JUDITH
MARSHALL: I wrote Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever as a
tribute to enduring female friendship. The story takes place in Northern
California, in the spring of 2000, when the dot-com boom was at its peak.
Elizabeth Reilly-Hayden is a successful executive in her late fifties and a
divorced mother of two. Emotionally armored and living alone, she wants only to
maintain the status quo: her long-term significant other, her job, and her
trusted friends—five feisty women whose high school friendship has carried them
through multiple marriages, dramatic divorces, and maddening menopause. Yet in
a matter of days, the three anchors that have kept her moored are ripped away.
The group of lifelong pals gathers at Lake Tahoe to attend to
the funeral arrangements of their beloved friend and tries to unravel the
mystery of her death. Through their shared tragedy, Elizabeth learns how
disappointment and grief can bloom into healing and hope.
The
book received the Jack London Prize, awarded by the California Writer Club and
has been optioned for the big screen.
FAST FIVE: Congratulations on received the Jack London
Prize for your debut novel, Judith. Your characters are ready-made for a movie.
Strong female characters tend to lean toward high profile careers. Is “the job”
the most important part of your protagonist’s life?
JUDITH
MARSHALL: Like many women devastated by divorce, Liz throws herself into her
work. As a result of years of tireless dedication and hard work, she rises to
the top of the corporate ladder only to have her job ripped from her as the
result of an acquisition. She is brought to her knees. Who is she if not the
women who walks out the door in a designer suit, carrying a leather briefcase
with a confident gait? Someone who wins bread.
Briefly
dissuaded, she soon embarks on a search for another, even better position.
She’ll show them! But every day without a lead on a job drives the reality of
her new life closer to home. It will take all the strength she can muster to
find her new identity.
FAST FIVE: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast
Five interviews, but what unique twist makes your novel stand out?
JUDITH
MARSHALL: At Liz’s lowest point, she learns her best friend, Karen Christensen,
has been killed in a motorcycles accident while riding with her much younger
boyfriend, Greg Ronelli. Liz suspects foul play and embarks on a quest to find
out the real cause of Karen’s death. The end result is an unexpected and
shocking discovery.
FAST FIVE: The characters in your novel are well fleshed
out. Their life experiences are familiar to many readers who will likely become
attached to any or all of the five women featured in the story. Is this book
part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?
JUDITH
MARSHALL: No series, but I might decide to write a sequel later.
FAST FIVE: This isn’t so much a Fast Five question as an
“if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like
to spend your time writing and why.
JUDITH
MARSHALL: I love writing in my own office, surrounded by all my how-to books
and other tools. I’m a creature of habit and enjoy familiar surroundings.
For more information about Judith Marshall and her novel,
please visit these sites:
Where
they can read reviews and buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Husbands-May-Come-Friends-Forever/dp/0982504608/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339367176&sr=1-1&keywords=husbands+may+come+and+go+but+friends+are+forever
Thank so much for the great interview!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Judith. I saw the message you have on your blog also, and tweeted it.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! As a fan of Judith Marshall and HUSBANDS, I hope to see the story played out on the big screen on day!
ReplyDeleteWe have a common bond: Judith keeps her friends' spirits alive, while my new book guides people to keeping our mothers' spirits alive.
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