GCC Author Interview and Book Giveaway: Melissa Clark

I'm so thrilled to be bringing you my very first Girlfriends Cyber Circuit interview, and it's a good one! Today, we've got the wonderful Melissa Clark with us. Melissa is the creator and executive producer of the award-winning television series, 'Braceface', and has written for shows on the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Fox. She received a master's degree from the writing program at U.C. Davis, and currently lives in Los Angeles.


Melissa has generously offered to giveaway one copy of her debut novel, SWIMMING UPSTREAM, SLOWLY. To enter, just post a comment in the comment section below!

Winners will be announced next week. But now, let's get to the questions!

1. Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.

Sasha Salter is pregnant, only she hasn't had sex in over 2 years. Doctors have diagnosed her as harboring a 'lazy sperm' and she must now trace her love life to figure out who the father is. (Uh oh, I'm bad at math)

2. When did you first begin writing?

My dad is a writer, so I was always playing on his typewriter and writing on legal steno pads. I wrote short stories from the time that I could write. In my late 20's to mid-30's I worked as a writer in television. I created a kid's show called "Braceface" which ran for 5 seasons. I loved that experience, but really wanted to write a novel, so I quit my own show and set out to write "Swimming Upstream, Slowly." It was the best risk I've ever taken!

3. Where do you find inspiration for your work?

"Swimming Upstream, Slowly" was born because I was having lunch with a friend and overate. I lifted my shirt to expose my bloated belly and the friend said, half joking, "Are you sure you're not pregnant?" and I said, "Yeah, right, from a lazy sperm." I went home that night and started outlining it for a movie. I decided, eventually, to write it as a novel instead.



4. What are you working on right now?

I JUST finished my second novel last week. It is another medical anomaly type of story, but more of a coming-of-age. It is at the agent's now and I am on pins and needles waiting for her call!

5. What are you reading right now?

I just started "Bright, Shiny Morning" by James Frey (author of the infamous 'A Million Little Pieces') because a friend said he read it in a 24 hour period and I was just so curious as to what grabbed his attention. So far it's pretty good, but I don't think I'll finish it in 24 hours!

Wanna win a free copy of Melissa's book? Just post a comment here and you're entered to win!