I first met fabulous author Bonnie Trachtenberg online in September 2011. As a fellow featured author on loveahappyending.com our paths often cross these days and I’m a great fan of Bonnie both as an author (love both of her novels) and when she’s wearing her Editor’s hat for In Search of a Happy Ending on the loveahappyending.comblog. Bonnie gives relationship advice and, guess what? Her advice comes from life experience – she’s been there, written the book (literally) and ‘has the t-shirt’ as the saying goes! What jumped out at me was her honesty and the way her advice is grounded and focuses on the positive. She’s an inspiration and a fantastic role-model for those whose lives don’t always go smoothly … and it’s one BIG success story!
“They say, “Life’s not a bed of roses” and I think most of us can attest to that unfortunate fact. Struggles come our way, and if we’re strong, diligent and lucky, we rise above them. I’ve found a fairly unique and productive way of dealing with my life hurdles. I take a few years to process the pain, then I sit down, open my laptop, and turn those road bumps into romantic comedies!
My debut book, Wedlocked, is based on my first brief and calamitous marriage at the age of thirty-s
ix. Some may think I should have known better by then, but there was a whole other dynamic in play that people were not aware of. Fifteen years of unsuccessful dating can take a toll on a person, especially when all her family and friends have already taken the leap. They tried not to show it, but I sensed their pity. What was wrong with me? Was I going to end up alone? I wanted so badly to get married by this point I could taste it. Then, right on cue, along came a man who told me everything I wanted to hear. On paper, he was all I should have been looking for; off paper, was another story entirely. And what a story it was! But I put on blinders and let my desperation impel me to make what amounted to my Worst. Mistake. Ever. So what’s a girl like me to do after realizing that after all those arduous years of dating, I’d actually leapt from the frying pan into the fire? Well, first I got divorced, and then I sat down and purged my memories and emotions onto the pages of a book. I don’t think I realized it was going to be funny until I actually started writing. It was then that I saw just how amusing the story really was (as long as you weren’t me, of course!)
When I penned my new novel, Neurotically Yours, I decided to make use of my past relationships and the many unfortunate dating experiences I’d endured. I also utilized the time I spent as an advice columnist for the Chippendales website (see Ask Andy on my website for more on that story). My heroine, Dara, starts out as a tell-it-like-it-is advice columnist who then opens up a revolutionary dating service geared for the perennially single and romantically challenged. Dara is thirty-seven and still single herself, and after a publicity stunt goes awry, she’s forced to join the ranks of her lonely-heart clientele, much to her chagrin.
While writing the book, I also decided to resurrect my advice columnist career and found a home for it on a fabulous website called LoveaHappyEnding.com. This time, however, I write under my real name! I’m told I have a natural gift for giving advice despite the fact I have no professional training. My wisdom comes from my life experiences (such as the ones portrayed in my books and many others). In contrast, though, it was a lot of fun to write some of Dara’s advice to her readers. Being more audacious than I, Dara’s in-your-face, brazen style prompted some extreme and hilarious copy, something I’d mostly refrain from in real life. But I admire her moxie, and if you read the book, I think you’ll find her not only amusing, but loveable too.
With both of my books, my aim is to entertain, evoke laughter, and stir emotions. I hope you’ll give both Neurotically Yours and Wedlocked a read, and then get in touch with me on my website. I’d love to hear from you!”
Buy Neurotically Yours Buy Wedlocked
Amazon: http://amzn.to/HY4PyF Amazon: http://ning.it/ovIMiw
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/IcWr0M Barnes & Noble: http://ning.it/pPRGvC
BIO
Bonnie Trachtenberg is the author of the recently released romantic comedy Neurotically Yours: A Novel and the bestselling, award-winning book Wedlocked: A Novel. She writes a monthly relationship and advice column for LoveaHappyEnding.com. She was senior writer and copy chief at Book-of-the-Month Club and has written seven children’s book adaptations. Trachtenberg lives in New York with her husband, four cats and a dog.
Read all about Bonnie on her website: http://www.BonnieTrachtenberg.com
Read her relationship column at: http://loveahappyending.com/editor-bonnie-trachtenberg/
Find her on Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BonnieTrachtenberg
Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/writebrainedny
If you have a relationship problem then do contact Bonnie, she doesn’t use real names and sometimes it’s nice to know there is someone out there who understands what you are going through! She’s a survivor of the mishaps of love and life – Bonnie is a ‘happy ending’ in real life. Thanks for stopping by!