Q&A with Susan Mallery, The Friendship List

Where did the inspiration for The Friendship List’s plot come from?

The inspiration for The Friendship List came from a reader—but I don’t think it’s exactly the story the reader was asking for. A couple years ago, a reader suggested I write a story about empty nesters, a couple whose children had grown up and were moving out. I considered the idea, but it didn’t immediately sing for me.

Then, while washing dishes—which is when I often get ideas—I thought to myself, “What if it isn’t a couple, but a single mom? And what if she had her baby really young, like in high school? She would be in her midthirties when her kid went to college. What would that be like?”

That’s the spark that led to Ellen, a single mom who had her son when she was a senior in high school. Since then, she has put his needs first, always, to the point where she hasn’t dated really at all in her adult life. When her son was little, she worked her butt off to raise him and go to college to become a math teacher.

The story starts as Ellen overhears her son telling a friend he can’t go away to college because his mom doesn’t have a life without him. They’re a team, and she needs him. Ellen is horrified that she’s holding him back, and she knows she has to do something drastic to convince him that it’s safe for him to follow his dreams.

Unity, Ellen’s best friend for as long as they both can remember, is a young widow, still mourning the death of her husband three years ago. She’s stuck in her grief, and reluctant to change that because getting over her grief might mean really letting go of the love of her life forever. But for Ellen’s sake, Unity comes up with the friendship list—a series of challenges designed to shake up their lives.

One way or another, this will be a summer that will change them forever. The Friendship List is a celebration of friendship. I know authors aren’t supposed to have favorite books, but I have to admit, this is one of my favorite things that I’ve ever written—certainly the funniest. Every day, I couldn’t wait to get to my desk, excited to write that day’s fun scene. It was pure joy from page 1 to The End, and I hope you’ll love it, too.

Who is your favorite character in this novel and why?

I love both of the friends, but Ellen probably squeaks out a narrow win over Unity simply because her journey was so much fun. Think about it—she had her kid when she was seventeen years old, and from that moment on, her life revolved around him so she missed out on the things most people experience in their twenties. Dating, parties, bar-hopping. She was home studying and taking care of her kid.

And in fact, he’s the impetus for her to change, as well, because she  sees  that what’s best for him now is for her to let go, to get a life of her own. When she realizes all that she’s been missing, she dives in with her whole heart and body, with such enthusiasm that she had me laughing every day. Suddenly she wants to try everything all at once. Love, love, love, love her.

Of the challenges in the book, which was the most fun to write about? Why?

Oh, that’s a tough one! I don’t know if I want to tell you my favorite-favorite because it might be too much of a spoiler. So instead, I’ll tell you one of my other favorites, which is more of a teaser than a spoiler. 😊 One of Ellen’s challenges is to wear clothes that fit, instead of her normal habit of wearing clothes that are at least three sizes too large for her. Baggy is her comfort zone. The first time she wears an outfit that shows the shape of her body, her pal Keith can’t help looking at her in a whole new way. Here’s a clip:

He stared at her in confusion. Something was different with Ellen, he thought, trying to figure out what it was.

He cataloged her appearance. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, just like always. She had on makeup maybe, which was a surprise, but made her eyes looked bluer than usual. As for what she was wearing, it was just some shirt thing and pants that stopped just below her knee. Nothing out of the ordinary except—

He swore silently. The clothes fit. For once they weren’t swirling around her, the extra fabric concealing every part of her body. He could see the shape of her waist and her hips, the outline of her thighs. And breasts. Ellen had breasts!

He realized he was staring and forced his gaze away. Of course she had breasts. Women had breasts. Ellen’s were no big deal. Only he’d never noticed them before and he didn’t want to see them now.

What is your idea of a good personal challenge for yourself?

The challenges in The Friendship List are meant to push the women out of their comfort zone and be a little intimidating for them, so my personal challenge will have to do the same. Hmm… Oh! How about a plunging V neckline? Cleavage makes me really self-conscious, but I admire women who can proudly show off their curves.

I’m nervous just thinking about it!

Do your characters tell you their stories a bit at a time or all at once? Do they ever pull you in unexpected directions changing up the plot you originally planned?

Yes, yes, and yes. It depends on the story. Very rarely, a story will come to me fully formed. Daughters of the Bride was like that. A gift book. That almost never happens. Usually, I get a spark of an idea. I write up some notes, then set it aside. If I’m still thinking about it, I know it has potential. I get a lot of ideas that never go anywhere. They might make fine stories for someone else, but if they’re not tugging at me, I let them go.

I’m on the extreme-plotter end of the plotter/pantser spectrum. (For those who don’t know, a plotter is a writer who plots the story in advance. A pantser is a writer who flies by the seat of her pants, without knowing where the story is going.) I generally work out story problems during my plotting process, which makes me feel free to relax and sink into the story while I’m writing.

When I get into the flow of a book, the characters do take over and sometimes they do surprise me. When they take me in a direction I didn’t expect, I have to step back to look at the big picture to adjust. I never try to force a character to do something that doesn’t feel right for him or her. Every decision must be motivated.

In The Friendship List, Unity threw me for a loop early on. I knew she was still in love with her late husband, but until I wrote a particular scene, I didn’t realize just how broken she still was. I did have to make some very serious adjustments to her road to a happy ending. And in the end, as I brought her out of that darkness, I cried. So satisfying!

Do you have pets? How do the animals you have now or have had in the past influence writing animals into your stories?

Yes, I have three pets. Two ragdoll cats, siblings Alex and Lucy, and a miniature poodle named Kelli. I love animals of all kinds. I’m a big supporter of Seattle Humane and the amazing work they do for animals in and around Seattle.

Animals play a big role in my books. When they have a part in the story, they are genuine characters because I believe, like humans, each animal has its own unique quirks and personality traits. The book I’m working on right now will be the first book in my new series, Wishing Tree—Christmas romances—and there are two dogs in the book who I adore. Bella is a Great Dane who loves to play dress-up in cute canine ensembles, and who is intimidated by a dachshund named Burt. The first Wishing Tree romance will be out in 2021.

Is there a genre of books that you have not written yet but might contemplate writing in the future? What might that be?

I recently toyed with the idea of writing a thriller. I even did quite a bit of research on Bitcoin, which was going to be a big subplot. I decided against the thriller, but research is never wasted—one of the characters in The Friendship List became a Bitcoin millionaire, and then a regular-money millionaire. Plus, I'm kind of proud of myself—it took me two weeks of research to be able to understand crypto-currency, but I'm now I'm at least cocktail-party level literate. 😊

What was the first book you sold/published and how did you celebrate when you received the acceptance letter from the publisher?

The first book I sold was a historical romance called Frontier Flame. A few months after that, I sold a book to (then Silhouette) Special Edition. Both books came out the same month, so the first time I was published was with two books. It was very heady! Of course, before that and after that I had many story ideas rejected. Even now, although infrequently, one of my ideas can be rejected. It happened recently. Still stings, but not as badly.

I celebrated my first sale by calling all of my writer friends and squealing over the phone, and then by going out for a nice dinner with my husband.

What do you love to do when not writing? 

I love hanging out with my friends—and I miss that right now because of the coronavirus. Friendship is one of the most fundamental relationships in a woman’s life. You might argue “in a man’s life, too,” but from what I’ve observed, most men don’t have the same visceral need for community that women do. My husband once told me, “You’re all I need.” Which is sweet and romantic and probably true. I love him dearly, more than any other human being on the planet, but I need friends, too. My friends are the family I chose, and I nurture those relationships in every way I can.

Q&A with Bryn Turnbull, The Woman Before Wallis

Everyone knows the story of Edward and Wallis. What drew you to Thelma’s story instead?

Thelma’s affair with Edward is only aspect of her story: she was on the periphery not only of the abdication crisis, but also the biggest custody battle in US history to date. She was something of a Kardashian in her day – famous for being famous – but she was also strong-willed, and willing to stand up for those she loved. Other people have written beautifully about Wallis and Edward, but Thelma’s story deserved to be told on its own merits.

This novel contains the real-life stories of real life people – some of whom have living descendants. How did you balance the drive to tell a good story against the historical record in terms of character development?

It’s a tricky balance to strike, but at the end of the day my job is to tell a good story, taking as much historical fact into consideration as I can without sacrificing the plot. I spent a lot of time researching the people who make up my book: luckily, Thelma and Gloria wrote a memoir, and we have plenty of letters, biographies, and recordings of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, so by the time I started actually writing, I had a very good sense of who they were. Wallis in particular leapt out of the pen, and I think that’s because she’s left such a legacy behind. I certainly hope that they would see themselves in the characters I’ve created, but at the end of the day these are fictional representations.

How did you find Thelma’s story?

I’d long been interested in the abdication crisis, and had read biographies of Wallis Simpson before, but I’d never really picked up on Thelma’s story until I watched W.E., a movie directed by Madonna about Wallis and Edward’s relationship. In the film, we see Wallis and Thelma have that conversation where Thelma asks Wallis to “take care” of Edward for her while she’s travelling, and I remember thinking it was such a strange request to make of a friend – even one as close as Wallis was to Thelma. After the movie ended I found myself down a bit of a Wikipedia rabbit hole, where I discovered her connection to the Gloria Vanderbilt trial, and recognized that this was a story that ought to be told.

One of the major relationships in this novel is between Gloria and Nada. Why was it important to you to show a relationship between two women in the 1930s?

Their relationship is historical fact: it would have been disingenuous to omit it from the book. I truly believe that Gloria loved Nada, and had they lived in a different time period their story would have ended quite differently. What’s more interesting to me is the fact that their relationship was permitted because of social privilege – and when Gloria lost that privilege, their relationship fell apart.

How does Gloria’s experience as a queer woman shape Thelma’s actions?

To me, THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS is a love story – but it’s not a royal romance. While the abdication crisis looms large over Thelma’s life, this is a book about the love between sisters: Thelma supported her sister in a day and age when being gay was seen as unacceptable – except, as Gloria points out, in the highest echelons of society. In the history books, Thelma has often been dismissed as a lesser socialite, but when it comes down to it, she was a deeply principled woman, and her experience as an ally spoke to me.

After spending so long with his character, how do you feel about Edward VIII and his decision to abdicate?

I think Edward VIII would have found an excuse to abdicate, regardless of whether Wallis Simpson had come into his life or not. He was a fundamentally weak man, and would have made a fundamentally weak king – and while in my novel I have him talk to Thelma about the sort of king he wants to be, I don’t think he ever intended on taking up his crown. If it hadn’t been Wallis, he would have found another excuse to abdicate.

That said, Thelma was genuinely in love with him. It was important for me to find a way into that love, and to be able to portray him with some compassion.

Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson are known to have been Nazi sympathizers. Why don’t you address this in your book?

I don’t address it for three reasons. First, Thelma and Edward’s relationship ended in 1934. Hitler only became chancellor in 1933, so while he would have been a topic of conversation around the dinner table, he wouldn’t have been the main topic of conversation. Second, Thelma was not a political person. One of the biggest complaints the government levied against Wallis Simpson was her political activism – in fact, when it became clear Edward wouldn’t give Wallis up, there was a movement within government to invite Thelma back to England because she wasn’t seen as someone who would interfere in politics the way Wallis did. Finally, the sad fact is that many members of Britain’s upper crust had extreme right-wing leanings in the 1930s, and many were generally supportive of Hitler’s policies. At the time, socialism was seen as a far greater threat than fascism, particularly because the General Strike of 1926 had been so successful in disrupting industrial production. Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists had 50,000 members at the height of its popularity in the 1930s.

In the end, I find it incredibly interesting that history shook out in such a way that Britain had the king it needed during the war. Could you imagine what would have happened if George VI hadn’t been on the throne during the Blitz?

Do you think Wallis intended to replace Thelma?

I don’t think she did. Whatever else has been written about her – and there has been a lot written about her – Wallis was an extremely ambitious social climber. I believe that Wallis was genuinely trying to keep Edward’s eye from straying, for Thelma’s sake, but when it became clear that his affection had transferred to her, she didn’t feel too much guilt in taking advantage of the situation.

She certainly didn’t intend to marry Edward – that much is clear. In 2011, Anne Sebba published a biography of Wallis Simpson which contains previously unpublished letters between Wallis and Ernest Simpson – she wrote to him until the end of her life, and expressed regret at having ended their marriage. I believe that Wallis had hoped to take advantage of Edward’s attraction to make new friends and move in the highest social circle in Britain. She genuinely believed that Edward would tire of her before too long – when he didn’t, I think she was as surprised as anyone else.

What did you enjoy most about researching this book?

I wasn’t on any fixed timeline to complete this book, so I was able to spend two full years researching – just researching! – the time period. I particularly enjoyed researching the fashion of the 1930s– the attention to detail is incredible, especially for someone who had Thelma’s budget. I was able to access a lot of newspaper articles about the Vanderbilt trial at the New York Public Library, which really helped me understand the frenzy that the trial had created. A photographer actually did try to rappel down the side of the courthouse to get a picture of the proceedings! The trial reached newspapers in Pakistan! I went to London and walked Thelma’s neighbourhood – while Duke’s Arlington townhouse is no longer there, I visited her home in Mayfair and had drinks in the Ritz.

My favourite research moment, though, was finding Edward’s plane, and while I wish I’d had the right place to put it in the manuscript, it did help me come to an understanding of who he was as a person. One of his planes is at the Vintage Wings museum in Gatineau, Quebec, and I was able to visit it: it’s a beautiful little biplane with an open cockpit and a closed cabin for passengers. The plane itself looks like a Rolls Royce, with beautiful a chrome and indigo body and burgundy leather interior: but the best part of it is that Edward had a small generator installed on one of the wings so that he could power a wireless radio. While that sounds like a good idea, Vintage Wings was kind enough to take me up in a plane of a similar vintage, and I was struck by how unbelievably loud it was up in the air. Even with headphones on, it would have been extremely difficult to hear anything on a wireless.

I think this really sums up who Edward was. He was so concerned with his image – with looking and feeling like a modern royal – that he forgot to take into account the practicalities of the situation.

Q&A with Nichole Severn, Midnight Abduction

The Tactical Crime Division is a specialized unit of the FBI. Did you do any research before writing about this type of fast-paced, high-adrenaline lifestyle?  

A: I’ve written a few FBI characters throughout my career (one of my favorite kinds of novels to write!), but for Midnight Abduction, I really had to look into missing persons statistics and break that data down into manageable chunks.

As an agent trained in missing persons, my heroine has to know the probabilities of a parent being involved in the abduction (or someone the child knew), the child’s daily habits, schedule, and so much more than age, weight, height and a recent photo. It’s unbelievable how the smallest detail could contribute to her bringing home a missing child, and how quickly evidence can change the course of an entire investigation.

I also found the more attention I put into reviewing actual missing persons from the FBI’s website, the more conflict and mystery I was able to add to this book.

The Tactical Crime Division series includes four books written by four different authors; what was it like to collaborate with other authors and how did you decide who got to write each storyline?

A: Thankfully deciding who wrote which book was completely up to our editors, but collaborating with three other authors really was a huge change of pace for me. Up to this point, I’ve been in control of every minute detail throughout my books and have never had to rely on another author for the story I’m writing. 

But the TCD series features multiple points of view in each book, including main characters from the other three. I’d say the most difficult part of working together was just trying to get each other’s characters right. We didn’t want to overstep, make these side characters do something out of character or get the details of their past wrong, but every author involved in the series was great about answering questions and updating our shared series bible. 

Can you share a recent book you have read that you would like to recommend?

A: I’ve just finished Loreth Anne White’s IN THE DARK and could not put it down! The use of setting to add to the psychological mystery she’s created was so well done, I’m still thinking about it weeks later.

Q&A with Cindi Myers, Running Out of Time

The Tactical Crime Division is a specialized unit of the FBI. Did you do any research before writing about this type of fast-paced, high-adrenaline lifestyle? 

A: I didn’t read this specifically for this series, but I did recently read Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler. He has a section in his book on TacOps teams in the FBI, which gave me a feel for that kind of operation. And because Running Out of Time deals with an incidence of medication poisoning, I read a lot about the Tylenol poisoning case in 1982. Writing mystery and suspense takes you down so many interesting paths!

The Tactical Crime Division series includes four books written by four different authors; what was it like to collaborate with other authors and how did you decide who got to write each storyline?

A: Harlequin assigned each author to a particular storyline. Since each story is stand-alone, we didn’t all work together closely, though I really enjoyed getting to know Carla, Liz, and Nichole a little better as we emailed back and forth about this project. We were all excited to have been chosen to write these stories. I worked most closely with Nichole since the heroine of Midnight Abduction, Anna Sophia Ramirez, also plays a prominent role in Running Out of Time. 

Can you share a recent book you have read that you would like to recommend?

A: So many good books – so little time! And too little space here. Right now, I’m reading Stephen King’s 11/22/63, which deals with time travel and the JFK assassination – fascinating stuff. And I just finished Julie Miller’s Target On Her Back, which I loved.

Q&A with Shannon Stacey, More Than Neighbors

What was the romance novel that got you hooked on the genre (or: What was the romance novel that inspired you to become a romance author?)

I don’t really remember a time I didn’t love romance novels, but Plain-Jane Princess by Karen Templeton (a Silhouette Intimate Moments from 2001) is the romance novel that renewed my determination to become a published romance author. Not only does it remain one of my all-time favorite reads, but getting to know the author online taught me that it was possible to juggle kids and a home and writing and inspired me to keep trying.

Please share in your own words what it means to experience That Harlequin Feeling

No matter what I’m in the mood for—from a small town single mom to a billionaire business mogul—I know I can reach for a Harlequin romance and read an emotional, positive story that will give me the happily ever after ending I love so much.

What was the name of your first published novel, and tell us a bit about that experience?

There was a lot of variety in my publishing journey before I settled on contemporary romance, but selling Exclusively Yours to Carina Press and seeing the Harlequin name across the top of my contract was a dream come true. More Than Neighbors is my 29th title under the Harlequin umbrella and ten years later, it’s no less of a thrill. And being published by Harlequin Special Edition was another longtime dream come true, so I took myself out to lunch to celebrate (I had the most amazing grilled cheese and bacon sandwich I’ve ever had).

About Shannon Stacey

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and off-roading with her friends and family. You can contact Shannon through her website, www.shannonstacey.com, as well as sign up for her newsletter. 

In Service to Love: Living on the Edge of Creation by Darlene Green

In Service to Love began the morning of December 26, 2017. When I awoke, I felt immediately overcome with Love, appreciation, and enveloped in the rich, palpable presence of the sacred divine. I could feel and see the exquisite, brilliant light of Masters, and the Elohim before me. I could do no other than sob. An invitation was extended to sit with the Masters of the Council of Light as Scribe for one year in collaboration. I said, “Yes!” I knew in an instant this was the mission I had always felt at the depths of my being and was so sacredly kept I dared not even utter the words. And “Day 1” poured through my fingers.

I have always been deeply empathic, intuitive and sensitive. This created a chasm between what I sensed and the physical reality I saw. I became an avid student of spirituality and pieces of the puzzle started lining up. I never thought of myself as a writer. My natural inclinations are as a healer and teacher. In 2015 I connected powerfully with my own history as Scribe with profound events at sacred sites in Southern France. I began to practice reaching for the fine frequencies that contain inspiration. It was both beautiful and frustrating as the experience required developing adeptness at sensing my own inner realms. Following a car accident in February of 2017, all work stopped as I turned deeply inward for healing. Then December 26, 2017 occurred.

As I sat down each day to write In Service to Love, I was guided by the Council of Light to what I can only describe as a field of fine, exquisite frequency that contains depth, concepts, pictures and colors. Each day was written from a different frequency even as my mind struggled to understand the process. Sometimes full concepts landed in my awareness as a picture that contained all the information then, my work was to interpret the picture I was given utilizing words that were a frequency match. Some days I was invited to expand my reach as the Council of Light moved into even finer light realms. Other times there was no thinking at all as the words flowed like honey onto the keyboard. 

I continue to live a Master’s class in accessing original thought. At times I work to reach the space of connection and ultimately realize there is some limitation I am taking into the space that clouds my vision. My personality left to its own devices is fraught with doubt. So, my goal is to access my unlimited divine knowing by raising my awareness and frequency. In those moments in meditation I ask, “What may I release that I may see clearly?” Mostly what shows up are ways I discount myself. When I release my limitations, the air clears as I reach my truth unfettered by the beliefs of my personality. An expansive sense of freedom and delight ensues.

Two of the keys to access my most potent creativity:

1) Immaculate presence in the Now: I visualize myself within a series of concentric circles, with my center-most point being the exquisite stillness of the present moment. When my attention is in the outer-rings I am highly distracted, so, I watch myself walk to my center. There I experience the absence of thought. I take a deep breath and allow. 

2) Willingness to not know: Accessing my greatest innovative capacity only occurs as I move beyond what I already know. Potent creating is not about rearranging what already has been, it is about accessing my own high frequency field where innovation arises in my awareness only in the Now moment.

Central messaging of In Service to Love invites us each to consider our own innovative capacity. Not as something that is unreachable, or only for a few of us, but as something that is deeply, intrinsically connected to our soul’s voice. As we connect to our own heart’s essence, we become the contribution we each intend. I continue to lean into the unknown to move beyond my own limited perceptions as I write daily. I feel the time we are in now requests our best to show up. With works inspired through the lens of our essential Self, how could we be anything else? 

I am hoping the works of In Service to Love invites a new perspective for the reader. One that resonates powerfully with their own exquisite truth. Enlightenment is not a state to be earned; it is a natural process where we claim our wholeness. When we gently release the burden of who we are not, who we are shines brilliantly.

About the Author:

Highly sensitive, a natural empath, healer, teacher and scribe, Darlene Green has followed her heart's direction in discovery of the sacred in life. After many years of spiritual practice and study, Darlene experienced an invitation by the Masters of the Council of Light to sit with them as scribe, daily, for one year and one day. The result is the extensive body of work that is In Service to Love, relayed through three books: In Service to Love Book 1: Love Remembered, In Service to Love Book 2: Love Elevated and In Service to Love Book 3: Love Now. For more information, please visit https://darlenegreenauthor.com and follow Darlene on Facebook and Instagram.