And just like that, a new author fave! Meet Hillary Manton Lodge (plus a giveaway)

A couple months back, awesome writing friend and one of the coolest Canadians I know—Rachel McMillan—told me I had to read a book called A Table by the Window. The author’s writing style, she said, would be just up my alley. I pre-ordered the book…waited patiently…and then read the WHOLE thing in one weekend.

Folks, I adored this book. ADORED IT!

And I adore the author, too. Hillary Manton Lodge is a blast. Not only does she write super cool books, but a) she loves Gilmore Girls, b) specifically re: Gilmore Girls, she’s Team Jess, c) she introduced me to Eurovision, d) she’s just FUN. (And yes, I’m very much into the all-caps for emphasis thing today.)

So I’m delighted to welcome Hillary to the blog today to chat about her book, life and of course, Gilmore Girls. And I’m giving away a copy of A Table by the Window. So check out the interview and be sure to enter the giveaway below…

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1) Okay, I have to ask this: In the book, there is a Scottish doctor named Neil…he has to be at least somewhat inspired by Doctor MacNeill from Christy? Right? Did you grow up reading that book, too?

Oh, I totally grew up swooning over Doctor MacNeill, from the book to the TV series. I can hear an owl and remember the intro to the show (and I was really mad when ER killed off Kellie Martin).

(MT: YES! The owl intro!)

However…I’m not sure that the connection between Neil McLaren was conscious or not. Neil had a different name, originally, and his family roots were Norwegian. I had this line from Juliette’s dad about lutefisk, and had she heard of the stuff because clearly Norwegians were not to be trusted if that’s what they did to their fish. When the name changed, I decided to make him a car guy too, and I was tickled by the idea of giving him a car name (for those who don’t watch a lot of Top Gear, McLarens are British road cars based on Formula One-style engineering). And it worked for me because the name was Scottish, and the Scottish aren’t exactly blessed in the culinary arts (see: haggis).

So I went with a Scottish name to go with McLaren, and I was really drawn toward Neil. In hindsight, I probably had warm feelings towards the name because of Christy. I can’t imagine otherwise.

2) Juliette is one of my favorite, most relatable heroines I’ve read lately. Just love her! How much of you is in her?

Less than I’d wish, but probably more than I’m aware. For her, working in the kitchen is fun and easy. For me, it’s fun but sometimes completely overwhelming, especially since going grocery shopping is my kryptonite.

But our taste in clothes is pretty much identical, and while food carts are fun, we both enjoy fine dining.

3) If you don’t mind sharing about this, can you tell us a little bit about how you and your husband met? Is it somewhat similar to how Juliette and Neil met online?

I based a lot of Juliette and Neil’s early relationship on my early days with my husband. The conversation Juliette has with Orange Grove Guy, that’s almost word for word a conversation I had. And the way that Juliette tries to cancel her subscription? Did that too. I was using my brother’s computer and the internet gave out. My husband emailed the next morning. We emailed for another couple months, met in November, engaged in February, and married in July.

For Neil and Juliette, of course, there’s the distance issue. I got lucky, my husband was finishing up his second at the school up the road. (For the curious and football-inclined, this was in Oregon. So yes, I was a Duck, he was technically a Beaver at Oregon State, and only his non-competitive nature allowed our marriage to proceed). But for Neil and Juliette, the distance problem isn’t as easy as one person finishing up a degree and moving a few months later.

4) This is the first in a three-book series. Pretty, pretty please, can we get a teensy peek into what’s next for Juliette?

Travel! Despite everything going on with the restaurant, Juliette spends a fair amount of the book on the road. She in Provence when the book opens, followed by Montalcino, Italy for her Grandfather’s birthday. Later, she travels to Memphis to visit Neil. We lived in Memphis for a short time, so it was fun to give Juliette the highlights tour.

Emotionally, though, Juliette’s life is certainly more complicated. Her mom’s sick, the restaurant’s opening soon, and the long-distance thing is hard. And on top of that, she’s learning far more about her grandmother’s past than she bargained for. So…she’s feeling pretty manic these days.

5) And now, the thing we have to talk about…Gilmore Girls.

Yes! Yay!!

If I hadn’t already felt like I found a kindred spirit in you through reading A Table by the Window, our shared GG love seals it. So this is going to be a multi-part lightning round question about all things GG (sorry to any non-GG viewers):

a) Luke, Max or Christopher?

If I had to pick one for myself, it would be Max, probably. But I think he’s too nice, too easy for Lorelai – there’s no challenge. She’s got her rough spots, and her baggage, and in the long run I think it’s best she and Max split up. Christopher…oy. He has his moments, but Christopher is only ever invested in the Christopher show. He can’t help it. He’s not very good at being a grown-up.

(MT: I so agree about Christopher.)

And that leaves us with Luke, our favorite diner-owner. He’s complicated, he’s interesting – it works. By Season 7, too, he’s worked out enough of his own rough spots to become more balanced, less likely to freak out when she’s freaking out. He doesn’t jump every time Lorelai says jump, and I think that’s important.

b) Dean, Jess or Logan?

Dean is charming for all of five or six episodes until he becomes territorial, and then it’s no good. Logan is a lot like Christopher – he’s got several winning characteristics, but when push comes to shove it’s still the Logan show.

And Jess? Jess is an iceberg. He’s an enigma wrapped in a mystery heavily seasoned with sarcasm.

(MT: That’s my new favorite sentence and the perfect description of Jess.)

He’s a punk when he first appears, sure. But he grows, he changes, he learns. He knows he loves Rory and really, really doesn’t have the emotionally maturity to deal with it. By the time we see him in Season 6, his energy is different. He knows who he is, he’s not looking over his shoulder all the time. Not only that, but he’s astounded that Rory hasn’t grown the same way. When they were younger, Rory knew that Jess was capable of more. When they were older, Jess discovered the same to be true of Rory.

I’m glad Rory didn’t marry Logan after college because she’d dreamed of having adventures for so long. Marriage is certainly its own adventure, but her dreams and Logan’s never really meshed. They wouldn’t have had a terrible life together, but I think her start as a campaign reporter suited her perfectly.

I hope that at some point, Jess and Rory get back together, but only once they’ve figured out who they are as adults. I like to think they’ll get married in a small ceremony without swans and live in SoHo, in an apartment featured in Apartment Therapy for its clever use of space and literary décor.

c) Favorite pop culture reference?

I love how Luke says that “The Rory” signature cocktail at Rory’s 21^st birthday “is like drinking a My Little Pony.” I actually used that line in conversation, once. Although I also love the Gabor sisters reference. And does it count as pop culture when Zack rewrites “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”? Because that’s always special.

(MT: Oh my goodness…yes Zack’s rewrite counts. “He helps us when things get bad, And the devil tries to hurt us…”)

d) Favorite quote?

So many options…I mean, the “I’m attracted to pie but I do not feel the need to date pie,” line is great. Also:

“Emily: Lorelai, stop it. I need help here. It’s been years since I did this and I don’t remember the proper procedure. Now take me through this step by step. You see a man, you walk up to him, and you say?

Lorelai: “Hello.”

Emily: Is that too forward?

Lorelai: No, it’s the appropriate way to indicate you’re open to a social engagement. Unless, however, you are approaching a weasel. Then I believe the proper signal is just to offer him your hindquarters.”

There’s something so dry and absurdist about that sequence that cracks me up. I also love the song the second troubadour sings during Liz and TJ’s wedding. Clearly a hard time picking favorites. I think to do it properly I’d need lists and charts and stuff. And pie.

(MT: I would read those lists and review those charts. And the troubadour’s song at the wedding cracks me up…so…much.)

e) Favorite Lorelei shenanigan?

I love when Luke and Lorelai go to break the bells. That whole scene is gold.

(MT: Yes! And at the end of that scene, when Luke gets super serious. “Why…why don’t you want me to move?”

f) Dave Rigowski or Zack?

Dave never came back from California. If he’d come back, that would have been one thing. But I actually have special place in my heart for Zack. My brother hung out with a lot of garage band music types, so I can vouch for the accuracy of his character.

g) Best side character: Sookie, Jackson, Gypsy, Taylor, Babette, Miss Patty…?

I mean – Sookie – COME ON. Want food on your doorstep in fifteen minutes? She’s on it. I love, love, love the scene when she’s grieving the turkey being deep fried on her front lawn. Precious, precious memories.

But for the sake of character functioning in a scene, Kirk is amazing. In an interview, Amy Sherman-Palladino said that if she was having trouble ending a scene she’d put Kirk in. It’s fun watching all the scenes where he ends the scene by appearing out of nowhere, and running up and doing something completely nonsensical. I want Tina Fey to cast Sean Gunn in something. I want him to get work.

h) Episode you’ve watched more than any other?

Well, I love the Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving episode, that gets re-watched. And the Renaissance wedding – so many wonderful things about that. I also love “So…Good Talk.” So…one of those three.

i) Which is the better kiss: Rory and Jess in the last episode of S2 or Lorelei and Luke at the end of S4?

I’m gonna go rogue here and say the kiss between Luke and Lorelai at the end of “So…Good Talk.”

I haven’t seen the kiss with Rory and Jess for a while, and having re-watched the end of Season 4 recently – I mean, that’s kind of an awkward kiss, you know? But the one when they get back together is swoony. So that’s my pick.

(MT: Ooh I love your rogue answer. You’re right, the So…Good Talk kiss is better than the S4 one…although that S4 one was so long-awaited that the awkwardness was okay. Although Rory and Jess at the end of S2…pretty fabulous.)