Georgia Meyer needs some time to think—and what better place to get her head on straight than Whispering Bay, Florida, in the company of her sister Frida and her sister’s Bunco friends, better known as the Bunco Babes? Georgia’s boyfriend—and boss—Spencer Moody made a slight miscalculation in the romance department and gave her a calculator instead of an engagement ring. So she needs some sisterly advice, in between rolling dice and drinking frozen margaritas, as to her next move.
While considering subtracting Spencer, Georgia meets the very handsome Dave Hernandez. Unfortunately when a Bunco night gets a little out of hand, Georgia reveals more of herself to Dave than she intended. Now, as she helps the Babes prepare for a Bunco Black Tie fundraiser, she needs to search her heart—and keep her shirt on—long enough to decide if a love affair with Dave might be a dream come true or just a flash in the pan.
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NT: Hi Maria, thanks for joining me today. 😀
It’s a pleasure!
NT: You have a new release next month, can you tell us about Bunco Babes Gone Wild?
It’s the story of a woman who decides to shake up her boyfriend after he presents her with a calculator for their 5 year anniversary (instead of the engagement ring she’d been expecting). So she goes to my fictional town of Whispering Bay, Florida, home to the Bunco Babes (the characters I introduced in my first novel, Bunco Babes Tell All) to seek solace and advice from her big sister. She gets a lot more than she bargained for though, and finds herself in the middle of a Bunco feud and a theft. She also meets a hunky new guy she can’t seem to stay away from. All in all, it’s a sexy, humorous, light women’s fiction story.
NT: What inspired the idea for this story?
I wanted to continue with the characters from my first book but I wanted a different twist. In my first novel, the main characters had been friends for years. This time, I wanted to write a story about a woman who’d always been an outsider. A workaholic who realizes that she doesn’t have many friends and bring her “in” so to speak.
NT: Do you have a writing routine? What is your average writing day like?
I wish I had a routine. I’m horribly disorganized. Every Monday morning I wake up and vow that this is the week I’m going to get my life in order! Somehow, though, the books get written. I think it’s because for me, writing isn’t a job. It’s a love. And you always find time to do the things you love.
NT: What aspects of your life have you found creeping into your stories?
People always ask me if I’m like Kitty (the heroine in my first novel) and I’d have to say, yes, there’s a lot of me in Kitty. But there’s also a lot of me in every character that I write too.
NT: Is there anyone you use as a sounding board when you’re stuck on a scene?
Well, I talk to myself a lot, and that seems to help! But in terms of real live people, I have a great set of writing friends who are always willing to help. In particular, my critique partners, Melissa Francis and Louisa Edwards.
NT: What was the most interesting thing you had to research and what was the hardest thing to research?
My research on nanny-cams proved interesting. I really had no idea how cleverly they could be hidden! And I guess the hardest thing to research was the geography of my fictional town, Whispering Bay. I set it somewhere between Panama City Beach and Destin in the Florida panhandle. I spent hours in my car trying to find the exact “locale” In the end, I had to take some literary license and fudge things a bit.
NT: What was the most memorable reader reaction you’ve received about your books?
I had a reader from Arizona write to tell me that she’d picked up my book in the bookstore and read it one day. Her husband is deployed in the military and she has two small children at home, so finishing a book in a day was no small feat. She wanted to thank me for helping her remember how much she loved (and was in lust) with her husband and that romance needs to be rekindled. When I first got married, my husband was in the army and I remember those long separations. I was really touched and honored that she’d take the time to write me.
NT: Any advice to aspiring authors? What craft books helped you that you would recommend to aspiring writers?
My advice (besides write a lot!) is to take time with a manuscript. Editing and time can be your best friends. I like to put away a manuscript for as long as possible (depending on my deadline) before editing. It helps give me a fresh set of eyes and I always find things that I wouldn’t have otherwise. The book I most recommend is On Writing by Stephen King. It’s part autobiography and part writing manual. Plus, it’s just great reading.
NT: What can your fans look forward to from you in the near future? What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on another light, fun, women’s fiction novel for Berkley. It’s titled The Boyfriend of the Month Club and it’s about a woman, who after dating one too many losers, decides to turn her dwindling book club into a “boyfriend of the month” club. By coming together to “review” the men in their community, she hopes to help other women avoid the frustration of finding out that an attractive cover doesn’t always mean there’s a good guy inside. Unfortunately for her, she’s about to discover that men are a lot more complicated than books!
NT: Thank you so much for blogging with us here at Novel Thoughts!
Thanks for having me!
And I would like your readers to know that, to celebrate the release of my second book, I’m hosting a contest. Go to my website and take the “Which Bunco Babe are you?” quiz at http://www.mariageraci.com/quiz.html follow the directions at the bottom of the page and enter to win an autographed copy of my book and a $50 gift certificate to Borders. Leave a comment here at Novel Thoughts, and one winner will win an autographed copy of Bunco Babes Tell All.
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Thank you, Ms Geraci!
You can find out more about Ms Geraci’s work–and her Bunco Babes!–by visiting her website. Comment here and go forth to enter her contest too!
Hello! Great interview! I love the sound of Bunco Babes Gone Wild – I’ll give it try.
Hi, book looks very good; something I would like to read. Thanks for the giveaway.
Great interview! I went over to your site…what a funny little quiz! Taking that made me want to read the book all the more!
Thanks!
Amy M
Hi ladies, Thanks for the comments! If anyone has a question, I’ll be happy to answer those.
Amy, I love my quiz too! I had so much fun thinking it up and then *testing* it out on various friends. The results are pretty spot on!
Your books sound like definite must reads for me! I’ll be looking for them. Now to head over to your website and take the quiz. Sounds like fun.
Thanks,
Grrrrr I want to read this book !!
I’m reading a lot of great reviews lately so I can’t wait to put my hands on that one !
Great interview too 😉
Wonderful interview!!! My mom used to play Bunco and she had some stories to tell… 😀 I am going to go try your quiz now!!
Have played Bunco and had a great time. Your book sounds great.
Enjoyed the interview. Sounds like a fun book to read.
I enjoyed the interview.
I look forward in reading the book.
Any guy that gives a girl a calculator deserves what he gets…sheesh! 🙂
Wonderful interview, Maria, and nice job, NT!! I *loved* the first book and can’t wait to read this second one, too!
Great interview, I look forward to reading the book! Thanks for the giveaway and have a great day!
Great interview and this sounds really good. I took the quiz…very fun. I love books that have continuing characters. I would love to be entered.
I’ll look forward to reading your book. I enjoyed the interview. It sounds like a great book.
Like your character, I feel like an outsider most of the time. I was always somebody who had a few close friends as a child and now practically none and I really miss that.
Deidre