Men and Martinis by Delancey Stewart

Men and Martinis by Delancey Stewart
(Girlfriends of Gotham #1)
Publication date: April 15th 2015
Genres: Comedy, New Adult, Romance

It’s 1998…and New York City just might not be prepared for the Girlfriends of Gotham…

Natalie Pepper knows almost nothing about New York City, except that it’s far, far away from her home in California. When she packs up everything she owns and moves there on a whim, luck is on her side. She stumbles into a promising marketing job in the developing Internet industry and finds herself surrounded by poised and polished men who are nothing like the guys she knew back home.
One man stands out from the rest… CJ: All-American hunk and genuine good guy. But they work together, and giving in to their mutual attraction could put Natalie’s sparkly new world at risk. She resolves to look, but not to touch…if she can ignore the feeling that he’s the guy she’s been looking for her whole life.
Natalie’s new friend Candace Kanie has no such concerns. From the barroom to the boardroom, she’s used to getting exactly what she wants, and her no-crap attitude ensures nothing gets in her way. But when she meets Damon, the notorious playboy at Natalie’s company, she finds that her take-no-prisoners style might not be as effective in the romantic realm.
Frustrated and often irrational, Candace pushes for what she wants until something’s gotta give. And when it does, she realizes that the one thing she might not do better than anyone else is change.
The first book about the loves, lives, and laughter of a group of friends finding their way in the city is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy full of Men and Martinis!
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Do dreams ever inspire your writing? What did you last dream about?

Sometimes, though I’ve never had a dream and woken up with enough to start a book, Twilight-style! The last dream I remember having was about being late for work. I’m kind of a worry wart.

When did you first start writing? And when were you first published?
I’ve been writing since I was really little. My first money-making scheme was writing a book called “Spring is Nice” and peddling it to the neighbors for ten cents a copy. Production was labor-intensive, though, since the book was hand drawn and stapled. I won some writing contests in high school and majored in English. Then I got pushed toward having a “real job.” Now I have a real job and I write books! I was first published in 2012.

What is it about 'chick lit' that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? 
I love reading women’s fiction — especially that dealing with some of the tough issues that women in various cultures face. I won’t pretend that Men and Martinis is really dealing with heavy issues, but since it’s new adult, it does hit on some really common difficulties that most of us have when navigating our early twenties. First jobs, first apartments, and first loves can be pretty compelling! I read lots of other genres, from paranormal romance to fantasy, epic family sagas to literary fiction.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
Men and Martinis is the first book in a three book series called the Girlfriends of Gotham. It’s a fun and fast-paced romantic comedy centered on a group of girlfriends in NYC in the late 90s. The Internet was just burgeoning, and that singular influence had a great influence on the social and job opportunities of the twenty-something generation. The book is about Natalie Pepper, who moves from California and lands her first “real” job quite by accident, at an Internet company. It splits her story with that of Candace Kanie, one of the girls she meets in the city, and follows both girls through their romantic struggles. The next two books in the series continue Natalie’s story and focus on another of the Girlfriends, too.

What inspired you to write it?
Actually, there are REAL girlfriends of Gotham! My friends and I pretty much thought we owned New York City from about 1998 through 2002, and many of our adventures are captured in the series!

Who designs your covers?
These covers were designed by Date Book Designs — it’s a friend who doesn’t do graphics full time, so there is no URL to share, unfortunately!

What's your favourite 'chick lit' book that made it to the big screen?
The Devil Wears Prada
Bridget Jones’s Diary

What were the last two books you read?
I’m reading An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Just finished E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars for the second time… I love that book

Name one female author you think deserves to be better known.
If you like romance — Elizabeth Otto

Where do you write?At my home in Southern Maryland, in my home office.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I was a ballet dancer for the first 18 years of my life.

Who would play you in the movie about your life?

photo credit: Men Women and Children 30 via photopin (license)

Jennifer Garner

Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
Houses in my town used to be part of the Underground Railroad.

What are your (writing) plans for the future?
I’ve got several new books finished, and am in the process of pitching them. This summer I’ll write the third Girlfriends book, and complete a third full Wine Country Romance novel.

Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
Sailing the Greek Islands.

Name one of your all time favourite songs.

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

What do you listen to whilst writing?
Silence is golden.

Who (or what) did you want to be when you were a kid?
A writer. :)

Delancey Stewart writes contemporary romance.
Stewart has lived on both coasts, in big cities and small towns. She’s been a pharmaceutical rep, a personal trainer and a direct sales representative for a French wine importer. But she has always been a writer first.
A military spouse and the mother of two small boys, her current job titles include pirate captain, monster hunter, Lego assembler and story reader. She tackles all these efforts at her current home outside Washington D.C.
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Tour-wide giveaway

2 hand-painted martini glasses (US only)
Signed paperbacks (Men and Martinis & Highballs in the Hamptons) (US only)
5x ebook copies of Men and Martinis (INTL)

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