Issue Five - Friendship
The Chat
Every month the WRN? girls Kerry O’Malley Cerra, Michelle Delisle and Jill MacKenzie love to get together to chat about a book, but this month—Wow!—we’re really excited to graced by the presence of our first ever guest chatter, literary agent, Joanna Volpe. And, she happens to be the super-agent of WRN? girl, Kerry. Woot! Welcome Jo.
The four of us discussed a great book—Elizabeth Eulberg’s debut novel The Lonely Hearts Club
Kerry: tonight we’re chatting about THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB. Super-agent Joanna, so glad you could join us :) So, whaddya guys think of the book?
JoSVolpe: this came across as hi-concept commercial
JoSVolpe: See?
michelle: it did read very fast
JoSVolpe: exactly
Jill: yep
Kerry: yeah
Jill: I actually REALLY liked it
Jill: surprisingly...not usually my kind of thing, right?
michelle: me too
michelle: it's not really your thing, Jill
Jill: I know. But I was SO DOWN with it all! Girl power! :)
michelle: Grrrrlllll Power!
michelle: def
JoSVolpe: I actually thought that Todd was one of the most realistic characters. I knew so many guys like him in high school. So arrogant, but they were cute and charming so they got away with it
michelle: I knew guys like that too
michelle: and looking back I wonder why we let them
Jill: yep, ditto
Kerry: I think it's a matter of thinking enough of ourselves to say we don't deserve creeps
JoSVolpe: I know! At the time, I remember thinking "whatever, just don't hate me." with a smile plastered on my face, no matter how they treated me
JoSVolpe: :)
Kerry: not sure I knew any Todd's
Jill: that's cuz they were all at my school, no doubt
Kerry: but I dated a Nate for sure!
JoSVolpe: oh--I knew plenty 'o Todds
michelle: oh, Kerry...very lucky! cept for Nate
Jill: OOOH! Nate made me so mad!
JoSVolpe: and a Nate....gawd, Nate was my high school sweetheart
Kerry: yikes, Joanna!
Jill: oh, shame!
michelle: oh no! yeah Jo
JoSVolpe: Except, the girl he was cheating on me with wasn't a stranger, she was a good friend
JoSVolpe: it was awful
michelle: I was ready to forgive Nate and he was faking!
Jill: yeah, that's why the concept of the group--the lonely hearts club--was so wicked!
Kerry: I wasn't ready to forgive him--EVER
JoSVolpe: I agree with Kerry--I was never ready to forgive him
Kerry: that's why my Nate dumped me...only I was clueless!
JoSVolpe: He was scummmm
michelle: would you have joined a club like that after his stunt?
Jill: I would have. I still would 80% of the time! Ha ha!
Kerry: and...how long did you date him? I think that makes a difference too.
JoSVolpe: hmmm, I might have. I think it would have depended how it came about
Kerry: I like the idea of the club but not sure I would have joined.
michelle: haha -- Jill!
JoSVolpe: at that time I had been duped by two guys, big time...the first one didn't cheat, he was abusive, then came my Nate moment
michelle: i would join -- but VERY temporary!
Jill: that is so grounds for joining the club, Jo...
JoSVolpe: why am I reliving this??! In public no less!
JoSVolpe: that is grounds for joining
Kerry: bc you need a club! LOLOL
Jill: I wish I would have thought of it. I would have started it back then
JoSVolpe: why do I feel like we're creating our on LHC right now??? I'm getting all mad at my exes and pumped with Girl Power!
Jill: yay!
michelle: GRRRRRLLLL POWER!!!!
Jill: see? It's so empowering!
michelle: :D
JoSVolpe: it kind of is... :)
Kerry: I liked that Penny Lane kept trudging along with the club despite that it was unpopular at first
JoSVolpe: yes, I did like that too--it really created some solid conflict for her character
JoSVolpe: because we're all usually our own worst enemies, no?
michelle: I really liked Penny -- a good role model, a good friend
Kerry: being that the club was wrapped around Beatles music helped with the cool factor for sure
Jill: yeah, my only "issue" was Diane
michelle: why diane?
Jill: well, I dunno. She completely proved herself by the end, but it took me a long time to trust her...
Jill: for Penny, of course
Kerry: I don’t forgive easily, so not sure I would have patched up with Diane
michelle: becuz she picked boy over friend?
JoSVolpe: I kind of liked that it took a long time to trust Diane...it felt realistic
Jill: yeah, Penny was REALLY freakin' nice about it
michelle: she was...I think that happens a lot in HS…trading a friendship for a boy
JoSVolpe: I think that when you're a teen or a kid, you do forgive easily, when you want something bad enough
Jill: so true
Kerry: what did she want from Diane?
Jill: I think she wanted validation
michelle: friendship, I think
Jill: that what she did to her was wrong
Kerry: her beau? lol
Jill: ha!
michelle: she missed her --they'd been really good friends
Kerry: you're right Michelle
Jill: but she had Tracy, and Tracy is good
michelle: remember the slumber parties...
JoSVolpe: she wanted their old friendship back...Diane and her went back to childhood, she didn't have that with Tracy. And when you're in high school, I think part of you always wishes for that feeling again, of just being a kid, being free, ya know? Giving Beatles concerts for your parents in the basement (like they did), just because it's fun
Kerry: thank goodness Tracy kept Diane in check.
michelle: where they each pretended to be a Beatle
Jill: interesting, Jo
michelle: Right jo...the concerts
Jill: yeah, Kerry. Tracy did keep her in check
Kerry: true...maybe I need to be more forgiving in life
michelle: if we had a concert...which Beatle would you be?
Jill: RINGO
JoSVolpe: and yes, Tracy was awesome--Tracy was definitely the "me" in that group
Jill: I'm Penny Lane. No doubt about it
michelle: me too – ringo, he’s fun and pretty grounded
Kerry: I was/am a Tracy too
Kerry: yes, Jill you so are Penny
JoSVolpe: Paul...and Kerry, I think I'm YOU! haha...we're very alike
michelle: i'm ...not sure...maybe Penny
Kerry: crazy how similar we are, Jo...but good!
JoSVolpe: wow--none of us are Dianes
Jill: Michelle, I think you're a bit of Tracy and Penny
Kerry: hmmm, maybe I’m the manager since I have no musical talent whatsoev
JoSVolpe: you're Brian Epstein?
Jill: ha ha! I just like Ringo's name, plus, he doesn't have to be front and center, which is good for me
michelle: Kerry=Brian Epstein! hahaha Love it!
Jill: ha ha!
JoSVolpe: my question is, would the Dianes of the world read this book?
JoSVolpe: and really think about it?
Kerry: great question, Jo. not sure if they'd read
Jill: would the Diane's read this book? I don't know...maybe not
michelle: a Diane might read the book...she did make the switch from cheerleader to b-ball
Kerry: I think all Diane's--pre switch--are more lonely than they admit
JoSVolpe: actually, you're right, Michelle. A Diane who was looking to change for HER might read this book
Kerry: so maybe they'd read it in secret?
JoSVolpe: maybe. I kind of wish I knew someone as brave as Diane in high school
Jill: so many "Dianes" though don't make this switch...when they have it all, they usually try to keep it
Kerry: but look back to BEFORE I FALL...are all the “it” girls happy?
Jill: most cheerleaders don't leave the squad...
Jill: no. None of them, really
Kerry: me too, Jo
michelle: yeah....but that's just because it's the whole "group" thing
JoSVolpe: I mean, Penny was brave. She stuck through it, even when things got bad. But Diane gave up everything, her whole image--and people worshiped her. It would have been much easier for her to just stay that way
michelle: nobody floats between groups much...i was a floater...but it's odd!
Kerry: can I bring up the principal? lol
Jill: the principal! Okay, would that have ever happened????
Jill: like, in real life?
Kerry: NEVER!!!!!!
michelle: sure principal...he was a weenie!
Jill: that's what I thought!!!
JoSVolpe: yeah, the principal kind of drove me a little crazy
JoSVolpe: I don't know...maybe that would have happened in a less liberal school
Jill: maybe, don't know
Kerry: ya think?
michelle: i don't see how anyone could stop a club outside school
JoSVolpe: I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions that it wouldn't--we're all from pretty liberal areas, right? But what about all of the mid-west schools? Or in very conservative towns? Or in the towns where football is LIFE?
Kerry: yeah, but maybe it was bc the article ran in the school paper so the principal thought he had authority over it
Jill: very true. Things are different in small towns, and in the midwest
michelle: possibly, but it reminded me of Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter
JoSVolpe: a little bit, haha
Kerry: hahaha
Kerry: dead on
JoSVolpe: HP 5 was my favorite one...I know, I know--no one ever agrees!
Kerry: I think it wrapped up well in the end, though
Jill: couldn't get past the first two. Sorry all.
michelle: i love 4...but i know some fans of 5
Kerry: I loved 5...just not 6
Kerry: but 1 is still my fave
JoSVolpe: don't even get me started on 7...
michelle: hahaha
Jill: OMG. How many are there?
Kerry: maybe we need an HP chat sometime
Jill: I can't attend!
michelle: they needed to get out of the dang forest in 7
michelle: sorry...i diverted us!
Jill: can we gush about Ryan?
Jill: ooooohhhh...what a hottie.
JoSVolpe: yeah, he was adorable. Truly
Kerry: Ryan=THE PERFECT GUY!
michelle: very cute!!
JoSVolpe: I wish guys like him really existed in high school too
Jill: me too. I certainly never knew them, if they did.
Kerry: I dated a Ryan for most of my senior year
michelle: I think there are, but they're rare!
Jill: wow!
Kerry: Okay, must edit that out!
michelle: yeah...kerry!
JoSVolpe: Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Kerry: God forbid he sees this...or any of my HS friends
JoSVolpe: Kerry!
Jill: wait....did you marry him, or not?
Kerry: Nah, broke up right before I graduated, got back together over the summer then broke up again when I left for college. I met hubby (Shawn) my frosh year of college
Jill: oh! then edit!
Jill: :)
michelle: you still did good with Shawn!!!
Kerry: fo sho!
JoSVolpe: why be ashamed?? If I'm admitting to my Nate-mare in public, why wouldn't you admit to your dream-boy?
Jill: ha ha!!!
Kerry: hubby is my dream boat now
JoSVolpe: I met Shawn too!
Jill: cute
Kerry: yeah Jo, you did
JoSVolpe: he is pretty sweet :)
JoSVolpe: and adorable--no fair! Kerry gets 2 Ryans and I only get one and a Nate? Yuck
Jill: well, Ryan is EVERYONE's dreamboat
Jill: I got lots of Todd's. Lots.
Kerry: so, to end...what Beatles song is your fave?
michelle: one?
Jill: hmm...
Kerry: mine is HEY, JUDE
michelle: BECAUSE
michelle: or...HERE COMES THE SUN
JoSVolpe: All You Need Is Love--it closed our wedding. Cliche, but we're huge Beatles fans, so it was fitting
Jill: Lonely People, maybe. And Yellow Submarine, I guess. I mean, who wouldn't want to live in one?
Kerry: awesome
Kerry: Jo, thank you bunches for joining us
Jill: thanks everyone! It was fun, as usual!
michelle: yes -- thank you!
JoSVolpe: this was fun! Thanks for having me guys!
