Jennifer Vido: What inspired your new release, The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise?
Colleen Oakley: Two things: it’s part homage to my favorite feminist duo of the big screen: Thelma & Louise and part homage to my grandmother, an incredible woman who died a few years ago at the age of 92 and inspired the sharply quick-witted and pragmatic character of Louise.
Jen: Let’s dive right in. Who is Tanner, and what’s happening in her world?
Colleen: She’s a 21-year-old college dropout whose life took a series of unexpected bad turns—the latest of which has landed her as the live-in driver/caretaker for an 84-year-old woman that she would very much rather not live with or take care of.
Jen: What’s going through Tanner’s mind the first few days living in Louise’s home?
Colleen: Tanner is content to just get by—do the bare minimum of what’s required of her in her new position, and in her free time, get lost in her video games and ignore Louise. That is, until she starts to notice a few strange things about the house she’s living in and her new roommate Louise—whose life may not be as boring or uninteresting as Tanner first thought.
Jen: How does Louise feel about having Tanner around?
Colleen: Having successfully raised three children, who are now adults, she would much rather not have another child (how she views Tanner) living with her. But she must admit: having a chauffeur can come in rather handy.
Jen: Let’s talk about Mr. Hottie, August. How does he fit in with the ladies?
Colleen: Just like Thelma and Louise had Brad Pitt for eye candy, Tanner and Louise have August. Though the women don’t agree on much, they definitely concur that August is … nice to have around.
Jen: How does Louise's family react when Tanner and Louise hit the road?
Colleen: Each member reacts a little differently—the oldest daughter Jules is apoplectic; the middle son Charlie is oblivious and the youngest daughter Lucy thinks her mom deserves a little adventure.
Jen: What do you hope readers take away from this story?
Colleen: First, I hope it’s a fun escape. And second, I hope it makes readers look at the elders in their life—be it a grandparent, aunt, neighbor— a little differently. We tend to forget that people in their 80s and 90s have lived full, interesting lives and have so much to share—stories, advice, history. And who knows? Maybe your elderly neighbor is actually a notorious jewel thief wanted by the FBI!
Jen: What’s the best way for readers to stay up-to-date on your latest releases and appearances?
Colleen: Come find me on Facebook or Instagram or my website.
Jen: What’s on your TBR stack?
Colleen: Too many books that my husband fears will teeter over off my nightstand and kill me in my sleep. A few I’m looking forward to: Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke, The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict and I’ve been dipping in and out of Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach in between my fiction reading.
Jen: Sneak peek! What’s your current work in progress?
Colleen: I’m not quite ready to say too much about it, but the title is JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD. It’s about a couple on the brink of divorce dining at a famous Michelin-starred restaurant at the edge of a California cliff—when an eco-terrorist group takes the entire dining room hostage.
Jen: Thank you for stopping by to chat about your new release. I absolutely loved The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Colleen: Thank you so much for having me and for all your support these many years!
One of Southern Living's Most Anticipated 2023 Releases
One of Today's Most Anticipated 2023 Releases
An unforgettable pairing of a college dropout and an eighty-four-year-old woman on the run from the law in this story full of tremendous heart, humor, and wit from the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.
Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.
One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon.Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.
The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?
Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.
Women's Fiction Contemporary [Berkley, On Sale: March 28, 2023, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593200803 / eISBN: 9780593200810]
Colleen Oakley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, You Were There Too, Close Enough to Touch, and Before I Go. Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages around the world, lauded by numerous magazines including People, Us Weekly, Library Journal, and Real Simple, and won multiple awards including Georgia Author of the Year. Her fifth novel THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER & LOUISE will be published by Berkley/Penguin in March 2023. A former magazine editor for Women's Health & Fitness and Marie Claire, Colleen lives in Atlanta with her husband, four children, and a mutt named Baxter.
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry filled with southern charm and hospitality. In between chapters, she interviews authors for her bi-weekly Jen’s Jewels column on FreshFiction.com. Most mornings, she teaches an arthritis-friendly water exercise class for seniors before heading to the office to serve as the executive director of a legal non-profit. A New Jersey native, she currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two rescue dogs and is the proud parent of two sons who miss her home-cooked meals. To learn more, please visit her website.
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