Interview with Jeffrey Mechling, Author of The Adults in the Room

What can you tell us about your new release, The Adults in the Room?

Tim Hall is a former CIA case officer whose career has been cut short due to a traffic accident. An accident that also took the life of his wife Pam. He has been diagnosed with retrograde amnesia which is a condition where the patient is unable to remember a period of time before the accident occurred. This condition really does exist and is often related to traumatic accidents. Tim relocates to the City of Baltimore in order to be close to where he is being treated for his amnesia. Now retired, Tim spends much of his time hanging out at his favorite bar The Blue Goose where he is attracted to the owner and bartender, Mary Ann Layback. Desperate to recover his memory, he agrees to travel to the Dominican Republic to participate in a stem cell trial. Suddenly, people who know about Tim’s past begin to surface but why? That really all I can tell you without giving too much away.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

Several friends over the years have suggested that I begin writing but it was my younger sister who finally convinced me.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

A hard question to answer but these five have been on my mind lately

· The Catcher in the Rye-The first time I read the F word in any book. I was amazed.

· The Lord of Flies-Yes, left to their own devices, kid really will do things like this (I attended boarding school)

· Great Expectations-My first love story that I loved and yes, Dickens should have kept the original ending

· The Risk Pool or anything else by Richard Russo.-Yes, deadbeat dads have feelings too!

· In the Midst of Winter by Isabell Allende-I am simply amazed how Allende navigates the two separate worlds of Brooklyn and Guatemala . She is a true genius.

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Another hard question since most of the authors I love are gone. I guess I would like to interview John Grisham and ask how he writes basically the same book however he might not like that question. There are a lot of other authors who seem to do that.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

Exploring my own mind.

What is a typical day like for you?

Well it depends because I do several different things but I as I go about my day, I am constantly planning or thinking what to write. That is the fun part.

What scene in The Adults in the Room was your favorite to write?

The climax at the end of the book. It took me over two weeks to think it out and my heart rate increased as I wrote. It was truly a unique experience.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Yes. Write from your heart.

Jeffrey Mechling is the author of the new book The Adults in the Room.

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