It Would Be Nico Maybe?

Sorry, I'm being very silly, I know. But whenever I hear Alison Pace's title, If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, I can't help finishing the sentence!

Guess I oughta explain... The very hottest and smartest, the most creative, most brilliant, and most interesting female writers on the planet (NOT THAT I'M BIASED OR ANYTHING) have gotten together to form the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit.

And now you know who the intriguing woman is!


'Kay, SO! Alison Pace is the first Girlfriend who will be guesting at my blog! Her killer title got my attention right away. Plus she worked at FREAKIN' SOTHEBY'S. How cultured can you get?

Alison's Press Release:

Alison is a debut novelist living in New York, and she’s drawn on her experience working at Sotheby’s to write her “artsy” novel. She also maintains a blog.

Jane Laine works for the famous (and horrible) Dick Reese at his art gallery in New York City. After she makes an unforgivable mistake in Dick's eyes (she orders the wrong size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups), she is sent on an international tour with the gallery's star artist, Ian Rhys-Fitzsimmons. Jane is sure the trip is a punishment --it is a gut-wrenching schedule and as far as she can tell, Ian is a big fraud and his fifteen minutes of fame should have been long over.

In between juggling the details of Ian's globe trotting tour, appeasing her maniacal boss, and visiting her mother who raises over-indulged miniature schnauzers, Jane begins to realize that Ian is anything but a fraud. She starts to understand the connection between art and love --and the fact that in both, perspective is everything.

MY INTERVIEW WITH ALISON PACE

MO'C: Are you going to continue writing books with Jane as the lead character?

AP: It is absolutely a hope for the future. I love Jane as a character and would love to revisit her.
MO'C: Was this the first novel you wrote?
AP: Yes.
MO'C: How long did it take you to write it?
AP: About nine months. Literally like a baby.
MO'C: Who was your favorite character to write about?
AP: They were all a lot of fun. I laughed the most writing the Schnauzers though.
MO'C: Do you know any overindulged miniature schnauzers?
AP: Not schnauzers, no.
MO'C: How about any overindulged humans?
AP: Many!
MO'C: Were any of the above an inspiration for the character of Jane's mother?
AP: My mom is way cooler than Jane’s mom and cares about my life about a trillion times more than Jane’s mom cares about hers, but indeed, my mother does love her dogs.
MO'C: Whose books do you like to read? Why?
AP: Pam Houston, because I think she has a beautiful style, and she loves dogs and has bad taste in men. When I first read her it was like the mother ship calling me home. I told her this when we met. Ann Patchett because she is so good at keeping a story moving along, while still being literary. Jenny Colgan, because she cracks me up.
MO'C: What is the most frustrating thing that happened to you during the writing or marketing of this book?
AP: No complaints so far…
MO'C: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
AP: I feel like I always say this, but the best advice I have is, stick with it. Something else: if you can, try to get to a literary festival / retreat of some sort at least once. They are great places to take a class with a writer you admire, meet other writers, and also learn about the publishing business.

Thank you so much, Alison, for taking the time to be a guest here on my blog!