Books by Jack Phillips Lowe

Michele VanOrt Cozzens is a former journalist with a long history as a reporter, editor, and, newspaper columnist. She has two previous books released "I'm Living Your Dream Life: The Story of a Northwoods Resort Owner," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said." Michele, along with her husband, Mike, and two daughters ,Willow and Camille, owns and operates a family vacation resort in northern Wisconsin where they spend their summers. The family spends the remaining nine months in Tucson, Arizona.

Juanita: Welcome to Reader Views Michele, and thanks for the opportunity to talk with you about your compelling novel "A Line Between Friends." Michele, after writing two nonfiction books, why did you decide to write your first novel?

Michele: Hi Juanita. I appreciate your interest in my work. I'm often asked why I decided to cross over from non-fiction to fiction. The decision was simple. Working as a feature writer, a columnist and editor during my journalism career always required one consistent thing: getting to the truth. Writing fiction allowed me, for the first time, to just make things up! It was a like having a license to lie. And it was alarmingly easy.

Juanita: Why this particular story?

Michele: This story is based on something that happened to me. I had a male friend in college and we had the same major, so we studied together a lot. After graduation we went our separate ways, but stayed in touch mostly through Christmas cards and birthday phone calls. That was it. He got married, I got married, he sent a birth announcement or two, and then I sent a Christmas card when I was pregnant with my first child. And in response I received a really terse letter telling me to stay out of his life. I read it over and over trying to figure out why he wrote it, but it kept coming down to the same thing. He felt our continued correspondence, as innocent and inconsequential as it was (at least to me), was unfair to him and to his wife. Clearly this guy had a different idea about our relationship than I. When I showed the letter to my husband, he explained to me that "guys have a different way of looking at platonic friendships than girls," and that I should probably just let him go. So I did. But it bothered me. It made me feel like I was 'the other woman' or something, and I didn't like that label. This is why I decided to transfer all my feelings onto two made-up characters with different backgrounds yet similar circumstances. I thought if I could solve the puzzle for the two of them, I could answer a few of my own questions as well.

Juanita: Would you tell us about your two main characters Joel Rolland and Noelle Moncada?

Michele: First of all, I am NOT Noelle. She is far prettier (and taller) than I am, and I don't necessarily agree with the assessments she makes of her relationship with Joel. She also walk(ed) in the shadow of a brilliant older sister and lost her father when she was only eight years old. I grew up in a house filled with kids and my father died only recently, at the age of 86. As I was writing the characters I identified a lot more with Joel. Joel was the mystery to me, so I had to get to know him and like him. Ultimately, he's a lot like my best friend, the man who happens to be my husband. My husband was a wonderful consultant—not only because I made Joel a stockbroker and that was my husband's trade, but also, because each time I wrote a "Joel chapter" in first person, I'd read it aloud to my husband and often he'd stop me cold and say things like, "Michele, a guy would never say something like that!" Ultimately, I'd say that both Joel and Noelle are intelligent, yet typical products of a 1970s-80s Midwestern upbringing. I think they both love their spouses and their kids, yet hold a sentimental place for their friendship with one another, and ultimately learn that it's okay to live with those memories.

Juanita: Michele, your book poses the age-old question – Can a man and a woman remain friends after each marries someone else? What happens in "A Line Between Friends"?

Michele: As I've found through the now countless number of discussions I've had since this book was published, there isn't one, definitive answer to this question. This is what makes the topic so interesting to discuss. I believe there are as many answers to this question as there are relationships between men and women. I can say without the slightest doubt that I have a few very good friends who are married men. One of my closest friends in the world is a man, who isn't married, but he's my husband's best friend as well, and we, of course, have never 'crossed the line.' Joel and Noelle do cross the line, although it happened early in their relationship and years passed before Joel sent the letter cutting off all ties. He is ultimately the one who is conflicted about his feelings for Noelle, and has been all along. For these two, I don't think it's possible; however, I still leave it up to the reader to decide.

Juanita: The voices of your two main characters are heard strongly throughout your novel by each chapter alternating first-person accounts. What can you tell us about the strength of this context in revealing the differing male/female perspectives?

Michele: This is a very good question. Because this is the story of Joel and Noelle who each tell the same story of how they met and how their relationship develops, I felt it was important to give them equal time. Men and women tend to have different takes on relationships and I wanted to try and bring out both those takes—if you will—by putting the reader inside the heads of each. I bring in their friends (college roommates, for example) to show how much influence friends have upon our relationships as well.

Juanita: What seems to be the compelling force that has kept these two in contact for so many years?

Michele: I'd like to say it's simply because they like each other . . . but I think we learn that Noelle likes to cling to the one consistent male figure in her life who is more like a fun brother than a patriarchal father or critical boyfriend, and I believe Joel thinks of Noelle as some kind of goddess who is consistently out of his reach. He likes the idea of her more than the woman she actually is.

Juanita: The past plays a big part of your story as both Joel and Noelle reflect back on their relationship. Would you comment on the coming of age aspect of "A Line Between Friends" and the vivid manner in which you transport readers back in time?

Michele: Transporting readers back to the 1970s was a fun trip down memory lane for me. As an aspiring journalist back in high school, I kept journals on everything and was therefore able to not only tap into my memory of foil wall paper, peacock feather and Chianti bottle décor, but also replay the music of Led Zeppelin, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and I remember the apathetic nature many of us developed toward politics by coming of age during Watergate. My first interesting piece in the school newspaper was on Title IX and how the PE teachers felt about incorporating co-ed PE into the curriculum. The differing responses between the male and female teachers made an enormous impression upon me. Let's not forget this was the time when "the Battle of the Sexes" and the competition between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs was front and center in pop culture. I don't think it took intelligent members of our generation very long to figure out that the playing field was fairly equal. I think we learned to have friends of the opposite sex pretty easily.

Juanita: Michele, why do you think it can be so difficult for people to let go of past relationships?

Michele: I'm not sure that I do. When the man I married nearly 18 years ago came into my life, I didn't feel the need to hang onto any of my previous (sexual) relationships. Friendships, however, are another story. As with my male college friend who inspired this story, we had 20 years worth of fond memories, which I simply liked to bring to the front of my mind around the holidays with a greeting card. I wasn't dragging up the "relationship" or trying to make it anything more than it was, but apparently either he was . . . or his wife was . . . and when he asked me to stop all contact, I had to try and respect that.

Juanita: Who or what do you think ultimately defines the "line" between friends?

Michele: Sex. Sleep with someone and the relationship crosses over the line between friends and lovers.

Juanita: Do you think both women and men will enjoy reading "A Line Between Friends"?

Michele: When I work-shopped this book, I had far more male readers/commentators than women. Like my husband, the men enjoyed keeping me in line and helped empower my language and thoughts to be more authentically male. I think this is more Joel's story than Noelle's, and I actually agree more with his conclusions—if that's what you can call them—than I do with Noelle's. So to answer your question, I think both men and women will equally enjoy reading and relating to this story.

Juanita: What were some favorite moments that you experienced writing this story? Was it a different process for you than your other books?

Michele: Each time I finished a draft of a chapter, I called my husband into my office so I could read it aloud to him—especially Joel's chapters, as he was such a big help with the voice. There's one chapter in particular where I closed my eyes and typed while he talked to me. I interviewed him about his first day working at the Chicago Board of Trade. He had fantastic recall, describing sights and sounds, and I gave these all to Joel. Like Joel, his mother died of cancer and I liked hearing him talk about the last days he spent with her at her bedside and how she used to comment on Ryne Sandberg's 'nice ass.' It was difficult for him, but she died before we were married and it allowed me to get to know her and to know more about their relationship.

Writing this novel was a completely different experience than writing the first two books. The first two, a memoir and then a collection of columns/essays, came easily and felt like the kind of writing I'd trained to do and had done professionally for years. Writing fiction, on the other hand, was like spitting in the wind and entirely entertaining. I'm an avid reader of fiction and love to sink my teeth into a good story and get to know vivid characters. With this experience, I got to know Joel and Noelle so well, they became very real to me. Sometimes I'd even dream about them. It was a very powerful thing to be able to send them in various directions and determine their fate.

Juanita: Michele, do you find human nature and relationships a compelling subject? Can we expect more books from you in reflecting these themes?

Michele: Juanita, I find human nature, and relationships in particular, to be THE most compelling subject for writers. Stories about people and relationships between people arise everyday and are an endless source of fascination. Yes, expect more books from me reflecting these themes.

Juanita: How did you find writing in the genre of fiction, an area that hasn't been your professional focus?

Michele: I know my publisher would prefer that I focus on a sequel to my book about the innkeeping business, and I continually hear that non-fiction is easier to sell and to promote. But I need to feel passionate about a book to which I've turned over my life—and make no mistake—when I'm writing a book, I'm living a story inside my head. Even though my husband is very supportive when I'm working on a project (driving the car pool, doing the grocery shopping and making the kids' lunches, etc.), I still have to time it right so that I don't neglect my family completely. My girls (now 12 and 9) won't be these adorable, remarkable ages forever!

Juanita: What great ages! As a mom, and having had a similar experience you wrote about in "A Line Between Friends," what advice will you give to your girls when they get older?

Michele: My girls already know I believe they should be at least 30 years old before they get married (!) They are very lucky to have a dad who is such a wonderful example of what a "good husband" is. We are very affectionate in front of our children, and share all the household chores. We laugh together constantly and honestly, never fight. I think the best way to teach your children anything is through example rather than through advice. My older daughter, Willow, has already shown her ability to make friends with boys. Part of it is because she's very athletic, and can get past a lot of them on the soccer field. Most of her girlfriends are already a bit boy-crazy and they talk about who is "going out" with whom (which cracks me up—I mean, where do sixth graders 'go out?'), yet Willow has yet to have a crush on anyone. I don't think she's met anyone smart enough yet and is holding out for someone like her dad—and by that I mean, someone with the whole package. Camille, on the other hand, has a crush on the cutest boy in class and will turn as red as a Valentine's Day heart if you even mention his name.

Juanita: Do you have any other projects in the works?

Michele: Last year I wrote a rough draft of a novel about a group of women who play the dice game bunco. Did you know that over 750,000 American women play this game? I thought it might make for a ready audience. There's a lot of characters and it needs some polish—and this past year I didn't have time to focus on it. I would like to get back to it, however, because I really fell in love with the characters. They were funny.

I also have a story in the front of my brain that's been pestering me to come out for several years. It's called "Irish Twins," and it's based on two sisters who are less than a year a part. I have an Irish Twin and we are as much alike as we are different. We have each led very interesting lives. It might be a good format to alternate chapters between the two as I did with Joel and Noelle.

Juanita: I understand that you are the founder of a non-profit organization called HerBeware, and that you have donated proceeds from your book sales to this cause. Would you tell us more?

Michele: Yes, thank you for asking about this, as it's a subject close to my heart. HerBeware is a grassroots effort to help educate the public on the potential dangers of non-regulated herbs, particularly those found in dietary supplements. During the editing process of my first book, "I'm Living Your Dream Life," my 20 year old niece suffered a fatal heart attack, which was brought on by the herb ephedra (aka ma huang). I dedicated the book to her and held fund-raising events with book signings, and with the publicity I was required to do, to spread awareness of this subject. I promise you, it was an awkward and difficult thing going around promoting a book about my so-called "dream life," when poor niece had so needlessly just lost her's. I felt much better by using my opportunity in the public eye to help prevent even one more family from going through what we did because they didn't know that ephedra, for example, tests positive for amphetamines. This beautiful young girl thought she was taking a dietary supplement to help her shed a few pounds, and she may as well have been snorting cocaine for the effect it had on her heart! The FDA has since banned ephedra and yet there's still an effort to get it back on the market. I don't spend much time debating herb industry apologists these days (it took over my life for a while) but I do feel we made a valiant effort at getting out the information and cautioning people to not only check labels, but also check with their physicians before simply trusting a label that reads "all natural" and expecting it to mean that it's perfectly safe.

Juanita: Michele, how can readers find out more about you and your books?

Michele: Sandy Point Resort and Disc Golf Ranch, the business I own and operate along with my husband, Mike, has a wonderful website: www.sandypt.com. My author website, which details my books and provides purchasing information is: www.michelecozzens.com. I am represented by Sligo Literary Agency.

Juanita: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today Michele. Your thought-provoking novel will certainly entertain readers, and we appreciate your candid responses. Before we depart, do you have any last thoughts?

Michele: Thanks, Juanita. I'd just like to say that each time I receive a good review, it feels like someone is complimenting one of my children. I'm so grateful to people who take the time to contact me with their comments about my books. But this is something I like to stress to aspiring authors . . . writing is actually the easy part. Selling your books is an entirely different and much more difficult experience. This is why I appreciate you allowing me the opportunity to promote my book. Even if one person reads this interview and finds the topic played out in A Line Between Friends compelling enough to switch over to Amazon.com and buy a copy, we've had time well spent. Now if you have any connections that can get me on Oprah, The Today Show, The View or even Dr. Phil, I'd be eternally grateful. Cheers!

Interview with Michele VanOrt Cozzens


author of A Line Between Friends


McKenna Publishing (2006)


ISBN 1932172262


Reviewed by Vicki Landes for Reader Views (4/07)


Today, Juanita Watson of Reader Views interviews award-winning author Michele VanOrt Cozzens about her new novel "A Line Between Friends."