When I first read the summary for this one, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. One the surface it sounded like it was setting up to be a psychological thriller, but the more that I think about it, I think it’s supposed to be more women’s fiction?
But I keep wanting it to be a thriller! I think I’ve been reading too many thrillers lately because I am seeing murder when there isn’t any! Tell me if I am wrong : “…as the families settle into their vacation routines, their best friends suddenly seem like annoying strangers, and even Jenna’s reliable husband, Peter, is sharing clandestine phone calls with someone–but who?”
Sounds like the setup for a psychological thriller, am I right? Well I am wrong, it’s more contempo fiction but this summary caught my eye even if I was wrong. I am thrilled to share all the details with you guys about this slow burn contempo fiction novel today on my blog! It sounds like a promising read even if it’s not about murder!
Summary
A private Mexican villa is the backdrop to this smart, absorbing story of a milestone vacation in a tropical paradise gone wrong, wrong, wrong.
Two families arrive in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Jenna has organized the trip to celebrate her husband’s fiftieth birthday–she’s been looking forward to it for months. She’s sure everything is going to be just perfect–and the margarita refills delivered by the house staff certainly don’t hurt, either. What could go wrong?
Yet as the families settle into their vacation routines, their best friends suddenly seem like annoying strangers, and even Jenna’s reliable husband, Peter, is sharing clandestine phone calls with someone–but who? Jenna’s teenage daughter, Clem, is spending an awful lot of time with Malcolm, whose questionable rep got him expelled from school. Jenna’s dream of the ultimate celebration begins to crack and eventually crumbles completely, leaving her wondering whom she can trust, and whether her privileged life is about to be changed forever.
Readers of Emma Straub, Meg Wolitzer and Delia Ephron will love this sharply funny novel. Whether you’re putting it in your carry-on to read on the beach or looking to escape the dead-of-winter blues, Tomorrow There Will Be Sun is the perfect companion. (summary from Goodreads)
About the Author
Because I hate writing about myself.
But wouldn’t that be easier than answering a whole bunch of FAQs?
Maybe. Probably. Go on…
So where are you from?
I’m from Los Angeles, but now I live in San Francisco. Except for the summers where I go back to Los Angeles in search of the sun.
What are you doing when you aren’t writing?
Laundry, usually. Sometimes dishes. And I really like to walk near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Why don’t you run instead of walk?
Running is hard. And I’m sort of lazy.
Have you ever had a real job?
Yes. Of course I have. I’ve waited tables, worked with adolescents in foster care, read the slush pile at a publishing house, and fact checked for a movie magazine. I also worked for FRONTLINE on PBS and Peter Jennings at ABC. I went to law school, which I know doesn’t count as a job, but hey, that was a lot of work.
What’s your writing day like? Do you stick to a routine?
I like to write in the mornings. Sometimes that means I have to get up really early. I try to write 700 words a day — about three pages. I know there are lots of writers out there who can write way more than that. I know this because writers like to tell you about how many words they’ve written on FACEBOOK. So I try not to look at FACEBOOK when I’m writing. And anyway, I’ve learned that 700 words are about all I’m good for on any given day, and if I write more than that I usually end up getting rid of most of it later.
What, are you lazy or something?
I already told you I’m lazy. But seriously, 700 words are a lot of words. 700 of them, to be precise.
Where do you get your ideas?
From someplace inside my head.
That’s not really an answer.
Yes, it is. And it’s as honest an answer as I can give.
Are your books autobiographical?
Not really. I’m not adopted, I’ve never told a lie that sent someone to jail, I’ve never built a house or had a brother go to war. But there are always things in my books that come from my life or from the lives of the people around me. It would be impossible to make up everything.
Why do you write young adult fiction?
Because I was a young adult when I fell in love with reading and I can remember how books made me feel back then. How they provided both comfort and escape. That might make me sound like a shut-in, but I wasn’t. I was just open to the experience books offered, probably more open than I am now as an adult. And I like writing for that sort of audience.
What exactly is young adult fiction?
Lots of people have thought long and hard about this question and have had many intelligent things to say about voice and how YA books can’t spend too much time on adult characters, etc. I don’t have anything to add to the debate except to say that YA should be a place to go in the bookstore or library if you are looking for a coming of age story, no matter how old you are.
Do you have a favorite book?
Yes.
Don’t be coy, what is it?
To Kill a Mockingbird.
How come there aren’t any vampires or wizards in your books?
Hmmmm… good question. Maybe I should write about vampires and wizards.
No, you shouldn’t. You wouldn’t be very good at that.
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Did you wear a Soupy Sales sweatshirt when you were seven?
Does anybody even know who Soupy Sales is?
That’s what the Internet is for. Don’t avoid the question.
I’m sorry, is this really a Frequently Asked Question?
No. But, c’mon, tell us anyway.
Yes, I did. But I’m trying to portray myself as someone who wasn’t a total loser. So maybe you shouldn’t bring that up. And it also makes me sound ancient, which I’m not. Yet I had a Soupy Sales sweatshirt. And I loved it. It was yellow. And really soft.
You’re right. It does make you sound like a loser.
The Lit Bitch 