Spotlight Saturday: Geoducks Are For Lovers
Food writer Maggie Marrion is just getting back on her feet after a horrible year, or two, or three. With their twentieth reunion approaching, she invites four of her closest friends from college for a weekend at her beach cabin on Whidbey Island. What she doesn’t expect is her best friends, artist Quinn Dayton and part-time erotica novelist, Selah Elmore, to play matchmaker. The two plot a surprise that will make the weekend, and her life, a lot more interesting.
Gil Morrow, a former grunge musician turned history professor, joins them as Selah’s date for the weekend. Facing his own ghosts, Gil decides he’s waited long enough to get the girl. With the support of college sweethearts, a hot lumberjack, a few wishing rocks, and the world’s largest burrowing clam, Gil reminds Maggie that forty-something isn’t too old for second chances.
Can we learn to love the life we have and let go of who we expected to be? What happens when the generation from The Breakfast Club and Reality Bites meets The Big Chill? Come spend a weekend with these Generation X-ers as they share laughter, tears, life’s ups and downs, old stories, and new beginnings.
“…The telescope is perfect for star gazing, whale watching, and following the container ships in the Sound. I like to imagine what’s in all those containers.”
Gil walks over and looks out the telescope that is, in fact, pointed at the shipping channel. “What do you imagine inside them?”
“Sometimes random stuff. If the ship is bound for port in Seattle, then I assume it’s something from Asia like squid flavored candies or Apple products. Outbound ships are probably filled with Starbucks and geoducks.”
“Do they even ship their coffee from Seattle?”
“Good point. I don’t know.”
“Where are the geoducks going?”
“Japan and China, of course. They’re an expensive delicacy in Asia and thought to improve male virility.” Maggie scrunches up her nose.
“Not a fan of the giant clam?” Gil says, clearly amused by her reaction. “Geoducks are resolutely phallic.”
“Visually, not so much. They’re pornographic.” Maggie laughs at the fact she’s standing in her bedroom talking about phallic bivalves with Gil.
“You have a dirty mind, Maggie May. They’re our alma mater’s mascot.” He points at the stuffed Speedy the Geoduck on her desk.
“Hmm.” She hums. “No one has called me Maggie May since college. Actually, no one but you has ever called me that.” Her cheeks warm at the familiarity and small thrill she has from the name.
“Quinn claps and lifts the bottle of Jameson. “Everyone remember the rules? If you are guilty, you drink. If you’re an innocent babe in the woods, you abstain. And if some scandalous revelation occurs, even better. I’ll go first. I never saw Nirvana play live.”
Everyone else drinks.
“How’s it possible you never saw them live?” Ben asks. “We all went to their show at the Paramount in ‘91.”
“Not me. I was in San Francisco that weekend for Halloween. Like I was going to miss the Castro on Halloween.”
They all stare at him, mouths open.
“Shut your mouths. I know. Greatest band of our generation, not to mention practically local, and I never saw them play live.”
“At least you saw Hootie live,” Ben teases.
“Yay for Hootie.” Quinn raises his cup and drinks.
A few rounds of ‘I’ve never voted Republican’ (Selah) and ‘I’ve never eaten veal’ (Gil) later, it’s Quinn’s turn again. He looks at Maggie with a glint in his eye that means he’s definitely feeling the effects of the whiskey, and says, “I’ve never had sex with Maggie.”
No. He didn’t. He really didn’t. Maggie stares at Quinn with her best bitch face.
He has the audacity to wink. 😉
| Q | You have a very intriguing, funny title to your book! What are geoducks? How do you pronounce it? What do they look like? |
| A | It is an unusual title, isn’t it? It was my working title for NaNoWriMo, but ended up sticking. There are several reasons for having geoducks in the title, but I’ll let readers figure those out. Geoduck is pronounced “gooey duck”, which is fun to say. Actual geoducks are the world’s largest burrowing clams. That means they spend most of their very long life buried deep in the sand underwater. What do they look like? *blushes* Well, they have a very, very long “siphon” that may or may not resemble a certain male appendage. *giggles* Yeah, they look like uncricumsized peens. I apologize to anyone who Googles geoducks and is shocked.(Note from Vilma, see geoduck pic here!) |
| Q | Tell us a little bit more about the book. What can readers expect? |
| A | Geoducks is a slow burn, sweet story. There really isn’t any angst. The majority of the book takes place over summer weekend. Readers have told me it reads like a slow, summer weekend spent with friends, which is exactly what it is. Other readers have compared it to Under the Tuscan Sun in terms of the place being a character too. There are a few surprises, twists and turns as we learn more about the group of friends at the heart of the story and a second chance at love unfolds. |
| Q | The book features a group of friends. Can you talk a little more about each character? |
| A | Maggie is the heroine and we see most of the book through her eyes. She’s single, a food blogger, and lives in her family’s beach cabin. Over the past several years she’s isolated herself from the world. She has a hot (and younger) neighbor named John Day, who is a real life lumberjack. A group of her college friends visit her for a weekend so we meet Selah, Quinn, Ryan, Ben, Jo, and Gil. Selah is single and childless by choice. She has a sharp wit, writes erotica in her spare time, and loves to play matchmaker for others. Quinn is Maggie’s other bestie. He’s a little bit of a modern Peter Pan, an artist, gay and married to a dreamy doctor, Ryan. Ben and Jo are married college sweethearts. Ben works in finance and is a workaholic. Jo is a SAHM of three quirky tween and teen kids who balances all that comes with being mom, wife, chauffeur, activities manager, etc. Last, but not least, is Gil. Sweet, charming Gil. He’s a man of conviction. Imagine Dave Grohl as a professor. (Did you see Grohl in his reading glasses at SXSW? Yeah, him.) I think that’s everyone! It’s a full house! |
| Q | This is your debut novel, what projects are you working on after this book? |
| A | I have a whole list of projects! I’ve been researching another stand alone novel, but I’m thinking I might write a couple of short pieces inspired by Selah’s books. I’m also playing with the idea of another book set on Whidbey with some familiar characters. I’ll keep you posted! |
So, now it’s time to get to know you a little better!
| Q | Favorite classic book. |
| A | The Great Gatsby. |
| Q | Favorite recent book. |
| A | Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. The ending and last line were perfection! |
| Q | Next book to read. |
| A | I started reading Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. It’s set in 1986. Loving it. |
| Q | Hobbies? |
| A | Reading, gardening, and if social media is a hobby, then that. I had a lot more hobbies before Twitter and Pinterest. |
| Q | Tell us something that would surprise us… |
| A | Hmmm… something that would surprise you…. *thinks for a while* One of my prized possessions is an autographed cocktail napkin from Simon Le Bon that says something very rude. |
THANK YOU DAISY!!!
U.S. only
Giveaway ends 5/24 at 8:00 p.m. CST
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About the Author
Before writing full time as a freelance content creator, Daisy worked in the world of art, auctions, antiques, and home decor. She earned her degree in Art History and endured a brief stint as a film theory graduate student. Baker, art educator, antiques dealer, blue ribbon pie baker, fangirl, content wrangler, gardener, wife, and pet mom are a few of the titles she’s acquired over the years.
Daisy and her husband (aka SO) currently live in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with their rescue dog, Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat. Geoducks are for Lovers is her first novel. She is currently at work on her second novel.
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Tess said:
Haha! What a fun title and Speedy is so cute! 🙂 Thanks for recommending this book!
Vilma's Book Blog said:
I see your comment now 🙂
Tess said:
Oops, did my comment go missing?
daisyprescott said:
Thanks, Vilma!
Speedy is so cute!
S.L. Scott said:
Such a great post. Thank you for sharing the interview and all of the goodies of this book.
Dianne Vermette said:
I love Speedy! He is adorable!