Authors Interviewing Characters: Julia London

New York Times bestselling author Julia London returns with a story about forgiveness and second chances perfect for fans of The Wedding People and The Husbands. After forty-two years, Lorna Lott is ready to learn where she’s going with her life–even if it means revisiting all the places she wishes she hadn’t been. It’ll be fine. Probably. Maybe.

Lorna Lott has been leaning into the awkward side of things most of her life. Her intensity and drive haven’t earned her any friends, but at least her sales team is meeting their quotas. Why should she care that they call her King Kong when her promotion to senior vice president is within reach? Or it was–until she made a mistake that even apology donuts couldn’t fix.

Now she’s been mandated to attend a thirty-day wellness program, and everything is on the line. If she can’t get her low-key rage thing under control, stop her eyes from leaking, and figure out how to be more likeable, she won’t get a promotion or raise. Which means she won’t be able to buy back her grandmother’s house and reclaim the happiness she hasn’t felt since childhood.

Cooperating with the program means coming to terms with her past. Mainly, how her older sister’s substance abuse ruined Lorna’s life–and her many regrets about the way she handled things. With the help of her oddly endearing eight-year-old neighbor and his equally charming father, she throws herself into the process of making amends. But as she begins to accept that there is nothing she could have done to change the course of her sister’s life, Lorna faces her most challenging task yet: changing the course of her own.

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JULIA LONDON INTERVIEWS LORNA

Julia: So, Lorna. We first met when you were fired from your software sales—

Lorna: I was not fired. I was put on leave for a month and sent to a wellness program. Which is fine. Totally fine. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it.

Julia: Sorry. I forgot you were kind of touchy about it.

Lorna: I’m not touchy, I’m accurate. Facts are important. Not everyone can sit around and make things up all day like some people.

Julia: Fair. So, what did you think of the wellness program you were sent to?

Lorna: To be honest, in the beginning, I thought it was stupid.

Bean: We’re not supposed to say the s-word, remember, Lorna?

Lorna: This is Bean, by the way. He is my neighbor, and a most excellent Ranger Explorer. He is going to discover the North Pole.

Bean: No, remember, I’m not going to discover it anymore because it’s already been discovered. I didn’t know that when I was eight, but I’m nine now. Hey, Julia, Lorna got me a new explorer backpack, see? It has all my stuff in it. My notebook, my favorite badges, my first aid kit, my compass, my—

Lorna: Maybe we can show her when we’ve finished talking. Which will be very soon.

Julia: We’re just getting started! You were saying about the wellness program?

Lorna (heavy sigh). Okay. At first, I was (side eyes the kid) skeptical of the Bodhi Tao Bliss Retreat and Spa in Austin. I mean, the name alone tells you all you need to know. But the place sort of grew on me. I will never understand their fascination with bean bags as a seating choice, but overall, I learned a lot. Micah and Montreal didn’t look like they’d be much help at all, but they turned out to be pretty good at their jobs.

Julia: I’m sure they’ll be thrilled with your assessment. Micah helped you realize that you needed to address some things from your past to chart a path forward, am I right?

Bean: Did you know we have a dog?  Her name is Aggie. She got an achievement badge for learning tricks. Do you want to see some?

Lorna: Let’s do that later. Right now, you can grab some of those cupcakes we made yesterday.

Bean: On it!

Julia: You were telling me about how you addressed some issues from your past.

Lorna: No, I was watching the clock and hoping this interview would end.

Julia: Funny! I take it that even after all the meditation and talk therapy, you’re still reluctant to talk about the past?

Lorna: Wouldn’t you be? My sister’s addiction issues were tough to deal with as a kid. Especially with parents who weren’t winning any parenting awards. I had to learn to cope with life on my own and it wasn’t pretty. It’s still quite painful to think about. Besides, my life is so much better now. I’ve got the coolest assistant in the history of assistants who finally got his baking badge! My sales are through the roof. I live next door to Seth. My best friend Callie is back in my life. Why dwell on the past?

Julia: Because maybe it’s helpful to someone else in similar circumstances. Let’s talk about your apology tour.

Bean: I’m back! I brought the strawberry cupcakes. They’re really good. Not as good as salted caramel. Those are the best, but I don’t know how to make those yet.

Julia: Thank you. Lorna was just about to tell me about the apology tour you took. You went with her, right?

Bean: That was awesome! Lorna thought everyone was going to be super mad at her, but only two people were. My dad says that when you think someone is mad at you, they probably only have anxiety, and we should be nice to them.

Lorna: Bean’s dad has a lot of pithy sayings like that.

Julia: Lorna . . . are you smiling?

Lorna (laughs): I doubt it.

Bean: She is. She likes my dad. Like, a lot.

Lorna: Anyway! Bean’s right—the apology tour was not as bad as I thought it would be. I revisited some events in my life that I thought happened because of my sister’s addiction. But I discovered that other people’s perception of events were not always the same as mine. And not always accurate, either. Even some of my perceptions were wrong. I still can’t get over how many things I was wrong about. (shakes her head in disbelief).

Julia: Having realized that, were you able to let go of the past and maybe forgive yourself a little bit?

Lorna: Maybe a little. I’ve learned to open myself up to the world and stop feeling hurt and ashamed by it. But that’s something I have to practice daily. Our reality is what we make it, you know?

Julia: Wow, that’s profound, especially for you. Like, a giant leap from where you started. I wasn’t sure you could do it.

Lorna (smiling): Okay. Have your fun.

Julia: What is your main takeaway from this experience?

Lorna: So much. But the main thing is that I accept there was nothing I could have done to change the course of my sister’s life. Her life was hers to live however she chose, and me or my mom couldn’t fix it. The only life I could ever change is my own. I just wish I’d understood that a long time ago, because it would have saved me a lot of heartache. So, thanks for dragging it out, Julia.

Julia: You’re welcome! It wouldn’t be any fun if I wrapped it all up in chapter two.

Bean: I wouldn’t have nearly as many badges if you did that! I’m going to get my dog training badge next. Do you want to see Aggie’s tricks?

Julia: I do. Thanks, Lorna. Thanks, Bean.

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Julia London Bio:

Julia London is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of numerous works of romantic fiction and women’s fiction. She is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. She lives in Austin, TX, with two teens, two dogs, and an astonishingly big pile of books. Connect with Julia at julialondon.com; Instagram: @julia_f_london; Facebook: @JuliaLondon; X: @JuliaFLondon

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers