Stephanie Lehmann's YOU COULD DO BETTER has all the markings of a fabulous read!



The author of The Art of Undressing makes her highly anticipated return with an irresistible new novel about a woman trying to choose between the man of her dreams -- and her fiance.
Daphne Wells is way too busy watching television to start planning her wedding. She tells herself that being glued to the boob tube counts as research for her job at the Museum of Television and Radio. But the truth is, as much as she’s looking forward to a future with her fiancé, Charlie, their sex life just isn’t ready for prime time.

Then Daphne meets sexy, successful writer/producer Jonathan Hill when he comes to the museum for inspiration. Daphne spends a weekend in the Hamptons at Jonathan’s beach house—on business, of course—but the picture comes in loud and clear: This man can turn her on as if he’s a remote control. She’s more confused than ever about marrying Charlie. What if she can do better?

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Here are Stephanie's answers to my GCC questions:

My typical writing day. It’s usually the weekend, as I get most of my work done then. So… get out of bed thinking about that first cup of coffee. Leave the apartment before seeing children, who thank god are now old enough to sleep late. (Husband has already left to go exercise.) Get to coffee shop at undisclosed location where no one in my family can find me. Order that cup of coffee I’ve been thinking about, along with a whole wheat bagel with butter and marmalade. Sit down with coffee and bagel and read something for awhile (newspaper, magazine, book for research, novel for fun) and procrastinate turning on laptop. Sometime around when finishing that cup of coffee, force myself to turn on laptop. Read over what I’ve already written, hopefully not from first page. Rewrite obsessively until I get mad at myself for not writing anything new. Get more coffee. Eat one more bite of (now cold) bagel. Actually write something new. Start worrying that I should be getting home. Continue to write. Feel more pressure to get home. Try to squeeze more writing in. Perhaps get second cup of coffee. Squeeze in more writing. Realize that two hours has gone by, maybe three. Perhaps get call on cell phone from daughter, who is now up and wants me to bring home a muffin. Tell her I’ll be home soon. Squeeze in one more half hour. Leave for home. Hopefully remember to get muffin for daughter and one for son too, just in case. Once home, present muffins, hope that earns me points as a good mom, set up laptop on kitchen table, put on a pot of coffee, and basically begin cycle again.

Limitless books to read. Definitely. Let them entertain me.

Wine. I only like beer if I have potato chips with it, and I’m trying not to eat those evil things.

Chocolate. Preferably SEE'S chocolate. Specifically peanut clusters or marzipan.

Favorite all-time book is After Leaving Mr. Mackensie by Jean Rhys.

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Stephanie Lehmann is the author of Are You in the Mood?, Thoughts While Having Sex, and The Art of Undressing. Her plays have been produced Off Off Broadway, and she is a contributor to Salon. Originally from San Francisco, she's a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, and has a master's in creative writing from New York University. Lehmann now lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan.