Me Go Mango Anthology: Two Women Find Their Bad Selves
ME GO MANGO
Erin Monahan reformed her bad girl ways, only to discover the good girl act can’t save her marriage. Hiding out in a love hotel with a bottle of Two Buck Chuck, she calls for reinforcements. Her college friends organize a weekend reunion in small town Vermont.
Ellen has money from suspicious sources. Maggie seems perfect, but she's got a big dark secret. And Sandy's a mess—plus she's hiding something. When Ellen proposes the four of them go in on a business venture, a retreat for middle-aged bad girls, Erin thinks she’s crazy.
Then Erin meets Roberto, a hot Cuban chef. Soon she decides she doesn’t want the mango to end.
DREAM JOB
After Adrianna sleeps with her hunky boss, she has to face him every day at the office. She has to test the company’s software with him in the office hot tub. She has to ignore the fact that she’s fallen madly in love with him—but is her infatuation only a dream?
To make Adrianna's life in tropical Florida even more confusing, Davis, a geeky guy from her past, is stalking her—but only in the murky dream world they appear to share.
Something strange is happening to Adrianna. And it’s making her wonder about her dreams. Could it be that dreams are the entry way to another world? A real world? A hyperreal world?
Q:
What is the first book that made you cry?
A: I started reading at a young age, around 4. So I
probably cried while reading The
Yearling, Old Yeller, and other tearjerker novels for kids. But the first
one I remember distinctly was Gone with
the Wind. I would read that book in bed, under the covers, with a
flashlight, long after I had been told "lights out." At some point, I
would slide the paperback into my night table drawer, turn off the flashlight,
and curl up under the covers to cry. The destruction of that war, brother
fighting against brother, families torn apart, the young soldiers bloodied and
starved. So much loss! It's a heartbreaking account of what war can do to
people, a community, a country.
I've cried while reading many novels since, but not
like that one. Maybe I was too young for it, because it tore my heart out. And
I've been a pacifist ever since.
Q:
What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A: Where to begin? Like every industry, in book publishing there are shortcuts,
cheats, and outright shams perpetrated by those in power and those attempting
to usurp some of that power. Over the years, I've worked with the big
publishing companies like Random House and Penguin, and with tiny mom and pop
presses. I've found most of the people to be passionate, devoted believers in
traditional books and innovators with the new digital possibilities. So I am
not pointing a finger at anyone I've worked with. However, there's a lot of hanky-panky
going on in publishing.
With traditional publishers, the C-suite decides which
books will be bestsellers, then they pay for that to happen—with heavy
investment in early advertising, bookstore placements, massive numbers of free
books for reviews, special deals for top reviewers. With online outlets like
Amazon, publishers (and authors) with cash to spend will buy up their own books
to keep their rankings competitive. This skews all the rankings, making them
unreliable.
I don't like to talk about how the deck is stacked in
publishing. Because if you're a writer, you write. No matter what the obstacles
are with publishing your work.
Q:
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
A:
Both. After a long day in front of the computer, I'm totally drained. So I go
for a walk and appreciate the dwindling sunlight or approaching storm clouds,
the blanket of humidity or bite of chill in the air. Then I feel pretty good
and, with a decent night's sleep, I know I'll be ready to sit down at the desk
again.
Q:
So tell us a little about your book.
A: Me Go Mango
is actually two novellas which my publisher decided to re-release together as a
single book. The two novellas are: 1. Me Go Mango; and 2. Dream Job.
Me Go Mango features a rollicking reunion of four
college girlfriends who are dealing with a variety of midlife crises. They meet
in small town Vermont for a weekend of secrets spilled like wine and issues
needing to be resolved. A hot chef at a nearby restaurant provides some steam.
Dream Job has been called strange and bizarre, with
good reason. After Adrianna starts her new job at a weird software company
called DreamCorp International, she begins to have starkly realistic dreams.
Some feature her sexy and mysterious boss, others feel like dangerous stalkings
by an old boyfriend. Then her boss instructs her to get in the rooftop hot tub
for a software demo…
Both novellas are quick reads so I won't say more. But
there's humor, romance, and some unpredictable twists in each story. Hopefully,
readers will enjoy them.
About the Author
Originally from Boston, Mickey J. Corrigan writes tropical noir with a dark humor. Novels include Project XX about a school shooting (Salt Publishing, UK, 2017) and What I Did for Love, a spoof of Lolita (Bloodhound Books, UK, 2019).
Social media links:
http://mickeyjcorrigan.tumblr.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/Mickey_J_Corrigan
Congratulations on the new book. I like the sound of it. And thanks for sharing all these answers. I liked reading about you.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGood interview and the books sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks. Hope you like them.
DeleteThank you for these answers. I still cry when reading some novels. Such much loved ones have my eyes start to leak pages before the precipitating event.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new book - which sounds like a heap of fun.
I know what you mean. Movies too, I cry more easily with books and films than in real life.
DeleteGreat site. I'll be back to read more.
ReplyDeleteOooh, these novellas sound great! I love a girls weekend, and the dream aspect is very intriguing!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Hope you enjoy.
DeleteThank you for sharing these about yourself. Congratulations on the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much.
DeleteThis book sounds great. Good luck to her for the launch!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI like the sound of this story. Sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 stories, actually, and both are fun reads. Hope you like them!
DeleteGreat interview and sounds like a great read:)
ReplyDeleteMany thanks!
DeleteI cried reading Old Yeller, too! Such a sad story.
ReplyDeleteBoth novellas sound like fun! Definitely better to write than think about the workings of the industry. :) Wishing Mickey the best of luck!
ReplyDelete~Jess