well represented and you had the ability to shift from from one point of -- actually three points of view if not more. And it really makes it much more of on all purpose read and weak -- fuel empathy for all characters and also want to yell at the characters from time to time and that's the sign that youth I think it'll run here."

[7:29]" Thank you and and that was one of the reasons why -- lamented a little bit the pink cover it's a beautiful cover an appeal to -- That I kept saying well -- you know any man can need to. But in publishing I'm learning that you know you're going after your court demographic and we played covered --"

[7:47]" It's really about running away from. This style of life you're used to enemy you may not be heavy thinking that you should be -- and that's that's the scene that I detected and even the -- in the older lady she's she's got a lot of wouldn't have a lot of fear and knowing that she's just not long but China discovering that that sense of freedom and you just run run through the fields around the beach."

[8:09]" Absolutely and you know the funny thing is I I I think for a lot of people we get so caught up in our lives. That we lose sight of some departure means in front of our personal ideals. That we once had because you know we're working we're reaching a family. All three at these characters. And are these parallel journeys from and start to rediscover. -- doesn't calculate all but forgotten. And -- you know it's funny because. I I think. And consciously as a -- I did that. Yeah I didn't realize I was doing the same thing I forgot about writing for you very long time."

[8:47]" Your story mirrors actually -- the main main female character because she gets involved in writing -- mean act sort of by accident but she -- christened that. Yes you're using and the characters in the book -- the rich a season. The male character discovers well we'll give it all have been discovers that he has -- talents that he hasn't used for a long time as a lot more fun doing that Benny does chase in the corporate. The corporate flag."

[9:11]" and the end there's the good glamour. If you really love it but it doesn't paint that well. Is that the right thing to do and and that's kind of what happened to meet with writing and -- still selling real estate trying to get that but published in. What can -- income plummet as I I was pursuing writing more and more gut feeling like I had to keep it."

[9:31]" What kind of a court could you you talk about living in a nice little town and I'll let you -- kids grown now what sort of support did you get from hubby gets important."

[9:40]" How do you it's great he was actually create. My whole family was really really supportive I mean -- at the weren't. They kept saying you know what's going -- if you ask is why isn't it out there yet and and so many people you know friends in town. Could read this manuscript in a loose leaf binder. And after hearing that a team began I said you know lack. We want to do it myself and if nothing else I have the pleasure of getting my work out there about my secret dream was really. Can maybe get into publishing through that back door. Is the book did well enough -- you know lo and behold it."

[10:15]" It and it's hyperion which is no since the -- little laid back company that's a huge deal. And and is there any kind of mean usually when we talked to novelists have hit novels the next question is movie rights as any of that been discussed."

[10:29]" Actually have we been shopping it around a term I have a sub agent right now kicking it to HBO. Oh. But like everything else today can now things are coming to a screeching halt floor you know requirements there are plummeting. As people try to figure out you know with the economy what happens."

[11:21]" Take an and they can also find the that the richest fees and -- comic as to the same places and I'm always available for book clubs arm might do webcam monotony area or for the phone. And I just like to say that my second novel I think -- appeal to your audience perhaps even more. It's coming out in July it -- so happy together. Currently a bit of an ironic title it. Story at three generations of women who end up on Cape -- together."

[11:48]" Other turtles and their anywhere now happening you know the now I have wail -- and I was close. The bad jokes. Melissa good luck and good luck to you Marianne and hopefully we'll get a chance to meet at some point I know you're going to be a very very popular novelist for quite some time -- people who read the richest season and I'm sure deliberate. Thank you -- much --"