Guest Post: Mid-Century Mama and Something New

The first time I met author Malena Lott (at a Buzz Books retreat), there was something so….familiar about her. Not her appearance, not her name. It was her spirit. She was charming, and poised, and dare I say, a lady. But her social graces were not pretentious, as she was warm, friendly and completely approachable. Just like two other ladies I know, my Great Aunts Nora and Mozelle. Both Oklahoma mavens, they held their gracious heads high no matter what life’s circumstances held. And then I found out something about Malena that tied all the pieces together. She is obsessed with Mid-Century design, the type of home goods and apparel my dear great aunts would have been using on a daily basis. It all makes so much sense now.

Not only do I like Malena because she carries on the spirit of my ancestors, but because she’s a talented storyteller. Her writing provides a welcome respite from the humdrum of daily life, yet is relatable enough that the characters could be your old college roommates, or childhood neighbor. It’s real life, only better. I’ve invited her to share the news of her latest release, Something New. Enjoy!

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In my fourth novel, Something New, socialite and matriarch Maeve Apple believes she’s 25 again and starring in The Princess and the Pauper. She suffers from Alzheimer’s, hopscotching through time, but it seems her heart is stuck in 1949 when she was in love with her co-star. I wasn’t born until 1972, but according to thepeoplehistory.com, here’s what things were like in 1949:

Average Cost of new house $7,450.00
Average wages per year $2,950.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 17 cents
Average Cost of a new car $1,420.00
Minimum Hourly Wage Rate 70 cents per hour
Bacon per pound 50 cents
Dobbs Hat $8.50
Kitchen Table and Chairs $100.00

The first Polaroid camera was sold, as well as a VW Beetle. The musical “South Pacific” by Rogers and Hammerstein debuted on Broadway.

I have the South Pacific LP, but that’s not the only mid-century artifact you’ll find around my house. It took me thirty some years, but I found my favorite style and it simply wasn’t from a decade I’d ever lived in. (Well, not in this life, anyway.) Give me a vintage hat, handbag and jewelry and I’m a happy girl. I adore estate sales, but not just the rummaging part. It’s the stepping inside one’s life part. You know, like you do when you read a great novel.

When I go to an estate sale (typically the ones that I know the person had lived in the house for decades), I take it all in and then start sifting through the barware (I have enough MCM cocktail glasses to host the entire set of Mad Men), the kitchen (modern, funky, whimsical), the garage for the boxes of vintage cards, the (usually husband’s) office for expensive vintage paperies and pens and supplies I’ll never need. And furniture? Yes, please. I wish I could afford the really expensive stuff, but even MCM knock-off pieces from that time period will do. Super clean lines, bold colors and asymmetry make me swoon.

Yes, I wish hats were in style for men and women and I’ll never not rock a bold red lipstick. Kind of like Maeve. Long live the past.

About the book:

“Something New is something wonderful! Malena Lott understands love…and knows that it’s ageless. Exploring the lives of four women and one barely functional family, she delivers a novel of remarkable wit and insight. This book is a treasure.”
—Ellen Meister, author of The Other Life

“I am completely smitten with Something New: it’s endearing, romantic, and utterly satisfying, with characters so well-developed they feel like old friends. Maeve steals the show, but I missed them all when I reached the end. Highly recommended for mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters.”
—Jess Riley, author of Driving Sideways

“Utterly charming, romantic, and beautifully written, Something New is the story of three generations of mothers and daughters struggling to define their relationships and to ultimately find their own place in the world. I absolutely loved it!”
—Maria Geraci, author of A Girl Like You

Where to buy:
Available in trade paperback and ebook

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Connect with Malena at malenalott.com or on Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter @malenalott or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/malenalottbooks.