ChickLitLove #3: meet the leading men

1601495_471293542997817_992913082_n For #ChickLitLove Valentine week, Wednesday’s topic is all about the guys. 

(For the record: I think it becomes clear that just in writing these interviews, I’ll need to forfeit my literary fiction author’s club card, but you know what, it was fun, so I don’t care!)

Between two novels, Exactly Where They’d Fall, and The Fish and the Bird (coming this fall). Gary (Berges), Drew, and Corbin appear in EWTF. Corbin, Matt, and Drew (briefly) appear in F&B.

Let’s do this thing where we imagine all four men from both books are sitting in a room and none of them try to punch each other. (I can’t promise as much for the actual novels…)

Gary says, “Hey, I’m a lover, not a fighter!”

[Drew and Matt are both glowering at Corbin.]

Please tell us your age at the start of your story:
Gary (Berges): 38
Drew: 27
Corbin: 31
Matt: 32

Marital status:
Gary (Berges): divorced
Drew: dating, two years
Corbin: single
Matt: married, ten years

Occupation:
Gary (Berges): cosmetic surgeon
Drew: boat tour guide and marina assistant, poet
Corbin: adjunct professor, part-time massage therapist
Matt: farmer

Celebrity you’ve been told you look like:
Gary (Berges): Matt Nathanson
Drew: Adam Brody
Corbin: Mat Kearney
Matt: Ryan Gosling [looking smug]
Gary: [to Matt] I’m not seeing it.

If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?:
Gary (Berges): a fox
Drew: a puppy dog
Corbin: an eagle
Matt: a horse

Naughty food you like to indulge in:
Gary (Berges): What’s naughty about food? This is such a girl question.
Drew: Do you mean, like, what I want to lick off her chest? [looking eager] Chocolate. Maybe powdered sugar?
Corbin: Oh, is that what this question meant? Huh… [remembering things…]
Matt: I never understood the whole “eating during sex” thing.

What do you wear to bed?:
Gary (Berges): I would like to say “nothing”, but I have my daughter three nights a week.
Drew: nothing!
Corbin: underwear
Matt: flannel pajamas

Favorite body part of the opposite sex:
Gary (Berges): I like legs, definitely legs, in short short skirts and tall boots.
Drew: boobs. [grinning]
Corbin: everything. I like everything about women.
Matt: lips in red lipstick, and long hair.

How many people you’ve said “I love you” to:
Gary (Berges): maybe three or four
Drew: [counting] six
Corbin: none… well, two if parents count? [the others shake their heads] Okay, none.
Matt: one

Relationship deal-breaker:
Gary (Berges): bad chemistry. Some things you just can’t force, you know?
Drew: lack of trust.
Corbin: not applicable?
Matt: I used to think a lot of things would be deal-breakers, but now I’m not so sure.

Your first kiss – How old were you? Did you instigate it?:
Gary (Berges): twelve, yes
Drew: seven, yes
Corbin: thirteen, no
Matt: eighteen, no

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? If so, describe:
Gary (Berges): had a tongue piercing in college.
Drew: none
Corbin: none
Matt: none

Favorite alcoholic drink:
Gary (Berges): whatever, anything, everything
Drew: beer
Corbin: a glass of wine, occasionally, but I generally prefer tea.
Matt: whiskey

Describe your dream girl:
Gary (Berges): pretty simple, I would think: someone I can have a good time with, a good laugh and a good roll in the hay. Someone who doesn’t take everything so seriously. Because the truth is, of course beauty is a perk, but if you can’t have a good time together, if you don’t look forward to spending time together, it won’t last very long. My ex-wife was drop-dead gorgeous, for the record; we couldn’t stand each other.

Drew: My answer is going to be pretty specific, because I think I knew Amelia was my dream girl the moment I saw her. I think she would tell you that’s true, because I was a fool that day. I noticed her because she was gorgeous—I was young, if that’s an excuse—tall, curves in all the right places, she was wearing a clingy v-cut t-shirt, and she has these freckles on her chest that sort of… [blushing] Anyway, then it was her eyes I noticed next, honey-brown, both the most beautiful and sad thing I’ve ever seen. That was when I really saw who she was, how warm and soft she was, how tender, even when she’s trying to be strong, or especially because she’s still trying so hard to be strong, which is my favorite thing about her. I never would have said that was my idea of a dream girl until I found her. It hasn’t been easy, and who would ever say that their idea of a dream relationship was going to be something difficult? But I would pass up a million other “dream” girls to make sure she never needs to be hurt or disappointed or sad again.

Corbin: I always thought the idea of a dream girl was rather silly. I’ve enjoyed the company of all sorts of women, and they have all been beautiful and interesting in very different ways. I never planned to “settle” or even stay in one place for very long, so what would I do with a dream girl if I had one? Well, as it turns out, I do have one. Or, I don’t really *have* her so much as she exists. And she challenges and enriches me in ways I never imagined were possible.

Matt: I don’t believe in the idea of a dream girl. Relationships are hard work, dedication, and commitment between two people who share the same values and loyalty, who want to share their lives together. Dreaming isn’t going to make a relationship work.

 

Exactly Where They’d Fall is available in all e-formats and paperback.

eBooks:
Kindle USKindle UKSmashwordsNook USNook UKApple iBookstore

Paperbacks:
Amazon (US)Amazon (UK)Barnes & NobleThe Book Depository

 

The Fish and the Bird is expected to launch in fall/winter of 2014. Sign up for my mailing list to get an email when this book is published!

Today you can read about more leading men from other fun chick lit books at #ChickLitLove.