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| Photo by Corrie Schaffeld |
Jessica Strawser is the editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest, where she served as editorial director for nearly a decade and became known for her in-depth cover interviews with such luminaries as David Sedaris and Alice Walker. She’s the author of the book club favorites Almost Missed You, a Barnes & Noble Best New Fiction pick, and Not That I Could Tell, a Book of the Month selection now new in paperback. Her third novel, Forget You Know Me, released to raves in February 2019 (all from St. Martin’s Press).
Currently serving as the 2019 Writer-in-Residence at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Strawser has written for The New York Times Modern Love, Publishers Weekly and other fine venues, and lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two children. (Bio courtesy of Jessica's website).
Visit Jessica online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Molly and Liza have always been enviably close. Even after Molly married Daniel, the couple considered Liza an honorary family member. But after Liza moved away, things grew more strained than anyone wanted to admit―in the friendship and the marriage.
When Daniel goes away on business, Molly and Liza plan to reconnect with a nice long video chat after the kids are in bed. But then Molly leaves the room to check on a crying child.
What Liza sees next will change everything.
Only one thing is certain: Molly needs her. Liza drives all night to be at Molly’s side―but when she arrives, the reception is icy, leaving Liza baffled and hurt. She knows there’s no denying what she saw.
Or is there?
In disbelief that their friendship could really be over, Liza is unaware she’s about to have a near miss of her own.
And Molly, refusing to deal with what’s happened, won’t turn to Daniel, either.
But none of them can go on pretending. Not after this.
Forget You Know Me is a “twisty, emotionally complex, powder keg of a tale” (bestselling author Emily Carpenter) about the wounds of people who’ve grown apart. Best friends, separated by miles. Spouses, hardened by neglect. A mother, isolated by pain.
One moment will change things for them all. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
What have you learned from writing your previous novels that you applied to Forget You Know Me?
To always remember, as I write, what the story is really about, which I think is especially key when telling a story from different points of view, as all three of my novels do.
Forget You Know Me opens with a jaw-drop and moves forward with a mystery to solve—but at its core, it’s about what happens to our closest relationships (friendships, marriages …) when they start to pull apart and something big forces us to face up to what’s happening. Can we reverse the unraveling? What if we’re not sure we want to? These three narrators had more independent arcs, I think, than the characters in my previous books, so keeping my finger on that theme was key to keeping them entwined even at points of great emotional (or physical) distance from one another.
What is a favorite compliment you've received on any of your books?
That Not That I Could Tell has moved readers to reconsider the way they think about domestic violence—something I scarcely dared to let myself hope for in writing a story that was so close to my heart.
Who would you cast as the leading roles in a movie version of Forget You Know Me?
These questions stump me every time! How about … Emily Blunt as Liza, Rachel McAdams as Molly, and Joseph-Gordon Levitt as Daniel.
What is your favorite thing about Valentine's Day? Least favorite?
My favorite is the most basic cue to stop and show appreciation for those we love—not that we should need a reminder, but sometimes we do. Least, though, is the pressure, the hype—I can remember a phase when I was a single, young adult and would dread the day when it seemed a glaring reminder of things I didn’t have. I’d end up out with other unattached girlfriends, having probably a better time than we would have had with traditional dates, and wish I’d just embraced that spirit from the start.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, which three books would you want to have with you?
Maggie O’Farrell’s This Must Be the Place, Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life, and a blank journal to write in (please, let me have a pen too!).
What is the last movie you saw that you'd recommend?
An Amazon Original called Life Itself, from the creator of This Is Us. I’ve since noticed that many critics ripped it for being heavy-handed, while audiences much more overwhelmingly liked it—which is often a sign to enjoy something for its better points rather than overanalyzing. Certainly it isn’t a perfect film (some moments are so tragic, they’re hard to watch), but I’m a sucker for entwined stories of fated (and ill-fated) soul mates, and always prefer an ambitious story to one that takes the safe path. I admired the film’s spirit. Also, Antonio Banderas.
Side note from Melissa A: I agree 100% about this movie! A must-see.
Thanks to Jessica for visiting with us and St. Martin's Press for sharing her book with our readers.
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24 comments:
I would like to forget the times I have been used and lied to.
I would love to forget some of the medical issues that have happened.
I would like to forget how unappreciative many family members were towards me when they visited and never heard a word nor received a thank you. I would like to forget how life threatening illnesses over the past 6 years were ongoing and difficult and ignored by most.
I would like to forget all the times people have hurt my feelings.
I would like to forget the negative people that were in my life.
I think there's nothing that I would forget because everything contributed to build the person I currently am.
I would like to forget some mistakes made in younger life. I wish I could forgive and forget in recent situations.
Silly things I did as a teenager.
A conversation that ended a friendship.
I would like to forget a friendship that ended badly. My heart still hurts and it has been years.
Some of the unhappy times. Better to try and move on.
Some of the really hard times in my life.
Most of my high school years.
I would like to forget any bad times I had in my life & just appreciate the good times to come.
I would love to forget the stupid mistakes I made in my younger years.
I would like to forget those little things that seem to bother me. Just let them go.
I'd like to forget those cringe-worthy memories that replay in my mind every once in a while.
Love her books! I'd like to forget a few of my ex-boyfriends! :)
people
I’d liked to forget about the things that caused me hurt in my life.
I'd like to forget some of my pet peeves. Sometimes I can be so ridiculously picky.
I would like to forget my bad relationships.
Hurtful comments that replay in my head...
Jessica gets all the good buzz! ☺
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