Candace Saunders heroine of the novel THE LIST by Carmen Shirkey

Bertram: Who are you?

Candace: My name is Candace Saunders. I’m a 30-something single woman who’d looking for Mr. Right.

Bertram: Where do you live?

Candace: I live in the suburbs of Washington DC. They say it’s one of the best places to meet singles, but clearly, “they” have never tried to date here.

Bertram: What is your problem in the story?

Candace: You see, I have this list. It’s a list of characteristics that I want in my future husband, boyfriend, whatever. My friends think the list is a little restrictive. Come on, it only has 50 qualifications, it’s not like it’s 100 or anything.

Bertram: How do you see yourself?

Candace: I think I’m a cute, funny, blonde chick who just wants to fall in love – with the right guy.

Bertram: How do your friends see you?

Candace: They think I’m a cute, funny, blonde chick who has expectations that are a little bit too high. But they love me, and support me no matter what. Plus, they make me laugh, so bonus!

Bertram: How does the author see you?

Candace: This Carmen Shirkey chick told my story pretty well — THE LIST just won the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Award in the Romance category! She’s a bit judgmental about my List, but she wouldn’t be alone.

Bertram: What in your past would you like to forget?

Candace: Every bad date I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of them. There was the guy who dressed like a That 70’s Show extra and fought medieval battles on the weekend. There was the guy who was in Sex Addicts Anonymous. Then there were the hoards of others that didn’t stand up to my scrutiny.

Bertram: Who was your first love?

Candace: Probably John Taylor, from Duran Duran. I had a Mrs. Taylor t-shirt.

Bertram: Who is your true love?

Candace: See, that’s the problem. I’ve met two men. One gets lots of checks on my “list-mus” test. But then there’s this other guy. He’s my anti-list. He’s a blue-collar bartender, he’s got hair longer than mine, he’s got tattoos – all these are must NOTS on my list. But I’ve fallen for both. Who should I choose?

Bertram: What is your favorite color?

Candace: Blue is my favorite color, because it makes me feel happy. But black, now, black is my favorite color to wear, because it brings out my sexy side. Plus, it makes me look skinnier.

Bertram: What is your favorite food?

Candace: I’m a steak and potatoes girl. My friends can order my steak for me, I’m so predictable. Filet mignon, medium-well (and don’t burn it!), with a baked potato.

Bertram: What is your favorite beverage?

Candace: I like to order Sex on the Beach at my favorite bar, Harlow’s. I like it because it’s sweet, and you can’t taste the alcohol. It’s also a good numbness-inducing drink for enduring bad dates.

Bertram: What is your favorite item of clothing?

Candace: What woman doesn’t love their favorite little black dress? The one that makes you look five pounds slimmer, and makes the boys drool.

Bertram: What is your favorite TV show?

Candace: I wish they’d bring back Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That was a well-written show, and really funny!

Bertram: If you were stranded on a desert island, would you rather be stranded with, a man or a woman?

Candace: Well, if I didn’t have my best friend Monica with me, I’d be terribly bored, and I’m sure I wouldn’t laugh at all. So I’d probably pick her. But once I meet my Mr. Right-for-Me, I don’t know if I could live without him. If you want to know more about me, you can find the information here: http://www.tinyurl.com/buythelist