Mia King: Table Manners
Book Club Discussion

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

You must be a baker at heart! Tell us about your background in the art of making sweet treats. And if you don't bake regularly, how do you write about it so well?

I am a baker in spirit! I love to look at cookbooks and beautiful pictures of food, and of course I greatly appreciate anyone who cooks and invites me over for a meal! I have a very fine appreciation for both sweet and savory baked goods (and the people who make them) and that helps me write about it in such great detail.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

There is an interesting theme running in this story about believing in yourself and following your heart. Deidre is the perfect example of this. She knows that her cookie line's integrity will be compromised if she succumbs to JCC's standards so she continually comes up with new recipes that don't fit the mold. She also, for all her maturity and organization, is decidedly spontaneous when it comes to her relationship – like jumping on a plane to Paris on a whim. Is the message you wish to send readers that they can accomplish their dreams and goals if they stick to what they feel is right?

I think it's really important to make choices that feel good and resonate with who you are. We all know what it's like to act in a way that is inconsistent with who you are or to please another person—it just doesn't work. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules—life throws us lots of curve balls, along with lots of unexpected blessings, but it's up to us to choose our own happiness. What I'm hoping readers will take away from Table Manners is to go for the joy—it's a million times better than the alternative.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Let's talk about Kevin. He's so perfect! Do you think he's a believable character? What, if any, are his flaws?

Because I wrote the book with Deidre's heart in mind, I gave her a man that I will admit is a pretty damn perfect. Of course there are things that are less than ideal about Kevin (although now that I am pressed to come up with some, I can't, because truth be known I'm a pretty big Kevin fan myself), but for the most part they are non-issues for Deidre. She tends to be a big picture person when it comes to relationships. I wouldn't call him faultless, but it's true he's VERY appealing (handsome, successful, rich, and sweet—what a combination!) and I wanted that for Deidre. But if I had to get specific, Kevin can be annoyingly detail-oriented (i.e. he folds his socks and underwear) and he is ultra competitive when it comes to business or winning. He is genuinely laid back when it comes to his personal life, though, and he knows himself well, which is an incredibly sexy and appealing trait.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

I liked that Deidre lived in two alternate universes – the posh, rich world of her life in Seattle, and the down-to-earth, country atmosphere of Jacob's Point. How does she assimilate the two personalities into one? Does she have to behave differently in each place or is she always just the same Deidre?

Deidre built a life for herself in Seattle that pretty much runs on autopilot—it's one reason Jacob's Point is such a wake-up call for her. It forces her to recalibrate, to get back to the basics, not just with the details of her life, but with whom she is as a person. I think we all have those "multiple" personalities—when I visit my parents or in-laws I find myself slouching around in ways I just don't when I'm in my own home. I find great comfort in that. I know how I used to act at work was different than how I socialized with my friends on the weekends. I think these different personalities are all part of us, and while different situations may call for different behavior, the essence of who we are remains the same.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Marla is definitely "the bad guy" in the story. However, I can see that if she was loyal to any one person, that person would have a friend for life. Is it possible for Marla to develop a relationship that is meaningful and based on trust? With Wedge? With Deidre?

I actually don't see Marla as the bad guy—she's just doing what Marla does. At the same time, she serves an important role in Deidre's life and is instrumental in shaping Deidre's character in many ways. In fact, from Good Things (the prequel to Table Manners), Marla is in many ways responsible for pushing Deidre into her new life. Marla could easily have her own book, but she's a hard character to love, and she knows that. It's why I gave her Wedge, a man who dotes on her but is in so many ways the antithesis of her. He sees past her tough-as-nails exterior, and that's exactly what she needs—someone who isn't easily put off by her. It disarms her and lets her open herself up to some happiness. But will Deidre and Marla ever become friends? Probably not.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Will we be seeing Deidre and Kevin again?

There are no plans for a third book in this series, but that’s what I said after Good Things! I don't always plot out my books but I have a general idea of where things may go if this story were to continue so it's entirely possible that you may see Deidre and Kevin (along with Marla, and Deidre's good friends Lindsey and William) again.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Mia King

Can you tell us anything about your current writing projects?

I just finished book four which is with my new agent, Dorian Karchmar from William Morris Endeavor. I'm starting on book five which has a strong artist element to it—my books are known for including recipes so that probably won't change, but I'm also known for writing reinvention stories. Right now I'm strongly feeling one about a woman who starts over with an artistic pursuit in mind. Whether or not she pulls it off remains to be seen, and in the end it's all about the journey. But the anticipation is killing me, so I'd better get back to work so I can find out what happens!