The Affair

by Colette Freedman

Genre: Women’s Fiction

After eighteen years of marriage, Kathy Walker has settled into a pattern of comfortable routines—ferrying her two teenagers between soccer practice and piano lessons, running a film production business with her husband, Robert, and taking care of the beautiful Boston home they share. Then one day, Kathy discovers a suspicious number on her husband’s phone. Six years before, Kathy accused Robert of infidelity—a charge he vehemently denied—and almost destroyed their marriage in the process.
Now Kathy must decide whether to follow her suspicions at the risk of losing everything, or trust the man with whom she’s entwined her past, present, and future. As she grapples with that choice, she is confronted with surprising truths not just about her relationship, but about her friends, family, and her own motivations.

Interview: Colette Freedman

Describe your book in a tweet (140 characters or less).

There are two sides to every story, but in an affair there are three.

Are any of the characters inspired by someone in real life?

All three characters, the husband, the wife and the mistress are an amalgamation of several couples I interviewed as well as bits and pieces of friends, family, colleagues and myself. Real life people always inspire me; however, I simply use them as jumping off points and then use my imagination to fill in the blanks.

 Is there anything you’re working on now?

I’m working on the novelization of my play Sister Cities. The play has had successful runs all over the world and I’m currently negotiating the film rights. It was a logical step to expand the story by opening it up into a novel. It’s the story of four estranged sisters who reunite for their mother’s alleged suicide. Opening it up into a novel allows me to delve into the sisters and the mothers history and create fuller characterizations.

Do you follow a writing schedule, or just write whenever you get the chance?

I think most serious writers follow a fairly regimented schedule. It’s our job, so when other people are putting on their suits and ties and pantyhose and high heels and battling traffic to get to work, I put on my yoga pants and a sweatshirt and walk from the bedroom through the living room to my office to write. It’s my job and I do it every day.

Do you listen to music while you write, or do you prefer quiet?

I love music; however, my favorite songs I tend to sing along to so I prefer quiet to work.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what are the first three things you think you would do or buy?

A beach house for my parents, college educations for all of my friends’ children and a trip around the world for me.

What thought or sentiment would you like to have copied and put into one million fortune cookies?

Believe in yourself: Confidence goes a long way.

Who is your all time favorite fictional book character?

Atticus Finch

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received in your life?

To put the oxygen mask on myself first. I think it’s a great metaphor for everything in life. You can’t truly help others until you have taken care of yourself.

Fun Stuff:

• Coffee or tea?   coffee. Very very strong coffee and a great deal of it.
• Paper book or ebook?  Both. Can I choose both?
• Summer or winter?  Summer, I’m not a fan of the cold.
• Werewolves or vampires? vampires
• Morning person or night owl? Morning person.
• Pantser or plotter? Both. Depends on the project.
• Pepsi or Coke? Pepsi
• Dogs or cats? Dogs. Big beautiful greyhound dogs.

Favorites:

• Drink:  Cabernet
• Food:  Anchovy pizza
• Movie:  Rear Window
• TV show:  Modern Family
• Book:  Anything by Toni Morrison
• Late night snack:  chocolate
• Writing tools:  computers, notebooks, purple flair pens
• Sport:  cycling. I’ve done the ride from San Francisco to LA twice.
• Vacation destination: Somewhere warm and tropical
• Music:  Billy Joel, Abba, Indigo Girls, Adele
• Place to read:  Any comfortable bed or chair
• Place to write:  my computer
• Way to relax:  cycling

About the Author:

Ms. Freedman is an internationally produced playwright with over 25 produced plays, Colette was voted “One of 50 to Watch” by The Dramatist’s Guild.  Her play Sister Cities was the hit of the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe and earned five star reviews:  It has been produced around the country and internationally, fourteen times including Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur) and Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle). She has co-written, with International bestselling novelist Jackie Collins, the play Jackie Collins Hollywood Lies, which is gearing up for a National Tour. In collaboration with The New York Times best selling author Michael Scott,  she sold the thriller The Thirteen Hallows, to Tor/Macmillan.

Visit Colette: Twitter / Website