Interview with Sara Friedman, protagonist of Shelly Bell’s women’s fiction story A Year to Remember.
Shelly: I’m sitting here with Sara Friedman, who became an overnight sensation when a video of her vowing to meet and marry her soul mate by her thirtieth birthday got more than a million hits on YouTube. Thanks for joining us today, Sara.
Sara: Thanks for inviting me, Shelly!
Shelly: You’ve had quite a year. Can you tell us what it’s been like for you?
Sara: It’s been surreal, to say the very least.
Shelly: For those who may not have seen the video, tell them what happened on your twenty-ninth birthday.
Sara: I was a bridesmaid in my younger brother’s wedding. I was my twenty-ninth birthday. I was still miserably single, so I brought my best friend Missy as my date. Anyway, I hadn’t eaten anything since the four donuts I scarfed down earlier that morning and the champagne was really good. I got a little tipsy and before I could stop myself, my impromptu toast to my brother and his wife became a pledge to meet and marry my soul by my thirtieth birthday. Embarrassing myself in front of three hundred wedding guests was bad enough, but then someone put a video of my toast up on YouTube and suddenly millions of people got to watch the most humiliating moment of my life. When the Morning show called and asked to chronicle my search for the year, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it. Missy told me to and I always do what she says, so the next thing I know, I’m being interviewed by Bethany Williams on National television and writing a blog about my experiences for the show. Like I said, surreal.
Shelly: Why do you think the video resonated with so many people?
Sara: At first, I thought people just liked the video because they enjoyed watching a fat girl making a fool out of herself at her brother’s wedding. But my opinion changed over the year. There are so many women searching for someone to complete them. We think if we find “the one,” he’ll fill that void inside us. This year taught me that isn’t true. We have to be complete before we can honestly love another with our whole heart. I’m not sure I would have learned that lesson if it circumstances had played out differently.
Shelly: How did you search for your soul mate?
Sara: I used an online dating site called JDate and joined a dating service. Missy made up rules for me to follow and one was that I had to accept every offer of a date. I met a few nice guys, but on the whole…Let’s put it this way. There are some odd men out there.
Shelly: Did you meet your goal of finding and marrying your soul mate before you turned thirty?
Sara: I can’t tell you that! If I do, you won’t buy the book!
Shelly: Fair enough. What advice do you have for single women looking for “Mr. Right?”
Sara: For any goal, you can’t sit back and wait for it to happen. You have to make it happen. Whether it’s meeting your soul mate, writing a book, or curing world hunger, you have to invest your energy, time, and passion into it. Make a plan and follow it. If you hit a roadblock, don’t just go around it. Study it, examine it, and dissect what it is that really is holding you back. Because what it may be, just might surprise you.
Shelly: Where can readers find more information about A Year to Remember?
Sara: A Year to Remember follows a food addict’s journey to recovery under the watchful eye of the nation and is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Soul Mate Publishing.
Shelly: Thank you for sharing your story with us today. For contests, news, and an excerpt please visit http://www.shellybellbooks.com/.
Shelly: I’m sitting here with Sara Friedman, who became an overnight sensation when a video of her vowing to meet and marry her soul mate by her thirtieth birthday got more than a million hits on YouTube. Thanks for joining us today, Sara.
Sara: Thanks for inviting me, Shelly!
Shelly: You’ve had quite a year. Can you tell us what it’s been like for you?
Sara: It’s been surreal, to say the very least.
Shelly: For those who may not have seen the video, tell them what happened on your twenty-ninth birthday.
Sara: I was a bridesmaid in my younger brother’s wedding. I was my twenty-ninth birthday. I was still miserably single, so I brought my best friend Missy as my date. Anyway, I hadn’t eaten anything since the four donuts I scarfed down earlier that morning and the champagne was really good. I got a little tipsy and before I could stop myself, my impromptu toast to my brother and his wife became a pledge to meet and marry my soul by my thirtieth birthday. Embarrassing myself in front of three hundred wedding guests was bad enough, but then someone put a video of my toast up on YouTube and suddenly millions of people got to watch the most humiliating moment of my life. When the Morning show called and asked to chronicle my search for the year, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it. Missy told me to and I always do what she says, so the next thing I know, I’m being interviewed by Bethany Williams on National television and writing a blog about my experiences for the show. Like I said, surreal.
Shelly: Why do you think the video resonated with so many people?
Sara: At first, I thought people just liked the video because they enjoyed watching a fat girl making a fool out of herself at her brother’s wedding. But my opinion changed over the year. There are so many women searching for someone to complete them. We think if we find “the one,” he’ll fill that void inside us. This year taught me that isn’t true. We have to be complete before we can honestly love another with our whole heart. I’m not sure I would have learned that lesson if it circumstances had played out differently.
Shelly: How did you search for your soul mate?
Sara: I used an online dating site called JDate and joined a dating service. Missy made up rules for me to follow and one was that I had to accept every offer of a date. I met a few nice guys, but on the whole…Let’s put it this way. There are some odd men out there.
Shelly: Did you meet your goal of finding and marrying your soul mate before you turned thirty?
Sara: I can’t tell you that! If I do, you won’t buy the book!
Shelly: Fair enough. What advice do you have for single women looking for “Mr. Right?”
Sara: For any goal, you can’t sit back and wait for it to happen. You have to make it happen. Whether it’s meeting your soul mate, writing a book, or curing world hunger, you have to invest your energy, time, and passion into it. Make a plan and follow it. If you hit a roadblock, don’t just go around it. Study it, examine it, and dissect what it is that really is holding you back. Because what it may be, just might surprise you.
Shelly: Where can readers find more information about A Year to Remember?
Sara: A Year to Remember follows a food addict’s journey to recovery under the watchful eye of the nation and is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Soul Mate Publishing.
Shelly: Thank you for sharing your story with us today. For contests, news, and an excerpt please visit http://www.shellybellbooks.com/.
Wow Shelly, Sara sounds amazing and I can't wait to read about her story. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Does the cover model resemble you by accident or design? Deeeee-lightful!
ReplyDeleteI do love her cover! Thanks so much for stopping by, Ann :)
ReplyDeleteWow Ann! You're right. That does look like Shelly! Shelly best of luck with the book. I know I can relate to struggling with my weight. I have entire years where I am in no photographs because I didn't want to see how heavy I'd gotten. I've gotten my weight back to where it needs to be, but it's a battle every day to keep it that way.
ReplyDeleteCasey Wyatt
Casey, thanks so much for stopping. I think most of us have problem areas at times :)
DeleteAwesome post! Best of luck with A Year to Remember!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by, Meggan :)
DeleteSara sounds like a terrific character, and I am looking forward to reading about her. Thank you for the wonderful blog post!
ReplyDeleteHi Rose,
DeleteThanks for stopping, I agree, Sara does sound like a character easy to relate to and also to be inspired by
Enjoyed the interview ladies and good luck with your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks B.J.,
DeleteAnd you as well :)
This is one of my favorite type of interview formats: when the character is interviewed by someone (in this case, the author).
ReplyDeleteGreat job.
Thanks so much for stopping, this is also my favorite format, you get to know a part of the character that isn't giving in the novel, very fun :)
DeleteWhat an excellent interview. It was a pleasure to meet you. And you are so right about putting your heart into reaching your goals. There's no point doing anything halfway!
ReplyDeleteShelley you are absolutely right!
DeleteThanks everyone for stopping by :) hope everyone had a creative and constructive one!
ReplyDelete