Bethany Crandell is back at CLC today, and we welcome her with open arms. She was here earlier this year to talk about her debut adult novel, The Jake Ryan Complex (reviewed here). Her sophomore adult novel, See Jane Snap, is publishing next week. Melissa enjoyed it as much as its predecessor (see her review). Bethany may be really busy with writing, but she has graciously answered more of our pressing questions. She's also giving away a signed print copy and an audio book of See Jane Snap to some lucky readers!
Bethany lives in San Diego with her husband, two teenage daughters, and two darling and ridiculously destructive puppies. She lives and dies by her routine, watch more than she reads, and does her best brainstorming while blowing her hair dry. They’re called “hairdryer epiphanies.” (Bio adapted from Bethany's website.)
Visit Bethany online:
Handsome, successful husband. Adorable daughter. Chairwoman of the PTA. Security for her ailing mom. Jane’s got everything life has to offer. Including the lie that could destroy it all.
See Jane smile. Thirty-nine-year-old Jane Osborne appears to the world like she has a charmed life. Her daughter attends private school. Jane chairs the PTA. Even her marriage to Dan, the handsome, prominent surgeon, is blissfully happy. Her universe is stable, and her future is fixed…just like that smile. Because it’s all a ruse. Unbeknownst to anyone, after eighteen years of marriage, Dan’s revealed that he’s been living a double life and is in love with a man. But for the sake of his career, Jane must keep that secret, secret.
See Jane lie. With their livelihood on the line, Jane agrees to maintain appearances. But soon the weight of Dan’s deception and the pain of his betrayal get the better of her. Something’s got to give.
See Jane snap. Quite publicly. And a bit unlawfully. With brutal honesty, Jane must confront her choices head-on and determine—for herself—if the facade of stability she’s been protecting is worth the price of her own sanity and happiness. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
What did you learn from writing The Jake Ryan Complex that you applied to See Jane Snap?
THE JAKE RYAN COMPLEX was my ninth completed novel, but the first one I wanted to read myself. Those before it – all in the young adult genre — were fun to write but I wouldn’t have picked them up off the shelf on my own. Adopting a ‘write what I want to read’ mindset while writing JAKE was beyond liberating and definitely carried over when I set out writing SEE JANE SNAP.
THE JAKE RYAN COMPLEX was my ninth completed novel, but the first one I wanted to read myself. Those before it – all in the young adult genre — were fun to write but I wouldn’t have picked them up off the shelf on my own. Adopting a ‘write what I want to read’ mindset while writing JAKE was beyond liberating and definitely carried over when I set out writing SEE JANE SNAP.
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing See Jane Snap?
I wrote the majority of this book during Covid lockdown, so I struggled with “escaping” the intensity and emotional drama of my story since the real world waiting for me felt just as challenging as the fictional one I’d left behind. That made for a more intense writing experience for me, but it also lent to a more authentic, relatable experience for Jane. I wasn’t just “creating” her internal turmoil, in many respects, I was living it myself.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring novelist?
Over the years, I’ve adopted a writing practice that may sound a little silly but has served me very well: Flat documents (.pdf) read very differently than live documents. I write my manuscripts in Word then review them for edits as a .pdf. I’m not positive, but I think my brain associates a flat document to that of a final, printed book, so I’m actually able to read it and in turn see all the echoes, typos, plot-holes, etc., while it sees the blinking cursor on a live document as “work” that needs to be done, thereby taking me out of a reader’s at-a-glance perspective and instead keeping me stuck in writer-mode, too deep in the forest to see the trees…or, rather, the typos.
What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
BRIDESMAIDS. I’ve seen it before, but I just introduced my eighteen-year-old daughter to it a couple of months ago and holy moly, did we laugh hard! If you like 12-year-old boy humor mixed with a little sweet romance & some solid chick bonding, this is the movie for you!
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
Since the most recent events all involve the personal embarrassments of family members who will likely be reading this, I’ll refrain from sharing any of those and instead tell you a memory that still brings a smile to my face, even ten years after the fact.
My husband and I were at airport security en route to his class reunion and the TSA agent insisted she had to pat down my hair before she’d let me through the detector. (Yes, my hair is that big) It took me a minute to process what she was saying, but as soon as she did, I about busted a gut laughing so hard…as did the dozen or so people in line behind us. Good times at the San Diego airport…good times.
What is the strangest thing currently residing in your purse?
Pretty sure there’s still half a bag of baby carrots in there from our trip to Disneyland last week…
Thanks to Bethany for chatting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.
How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.
Giveaway ends September 8th at midnight EST.
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19 comments:
I rarely have a meltdown because I keep it inside and seethe.
The night before I got married.
Tired and unable to sleep. Took a melatonin (I had never heard of it but some of my siblings came from different time zones and took it to get used to the time zone the wedding was).
Well woke up about 2 AM. I had welts all over my body--turns out that I was allergic to the stuff. (Not a good time to try something new--night before your wedding). I was staying with my parents that night and I woke my mother ( a former nurse). She helped me figure what to do. I called my now husband at his place and was crying because I had these blotches and duck lips. He was tired & told me to go back to sleep. I did eventually go back to sleep. We did get married. This was over 20 yrs ago. I never really did anything like that before or since. It was just the whole thing that all this was taking place the night before I got married.
I don't recall but it probably had something to do with my sons at the time. We laugh about this stuff now but at the time it wasn't funny! lol
I can't recall the last time I had a meltdown.
I feel like I'm always having meltdowns. Life just isn't going the way I had hoped. Stupid fibromyalgia.
I can't remember any recent meltdowns but I know I used to have meltdowns when driving in a new area and getting lost. I've gotten much calmer now thankfully.
I can't remember the last time I had a meltdown.
Hi all!
Just wanted to drop a quick note and say THANK YOU for entering the giveaway and for sharing your meltdown stories.
@Suburban Prep I'm dying to know if your lips returned to a non-duck-like status before the wedding. HA! That's an awesome story ;)
Sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia @Mary. I suffer from that ugly beast, too. I find swearing at people who drive too fast down my street helps take some of the discomfort away!
Happy Reading to you all!
hugs,
b
It must have been long ago since I don't remember it.
I can't remember the last time I had a meltdown. I usually internalize my feelings.
I really can't remember when I have had a meltdown.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
I'm not sure I have ever had a full blown meltdown. But I get a high stress at times at work. I work with my family and my dad has parkinson's which makes things difficult at times.
Not that long ago and when my son did not follow up on a query put to him. It was important.
Yes, in regards to the duck lips and the welts. They went down enough that I am the only one who can see them in my wedding photos. My mother could see it but unfortunately I lost her at the end of June.
I am aware of what a PITA fibromyalgia is as well.
I rarely have a meltdown but I am sure there were a few with selling our house and buying another one a few months ago. Moving is hell especially after being there for 18 years and having both of my parents pass away during that time and inheriting their things as well.
n/a
It has been been so long since I have had a melt down I don't remember what it was about.
I had a memorable meltdown as a child when my parents told me I couldn’t go to see the Ice Capades in NYC with my Girl Scout troop. The day of the event was snowy and icy, and my parents did not want me out on the road traveling.
I was inconsolable…not being able to see Dorothy Hamill. Full melt down. Years later, my Mom did take me to see Dorothy Hamill skate in an ice show.
About 7 years ago, my client chose to believe her awful granddaughter over me, and I lost my job. It truly devastated me because I had worked for this woman for 3 years and had known her for years prior to working for her, and I took very good care of her. Definitely above and beyond my job description. Her awful granddaughter barely lifted a finger and treated her grandmother like crap. When my boyfriend picked me up after I left her house, I just started balling and threw myself into his arms. It took me a while to get over that whole situation.
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