Sandy James, Fringe Benefit INTERVIEW
Welcome one and all! Let's all welcome Sandy, author of the Ladies Who Lunch series.
Hello, Sandy! Thanks so much for joining me here on my little blog! Below you’ll find the questions for the interview. Please fill them out and throw in plenty of descriptive information-the fluffier the better.
Let’s chat a bit about the books first. What is a word that would describe each of the Ladies? And who do you connect to most? *props head on hands*
Mallory is a woman I’d admire. She faces some of the toughest battles in life and comes out with a sense of humor and a strong will to survive.
Juliana is who I’d like to be. To be able to stand up for exactly what she wants is a trait I admire. She’s tough, but she’s soft under all that armor.
Beth is a woman I’d love to have as my best friend. She’d be supportive and encouraging, and she gives more of herself than she expects of others.
Dani is the epitome of control, which makes her both the best and worst person for a job. Once she lets her guard down, she’s loyal and kind.
I think I connect most with Beth. I tend to “mother” people. Just ask my students. I’m always trying to make things better for people, and I get really upset when I can’t solve all their problems.
If the series were a TV show- or a movie series- who would you want to play the leading roles?
Fun question! The easiest one is Dani. She’s Amy Adams. I loved Amy as Amelia Earhart in Night at the Museum 2. That character is pure Dani!
Juliana could be played well by Scarlett Johansson. Not just because she’s a redhead, but because she plays characters with the same type of self-confidence and all out chutzpah that Jules shows.
Beth could be Zoey Deschanel. She has that innocence and charm that embody Beth.
Now Mallory—she’s the toughest. I’d have to nominate Anne Hathaway. She’s the one actress I know could pull off the way Mallory is vulnerable despite the “mask” she puts on for everyone.
Let’s just say that the world gets taken over by zombies- theoretically of course- which of the Ladies would be most likely to survive the apocalypse?
They all would, because they’d pull together! BTW—The Walking Dead is favorite show right now! I can easily picture my Ladies fitting in with TWD tribe. Jules and Dani would probably become Carol’s bestest buddies.
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Now I have a few questions regarding you. How did you come into the whole writing business? Was it fate or did it take some extra planning?
I started writing as a way to cross an item off my Bucket List. Way back as far as junior high, I’ve written stories. My eighth grade English teacher was convinced I’d be a writer one day. (Thanks, Mrs. Dewey!) But life gets in the way, and my husband and I married and started a family when we were right out of college. Until the kids grew up, I simply didn’t have time to write.
When my son—the last chick in the nest—was a senior in high school, I read a book that was so poorly written, I couldn’t help but think that I could do better. So I decided to try. After writing the first book, I was thoroughly, hopelessly addicted.
A couple of my teacher friends asked to read that first book, and they encouraged me to pursue publishing. Much to my surprise, I was picked up by a publisher, who then asked to see what else I’d written. From there, I just kept growing my career.
Fate definitely played a part in getting me into the Big Leagues! I met my agent, Joanna MacKenzie, when we shared a cab at RWA. We chit-chatted, and she asked to see some of my work. I was thrilled when she took me on as a client. She’s the one who sold my Ladies series to Grand Central Publishing, and we have more series in development.
If you were stuck with three books and three kinds of food on mars (you have oxygen and a spare pair of TOMS) for a year, what would those food kinds and books be?
Hmm... I’d have to take Julie Garwood’s The Bride. Love, love, love that book, and it never gets old. There would also have to be a copy of The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. I’m an Anglophile, and I love her books. And I’d want a copy of Stephen King’s 11/22/63 for its history, and the sheer size means it would occupy me for a long time.
Food...I’ll stray from the nutrition angle and go with comfort foods. Cheesecake. Sweet and sour chicken. And chocolate ice cream.
You have enough money to go wherever you want and for however long you want to- where would you go and what would you do? Also, who would you take?
I’d divide my time between London and Paris. I’d stay forever so I could explore the myriad historical places I’ve read about my whole life. The list would be endless! My husband would be the person I’d want to share it with. After being married thirty-two years, I need him with me. He’s currently fighting colon cancer, and I want to thank all my friends and readers for all their support, kind words, and prayers! They mean the world to us!
