How closely is The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling based on your life?
The whole idea for The Yada Yada Prayer Group was inspired by the real-life women’s Bible study I have been part of for about 12 years now, and I do what most novelists do—draw on many of my own experiences, feelings, and relational interactions to make the fictional story come alive.  But I have to say, the characters and stories quickly took on a life of their own—and it IS fiction.

How long did The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling take you to complete?
About one month in the planning stage and six months of writing—during which my husband had open heart surgery to repair a leaky valve!  But he bounced back so fast, I only lost about one week of writing time (grin).

What is the symbolism for the title The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling?
“Yada” in Hebrew means “to know and be known intimately” and is found 944 times in the Old Testament! (Of course, in Yiddish it means, “You know, you know” or “whatever.”)  As for “Gets Rolling,” it’s often tempting for groups to become ingrown or standing still, and God sometimes has to knock the props out from under us in order to move forward.  That’s what happens in this book.

How many books will be in the Yada Yada series?
I just completed writing the manuscript for Book 7 in the series, which will be the finale—a “seasonal novella” which will come out in October 2007, titled,The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out. That’s seven novels in five years … I’m ready for a break!

Do you have a favorite character? Why?
I have favorite characters!  I want to be like Avis when I grow up, so full of the Word of God it comes out my pores. I want to pray Scripture like Nony … I prize Florida’s in-your-face honesty … Yo-Yo’s cut-to-the-bone non-churchy language … Hoshi’s quiet courage to follow her faith even though it means losing her family …I knew I couldn’t answer this question!

How much research did The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling take?
I’m constantly researching everything from cultural celebrations to gang signs and street language, from Yiddish expressions to “living with HIV,” from third grade standard curriculums to the menus at various eateries in Chicago … you name it!  In a sense, I live in this multi-cultural milieu, so it’s not foreign to me, but I try to back up my general knowledge with research.  You should see my source files! (I print out everything—which probably makes me guilty of using up too many trees.)

Do you prefer to write contemporary chick lit?
You’re assuming I’m writing chick lit (grin). I don’t think Yada Yada fits the definition—my age range is too broad (from 20s to 50s), I have singles and marrieds, divorced and widowed—plus their men, their kids, their teenagers, their dogs . . . I think of Yada Yada as contemporary women’s fiction—and this is my first foray into strange territory! Whew, what a ride! Before Yada Yada, my husband and I were writing historical fiction for kids (the Trailblazer series, 40 titles) and I loved it.  Suddenly I’m writing contemporary fiction, full-length novels, by myself, for adult women . . .  talk about a hairpin curve in my career path.  I’m still breathless!  But if readers see those wonderfully quirky covers with the bright colors and crazy socks and think “chick lit”—that’s okay by me.