Today we welcome Mary-Lou Stephens to the blog. Mary-Lou answered five inquisitive questions about her book How to Stay Married.
Q.1.
How To Stay Married bears the same name as a Jilly Cooper book. Do you find the
two titles get confused?
I’ve noticed a lot of
books, as well as songs and movies have the same title. The Beautiful Girls
have a new song out called Dance Hall Days and whenever I go to play it on the
radio (my day job) I think I’m
going to hear Wang Chung! Yes it can be a bit confusing sometimes but Jilly
Cooper’s book came out in
the 60’s and is a very
different book to mine. She’s
been married for 50 years now so clearly writing a book called How To Stay
Married helps you stay married :)
Q.2.
How To Stay Married is a partner book to your first book. In what way is this a
sequel? Do you suggest reading them in the correct order?
My
first book, Sex, Drugs and Meditation tells the story of how meditation changed
my life, saved my job and helped me find a husband. How To Stay Married is the
truth about the happy ending.
The
books don’t need to be read
in order. I tell the story of how I met my husband in How To stay Married so
you get the complete picture. The books work well alone or together. I had many
people who’d read Sex, Drugs
and Meditation asking for a sequel which was wonderful. I’m happy to be able
to provide it.
Q.3.
Who is the ideal reader for your book?
How
To Stay Married is a memoir, as well as being a travelogue and a guide to
relationships. There’s something in it
for everyone. I’ve used a trip
around the world with cabin luggage only as a metaphor for learning to travel
light in relationships of any kind. So if you have friends, a lover, a partner,
colleagues or anyone in your life you want to get on well with, this book is
for you. If you just want or need a great read this book is also for you. First
and foremost it’s a story, as was
my first book. A tale well told. If some of the tips in the book are of use in
your relationships then that’s
brilliant too.
Q.4.
What’s next? Are you
planning another book in the near future?
My
next book will be a novel. I’ve
written two tell-all books and now it’s time to make something up. The novel
is set predominately in Scotland. It’s about what happens when three women,
who’ve lost everything,
meet in a place known for making miracles happen. I also have plans for another
two novels, two fiction series and a non-fiction series. Plenty to keep me
busy.
Q.5.
Have you had much feedback from readers this book has helped?
I
have had a lot of feedback from readers who really relate to How To Stay
Married. They laugh and cry to find themselves and their thoughts and reactions
reflected in this book. There’s
one tip in particular that readers find very helpful. It’s one of seven tips
woven throughout the book as part of my own journey however I have written a
chapter of tips right at the end called For Those Who Like Lists. If you would
like my Seven Tips to a Happy Marriage (and one from my mum) you’ll receive it as a
gift when you sign up for my newsletter
http://bitly.com/ZR45up
Thanks for visiting Promote Me Please, Mary-Lou. For anyone who wants to know more, check out the links below.
Amazon
author page
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