Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Please Meet Laura Hankin!

LUCY BURDETTE: Some weeks ago, on one of our 'what we're reading' days, I mentioned how much I enjoyed the new novel A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN. I contacted the author, Laura Hankin, and I'm delighted that she agreed to guest on Jungle Red so you all could meet her too! Welcome Laura!


 LAURA HANKIN: Writing can be a lonely profession. You spend much of your day thinking about made-up people. So I’ve been especially excited to start interacting with real people again now that I’m vaccinated. Hugging friends and family has been wonderful, of course. But I’ve also rediscovered something I hadn’t realized I’d missed: the brief moments of connection with strangers or people I barely know. 

Some might consider these interactions to be a form of much-dreaded small talk. But I think of them as “snacks.” Sure, they don’t nourish you in the same way that time with loved ones does. You don't technically need them. But these moments of bite-sized intimacy can make your life richer, giving it an unexpected flavor, even if only for a little while. 

I’d been looking forward to experiencing all sorts of snack interactions on my book tours, but those got moved online because of the pandemic. (Naturally, I turned my sadness about that into a music video.)  


So now that I’m no longer worried that every stranger I meet might infect me, I’ve been throwing myself back in with gusto. I chat with the man who oversees the repairs and renovations in our building. Somehow, we’ve gotten stuck only talking to each other about toilets (we’ve had one conversation about his experience with fancy toilets at a resort in Thailand, another about his preference for bidets), but I don’t care! I love it!

The other day, a child on the street asked me if trains were cool, I said yes, and we very seriously made “choo-choo” noises at each other for a bit as his dad looked on. A woman outside the coffee shop introduced me to her enormous, elderly golden retriever, telling me all about the dog while he sat sweetly on my foot. I stopped to admire the garden of a house I always love passing on my walks, and another walker stopped too. The house’s owner came outside and, delighted by our interest, invited us to smell all the different flowers while he told us about them. Each of these moments shook me out of my own thoughts, and left me buzzing with admiration for how lovely other humans can be.

Sure, there are moments I’m reminded that not every snack interaction will be good, like the Uber ride I took to get some scary medical tests (spoiler alert: turns out I’m fine!). The driver saw where I was going and decided to spend the whole ride lecturing me about how positive thinking was the only thing that could really cure cancer, and I thought that maybe I'd like to never meet another new human again.

But overall, I’m a big fan of these moments. And, in a way, they help with my writing too. They’re a reminder of just how many stories there are in the world, of how everyone has their own struggles and quirks and joys. I’ve always loved creating expansive worlds in my books, like the clubhouse filled with the NYC elite in A Special Place for Women. My real-world interactions help remind me to have empathy for even the smallest characters in my books. Even if they only have a moment to shine on the page, I could probably write a whole novel about each and every one of them.


Do you enjoy these kinds of "snack" interactions, or do they feel too small-talky? Have you had any in particular (now or pre-pandemic, if you're not yet feeling ready to re-engage with strangers) that stand out to you?


A Special Place for Women synopsis: 

It's a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society of self-proclaimed "girlbosses," where the bewitching members may be far more powerful than she ever imagined. A funny, shocking page-turner, A Special Place for Women is one of Good Morning America's Summer Reads picks, and is currently being adapted for television.

Bio:

Laura Hankin is the author of A Special Place for Women and Happy & You Know It. Her musical comedy has been featured in The Washington Post, Funny or Die, and more. She splits her time between NYC, where she has performed off-Broadway and onscreen, and Washington DC, where she once fell off a treadmill twice in one day.



53 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Laura, your “A Special Place for Women” sounds amazing . . . I’m looking forward to reading it.

    I love your “snack” interactions, but beyond “hello” and “have a nice day,” my introverted self is not particularly good at starting conversations with strangers, so even if the pandemic is over [cue the cheering], I'm not too likely to become so outgoing . . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Joan! And I totally understand that. (But yes, cue the cheering indeed!)

      Delete
  3. What a GREAT way to start my day, watching your "Book Tour from Home" video, Laura! I will be smiling about it all day.

    And looking for your books, for sure.

    My mother is the Queen of Snack, and I am the Pretender to that throne, to my kids' everlasting embarrassment as they were growing up. As one of the characters in Lonesome Dove says, we would "talk to a stump". But it has enriched my life in the most surprising ways. Here's to "snack talk"!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen, thank you! You and your mother both sound like exactly the kind of people with whom I'd love to snack. (And I may need to steal "talk to a stump" from you/Larry McMurtry!)

      Delete
  4. Laura, I LOVE the video! You have just pepped up my morning, big time.

    I walk around my town every day, so I get lots of little snack conversations and you're right, they take me out of my head and my everyday rut of write-walk-write some more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Edith, thank you so much! And yes, I love walking every day too!

      Delete
  5. I've noticed how much I enjoy those nuggets of small talk or even a smile exchanged with a stranger while I'm out and about these days. For the last year and a half, I felt like a zombie on the rare occasions when I ventured out. Don't make eye contact. Don't allow anyone to risk breathing on me. Don't chat. Only do what needs to be done and get back home. How nice to be able to stop and smell the flowers again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, agreed, it was SO sad and zombie-like. Glad you're back to smelling the flowers now too!

      Delete
  6. Love this post and that you actually stopped to smell the flowers. Perfect metaphor for our renewed world.

    I hadn't thought of the little conversations as snacks, but of course, they are. What amazes me is how fulfilling they are after so long an absence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kait! Agreed, I've been surprised by just how much I've been enjoying them!

      Delete
  7. I enjoyed watching your video Laura and your book seems intriguing, I’ll have to read it.
    I always smile and say “ hello “ to people while walking or shopping but I’m not good at all at small talk. Otherwise, I like to observe and to listen to someone who has something to say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Danielle! I hope you enjoy the book!

      Delete
  8. Welcome to JRW, Laura, I love the video. This blog has been one of my main places to meet new authors and I am pretty excited about many of them.

    I am one of those people who can have a conversation with almost anyone and don't feel like it's strange to do so. That you feel you could write a novel about each and every one of your bit players is remarkable. I wonder how many authors feel that way about those characters. When I read mysteries, I try to keep track of those walk-ons to see if they reappear with significance another time.

    Congratulations on all of the good things happening with your books right now. Your books are going on my TBR list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, same re: walk-ons in mysteries! I often get far too suspicious of random walk-on characters, only for them never to reappear again. And thanks so much, I hope you enjoy reading my books!

      Delete
  9. Congratulations on your new release!

    I had a snack conversation with the electrician a few weeks ago, concerning a wobbly ceiling fan. After he asked for the "magnets", which are small, press-apply blade balancers for the fan, we spent 20-30 minutes testing precise placement, while talking about our millennial kids. We achieved success, and he went on to his next job: repairing an exterior power line downed in a storm. From the easy-peasy to the incredibly tough. The fan works perfectly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well this sounds like a LOVELY interaction. And thank you!

      Delete
  10. Welcome to Jungle Reds, Laura. I am simply gobsmacked by your video -- it was SO MUCH FUN!

    I am also one of those people who regularly engages in conversation with random strangers, so yes, I thoroughly enjoy these little conversational "snacks." I had one when I attended Mass Saturday evening. There was a young couple there I didn't know, but she was quite visibly pregnant and just looked radiant and healthy and adorable. I stopped her and said as much. (Because what pregnant woman doesn't need some positive reinforcement? Plus she was so cute I couldn't help myself.) She beamed at me and said, "Thanks. Today's my due date!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Susan! I'm thrilled you enjoyed the video. And this sounds like a delightful snack!

      Delete
  11. I enjoy snack chats and used to engage in them on my walk to the bus for work. But they have disappeared entirely during our various lockdowns. If I go shopping these days, it's much more chore and much less chat than it used to be...I'm in the cheering squad for the end of the pandemic and all the distances it has brought us.

    I'm off to check out your books, Laura. Thanks for the charming at-home book tour video. Loved it!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love these snack interactions. On my walks with the dogs, I'm now finding unmasked neighbors to greet. One told me the reason our papers weren't getting delivered on time, if at all, was because our regular carrier was on vacation. Another admired my pups and introduced me to her own. The musicologist up the street knows our gardener, who is also a musicologist. One woman stopped her car to ask if I knew of any garage sales in the area -- I didn't. I'm seeing friends I haven't seen since before the Year of the Plague. I learned the 96 year old who lives alone will soon be 97 and is doing well still living alone. The house that recently sold is getting gutted and completely renovated, gathers a crowd to watch and chat every morning. And best of all I get to show off pictures of my great-grandson who is six months old, crawling, toothless, pulling himself up and standing, and feeding himself all sorts of finger/hand foods.

    Your video is adorable. I'm wondering how many Reds -- other than Rhys -- can sing like you do? I'd love to see their videos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love all your snacks Ann, you'd make a good spy.

      Trust me, no one in this group has shown singing talent aside from Rhys--unless they've been hiding that light well. Some of us are so sad that we don't have such talent!

      Delete
    2. I agree with Roberta - you've got the spy skills! Also, I wish more strangers on the street would show me pictures of their great-grandchildren. And yes, I'm here ready to watch if any of the Reds want to unveil hidden singing talents!

      Delete
  13. Laura, I adore your video--what a great way to start the morning!! And "snack" is the perfect description for all those little random interactions we have missed so much. I was thinking about that as I was chatting with the different vendors at the farmer's market on Saturday. It reminds us that we're human, and that most people are actually pretty nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Deborah! (And thanks for having me on the blog!) Yes, the farmer's market is the perfect place for snacks, both literal and metaphorical.

      Delete
  14. And Laura, I forgot to ask, what are you working on now?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! I just turned in a first draft of a new novel to my editor. It's about the stars of a High School Musical-type show who were incredibly popular in the early 2000s until they all imploded on live TV. Now, a decade later, they're in very different places in their lives, but are forced to come back for a reunion special sure to be full of drama, unfinished business, and maybe even some romance... Thanks for asking!

      Delete
    2. Ooh, please come back to chat with us about that book! It sounds wonderful.

      Delete
    3. I'd love to come back anytime!! Thanks Deborah!

      Delete
  15. Laura, “snacks” so perfectly perfect a word for the little conversations that happen (and have been missing for the last months). I no longer drive, so Uber drivers often provide snacks…sorry your last was a dish of prunes and, ever so glad, that you are fine. Will be checking your new book soon. Thanks for a smile to start the day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Elisabeth! And most Uber drivers are much better than prunes, so I hope you're having many wonderful conversations!

      Delete
  16. Laura, lovely post! I’m also the sort of person who chats with strangers. I’ve had great chats on New York buses and on plane flights. ( and not do good ones like the rabid evangelist who tried to convert me all the way to Australia!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rhys! Thank you. And ooooof, that Australia flight sounds... difficult.

      Delete
  17. Sorry, last post was Rhys. Google seems to arbitrarily decide who I am

    ReplyDelete
  18. Adorable video!!! It so captures last year and a bit of this year, too. Congratulations on your release, Laura! I am putting A Special Place for Women on the top of my TBR! I'm an extrovert so definitely a major conversational snacker ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Jenn! I hope you enjoy the wild ride!

      Delete
  19. I'm not an extrovert but I live in the South and random conversations with strangers are required here. Put us in a checkout line and off we go. Walk the dog and he gets all kinds of compliments. I should be jealous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hah! And oh yes, I wish I got even half the compliments of any dog

      Delete
  20. Laura I love your description of the small talk with strangers as snacks. They really are just that. I do enjoy them and I have missed them. Gee, the things we have realized are important in our daily lives this past year. My father was a King snacker, as he never met someone he couldn't have a conversation with. I'm not quite in that league, but it is so interesting what you can learn in a short exchange with a stranger.

    A Special Place for Women sounds like a great book for me now. Oh, and I loved the video.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kathy! Your father sounds a lot like my grandmother - leave her alone for a minute, and she'd find out a stranger's entire life story. (Something to aspire to, perhaps!)

      Delete
  21. There is no surer method for humiliating your children than to chat with strangers. I love doing it too, Laura - And I love your approach and attitude and voice - your book sounds irresistible - it's going right in my TBR pile!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hallie, thank you! I was so honored to get a chance to come on the blog. Hope you enjoy the book!

      Delete
  22. Oh my gosh! I LOVE your music video! How fabulous and funny! You're so talented.

    Yes, I love those little "snacks" of interpersonal interaction. They definitely feed my writer's soul...and curiosity. When my children were teenagers, they had the added bonus of the embarrassment factor: "Mom, do you have to talk to total strangers?!" (With huge eye roll.) "Well, yes...yes, I do." Like you, I find it restores my faith in humankind as basically good and decent. In my experience, people--with a few exceptions like your Uber driver--tend toward "niceness" which can give my spirits a little boost when I least expect it.

    Your book sounds fascinating. I'm off to download it to my Kindle!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hah! It sounds like any future children of mine have a lot to look forward to. Thank you so much, Nancy - I hope you enjoy reading it!

      Delete
  23. I'm late to the party because I've been having some snack-interactions of my own today! I love Laura's description of the joys of chatting - I am all about delightful little talks with strangers, much to my children's chagrin.

    Also, I can't believe this is the first I've heard of A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN! Rushing off to hit up the post office and the drug store - I'm going to add the local book store in at the end so I can pick it up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Julia, thank you so much! And I hope your snack interactions today were wonderful!

      Delete
  24. Running in late--teaching a class all day! And THIS was exactly the perfect thing to read! And my grandkids were here over the weekend, and their Mom and I went to the grocery. I started talking to the cashier, and then I thought--OH NO. And I apologized to Krista, my stepdaughter, saying--this is what my mom used. do, and i drove me nuts. She burs out laughing, and said she used to be SO embarrassed when her father didi it. And now, she does it too. So--all good! ANd your video! xooxooo Getting your book this very instant--and thank you do much for being here today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hah, I love this! I also used to be so embarrassed by my father's propensity for chatting, and now look what I've become. And thank you, re: the video! It IS me singing! Hope it provides some good dancing music and doesn't get TOO annoyingly stuck in your head!

      Delete
  25. WAIT. This is sinking in. Are you actually SINGING???? Is that YOUR VOICE?? You wrote this adorable thing??? AHhh.....I am dancing around singing now. THIS IS GREAT!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Lucy, thanks for introducing us to Laura! This novel sounds wonderful!

    Laura, welcome to Jungle Reds! Is secret female society more like a female version of Knights Templar or ore like a collegiate sorority? The premise of your novel sounds intriguing!

    Diana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Diana, thank you! It's more like Knights Templar than a sorority - they're totally secret, but according to the rumors, they're pulling all the strings behind the scenes, from electing NYC's first female mayor to bringing her down when she came for their fortunes! And they've got some very strange rituals to boot...

      Delete