Melissa Pimentel Author Interview

Photo Credit: Ryan Bowman

MELISSA PIMENTEL grew up in a small town in Massachusetts in a house without cable and therefore much of her childhood was spent watching 1970s British comedy on public television. These days, she spends much of her time reading in the various pubs of Stoke Newington and engaging in a long-standing emotional feud with their disgruntled cat, Welles. She works in publishing and is also the author of Love by the Book.

      

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
I think the importance of storytelling is two-fold: it allows us to shape our world and also to expand it. We need to hear stories about other people’s lives in order to better understand their lives and our own.

What’s one thing that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
That I never wanted to be a writer! Well, that’s not strictly true. I wanted to be a writer as a kid but wrote off the idea as impossible as soon as I got a little older… so this whole thing is still a bit of a surprise to me! A nice one, of course.

Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book and why? And what is your favorite book outside of your genre?
Jane Austen is the only writer who I find myself itching to re-read over and over, so it would probably be one of hers, though it’s too hard to choose a favorite. I just read my first Stephen King novel (Misery, I’m a little late to the party) and loved it so I’m definitely going to read more of his work.

What was the greatest thing you learned at school?
Hard work. I wasn’t the brightest student but I was one of the most dogged, and I think that has definitely helped with my writing. So much of writings is just sitting down and forcing yourself to do it.

Can you tell us when you started THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY, how that came about?
Well, as already mentioned, I love Jane Austen, and I think Persuasion is sometimes overlooked, so I thought it would be fun to reimagine it for modern times.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating Ruby?
I think Ruby’s relationship with New York mirrored my own. I moved there after college and tried to convince myself that I loved it there, but really I was miserable. Writing Ruby’s story definitely helped me to own that.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your readers. What would it be?
Oh lord. I think my mother would agree that I’m not in a position to offer anyone advice!

If you wrote a journal entry today, what would it say?
It would probably be quite boring to most readers – lots about hanging out with my husband and talking to our cats. Maybe a few reminders for the grocery list. To me, though, that’s happiness.

What's the most memorable summer job you've ever had?
I had so many summer jobs, it’s difficult to pick. I guess the most memorable is the time my best friend and I worked for an anti-tobacco charity and as part of our community outreach work, we staged a battle in the local mall. She was dressed up as a hawk (the high school mascot) and I was dressed as an enormous cigarette. It must have looked like a piece of bad surrealist theater.

Who was your first boyfriend?
Lovely Andrew, who is still one of my best friends to this day. Sadly our romance didn’t make it past the fifth grade, despite me playing Boyz to Men down the phone to him.

Tell me about your first kiss.
At the cinema, watching Reality Bites. I had a full set of braces. Poor guy.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heartbreak, or having never loved at all?
I always remember this (very depressing) line from the musical Carousel, the gist of which is “all love affairs end badly because either someone breaks it off or someone dies.” Not exactly a cheering thought, but it stuck with me because it’s so true. Bad stuff is going to happen. You can’t hide from it.

What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a teenager?
I was a 90s teenager and loved it, so I’m sticking with that. Saved by the Bell! 90210! She’s All That! Unimprovable, really.

Where can readers find you?
I am very bad at social media but if someone tweets me, I always try to respond. https://twitter.com/melispim

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, where a young woman comes face-to-face with a lost love, proving that the one that got away is sometimes the one you get back.

Ruby and Ethan were perfect for each other. Until the day they suddenly weren’t.

Ten years later, Ruby’s single, having spent the last decade focusing on her demanding career and hectic life in Manhattan. There’s barely time for a trip to England for her little sister’s wedding. And there’s certainly not time to think about seeing Ethan there for the first time in years.

But as the family frantically prepare for the big day, Ruby can’t help but wonder if she made the right choice all those years ago. Because there’s nothing like a wedding for stirring up the past…

Praise for MELISSA PIMENTEL

"Told through alternating perspectives of the past and present, this tale is for lovers of Jane Austen and sweet summer romance novels. The quirky characters and juxtaposition of time keep readers engaged [...] the feel-good ending is worth the read." ―RT Book Reviews

"Pimentel (Love by the Book, 2015) offers a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion in this tale of reunited lovers. Wedding? ?drama and light social satire make this an entertaining choice for NA romance fans." ―Booklist

“HUGELY enjoyable! Great fun, a gripping read, and very touching.” ―New York Times bestselling author Marian Keyes

“Love by the Book feels like a no-holds barred girls’ night. I found myself laughing out loud at every turn. Melissa Pimentel is a great new voice. She’ll go far!” ―Cara Lockwood, USA Today bestselling author of I Do (But I Don’t)

"Melissa Pimentel's voice is wickedly funny and entirely appealing. Reading Love by the Book is like taking a tour of London on the arm of an audacious and hilarious new friend―in other words a whole lot of fun!" ―Meg Donohue, USA Today bestselling author of All the Summer Girls

"Wincingly honest and hilariously perceptive, Love by the Book is a fresh, funny, clever take on dating, relating, and finding love." ―Anna Maxted, bestselling author of Getting Over It and Running in Heels

"A fun romantic comedy (or tragedy, depending on the day). If you love "The Mindy Project", imagine Mindy in London surrounded by British hotties, fabulous friends, and way too much bad dating advice. A wonderful debut by Melissa Pimental. Can't wait to dive into her next novel." ―Kim Gruenenfelder, author of A Total Waste of Makeup

“For fans of Sex and the City.” ―Kirkus Review

“Pimentel’s riotous tale will appeal to any woman who has ever suffered through the woes of dating. Readers will feel Lauren’s frustration and find themselves relating to her mishaps and laughing at her more ridiculous predicaments. Witty and smart, Love by the Book puts a fresh twist on the age-old dating story and will especially appeal to millenials.” ―Booklist

"Honest, funny and cringingly relatable." ―Glamour (UK)

You can purchase The One That Got Away at the following Retailers:

        

And now, The Giveaways.

Thank you MELISSA PIMENTEL for making this giveaway possible.

1 Winner will receive a Copy of The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel.

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