Q&A with Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin needs no introduction for us. We are clamoring for and squealing over her newest title FIRST COMES LOVE.  She published seven books before that, all of them New York Times bestsellers. Who bought these books? We did. We know Emily Giffin. We love Emily Giffin.

So I’ll make this quick. (Even told quickly, it’s amazing.)

Dubbed a “modern day Jane Austen” (Vanity Fair) and a “dependably down-to-earth storyteller” (New York Times), Emily is the undisputed queen of women’s fiction, author of Something Borrowed (2004), Something Blue (2005), Baby Proof (2006), Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), The One & Only (2014), and her newest FIRST COMES LOVE (2016).

Her first seven novels, filled with endearingly flawed characters and emotional complexity, all became international bestsellers and three appeared simultaneously on USA Today’s Top 150 list. A film adaptation of Something Borrowed, hit theaters in May 2011, starring Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski. Three additional novels have been optioned for the big screen and are in various stages of development.

She now resides with her husband and three young children in Atlanta, Georgia.

Emily, we could not be more pleased to welcome you to WomenWritersWomen[‘s]Books!

Thank you so much! So happy to talk with you!

Let’s start from the beginning, your beginning.

Where did you grow up? How do you think that shaped who’ve you become?

I moved around a lot as a child, but consider Naperville, Illinois, outside of Chicago, my hometown. I graduated from high school and came of age there (I’ve always loved that expression!). Naperville is a very wholesome, apple-pie town with great public schools and amazing teachers, and I think that stability definitely provided a jumping-off point for everything that has followed in my life, from college to law school to my writing career and personal life.

 Hidden talent? 

It’s not that hidden to those in my inner circle, but I’m the go-to therapist for my friends and family. If I weren’t a writer, I would be a psychiatrist.

Best meal you prepare?

My kids would say my best dish is homemade macaroni and cheese. My secret ingredient is nutmeg.

Favorite form of exercise? (Whatever it is, we want to do it too!)

None! Ha! I really would rather lounge and eat and read! But I make myself do resistance training twice a week, take a spin class or go for a run once a week, and take an occasional yoga class. I do believe in mixing things up and changing your scenery, both for your body and mind.

What book are you reading right now? Which books are at the top of your TBR pile?

There are so many! Summer reading is the best! But I’ll just name a few—The Children by Ann Leary, In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch, Sweet Bitter by Stephanie Danler, Falling by Jane Green, and The Girls by Emma Cline.

You publish about a book every eighteen months, and you do this with three young children. (We bow at your feet.) What have you learned in terms of how do you balance work and family?

It’s actually only every two years, but it feels like more to me, too, especially when I’m nearing a deadline! … But as with anything in life, it’s just a balancing act. The important thing is to accept that there will always be some compromises along the way—nobody can truly “have it all”—and not to beat yourself up about every little thing. Guilt is a supreme waste of time.

When Something Borrowed debuted, it broke big. Was that something that you expected or were prepared for? What was it like?

I really had no expectations for the book. Of course I wanted it to sell well, but just seeing the book in hardcover and being able to physically hold it in my hands was the realization of my dream. The fact that the book did end up becoming a bestseller was a complete surprise. To this day, I can remember getting the phone call from my editor that the book had hit the New York Times bestsellers list and thinking that I’d misheard her (at the time, I was in a sleep-deprived haze from my then six-month-old twin sons!).          

You’ve said that you find inspiration for your stories from your relationships with friends and family. What is it that piques your interest? How does the rest of the story (characters, setting, stakes, etc.) form from there?

I write about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, friendships, and, of course, in the case of FIRST COMES LOVE, sisters. Those relationships are integral to who we are as people—and I think they are particularly important to women. Ultimately, it’s the sum of our relationships that really define our lives, and those are the things I want to explore in my books.

In that same vein, it’s really the relationships between the characters that drive the plot in all of my stories. Aside from a very general sense of beginning, middle, and end, I don’t really know where my books are going as I start to write. It’s only when I get to know the characters and the relationships between them form organically that the story really begins to unfold.

Human nature is drawn to characters that are flawed yet most commercial readers appreciate them also being likeable. On the surface, this is at odds. Yet, you enjoy writing flawed characters and do it flawlessly every time. How do you navigate that balance between flawed and likeable and keep the reader from bailing before the end?

Well, thank you! I appreciate that! I think there is a difference between being likeable and being without flaw. Some of the most loveable, wonderful people are the most flawed—and in fact, don’t we all sort of resent women who are too perfect? I think creating empathy is the key. Yes, my characters make mistakes and hurt others, but they are good people at heart, and I enjoy the challenge of making readers root for them in spite of their unsympathetic choices. After all, life is about the gray areas. Things are seldom black and white, even when we wish they were and think they should be, and I like exploring that nuanced terrain. My hope is that my books can give people a sense of understanding and empathy for complicated, messy situations.

What protagonist flaws have you had success with? Are there any flaws you would avoid?

I think people can relate to falling in love with the “wrong” person. I’ve written about unconventional love several times now—falling in love with your best friend’s fiancé (Something Borrowed) or your best friend’s father (a much older man in The One & Only). I was surprised that many readers had a harder time with the latter—which didn’t involve infidelity.

Do you have someone in mind that you hope to satisfy when you are writing?

My mother, who has always been my go-to reader when I’m writing. We share similar tastes in books. She wants to really feel immersed in a world as she reads. It doesn’t really matter how much is happening in that world as long as the relationships are authentic and she cares about the people. But as I write, many other readers flit through my mind, too. Certain friends or even readers I’ve only met at signings. It inspires me to think of them. Of course I want good reviews and nice sales, but ultimately I want to make my readers happy and keep telling good stories that I am proud of.

You wrote the screenplay Baby Proof with your best friend from high school and are working on Something Blue now. How does screenwriting compare to writing novels? Do the skillsets translate naturally?

I love the collaboration that comes with making a film. Writing a novel is so much more solitary. But I also love writing a novel and getting to make all the creative decisions myself. I don’t know—I love them both for different reasons.

In addition to numerous television appearances, you once had a cameo in the film adaptation of Something Borrowed and appeared on the soap opera “As The World Turns.” What was that like? Do you have any aspirations or plans to return to the screen?

It was so much fun! But I will say this—I had no idea how hard it was to remember a line of dialogue (and in Something Borrowed, simply giving a pointed look!). It gave me such new respect for actors.

What advice would you like to give to aspiring writers?

First, stop referring to yourself as an “aspiring writer.” You might aspire to get paid for what you do, but you are a writer if you write… As a corollary, stop worrying that you won’t be good enough, or comparing yourself to others. You have your own voice, your own story to tell. Write what you feel and be fiercely honest. If you don’t feel a deep connection to your characters and writing, then chances are nobody else will.

What new authors do you recommend for fans of your work?

Laura Dave, Curtis Sittenfeld, Jojo Moyes, and Marisa de los Santos.

And finally…

Cupcake or Gelato?                      

Gelato … But I won’t ever turn down a cupcake.

Beer or Wine?

Wine in the summertime!

Dressing Up or Dressing Down?

Dressing Up—but only by a hair!

Basketball or Football?

Basketball. I’m obsessed.

Dog or Cat?

Dog. I adore Dolly, my golden retriever puppy.

Thank you, Emily, so much for hanging out with us. Welcome to the WWWB family!  We will be supporting and rooting for you forever more!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your support!

FIRST COMES LOVE –

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.

PRAISE –

“Giffin’s talent is pretty much unparalleled when it comes to the modern woman’s story about life, love and family.” —Redbook

“This is Giffin at her finest—a fantastic, memorable story.” —Publishers Weekly

“Moving and complex, [First Comes Love] proves [that Emily Giffin is] still at the top of her game.” —Booklist

“Giffin juggles Josie’s quest for motherhood and Meredith’s internal conflicts deftly. . . . Giffin paints a realistic portrait of the troubled and complex relationship between a pair of sisters. Beyond the sisters, the novel is rich with well-drawn characters, from Gabe, Josie’s best friend and platonic roommate, to Sophie, Daniel’s girlfriend at the time of his death. Giffin’s fans will be pleased with this fast-paced, witty, and thoughtful new offering.” —Kirkus Reviews

FIRST COMES LOVE is available –

Amazon                 Barnes & Noble             Target

Books-a-Million                        Powells                            Indiebound

Walmart                         Google Play

iTunes

Other ways to bond with Emily Giffin –

Website (the ABOUT and FAQs pages are fab!)                     Facebook

Twitter                            Instagram

Pinterest

Interviewed by –

MM Finck is a writer, essayist, and book reviewer. She oversees WWWB’s Interviews and Agents’ Corner segments. Her women’s fiction is represented by Katie Shea Boutillier of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the contest chair for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association 2016 Rising Star writing contest for unpublished authors.

Her work has appeared in national and regional publications, including skirt! magazine. When she isn’t editing her novel, #LOVEIN140, you can find her belting out Broadway tunes (off key and with the wrong words), cheering herself hoarse over a soccer match (USWNT! – 2015 WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS!!!!), learning to play piano (truly pitifully), building or fixing household things, and trying to squeeze more than twenty-four hours out of every day. She is active on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Li.st (@MMFinck), and Litsy (@MMF). http://www.mmfinck.com

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing