Out of Options; Author Interview

We are delighted to share this character interview by Sharon V. Agar, author of the smart, suspenseful and unexpectedly funny novel “Out of Options.” The book follows Eve, a mid-level Wall Street investment banker who books a Caribbean vacation to move on from a breakup. There, she meets unlikely duo Julian, a lawyer, and Eddie, a department head at a chemical research company, who both harbor secrets of their own.

The three strike up a quick, breezy friendship but the tides quickly turn after a diving trip goes awry, putting Eve in a precarious position. As she becomes more entangled in the men’s affairs and unravels the dark history of their strange friendship, so do Julian and Eddie’s business associates. Weaving in narratives from ancillary characters, Agar creates a gripping story of murder, betrayal and deceit with surprising actors and unpredictable twists.

Informed by Agar’s decades of experience working in the corporate arena, “Out of Options” shines a light on the dark activity that often goes unnoticed under the office fluorescents. Through her book, she examines where moralistic and well-meaning individuals go wrong in making choices to protect themselves in a competitive, unforgiving industry, and how quickly the consequences can spiral out of control.

Out of Options; Author Interview

It was high time to interview Eve; I’ve been avoiding her long enough. She surprised me by not wanting to meet on her home turf, until I realized she doesn’t want me to see how she lives now. Or where.

Eve, can I get you a drink? Maybe you’d prefer a more comfortable chair, so you can relax a bit?

I’m not interested in relaxing—I don’t think that a very good idea. And I brought my own water bottle. So let me give you my ground rules and then we can get right to it. One: I’m not saying anything that you can twist into making me seem something I’m not. I know how sneaky you are. Two: no “wh-” questions. Especially “where” and “who.”

You’re not giving me much to work with.

You can handle it.

Okay, so then…Did you do it?

Damn you, I said…oh, you’re kidding, aren’t you. Don’t do that. I’m not the funny one, remember?

You’re right. I’m sorry.  But if you don’t want to talk to me, why did you agree to this interview?

That starts with “wh-”. But the answer is I’m so sick of people up in my face, or even just on the street, picking me apart, wanting to know—you can see it on their faces—“Does she know more than she’s telling?” “Was she the instigator?” And “What really happened in the end?” At least you know the whole story. You know who I am. Why is it that every time there’s a slow news day, the damn press bring it up all over again? There are worse things out there in the world; why do they keep showing our photos?

Because a lot of people got hurt in the end. Innocent and guilty, in a variety of ways. And, well, you are very photogenic.

Give me a break—no one wants this kind of publicity. My mother won’t speak to me anymore. Apparently, I’ve shamed our family so much that she’s afraid to go to church, not even to confession. My high school scratched my name off the debate trophy, can you believe that? The snooty girls are probably snickering their Lululemons off. My college friends are embarrassed, and my business school cohort doesn’t contact me except to fundraise, though at least in that crowd I’m not the only one the police keep tabs on. And I’ll probably never work in a real job again. Who would trust me? 

Do you regret it, then…all of it I mean? Do you wish none of it had ever happened? I genuinely don’t know the answer to that.

That’s a brutal question. (Pauses.) If I’m honest, the answer’s yes. I miss my work, and the social standing I used to have, and the sense of accomplishment from doing a difficult job well. Mostly I miss the respect. From others, but self-respect too. Surprised you, didn’t I? But you can’t really tell how things are going to come out until they do. And you’ll never know how you feel about it until it’s all over. 

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Sharon V. Agar writes realistic and suspenseful novels with multi-dimensional characters and strong, smart women at the center. Originally from England, she moved to the United States at 18, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics at Yale University and her MBA at Harvard University. She spent decades living in Manhattan, where she worked in investment banking and a Fortune 500 company, and ran a small not-for-profit.

In 2010, Agar was diagnosed with a serious lung disease. She has since undergone two lung transplants, the experiences of which inform her second book, “All You Need Is Lung.” Agar currently lives in Southern California with her husband and sons. To learn more, please visit sharonagar.com.

 

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing