Confessions of Super Mom
...so tell me,
just between us, are you the real live
Super Mom?
When I went in search of my new friend's book, Confessions of Super Mom, I was completely surprised to find it in the nonfiction section. Nonfiction? I thought to myself. After all this time getting to know Melanie and even sharing the beloved title of BFF, she never once told me that this was autobiographical. How can that be? I knew I had to get to the bottom of this and fast.
So, I did what anyone else would do. I called her up and demanded--okay, asked nicely--if she had anything she wanted to tell me.
Jenn: "Melanie? This is Jenn. Do you have a few minutes? I think you and I have a lot to talk about."
Melanie *laughter* "Sure, Jenn. I have a few minutes. What's on your mind?"
Jenn: "I'm not going to really beat around the bush here. When I went in search of your book the first time, I found it in the NONfiction section. Non. Fiction. Come on! You can tell me, just between us, are you the real live Super Mom?" Thus began the interview I recently had with the amazing debut author, Melanie Lynne Hauser.
Jenn: "Melanie, it is no secret that you dressed up as SuperGirl for Halloween one year. Was that an unconscious way of shouting out to the world that you are in fact a super hero?"
Melanie: After more laughter she replies "You just never know."
Jenn: "Okay, I see you are not going to give me the scoop of a lifetime, so we'll just continue under the assumption that this book is in fact a work of fiction. Let's talk about the characters. You are the mother of two teenage boys. So, how did you nail the mother/daughter tension so well?"
Melanie: "I have friends with daughters, so a lot of that was based on situations they shared with me. That and I made a lot of it up."
Jenn: "Do you ever worry about writing about something you don't know personally?"
Melanie: "Honestly, I don't really follow the famous "Write what you know" rule. I think that too often writers allow the truth to get in the way of good fiction."
Jenn: "Tell me about Carl. He sounds like such a hottie! Did you have someone particular in mind when you wrote about him? Someone you know or a famous actor or anything?"
Melanie: "Carl is really just a creation of my imagination. But I will admit to you that I have been known to have dreams about him. In fact, the truth is, I think I just might have a small crush on Carl. *laugh*"
Jenn: "And your husband is fine with that?"
Melanie "Sure, because I think he has a bit of a crush on Birdie. Which is okay since she actually the only character I have written that is so similar to me. At least physically."
Jenn: "Because you are Birdie?"
Melanie: "I didn't say that!"
Jenn: "Melanie? This is Jenn. Do you have a few minutes? I think you and I have a lot to talk about."
Melanie *laughter* "Sure, Jenn. I have a few minutes. What's on your mind?"
Jenn: "I'm not going to really beat around the bush here. When I went in search of your book the first time, I found it in the NONfiction section. Non. Fiction. Come on! You can tell me, just between us, are you the real live Super Mom?" Thus began the interview I recently had with the amazing debut author, Melanie Lynne Hauser.
Jenn: "Melanie, it is no secret that you dressed up as SuperGirl for Halloween one year. Was that an unconscious way of shouting out to the world that you are in fact a super hero?"
Melanie: After more laughter she replies "You just never know."
Jenn: "Okay, I see you are not going to give me the scoop of a lifetime, so we'll just continue under the assumption that this book is in fact a work of fiction. Let's talk about the characters. You are the mother of two teenage boys. So, how did you nail the mother/daughter tension so well?"
Melanie: "I have friends with daughters, so a lot of that was based on situations they shared with me. That and I made a lot of it up."
Jenn: "Do you ever worry about writing about something you don't know personally?"
Melanie: "Honestly, I don't really follow the famous "Write what you know" rule. I think that too often writers allow the truth to get in the way of good fiction."
Jenn: "Tell me about Carl. He sounds like such a hottie! Did you have someone particular in mind when you wrote about him? Someone you know or a famous actor or anything?"
Melanie: "Carl is really just a creation of my imagination. But I will admit to you that I have been known to have dreams about him. In fact, the truth is, I think I just might have a small crush on Carl. *laugh*"
Jenn: "And your husband is fine with that?"
Melanie "Sure, because I think he has a bit of a crush on Birdie. Which is okay since she actually the only character I have written that is so similar to me. At least physically."
Jenn: "Because you are Birdie?"
Melanie: "I didn't say that!"
