When Jessica, a grieving widow, inherits an antique mall from her mother she also inherits the stallholders, an elderly, amoral, acquisitive, and paranoid collection. 
INTERVIEW WITH JEN WALDO
Why did you choose to write in your particular field?
My field is dramedy. I wrote my master’s thesis on humor in literature. It’s what I’ve always written because it’s what I love to read. Luckily for me, it’s not an overly crowded genre, and few people can do it well.
How do you write?
I’m disciplined. I write for two hours every morning. When I push away from the computer I take what I wrote with me, ponder it, and decide what I’ll put on the screen the next morning. This is a routine that I hold to faithfully. If I miss a writing session it’s because something major’s going on.
What cultural value do you see in books and storytelling?
Empathy. Fiction allows us to feel what we will never experience. It’s unlikely that in our lives we will encounter every cause of joy or pain, every loss or triumph; so contemplating emotions and pondering possible reactions through fiction expands our imagination and self-awareness.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Sitting at my computer in my little dark writing corner, I cackled like a madwoman over the insane things the elderlies did in order to obtain or hold on to stuff. When I write something that makes me laugh I’m set for the day.
How do you decide if your main character will be male or female?
I prefer writing about women. I know how women think and react, what’s important to them, and what makes them livid. Men are foreign to me. I’ve been married for thirty-five years and I still can’t figure out why my husband goes about things the way he does or how he chooses his priorities.
Who are some of the authors you feel were influential in your work?
Anne Tyler is the best at juxtaposing comedy and tragedy. Richard Russo is also excellent. Both of them have won Pulitzers for fiction, which I find inspirational.
Which character from the book is least like you?
Definitely Roxy. She is mean, mean, mean. And I can’t forgive her just because she’s old. She was a life-long schemer and in the end she got what she deserved.
Jen Waldo lived in seven countries over a thirty-year period and has now settled, along with her husband, in Marble Falls, Texas. She first started writing over twenty years ago when, while living in Cairo, she had difficulty locating reading material and realized she’d have to make her own fun. She has since earned an MFA and written a number of novels. Her work has been published in The European and was shortlisted in a competition by Traveler magazine. Old Buildings in North Texas and Why Stuff Matters have been published in the UK by Arcadia Books. Jen’s fiction is set in Northwest Texas and she’s grateful to her hometown of Amarillo for providing colorful characters and a background of relentless whistling wind.
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Thank you for the post.
Enjoyed the interview!
Mel x
Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!
Very nice interview, and I agree about Anne Tyler being one of the best in writing women’s fiction. She’s always been a favorite of mine, and I ay be adding another author to that list. ?
Agreed, Maryann. I’ll be adding two authors!
Great interview! Loved to learn more about Jen’s writing process and journey ?
Thanks, Jennifer!
Interesting interview! Thanks for the post!
Thanks for stopping by the blog, Kristine!
Well this certainly sounds like a unique read!
I agree, Cheryl!