We chat with author Elinor Lipman about her latest release Every Tom, Dick & Harry, which is a charming, laugh-out-loud tale of love and criminality, a pitch-perfect romantic comedy.
Hi, Elinor! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Lowell, MA, and now live in Midtown Manhattan. I have one son and three grandsons. I cook and bake a lot and I root for the Liverpool F.C. I try to write 500 words a day when working on a novel, but then I spend a week revising those same words. Every Tom, Dick & Harry is my 15th novel.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I signed up for a fiction-writing workshop at Brandeis adult ed when I was 28 (10 weeks for $40). I started with short stories, and my first two were published by Yankee Magazinie. My story collection manuscript luckily landed on the desk of (now Pulitzer-Prize-winning biographer) Stacy Schiff, at Viking. She was 25, an assistant editor. Because that collection contained seven connected stories that added up to a novella, I thought I might be able to write a novel. To this day, Stacy reads every chapter of every book as I write it, and vice versa: I read hers.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The Bobbsey Twins
- The one that made you want to become an author: Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
Your latest novel, Every Tom, Dick & Harry, is out February 11th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
An inn? No, a brothel.
What can readers expect?
Good stuff about estate sales, a little crime; love, art, a happy ending.
Where did the inspiration for Every Tom, Dick & Harry come from?
My narrator runs an estate sale business. As someone who faithfully goes to estate sales, after one particular house, the plate/bowls/mug I brought home and use regularly made me feel a connection to the dead owner. Since I’m always thinking of what the next novel will be about, that topic sort of raised its hand.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Oh yes! Luke, the chief of police who’s the romantic hero of the book. And tough-as-nails Lois Mankopf, the ex-madame (though she says her job title is “house mother”) of the brothel masquerading as a Bed and Breakfast.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I always face the same challenge: to make every sentence lively, to move the story along, and (quoting advice from Elmore Leonard) to leave out the parts that people skip. Oh, and with this book, I was constantly in search of synonyms for “brothel” and “prostitute.”
What’s next for you?
A sequel to my 1998 novel, “The Inn at Lake Devine.”
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?
I’ve already bought I Dream of Joni, A Portrait of Joni Mitchell in 53 Snapshots by Henry Alford, and Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin. I plan to pick up The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison and North Woods by Daniel Mason.
