Authors Interviewing Characters: Bethany Turner

She’s a sunny morning-show host. He’s a cynical ex-reporter. They’re destined to hate each other . . . Aren’t they?

Brynn Cornell has to be stuck in a nightmare. Just last week, she was riding high as cohost of the popular morning show Sunup. She’s America’s Ray of Sunshine—the girl-next-door beauty who drives up TV ratings while never exuding anything but her trademark positivity and poise.

All it took was one huge on-air mistake to expose her snarky side to the world and make it all come crumbling down. Now she’s back in her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, in a last-ditch attempt to convince viewers she’s not the mean girl they think she is. All she has to do is apologize and capture some feel-good footage reminding everyone she’s just a girl from humble beginnings who’s grateful for her big break, and she might manage to preserve both her career and her image. But this town holds painful memories that she’s not ready to face.

Sebastian Sudworth was on the fast track to the journalist hall of fame. A superstar reporter with a reputation for being in the center of the action, his fearless, relentless coverage of major events around the globe was winning him awards and accolades—until something snapped inside him and he vanished from the scene under mysterious circumstances. Sebastian sought refuge in tiny Adelaide Springs, working odd jobs and trying to blend in as a scruffy mountain town citizen.

When Sebastian is assigned to chauffeur Brynn around town, Brynn is sure he can see right through her carefully cultivated, sunny persona. But she’s determined to do what it takes to maintain her image and save her career—so she’ll just have to charm the socks off Sebastian the same way she charmed her viewers. Easier said than done. It’s no picnic to play nice around someone you hate . . . especially when you might be crazy about them.

Bethany interviews Brynn!

She also carried out the interview with the audiobook narrator, Talon David, who voiced Brynn and recorded the interview! You can find the link to that conversation here and listen along!

Bethany: Hey, Brynn. Thanks so much for agreeing to chat with me about—

Brynn: I’m sorry, but who did you say you’re with?

Bethany: Um…who I’m with?

Brynn: Are you the new girl on Good Morning America? I said I wasn’t going to sit down with Good Morning America. I mean, it’s nothing personal, you understand. But GMA is Sunup’s competition, and—

Bethany: I’m not with Good Morning America. I’m not with anyone. I just wanted to talk with you about—

Brynn: Robyn! [Brynn’s agent runs over and whispers something to Brynn.] Oh. I see. Maybe a little warning next time? [Robyn hurries away and Brynn sits up straighter and smooths her skirt as the famous Brynn Cornell smile overtakes her face.] I’m so sorry about that. Little misunderstanding. Now, you were saying you wanted to talk about how horribly out of context my words were taken on Sunup yesterday?

Bethany: Well, no. Not exactly. I’m not exactly sure how they could have been taken out of context, if I’m being honest. Your co-host, Mark Irvine, commented that he had never heard of your hometown, Adelaide Springs, Colorado, and you responded by saying that no one has. You went on to say that, and I quote, “it’s a tiny, insignificant blip on the map, made up of a few hundred people with about twelve brain cells and forty-two bucks among them.” 

Brynn: I was joking. Obviously. I was being ironic, in fact, because nothing could be further from the truth. To know that darling town and the precious people who live there is to love them.

Bethany: So you were being ironic, or your words were taken out of context? Which is it?

Brynn: Both, of course! Anyone who knows me at all knows I would never ever go on national television and say such rotten things about anyone. Much less all of my good friends in Adelaide Spri—

Bethany: Except you didn’t know you were on national television, did you? I mean, not right away. According to the official statement from the network, there were…hang on, I think I’ve got it right here. Ah. Yes. “Technical malfunctions and other—” 

Brynn: Yes, yes. [Bryn sighs heavily and her usually flawless posture relaxes against her chair.] Fine. It was a mess. It was a disaster. I didn’t know I was live. But I’m not the mean girl social media is trying to paint me as. I’m not. I messed up. Yes. But what people don’t understand is the pressure involved in live television. Live national television, on the number one morning program in the entire world. And this was my first week on the main couch. You know? My first week as the number one host—”

Bethany: Sorry to interrupt again, but aren’t you technically the number two host? Isn’t Mark Irvine the… [Sighs in response to the dejected expression on Brynn’s face.] Sorry. Neither here nor there.

Brynn: No, you’re right. 

Bethany: [After a silence that’s beginning to stretch into awkwardness…] Um, so anyway, that’s enough recap. I’d really like to talk about what comes next. I hear you’re headed to Adelaide Springs? Tell me about that.

Brynn: The problem, you see, is that it’s not enough to just apologize. The general consensus—with the network, the Sunup producers, my managers, et cetera—is that viewers may not trust me anymore. For some reason they’ve got it in their heads that viewers, despite the affection they have for me and their willingness to invite me into their homes every weekday morning, may now believe that the words coming out of my mouth are somewhat less than authentic.

Bethany: Do you think that has anything to do with some of what you said on Sunup yesterday morning? Particularly, and again, I quote, “So let the viewers believe I’m from Iowa or Philadelphia or whatever. Anywhere except that pathetic little town with its pathetic little people. As long as it’s all being sold by America’s freaking Ray of Sunshine, I’m sure they’ll keep buying it.” End quote. Do you think that could possibly be the reason your viewers’ faith in you is falling a little short of absolute at the moment?

Brynn: [Grumbling] I don’t know. Maybe. Hard to say, really.

Bethany: Look, Brynn, I’m on your side here. Really. And I think a lot of people are. And so now—correct me if I’m wrong—you’re heading back to Adelaide Springs, Colorado for the first time in fifteen years or so—

Brynn: Twenty.

Bethany: And you’re taking a camera crew with you—

Brynn: I’m taking Orly. The network wouldn’t even support me enough to send an entire camera crew with me. Just one camera operator. Orly.

Bethany: Okay. And you and Orly are going to try to capture your reunions with people you used to know, with the idea, of course, being that if the people of Adelaide Springs are willing to forgive you, there’s no reason the rest of America shouldn’t be willing to follow suit. Right? I wish you the best of luck, Brynn. Truly.

Brynn: Thanks. I guess the one good thing going for me is I know that town and the people who make up that town. Deep down, they love me. I mean, seriously…I really can’t imagine anything Adelaide Springs could throw at me that I’m not equipped to handle. This will be great. Like a vacation, really.

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Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing