Review of Our Eyes Met Over Cantaloupe and Interview with the author Anne McAneny

Our Eyes met over Cantaloupe is an exciting and witty story from Anne McAneny. It follows reporter Millie Morris who is in the process of getting over a bad break up - her boyfriend ran off with the Estate Agent who closed the deal on their first home together. Reeling from this loss, Millie is shocked to receive calls from her ex a year later begging her to meet him. Will Millie choose her ex or the illusive stranger she saw in the supermarket when their eyes met over cantaloupe?

Millie's mum runs a cupcake shop called The Secret Lives of Cupcakes nearby and a shock moment occurs when her ex's new fiancé Laura M Fracas (who I hated!) enters to make an order for her upcoming wedding. Millie pulls herself together and even wants the order, as she knows it will benefit her mum's business.

Millie is the main character in this story and I adored her. However, there are also some fantastic supporting characters with great personalities; my favourites include Betty Boop, Millie’s mum Grace and baker Josh who is hilarious! The characters are really well balanced and don’t still any limelight form Millie.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Our Eyes Met Over Cantaloupe and I would recommend it to chick lit fans. It is fast paced and will have you laughing out loud in places. It may also leave you with a huge craving for cupcakes, which I had after reading this!

See below for a Guest Interview with Anne McAneny; Author of Our Eyes Met Over Cantaloupe

You can follow Anne McAneny on twitter @AnneMcAneny and visit her blog www.annemcaneny.blogspot.com

Thank you to Samantha at chick Lit Plus Blog Tours for allowing me to take part in Anne McAneny’s blog tour.

Interview with Anne McAneny

1. Tell me a bit about yourself and what made you get into writing

 Well, Sarah, it all started in third grade… Snore! Actually, I started writing screenplays about ten years ago. The minimal descriptions and fun dialogue fit me to a tee, but Hollywood wasn’t exactly stampeding my door so I turned to writing books. I worried at first that I wouldn’t have enough words for a novel, but as it turns out, you’re allowed to repeat some of them.

2. How long did it take you to write Our Eyes met over cantaloupe?

About 8 months. Not sure if that’s considered long for this genre but I have a tough time turning off the rewriting/editing button. It’s gotten so bad that I can spend an hour editing a STOP sign.

3. Tell us a bit about Our Eyes Met over Cantaloupe and your inspiration for the book?

Millie Morris narrates OUR EYES MET OVER CANTALOUPE, primarily from the setting of a cupcake shop where she works with her mom, her best friend, her mom’s buddy, and a pastry chef. Millie’s got some old relationship baggage holding her back and it becomes tough to move on when the relationship keeps throwing itself in her face. While Millie dominates the story, all of the characters experience a personal arc. Hopefully, it’s all blended together like a smooth batter with a healthy dollop of humor.

The inspiration for the book came from my friend, Lisa, to whom the book is dedicated. She called last year as I was sifting through ideas.  I said, “Tell me what to write!” She launched right into, “I’ve always wanted to know what happens after people place those ads, you know, the ones where they see each other but don’t quite connect.” I literally replied, “Oh, like, ‘Our eyes met over cantaloupe?’” And that became the core of the story.

4. What are your favourite books?

My favorite book of all time is A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, by John Irving. Relative to the style of my books, my favorite is GOOD GRIEF, by Lolly Winston. I read it years ago and really connected with Ms. Winston’s writing style. It made me believe I could attempt to write a bit of women’s fiction.

5. What do you like to do outside of writing?

Whereas many people procrastinate from exercising by doing chores or being productive, I procrastinate from chores and productivity by exercising. Biking, running, hiking, lifting – I don’t care as long as it’s not dusting or laundry! I also love reading and baking, and am a bit of a news junkie.

6. What are you currently working on?

I started a book similar to CANTALOUPE, involving… wait for it… competing yogurt accounts. Real attention grabber, eh? But I’m also tempted to turn a screenplay of mine into a book. The Hollywood folks consistently liked it but it never got made. It’s an action-filled, funny story with heart and, best of all, the kinks are all worked out. I just need to add another 80,000 words or so!