Spotlight & Giveaway: Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Ellie Palmer to HJ!

Hi Ellie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Four Weekends and a Funeral!

 
HJ! Thank you for having me!
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Four Weekends and a Funeral is my love letter to 90s Rom Com films. It follows Alison, a woman arrives at her ex-boyfriend’s funeral only to discover that no one knows he dumped her. She then agrees to play the part of the grieving girlfriend for the sake of his family and pack up her ex’s apartment. The one thing she never counted on was falling for her ex’s VERY off limits best friend!
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

“When I learn I’m still dating Sam Lewis, I’m at his funeral.”
“We are all present tense in relation to the dead.”
“Is this a Devon Sawa ‘Casper’ scenario?”
“You could never daydream with Sam. Everything was achievable. Everything was within reach. Money, time, or prior commitments were never an excuse for not living your best life.”
“I would never object to being Laura Dern.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• The main character has the BRCA genetic mutation, and the book begins after her preventative mastectomy.
• When the premise of what would become Four Weekends and a Funeral popped into my head, I laughed out loud, and then immediately dismissed the idea as too impossible to write. How could a love story start at an ex-boyfriend’s funeral? It wasn’t until I was recovering from my own preventative mastectomy that the character popped into my head! I knew from the beginning that much of Alison’s journey would be grieving her body and redefining her sense of self, so I started imagining what circumstances would challenge her the most.
• On a winter rewatch of one of my favorite romantic comedies, While You Were Sleeping, the pieces fell into place. In the rom-com classic, Sandra Bullock is mistaken for the fiancé of a coma patient and after spending the holidays with his family falls for his brother, played by Bill Pullman. But it’s because of the bonkers plot that While You Were Sleeping has the breathing room to deftly explore grief, loneliness, and finding love after loss while still managing to make viewers laugh and swoon.
• Even though the circumstances of Alison and Adam’s meet-cute are comically atrocious, their story is ultimately one of joy and self-acceptance. It’s about friendship, family, and believing in your own worthiness—even without nipples!

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

When Adam first meets Alison at his friend Sam’s funeral, he doesn’t know that Sam dumped Alison before he died. Sam is this larger than life character, and so Adam has quite a few assumptions about the type of woman a guy like his friend might date. As they get to know each other, he discovers that he and Alison are a lot more similar than he’d originally thought. Though on the surface, it looks an opposites attract romance, it’s definitely a couple of introverts finding a kindred spirit.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

Any time all of Alison’s friends are together! I love when they’re playing goofing around and it takes everything I have in me to the end their scenes!

“I’m not ‘fake-dating’ . . . ,” I start to argue before accepting defeat, swatting at the mosquito dive-bombing my face. Most summer bugs have died or gone indoors, and only the most stubborn tiny vampires remain. They can feel the cool breeze of winter closing in on them, and the beasts are reckless with nothing to lose.
“‘Fake-dating’ assumes a level of participation on Sam’s part that Al can’t rely on.” Mara high-steps over a swarm of ground hornets crawling along the grass. When I close my eyes, I swear I can feel them creeping up my hiking boots and push down the shudder rising up my back.
Chelsea yanks her eyes away from the majesty of nature. “This won’t interfere with my kids’ holiday concert, right? Half of the parents will be away for travel hockey, and we need bodies. If you bail, send someone else in your place. It’s a one-in, one-out situation.”
“Don’t worry,” I say to ease her mind. “I’ll be there with bells on.”
“I’m ninety percent sure you’re kidding, but please don’t. It’ll really mess with the handbell choir’s Rihanna cover, and Kaylee and Hunter are already holding on to that bridge by a thread.”
I pull a water bottle out of my belt bag. “You gave the children bells?”
“Don’t pretend you’re not intrigued by a ringing rendition of ‘Umbrella.’”

Readers should read this book….

If they’ve ever asked themselves what it really means to live their “best life.” If they’ve ever felt guilty for reading inside when it’s nice out. If they’ve ever needed someone to remind them that they are worthy, just as they are.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I’m working on a romcom set in Minnesota during the summertime.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A print copy of FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL by Ellie Palmer

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Is there a book you’ve always told yourself you “should” read, despite not really wanting to read it? Why? What is it about the “shoulds” in our lives that hold so much power?

 
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Excerpt from Four Weekends and a Funeral:

He turns into the parking lot, and I half expect to have to tuck and roll treacherously from the slow-moving vehicle. Instead, he pulls into a parking space.
“Thanks for the ride. Very quiet driver. Five stars,” I say with a tight nod, but when I climb out of the car, Adam exits too. “Are you coming in?”
“I’m not actually an Uber driver, Alison.” He says it all grumbly, like a sleepy bear.
“It’s an elementary school holiday concert. It’s guaranteed to be terrible.” I feel guilty throwing Chelsea’s students under the bus, but I have to set appropriate expectations.
“I have nothing better to do.” He repeats his argument from the apartment but with a groan for good measure.
“Fine. Hurry up. We’re late.”
Hand-drawn decorations for every holiday from November to New Year’s Day—even Veterans Day—cover the bustling auditorium lobby. A sweet-faced child hands me two programs, and we walk through heavy double doors decked with holly.
“Isn’t it a bit early for a holiday concert?” he asks as we shuffle into a pair of aisle seats.
“This is a science and math magnet school. The primary school has a real holiday concert before the break.”
He accepts the program I pass to him, opening it with a frown. “So this is the first pancake for the concert season?”
“Yes, but with far more enthusiasm and a greater emphasis on animals and conservation.”
Adam surveys the auditorium like he’s scanning for threats. Then he grabs my arm, his voice low and subdued. “Why are children in face paint sitting in the audience? Oh god, they’re going to start in the audience, aren’t they?”
“Probably,” I whisper.
“I hate when they start in the audience. It’s like being trapped in a flash mob. The only good thing about a flash mob is that I can always leave the mall food court. They can’t force me to sit in front of Panda Express while Bruno Mars happens to me.”
I flip through the program. “I don’t see any Bruno Mars on the schedule, so I think you’re good. But there’s a turkey number set to ‘Wobble.’ Want to guess what it’s called?” I turn to Adam, who’s performing an ocular pat-down of the crowd.
“Okay, that kid has glitter. Do you have a hood?” Adam leans in to examine my collar, but I swat him away.
“People are looking at us!”
“Suit yourself. You’re on the aisle. You’ll be finding glitter in your hair for days.”
“Let the kids enjoy their holiday show. You’re being such a grinch.”
“I might have a hat in my truck that you can use for cover.”
“Settle down.” I place my hand on his bouncing knee until it stills. But then I just hold it there for longer than socially appropriate. When I yank it away, we both become very interested in the particulars of the oil-change coupon on the back of the concert program—$25 off the synthetic blend!—my stomach somersaulting from mortification. I finally look up when a young girl steps into the spotlight.
Jaunty piano music plays, and the house lights slowly fade up as the girl, in a tiger leotard, sings the first verse of Katy Perry’s “Roar.” The orange-face-painted children in the audience seats gradually join in, and more voices fill the auditorium as the song builds toward the refrain.
All at once, the kids step over audience members in a chaotic attempt to make it to the aisle for a choreographed dance routine. Since they clearly rehearsed the number in an empty auditorium, the children—trapped between audience members—panic when the familiar lyrics start up.
“This one’s stuck.” Adam nudges me, pointing to the lion next to him. The boy’s costume is caught on an armrest, and we watch the poor kid frantically yank at his shirt.
Adam mutters something to the kid, and he nods his head in response. In one swift movement, Adam grabs the boy by his sides, lifts him over the two of us, and gently plops him down in the aisle. “Thank you,” the lion yells before running off to his position in the dance. I feel a tug under my ribs. Is that my heart? Did that just literally tug at my heartstrings?
This spark of joy is short-lived. I spot plastic baggies poking out of the pockets of children dancing into my personal space, and dread sets in.
“You’re right,” I tell Adam, my voice absorbed by noise. “They’re definitely going to throw glitter on us.”
“Can we leave?”
“Nope.”
He inhales sharply, accepting our shimmery fate. “Their dancing is blocking the exits anyhow.”
I paste on a demented grin. “Just smile at the children and prepare to be glittered.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

ABOUT FOUR WEEKENDS AND A FUNERAL
“A cozy affirmation for introverts and homebodies about loss, love, and being enough.” —Abby Jimenez, author of Yours Truly

She found the right guy at the dead wrong time . . .

When thirty-year-old post-double-mastectomy BRCA1 carrier and reluctant thrill-seeker Alison Mullally arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral to discover that no one knows he dumped her, she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family. Little did she know this meant packing up Sam’s apartment with his prickly best friend, Adam Berg. After all, it’ll only take four weekends . . .

But Adam doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. Forced to spend long hours with the grump and his monosyllabic demeanor, Alison decides to put her people-pleasing abilities to the test. She will make him like her. And after awkward family affairs and packing up dilemmas, the two form a tenuous friendship . . . if “friendship” means incredible chemistry and sexual tension. Can Alison come clean and finally embrace the life and love she’s always wanted? Or will her little white lie get in the way of her new, unexpected romance?
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Meet the Author:

Ellie Palmer is the author of Four Weekends and a Funeral and a prototypical Midwesterner who routinely apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them. When she’s not writing romantic comedies featuring delightfully messy characters, she’s at home in Minnesota, eating breakfast food, watching too much reality television, and triple texting her husband about their son.
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