with Marisa de los Santos

Why this story?
While I had no plans for a sequel when I began to write Love Walked In, before that book was even quite off of my desk, Cornelia was back, knocking at my door. The story grew out of a question as simple as, “What if Cornelia found herself in a situation in which she was totally out of her element and struggling to find friends?” Then suburbia emerged as a setting, followed by her neighbor Piper, followed by Lake and Dev and so forth. Many of the characters and storylines didn’t appear until I was actually well into writing the book.

What was the last book you gave as a gift?
The Solace of Leaving Early by Haven Kimmel.

Please share with us one of the items on your top ten list of things to do?
I need to go to the linens store and buy smaller beach towels. The ones we have are too big and plush to fit easily into my children’s day camp backpacks. Very, very exciting.

Or were you talking about my overall life goals list? If so, I’d like to become a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. Or, if that doesn’t work out, to become a season ticket holder.

Would you rather cook or make reservations?
It depends on how busy I am. I love to cook if I can go all out and take my time, but if I’m in a crazy-busy cycle, restaurants are awfully appealing.

What is your favorite TV network?
After a lifetime of no premium channels, we just got Showtime, and I’m head-over-heels for Weeds and Dexter.

If you could pick any dinner guest to have at your table, who would it be?
I’d love to have Barbara Kingsolver, whom I worship, although I’d be so nervous that I’d probably humiliate myself in a thousand ways. And of course, there would be tremendous pressure to give her a thoroughly home-grown meal. I’m not sure I could raise and slaughter my own chickens, even for Barbara!

Do you have a favorite poem?
I have many. Three are Whitman’s “Song of Myself” (the whole 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass is essential to me), Frost’s “Birches”, and Robert Hayden’s beautiful “Those Winter Sundays.”

What books are on your night stand?
An ARC of Haven Kimmel’s Iodine (I love Haven Kimmel’s novels even more than I love her memoirs); a book that used to be my mom’s when she was a kid called Cherry Ames, Student Nurse, Elizabeth Enright’s Spiderweb for Two, The Condition by the amazing Jennifer Haigh, and Jacqueline Mitchard’s The Breakdown Lane.

What is something you can recall that delighted you at an appearance?
At my first Wilmington, Delaware signing, all of these teachers from my children’s school showed up unexpectedly. That made me really happy.

What is currently playing on your ipod?
Pleased to Meet Me by the Replacements. The protagonist of my third novel is a fan, so I’m immersing myself, which is just fine with me.

What is the last book you received as a gift?
Jill A. Davis and I did a book swap. I sent her my two books, and she sent me Girls’ Poker Night and the hardcover version of Ask Again Later, which I’d read and loved in paperback.

Your women characters are very supportive of each other……Who do you count on as you’re support team?
It’s big and spread out and absolutely vital, and it includes my husband David Teague, my parents who live in Cebu City, Philippines, my sister Kristina, my friend Susan Davis in Chapel Hill, my agent and editor, and my friends here in Wilmington like Annie Pilson, Shiret Singh, Amy Anzilotti, and Julie Sheppard. Also my ballet teachers Pasha Kambalov and Tisa Della-Volpe and all the women in my adult ballet classes, especially Colleen, Mimi, Joan, and Amalie.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Coconut gelato from Capo Giro in Center City, Philadelphia, when I can get it. When I can’t, I’ll take Breyer’s vanilla bean vanilla. I tend to like ice cream in its pristine state, with no chunky stuff cluttering it up.

The children in the novels seem to be the saving grace to all the characters. How did your children change your life (besides going from poetry to novels).
In every possible way. There’s no part of my life, no decision I make or emotion I feel that the fact of my being a mother doesn’t touch. I’ve never worried so much or been so transported by joy or laughed so hard or felt so lucky as I have since my kids were born. The responsibility is tremendous, of course, as is the desire not to make any truly bad mistakes, but, weekly at least, I get blindsided by awe, and how cool is that?

If this week magically went from 24/7 to 24/8, what would you do with the extra time?
Spend half of the day alone with my husband and half of it playing with him and our two children.