Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke are best friends who write bestselling books together. How wonderful is that? (I confess I have to suppress some jealousy over the fun they must be having together.) Their latest novel, THE YEAR WE TURNED FORTY, debuts April 26, and asks: “If you could repeat one year of your life, what would you do differently?” They manage to capture the human yearning, regret, humor and optimism, all in one “uniquely magical and deeply real” novel. Meet Liz and Lisa:

What have you learned from parenting, or from your own parents, that you bring to your work as a writer or to life in general?

Liz: I’ve learned that sometimes bad things happen for a reason—you may not be able to have perspective at the time, but later you’ll see that it led you down the path you were meant to be on. It’s important not to let regret rule your life.

Lisa: Parenting is like one long ride on a rollercoaster. I’ve learned that there are ups and downs, steep climbs and long easy plateaus. And being a writer is exactly the same thing. Not to say I’m an expert by any means. I’m a “WIP” (work in progress) in both areas.

Where do you write? What do you love about it?

Liz: I write in my office, which I recently remodeled. (I have doors on it, finally!) Anyway, it’s eclectic and romantic and I feel so thankful it’s all mine.

Lisa: I have a loft that you get to by pushing on a “secret” door in the wall. (My five-year-old daughter just found out about it six months ago!) I climb a ladder and I’m at the highest point in our home, looking out several windows. I love the solitude. I love the secrecy. I love the way I have it decorated, with all of my favorite things. I love that it’s mine, all mine!

If you had a motto, what would it be?

Liz: Make sure to fail forward in life. (Meaning: learn from your mistakes and take feedback to get better!)

Lisa: Let it go! (This is something I’m constantly working on!)

Who inspires you?

Liz: My mom inspires me to always help people and be kind.

Lisa: My daughter. She’s at that age where she’s constantly discovering. Looking around her and realizing there’s a huge world out there and wanting to know what’s in it. I love that she notices the beauty around her. That she is never in a rush. That she lives in the moment.

What are you reading now, and/or what book do you recommend?

Liz: I recently read I’ll See You in Paris by Michelle Gable—a charming story set in England and Paris. A must read!

Lisa: I just read The Passenger by Lisa Lutz and Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica. Both were excellent thrillers that had me frantically turning the pages so I could find out what happened next! And I’m currently reading Luck, Love and Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert. It’s absolutely delicious. Pun intended!

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Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over twenty years and are the co-authors of the forthcoming THE YEAR WE TURNED FORTY, out April 26th, as well as THE STATUS OF ALL THINGS and YOUR PERFECT LIFE. You can keep up with their writing antics at @lisandliz on Instagram. And for upcoming book events, go to Lizandlisa.com.

The Year We Turned Forty on Amazon and Indiebound

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