Author Interview-Monica Epstein

What inspired you to become a writer?

A combination of things. I had several school teachers who encouraged my creative writing. Although my passion for writing went on hiatus while I was in high school, college, and grad school because everything I wrote had to be factual (where’s the fun in that?!), I was good at it. I think this is what made me pursue a career in writing once my three children no longer needed full-time care. (I’m a technical writer by day.)

But I was inspired to write fiction, first, by my love of JK Rowling’s personal story and her Harry Potter series, and second, by some online friends who taught me it was fun sharing stories. One of those stories took on a life of its own and became the basis for WHERE THERE IS WILL.

Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)

I’ve known for a long time I’m indecisive, but I’ve concluded only from doing interviews that I rarely have favorites! If I’m given a choice of several, I might be able to choose my favorite from among them, but if I’m asked to name just ONE whatever, I can’t do it. Maybe I’m afraid of hurting feelings or taking sides? So I’m going to answer this question in a different way.

Rhett and Scarlett versus Elizabeth and Darcy: Elizabeth and Darcy
Romeo and Juliet versus Othello and Desdemona: Romeo and Juliet
Katniss and Peeta versus Ron and Hermione: Katniss and Peeta (Despite being a Harry Potter fan, Ron and Hermione seemed like an odd match.)
Edward and Bella versus Ron and Hermione: Ron and Hermione (Not as odd a match as a vampire and a mortal woman, although in full disclosure, I never read the Twilight series so forgive me if you’re a fan.)

Tell me what inspired this story.

After learning my twenty-year-old son and I liked some of the same music, I was inspired to write a short story about an older woman on the brink of divorce trying to boost her self-esteem by comparing her taste in music to the the twenty-something man she was seated next to on a plane. At the end of the story they each went their own way. But I got to thinking, what if she took his phone with her by accident? How would she get it back to him?

To make it a little more challenging, I made the young man a celebrity. How many women say things like “I have his phone” in order to meet a celebrity? Celebrities probably have people to intercept such ruses. And if the woman was only visiting, how could the celebrity find her? The next thing I knew, the characters were taking me for a very long ride; one that didn’t end for another 80,000 words!

How do you balance your day-to-day commitments with your writing life?

I’m pretty lucky that two of my three children are grown and no longer at home, and the third is a teenager so she doesn’t need constant attention. I work a full-time job, but most evenings and weekends are my own time, which I spend writing and trying to establish a presence on social media. (And if my brain is really fried, playing Candy Crush Saga.) Some weeks I get more writing done than others, but it all balances out.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers? 

WHERE THERE IS WILL is a story of learning to love yourself. The heroine, Michelle, can’t be free to love another man until she loves herself. I hope the book inspires readers to see the positive inside them.

I love company! Visit me at the following:

Website, where you can read my blog, which focuses on midlife: http://www.monicaepstein.com

Facebook fan page, where you can follow my career: http://www.facebook.com/monicaepsteinauthor

Google+: http://www.plus.google.com/+monicaepstein

Pinterest, where you can take a peek into my heroine’s world and learn more about me: http://www.pinterest.com/monicaeps/

Amazon, where you can buy WHERE THERE IS WILL: 

When she moves to London following her divorce, Michelle Loeser has no interest in looking for love. She needs to focus on surviving without her ex’s six-figure income, coping with a severe fear of heights, and rebuilding her confidence. And if she keeps her promise to her best friend, she’ll pursue her passion for writing too.

Will Sheridan found his passion early in life. At age eleven, he was cast in the starring role in a film series. Now, at the age of 25, he’s a celebrity at a crossroads in his career. He has no time for women who don’t understand his priorities.

When Will offers to help Michelle acclimate to the unfamiliar city in exchange for cooking lessons, she figures what’s the harm? But jealous fans and coworkers, eager paparazzi, and a distrustful mother see it differently.