We welcome internationally bestselling author, Mhairi McFarlane, who explores lifelong friendships, long-buried secrets, and unexpected love in her heartfelt, emotional new novel, Just Last Night. Sometimes complicated is too fun!** We start by discussing Eve, her complicated heroine, and how she grew organically from the story. We loved hearing about how writing for a 30-something seems to be her sweet spot. (02:40)** Speaking of complicated women, although this is Eve’s story, her best friend Suzie is a true force. Described as a cross between Mother Teresa and Samantha from Sex and the City, Mhairi tells us about writing Suzie as Eve’s foil. (07:00)** Unlike her prior novels and a more typical rom com story that focuses mostly on a love story between a hero and heroine, Just Last Night is a story about friendship, so we were interested to hear why Mhairi wanted to explore the complicated ties of friendship. (08:54)** We love a character with a good secret, but for Mhairi it isn’t about secrets so much as it is the fascinating issue of where the reality doesn’t match the image and how she uses these things as teaching tools for her characters’ growth. (13:01)** We shared with Mhairi what themes we gravitate to in love and romance and what that says about our damage. We put Mhairi on the couch too and discuss why she keeps returning to the theme of regret. (14:52)** Mhairi has said: “Fiction writers have a lot in common with habitual liars, we take things that sort of happened to us and what if them into something that's big enough for a novel.” We loved hearing her discuss the writer’s brain and how you never know whether you have engaged in enough “what if’s!” (17:48)** Mhairi’s road to publication was longer than she expected, and ehe has some wise words of advice for aspiring writers! (22:22).** We love a good rom com here at Pop Fiction Women so we were fascinated to hear what Mhairi thinks are the key elements that make a great rom com, including her views on our favorite element: the big speech/big declaration of love. (26:56).** Of course we discuss astrology with Mhairi … a dreamy, creative, mutable Pisces who embodies all of those traits! (32:06)** Mhairi shares what she is loving in terms of books, podcasts, movies and TV shows. (33:06)** Mhairi ends by discussing her role in adapting her novel, Who’s That Girl, and the challenges of shifting gears from novelist to screenwriter. As part of her training, she studied the script of When Harry Met Sally, the “gold standard” of rom coms. (34:36)Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @popfictionwomen and on Twitter @pop_women. To do a full deep dive, check out our website at www.popfictionwomen.com. Stay Complicated!We’ve launched a platform at patreon.com/popfictionwomen to keep making the podcast you love -- and to make it even better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.