@GoddessFish Interview: Getting It Right the Second Time Around by Jennifer Frank (@DrWithaPen)

Getting It Right the Second Time Around

Jennifer Frank

Genre: New Adult
Publisher: Clean Reads
Date of Publication: April 6, 2015
Number of pages: 329
Cover Artist: AM Design Studios

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If you had a chance to do over your biggest regret, would you take it? When Alison learns the terms of her aunt’s will require that she reverse her life and take the road she rejected six years ago, she has to determine if she can trust herself to make the right decision or if she will be pressured once again to allow someone else to choose for her.

Alison lives a comfortable, safe, life advocating for women at the domestic violence shelter where she works and being bossed around by her cat. When her dynamic Aunt Elinor decides to tie Alison’s inheritance to successfully completing law school, Alison confronts the past that led her to choose love over the law – and lose at both.

As Alison battles through law school admissions, the challenges mount both personally and professionally. Will she sacrifice her dreams again to satisfy her new love, Ryan, and her Aunt Elinor?

Excerpt: 

My daydream was the happily ever after to my once upon a time. As a twenty-two-year-old college senior, I’d seen my future clear and bright ahead of me. Dating a smart, gorgeous guy I thought was meant just for me, I was rejoicing that I’d been accepted to law school. I could clearly visualize our happy home filled with beautiful children wearing perfectly coordinated clothes while I saved women and children victimized by poverty, circumstances, and, all too often, those they loved and counted on.

At age twenty-eight, I was single, working at a fulfilling (read: low-paying) job, without a hope of the future I once planned. In the previous six years, I had made peace with what was. It wasn’t what I planned and hoped for, but my life was pretty good. Truth be told, I wouldn’t have expended a lot of effort to change much about my life. Unfortunately, life was changing for me one way or the other, thanks to Aunt Elinor.

Aunt Elinor could be described in a number of ways, depending on your perspective. I’d heard everything from persnickety to opinionated to obstreperous. The last one sent me running to my dictionary. Obstreperous /əbˈstrepərəs/ noisy and stubbornly defiant. That was as reasonable a portrayal as any other.

While my grandmother, Margaret, did the dutiful thing for a young woman of her generation—got married, had five kids, stayed home to raise them, and then stayed home to care for her husband in retirement—Elinor shunned her parents’ expectations and vowed “to live my own life without some know-it-all man telling me what to serve for dinner and how he wants his underwear ironed.”

Interview: 

Today, we welcome Jennifer Frank to Musings and Ramblings. Let's all give a big Geeky welcome!

Thank you so much – happy to be here to meet fellow readers.

Let's start with some writer specific questions before moving into the fun stuff. That way everyone can really get to know the person behind the writer. We will finish things off with a round of Think Fast. Ready for the interrogation to begin?

Bring it on. I can’t wait.

Writing Specific

Tell us something about yourself that's not in your bio.
I’m a junkie for bad reality TV shows. I got hooked with The Bachelor and have not been able to break the addiction yet. My current favorite is 90 Day Fiance. It’s so awful – I love it.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?
We’re in the middle of winter here in Wisconsin, and one of my favorite things to do at this time of year is go ice-skating outside. It is particularly wonderful when it is the edge of nightfall and the snow is gently falling. With my first step onto the ice, I feel unchained and like I could fly.

How did you choose the genres you write in?
I write books I’d love to read which is important since I end up reading them so many times. I love reading women’s fiction which led me to write Getting It Right the Second Time Around. Since I don’t plot in advance, when I write it feels almost like I’m reading a novel since I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

Is there any particular author or book that has influenced you or your writing?
I am a huge fan of Dean Koontz, who most definitely does not write in my genre. However, he writes suspense novels that are deliciously crafted, and he somehow manages to make the end of every chapter a cliffhanger, leaving me to wonder how in the world the hero will possibly escape. In more recent years, he has been writing afterwords to his books that talk about his writing practice. He estimates rewriting each page 20 or 30 times. I love that he shares that even for someone so incredibly talented, writing is hard work.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
I’ve actually been able to handle even the harshest criticism pretty well, since most of the criticism is pretty fair and helps me to become a better writer. The worst criticism was when my own mother-in-law only gave me four stars on Amazon and wrote that it was a good book for being my first.

What has been the best compliment?
One piece of writing I’m proud of is an essay about giving a patient a cancer diagnosis. I heard from readers all over the world about how deeply it touched them. It is a privilege to connect with readers emotionally as a result of something you’ve written. You can find it here.

Fun Stuff

What was the last movie/concert/show that you saw?
The Avengers: Age of Ultron. While I generally lean towards romantic comedies, I love all the superhero movies. There is always a clear good and evil, and the heroes and heroines are brilliantly flawed. Even though the action is completely unrealistic and overdone, I still love to watch it.

What was the name of the last book you read?
The Fault in Our Stars by I’m usually not a huge fan of young adult, but this was a fabulous read. The main character is an avid reader who goes on a quest to find out what happened at the end of her favorite book.

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, fictional or real, who would it be and why?
Joan of Arc. There is so much mystery around her – was she a saint or a lunatic? How did she accomplish what she did? What did it feel like to be betrayed by the king you put on the throne? She accomplished incredible feats as a teenager during a time when women were marginalized and not valued.

You are going to be stranded on a deserted island and bring 3 luxury items. What would they be?
Well, chocolate is more a necessity than a luxury, but I’d bring the good stuff. I also love to sleep, so I’d make sure I had a good firm pillow with a silk pillowcase. The last item(s) would be a lifetime supply of yummy-smelling shampoo, soap and lotions.

What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
I’m trying a three week vegan diet right now as part of a health challenge at work, so we have tons of berries, baked sweet potatoes, salad, beans, and fruit. We also have a bottle of this disgusting “green” juice my husband bought which tastes exactly like dirt.

Think Fast

Elvis or Sinatra? Sinatra
AM or PM? PM
Mountains or Sea? Mountain
Meat or Veggies? Veggies
Italian or Chinese? Italian
Summer or Winter? Summer
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Cake or Pie? Pie

I’m including a picture of me picking apples in our backyard. When my husband and I planted our apple trees, we had no idea how many apples a single tree could produce. As a result, we spend most of our time from August until November picking thousands of apples. If you’re ever in Wisconsin in the fall, feel free to come by.

Thanks for coming by and spending some time with us. Any final words of wisdom to pass along?

Hmm. That’s a big request. In the spirit of my novel, I would have to quote Aunt Elinor: “In my experience, fate rarely creeps up on you like a gentle lover. It’s usually more like a baseball bat that knocks you out cold. You wake up disoriented and try to put the new pieces of your life puzzle together."
Giveaway: 

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Author Bio:

Physician by day, writer by night. Jennifer’s love of writing grew out of the many meaningful moments shared with patients – some joyful, often emotional, always special. Her initial essays, appearing in medical journals and literary magazines, explore the ups and downs of a medical life. As an avid reader, Jennifer adores a great story, eventually deciding to create her own. The characters are her favorite part of any story she writes. When not stamping out disease, coaxing patients to eat their veggies, or composing the next scene, she enjoys spending time with her four children and stay-at-home husband.

To connect with the author online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads