Would You Rather... with Marissa Stapley

Please welcome Marissa Stapley, author of Mating for Life.

About Marissa:

I'm a National Magazine Award nominated writer who has contributed to many publications, including The Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Sun, Today's Parent, Fashion, and Elle. Mating for Life is my debut novel. I live in Toronto with my husband and two children. I'm currently  working on another novel and teaching creative writing classes at the University of Toronto.

Connect with Marissa:

Website     Facebook      Twitter   Goodreads

Would You Rather... with Marissa Stapley

Chips, chocolate or cheese? 

Cheese. But there would have to be a baguette and grapes to go along with it. And some wine. And some chocolate. And maybe some chips.

Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood or Carrie Bradshaw? 

I’m torn between Bridget Jones, because I truly have never laughed harder while reading a book in my life, and Carrie Bradshaw, because she defined my twenties. 

Wine, beer or vodka? 

Wine. 

Camping or spa vacation?

Camping in the wilderness!

Water or Mountains?

Water.

Zombies or Vampires?

Specifically, Bill Compton (before he went weird). Or Robert Pattinson, but not during the glittery-in-the-sunshine-chest scene.

Dogs or Cats?

Dogs.

Coke or Pepsi?

Neither. I prefer to consume my beverage calories in wine, thank you.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee in the morning until my hands start to shake as I type; tea for the rest of the day. (My current favourite is an black-tea-with-lavender-blend called Breakfast in Paris, by Stash.)

Dine out or take away?

Either, as long as I don’t have to cook.

High heels, sneakers or flip flops

High heels--with sneaky flip-flops in my handbag to change into on the way home.

Physical book or ebook?

Physical books forever! 

Paperback or Hardcover?

Well, paperbacks are easier to carry around and I must have a book on my person at all times-- but I do love a beautiful hardcover to display on the shelf. 

Pen or Pencil?

I have a strange obsession with mechanical pencils. 

Mad Men, Downton Abbey or Breaking Bad

This is a tough one, but I’d have to say Mad Men because my boyfriend (Don Draper) is on it.

Drama or comedy?

Dramedy. 

Twilight or Hunger Games? 

Twilight. 

Lipstick, lipgloss or chapstick? 

Lipgloss. I have about 763 different tubes of gloss, and yet can never seem to find one when I need it most. 

Facebook or Twitter

Facebook.

Plot your entire novel or fly by the seat of your pants? 

I used to think I could control what my characters did by creating detailed outlines, but I’ve learned that they are as capricious as humans and dislike being hemmed in just as much as I do. So now, I fly by the seat of my pants, with brief bouts of outline discipline. 

Mating for Life

Former folk singer Helen Sear was a feminist wild child who proudly disdained monogamy, raising three daughters—each by a different father—largely on her own. Now in her sixties, Helen has fallen in love with a traditional man who desperately wants to marry her. And while she fears losing him, she’s equally afraid of abandoning everything she’s ever stood for if she goes through with it.

Meanwhile, Helen’s youngest daughter, Liane, is in the heady early days of a relationship with her soul mate. But he has an ex-wife and two kids, and her new role as a “step-something” doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Ilsa, an artist, has put her bohemian past behind her and is fervently hoping her second marriage will stick. Yet her world feels like it is slowly shrinking, and her painting is suffering as a result—and she realizes she may need to break free again, even if it means disrupting the lives of her two young children. And then there’s Fiona, the eldest sister, who has worked tirelessly to make her world pristine, yet who still doesn’t feel at peace. When she discovers her husband has been harboring a huge secret, Fiona loses her tenuous grip on happiness and is forced to face some truths about herself that she’d rather keep buried.

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