Mimi Marten
Q: What makes Trouble Finding Blondie special?
It’s a combination of things. I wanted to write something that I would like to read.
I’m a passionate reader who grew up on the classics which I have a ton of respect for. But today’s world is different; faster and more complex. Cluttered, in a certain way. My top picks are soulful stories about complex relationships, human growth, and perseverance.
Q: Your protagonist Simona is a very strong woman. Is she today’s female hero?
Simona arrives in Paris on a fragile road to recovery. She hides her broken heart behind her kick ass attitude and fast-paced lifestyle. Confronted with extraordinary challenges she hides her vulnerability behind her humor and her outgoing attitude. But deep down she is very fragile and just wants to be loved, like we all do. Every decision has consequences, but ultimately my story is about the perseverance of the human spirit.
Q: Is Trouble finding Blondie a story about a love triangle?
It would be a spoiler to deny or admit anything about the difficult relationships of the characters. This book is more about friendships, relationships in general, cultural differences, and different personal backgrounds. I also wanted to show that friendship between a man and a woman can exist. Whether is eventually evolves into something more serious, I will leave to my characters.
Q: One of your readers defined your story as a family saga…
It wasn’t planned that way, initially. But the characters in my head wouldn’t leave. They just kept exploring a multitude of directions. I love the Godfather by Mario Puzo because it’s a classic story of a complex and complicated family. Same with Danielle Steel. The books she writes usually deal with family issues. In both examples you have the good, the bad, the ugly. In a certain way, my story shares similar traits. The difference is that my stories don’t necessarily have happy endings.
Q: Are your characters based on real people?
A writer should always create ‘living people’. Hemingway once said that characters are just caricatures of the real people. My story is fictional. My characters and many scenes are not. Let’s leave it at that.
Q: You have elaborate descriptions of food and fashion.
I guess that is always going to be my flavor - passion for travel, food, and clothes.
Q: Why do you think readers will enjoy your books?
One reviewer wrote that my book reads like a movie script. It’s fast paced. No boring prologues, a lot of dialogues, humor with twists and turns. But it also has the depth of complicated relationships, personal growth, test of characters, and a beautiful love story with juicy passionate attraction. Two very similar souls at different stages of growth.
It’s a combination of things. I wanted to write something that I would like to read.
I’m a passionate reader who grew up on the classics which I have a ton of respect for. But today’s world is different; faster and more complex. Cluttered, in a certain way. My top picks are soulful stories about complex relationships, human growth, and perseverance.
Q: Your protagonist Simona is a very strong woman. Is she today’s female hero?
Simona arrives in Paris on a fragile road to recovery. She hides her broken heart behind her kick ass attitude and fast-paced lifestyle. Confronted with extraordinary challenges she hides her vulnerability behind her humor and her outgoing attitude. But deep down she is very fragile and just wants to be loved, like we all do. Every decision has consequences, but ultimately my story is about the perseverance of the human spirit.
Q: Is Trouble finding Blondie a story about a love triangle?
It would be a spoiler to deny or admit anything about the difficult relationships of the characters. This book is more about friendships, relationships in general, cultural differences, and different personal backgrounds. I also wanted to show that friendship between a man and a woman can exist. Whether is eventually evolves into something more serious, I will leave to my characters.
Q: One of your readers defined your story as a family saga…
It wasn’t planned that way, initially. But the characters in my head wouldn’t leave. They just kept exploring a multitude of directions. I love the Godfather by Mario Puzo because it’s a classic story of a complex and complicated family. Same with Danielle Steel. The books she writes usually deal with family issues. In both examples you have the good, the bad, the ugly. In a certain way, my story shares similar traits. The difference is that my stories don’t necessarily have happy endings.
Q: Are your characters based on real people?
A writer should always create ‘living people’. Hemingway once said that characters are just caricatures of the real people. My story is fictional. My characters and many scenes are not. Let’s leave it at that.
Q: You have elaborate descriptions of food and fashion.
I guess that is always going to be my flavor - passion for travel, food, and clothes.
Q: Why do you think readers will enjoy your books?
One reviewer wrote that my book reads like a movie script. It’s fast paced. No boring prologues, a lot of dialogues, humor with twists and turns. But it also has the depth of complicated relationships, personal growth, test of characters, and a beautiful love story with juicy passionate attraction. Two very similar souls at different stages of growth.
More Answered Questions
Doug Oudin
asked
Mimi Marten:
The more I see, the more I am intrigued. You sound like an amazing person. As one who has known hunger, and seen the pangs of death, I can relate to your effort to not sweat the small stuff. My drugs of choice are more beer and coffee, but an occasional glass of wine (with ice) will also do. Nice debut. Are there more in the pipeline?
Doug Oudin
asked
Mimi Marten:
Hi Mimi. Thanks for 'friending' me. Yes, my wife does deserve a medal for staying at my side for 38 years~and perhaps I deserve at least an 'atta boy'. Love your photos of island life. I enjoyed my 32 years living on Catalina Island with the Pacific Ocean only 75 steps from my porch, and a view out my window that never ceased to captivate. Sounds like we both have the sea in our blood?
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