Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Decorating Club by Susan M. Meyers, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: The Decorating Club
Author: Susan M. Meyers
Publisher: Just Food For Thought, LLC
Release Date: February 1, 2021
Genre: Women's Fiction
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound
Susan Meyers is an optimist who believes the world would be better served if everyone were more aligned with their greater purpose. The challenge as she sees it is not only to serve one’s purpose but also to adapt as it changes from time to time.
While Susan has worn many hats throughout her life, serving as CEO of her children’s business, 3 Sisters and a Brother, LLC is the role of which she is most proud. It began in the family’s basement when they were just 12, 12, 10, and 7 and soon expanded into two storefronts; within less than eight years, it became a well-known brand in the local community.
Welcome Susan! Thank you for taking the time to answer my
questions and allow my readers a chance to get to know you and your new book The Decorating Club.
I like to start these interviews the
same way, with something fun to break the ice. Can you share 5 random facts
about you that we will not find in your bio?
1 I went to school to be a flight attendant but quickly decided to change careers when the plane I was on crash-landed.
2 I’m a self-taught artist and it all started with my desire to draw Fred Flintstone as a child.
3 I have always wanted to visit Morocco to meet the people, learn about their customs and sample their food. The picture of me on the back of my book memorializes my recent visit to the Moroccan blue walled city of Chefchaouen; a dream come true.
4 Tricia, one of the characters in my book wasn’t the only one who caught a 7 foot 2-inch Tarpon !
5 While I love ice cream, it’s the mixed in toppings that I love even more. I’ve been known on more than one occasion to devour all of the candy toppings from a half gallon container leaving nothing left but the ice cream.
When did you first discover you had
talent for writing?
I first discovered my talent for writing after I had
decided to create a gift basket business and “The Bridal Basket” was my most
popular. It contained a bottle of
champagne, two champagne glasses, a picture frame and a nice mixture of cheese,
crackers and candy. Crowning the basket was a poem I wrote and addressed to the
new bride and groom. While written in a
congratulatory tone, the sentiment was both witty and rhymed. I took a picture of the basket and along with
the poem and posted it in several local newspapers. Then one day I received a call from one of
the papers. They said they admired the
basket and the poem and asked who I hired to write my copy. After that I found myself periodically
writing poetic invitations for charity events.
Shortly after starting my design business I began creating a monthly
newsletter where I shared decorating and entertaining ideas. Next came my long road to becoming an author,
driven by a desire to encourage others I wrote and re-wrote several books but
in each case stopped short of completing them… that is until I decided to write
The Decorating Club.
Did you always know that you would one
day write a book? If not, how did that realization come about?
Yes, I always knew I would write a book one day but the
problem is one day quickly turns into the next.
It was only after a significant sports injury that I actually found
myself with nothing but time. I believe God spared me and so I vowed to write
this book in an effort to encourage others to overcome their own fears and live
a purpose filled life sharing their gifts and talents.
What was the most challenging part of
bringing this story to life?
I would have to say the most challenging part of bringing
the story to life for me, was the waiting.
It wasn’t that I just wanted to be done with the story it was more from the
growing excitement I felt about sharing the story. But; overtime I realized how valuable my
active waiting was to the process as the rewrites really helped me to slow down;
better understand; and get to know each of the characters.
The
most rewarding?
I guess I would have to say the most rewarding part was
getting to know the characters and the purpose that led to each of their
stories. It was so much fun seeing their
different personalities come to life; how each lesson learned served to
reinforce the message of The Decorating Club; and perhaps most of all because I
now have seven new friends.
The Decorating Club is your
first book. Congratulations! Can you share what it was like to see your own
words in print for the first time?
SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My sole intention for writing the book and sharing my own
personal story was in the hope that it might help and encourage others who like
me, found themselves questioning their purpose.
I think women in particular, so often put the needs of
others above their own and as a result, carry their own burdens in
silence. When I questioned my life’s
meaning, I wondered if it meant that my best years were now behind me. Surely, I knew there were others who were
facing similar challenges and felt the same way I did. However, I was unable to find any guidance, stories
or words of encouragement by others that spoke to the way I was feeling and that
experience is what led me to write The
Decorating Club.
Yet, sharing your own personal struggles in print means other
people will read about them and that can leave you feeling very
vulnerable. A feeling I can fairly equate
to one I felt after what happened to me a few years back.
One day, I was standing
in-line at the post office and finally it was my turn to speak to the attendant
at the counter. After I was finished and
turned to leave, a kind woman came up to me and explained that the back of my
long flowing skirt was no longer flowing.
Instead, it was stuck into the top of my pantyhose. That meant, when it was my turn to be on
center stage everyone on the very long line behind me were presented with a
perfect view of my derriere!
Can you tell us a
little bit more about The Decorating Club?
Well
first, it is inspired by a variety of my true-life experiences. It’s a story about neighbors helping neighbors
and stands for the proposition that wonderful things can happen when we choose to
focus on the needs of others, rather than our own. The story takes place in
Crofton, Maryland and shares the personal journeys of seven women who come
together to form a club with the express intention of helping one another
decorate their homes. Most have no
experience; all agree to step out of their comfort zone, roll up their sleeves,
and try and in the end unexpectedly find themselves redesigning each of their
lives.
What do you hope readers will take away
from the book?
My
number one hope is that readers will realize that while the focus of our
purpose may change from time to time we always have a purpose to serve, and
opportunities to explore and use our gifts and talents, no matter what.
That
is just one reason I believe the story of The Decorating Club and the analogy
of redesigning our homes is so relatable.
For example, when our kids are small, we need that extra room to serve
as a nursery. A bit later, as they become
older, the room best may serve as a playroom.
Then when our children finally move out, we look back at the space once
more. This time with two choices: either
hold onto the past and long for days gone by, or we can retake ownership and, if
we do, perhaps we find that the room’s best purpose now is to be a home gym; a hobby
room or maybe an office for us to pursue our own dreams and aspirations.
Thank you again for taking the time to
answer these questions. Before you go, are there any other projects you are
currently working on that you can share?
Yes,
thank you!! As mentioned, the characters
have become real to me and I can hear their words echoing in my mind almost daily.
As a result, my current plan is to consider providing them with a voice so they
can continue to share the message of The
Decorating Club with others through social media.
In
fact, I already have drawn an illustration of each character and have painted
them on the wall beside my desk - so there will be a face to go along with each
voice!
(1) winner will receive a $50 HomeGoods gift card, $10 Dunkin' Donuts gift card, The Decorating Club travel mug & retractable measuring tape!
Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 17, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 24, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
Sounds good. I like the cover
ReplyDeleteAwesome thank you for the chance!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCute cover! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete