Monday, August 30, 2010

Interview with Marla Martenson and book giveaway




**Giveaway is now closed**


Marla Martenson is a professional matchmaker and the author of a few books about dating and relationships, her latest being "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker." Having personally been on both sides of the matchmaking spectrum (being responsible for a marriage and also being initially set up with my husband), I am definitely looking forward to reading her memoir about this same topic. Marla Martenson is very personable and fun to chat with and Melissa P. and I enjoyed working on this interview with her. We hope you will enjoy getting to know her, as well. She has some great advice for "all the single ladies" (and men) out there. She has also offered to give away two copies of "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker" to some lucky US readers.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
MM: I don't really have a set routine. I generally like to write in the mid mornings or early afternoon though because by 6:00 my energy level has dropped considerably. I am now writing the sequel to Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker and since it is
a memoir, I write a lot of it based on things that are happening in my life as I go, so sometimes I have to wait a few weeks to get some more material.
For example, tonight I am going to a concert of my favorite band, Thriving Ivory, so that story will be added in for sure.

MP: What do you like to do when you are not writing or matchmaking?
MM: I love hiking, working out, reading, traveling, going to lectures and spiritual centers, making videos, drinking vanilla soy lattes and keeping up with my foreign languages that I speak.

MP: Are all of the dating stories in your books true or do you add/change many of the details to make them fictional?
MM: Most of the stories are true, although I did change or combine the details on some, and of course I changed the names.

MP: When can we expect to see a sequel to "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker" in stores?
MM: The sequel to "Diary of a Beverly Hill Matchmaker" will most likely be in stores in the fall of 2011.

MP: Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you get yourself through it?
MM:I do sometimes experience writer's block. When that happens I step away from the project and do something else. Sometimes I take a week off from writing and come back to it fresh.

MA: Did any of the people mentioned in your book recognize themselves and then comment to you about it?
MM: One guy did recognize himself in a certain story, but he sort of didn't want
to admit it was him, so after reading the book he told me, "I hope I am not in the book." It was a small bit, but made him look quite shallow. It was just too good not to include.

MA: What is your favorite piece of advice to give to single women? Does it differ from what you would say to men?
MM: I like to tell single women to live their best lives and get out and do things that make them happy and improve themselves. Some women make man hunting a top priority like job hunting or something. It is a lot of pressure and there can be a lot of disappointment. If a woman is out there enjoying life and improving herself with exercise, learning new things and travel, she will sparkle and become so darn interesting and magnetic, that she will attract the right guy automatically.
I would tell men to open up their horizons a little bit. Men are so darn visual that they often discount a woman who is five pounds too heavy or has the wrong hair color. it can be very limiting.

MA: How do you feel whenever a match you've made results in a wedding?
MM: I feel so thrilled when a couple gets engaged or emails me to let me know they got married! it makes all of the hard work worthwhile.

MA: What was the first match you made before going professional?
MM: I don't think I ever matched anyone before I got into the business. I could barely match myself. I was hopeless, always picking the bad boy.

MA: I read on your website that you met your husband in Mexico City. How exactly did you meet and how did you know he was the one?
MM: I actually met my husband in Los Angeles. He grew up in Mexico City and we did get married in Mexico City. We were introduced through a mutual friend who is the manager of our apartment building. Adolfo actually started introducing me as his girlfriend after dating for only three weeks. He also gave me a key to his apartment and started using the word "we" a lot, so I knew he was serious.

Special thanks to Marla Martenson for doing this interview with us and providing the books for the giveaway.

Thanks always to Melissa P. for contributing some great questions to this interview, as well as all the others she has worked on.



How to win "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted.)

For additional entries (each as a separate comment including your e-mail address, as well):
1. Please tell us: Have you ever tried to play matchmaker?
OR
2. Please tell us: Have you ever been set up with someone for a relationship?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US residents only. Giveaway ends Thursday, September 2nd, at midnight EST.

44 comments:

ChristyJan said...

I would love to win a copy of Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker

hawkes(at)citlink.net

ChristyJan said...

I've only ever been set up with someone for a relationship one time. (I was not happy or impressed.)
So ... you know what they say about no good deed goes unpunished. lol
I set him up with my cousin (whom I was mad at) They've been married now for 32 years. ;)

hawkes(at)citlink.net

ChristyJan said...

I'm a follower

hawkes(at)citlink.net

ChristyJan said...

I've joined you on facebook

hawkes(at)citlink.net

BRN2SHOP9 said...

Sounds like a fantastic book. I can't wait to read it!

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I am a follower!

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I have never been setup by anyone nor have I tried to set anyone up, but my mother introduced my aunt to my uncle a few years ago.

karenk said...

thanks for the opportunity to read this fabulous novel :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

karenk said...

no, i've never played matchmaker...but i have been 'set up' once or twice.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Sarah said...

Thansk you for the q and a!! And the chance to win!

foxchick0323@live.com

Sarah said...

I have never been set up..I can find losers all on my own...lol

foxchick0323@live.com

Sarah said...

I played matchmaker for my sister and they are still together and very happy!

foxchick0323@live.com

Sarah said...

I am a facebook friend :)

foxchick0323@live.com

Sarah said...

I tweeted it...@happymama82

foxchick0323@live.com

Unknown said...

I would love to enter!
schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

I am a follower
schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

I am a FB member!
Schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this bokk.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am a follower of this blog.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

This contest is on the sidebar of my blog. http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com

schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

I have been set up but never blindly. It was a friend of a friend who caught my eye. He wasn't a keeper for me but someone else has him now... haha!

schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

My zither teacher asked me who would I like to met. I told him that I didn't need to meet any one.
But without me or his erhu student knowing it, he arranged for my lesson to run over and told the erhu player to come early. We met and dated. I am not Chinese but my husband is so we gave him a gift and he gave up a hanging wall painting of three mountains painted in China. Match making sometimes works!

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Moridin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Moridin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ruthie said...

This sounds like a fun read. Please enter me, thanks.

ruthiekb72@yahoo.com

Ruthie said...

I've tried to play matchmaker for my daughter but it was a dismal failure. Looking back I think he was really trying to pick me up but I gave him my daughters number & when she met him for a blind date he talked on the phone during dinner & expected her to pay for it...what a jerk!

ruthiekb72@yahoo.com

Ruthie said...

FB friend

ruthiekb72@yahoo.com

Brittany Roshelle said...

Count me in! Awesome questions by the way!

askbrittanyroshelle at gmail dot com

BrittanyRoshelle said...

I'm a follower

askbrittanyroshelle at gmail dot com

Brittany Roshelle said...

I'm on your FB

askbrittanyroshelle at gmail dot com

Brittany Rohelle said...

I posted it on Twitter

askbrittanyroshelle at gmail dot com

Heather said...

I have never been set up before or tried to play matchmaker.
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Heather said...

I posted to facebook.
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Heather said...

I am a follower.
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Heather said...

I am a member of Chick Lit Central.
ra6352 (at) gmail (dot) com

Unknown said...

This sounds like a great book, thanks for the chance into this giveaway!

unforgetable_dreamer_always(at)hotmail(dot)com

Laura Rachel Fox said...

What a wonderful and entertaining interview.

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

Laura Rachel Fox said...

I once tried to play matchmaker for my little brother. I wanted to find him a nice Christian woman, but he just wasn't interested in any of the "nice girls" I sent his way. It all worked out in the end when he found his own nice Christian girl and married her on August 7th this year.

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

Laura Rachel Fox said...

I'm a follower.

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

Laura Rachel Fox said...

I'm a member of Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

Laura Rachel Fox said...

I posted a link on Facebook

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

Laura Rachel Fox said...

I posted a link on Facebook

lostlibrarygirl@sbcglobal.net

a real librarian said...

This sounds great!! Thanks for the chance to win!!

areallibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com