Q&A with Joanna Goodman (summer reading)
BOOKS & AUTHORS | A short Q&A with Joanna Goodman.
In the summer of 2005, I was asked to produce a huge summer books preview piece for Dose magazine. I conducted short email interviews with authors who had books coming out that summer to get quotes for the piece. This Q&A with Joanna Goodman is one of those interviews, reproduced here in full.
You Made Me Love You, Joanna Goodman, 2005
Jen Selk: What do you think makes a good summer book?
Joanna Goodman: “I personally think the ideal summer book is entertaining and funny. It should be a book you can’t put down, but definitely with some depth to it. And of course, the essentials for any book (summer or otherwise) are a good, enveloping story and strong, relatable characters.
How would you rather vacation in the summer? Beach, wilderness, cottage country, road trip, or city, and why?
“I would definitely vacation at the beach … and WILL be vacationing at the beach! I grew up spending my summers in Maine, so I have a special fondness for the smell of the ocean mingled with fried clams. I am one hundred percent a BEACH GIRL.”
If you were stranded on a desert island (sorry, dorky question, I know), and you only had one type of book with you, what would it be and why?
“I absolutely could not pick a single genre, but would have to have a variety of my favourite authors. Therefore my ‘type’ of book would be: humorous, quality literature. Some of my favourite ‘funny’ writers are John Irving, Margaret Atwood, Jane Austen, Mordecai Richler, Eliza Clark.”
Your book, You Made Me Love You, seems to be marketed mostly to women. Do you think women prefer the sort of story you’ve told, and if so why? And why might men like it too (assuming they would)?
“I think if women do prefer my novel, it’s because it’s about three sisters – all modern women making choices about relationships, family, and career. However, I feel You Made Me Love You is more a book about family.”
“The book has been very warmly received by men, which I think is owed largely to the fact that it’s funny. I believe humour and family are the common denominators in this particular story.”
Anything else you want to say about summer books or your book that you think might appeal to our readership?
“My original vision for You Made Me Love You was inspired by my great reverence and enthusiasm for Woody Allen films and for the TV show Sex & the City! The question in my head when I began was: What if Woody Allen wrote the novel, Sex & the City? It was a lofty ambition, I admit. But my aim was to take these smart, strong, sexy women characters and transplant them into a hilariously neurotic family. Sex & the City-meets- Hanna & her Sisters. My intention was to create a laugh-out-loud Canadian novel, which is what makes You Made Me Love You such great reading for summer.
Joanna Goodman is a Canadian writer, mother, CEO, and the owner of Au Lit Fine Linens. Find her on Twitter, @joannagoodman.
More from this series:
Published in Dose, June 24, 2005.