Carol Snow: Here Today, Gone to Maui
Book Club Review

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

How did the triangle of Jane-Tiara-Jimmy evolve?

I wish all of my plots came as easily - and as pleasantly - as this one did. I was on the beach in Maui, looking out at the ocean. My son and husband were snorkeling. When I lost sight of them, I thought: "Oh no -- are they okay?" And then I thought: "Hey! What if a woman was on vacation in Maui with her boyfriend, and he went snorkeling - or maybe scuba diving - and she saw him go under but he never came back up? And what if she was broken hearted, but then she started uncovering all of these secrets about him?" I went from there, until I got the idea that Jimmy had another girlfriend on the island. (My son and husband were fine, by the way - I did make sure of that before I started working on my book plot.)

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

There are many quirky, but loveable, characters in this story. I'm partial to Bob Wills. I don't like the decision he makes regarding Jane but I also understand his position. And she respected him mostly because of his "Dudley do-right" attitude. Who is your favorite secondary character?

I'm quite fond of Mary, the Hawaiian woman who works the checkout desk at the Maui Hi motel. She is so entirely at peace with herself and her life, and she understands how to take pleasure from the little things.

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

The underlying theme here is trust in oneself. Whether it be Jane's insecurity with her role in a romantic relationship, Jimmy's inability to tell the truth about who he is, or Tiara's desire to seem "dumb," the characters all suffer from some form of low self-esteem. Except Michael. Is his function in the novel to be the polar opposite of the other main characters?

For me, balance is the bigger issue. (If anything, Tiara could use a little less self esteem!) Jane is attracted to Jimmy because of his looks, of course. But more than that, they are drawn together because of their differences: she is hyper-organized and responsible, while he lives in the moment. Instead of balancing each other out, however, they push each other to further extremes and end up with a kind of mother-son dynamic. Michael is not really Jane's opposite (though he may be Jimmy's). Like Jane, he has trouble living in the moment. However, instead of being obsessed with little details, he is all about "the big picture" - his career and his future. He and Jane understand and complement each other. In the end, though, they have to achieve balance in their own lives before they can have any chance as a couple.

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Are you interested in diving? Why did you choose this sport as your centerpiece?

A few years ago, my husband gave me scuba diving lessons for Christmas. Because I didn't have the heart to tell him it was the worst gift anyone had ever given me, I went along with the weekly lessons and pool sessions. Finally, I took the open-water certification test, which I failed . . . three times. I used diving as the centerpiece of the story for a few reasons. First, it worked well as a plot device to have Jimmy disappear while underwater. Second, Jane is a control freak, and my (very scary) dive instructor once remarked, "When you're underwater, you have to give up all sense of control." And, finally, having surrendered two months of my life to a state of near-constant anxiety while striving for certification, I thought I should at least get something good out of the experience!

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Will Jane and Tiara remain friends after this? I felt like their were sisters united by a strange bond.

As she gets to know her, Jane develops a grudging respect for Tiara. As Michael points out, Tiara is not stupid - she simply recognizes her assets and uses them to get what she wants. But no - Jane and Tiara are too different to ever be friends. Jane finds Tiara far too calculating to be trusted.

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Which girl was going to get the ring?! Please put me out of my misery!

The ring was an impulse buy. Jimmy bought it for Tiara after spending a passionate morning in her room. (Sorry. You wanted me to say it was for Jane, didn't you?)

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Book Club Review: Interview with Carol Snow

Can you tell us anything about what you are working on now? Is there any possibility we may see these characters again?

I'm just finishing up my next Berkley book, Just Like Me, Only Better, which will be released in April 2010. The book tells the story of Veronica Czaplicki, a cash-strapped single suburban mother who bears a striking resemblance to a reckless and imploding young Hollywood starlet named Haley Rush. When Haley's manager sees Veronica in an L.A. restaurant, he hires her to act as the starlet's double to fool the paparazzi - and the public - into thinking that Haley is doing just fine.

As for the characters in Here Today, Gone to Maui -- I'm giving Jane and her friends a rest, at least for now. After all I put them through, they deserve a break!