Marlys asked Terri-Lynne DeFino:

My friend lent me his copy of "The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous writers (and their muses)." He said it is a great book and I had to read it. I am loving it! It is great!!! What gave you the idea of the book?

Terri-Lynne DeFino Thank you, Marlys! (Now that is a fabulous name. I might have to use it one day. :) ) And tell your friend thanks from me, too. Does a writer's heart good to know people like her work.

The book came to me in stages. First stage was after watching the movie Quartet (are you familiar? If you haven't seen it, DO! It's one of those fantastically under-rated movies.) Quartet features an old folks home in the English countryside, specifically for musicians, opera folk, etc. After watching it, I thought, "Wow! How awesome would it be to grow old in a place dedicated to the publishing industry folk?" The old rivalries, collaborations, the whole world of publishing distilled into a single home for the elderly. That went on the backburner while I finished up a contract I had for a series with Kensington Publishing.
The story within a story came from my lament about novellas, and how "short books" are dubbed novella now, because no one likes the word "novelette," which is actually what those short books are. A novella is an art form in and of itself, and one we're losing. The story within a story is an homage to the Paterson of my people in true novella form.

Thanks so much for your question!
~Terri

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