Meeting Stephanie Evanovich: Author of Big Girl Panties

In a previous post, I blogged about meeting Stephanie Evanovich. Talking to her was so nice and she was so interesting- my notebook was filled with things to blog about- so I decided to make this a two-part post!

Author Spotlight: Stephanie Evanovich:

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, S.E.Hinton, Catherine Coulter, Anthony Robbins and Jill Shalvis.

What’s going in your beach bag to read on vacation?

It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis and Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews.

What is the best book of 2013 that you’ve read so far?

Stephanie alerted me to the fact that between edits of Big Girl Panties and touring- that she really has not read much this year. However, she did read the 50 Shades of Grey series- and said she liked it. As Stephanie said to me in the book store” 50 Shades of Grey wasn’t War and Peace– but she was entertained.” She also read Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and liked that as well.

How long did it take to write Big Girl Panties?

Three years- but not every day writing. About 9 months of working hard on Big Girl Panties.

What is your writing routine?

I write best from 5am-9am- and I do not write in coffeehouses. I have to have my own space to write!

While writing, did you have a soundtrack in mind for the book? Or to set certain scenes?

The whole time I was writing this book, I listened to Lifehouse’s album Who We Are. The songs that set the scene for Logan and Holly are songs 7,8,9. Song 7 is Easier to Be, Song 8 is Make Me Over, and song 9 is Mesmerized.

Do you have a #literarycrush?

Bobby Tom Denton in Heaven Fall.

Do you have a #literaryconfession?

When I was teen, I discovered S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. After reading and loving the book, I used to pretend that S.E. stood for Stephanie Elizabeth (which is my name!)

*Special thanks to Stephanie Evanovich for answering these questions and revealing her #literarycrush and #literaryconfessions!

A few weeks ago, I was checking the book signing schedule at Lemuria Books- and I saw the signing information for Big Girl Panties. With a name like that, I was curious- partly because I’d been reading tons of historical fiction and women’s lit that was good- but not always something light and funny (which I so desperately craved). So I marked it on my calendar and made plans to attend.

I arrive and after buying my book and checking out the aisles, I walk to the signing area. Sitting at the table is this woman with a big smile and a big laugh- and I just knew then that this event would be fun! I was not wrong! As Stephanie and I sat around talking about books, her experience in the publishing world and much more- it was not a feel of author/book blogger-reader, it was more like sitting and talking to a person who was fun and friendly- a person you would like to share a glass of wine with.

As we talked, I asked about if there was a possibility of Big Girl Panties being made into a movie- there is, but according to Stephanie, “it’s step 1 on a path of a million steps”. However, she did have her movie cast picked out: Channing Tatum could play all 4 roles- “because you can never have enough Channing Tatum” 😉 In all seriousness- this is the people that Stephanie would like to see in roles of Logan and Holly: Logan would be played by Channing Tatum and Holly- she likes Melissa McCarthy or Rebel Wilson. When asked if she would rather Holly be played by an unknown actress- Stephanie lit up and said that actually was a dream of hers- to be able to give a shot to an unknown actress to play the role of Holly would be a dream comes true. Stephanie further explains that for years, she tried to find her big break in acting- but there are not enough roles for women with ample curves- and casting Holly with an unknown could be a step in the right direction. Plus to help a woman out, to help a woman achieve her dream of acting- that would be great!

While talking, I asked Stephanie if she had a #literarycrush- and she thought for a minute- then said: Bobby Tom Denton, from Heaven Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Stephanie’s #literaryconfession is something else: When she was teen, she found this book by S.E. Hinton titled The Outsiders– in fact, it was the first book she’d ever read. And she loved it- had such a reaction to the book, thought it was such a great book, the characters and everything. Her #literaryconfession, though, is about the author’s name- S.E. Hinton. Stephanie’s initials are S.E. as well- so she used to pretend that S.E. Hinton and her shared the same name- Stephanie Elizabeth!

Stephanie said to me “all I wanted to do is entertain”. She had thought it might be as an actress- but she’s happy now that it’s in a book deal. Stephanie firmly succeeds in that goal in Big Girl Panties– because it is entertaining; with a life lesson or two thrown in the book.

Big Girl Panties is the first of 3 book deal with Harper Publishing- the second book will focus more on the secondary characters of Big Girl Panties, Chase and Amanda. The second book, untitled as of now, should be out in 2014.

*Liked reading about my meeting Stephanie Evanovich? Look for my review of Big Girl Panties this week on Traveling With T!

***Congratulations to Stephanie Evanovich- while we were having dinner that night- she got the news that Big Girl Panties had made it to the NYT list!