July 1, 2025 • 49 mins
Ever wonder what happens when you combine Southern charm, culinary expertise, and literary talent into one dynamic personality? Meet Victoria Benton Frank, the daughter of beloved bestselling novelist Dorothea Benton Frank, who has found her own voice in the literary world after living what she calls "eight lives already."
From the moment Victoria begins speaking, her magnetic energy fills the room. Self described as "Southern on the inside and Northern on the outside," she effortlessly blends "y'all" and "schlep" into conversations that bounce between laugh-out-loud funny and profoundly touching. After careers as a dancer, actress, playwright, and chef, Victoria has found her true calling as a novelist – continuing a family legacy while blazing her own distinct path.
Her debut novel "My Magnolia Summer" draws inspiration from her great grandmother's restaurant, "The Magic Lantern," which operated on Folly Road in the 1920s and 30s. Victoria reveals how Sullivan's Island serves as the beating heart of her stories, explaining that "setting is really your protagonist." When discussing her second novel "The Violet Hour" (releasing August 12th), she shares how grief and self-discovery shaped this continuation of her first book's universe, providing readers both connection and fresh perspectives.
What truly sets Victoria apart is her refreshing transparency about the writing business. She candidly discusses the advantages of her literary pedigree while emphasizing that "no one gives you anything for free in New York." Her all female team reflects her commitment to supporting working mothers, and her approach to negative criticism is memorably straightforward: "Don't take criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from." Between managing two young children, a chef husband, and her writing career, Victoria grabs creative moments whenever possible – sometimes writing at 6 AM, sometimes in voice memos between school pickups.
Pre-order "The Violet Hour" now through your favorite independent bookstore! And follow Victoria on Instagram (@victoriabentonfrank) to keep up with her book tour dates and get a glimpse into the life of a writer who's mastering the art of reinvention with every page she writes.
Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions
Production Sponsor: RMBO.co
Design Sponsor: DK Design
Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Immediate Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre
Mike Compton | Co-host | Marketing Chair | RMBO.co
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | Social ABCs
Ben Nesvold | Co-host | In-coming President | Edward Jones
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Well, hello and welcome to the Building Business
Podcast powered by the MountPleasant Chamber of Commerce.
We are recording in theCharleston Media Solutions
Studios, who are huge supportersof the Mount Pleasant Chamber
of Commerce, so thank you forallowing us to record here today
.
We also want to thank oursponsor, dk Designs.
(00:21):
Dk Designs does so manydifferent things for the chamber
, including logos, does greatwork.
Check him out if you're lookingfor a new designer and need
some creative assistance.
My name is Kathy Herman and Iam the immediate past president
of the Mount Pleasant Chamber ofCommerce and I'm the marketing
director for Mount Pleasant TownCenter.
(00:41):
I'm joined today by and I saythis every time my favorite
co-host, favorite.
You can go and look.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I say that every time , maybe special sometimes.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, mike Compton, who is president of Roomba
Advertising and the currentmarketing committee chair for
the chamber.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
That's it.
Welcome Mike.
Hey, good to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Super excited about today's guest, by the way, I
don't even know, are you?
Okay, you kind of did a littlebit of no, I'm a little nervous
fangirled out and I am becauseof me, because of you yes, no,
no, no.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Who's that?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
well, you know listen , there's nothing wrong with
fanning, okay.
Well, because you'll find out.
I'm like the biggest nerdist.
I read constantly I wouldrather read to do anything else,
almost anything else in theworld.
So I'm a big book nerd.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when I get to sit this close to an author, Anyway,
let me tell you who we've gothere today, the lineage and the
whole thing, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Our guest today if you can tell already she's an
author was born in New York City.
I'm from Long Island too.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Perfect, so that's why we're going to be friends.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Raised in Montclair, new Jersey.
I have friends in Montclair,new Jersey but considers herself
to have dual residency in thelow country, and you deserve
that for sure.
She's a graduate of the Collegeof Charleston and this always
blows my mind.
We have to talk about this theFrench Culinary Institute how
you go from cooking to writing.
Victoria worked in restaurantsin New York before returning to
(02:07):
Charleston where she calls homewith her husband, her two kids
and her sweet puppy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Now I have two puppies, two puppies, sweet
puppies.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Loretta and Lady.
Loretta and Lady.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
When she isn't writing, she's reading, cooking,
playing Mahjong or chasing herchildren.
Everyone listening today.
I am so excited.
Like mike said, I'm a fan girl.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Please welcome victoria benton frank thank you
for having me the radio stationwas buzzing today, oh coming in
there people were standingoutside lined up waiting for
listen victoria no, but theywere though.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
No, they were not we not the one lady.
No, I mean, I don't know.
I just threw a Diet Coke or abottle of water.
It's hot out there.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I don't know if we've ever had people standing
outside the conference room witha book.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
That's my point.
Oh, you guys are going to makeme blush.
That's my point.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So if there's anyone listening who does not know who
Victoria Benton Frank is, I'mgoing to let her do a brief
introduction, oh God, and thenwe will take it from there.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
You know, this always makes me nervous when people
ask me to introduce myself,because I'm always like please
just introduce me, because Idon't know what to say.
I think I'm sort of like a cat.
I've lived like eight livesalready.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And this is my ninth swing at it, cat, I've lived
like eight lives already andthis is my ninth swing at it.
But I'm a mom, a wife and awriter, and I'm a dreamer and a
cook and I like to design thingsand make things and I'm an
artist.
So I think, with being anartist, you are always finding a
new medium in which to expressyourself.
And when I first started out, Iwas a dancer, and then I was an
actress, and then I was aplaywright and then and then I
(03:44):
was a chef and now I'm a writer.
I guess, um, and this one isfeels like home, so that's who I
am.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's very exciting and, of course, let's let's um.
Let's talk about your mom for asecond, which is where the name
might become familiar to someof you um Dorothea Benton Frank.
I mean best-selling, incredibleand internationally
best-selling novelist, um, who Iunderstand was born and raised
in sullivan's island correctfrom sullivan's island, um, and
(04:14):
so of course she passed away andyou know.
Rest in peace and um.
We're really sorry about that,but boy, did you get her talent?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
oh god, I hope Just a fingernail of it would be great
.
I mean, she's the best, she wasincredible.
But I think when you grow up asan Irish Catholic, especially a
Southern Irish Catholic, likewe did I'm Episcopalian now, but
I was You're a naturalstoryteller, you know.
So storytelling is somethingthat is how we communicate, I
(04:45):
mean, and it's all around thetable, so that's sort of where
that food comes in and and um.
I don't know if I got hertalent, but I did get her her
love of telling a good story andentertaining.
So, but I'm glad you feel thatway I do.
I hope other people with cashflow positive credit cards feel
that way 20 novels, 20 plusnovels 20 novels in a children's
book with me that was my nextquestion.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Is the children's book what?
Was it like uh, collaborating.
And how old were you when youdid that?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
so that was um, oh god, that was a while.
That was what I gave birth 2017so whatever that math is.
I'm 40 this year, so subtract,but um math, yeah, I don't do
that.
I've been, I've moved on you'rean author.
Yeah, I don't.
I don't math, I'm creative.
Um, so the only thing I knowabout numbers is how to make
them and spend them.
Um, so my uh mother and I were.
(05:33):
She was taking care of my sonwhen he was born with me, which
is a generous thing.
She was more like standingaround, like how do you know how
to do all this stuff?
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I'm like I don't know mom's youtube um.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
But so she was just like how are you?
And I was nursing my son aroundthe clock like that child was
like a linebacker.
He, he ate like I can't even Imean it was, I would sit on the
couch and I'd be like I'mtrapped and my mom's like you've
been on there for two hours,I'm like he's still eating, yeah
, like constant, constant eating, and I was starting to kind of
lose my mind.
Um, and she was like and Icalled him teddy spaghetti
(06:05):
because I married an italian, soI thought he was like my
italian baby, my pasta baby, um,and he's teddy spaghetti, and
my mom's like that sounds like achildren's book and I was like
it does wow, light bulb yeah,and within two weeks we had uh
so you're breastfeeding andwriting this book, like because
you're sitting there, you mightas well do something else, right
, you have still.
You start to get crazy becauseall you're doing you're just
(06:27):
like a cow.
I felt like a dairy heifer.
I remember my wife.
It was awful, oh God, yeah, shehad both on them.
She's a saint.
She's a Catholic.
She's a saint now.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
But I love that what was it like, though, writing
with her and collaborating withher Easy yeah, really easy
Sounds like it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
My mom and I always joke we're the tightest mother
and daughter in the world untilwe started working together, and
then that was our strongestrelationship, and I think it's
because which is odd, you know,and not normal for parents to
work so well with their children.
But I just picked up where sheleft off and the opposite.
You know, we just sort ofanticipated each other's needs.
And what do you think?
What do you think?
(07:06):
And I think the magic of mymother is that she met everybody
right at their level.
She never made you feel likeshe was bigger or better or
smarter or whatever which shewas.
She was definitely bigger andbetter and smarter and more
wonderful than all of us, butshe made you feel like you're at
the same level.
And so she always encouraged meto write, and I had been
writing my first novel, myMagnolia Summer, for a while,
(07:29):
and so I think this was her wayof showing me that I could do it
.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Now is this what brought you back to the low
country permanently from NewYork?
Like what was the what broughtyou back?
So I went to College ofCharleston.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Okay and I met my husband in culinary school and
we worked for his parents at arestaurant up in Connecticut and
that was not like theexperience I had with my mom.
It was not so positive.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
No.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
And I was just like I'm done and I'm going.
I was like kind of traumatizedand I was like I'm moving back
to South Carolina and you cancome with me.
I want you to, but I understand.
He's the firstborn Italian soninto a Catholic immigrant
Italian family.
Like he wasn't going to followme, there was no way.
And then he did.
He said break the lease, I'mcoming.
(08:12):
And so then I came back and ofcourse you know they live now.
Now we moved again, but theylived across the street.
Oh, that's a lot.
You got far away.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, it was kind of crazy but they're, they're
wonderful people.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
We.
You know that was in the past,but yeah.
So I wanted to return home andI always felt like South
Carolina was my home.
Even living up north, I think Iwas always like a displaced
person, because I'm so likeSouthern on the inside and I'm
Northern on the outside, Likeyou don't really know where I
come from, because I say y'alland schlep and both are organic
to me and those are twofantastic words by the way?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yes, they are.
We love our words.
What is it about Mount Pleasantand Charleston that you think
people love, Like you said you?
Know this is your second home,but what is it and you're
writing about?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
these.
Yeah, I mean, I think it's alot of things.
First of all, certainlyspeaking from my work, I think
that setting is really yourprotagonist, so I think the main
character of your story isalways the setting.
I think there's somethingspecial about Charleston that is
just intoxicating, and I alsothink everyone wants to be
Southern.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
I heard you say that before.
I wanted you to dive into thata little bit, what do?
You mean I'm from Detroit, Idon't want to be.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Southern.
Where do you live?
Shit Right you live here.
My grandmother is from Detroit.
She recently passed away.
She was 102.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh okay so.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Dearborn is where.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Sure suburbia, detroit.
I'm not downtown 8 Mile oranything like that, not like
Eminem, yeah, I love, love,people from Michigan, it's like
there's a kismet thing.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
But I think everybody does want to be Southern,
because we sort of and you canactually see it not just with
Americaica, but even like initaly, if you look at southern
italians, we are louder and morefun and we're, you know,
gregarious, and we eat verysimilar foods.
We um focus on family andsunshine, and I think that it's
the vitamin d that we get fromthe sun that just makes us
happier so true, and we want tobe in gray new york.
No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, y'all are a bunch of like transplants too
right long island and detroit.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
We're all communists, we're over it yeah, we don't
want to shovel snow.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
I'd rather be hot and put on the air conditioner I
agree, yeah, I agree, I don'twork, I don't work outside, so I
could go from my car to myoffice, my office, my house.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, I'm not doing anything outside except for like
going inside walking my dog soin your books?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
yeah, are, are you, are we on?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
so I haven't read it yet, cliff Notes You're a dude.
It's not my target demographic.
I get it, it's okay.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Your wife's going to love it, mike, your wife's going
to love it.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Let's see how well you pick up with questions that
you have.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Well, Mahjong's talk will come later.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, that's in the second book.
We will talk about the new booktoo, for mahjong.
Oh, my god, it's the best.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Oh, they're loving it , I love it yeah, um, but so so
the locations on sullivan'sisland.
Are you writing aboutsullivan's island?
Speaker 3 (10:50):
that's really cool always okay, that is the center
of my universe, so talk about it, that's well, that was my mom,
so this is the most ironic thingever so.
My mother, when her motherpassed away, um decided to write
a book about her childhood,which was sullivan Island.
Her first book that came out in, I think, 98 or 99.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Wait, wait, wait.
Her book was called Sullivan'sIsland.
Mm-hmm, that's her first bookand it's great.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
And it sold over a million copies and just went
gangbusters.
It was a paperback and it wasat the time, back in the 90 up.
I think it was a DanielleSteele novel which was romance
and we don't write romance.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I recognize that name .
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, we know her a little bit.
There's a couple books she soldand she picked it up and she
goes what does this woman havethat I don't have?
Why can't she do it and I can't?
Which is, of course, that'sDottie's like, mo she's like.
And so she decided to tell herstory.
And I think at the core of allof our writing and all of our
books is you write what you knowand you write a book that
(11:49):
someone would want to read.
And so she romanticizedSullivan's Island even more so
when her mother passed and shewanted to buy back the family
house.
And my dad was like, if youthink I'm going to sit on a
porch with a bunch of bubba'stelling the same damn story over
and over, shucking peanuts anddrinking, it's not happening.
She goes well, screw you, I'mgonna write a book, I'm gonna
sell a million copies and I'llbuy mama's house back she did.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Oh my gosh, so then?
Speaker 3 (12:13):
I decided to write um .
I started my novel when she wasstill living, um, and her last
words to me were finish yourbook, please, um.
So I did, but I wrote it and Ifinished it after she died.
And then my second book is alot of the trends that go
through it, and themes aredealing with grief and realizing
that your parents are actuallyhuman they're not just mom and
(12:33):
dad.
So it's sort of how you dealwith curveballs.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
A hundred percent.
Speaking of humans, real quick.
What about dad?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
What about dad?
What about dad?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
What does dad do she?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
asked my therapist.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
She could tell you a lot about daddy issues.
He's phenomenal, he's awonderful human and we have
become so much closer.
We actually joke that the onlygood thing that came out of my
mom passing is that it gave us achance to be besties.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
And I'm very close with my dad and he lives locally
Sullivan's Island.
And what did he do?
Finance, finance.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
And he island.
Yeah, and what did he do?
He um finance, finance and heum he did a lot of things.
Yeah, yeah, looking for a guyin finance he's not six five,
but he does have blue eyes buthe's 78 and he's off the market
um so ladies.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Yeah, unfortunately, um, but he's, yeah, he's, he's a
great guy.
We have dinner once a week and,man, no one tells me the truth
like he does.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
So I bet you need someone like that in your life
and you know it.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah, oh I have two children and a husband that do
that too.
Don't worry, it's a humble pieevery day for breakfast how old
are the kids?
Seven and five, but they'rereally like.
My son is a 90 year old man andmy daughter is 16 she's a
living she is a living disneyprincess, though like literally
if you come over my house.
She's singing and she's on hertiptoes she starts today's
rapunzel.
(13:44):
She ends the cinderella andevery princess in between.
Oh my gosh, she's amazing she'sdelicious.
They're the best kids I'm lucky.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, you're in the middle of it.
I am, yeah, seven.
I got two nine-year-olds.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Oh, that's wonderful.
You have twins, boys or girlsboys man, nine-year-old boys
lucked out.
Yeah, how's the house clean?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
immaculate, yeah, right what do you mean I you?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
mean no blood.
I was like I can't believe youdrive a minivan.
I'm like I can't drive anythingelse.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Minivans are great.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
They're the best invention ever I don't drive one
anymore, but I like it, but isa 16-year-old driving now, then
no, she's not 16.
She's five.
No, she's going.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
16 year old child teen pregnancy no, I had my
children in my 30s, which Ithink is really smart.
I like that too because I thinkif I had done it in my 20s I
would have been really freakedout and instead I had a sense of
humor about it yeah, we'reready for it, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I don't know if I was ready for it, but I handled it
as the man I guess it's a littledifferent friends all the time.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I'm like I'm yelling at my kids.
I'm like you can ask yourfather sitting over there with
his useless nipples Like come on, go ask him.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
He's right there.
Oh my God, that's the worst youcan't milk a cat fucker.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Exactly.
I love when people are like I'ma dog mom.
I'm like, oh, you breastfed fornine months, 24?
.
You're worried about a collegefund?
Get the hell out of here mykids, kids.
It cracks me up, though, likewhen I lock myself in the office
, that my daughter will slide umthings.
She wants me to open snacksunder the door.
And I'm like again, dad's rightthere and like he's on duty
because mommy's writing like Igotta go, I gotta keep the
starship afloat, what are youdoing?
(15:14):
And like a little granola bar.
And she goes mommy, can youopen this?
I'm like son of a.
Yes, I can that's mommy.
That is the cutest thing I tell,I tell my doctor, my OBGYN, I
was like I'm a little mad.
The last C-section I wasalready under the knife.
Why didn't you just attach acouple arms?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
It could have been an octopus, it would have helped
me I can do it all Write morebooks, different type of octomom
yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I have two food questions.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
All right, so cooking in the house me.
Does he ever cook?
Speaker 2 (15:42):
yes, okay is he still at a restaurant?
He's working.
Yeah, he's at a restaurant.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, he works at park and grove.
He's the executive chef thereand it's phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
If you haven't been, there you go, happy hour gotta
go yeah nice kathy loves herhappy hours I love, I love
brunch and food, I mean I loveyes
Speaker 3 (15:58):
just food same, drinking and eating is the core
of my everything.
Um, and I also have a theorythat happy hour was invented by
a mom, because at five o'clockit also coincides with the
witching hour I'm like mommyneeds a drink, like I should
start a podcast called mommyneeds a drink no, the witching
hour right they're like.
That's a truth and it stillhappens when they get older.
I thought that they would growout of it, but they just like
(16:18):
crash after their days at schooloh and they're just like done
and I'm like okay, the witchinghour is upon us.
The kids are acting crazy.
It was like time to pop thekids that are acting crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
I thought it was the mom, sorry I just, but that's
after they go to bed.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
After I've had 48 glasses of wine, yeah copy that
but so, yes, carmine, my husband, who is a saint, um he works at
park and grove hi carm um, heprobably won't even listen, he's
like he's the most likeintroverted anyway.
Um, he has changed the menu overat park and grove and one thing
that I'm very proud of him andhe's very proud of is he's put
(16:51):
handmade pastas, so everything'shouse made in that in there.
Now nothing is boughtexternally, um, and he makes his
own sauces and his pastas fromscratch, and they're all family
recipes are really good that'samazing yeah, yeah, you got a
bolognese with.
Yeah, you got it Bolognese withgnocchi.
Sign me up.
Just don't call it gnocchi.
Just don't call it gnocchi.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Yeah, I'll be so mad I'm going back to my Magnolia.
Summer, just for one secondbecause I read this one.
No it's not really work.
So if you haven't read it, myMagnolia Summer an amazing novel
, especially a Was that based ona real place in Sullivan Island
(17:30):
.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Yeah, so my great-grandmother had a
restaurant called the MagicLantern.
That was actually on.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Folly Road.
Wait, so that part of it wasreal.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, See I love this .
It was a fried chickenrestaurant on Folly Road in the
20s and the 30s and she used tosell blue plates.
So for like 25 cents you'd geta protein, two starches and a
vegetable and a glass of sweettea, and it was the first place
in South Carolina to have a sodafountain.
And so when I went to culinaryschool I was like, oh, it's in
(18:02):
the blood.
So I always felt very drawn tothat and then I wrote the book
because I wanted to write againa book I wanted to read and I
was very inspired by, like Steel, magnolias, yaya, sisterhood,
you know, and I'd read all thosebooks.
So when I went to barnes andnoble looking for a book that
was it was, there wasn't any.
And I was like, well, and notonly that, there's nobody who's
like late 20s, early 30s, who'sdoing this.
And god, I love amulti-generational story and of
course I'm going to center itaround food, because I am always
(18:23):
hungry I'm hungry right now,even taking ozempic.
I'm still really hungry umthat's a crazy story like uh
process wise though, yeah, how,and with the kids good question
working husband and and twonovels now I think um the fear
of going broke really motivatesme sure, sure um and deadlines
(18:47):
and angry people really motivateme.
So, um no, I think I grab itwhen I can.
You know, I mean, I think if Iwas to sit here and be like, yes
, my process is, it's never thesame every day, because every
day is different, you know, as aparent like I try to schedule
my week.
So monday is like my admin day,that's when I'm like ceo of the
family and I do all the stupidemails and birthday party rsvps
(19:07):
and yada, yada.
And then tuesday I try to write10 to 2.
So I try to get four focusedwriting hours a day.
That never happens.
Um, it's usually like Iprocrastinate and then right
around two o'clock I know that Ihave to go get my kids in an
hour and a half so I get a tonof work done in an hour exactly.
I just like fire it out.
You know it's it's pressure,but then again on the flip side,
(19:27):
if my kid somebody has an earinfection or whatever.
I'm writing in the middle ofthe night, I'm writing 6 am.
I'm writing in my head, I'mvoice memo, I do whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
I can Voice memo.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, but I always hate how I sound, so I can't
listen to it.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
It makes me sick.
Transcribe it right off, haveyou?
Speaker 3 (19:42):
ever experienced writer's block?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
That's my question, of course.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yeah.
So you just go like this and gocome on, come on.
I think I mean, the thingthat's worked for me with
writer's block is that it'susually because I'm uninspired
of what I'm writing or it'sfeeling like really robotic or
just mechanical, and I don'tlike that.
So I usually get up and Ichange my space, Like I'll go
for a walk or I'll read.
I'll read another book that hasnothing to do with my genre.
And that usually sparks mycreativity and I go, and I go
(20:17):
back.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Now I have not, we're going to talk about the second
book, which I cannot wait toread.
So thank you for that.
But when, um I I attended your,my magnolia summer book signing
, um at Buxton books, I think itwas last year yeah, um, I had
the greatest time and you weredoing a little Q&A yeah and um.
My memory's not good becauseI'm old.
Just correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Same.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
I have nothing left in my drive.
The end of my Magnolia Summer,kind of, is open right to be
able to write about thosecharacters and continue.
I have not read the Violet Hour.
Are there any of the samecharacters?
Speaker 3 (20:48):
in it, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
It picks up where the other book.
Oh now I'm gonna go because I'mgonna have to go start reading
this book right now.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah, it's uh.
Violet is the sister, so it's asister story.
But it's a standalone novel onits own, because one I hopped
publishing houses um and so Ididn't want to bring too much of
my last into this one.
But at the same time women aretheir own stories.
We're all our own standalonebooks, like I'm definitely my
mother's daughter first, but asyou get older you realize you're
yourself, and so I wanted togive Violet the same sort of
(21:18):
space, and so I was writing herand it was supposed to be only
Violet's story.
But then I was inspired towrite another woman's voice.
Her name is Allie and sherecently lost her mother and she
is an influencer and her motherwas a big influencer.
So she's stepping in her role,and I didn't really mean to
(21:39):
write so autobiographical, butthat's what happens, it's just.
You know it was like booksshouldn't be therapy.
I'm like what the hell?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
are they?
Well, they're therapy when Iread them, so why shouldn't they
be therapy when you write them?
Speaker 3 (21:46):
I think that's what artists do we?
We try to write authentic work,and if I had written something
that was entirely fiction, Ithink it would not read true to
the audience.
I think my readers would bedisappointed.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Well, I can honestly say, I think that if I picked up
the book and you were talkingabout being on the 35th floor of
the Tokyo Hotel, whatever itmight be, I'd be like that's not
Victoria, that's not her.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Well, the other thing is, too is, like you know, um,
mostly positive, positive.
I've inherited an audience frommy mother, um, and so I think
the expectation of me is towrite southern fiction, beach
reads, which I would be soblessed and happy to do for the
rest of my life.
Um, sometimes I think aboutwriting something else just to
shake it up, but I always findmyself going back to Charleston
(22:32):
anyway, and I think that, again,like my books are touchstones
to where I'm at in my life atthe time, and I think I'm always
going to be in Charleston, Ican't imagine living anywhere
else.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Well, you know what?
And if it comes to you, thoughsome great idea in the middle of
the night, after a coupleglasses of wine, you're like I
want to be a CEO, or whatever itmight be.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
We're open for it.
Victoria, I can write about it.
That's the nice thing aboutbeing a writer is, if I decide
to change my career, I justwrite about it.
What if I want to be aveterinarian?
That's the product I can decide.
I'm writing a book about a vet.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
I love that Write about what you know, what
happened?
Acting With acting, yeah, whathappened with?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
acting, I went broke.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, that's what happens.
Yeah, that's what happens.
Starving artist.
I was a starving artist.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Didn't reflect in my dress size, but I was starving
financially.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
So then you decided to cook.
Then I decided to cook.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
You're like, I'm not going to be starving anymore.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Well.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
I went and I decided to.
I love how food can tell astory and you can know a lot
about somebody by eating a platethat they make.
You know you can tell cultureand upbringing and geographical
location and it tells so muchabout who the person is Like.
I know when you eat somethingthat's really good, you're like
man.
It has a lot of soul in this.
It's because I feel like theyput their love into the dish.
(23:49):
So I was always fascinated withthat and also restaurant
culture.
I love restaurant culture.
It's so fun.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I'm glad I don't do it anymore.
I bartended and did all that.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I was the best waitress the Rossin Cafe ever
had, I'm telling you right now,I'm sure of it.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Great tips Everybody needs to have some sort of
service industry background, mychildren are required to work
six months.
They're required.
You have to sign contracts,blood contracts.
They're five and seven yearsold.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yes, and one of them will be waiting tables and then
they'll work in a fitting room.
I worked for anthropology foryears and I'm telling you, you
will see the whole scope of thehuman population, okay, in a
fitting room and also in arestaurant.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I agree 100% yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
It's important.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Yeah, important, yeah , for sure.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I almost wanted them to work at my in-laws'
restaurant and then not pay themand be like this is voluntary,
that's even better.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I want to talk about business for a second because,
we are the Building BusinessPodcast.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Let's talk about biz.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I could talk about your books forever, but
obviously the majority of thepeople who are listening to our
podcasts are business owners,and so what you have created is
not just a book.
You've created a business.
You're a business.
Yes, absolutely You're abusiness.
So how did it feel when youwere starting?
(25:01):
Were you scared?
Like?
You are a business name now,and so I was hoping you can give
some advice to perhaps someoneout there that might either be
starting a business or lookingto market their business.
You can give some advice toperhaps someone out there that
might either be starting abusiness or looking to market
their business, or you know thatwould be any kind of insight to
kind of changing it all foryourself right.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Yeah, I think the most important thing is to stay
true to your original missionand to stay true to yourself and
to tell yourself the truth, andalso to surround yourself with
people that you trust, and,unfortunately, a lot of that is
just like learning through badand good or whatever.
Do I need water?
Thank you.
I'm running my mouth, I need tohydrate, that's quite all right
, so thank you, but I do thinkthat's what happens.
(25:45):
I think you learn throughexperience who to trust and who
your people are, but you try tosurround yourself.
I'm very fortunate.
I work with all females, whichis wonderful.
Everyone on my team is a womanand almost all of them are
mothers, and so we kind of getit.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Is that on purpose?
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah, it's on purpose .
It's definitely on purpose,although I think it's nice to
have the perspective of men.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That's nice of you to say.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I'll throw you a bone .
You can just give Mike a call.
Okay, I'll give you a call.
Mike will give you the honestanswer.
He didn't read the book so Ican't.
Yeah, he'll read it now.
I'll tell you.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
No, it's yeah karma.
You know, my husband doesn'tdoesn't go to accident and on
purpose.
Working with people, that isnot.
I mean, I don't think all menshould work with men and all
women should work with women butin my case, um, especially
because the brand of my businessuh, the low country tales what
(26:39):
we are are.
We are all women trying torecarve and reincarnate
ourselves through the times thatlife gives you and the
curveballs, and so I wanted tosurround myself with a team of
women who have been through somestuff, so not only do they
identify with my work, but theyidentify with me, which is
almost the same thing.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I love that.
That's a great story.
I love it.
Oh thanks, yeah, reinventingyourself, you know you have to
that's it.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And then also I get when your mom started, there was
no social media or Facebook orany of that right.
So you, as a new author, arechallenged because I hate social
media so I use that wordchallenge with utilizing this
medium and it could be hurtful.
I mean when people say badthings and again, I work at Town
(27:24):
Center and some of the thingsthat people say and I want I
want to, yeah, I want to createthat fake account name that I
can write back?
oh yeah, because you know Ican't used to do it.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
She used to have a couple of scotches and get on
Amazon and be like you know whatyou write a book, then like and
it was so funny.
I love it can't do that, youcan't, and she's like they're
never gonna believe it's me andthey didn't.
They were like I don't thinkDorothea Benton Frank would ever
have.
She was there with the scotchlike screw you.
And I feel like doing that onGoodreads too.
I mean, it's the people, it'samazing.
It's amazing, but you know whatI always say and I think this is
(27:58):
this has really helped me withthat is don't take criticism
from someone you wouldn't takeadvice from.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
And if they haven't care, and I already got yours, I
already have your money.
Are you ready?
That's it.
I didn't give up just becauseyou don't like it.
You're not getting the moneyback out at the library if
you're really in.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I don't, I don't care , that's great.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
No, I love that.
I'm not everybody's cup of tea,that's okay.
What's that?
Are heckling her and she's likeyou just paid for my trip to
yeah, you know, cabo.
What are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
but it's also just like you have to have this when
you're a creator of anything,whether it be a business or a
book or artistic or otherwise,you have to really kind of get
in your bubble.
And the people, the, theopinions that matter to me, live
in my four walls or they arelocated at my publishing house.
That's who I really care about,and I care because those are
(28:59):
the people I'm truly trying toprove myself to.
I'm not trying to prove myselfto any rando.
I want to make them happy.
I want to entertain.
That's what I'm doing.
I'm not writing a book.
The purpose of all of my books,and will be, is to slide into
your tote bag.
You take me to the beach, Imake you happy.
For four days, you can turn offthe noise, you feel good, and
(29:19):
then that's it.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I'm not trying to like rattle it Change the world
Right, right right.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
If I do, it's through joy, right, and what a
privilege to be able to do that.
So if I have some nasty personget on the line and say
something bad to me, I'm likebless your heart, that's what we
say here.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
I love that.
That's my favorite response.
Oh yeah, that's good.
You know what I'm gonna do?
An inch.
I'm gonna do a facebookinstagram handle called bless
your heart should probably takenalready, but anyway, I'm gonna
do that and then startcommenting on people's things do
it, you heard?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
you heard it here first, that's the response just
bless your heart you heard ithere first.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Um, no, but I agree, I agree with you.
100.
I think there's so many peopleum you.
You, I could choose what I wantto read.
Yeah, of course I can go, and Ican get a romance novel, a
fiction novel, a horror novel,an autobiography.
I mean, that's my choice.
Um, so if you don't like it, goaway you know, just put it down
.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
You don't have to be nasty about it.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
You don't have to finish it either.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
You know also, like what I really what I really want
to say to people who are trulynasty, it's like who hurt you,
like go here's the number of mytherapist.
She's great, maybe check herout, like you.
You, there's something brokenin you if you feel like you need
to rip apart someone's book,that writing a book is so hard.
So for someone to publish abook and get it out there at all
(30:30):
, even if they don't get it outthere, even if they just finish,
it, is such an accomplishmenton its own.
So to attack somebody's work,it's cruel.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I feel the same way, too, about some of our members
of the chamber.
I've talked with them about acouple of things.
Restaurants they make onemistake.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Oh my gosh.
And they're given one star andthen forget it was closed on a
Monday.
I'm like that's not his fault,that doesn't mean the food sucks
, it means they're taking a dayoff.
You can't make everyone happy.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
But to me that's the whole con side of social media.
It's just it could be sodevastating to a business.
Listen, if your food's terribleor whatever, whatever, that's
fine, Just don't go back.
But if something happens, onelittle chance to destroy a new
business or somebody, I just Ihave a problem with it.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
But on the flip, because I'm this person, social
media is also incredible forbuilding up other things.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
So I think one of the things that I've learned about
social media is that it is atool, and so what I've been able
to do for upcoming authors ispromote their books because with
my small little following, itbrings their even smaller
following to a bigger following,and that invites opportunity
through exposure.
So I think you find your tribeon social media and you just
block out the noise.
(31:48):
But you can also promote greatthings.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Mean, god knows, instagram's maybe a very
efficient shopper oh, for sure,you can ask my husband so I need
that at the cart on a scale of1 to 50 shades how spicy is how
spicy are we getting?
Speaker 3 (32:04):
of course, the man's asking about how much you know
he's gonna read the next one nowyeah uh well, the first one, I
would say, is like frank's redhot, and the second one, I would
say, is more like there's achapter in it that's pretty
spicy oh dear, okay, yeah, Ithink I just got read, but I
will tell you that my dad afunny story about the book.
(32:26):
So the first book there's achapter in it that is pretty
explicit, but not terrible.
The second book is a little bitmore, because you know why not?
He was working long hours somama had to entertain herself
anyway.
Um, so the first book I calledmy dad.
I was like, dad, you're gonnaread my book.
I was like, please don't readthis chapter.
Like, whatever you do, don't.
He's like fine, I'm going toaustralia, I'm gonna be on the
(32:47):
on the plane for like 20 hours.
I'm gonna take, I'll read it.
Then I was like, all right, andhe was texting me from up in
the sky and I'm sitting with myhusband on the couch and he's
like I'm reading your book.
And I'm like, oh shit, becausethat's the first thing I thought
was like oh my god, oh my god,oh my god.
And he was like and he startedwriting this like whole thing,
like, oh, I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Mom would be so proud , it's such beautiful writing
you didn't get to the chapteryet, did he Right, okay.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
And I was like ready for him to be like I have a
brain tumor.
Like I was, like we shouldscreenshot this and needle point
it, because he's never given mea compliment, ever.
He's German, I mean, you knownow, he does, he does.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I'm just.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I'm joking, I'm joking.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
He's very complimentary, he's lovely
Biggest cheerleader.
I was like remember, dad, thischapter that's coming up, you
skip it and he goes OK, I thinkit was chapter 10.
I can't remember.
And so he sends me a textmessage about two hours later
and he's like I read chapter 10.
And I'm like oh my God, I'm sogrounded, I'm like I'm in
trouble.
Yeah right, I'm like I'm in, soyell at me.
(33:50):
I would so much more preferthat.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Yeah, that was the opposite of what I thought he
was going to say yeah, same.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
So the second book comes out.
So now it's really a contest togross my dad out.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Oh boy.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So I'm just getting more graphic and more sexy as
the books come see me, I'mblushing just sitting here.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I can't wait until the next one.
The second one.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
There's a hot scene in there.
I'll tell you.
I almost had a third baby.
We got a puppy instead.
Puppies are better.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Plus my husband's Italian.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
He sneezes and I get nervous.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And a reminder for our listeners the Violet Hour
comes out.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
August, yes, august 12th.
Please pre-order it now,because the pre-orders matter
y'all.
Everyone's like.
Don't say that it's tacky.
I'm like y'all, I just got backfrom Disney, I need to sell
some books, yeah.
So the pre-orders, everythingcounts for the first week of
your sales.
So the first week is how youget on the New York Times list
or not.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I was wondering, it is important to me.
The business side of things onthat end.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Yeah.
Public like what was that?
Like?
Um, how, how?
So good question.
I know you had an in already,but well, yes, so what I like to
tell people is that mine is avery unique story, obviously
because I have a legacy, um, butno one gives you anything for
(35:05):
free in new york.
So they may open the door for me, but I gotta walk through it
and I wrote that novel and thisone and every, every word I
write, I write myself, you know,and it's and it's hard, um.
So I got really lucky and andI'm blessed, I mean I really I
inherited my mom's agent and hereditor and then editor changed
publishing house and I followedher from harper collins to simon
and schuster, because she is sobrilliant.
(35:26):
Carrie farron is my editor andshe is just her mind is like
just so razor sharp, and sheunderstands what I'm doing
because she helped build mymom's career.
So it's like I really have thealpha team, the varsity team,
but I don't know how.
I think I was meant to do thisand I think doors opened to me
because they were like inanything in life if you were
(35:47):
meant to do something.
It sort of comes together.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Listen, no matter the legacy, if your book was not
good you know what I'm saying itwould not have sold.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
It's all right Period , so you had to.
So did you have to pitch theidea?
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Yeah, what is?
Speaker 2 (36:02):
that process.
So it's different.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Again, it's different for everybody and every editor,
every agent they all have.
You know they have differentexpectations and wants of an
author and different time.
Like you know, in the 90s itwas one game.
Now it's a different game.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
I had a as in everything Right as in From the
90s, I know, hello, I miss your90s, I miss the 90s, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
God, spice Girls, where you at but this.
So I had most of the novelfinished and I got a book deal
when it was finished.
So I had to they would.
My editor looked at it for meas a favor because she was my
mom's editor.
But then I hired a freelanceeditor because Carrie was very
(36:42):
busy being an incredible editorto other people.
So I had a freelance editorhelp me kind of shape it and cut
off a lot of it.
And then I got a book deal.
Once it was done I submitted it.
But I was lucky.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Did you have some consultation on the deal part of
things Is it a fair?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
deal.
I have an agent.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
So I have an agent who represents me and you're
happy with all that?
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Yeah, I can't believe I was paid to do this.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
It's great and it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I'm having such a good time like I really am, like
I love thanks.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
I love book tour.
I love that I get to makepeople's lives fun and sunny for
like a few days, becausealthough everyone like rips
through my books, I'm like couldyou take a little longer it?
Speaker 2 (37:21):
took me seven years to write the first one and
you're done in 24 hours.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
That's interesting, well that's, but that's kudos to
you, because if you don't wantto put it down it's a
well-written book.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Well, at least it's a page turner and I think again,
the nice thing is it's such aprivilege.
It's a privilege to be mymother's daughter in general and
now to herald what she builther mountain on.
I get to build on top of.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
So, of all those great things you just mentioned,
victoria, what has been themost rewarding part of your
journey so far?
Being here right now, right nowmeeting you two Thank you
Meeting readers?
Speaker 3 (37:56):
for sure, I'm a reader.
Yeah, the readers who read my?
Books I'm rewarding to her.
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Yay, you are.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
I mean, listen, every person who picks up my book
allows me to live the life Ilive and it's an encouragement
to keep going.
But I've also met women whowere struggling in their life,
that my book was a light to them.
You know, and I can't changethe world, but I can make you
laugh for a little bit.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Can you having that kind of effect on another woman?
Incredible?
You know it's something, it'sjust it's.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
God you know like I don't know religion, I'm not
here to talk about that but Ican tell you that, like I
believe in God because I see howlove is the thread that ties us
all together.
And if I don't know you, youknow.
But you know me because of mybook and it made you feel seen
and that's so important to somany people.
And especially, like I love thestories where, like I was in
(38:45):
postpartum with babies nursingand dying and your book got me
through it, I'm like, yes, likeI'm so happy to be able to be
that for somebody so amazingyeah, that's my favorite part.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
What about?
What about you?
What do you do to distress?
What do you do to?
Speaker 1 (38:58):
I don't you use a constant stress.
She mentioned wine.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I drink wine I play not enough.
There's not enough wine, Iwrite about it mazhang, mazhang,
I play mazhang every tuesday,um with a league and I have
really fun friends and we laugha lot and that's my, but I don't
have time for myself.
Right, but the kids and thehusbands and the single Everyone
who works with me, all of myteam, whenever they ask what do
you do to stress, they all startlaughing because they're like
(39:22):
she doesn't stop.
I never stop, because if I stop, I die.
That seems to me to be apersonality in general.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
No matter what you'd be doing in life, I could see
you either running a kitchen orwhatever it was.
I could just see that's the waythat you are.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
I live in a managed chaos at all times.
Actually, other writers theyalways make fun of me because it
takes me six hours to get twosentences.
I sit down with you for 20minutes.
You've written 1,500 words,because that's all I have.
I only have those 20 minutes,so I have to make it happen.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
I'm overly caffeinated and motivated to go
back to disney world.
What, uh, what's next?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
well, this book, and then I'm writing a third one
right now this book, meaning theviolent, the violent.
It'll be out in august a lot ofpeople are calling it the
violent hour, which I think ishysterical.
Um so I'm going on tour forthis um where are you going to
go?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
everywhere everywhere , anywhere you're going back to
books.
Yeah, of course, books, andbooks is my home base.
I like make sure I get aninvitation for that one.
All right, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Holly bucks is a good friend, and julian, her husband
, who's brilliant, brilliant,also an author, um, and I'm
working on a third book, whichis a little bit different but
it's also within the same theme,takes place half on selva's
island, a little bit in italy,and it's about um, three girls
that planned a life and then itdidn't work out for any of them,
and so they had to restructureand carve a new path.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
When unexpected things are thrown your way, I
mean, you've had enoughunexpected things thrown your
way that you could probablywrite for three different people
.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
That's why I'm funny.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
It's the trauma yeah, I get it, I like it.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
Yeah, did your therapist tell you to do that.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
No, no, I into therapy actually and I probably
should have been in therapyabout 10 years ago.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
but here we are.
No, I think that it's true.
I think the funniest people Iknow have gone through some of
the most roughest lives.
Not that my life is rough, butI've definitely been dealt some
curveballs for sure.
But that's what makes me badass, Exactly.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Yeah, balls for sure, but that's what makes me
exactly badass.
Yeah, right, well, I'm a fanthanks, I just met you.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
You haven't even read it yet.
Wait till you read it.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Wait till you read it I don't know if I can, you're
gonna read it.
You're gonna read it.
What do you mean?
Like I said, just have emilyread it to you, you feel like
it's gonna be too personal getthe audio, I might get too horny
.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
I mean, I don't know, oh, boy.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Now he's really gonna be a fan.
He's gonna be like where didyou live on?
James, I think this is thespiciest conversation from my
husband um, which is probablylike I get it that's what he
would say.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Like has he read it?
Speaker 3 (41:43):
no, well, what the heck?
No, of course he didn't read it.
I think my husband is betteroff not get it.
Like he doesn't come to my bookevents, really, and it's, it's
okay, like I think, yeah, younot that I'm on this level at
all, please don't misunderstandme, but there's a reason why no
one really knew who DollyParton's husband was.
You know, when you're I'm such abut I'm such an extrovert and I
take up all the space and likethat's my job, yeah.
(42:05):
So Sometimes I wake up and I'mlike man, that bitch is wearing
me out, that Victoria BentonFrank.
I am tired today.
You're doing a lot yeah, butagain I'll die if I don't.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
I'm a shark.
I've got a couple rapid firebefore we let you go.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Oh, I love rapid fire .
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Okay, if you don't want to answer them.
They're okay because theyunderstand.
Favorite restaurant in town, myliving room.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Oh, I like to eat on my couch, so can we all come to
your house?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
Yes, for dinner.
Oh, no, I actually do.
Isn't it called Park and Grove?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Yeah, park and Grove my husband's.
Obviously I love Vern's.
Vern's is my favorite andspecifically their roasted
chicken.
It is like it is the mostDecadent, delicious Roasted
chicken.
I think you can test Anyrestaurant Based on how they
Roast a chicken the.
The technique is perfect.
The brown butter jus isdelicious and my only complaint
with Vern's is that they don'tserve it with a whole baguette
(42:57):
to sop up all of that delicioussauce.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Now, we were hungry before and now I'm really hungry
.
Oh yeah, have you been to thisplace?
Yeah, I have, yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Tell them I sent you and they'll be like oh, you're
getting the chicken.
Like I had my birthday there.
We had 10 people Everybody atetheir own.
It's funny because most peopleare like chicken but no, you're
right.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Your person is like I'm not going to get chicken,
but no.
But when it's done right, it'sdone right.
Oh my God.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Where do you take?
What's the first place?
You take out-of-state visitorsfor the first time.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Oh, that's a good question.
Well, it used to be Sullivan'sIsland, right, that's right.
Laptop and going out there andwriting and looking at the water
.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
so we'll see, depending on how hot, it gets
it's pretty hot.
That sounds awesome, though.
Yeah, buggy, screw those gnats.
Um, who is going to be the leadin your uh, my magnolia summer
movie?
Speaker 3 (43:54):
um me.
I have a theater degree, soI'll be acting.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Oh, there it comes, stipulation, everything comes.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
She doesn't just want to be a bestseller.
She wants to be an oscarwinning actress too.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Why not magnolia?
Who's maggie?
Speaker 3 (44:08):
I don't know, maggie, I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
Do you want to play, maggie?
Speaker 3 (44:11):
I, I, I'm open, you know.
I think I I don't care, as longas they get the southern accent
right.
That's my only gripe.
Don't come in here and soundlike you're from Colombia.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
When you're from Charleston.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
Or like they don't get it.
Not everybody sounds like abanjo down here, Charleston has
a certain dialect and a rhythmto it.
It has to be authentic.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
And my last question for you is what are you reading
right now?
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Oh, I'm reading a few things.
Right now I'm reading theFavorites, which is about a
competitive ice skating couple,which is really, really good.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
A real story A fiction?
Speaker 3 (44:42):
Yeah, it's fiction but it's based on a true story.
I'm reading Paige Turner bywell, I'm almost done.
I guess I'm done with it nowbecause I finished it by Viola
Davis, who is my favorite,favorite person right now.
What else am I reading?
I have something else on my.
Oh my God, I'm blanking now.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
I gotta write these down.
Yeah, I love book suggestions.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Oh, I just finished and I was so late to the party,
but I'm so glad to be here nowat Lisa C's Lady Tan Circle of
Women.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
It's the most I'm gonna tell you women, it's the
most I'm going to tell you whatit's about and you're gonna be
like what, but I promise youit's talk about a good story.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
It's about 14th century china female doctors.
It is, there was doctors in14th century china and that were
women.
Yes, and it's incredible.
It's like you look at it.
So the best thing about a bookis that it gives you a window
into somebody else's perspective, and I'm not going to know
about 14th century china rightlike I'm at target with
screaming children and, like youknow, a hangover, um.
So I don't really, I don'treally know what that's like so
if I get to jump into anotherworld.
I think that's really that's.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
I think that's amazing.
That's what I'm um, I'm gonnahave to.
When I record, when I relistento this, I'm gonna write those
down yeah um all right listeners, everybody.
Um get out there, get myMagnolia Summer.
This is already out.
This is a great, great book.
Thank, you.
You're going to enjoy everysingle second of it.
And then August.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
August.
You can buy this now.
It's available.
Buy now.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
In August we get the Violet Hour and then, hopefully
next year, we get the third, I'mhoping, all right, you better
get the word.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Listen, I know I gotta go, guys.
Speaker 2 (46:15):
I gotta butcher right , we'll take your kids, so you
can write it faster, real quick,before you say goodbye yeah, go
ahead yeah let's do a giveawayyay, yeah, let's see like if you
comment on the youtube and orany social media that amanda
posts okay and says you know, Iwant my magnolia there you go
huh, what do you think about?
That we, we've got one, two,three, four.
(46:37):
Well no, I need one, keep yours, keep yours.
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Yes, we have four right now.
Speaker 3 (46:41):
No, this is my wife's .
Oh sorry, it should be yours.
They're going to be autographed.
Yes, right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
That's really awesome .
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Thank you for having me.
It's such a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
This is certainly a very memorable podcast and I
hope it gets shared all over theplace.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I think this is her favorite.
I kind of want to think this isher favorite.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
This is fantastic.
Victoria thank you so much forspending your time with us today
it's such a pleasure and anhonor.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
How do we get a hold of you?
Speaker 3 (47:10):
Best way to follow me is on Instagram Victoria Benton
, frank, easy peasy, and I havea website, but it's almost
performative.
It's not, like you know, socialmedia.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
And where should we get your books from?
Speaker 3 (47:24):
Okay, so they're available anywhere books are
sold.
I always encourage readers toorder from an independent
bookstore, preferably ones inSouth Carolina, Village
Bookseller I love.
And then, of course, BuxtonBooks, Blue Bicycle Books yes,
Blue Bicycle Village BooksellerI love.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
And then, of course, Buxton Books, Blue Books too,
Blue Bicycle Books yes.
Speaker 3 (47:37):
Blue Bicycle Books, jonathan Sanchez, good friend of
mine, any of those are great,but obviously Barnes, noble,
amazon, all those places it'savailable as well Books a
million.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
Get out there and get yourself a copy, please.
I got two kids.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Lots of bills, Credit card debt.
Buy two Bills Credit card debtBye two.
Bye two, One for each kid.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
One for each kid.
Send him to college.
That's awesome.
Thank you again so much Thankyou.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
You've been great.
It was a fun time, funconversation, thank you.
Speaker 1 (48:04):
What an enjoyable chat with you.
We wish you nothing but thebest.
Thank you so much.
So before we leave, we need toonce again thank our sponsor, dk
Design, and, of course, ourpartners, charleston Media
Services, for.
Speaker 2 (48:15):
Charleston Media Solutions.
Speaker 1 (48:16):
Media Solutions.
Why do I keep saying services?
I'm sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
It's a service for a solution.
They changed their name, soit's their fault.
Speaker 1 (48:21):
Solutions for their support, not only for this
podcast, but for their supportof the chamber.
Make sure you like andsubscribe to all our media
channels Spotify, iTunes,youtube, instagram, facebook and
LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Yeah, comment on any one of those for your own signed
book by VBF herself FantasticDid you know that I'm calling
you VBF now Like DBF.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Yeah, my mom was DBF, oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Yeah, boy, mike, you're nailing it today.
I don't know what's going onover here.
We're on it.
I don't know what's going onover here.
Sorry, carmine, I don't knowwhat's going on over here.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
He's going to listen.
He's going to listen.
He'd be like you can have her.
She's a pain.
All that personality at home isa lot.
Go ahead.
We've been together 15 years.
He would love a little thrilllike that.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (49:08):
That's awesome.
You know what?
Speaker 3 (49:09):
Actually we've been 15 years.
You better watch his back,right Because now I'm famous.
Speaker 2 (49:13):
You're famous now.
Lol.
I'll tell him that I'm going towatch my back for now.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
I know it's an Italian chef on my ass Riding a
motorcycle.
What the heck just happened?
We'll probably give you sometips.
God, that's the love of my life, that idiot.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh my God, the laughs today.
Well, hello and welcome to the Building Business
Podcast powered by the MountPleasant Chamber of Commerce.
We are recording in theCharleston Media Solutions
Studios, who are huge supportersof the Mount Pleasant Chamber
of Commerce, so thank you forallowing us to record here today
.
We also want to thank oursponsor, dk Designs.
(00:21):
Dk Designs does so manydifferent things for the chamber
, including logos, does greatwork.
Check him out if you're lookingfor a new designer and need
some creative assistance.
My name is Kathy Herman and Iam the immediate past president
of the Mount Pleasant Chamber ofCommerce and I'm the marketing
director for Mount Pleasant TownCenter.
(00:41):
I'm joined today by and I saythis every time my favorite
co-host, favorite.
You can go and look.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I say that every time , maybe special sometimes.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, mike Compton, who is president of Roomba
Advertising and the currentmarketing committee chair for
the chamber.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
That's it.
Welcome Mike.
Hey, good to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Super excited about today's guest, by the way, I
don't even know, are you?
Okay, you kind of did a littlebit of no, I'm a little nervous
fangirled out and I am becauseof me, because of you yes, no,
no, no.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Who's that?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
well, you know listen , there's nothing wrong with
fanning, okay.
Well, because you'll find out.
I'm like the biggest nerdist.
I read constantly I wouldrather read to do anything else,
almost anything else in theworld.
So I'm a big book nerd.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when I get to sit this close to an author, Anyway,
let me tell you who we've gothere today, the lineage and the
whole thing, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Our guest today if you can tell already she's an
author was born in New York City.
I'm from Long Island too.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Perfect, so that's why we're going to be friends.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Raised in Montclair, new Jersey.
I have friends in Montclair,new Jersey but considers herself
to have dual residency in thelow country, and you deserve
that for sure.
She's a graduate of the Collegeof Charleston and this always
blows my mind.
We have to talk about this theFrench Culinary Institute how
you go from cooking to writing.
Victoria worked in restaurantsin New York before returning to
(02:07):
Charleston where she calls homewith her husband, her two kids
and her sweet puppy.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Now I have two puppies, two puppies, sweet
puppies.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Loretta and Lady.
Loretta and Lady.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
When she isn't writing, she's reading, cooking,
playing Mahjong or chasing herchildren.
Everyone listening today.
I am so excited.
Like mike said, I'm a fan girl.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Please welcome victoria benton frank thank you
for having me the radio stationwas buzzing today, oh coming in
there people were standingoutside lined up waiting for
listen victoria no, but theywere though.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
No, they were not we not the one lady.
No, I mean, I don't know.
I just threw a Diet Coke or abottle of water.
It's hot out there.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I don't know if we've ever had people standing
outside the conference room witha book.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
That's my point.
Oh, you guys are going to makeme blush.
That's my point.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So if there's anyone listening who does not know who
Victoria Benton Frank is, I'mgoing to let her do a brief
introduction, oh God, and thenwe will take it from there.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
You know, this always makes me nervous when people
ask me to introduce myself,because I'm always like please
just introduce me, because Idon't know what to say.
I think I'm sort of like a cat.
I've lived like eight livesalready.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And this is my ninth swing at it, cat, I've lived
like eight lives already andthis is my ninth swing at it.
But I'm a mom, a wife and awriter, and I'm a dreamer and a
cook and I like to design thingsand make things and I'm an
artist.
So I think, with being anartist, you are always finding a
new medium in which to expressyourself.
And when I first started out, Iwas a dancer, and then I was an
actress, and then I was aplaywright and then and then I
(03:44):
was a chef and now I'm a writer.
I guess, um, and this one isfeels like home, so that's who I
am.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
It's very exciting and, of course, let's let's um.
Let's talk about your mom for asecond, which is where the name
might become familiar to someof you um Dorothea Benton Frank.
I mean best-selling, incredibleand internationally
best-selling novelist, um, who Iunderstand was born and raised
in sullivan's island correctfrom sullivan's island, um, and
(04:14):
so of course she passed away andyou know.
Rest in peace and um.
We're really sorry about that,but boy, did you get her talent?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
oh god, I hope Just a fingernail of it would be great
.
I mean, she's the best, she wasincredible.
But I think when you grow up asan Irish Catholic, especially a
Southern Irish Catholic, likewe did I'm Episcopalian now, but
I was You're a naturalstoryteller, you know.
So storytelling is somethingthat is how we communicate, I
(04:45):
mean, and it's all around thetable, so that's sort of where
that food comes in and and um.
I don't know if I got hertalent, but I did get her her
love of telling a good story andentertaining.
So, but I'm glad you feel thatway I do.
I hope other people with cashflow positive credit cards feel
that way 20 novels, 20 plusnovels 20 novels in a children's
book with me that was my nextquestion.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Is the children's book what?
Was it like uh, collaborating.
And how old were you when youdid that?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
so that was um, oh god, that was a while.
That was what I gave birth 2017so whatever that math is.
I'm 40 this year, so subtract,but um math, yeah, I don't do
that.
I've been, I've moved on you'rean author.
Yeah, I don't.
I don't math, I'm creative.
Um, so the only thing I knowabout numbers is how to make
them and spend them.
Um, so my uh mother and I were.
(05:33):
She was taking care of my sonwhen he was born with me, which
is a generous thing.
She was more like standingaround, like how do you know how
to do all this stuff?
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I'm like I don't know mom's youtube um.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
But so she was just like how are you?
And I was nursing my son aroundthe clock like that child was
like a linebacker.
He, he ate like I can't even Imean it was, I would sit on the
couch and I'd be like I'mtrapped and my mom's like you've
been on there for two hours,I'm like he's still eating, yeah
, like constant, constant eating, and I was starting to kind of
lose my mind.
Um, and she was like and Icalled him teddy spaghetti
(06:05):
because I married an italian, soI thought he was like my
italian baby, my pasta baby, um,and he's teddy spaghetti, and
my mom's like that sounds like achildren's book and I was like
it does wow, light bulb yeah,and within two weeks we had uh
so you're breastfeeding andwriting this book, like because
you're sitting there, you mightas well do something else, right
, you have still.
You start to get crazy becauseall you're doing you're just
(06:27):
like a cow.
I felt like a dairy heifer.
I remember my wife.
It was awful, oh God, yeah, shehad both on them.
She's a saint.
She's a Catholic.
She's a saint now.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
But I love that what was it like, though, writing
with her and collaborating withher Easy yeah, really easy
Sounds like it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
My mom and I always joke we're the tightest mother
and daughter in the world untilwe started working together, and
then that was our strongestrelationship, and I think it's
because which is odd, you know,and not normal for parents to
work so well with their children.
But I just picked up where sheleft off and the opposite.
You know, we just sort ofanticipated each other's needs.
And what do you think?
What do you think?
(07:06):
And I think the magic of mymother is that she met everybody
right at their level.
She never made you feel likeshe was bigger or better or
smarter or whatever which shewas.
She was definitely bigger andbetter and smarter and more
wonderful than all of us, butshe made you feel like you're at
the same level.
And so she always encouraged meto write, and I had been
writing my first novel, myMagnolia Summer, for a while,
(07:29):
and so I think this was her wayof showing me that I could do it
.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
Now is this what brought you back to the low
country permanently from NewYork?
Like what was the what broughtyou back?
So I went to College ofCharleston.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Okay and I met my husband in culinary school and
we worked for his parents at arestaurant up in Connecticut and
that was not like theexperience I had with my mom.
It was not so positive.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
No.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
And I was just like I'm done and I'm going.
I was like kind of traumatizedand I was like I'm moving back
to South Carolina and you cancome with me.
I want you to, but I understand.
He's the firstborn Italian soninto a Catholic immigrant
Italian family.
Like he wasn't going to followme, there was no way.
And then he did.
He said break the lease, I'mcoming.
(08:12):
And so then I came back and ofcourse you know they live now.
Now we moved again, but theylived across the street.
Oh, that's a lot.
You got far away.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yeah, it was kind of crazy but they're, they're
wonderful people.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
We.
You know that was in the past,but yeah.
So I wanted to return home andI always felt like South
Carolina was my home.
Even living up north, I think Iwas always like a displaced
person, because I'm so likeSouthern on the inside and I'm
Northern on the outside, Likeyou don't really know where I
come from, because I say y'alland schlep and both are organic
to me and those are twofantastic words by the way?
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yes, they are.
We love our words.
What is it about Mount Pleasantand Charleston that you think
people love, Like you said you?
Know this is your second home,but what is it and you're
writing about?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
these.
Yeah, I mean, I think it's alot of things.
First of all, certainlyspeaking from my work, I think
that setting is really yourprotagonist, so I think the main
character of your story isalways the setting.
I think there's somethingspecial about Charleston that is
just intoxicating, and I alsothink everyone wants to be
Southern.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
I heard you say that before.
I wanted you to dive into thata little bit, what do?
You mean I'm from Detroit, Idon't want to be.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Southern.
Where do you live?
Shit Right you live here.
My grandmother is from Detroit.
She recently passed away.
She was 102.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh okay so.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Dearborn is where.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Sure suburbia, detroit.
I'm not downtown 8 Mile oranything like that, not like
Eminem, yeah, I love, love,people from Michigan, it's like
there's a kismet thing.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
But I think everybody does want to be Southern,
because we sort of and you canactually see it not just with
Americaica, but even like initaly, if you look at southern
italians, we are louder and morefun and we're, you know,
gregarious, and we eat verysimilar foods.
We um focus on family andsunshine, and I think that it's
the vitamin d that we get fromthe sun that just makes us
happier so true, and we want tobe in gray new york.
No, thank you.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, y'all are a bunch of like transplants too
right long island and detroit.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
We're all communists, we're over it yeah, we don't
want to shovel snow.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
I'd rather be hot and put on the air conditioner I
agree, yeah, I agree, I don'twork, I don't work outside, so I
could go from my car to myoffice, my office, my house.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Yeah, I'm not doing anything outside except for like
going inside walking my dog soin your books?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
yeah, are, are you, are we on?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
so I haven't read it yet, cliff Notes You're a dude.
It's not my target demographic.
I get it, it's okay.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Your wife's going to love it, mike, your wife's going
to love it.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Let's see how well you pick up with questions that
you have.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Well, Mahjong's talk will come later.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, that's in the second book.
We will talk about the new booktoo, for mahjong.
Oh, my god, it's the best.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Oh, they're loving it , I love it yeah, um, but so so
the locations on sullivan'sisland.
Are you writing aboutsullivan's island?
Speaker 3 (10:50):
that's really cool always okay, that is the center
of my universe, so talk about it, that's well, that was my mom,
so this is the most ironic thingever so.
My mother, when her motherpassed away, um decided to write
a book about her childhood,which was sullivan Island.
Her first book that came out in, I think, 98 or 99.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Wait, wait, wait.
Her book was called Sullivan'sIsland.
Mm-hmm, that's her first bookand it's great.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
And it sold over a million copies and just went
gangbusters.
It was a paperback and it wasat the time, back in the 90 up.
I think it was a DanielleSteele novel which was romance
and we don't write romance.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I recognize that name .
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Yeah, we know her a little bit.
There's a couple books she soldand she picked it up and she
goes what does this woman havethat I don't have?
Why can't she do it and I can't?
Which is, of course, that'sDottie's like, mo she's like.
And so she decided to tell herstory.
And I think at the core of allof our writing and all of our
books is you write what you knowand you write a book that
(11:49):
someone would want to read.
And so she romanticizedSullivan's Island even more so
when her mother passed and shewanted to buy back the family
house.
And my dad was like, if youthink I'm going to sit on a
porch with a bunch of bubba'stelling the same damn story over
and over, shucking peanuts anddrinking, it's not happening.
She goes well, screw you, I'mgonna write a book, I'm gonna
sell a million copies and I'llbuy mama's house back she did.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Oh my gosh, so then?
Speaker 3 (12:13):
I decided to write um .
I started my novel when she wasstill living, um, and her last
words to me were finish yourbook, please, um.
So I did, but I wrote it and Ifinished it after she died.
And then my second book is alot of the trends that go
through it, and themes aredealing with grief and realizing
that your parents are actuallyhuman they're not just mom and
(12:33):
dad.
So it's sort of how you dealwith curveballs.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
A hundred percent.
Speaking of humans, real quick.
What about dad?
Speaker 3 (12:39):
What about dad?
What about dad?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
What does dad do she?
Speaker 1 (12:42):
asked my therapist.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
She could tell you a lot about daddy issues.
He's phenomenal, he's awonderful human and we have
become so much closer.
We actually joke that the onlygood thing that came out of my
mom passing is that it gave us achance to be besties.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
And I'm very close with my dad and he lives locally
Sullivan's Island.
And what did he do?
Finance, finance.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
And he island.
Yeah, and what did he do?
He um finance, finance and heum he did a lot of things.
Yeah, yeah, looking for a guyin finance he's not six five,
but he does have blue eyes buthe's 78 and he's off the market
um so ladies.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Yeah, unfortunately, um, but he's, yeah, he's, he's a
great guy.
We have dinner once a week and,man, no one tells me the truth
like he does.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
So I bet you need someone like that in your life
and you know it.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Yeah, oh I have two children and a husband that do
that too.
Don't worry, it's a humble pieevery day for breakfast how old
are the kids?
Seven and five, but they'rereally like.
My son is a 90 year old man andmy daughter is 16 she's a
living she is a living disneyprincess, though like literally
if you come over my house.
She's singing and she's on hertiptoes she starts today's
rapunzel.
(13:44):
She ends the cinderella andevery princess in between.
Oh my gosh, she's amazing she'sdelicious.
They're the best kids I'm lucky.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, you're in the middle of it.
I am, yeah, seven.
I got two nine-year-olds.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Oh, that's wonderful.
You have twins, boys or girlsboys man, nine-year-old boys
lucked out.
Yeah, how's the house clean?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
immaculate, yeah, right what do you mean I you?
Speaker 3 (14:03):
mean no blood.
I was like I can't believe youdrive a minivan.
I'm like I can't drive anythingelse.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Minivans are great.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
They're the best invention ever I don't drive one
anymore, but I like it, but isa 16-year-old driving now, then
no, she's not 16.
She's five.
No, she's going.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
16 year old child teen pregnancy no, I had my
children in my 30s, which Ithink is really smart.
I like that too because I thinkif I had done it in my 20s I
would have been really freakedout and instead I had a sense of
humor about it yeah, we'reready for it, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I don't know if I was ready for it, but I handled it
as the man I guess it's a littledifferent friends all the time.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
I'm like I'm yelling at my kids.
I'm like you can ask yourfather sitting over there with
his useless nipples Like come on, go ask him.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
He's right there.
Oh my God, that's the worst youcan't milk a cat fucker.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Exactly.
I love when people are like I'ma dog mom.
I'm like, oh, you breastfed fornine months, 24?
.
You're worried about a collegefund?
Get the hell out of here mykids, kids.
It cracks me up, though, likewhen I lock myself in the office
, that my daughter will slide umthings.
She wants me to open snacksunder the door.
And I'm like again, dad's rightthere and like he's on duty
because mommy's writing like Igotta go, I gotta keep the
starship afloat, what are youdoing?
(15:14):
And like a little granola bar.
And she goes mommy, can youopen this?
I'm like son of a.
Yes, I can that's mommy.
That is the cutest thing I tell,I tell my doctor, my OBGYN, I
was like I'm a little mad.
The last C-section I wasalready under the knife.
Why didn't you just attach acouple arms?
Speaker 2 (15:29):
It could have been an octopus, it would have helped
me I can do it all Write morebooks, different type of octomom
yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I have two food questions.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
All right, so cooking in the house me.
Does he ever cook?
Speaker 2 (15:42):
yes, okay is he still at a restaurant?
He's working.
Yeah, he's at a restaurant.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, he works at park and grove.
He's the executive chef thereand it's phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
If you haven't been, there you go, happy hour gotta
go yeah nice kathy loves herhappy hours I love, I love
brunch and food, I mean I loveyes
Speaker 3 (15:58):
just food same, drinking and eating is the core
of my everything.
Um, and I also have a theorythat happy hour was invented by
a mom, because at five o'clockit also coincides with the
witching hour I'm like mommyneeds a drink, like I should
start a podcast called mommyneeds a drink no, the witching
hour right they're like.
That's a truth and it stillhappens when they get older.
I thought that they would growout of it, but they just like
(16:18):
crash after their days at schooloh and they're just like done
and I'm like okay, the witchinghour is upon us.
The kids are acting crazy.
It was like time to pop thekids that are acting crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
I thought it was the mom, sorry I just, but that's
after they go to bed.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
After I've had 48 glasses of wine, yeah copy that
but so, yes, carmine, my husband, who is a saint, um he works at
park and grove hi carm um, heprobably won't even listen, he's
like he's the most likeintroverted anyway.
Um, he has changed the menu overat park and grove and one thing
that I'm very proud of him andhe's very proud of is he's put
(16:51):
handmade pastas, so everything'shouse made in that in there.
Now nothing is boughtexternally, um, and he makes his
own sauces and his pastas fromscratch, and they're all family
recipes are really good that'samazing yeah, yeah, you got a
bolognese with.
Yeah, you got it Bolognese withgnocchi.
Sign me up.
Just don't call it gnocchi.
Just don't call it gnocchi.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Yeah, I'll be so mad I'm going back to my Magnolia.
Summer, just for one secondbecause I read this one.
No it's not really work.
So if you haven't read it, myMagnolia Summer an amazing novel
, especially a Was that based ona real place in Sullivan Island
(17:30):
.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Yeah, so my great-grandmother had a
restaurant called the MagicLantern.
That was actually on.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Folly Road.
Wait, so that part of it wasreal.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, See I love this .
It was a fried chickenrestaurant on Folly Road in the
20s and the 30s and she used tosell blue plates.
So for like 25 cents you'd geta protein, two starches and a
vegetable and a glass of sweettea, and it was the first place
in South Carolina to have a sodafountain.
And so when I went to culinaryschool I was like, oh, it's in
(18:02):
the blood.
So I always felt very drawn tothat and then I wrote the book
because I wanted to write againa book I wanted to read and I
was very inspired by, like Steel, magnolias, yaya, sisterhood,
you know, and I'd read all thosebooks.
So when I went to barnes andnoble looking for a book that
was it was, there wasn't any.
And I was like, well, and notonly that, there's nobody who's
like late 20s, early 30s, who'sdoing this.
And god, I love amulti-generational story and of
course I'm going to center itaround food, because I am always
(18:23):
hungry I'm hungry right now,even taking ozempic.
I'm still really hungry umthat's a crazy story like uh
process wise though, yeah, how,and with the kids good question
working husband and and twonovels now I think um the fear
of going broke really motivatesme sure, sure um and deadlines
(18:47):
and angry people really motivateme.
So, um no, I think I grab itwhen I can.
You know, I mean, I think if Iwas to sit here and be like, yes
, my process is, it's never thesame every day, because every
day is different, you know, as aparent like I try to schedule
my week.
So monday is like my admin day,that's when I'm like ceo of the
family and I do all the stupidemails and birthday party rsvps
(19:07):
and yada, yada.
And then tuesday I try to write10 to 2.
So I try to get four focusedwriting hours a day.
That never happens.
Um, it's usually like Iprocrastinate and then right
around two o'clock I know that Ihave to go get my kids in an
hour and a half so I get a tonof work done in an hour exactly.
I just like fire it out.
You know it's it's pressure,but then again on the flip side,
(19:27):
if my kid somebody has an earinfection or whatever.
I'm writing in the middle ofthe night, I'm writing 6 am.
I'm writing in my head, I'mvoice memo, I do whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
I can Voice memo.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, but I always hate how I sound, so I can't
listen to it.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
It makes me sick.
Transcribe it right off, haveyou?
Speaker 3 (19:42):
ever experienced writer's block?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
That's my question, of course.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yeah.
So you just go like this and gocome on, come on.
I think I mean, the thingthat's worked for me with
writer's block is that it'susually because I'm uninspired
of what I'm writing or it'sfeeling like really robotic or
just mechanical, and I don'tlike that.
So I usually get up and Ichange my space, Like I'll go
for a walk or I'll read.
I'll read another book that hasnothing to do with my genre.
And that usually sparks mycreativity and I go, and I go
(20:17):
back.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Now I have not, we're going to talk about the second
book, which I cannot wait toread.
So thank you for that.
But when, um I I attended your,my magnolia summer book signing
, um at Buxton books, I think itwas last year yeah, um, I had
the greatest time and you weredoing a little Q&A yeah and um.
My memory's not good becauseI'm old.
Just correct me if I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Same.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
I have nothing left in my drive.
The end of my Magnolia Summer,kind of, is open right to be
able to write about thosecharacters and continue.
I have not read the Violet Hour.
Are there any of the samecharacters?
Speaker 3 (20:48):
in it, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
It picks up where the other book.
Oh now I'm gonna go because I'mgonna have to go start reading
this book right now.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah, it's uh.
Violet is the sister, so it's asister story.
But it's a standalone novel onits own, because one I hopped
publishing houses um and so Ididn't want to bring too much of
my last into this one.
But at the same time women aretheir own stories.
We're all our own standalonebooks, like I'm definitely my
mother's daughter first, but asyou get older you realize you're
yourself, and so I wanted togive Violet the same sort of
(21:18):
space, and so I was writing herand it was supposed to be only
Violet's story.
But then I was inspired towrite another woman's voice.
Her name is Allie and sherecently lost her mother and she
is an influencer and her motherwas a big influencer.
So she's stepping in her role,and I didn't really mean to
(21:39):
write so autobiographical, butthat's what happens, it's just.
You know it was like booksshouldn't be therapy.
I'm like what the hell?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
are they?
Well, they're therapy when Iread them, so why shouldn't they
be therapy when you write them?
Speaker 3 (21:46):
I think that's what artists do we?
We try to write authentic work,and if I had written something
that was entirely fiction, Ithink it would not read true to
the audience.
I think my readers would bedisappointed.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Well, I can honestly say, I think that if I picked up
the book and you were talkingabout being on the 35th floor of
the Tokyo Hotel, whatever itmight be, I'd be like that's not
Victoria, that's not her.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Well, the other thing is, too is, like you know, um,
mostly positive, positive.
I've inherited an audience frommy mother, um, and so I think
the expectation of me is towrite southern fiction, beach
reads, which I would be soblessed and happy to do for the
rest of my life.
Um, sometimes I think aboutwriting something else just to
shake it up, but I always findmyself going back to Charleston
(22:32):
anyway, and I think that, again,like my books are touchstones
to where I'm at in my life atthe time, and I think I'm always
going to be in Charleston, Ican't imagine living anywhere
else.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Well, you know what?
And if it comes to you, thoughsome great idea in the middle of
the night, after a coupleglasses of wine, you're like I
want to be a CEO, or whatever itmight be.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
We're open for it.
Victoria, I can write about it.
That's the nice thing aboutbeing a writer is, if I decide
to change my career, I justwrite about it.
What if I want to be aveterinarian?
That's the product I can decide.
I'm writing a book about a vet.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
I love that Write about what you know, what
happened?
Acting With acting, yeah, whathappened with?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
acting, I went broke.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, that's what happens.
Yeah, that's what happens.
Starving artist.
I was a starving artist.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Didn't reflect in my dress size, but I was starving
financially.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
So then you decided to cook.
Then I decided to cook.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
You're like, I'm not going to be starving anymore.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Well.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
I went and I decided to.
I love how food can tell astory and you can know a lot
about somebody by eating a platethat they make.
You know you can tell cultureand upbringing and geographical
location and it tells so muchabout who the person is Like.
I know when you eat somethingthat's really good, you're like
man.
It has a lot of soul in this.
It's because I feel like theyput their love into the dish.
(23:49):
So I was always fascinated withthat and also restaurant
culture.
I love restaurant culture.
It's so fun.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I'm glad I don't do it anymore.
I bartended and did all that.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
I was the best waitress the Rossin Cafe ever
had, I'm telling you right now,I'm sure of it.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
Great tips Everybody needs to have some sort of
service industry background, mychildren are required to work
six months.
They're required.
You have to sign contracts,blood contracts.
They're five and seven yearsold.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yes, and one of them will be waiting tables and then
they'll work in a fitting room.
I worked for anthropology foryears and I'm telling you, you
will see the whole scope of thehuman population, okay, in a
fitting room and also in arestaurant.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
I agree 100% yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
It's important.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Yeah, important, yeah , for sure.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
I almost wanted them to work at my in-laws'
restaurant and then not pay themand be like this is voluntary,
that's even better.
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
I want to talk about business for a second because,
we are the Building BusinessPodcast.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Let's talk about biz.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I could talk about your books forever, but
obviously the majority of thepeople who are listening to our
podcasts are business owners,and so what you have created is
not just a book.
You've created a business.
You're a business.
Yes, absolutely You're abusiness.
So how did it feel when youwere starting?
(25:01):
Were you scared?
Like?
You are a business name now,and so I was hoping you can give
some advice to perhaps someoneout there that might either be
starting a business or lookingto market their business.
You can give some advice toperhaps someone out there that
might either be starting abusiness or looking to market
their business, or you know thatwould be any kind of insight to
kind of changing it all foryourself right.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Yeah, I think the most important thing is to stay
true to your original missionand to stay true to yourself and
to tell yourself the truth, andalso to surround yourself with
people that you trust, and,unfortunately, a lot of that is
just like learning through badand good or whatever.
Do I need water?
Thank you.
I'm running my mouth, I need tohydrate, that's quite all right
, so thank you, but I do thinkthat's what happens.
(25:45):
I think you learn throughexperience who to trust and who
your people are, but you try tosurround yourself.
I'm very fortunate.
I work with all females, whichis wonderful.
Everyone on my team is a womanand almost all of them are
mothers, and so we kind of getit.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
Is that on purpose?
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah, it's on purpose .
It's definitely on purpose,although I think it's nice to
have the perspective of men.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That's nice of you to say.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I'll throw you a bone .
You can just give Mike a call.
Okay, I'll give you a call.
Mike will give you the honestanswer.
He didn't read the book so Ican't.
Yeah, he'll read it now.
I'll tell you.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
No, it's yeah karma.
You know, my husband doesn'tdoesn't go to accident and on
purpose.
Working with people, that isnot.
I mean, I don't think all menshould work with men and all
women should work with women butin my case, um, especially
because the brand of my businessuh, the low country tales what
(26:39):
we are are.
We are all women trying torecarve and reincarnate
ourselves through the times thatlife gives you and the
curveballs, and so I wanted tosurround myself with a team of
women who have been through somestuff, so not only do they
identify with my work, but theyidentify with me, which is
almost the same thing.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I love that.
That's a great story.
I love it.
Oh thanks, yeah, reinventingyourself, you know you have to
that's it.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
And then also I get when your mom started, there was
no social media or Facebook orany of that right.
So you, as a new author, arechallenged because I hate social
media so I use that wordchallenge with utilizing this
medium and it could be hurtful.
I mean when people say badthings and again, I work at Town
(27:24):
Center and some of the thingsthat people say and I want I
want to, yeah, I want to createthat fake account name that I
can write back?
oh yeah, because you know Ican't used to do it.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
She used to have a couple of scotches and get on
Amazon and be like you know whatyou write a book, then like and
it was so funny.
I love it can't do that, youcan't, and she's like they're
never gonna believe it's me andthey didn't.
They were like I don't thinkDorothea Benton Frank would ever
have.
She was there with the scotchlike screw you.
And I feel like doing that onGoodreads too.
I mean, it's the people, it'samazing.
It's amazing, but you know whatI always say and I think this is
(27:58):
this has really helped me withthat is don't take criticism
from someone you wouldn't takeadvice from.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
And if they haven't care, and I already got yours, I
already have your money.
Are you ready?
That's it.
I didn't give up just becauseyou don't like it.
You're not getting the moneyback out at the library if
you're really in.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I don't, I don't care , that's great.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
No, I love that.
I'm not everybody's cup of tea,that's okay.
What's that?
Are heckling her and she's likeyou just paid for my trip to
yeah, you know, cabo.
What are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
but it's also just like you have to have this when
you're a creator of anything,whether it be a business or a
book or artistic or otherwise,you have to really kind of get
in your bubble.
And the people, the, theopinions that matter to me, live
in my four walls or they arelocated at my publishing house.
That's who I really care about,and I care because those are
(28:59):
the people I'm truly trying toprove myself to.
I'm not trying to prove myselfto any rando.
I want to make them happy.
I want to entertain.
That's what I'm doing.
I'm not writing a book.
The purpose of all of my books,and will be, is to slide into
your tote bag.
You take me to the beach, Imake you happy.
For four days, you can turn offthe noise, you feel good, and
(29:19):
then that's it.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I'm not trying to like rattle it Change the world
Right, right right.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
If I do, it's through joy, right, and what a
privilege to be able to do that.
So if I have some nasty personget on the line and say
something bad to me, I'm likebless your heart, that's what we
say here.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
I love that.
That's my favorite response.
Oh yeah, that's good.
You know what I'm gonna do?
An inch.
I'm gonna do a facebookinstagram handle called bless
your heart should probably takenalready, but anyway, I'm gonna
do that and then startcommenting on people's things do
it, you heard?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
you heard it here first, that's the response just
bless your heart you heard ithere first.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
Um, no, but I agree, I agree with you.
100.
I think there's so many peopleum you.
You, I could choose what I wantto read.
Yeah, of course I can go, and Ican get a romance novel, a
fiction novel, a horror novel,an autobiography.
I mean, that's my choice.
Um, so if you don't like it, goaway you know, just put it down
.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
You don't have to be nasty about it.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
You don't have to finish it either.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
You know also, like what I really what I really want
to say to people who are trulynasty, it's like who hurt you,
like go here's the number of mytherapist.
She's great, maybe check herout, like you.
You, there's something brokenin you if you feel like you need
to rip apart someone's book,that writing a book is so hard.
So for someone to publish abook and get it out there at all
(30:30):
, even if they don't get it outthere, even if they just finish,
it, is such an accomplishmenton its own.
So to attack somebody's work,it's cruel.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I feel the same way, too, about some of our members
of the chamber.
I've talked with them about acouple of things.
Restaurants they make onemistake.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
Oh my gosh.
And they're given one star andthen forget it was closed on a
Monday.
I'm like that's not his fault,that doesn't mean the food sucks
, it means they're taking a dayoff.
You can't make everyone happy.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
But to me that's the whole con side of social media.
It's just it could be sodevastating to a business.
Listen, if your food's terribleor whatever, whatever, that's
fine, Just don't go back.
But if something happens, onelittle chance to destroy a new
business or somebody, I just Ihave a problem with it.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
But on the flip, because I'm this person, social
media is also incredible forbuilding up other things.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
I agree.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
So I think one of the things that I've learned about
social media is that it is atool, and so what I've been able
to do for upcoming authors ispromote their books because with
my small little following, itbrings their even smaller
following to a bigger following,and that invites opportunity
through exposure.
So I think you find your tribeon social media and you just
block out the noise.
(31:48):
But you can also promote greatthings.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
Mean, god knows, instagram's maybe a very
efficient shopper oh, for sure,you can ask my husband so I need
that at the cart on a scale of1 to 50 shades how spicy is how
spicy are we getting?
Speaker 3 (32:04):
of course, the man's asking about how much you know
he's gonna read the next one nowyeah uh well, the first one, I
would say, is like frank's redhot, and the second one, I would
say, is more like there's achapter in it that's pretty
spicy oh dear, okay, yeah, Ithink I just got read, but I
will tell you that my dad afunny story about the book.
(32:26):
So the first book there's achapter in it that is pretty
explicit, but not terrible.
The second book is a little bitmore, because you know why not?
He was working long hours somama had to entertain herself
anyway.
Um, so the first book I calledmy dad.
I was like, dad, you're gonnaread my book.
I was like, please don't readthis chapter.
Like, whatever you do, don't.
He's like fine, I'm going toaustralia, I'm gonna be on the
(32:47):
on the plane for like 20 hours.
I'm gonna take, I'll read it.
Then I was like, all right, andhe was texting me from up in
the sky and I'm sitting with myhusband on the couch and he's
like I'm reading your book.
And I'm like, oh shit, becausethat's the first thing I thought
was like oh my god, oh my god,oh my god.
And he was like and he startedwriting this like whole thing,
like, oh, I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Mom would be so proud , it's such beautiful writing
you didn't get to the chapteryet, did he Right, okay.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
And I was like ready for him to be like I have a
brain tumor.
Like I was, like we shouldscreenshot this and needle point
it, because he's never given mea compliment, ever.
He's German, I mean, you knownow, he does, he does.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
I'm just.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I'm joking, I'm joking.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
He's very complimentary, he's lovely
Biggest cheerleader.
I was like remember, dad, thischapter that's coming up, you
skip it and he goes OK, I thinkit was chapter 10.
I can't remember.
And so he sends me a textmessage about two hours later
and he's like I read chapter 10.
And I'm like oh my God, I'm sogrounded, I'm like I'm in
trouble.
Yeah right, I'm like I'm in, soyell at me.
(33:50):
I would so much more preferthat.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Yeah, that was the opposite of what I thought he
was going to say yeah, same.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
So the second book comes out.
So now it's really a contest togross my dad out.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Oh boy.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
So I'm just getting more graphic and more sexy as
the books come see me, I'mblushing just sitting here.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I can't wait until the next one.
The second one.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
There's a hot scene in there.
I'll tell you.
I almost had a third baby.
We got a puppy instead.
Puppies are better.
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Plus my husband's Italian.
Speaker 3 (34:15):
He sneezes and I get nervous.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And a reminder for our listeners the Violet Hour
comes out.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
August, yes, august 12th.
Please pre-order it now,because the pre-orders matter
y'all.
Everyone's like.
Don't say that it's tacky.
I'm like y'all, I just got backfrom Disney, I need to sell
some books, yeah.
So the pre-orders, everythingcounts for the first week of
your sales.
So the first week is how youget on the New York Times list
or not.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I was wondering, it is important to me.
The business side of things onthat end.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Yeah.
Public like what was that?
Like?
Um, how, how?
So good question.
I know you had an in already,but well, yes, so what I like to
tell people is that mine is avery unique story, obviously
because I have a legacy, um, butno one gives you anything for
(35:05):
free in new york.
So they may open the door for me, but I gotta walk through it
and I wrote that novel and thisone and every, every word I
write, I write myself, you know,and it's and it's hard, um.
So I got really lucky and andI'm blessed, I mean I really I
inherited my mom's agent and hereditor and then editor changed
publishing house and I followedher from harper collins to simon
and schuster, because she is sobrilliant.
(35:26):
Carrie farron is my editor andshe is just her mind is like
just so razor sharp, and sheunderstands what I'm doing
because she helped build mymom's career.
So it's like I really have thealpha team, the varsity team,
but I don't know how.
I think I was meant to do thisand I think doors opened to me
because they were like inanything in life if you were
(35:47):
meant to do something.
It sort of comes together.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Listen, no matter the legacy, if your book was not
good you know what I'm saying itwould not have sold.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
It's all right Period , so you had to.
So did you have to pitch theidea?
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Yeah, what is?
Speaker 2 (36:02):
that process.
So it's different.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Again, it's different for everybody and every editor,
every agent they all have.
You know they have differentexpectations and wants of an
author and different time.
Like you know, in the 90s itwas one game.
Now it's a different game.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
I had a as in everything Right as in From the
90s, I know, hello, I miss your90s, I miss the 90s, you know.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
God, spice Girls, where you at but this.
So I had most of the novelfinished and I got a book deal
when it was finished.
So I had to they would.
My editor looked at it for meas a favor because she was my
mom's editor.
But then I hired a freelanceeditor because Carrie was very
(36:42):
busy being an incredible editorto other people.
So I had a freelance editorhelp me kind of shape it and cut
off a lot of it.
And then I got a book deal.
Once it was done I submitted it.
But I was lucky.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Did you have some consultation on the deal part of
things Is it a fair?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
deal.
I have an agent.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
So I have an agent who represents me and you're
happy with all that?
Speaker 3 (37:02):
Yeah, I can't believe I was paid to do this.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
It's great and it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I'm having such a good time like I really am, like
I love thanks.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
I love book tour.
I love that I get to makepeople's lives fun and sunny for
like a few days, becausealthough everyone like rips
through my books, I'm like couldyou take a little longer it?
Speaker 2 (37:21):
took me seven years to write the first one and
you're done in 24 hours.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
That's interesting, well that's, but that's kudos to
you, because if you don't wantto put it down it's a
well-written book.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Well, at least it's a page turner and I think again,
the nice thing is it's such aprivilege.
It's a privilege to be mymother's daughter in general and
now to herald what she builther mountain on.
I get to build on top of.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
So, of all those great things you just mentioned,
victoria, what has been themost rewarding part of your
journey so far?
Being here right now, right nowmeeting you two Thank you
Meeting readers?
Speaker 3 (37:56):
for sure, I'm a reader.
Yeah, the readers who read my?
Books I'm rewarding to her.
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Yay, you are.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
I mean, listen, every person who picks up my book
allows me to live the life Ilive and it's an encouragement
to keep going.
But I've also met women whowere struggling in their life,
that my book was a light to them.
You know, and I can't changethe world, but I can make you
laugh for a little bit.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Can you having that kind of effect on another woman?
Incredible?
You know it's something, it'sjust it's.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
God you know like I don't know religion, I'm not
here to talk about that but Ican tell you that, like I
believe in God because I see howlove is the thread that ties us
all together.
And if I don't know you, youknow.
But you know me because of mybook and it made you feel seen
and that's so important to somany people.
And especially, like I love thestories where, like I was in
(38:45):
postpartum with babies nursingand dying and your book got me
through it, I'm like, yes, likeI'm so happy to be able to be
that for somebody so amazingyeah, that's my favorite part.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
What about?
What about you?
What do you do to distress?
What do you do to?
Speaker 1 (38:58):
I don't you use a constant stress.
She mentioned wine.
Speaker 3 (39:01):
I drink wine I play not enough.
There's not enough wine, Iwrite about it mazhang, mazhang,
I play mazhang every tuesday,um with a league and I have
really fun friends and we laugha lot and that's my, but I don't
have time for myself.
Right, but the kids and thehusbands and the single Everyone
who works with me, all of myteam, whenever they ask what do
you do to stress, they all startlaughing because they're like
(39:22):
she doesn't stop.
I never stop, because if I stop, I die.
That seems to me to be apersonality in general.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
No matter what you'd be doing in life, I could see
you either running a kitchen orwhatever it was.
I could just see that's the waythat you are.
Speaker 3 (39:35):
I live in a managed chaos at all times.
Actually, other writers theyalways make fun of me because it
takes me six hours to get twosentences.
I sit down with you for 20minutes.
You've written 1,500 words,because that's all I have.
I only have those 20 minutes,so I have to make it happen.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
I'm overly caffeinated and motivated to go
back to disney world.
What, uh, what's next?
Speaker 3 (39:56):
well, this book, and then I'm writing a third one
right now this book, meaning theviolent, the violent.
It'll be out in august a lot ofpeople are calling it the
violent hour, which I think ishysterical.
Um so I'm going on tour forthis um where are you going to
go?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
everywhere everywhere , anywhere you're going back to
books.
Yeah, of course, books, andbooks is my home base.
I like make sure I get aninvitation for that one.
All right, yeah, thank you.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Holly bucks is a good friend, and julian, her husband
, who's brilliant, brilliant,also an author, um, and I'm
working on a third book, whichis a little bit different but
it's also within the same theme,takes place half on selva's
island, a little bit in italy,and it's about um, three girls
that planned a life and then itdidn't work out for any of them,
and so they had to restructureand carve a new path.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
When unexpected things are thrown your way, I
mean, you've had enoughunexpected things thrown your
way that you could probablywrite for three different people
.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
That's why I'm funny.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
It's the trauma yeah, I get it, I like it.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
Yeah, did your therapist tell you to do that.
Speaker 1 (40:50):
No, no, I into therapy actually and I probably
should have been in therapyabout 10 years ago.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
but here we are.
No, I think that it's true.
I think the funniest people Iknow have gone through some of
the most roughest lives.
Not that my life is rough, butI've definitely been dealt some
curveballs for sure.
But that's what makes me badass, Exactly.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Yeah, balls for sure, but that's what makes me
exactly badass.
Yeah, right, well, I'm a fanthanks, I just met you.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
You haven't even read it yet.
Wait till you read it.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Wait till you read it I don't know if I can, you're
gonna read it.
You're gonna read it.
What do you mean?
Like I said, just have emilyread it to you, you feel like
it's gonna be too personal getthe audio, I might get too horny
.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
I mean, I don't know, oh, boy.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Now he's really gonna be a fan.
He's gonna be like where didyou live on?
James, I think this is thespiciest conversation from my
husband um, which is probablylike I get it that's what he
would say.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Like has he read it?
Speaker 3 (41:43):
no, well, what the heck?
No, of course he didn't read it.
I think my husband is betteroff not get it.
Like he doesn't come to my bookevents, really, and it's, it's
okay, like I think, yeah, younot that I'm on this level at
all, please don't misunderstandme, but there's a reason why no
one really knew who DollyParton's husband was.
You know, when you're I'm such abut I'm such an extrovert and I
take up all the space and likethat's my job, yeah.
(42:05):
So Sometimes I wake up and I'mlike man, that bitch is wearing
me out, that Victoria BentonFrank.
I am tired today.
You're doing a lot yeah, butagain I'll die if I don't.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
I'm a shark.
I've got a couple rapid firebefore we let you go.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
Oh, I love rapid fire .
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Okay, if you don't want to answer them.
They're okay because theyunderstand.
Favorite restaurant in town, myliving room.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
Oh, I like to eat on my couch, so can we all come to
your house?
Speaker 1 (42:34):
Yes, for dinner.
Oh, no, I actually do.
Isn't it called Park and Grove?
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Yeah, park and Grove my husband's.
Obviously I love Vern's.
Vern's is my favorite andspecifically their roasted
chicken.
It is like it is the mostDecadent, delicious Roasted
chicken.
I think you can test Anyrestaurant Based on how they
Roast a chicken the.
The technique is perfect.
The brown butter jus isdelicious and my only complaint
with Vern's is that they don'tserve it with a whole baguette
(42:57):
to sop up all of that delicioussauce.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
Now, we were hungry before and now I'm really hungry
.
Oh yeah, have you been to thisplace?
Yeah, I have, yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Tell them I sent you and they'll be like oh, you're
getting the chicken.
Like I had my birthday there.
We had 10 people Everybody atetheir own.
It's funny because most peopleare like chicken but no, you're
right.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Your person is like I'm not going to get chicken,
but no.
But when it's done right, it'sdone right.
Oh my God.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Where do you take?
What's the first place?
You take out-of-state visitorsfor the first time.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
Oh, that's a good question.
Well, it used to be Sullivan'sIsland, right, that's right.
Laptop and going out there andwriting and looking at the water
.
Speaker 1 (43:43):
so we'll see, depending on how hot, it gets
it's pretty hot.
That sounds awesome, though.
Yeah, buggy, screw those gnats.
Um, who is going to be the leadin your uh, my magnolia summer
movie?
Speaker 3 (43:54):
um me.
I have a theater degree, soI'll be acting.
Speaker 2 (43:56):
Oh, there it comes, stipulation, everything comes.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
She doesn't just want to be a bestseller.
She wants to be an oscarwinning actress too.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
Why not magnolia?
Who's maggie?
Speaker 3 (44:08):
I don't know, maggie, I don't know what.
Speaker 1 (44:09):
Do you want to play, maggie?
Speaker 3 (44:11):
I, I, I'm open, you know.
I think I I don't care, as longas they get the southern accent
right.
That's my only gripe.
Don't come in here and soundlike you're from Colombia.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
When you're from Charleston.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
Or like they don't get it.
Not everybody sounds like abanjo down here, Charleston has
a certain dialect and a rhythmto it.
It has to be authentic.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
And my last question for you is what are you reading
right now?
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Oh, I'm reading a few things.
Right now I'm reading theFavorites, which is about a
competitive ice skating couple,which is really, really good.
Speaker 1 (44:41):
A real story A fiction?
Speaker 3 (44:42):
Yeah, it's fiction but it's based on a true story.
I'm reading Paige Turner bywell, I'm almost done.
I guess I'm done with it nowbecause I finished it by Viola
Davis, who is my favorite,favorite person right now.
What else am I reading?
I have something else on my.
Oh my God, I'm blanking now.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
I gotta write these down.
Yeah, I love book suggestions.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Oh, I just finished and I was so late to the party,
but I'm so glad to be here nowat Lisa C's Lady Tan Circle of
Women.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
It's the most I'm gonna tell you women, it's the
most I'm going to tell you whatit's about and you're gonna be
like what, but I promise youit's talk about a good story.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
It's about 14th century china female doctors.
It is, there was doctors in14th century china and that were
women.
Yes, and it's incredible.
It's like you look at it.
So the best thing about a bookis that it gives you a window
into somebody else's perspective, and I'm not going to know
about 14th century china rightlike I'm at target with
screaming children and, like youknow, a hangover, um.
So I don't really, I don'treally know what that's like so
if I get to jump into anotherworld.
I think that's really that's.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
I think that's amazing.
That's what I'm um, I'm gonnahave to.
When I record, when I relistento this, I'm gonna write those
down yeah um all right listeners, everybody.
Um get out there, get myMagnolia Summer.
This is already out.
This is a great, great book.
Thank, you.
You're going to enjoy everysingle second of it.
And then August.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
August.
You can buy this now.
It's available.
Buy now.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
In August we get the Violet Hour and then, hopefully
next year, we get the third, I'mhoping, all right, you better
get the word.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Listen, I know I gotta go, guys.
Speaker 2 (46:15):
I gotta butcher right , we'll take your kids, so you
can write it faster, real quick,before you say goodbye yeah, go
ahead yeah let's do a giveawayyay, yeah, let's see like if you
comment on the youtube and orany social media that amanda
posts okay and says you know, Iwant my magnolia there you go
huh, what do you think about?
That we, we've got one, two,three, four.
(46:37):
Well no, I need one, keep yours, keep yours.
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Yes, we have four right now.
Speaker 3 (46:41):
No, this is my wife's .
Oh sorry, it should be yours.
They're going to be autographed.
Yes, right, thank you.
Speaker 2 (46:48):
That's really awesome .
Speaker 3 (46:51):
Thank you for having me.
It's such a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
This is certainly a very memorable podcast and I
hope it gets shared all over theplace.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I think this is her favorite.
I kind of want to think this isher favorite.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
This is fantastic.
Victoria thank you so much forspending your time with us today
it's such a pleasure and anhonor.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
How do we get a hold of you?
Speaker 3 (47:10):
Best way to follow me is on Instagram Victoria Benton
, frank, easy peasy, and I havea website, but it's almost
performative.
It's not, like you know, socialmedia.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
And where should we get your books from?
Speaker 3 (47:24):
Okay, so they're available anywhere books are
sold.
I always encourage readers toorder from an independent
bookstore, preferably ones inSouth Carolina, Village
Bookseller I love.
And then, of course, BuxtonBooks, Blue Bicycle Books yes,
Blue Bicycle Village BooksellerI love.
Speaker 1 (47:35):
And then, of course, Buxton Books, Blue Books too,
Blue Bicycle Books yes.
Speaker 3 (47:37):
Blue Bicycle Books, jonathan Sanchez, good friend of
mine, any of those are great,but obviously Barnes, noble,
amazon, all those places it'savailable as well Books a
million.
Speaker 1 (47:46):
Get out there and get yourself a copy, please.
I got two kids.
Speaker 3 (47:50):
Lots of bills, Credit card debt.
Buy two Bills Credit card debtBye two.
Bye two, One for each kid.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
One for each kid.
Send him to college.
That's awesome.
Thank you again so much Thankyou.
Speaker 2 (48:02):
You've been great.
It was a fun time, funconversation, thank you.
Speaker 1 (48:04):
What an enjoyable chat with you.
We wish you nothing but thebest.
Thank you so much.
So before we leave, we need toonce again thank our sponsor, dk
Design, and, of course, ourpartners, charleston Media
Services, for.
Speaker 2 (48:15):
Charleston Media Solutions.
Speaker 1 (48:16):
Media Solutions.
Why do I keep saying services?
I'm sorry about that.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
It's a service for a solution.
They changed their name, soit's their fault.
Speaker 1 (48:21):
Solutions for their support, not only for this
podcast, but for their supportof the chamber.
Make sure you like andsubscribe to all our media
channels Spotify, iTunes,youtube, instagram, facebook and
LinkedIn.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Yeah, comment on any one of those for your own signed
book by VBF herself FantasticDid you know that I'm calling
you VBF now Like DBF.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Yeah, my mom was DBF, oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (48:48):
Yeah, boy, mike, you're nailing it today.
I don't know what's going onover here.
We're on it.
I don't know what's going onover here.
Sorry, carmine, I don't knowwhat's going on over here.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
He's going to listen.
He's going to listen.
He'd be like you can have her.
She's a pain.
All that personality at home isa lot.
Go ahead.
We've been together 15 years.
He would love a little thrilllike that.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (49:08):
That's awesome.
You know what?
Speaker 3 (49:09):
Actually we've been 15 years.
You better watch his back,right Because now I'm famous.
Speaker 2 (49:13):
You're famous now.
Lol.
I'll tell him that I'm going towatch my back for now.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
I know it's an Italian chef on my ass Riding a
motorcycle.
What the heck just happened?
We'll probably give you sometips.
God, that's the love of my life, that idiot.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
Oh my God, the laughs today.
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