Stephanie Mack is having the "time" of her life!

Credit: Blaire Going Photography

We're excited to have Stephanie Mack here today! Her traditional publishing debut, Twenty Something Else (Tyndale), will be available next week and she has another one coming this fall. If you're a fan of time travel, this novel is definitely up your alley. Melissa is excited to add it to her five-book pile soon. We had a lot of fun interviewing Stephanie and we hope you will enjoy her answers as much as we did!

Stephanie Mack is an author with a passion for storytelling—on the page, on the mic, and beyond. Her novels blend women's fiction and romantic elements with meaningful insights for readers navigating the complexities of modern life. Stephanie lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, three daughters, and beloved mini Bernedoodle.

Visit Stephanie online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

Sutton Layne is almost-forty and fabulous, with a happy marriage, three beautiful children, and a successful interior design business. But there’s plenty of chaos behind the scenes of early midlife. Her preteen son is going off the rails, her husband is bailing on the party he was supposed to throw her, and that thriving business? If she can’t land her next big client, it might all come crashing down. Then a surprise DM from someone in her past sends her spiraling into what-ifs. What if she settled down too young? Walked away from her big break? Never had her great adventure?

Despite her simmering mini-crisis, Sutton can’t wait for the birthday luncheon and pickleball tournament her friends have planned in her honor. But when an accident on the court knocks her out cold, she wakes up somewhere else . . . and is offered the chance to do it all over again. She can revisit her twenties―out of order and on her own terms. And this time around, anything goes: cities, careers, friendships. Even love. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Asking a question many of us have pondered―What if life took a different turn and sent us in an entirely different direction?―this novel is both distinctive and clever, plucky, and entertaining. A must-read!"
- T. I. Lowe, internationally bestselling author of South of Somewhere

"A hilarious, heartfelt exploration of love, family, and friendship. With sharp humor, clever observations, and deeply human insight, this novel will have you laughing, reflecting, and texting your best friend mid-chapter. Get ready for your next obsession."
- Devon Daniels, author of The Rom Con

"Twenty Something Else is the most beautifully, achingly real story I’ve read in ages. Equal parts comfortingly wholesome and refreshingly frank, this one straight-up knocked my socks off."
- Bethany Turner, award-winning author of Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
My road to publishing was winding, crazy, unpredictable, and nothing like I expected—but every step of the six-year journey was worth it.

How is Sutton similar to or different from you?
Sutton is similar to me in many ways—we both married young, live in suburbia, have three children, work in creative fields, and turned forty this year! Where we differ is probably in the extent of her ponderings and regrets. I’ve felt many of them myself, but exploring them much more deeply through her character was incredibly meaningful to me as I faced my own milestone birthday. And, unlike Sutton, I don’t have an actor’s bone in my body!

If Twenty Something Else was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
Sutton was distinctly her own creation in my mind, but my dream pick would be Hilary Duff. I’ve always loved her, especially in Younger—and not just as an actress, but for what she represents to millennial women: nostalgia, strength, motherhood, power, and a certain grounded sense of goodness. Holden would be Theo James, Reid would be Ryan Gosling, and I’d love Olivia Munn as Quinn!

What is a favorite memory from your twenties?

One of my favorite memories from my twenties was a road trip I took with two girlfriends up the California coast. It’s my home state, but we explored so much I’d never seen before—from Southern California through Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo all the way up to Monterey. I’ll never forget it. There’s just something about a road trip with people you love. The snacks, the conversations, and the zany moments you end up sharing.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
What a fun question! I’d have to say Christine Lakin from Step by Step because of the way she brought Twenty Something Else to life in the audiobook. I’m in awe of her ability to move from humor to vulnerability and back again with such ease and heart.

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
Please come visit me in Orange County! I’d definitely take you to The Beachcomber—a magical restaurant right on the sand in Crystal Cove State Park—and to Lido Marina Village, the dreamiest seaside enclave and home to my favorite indie bookstore, Lido Village Books. The Beachcomber is written into Twenty Something Else, and I can’t wait to see Twenty Something Else on shelves in Lido soon.

Thanks to Stephanie for chatting with us and Kaye Publicity for coordinating the interview.

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