Home Wrecker is a coming of age story
set in California from the 1960’s until present day. There is marriage,
divorce and ongoing suspense. I guess you could call it a modern romance
story.
When
Brooklyn meets Bo, their lives are instantly turned upside down.
Brooklyn and Bo, each unhappily married to someone else, have to decide
whether to stay with their spouses or give up everything for each other.
Bio:
Brenda
Perlin was born in Los Angeles, California in the Sixties. She studied
acting and photography after high school. Later, her true passion was
ignited when she became interested in health and fitness and became a
fitness instructor. At twenty-nine she started writing Home Wrecker
during the time she was getting married. She put her story down shortly
after the wedding and didn’t pick it back up until she was forty-six and
going through a divorce.
Today I'll be chatting with groovy author Brenda Perlin, who has just released her debut novel 'Home Wrecker'....How can we not be intrigued right?!
Brenda Perlin was born in Los Angeles, California in the Sixties. She
studied acting and photography after high school. Later, her true
passion was ignited when she became interested in health and fitness and
became a fitness instructor. At twenty-nine she started writing Home
Wrecker during the time she was getting married. She put her story down
shortly after the wedding and didn’t pick it back up until she was
forty-six and going through a divorce.
She now resides in Orange County, California.
So without further delay...please bust out all the juicy details!
1) What is your book about?
This story is an account of a California girl from childhood through
mid life. The main character, Brooklyn is just trying to find out about
herself. Brought up in the sixties she grew up during a time when women
were housewives and men were the sole providers for their household. As a
child she never felt like she fit in with her peers and that feeling
followed her throughout her life. It wasn’t until High School in the
eighties when she became a punk rocker that she felt she found her place
in the world.
In her twenties she was employed as a waitress in Beverly Hills,
where she tried to become a working actress. Actresses working in
restaurants were a dime a dozen. By thirty, she got married and years
later, joined the ever growing club she refers to as “divorce central.”
Living in a planned community that looked like Disneyland felt nothing
like the happiest place on earth. This divorce caused her a great deal
of turmoil in a life that had been filled with never ending drama.
Throughout her journey, Brooklyn learned a lot about herself and
discovered the meaning of true love. However, that was also when
everything erupted around her. Despite finally meeting her soul mate,
she discovered that she would have to pay for her actions.
2) How did you come up with the idea for your book?
I first started writing my book because I needed to find something
that would make me seem productive My husband was giving me a lot of
pressure to be successful. He said he didn’t care what I did as long as I
worked hard. I was just turning thirty and was engaged to be married. I
thought I would write about what nonsense the wedding business was. I
wanted to highlight how you can get suckered into spending more money
than you should.
After the wedding I put my story away in a drawer. Then 16 years or
so later when I was leaving my husband I decided I had more to say.
There were many circumstances that led me to let it all out in the
open.
3) What makes your book different than others in your genre?
Well for one thing it is a true story. I call it fiction to protect
everyone whether they are innocent or guilty. I have changed names and
circumstances. The main character is very much a product of who I am.
Her life experiences in this story parallels mine. It is a coming of age
story that is filled with extreme heartbreak, life changing events.
4) Who is your favorite writer? Why?
Pat Conroy is my very favorite author. Reading his books are like
reading poetry. I love how he takes words and makes them roll off the
pages. He makes it so the reader doesn’t want to put the book down. He
is honest and sometime harsh. His vulnerability touches me to the bone.
What he has is a pure gift and I respect how gut wrenching and
heartbreaking his stories can be. He takes the reader far away to
another place at times and at other times it can be so close to home
that his pain becomes yours. I love his ability to take you in fully.
5) What strange writing rituals do you have?
Well, I like everything to be in place and I like to be comfortable. I
either need silence or music on low. I have to have my water or soda
next to me and sucking candies.That is very important! My boyfriend
always tries to talk to me while I am in mid sentence...which is a NO
NO! He can be so clueless about how hard I am focusing so I don’t punish
him. Sometimes I get an idea and I have to write it down immediately.
If I don’t get it down fast, it can be gone in a puff of smoke.
6) Is your writing style similar to any well-known writers? If so, which one(s)?
I doubt it but I just write from the heart. I try to be honest, open
and show as much vulnerability as possible. If anyone can come up with
similarities, I would love to know.
7) Who is your Muse?
Well, that is a very private question! Hah!!!
8) What are your hobbies?
Does writing count? I also love yoga and going to the gym. Eating of
course is my favorite past time!!! I am not very crafty but I wish I
was. I also love music!!
9) What are some writing goals for the future?
I hope to keep writing. I am working on book two, Home Wrecker
Redemption which I am enjoying more than book one. I have always wanted
to write a children’s book with my favorite theme, outcasts! For years I
have wanted to write a tabletop book on all the correct sayings like
“fit as a fiddle.” Somehow I always get them wrong! I just love when I
hear vintage sayings from the old days! Anyone interested?
10) If you were stranded on an island which book would you bring with you?
Most likely Home Wrecker so when I start to get fuzzy I can refer
back to it! I also wouldn’t mind having Middlesex with me for some good
laughs and a Pat Conroy book to remind me what really good writing was!
11) What makes a good (pick one, depending on your genre) mystery, horror, romance, sci-fi, memoir, how-to, children book, etc.?
One that allows me to completely escape into the story. I love the
feeling when I can’t wait to get back to my book. That is the best! I
also want to care about the main character even if he or she is the
villain.
12) What was the most difficult thing you have learned being a writer?
For me the hardest thing was not having the support of my friends who
I thought would be there for me the most. I couldn’t help but take it
personal even though I have learned that my expectations were not
realistic. It was difficult to accept because I know if they were to put
their heart and soul into something I would have wanted to be there for
them.
13) What are you reading at the moment?
I just finished John Emil Augustine’s “Love Seen From Heartache”
which I loved. Actually, I am all over the place but Home Wrecker
Redemption is taking up most of my time and thoughts. I can’t wait to
start Lisa Day’s book “The Stepbrothers” which is sitting on my desktop
right now.
