Linda Yellin delivers a modern fairy tale....plus a book giveaway

The first Nora Ephron movie I ever saw always comes to mind when I hear her name. It's called This is My Life and stars Julie Kavner (yes, the voice of Marge Simpson) as a single mother working as a stand-up comic and trying to understand what her teenage daughters are going through. It's a sweet story and has a great soundtrack with Carly Simon music. Even now, I have "Love of My Life" in my head. I also learned it was Nora's directorial debut, when the movies with her name attached prior to that were solely for her writing talent.

Nora Ephron is an iconic name in the chick lit world. Her untimely death in 2012 saddened us all and her writing has inspired some of the greatest authors in this genre. One such author is Linda Yellin, who recently published What Nora Knew, which is about a woman who is assigned to write a piece about New York City romance "in the style of Nora Ephron" and flunks out big time. Linda was our Valentine's Day guest two years ago, which is fitting for her romantic books. You can learn more about her at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.

Linda is here to talk about fairy tales and Disney with us and to celebrate her pub day, she has TEN copies of What Nora Knew for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada! She's a funny gal, so sit back and enjoy her interview!

If you were asked to adapt a fairy tale in the style of Nora Ephron, which would you choose and what is one Nora-esque quality you'd add to it? 
 We’d definitely have to go with Lady and the Tramp; it’s basically the same plot as When Harry Met Sally, give or take a dogcatcher or two. At first Lady doesn’t like Tramp, then they become friends, then she starts to love him and they spend a night together. Followed by all sorts of problems. We’d have to upgrade the food, though. Nora always included an appreciation for good food, so that scene with Lady and Tramp sucking on opposite ends of a spaghetti strand? It would require homemade pasta. And maybe a bottle of Prosecco.

What is a lesson you've taken to heart from any fairy tale?
Prepare to go into years of therapy if your mother dresses you in a little red cape and then sends you through a dark, scary forest to deliver baked goods to your grandmother. Really, mom, really?

What is your favorite fairy tale of all time? 
 I guess 101 Dalmatians doesn’t count as a fairy tale, and I’m not sure if Aladdin counts as a fairy tale. (But wasn’t the movie wonderful? Aladdin was waxing his pecs before it was even cool.) So Cinderella has just zipped to number one. I like the idea of chipmunks and mice creating a couture gown for me and pumpkin coaches are awesome.

Which Disney character can you relate to the most (doesn't have to be a princess)? 
 Pinocchio. No, wait, I’m lying. As a kid I felt great simpatico for the ugly duckling. To think that inside my skinny-faced, curly-headed self there might be a swan lurking – well, talk about major appeal. It’s the reverse plot of Beauty and the Beast. Hey! My hairy-faced, beast-headed boyfriend might have a prince lurking inside!

When was the last time you visited a Disney Theme Park? What is a favorite memory from that time? 
 It’s been several years, but I still can’t get the tune from “It’s A Small, Small World” out of my head. And I’m still wildly impressed with how they handle the long lines. You think you’re almost at the front and it’s your turn next on Magic Mountain, when – nope! – the line goes around a corner and you realize there are forty other families ahead of you.

Who is your favorite sidekick from any Disney movie? 
Timothy Q. Mouse in Dumbo. Who wouldn’t want a little voice in their head all day long saying: “You can do it! You can fly!” He’s the friend version of high self-esteem. That movie actually made me wish I had bigger ears. If Timothy was around while I was writing What Nora Knew, I’d have finished in half the time.

Thanks to Linda for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.


~Introduction by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US/Canada only. Giveaway ends January 26th at midnight EST.

For another chance to win this book, visit Liz and Lisa by January 23rd.