Please welcome Jennifer Manske Fenske, author of The Wide Smiles of Girl. Jennifer will be chatting on LibraryThing until June 26th.

Good morning! I am happy to kick off my author chat today. A little about me: I live in Colorado, am a wife and mother to two little girls and love gardening. My new novel, The Wide Smiles of Girls, just came out May 26 (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press.)

In the book, Langdon Island, South Carolina, is a very strong touchstone for the characters. As I wrote, I thought of my love of the South (I was raised there) and the very evocative sensations of heat and humidity.

Good morning! Against all odds (I work full time, mother two little ones and have a husband plus friends and hobbies as we all do), today on the way to work, an idea for a new book popped into my head. I groaned...but jotted down the thought anyway.

Do you keep a journal of story/book/poetry ideas?

I'm journaling a lot these days. My fave journal at present is a New Leaf recycled paper journal (black). It's perfectly small and fits easily in my Sherpani purse.

The Wide Smiles of Girls
May 2009