My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez
What do you do when love is tested? Do you let it go or grab on with both hands and fight for it?
When R&D scientist, Simon Fremont meets famous romance writer Tessa Talman, he knows he has to have her. She’s a contradiction; beautiful and spirited, yet refined in a way that makes him sit up and take notice. When an opportunity presents itself to get to know Tessa better, he takes it, even though the pair couldn’t be more different.
My Goodbye Girl (Rosewind Books) by Anna Gomez follows Simon and Tessa across the globe as they open themselves up to the possibility of a happy ending while tackling grief, loss and compromise along the way. We spoke with Gomez about how the book came to be, and how her own relationship influenced Simon and Tessa’s love story.
Q: Let’s talk about the origin story of this great book! Was there a catalyst moment where you first came up with the idea?
A: Thank you for having me! This book originated from the joyful moments I experienced while traveling for work and meeting so many people around the world from different cultures and circumstances. I visited the same place a few times a year, and formed many friendships and relationships with people that were from there. I may be aging myself, but I also loved the 70’s movie, Same Time Next Year. I wanted to write about two people whose relationship develops amidst the backdrop of different places in the world — it started out in my head as a romantic romp and ended up being a little more than that.
Q: What inspired you to make these characters’ personalities and outlooks so different? Was this something you decided on early in the writing process, or did it develop over time?
A: I’ve been married to my complete opposite for 35 years. My husband is as practical and pragmatic as Simon. He calls me his “girl with her head in the clouds” because I cry about every single thing, whether I’m happy or sad or angry or thankful. I sleep with the lights on when I travel alone, and he is fearless, afraid of nothing. I’m spontaneous, he’s not. We could go on and on with this, but you get the point.
Q: Travel is a huge part of this book. What kind of a role do the various settings have in the narrative? Have you been to any of these places yourself?
A: I have! I wanted to take my readers on a trip with me, I wanted to share with them all the places I’ve seen and the cultures I’ve experienced. It was important to me, to give them a view of the world. I wanted to find a unique way to make every setting play a part in the couple’s evolution. I strongly believe that it’s all about the journey and not the destination … every place they visited helped them develop both as individuals and as a couple.
Q: Are there any real-life inspirations behind Tessa and Simon?
A: Tessa and Simon are different parts of myself and the people I know and love. I even kept some names true to life to honor them and what they’ve brought into my life. My sister’s name is Tessa. She’s the most amazing human being in the entire planet.
Q: What was it like writing a romance about a romance author?
A: It wasn’t as easy as one would think! This book is my love letter to my fellow authors as well as my readers. I wanted to give an honest take on an author’s life. How things aren’t always as they seem. How social media can sometimes warp our reality, but also, how social media unites us with people, from all walks of life.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from My Goodbye Girl?
A: What started out as a romantic romp around the world ended up being a much more meaningful story about the brevity of life. My Goodbye Girl is really a story of persevering love and of hope. There was a time in my life when I was lost and trying to find my way as a mother, a wife, a woman. One of my friends told me something I will always remember — “that life never goes in a straight line.” My Goodbye Girl is about navigating those detours and curves that life just throws at you. Sometimes, you just have to trust that things will always end up the way they were meant to be.
Anna Gomez was born in the city of Makati, Philippines and educated abroad. She is Global Chief Financial Officer for Mischief and No Fixed Address, a consolidated group of ad agencies. Gomez was recently selected for the 2020 HERoes Women Role Model Executives list, which celebrates 100 women who lead by example and drive change. Gomez has championed various ERGs for Black and API colleagues as well as resources to address challenges of ageism. She serves on several boards, including Breathe for Justice and The Jensen Project. Gomez resides outside of Chicago. Check out her website at www.AnnaGomezBooks.com.
