Karma Brown in Conversation

Photo credit: Girl Well Read and Penguin Random House Canada. Do not use without written permission.

Karma Brown was in conversation with Marci Ien (The Social) about her captivating dual narrative novel, Recipe for a Perfect Wife, a thrilling novel about women daring to take control. Brown spoke about her inspiration and her writing process. A question and answer period, as well as a book signing followed.

I love the dual narrative: two women that are sixty years apart. Please introduce us to Nellie and Alice.

"There is Nellie, she's the quintessential 1950s housewife. On the surface her life looks nice and easy. She's cooking the meals for her husband and keeping house, and she seems happy.

"And then we have Alice in the present day who has been reluctantly moved from Manhattan into the suburbs, into this old house that requires a lot of work. She has recently left her job and she is feeling a little unsure as to what is next for her."

Karma elaborated; "It really is, at its core, a marriage book. It is looking at these two women, sixty years apart, but what are the things that have been the same for them, and what are the struggles that they are each facing? So what are the similarities between despite the different eras and you know, have we come as far as we think we have as women and within our marriages? So, it is a story of these two very distinct women in these very distinct times, but there are a lot of crossover between them."

There are many things that they have in common, one of which is the secrets that they are keeping from their partners.

Alice is 29 and doesn't know what she wants yet. She has had to leave her job—she is a career woman with great visions who thought at some point she would write a novel—to go along with her husband's plan. Because Alice is not bringing in an income, she assumes she's lost some of the power where making decisions are concerned and instead takes on a domestic role because that is what is expected of her. She is keeping a number of secrets and a result, makes poor choices throughout the story. "Part of it is that she is trying to figure out who she is, she's young." Karma said. 

Nothing is as it appears to be for either woman.

The structure

Recipe for a Perfect Wife is a dual narrative. Nellie's chapters feature a recipe because that is her talent. In 1950, it was in the kitchen where women showed their power and their worth. Nellie was known for her dinner parties, her gardening, and her skills in the kitchen, but there was this woman trying to break out.

When Karma was writing this book she was thinking about her grandmother who loved to sing, she even sang on the radio in high school. But then she got married and had children and didn't sing anymore. Instead, she was a mother and a housewife—it was not an option to do both. Karma thought about all these women, like her grandmother, who had amazing talents and hopes. They were unable to really live them out because of the time they were living in and the expectations that were placed upon them. Nellie has a whole other side to her that is finding its way out throughout the story. 

Relationships

There are some strong female relationships in the book. Nellie has Miriam (the elderly neighbour) who has taken Nellie under her wing and is a mother figure—she protects and encourages her. In present day, Alice has befriended Miriam's daughter, Sally, who lives in Miriam's house. Sally is a modern woman who has never married and became a physician in a time where there weren't many women in medical school. Sally acts as an anchor for Alice. 

The characters in the book are all strong and by extension, feminists. Karma had a very clear vision of Nellie where she was sitting, smoking one of her Lucky cigarettes, and drinking lemonade with her cookbook and she wondered what Nellie's life looked like if you went beneath the surface. In some ways, she is very much a victim, but is not a victim throughout. These women are flawed and they make mistakes, but were able to find their power and make their own choices.

Tell us about your research

A journalist by trade, Karma did a lot of research which extended into the copyediting process—things that she didn't get exactly right. She read old magazine articles and watched a lot of home economic videos from the fifties so that she could see what girls were learning in school in order to prepare them for becoming proper housewives. Jennifer Robson (author of The Gown) is a brilliant historian and was an invaluable resource for Brown. 

Each of Alice's chapters open with a piece of advice or a tip for wives/women and they are all vintage quotes. Karma pointed out that they are all "pretty depressing" and are essentially all about making your husband happy. 

Did you set out on a path when writing this book? 

"I just wanted to write these two women's stories and have this cookbook—I have some old cookbooks that I grew up with in my family and I love them and I love the notations. I have picked up a few that are not from my family just to look through and see the notations that people put in their cookbooks.

"I love the idea of having these women connected. I wanted [the house] to feel like another character because it was holding secrets from the past and the present and I loved the idea of the house being part of the story. 

"It was a secret book, I mean I was working on [it] between contracts and no one really knew about it and I just had this amazing freedom to write it however it wanted to be written. I'm really lucky with how it turned out."  

Sally sat up straighter, put on an animated face, and waggled a finger the way Alice assumed her mother must have. “She said, 'Sally, the hardest question we have to ask ourselves in this life is, Who am I?' Ideally, we answer it for ourselves, but be warned that others will strive to do it for you—so don’t let them.” Is there a story behind that quote?

Karma said that this quote has resonated with so many and a popular topic that everyone wants to talk about. 

The story behind the quote is that while she was baking, she was watching Quantico and in the episode, the main character was struggling with some things in her life—she learned some secrets from her past that she hadn't been aware of—and someone said to her "you need to decide who you want to be." Karma thought that this was exactly what Sally needs to say to Alice in this scene. She also mentioned that this was added in a later edit. "It's so perfect for the story. It's true for everyone. Who am I? Who do I want to be? What's imprortant to me? How can I make sure that I am doing the things I need to be doing to be true to that? It is a hard question to ask and to know the answer to. And I think it changes." 

How did you come up with the title?

Karma said that the titles for her books have always changed. She sent this book to her group of author friends and Recipe for a Perfect Wife was the title of the early draft and everyone loved it! "It resonates so well with people."

What's next?

"All I can say is that it will be another dual narrative, set in present day and the 1970s. Two women, again, and there will be some secrets. And it will be a little dark again, like this one...set in the Adirondacks."

Recipe for a Perfect Wife 

Alice Hale has left not only her career in publicity, but the city she loves, and finds herself in the suburbs attempting to write a novel. In the basement of her fixer upper century home, she uncovers a well-loved cookbook and within its pages, there are notations and handwritten letters. She comes to learn that they are written by the previous home owner, Nellie Murdoch, to her mother.

Feeling inspired, and an affinity towards Nellie, Alice starts cooking from her recipes and wearing vintage clothing. As she experiments with the tried-and-true recipes, she uncovers a dangerous side to Nellie's marriage and comes to the realization that she too is unhappy with the pressures that are also in her relationship. Alice begins to take control of her life and like Nellie, arms herself with some secrets of her own.

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KARMA BROWN is an award-winning journalist and author of the bestsellers Come Away With Me, The Choices We Make, In This Moment, and The Life Lucy Knew. In addition to her novels, Karma's writing has appeared in publications such as Redbook, SELF, and Chatelaine.

Brown lives just outside Toronto, Canada with her husband, daughter, and their adorably handsome labradoodle, Fred. 

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Quill Tree Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic. She longs for the summer because that is when her dad comes to visit.

Yahaira Rios lives in New York City. She hasn't spoken to her father since the summer because she found out that he has another wife in the Dominican Republic.

When a plane en route to the Dominican Republic crashes, all passengers on board are killed. The lives of these two girls collide—the father they shared was on that plane.

This verse novel is about family secrets, grief, socio-economic status, and loss. Every word flows in a staccato beat with Acevado's lyrical prose.

Deftly switching between Camino's and Yahaira's voice, Clap When You Land is a incredibly powerful and emotionally raw piece. The sisters are unique, contrasted through their upbringing, but joined in their shared grief. They are trying to come to terms with not only their father's death, but with each other.

Brilliant. Moving. Captivating. Highly recommend.

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ELIZABETH ACEVEDO is a New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X and With the Fire on High. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Poet X, won the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She is also the recipient of the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Fiction, the CILIP Carnegie Medal, and the Boston Globe-Hornbook Award. Additionally, she was honored with the 2019 Pure Belpré Author Award for celebrating, affirming, and portraying Latinx culture and experience.

She holds a BA in Performing Arts from The George Washington University and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Maryland.

Acevedo resides in Washington, DC. 

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

A special thank you to Libro.fm Audiobooks and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook listening copy.

It's New Year's Eve 1992. Oona Lockhart will turn 19 at midnight and the year ahead holds many opportunities: she could tour with her band and be with her boyfriend, Dale, or continue her studies in London, England.

When the countdown to midnight begins, Oona faints and wakes up decades later as a fifty-one-year-old. Oona learns that every year on her birthday, she will wake up and be another age completely at random. And so it begins, Oona is out of order.

Margarita Montimore that was incredible! I loved decade hopping and bonus points for mentioning Depeche Mode, my favourite band ever!

Having Oona as a young adult who is trapped in bodies that don't match her age, or her life experience, was a unique take on the unreliable narrator. We experience everything at the same time that she does. This also means that the reader never gets to spend very much time with any of the Oonas with the exception of the spirit of nineteen-year-old Oona.

As humans, we measure things in life chronologically, but this book forces the main character to focus on the present moment and just be. We never find out why Oona time travels, and also how it works—why is this happening to her? But I did like how it made the book unpredictable and unexpected.

Montimore uses her full cast of well-written characters. They help guide Oona in all aspects of her life and don't give too much away. Although Oona has a few stumbles, her mother, Kenzie, and Madeleine allow her to exist, grow, and be present in the moment that she happens to be experiencing.

A fantastic concept that was flawlessly executed. How Montimore kept everything straight in this high-concept novel was impressive. Oona Out of Order was mesmerizing, nostalgic, and fresh.

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MARGARITA MONTIMORE has a BFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. She worked for over a decade in publishing and social media before deciding to focus on her dream of being a full-time writer.

Montimore lives in New Jersey with her husband and dog.

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

A special thank you to Edelweiss and Doubleday for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis, a doctor, met her now boyfriend, Austin, in the ER. He came in with a bullet wound having been shot by a junkie in a bar. Austin also happens to work in the same hospital for the people who manage the institution's money.

Six months later, the couple travel to Vietnam for a bike tour—Austin wants to pay his respects to where his father and uncle fought in the war. When Austin fails to return from a solo ride, Alexis goes out to look for him. She comes across his energy gel packages that he dropped on the road when he was being abducted by Douglas—the same man he was at the bar with when he was shot.

Struggling with her loss, dealing with the FBI and Austin's family, Alex uncovers a string of strange lies that not only connect back to the very hospital where she met Austin, but that test her loyalties and ultimately expose the danger she's in.

Chris Bohjalian is a brilliant writer. Each of his novels are vastly different, yet they are equally as rich in character and plot development. This book is no exception. The attention to detail is what really makes this book a standout despite the slow start. Stick with it, it is worth your patience.

Through vivid descriptions, he captures the beauty of Vietnam and I found the setting utterly fascinating. The story also takes place in New York, another vibrant backdrop.

The Red Lotus is a timely release (coronavirus/year of the rat). It is an engaging tale of mystery with a strong female lead and readers will be left guessing until the very end. If you love medical dramas, I highly recommend picking up this character-driven thriller/mystery, you won't be disappointed.

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CHRIS BOHJALIAN is the author of twenty books, including The Flight Attendant, The Guest Room, The Sandcastle Girls, Skeletons at the Feast, The Double Bind, and Midwives which was not only a number one New York Times bestseller, but an Oprah’s Book Club selection.

Bohjalian's work has been translated into more than thirty languages, and three novels have become movies (Secrets of Eden, Midwives, and Past the Bleachers) and The Flight Attendant has been optioned for a televisions series.

Chris lives in Vermont with his wife.

The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day

A special thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice Fine was kidnapped when she was a child. But against all odds, her police officer father was able to find her and bring her home, she was the "lucky one." But Alice has never forgotten what happened to her. She spends her free time volunteering for a website called The Doe Pages in the hopes of finding other missing people.

When a familiar face shows up on her screen, Alice is stunned to realize that it is the same man who kidnapped her decades earlier. The post disappears as quickly as it appeared. She enlists help from her Doe friends—Alice must find her kidnapper before he strikes again. This is where she crosses paths with Merrily Cruz, who has been searching for her quasi-stepfather who has been reported missing.

The women's lives collide and secrets that have been buried for decades come to life.

Told from Alice and Merrily's perspectives, Rader-Day's latest is an incredibly slow burn. Unfortunately, this novel just didn't work for me. The first few chapters were all over the place. It was also too long with the plot bottoming out somewhere in the middle.

What I did like was that the women were not typical leading ladies with Rader-Day incorporating a (dare I say) more mature character. There were some interesting twists at the end, but I'm not sure that they were worth the investment.

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LORI RADER-DAY is a three-time Mary Higgins Clarke Award nominated author of Under a Dark Sky, The Day I Died, Little Pretty Things, and The Black Hour.

Rader-Day lives in Chicago.

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

A special thank you to Libro.fm and Simon & Schuster Audio for an audiobook listening copy.

Zelda was born on the fetal alcohol syndrome spectrum and knows that she is different. But like the ancient clans of Vikings, Zelda finds strength in her tribe: her her older brother, Gert, and his on-again/off-again girlfriend, AK47, her therapist, and her friends at the community centre (especially her boyfriend, Marxy).

When Gert gets in over his head trying to pay the bills, he resorts to some questionable and dangerous methods. Obsessed with Vikings—their legends, their fierce loyalty, their courage—Zelda decides to launch her own quest to become legendary, and help her brother no matter the cost.

After all, we are all legends of our own making.

This tale of autonomy (framed in the form of a quest) is a coming-of-age story that is marred by too much sex/too many sexual references that Zelda simply cannot understand. She is such a unique and well-written character that I couldn't help being charmed by her infectious and sincere passion for Vikings. And yet at the same time, I was horrified on Zelda's behalf at the situations that MacDonald wrote her into that left her diminished, powerless, and in danger. I felt protective of her, but maybe that was the point?

I'm conflicted with my feelings about this book. With the #ownvoices movement going strong, the literature landscape is changing. Does this book qualify? Does it aim to improve diversity in the industry by matching the author to its subject matter? Well no, it doesn't. How can a grown man share an identity with a young girl, let alone one with a cognitive disability? But through careful and compassionate writing, MacDonald has penned one of the most unique and (sometimes painfully) honest heroines and I'm confident that Zelda will find her clan of readers that will root for her.

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ANDREW DAVID MACDONALD won a Western Magazine Award for Fiction, was shortlisted for the Canadian National Magazine Award for Fiction, and his work has been anthologized in four volumes of The Journey Prize Stories, collecting the year’s best Canadian stories from emerging writers. He has an MFA from the Program for Poets and Writers at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

MacDonald grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.