Authors Interview Characters: Neely Tubati Alexander interviewing Serena Khan

May 2, 2023 | By Women Writers Women Books | Reply More

About LOVE BUZZ

A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn’t much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be—until sparks fly with a handsome stranger, who, like her, is also from Seattle. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short:

His name is Julian.

He lives on Chamber Hill.

He works at a tech company.

He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana.

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irrational. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a “Life at Thirty” feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Julian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectly curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it—and fast, before she destroys the life she always thought she wanted.

—

Neely Tubati Alexander interviewing Serena Khan

Neely And Serena meet at the coffee shop on the University of Washington campus where Serena’s “Life at Thirty” interview will take place in a few days.

Neely: Thanks for meeting with me. I know you’ve had a lot on your plate lately. How are you handling all your recent life changes?

Serena: I’m taking it day by day, though I’ve made a mess of things lately.

Neely: Oh? What’s going on?

Serena: It all started on Bourbon Street… (she looks longingly out the window at the swirling Seattle mist) There was this guy.

Neely: It always starts with a guy, amiright?

Serena: Yes! We met a few weeks ago at my cousin Coral’s bachelorette party at Mardi Gras and our connection was just…magic. Has that ever happened to you?

Neely: Well, I met my husband at a college bar after far too many Long Island iced teas so, it’s hard to say exactly.

Serena: Fair.

Neely: What makes this guy so special?

Serena: His eyes. His goofy adorable smile. The way he looked at me, like I was a puzzle he needed to solve. How our conversation went beyond the basics. The instant connection I felt to him.

Neely: (Fans herself with a napkin) Sounds intense.

Serena: It was. It still is. If I’m being honest, I’ve not stopped thinking about him. I’ve been trying to find him, but it seems so… (she stares out the window again).

Neely: (Leans forward to fill the void) Hot? Exciting? Potentially life-changing? Wait, if there was such a connection, why didn’t you exchange contact info?

Serena: (Sighs and lands her chin to her fist, propped against the table by her elbow) Our interaction got cut short because of…oh it doesn’t matter. What matters is we got separated before we could exchange any information.

Neely: That’s heavy.

Serena: Yeah. And I’ve somehow managed to upend my entire life as a result of trying to find this guy who…who knows. He could be a serial killer, someone who watches girls undress through a peephole at the gym, someone who doesn’t return his cart at the grocery store parking lot. He could spend all his time playing video games in his parent’s basement. He could be someone’s husband for all I know.

Neely: Has anyone ever told you you can be slightly dramatic?

Serena: Yeah, I get that a lot.

Neely: Nonetheless, I feel like I’m in this now. What else could we do to find him? Have you tried Googling him? Going back to that same bar? Try to track down his friends or people he may know? Maybe try posting a video to social media and hope it goes viral? (she does like the dramatic, after all).

Serena: I’ve tried, believe me. (she sighs again, then straightens with newfound conviction). You know what? I’m done. I’ve made a mess of my life as a result of meeting this guy and I don’t even know him. I can’t do this anymore. It’s asinine. And I’m going to be showcased in this “Life at Thirty” feature in a few days and, thanks to him, I have nothing to show for it. As of today—this moment—I no longer care about finding the guy from Bourbon Street. (her shoulders drop) Julian. His name is Julian. Did I mention that?

Neely: No. No you didn’t. (Sips her coffee while arranging her words).

Both give each other a heavy look from across the table.

Neely: Are you sure you’re willing to give up on him? The way your face lit up just now talking about him, that doesn’t happen often in life, meeting someone who can do that to you.

Serena: (Tearing up) Maybe one last shot?

Neely: (Reaches across the table and places her hands atop Serena’s then nods) One last shot.

—

Neely Tubati-Alexander is a first-generation Indian American mother of two. Originally from the Seattle area, she seeks to tell lighthearted, female-driven stories with diverse characters and strong women who pursue both love and careers. If she’s not tucked away at the little desk in her bedroom writing, you can find her at some kiddo activity, drinking wine, or watching reality TV, usually the last two together. She lives in Arizona with her family.