Interview with Michael Lee West

With the coming of spring brings the flurry of weddings. There’s nothing more romantic than walking down the aisle amid spring blooms and sounds of birds chirping. Even the royals are taking advantage of the beautiful weather. But perhaps before exchanging I Do’s, it’s best to do a thorough background check on your beloved. You never know. You may be tying yourself up with a fugitive or even a self-proclaimed ladies’ man.

This month’s Jen’s Jewels Michael Lee West tackles this very topic in her hilarious new release GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN. It’s the charming story of newly engaged Teeny Templeton who finds herself knee- deep in trouble when her so-called handsome, wealthy fiancé winds up dead. Set in historic Charleston, this novel is my must-read pick for summer 2011!

As part of this interview, Minotaur Books has generously donated five copies for you, my favorite readers, to try to win. So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your reading adventure.

Jen: Oftentimes, the journey to publication is just as fascinating as the novel itself. So that my readers may have a glimpse into the life of the woman behind the words, please share with us a brief overview of your educational and professional background.

Michael: My mother was a steel magnolia who believed that a career was a back-up plan—“In case your husband dies, you won’t starve.” She guided me into elementary education, but during my freshman year in college, I discovered the English poets and changed my major to English. With iambic pentameters tapping in my head, my mother pitched a hissy fit. Demanded I change my major back to education. I ended up getting a BS in Nursing at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. I was the only student who wrote 10 page nurses’ notes. During my senior year, I joined a writing group. After graduation, I worked in a regional hospital: ICU and med-surg. But I kept writing. I “retired” from nursing after my youngest son was born in 1984. I was a soccer (and football/basketball/baseball) mom and took notebooks to practice (but never to games). In the mid-80s, several poems and short stories were accepted; I began receiving encouraging notes from New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Redbook. In 1990, when I was thirty-seven years old, my first novel, CRAZY LADIES, was published.

Jen: Please describe for us the “Ah! Ha!” moment when you made the decision to pursue a career as a writer.

Michael: When I was a young girl, I went to Girl Scout camp and got sick with sinus and histoplasmosis (a pneumonia-like disease that’s common in Middle Tennessee). I was put on bed rest for the rest of the summer. I read non-stop. My father owned an old fashioned dime store, and he brought home Big Chief tablets, and I wrote convoluted short stories. My mother encouraged me to become a nurse: “If your husband dies, you’ll have something to fall back on.” I have a B.S. in Nursing but I never stopped writing.

Jen: In terms of nuts and bolts, how long does it take you to complete a novel? And, do you outline and plot first? Or, do you just let the story evolve?

Michael: I used to be a pantster. No outline. But I wrote a detailed outline for GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN. It changed (Red and Ava showed up), but it made the whole process much less harrowing. I wrote a first draft quickly, but it took a year to revise and polish. All told, it takes about a year. I’ve been working on the second Teeny book for 11 months. But I’m almost finished. Book three has been outlined. I will spend a long while getting to know the characters. I make videos, collages, and playlists—and go very deep before I start writing. But the books still throw curve balls. I love it when they do.

Jen: Your writing career includes not only fictional novels, but also a memoir titled CONSUMING PASSIONS. Why did you choose to write a memoir about food?

Michael: I come from a long line of self-taught Southern cooks. Food is a family member. If I cut my finger, I bleed grits.

Jen: Your latest release GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN is a hilarious mix of mystery and romance. Set in my favorite locale Charleston, SC, I am naming it this summer’s must-read pick! How did you arrive at the premise?

Michael: I dreamed about Teeny while I was in the Charleston area. I rely on my subconscious—and dreams—to lead the way. I keep a notebook beside my bed and before my feet hit the floor, I’m writing down ideas that floated up in the night.

Jen: As you mentioned, the lead character in this quirky caper is Teeny Templeton. Despite having an unfortunate childhood and less-than-perfect looks, she is rich in optimism and full of heart. Why does she fall head over heels in love with the tacky, yet filthy rich Bing Jackson? What makes this guy so irresistible for her?

Michael: Teeny was reeling from Aunt Bluette’s death. Of course, I know things that happened, like, while Aunt Bluette was ill, a prowler broke into the Georgia farmhouse. Teeny was frightened (she’s a worry wart) and arranged empty Coca Cola bottles in front of the doors. After Bluette’s death, Teeny was in a funk. Bing came along and acted like a knight on a white horse (he’d driven a white car, too, but I deleted it). He was handsome, organized, and persistent. Teeny was vulnerable. She knew the relationship was imperfect (she tells us secrets about Bing). If she hadn’t caught him with the badminton players, Teeny would have broken up with him and returned to Georgia.

Jen: Caught in the act with two bimbos, Bing has nowhere to hide. Teeny’s initial reaction is to fight fire with fire. In retrospect, does she regret her knee-jerk reaction? Why or why not?

Michael: Teeny wouldn’t be Teeny if she hadn’t reacted. Yes, she regrets throwing those peaches. She wishes she’d thrown ice cubes—that way the evidence would have melted. Seriously, Teeny will always be spunky and take up for herself, but she will never throw anything again. She’s learned that it’s “perfectly legal to call someone an asshole,” and she may do that, but she’s become mindful of the law.

Jen: With no family or friends to turn to, Teeny relies on Bing’s aunt, Miss Dora, for help. Why does Teeny choose to put her trust in this woman despite Miss Dora’s blood ties to Bing?

Michael: Dora went out of her way to befriend Teeny. Also, Teeny hadn’t lived in Charleston long, and she considered Dora to be her only friend. (Bing was controlling—he insisted that Teeny quit her job at Food Lion and stay home and “play house.” He didn’t want her to be a gad-about (it might have put a crimp in his philandering).

Jen: While Teeny waits for the killer to be found, she has the pleasure of staying in the historic Spencer-Jackson home courtesy of Miss Dora. How does Teeny feel about rubbing elbows with the upper crust Charlestonian society?

Michael: Teeny is a Foodie, not a society gal. She is respectful of this world, but it’s not her comfort zone.

Jen: As with any damsel in distress, there must be a prince charming waiting in the wings to come rescue her from despair. Enter Cooper O’Malley! Sexy lawyer and former flame, Coop is hot, hot, hot! Why is he willing to risk it all in order to help Teeny?

Michael: Coop and Teeny have known each other since babyhood. He thought of her as a kid-sister (Coop has no siblings) until right after he graduated from high school, when he escaped his wily girlfriend’s clutches—he discovers that Teeny has grown up and he’s physically attracted to her. Eleven years later, Coop has matured. Teeny represents home, a shared history—but she is also the perfect compliment. Coop is rule-oriented—he sees everything in black and white (as evidenced by the pottery in his bookcases and elsewhere). The color of his house is gray—which serves as a symbol of the man Coop must become, to move the needle out of black/white, into the gray. Also, Teeny’s house is pink, but her front door is gray. Whenever Coop goes through her door, he is changing. In book 2, we’ll meet Coop’s parents—and his eccentric, Chihuahua-toting granny, Minnie O’Malley.

Jen: The scene-stealing character of the book is the rough and tough private eye, Red Butler. (Cute name, by the way!) Why does he appear threatened by Teeny’s presence in his boss Coop’s life?

Michael: When I outlined the book, Red didn’t exist. He just showed up at the beach, and from that moment, he was a force of nature. Red’s mother was a major Gone With the Wind fan (as am I—check out “The Margaret Mitchell Bed” in CONSUMING PASSIONS), and she named all her children after characters in the book (But Mrs. Hill was a poor speller.). Red is a loyal person. He’s the kind of person who has life-long friends; he will always watch your back. Naturally he’s this way with Coop. Red had a disastrous romance (which will be explored briefly in book 3); even though he has a degree in psychology, he underestimates Teeny.

Jen: Let’s switch gears now and talk about your promotional plans. First, please take us on a tour of your website highlighting points of interest.

Michael: Excerpts from all of the books are available. Also, AuthorsontheWeb added a YouTube channel on the site; I made several “Teeny- related” videos, along with others. My publisher made a beautiful, free ebook called “Teen Templeton’s Kitchen Notes,” which is available for download.

If anyone would like a signed bookplate or bookmark, just send a self- addressed, self-stamped envelope to: Michael Lee West, 102 Hartman Dr., Ste G #314, Lebanon, TN 37087. Add a note – let me know how many you’d like and the type of inscription.

Jen: Do you participate in Author Phone Chats? And if so, how would my readers go about scheduling one?

Michael: They can contact me through my website.

Jen: Do you have Reading Group Guides for your books?

Michael: Reading Group Guides are available for CRAZY LADIES, MAD GIRLS IN LOVE, and CONSUMING PASSIONS. Just click this link.

Jen: The question everyone wants to know… when can we expect to see the sequel in stores?

Michael: The second book, A TEENY BIT OF TROUBLE, will hopefully be in stores in 2012. I’m putting the final touches on it now.

Jen: Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with my readers. GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN is one of my all-time favorite reads. I just can’t say enough about your book. Bravo! Best of luck in the future, and please stop by again.

Michael: It was my pleasure! Thank you so much, Jen.

I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Michael. Please stop by your local library of favorite book retailer and pick up a copy today. Better yet, how would you like to win one instead?

Okay, be one of the first five readers to e-mail me at [email protected] with the correct answer to the following trivia question and you’ll win!

What is the title of the Michael’s first book?

Next month, I will be bringing to you my interview with debut novelist Sarah Jio. You won’t want to miss it.

Until next time...

Jen