Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Gail Ward Olmsted
Book Title: Miranda Nights
Released: 07/05/23
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction/Legal Fiction
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “Miranda Nights”?
Olmsted: The first ‘Miranda' book Miranda Writes was published last year. I never really thought about a sequel, but I heard from so many readers asking for one, that I thought, ‘why not?' I had so many different ideas about what she would be doing and how her life was going. I had a ball; I hope readers will as well. The third and final book in the Legal Twist trilogy is in the works!
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Olmsted: Miranda was always going to be Miranda, as the original title was a play on the term Miranda Rights. I wanted her to have Randi as a nickname, after a grade school pal of mine. I called her husband Eric, actually just as a placeholder at first, then I grew to think of him only as Eric. Her best friend is Tracey, named after a dear friend of mine. Her cat is Hobie, named after Hobie Cat, a brand of catamaran. My husband is a lifelong sailor and I like the way it sounds.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Olmsted: I am very visual so I like to have photos, clips, souvenirs in view as I write. The Miranda books are set on the Connecticut shoreline, and I have many happy memories of my times spent vacationing there.
If "Miranda Nights" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Olmsted: Miranda’s role could be played by any number of women- Kristen Wiig, Jessica Chastain or Amy Adams maybe? Pretty, smart, a bit socially awkward is how I picture her.
For Eric, I see someone good-looking with a great sense of humor. Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski or Chris Pratt come to mind.
For Miranda’s father, Ed Harris would totally rock the role of ‘Pops’.
For Dante, the fanatical fan, I can picture Elijah Wood or Charlie Day in the role.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Olmsted: I see this whole ‘writing thing’ as a marathon, not a sprint. When I feel blocked, I go out in my kayak, run some errands, catch up on emails and social media or go and bug my husband. Or eat ice cream and binge watch Sons of Anarchy. The best thing is to switch gears and relax. It never lasts very long and before you know it, you’re back at it.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Olmsted: Hire an editor!! Seriously, I can’t imagine not wanting to have a professional help you to make your story shine. Also, don’t stop reading, especially in the genre you wish to publish in.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Olmsted: I enjoy historical fiction, thrillers literary fiction and beach reads. My go-to authors are Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, Elin Hilderbrand, Karin Slaughter and Michael Connelly. You can’t go wrong with any of them.
What are you working on next?
Olmsted: I just finished the first draft of my latest- It’s biographical fiction, the story of an amazing woman I discovered while doing research for my first historical novel, Landscape of a Marriage. Katharine Prescott Wormeley (1830-1908) was born into affluence in England and emigrated to the U. S. at the age of eighteen. Fiercely independent and never married, Kate volunteered as a nurse on a medical ship during the Civil War, before founding a vocational school for underprivileged girls. A lifelong friend and trusted confidant of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, she was a philanthropist, a hospital administrator and an author as well as the translator of dozens of novels written by French authors, including Moliere and Balzac. Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip is a fictionalized account of her solo drive (at the age of 77) between her homes in 1907.Along the way, she receives a marriage proposal, pulls an all-nighter, saves a life or two, crashes a high-society event, meets a kindred spirit, faces a former rival, makes a new friend, takes a stroll with a future movie mogul, advises a troubled newlywed and reflects upon a life well lived; her own! The pub date is 6/13/24.
Learn More About the Author and Miranda Nights:
Website: gwolmstedauthor.carrd.co
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/gwolmsted
Facebook www.facebook.com/gailolmstedauthor
Amazon www.amazon.com/author/gailolmsted
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gwolmsted
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8158738.Gail_Ward_Olmsted
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