People often ask me where I got my idea for the Marriage Epidemic, so for those of you interested, here's my story:

I was born in Northeast Philadelphia.  As a young child, I never felt like I fit in, probably because I didn't.  Perhaps it was the fact I was heavy (okay, fat) or the little red glasses I wore that my mom thought looked cute (thanks a lot, Mom!).  It could have also been my two front teeth that stuck out like a beaver's or the stretch pants that barely made it around my waist.

They say that authors get their ideas from their own experiences, and let me tell you, I know first-hand about wanting to follow the norm to fit in.  Conformity was my middle name as a child.

When I was in 4th grade some neighborhood kids used me as their summer project.  They were determined to help me lose weight, wear designer jeans, meaning Jordache, and buy a pair of Dr. Scholl's (the trendy sandals of the time) before the summer ended.

Their project failed miserably, but a few years later, tired of being the summer project, I lost a ton of weight, got braces and miraculously no longer needed glasses, and yes, I bought my first pair of Jordache jeans...not nearly as comfortable as those old stretch pants, but chic just the same.

My life changed in Junior High and High School where I found my own group of friends.  They might not have been the cheerleaders of the school, but they were the best friends I could ask for.  We all accepted each other for who we were and not what we weren't. Many of these friends continue to be my closest friends today. 

During Junior High School, I began writing short stories.  It was a great outlet for expressing my frustration with the "cool kids" who thought everyone should follow their example and be like them.  I knew around this time that I wanted to write for a living.  In fact, I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I majored in Journalism at Temple University and got my first job writing for a television syndication network, writing infomercials; you know those 30-minute shows you see in the middle of the night when you can't sleep that tell you all the reasons to buy that slicer/dicer for just $19.99. 

I spent the next two years working in the world of television doing pretty crazy things like messing up closets a dozen or two times so TV viewers could see why they had to buy those hangers that would finally help them organize their closets (Hollywood, it wasn't, but for a first job it was pretty cool).

At one of these jobs, my idea for The Marriage Epidemic was born.  I was working with all young women in their 20s.  We all had boyfriends and one by one the engagement rings appeared.  It seemed like every holiday, with the exception of maybe Veteran's Day, I was asked when my boyfriend would propose and was greeted with disappointed expressions by my empty ring finger.  Somehow all their boyfriends knew this was the time to propose, and apparently mine hadn't come with the same instruction manual. 

I didn't want to get married just because everyone else was, but it did give me a look at the pettiness women went through when they didn't follow the "proper" timeline.  Once again I wasn't fitting in, this time because of my empty ring finger!

I did eventually get married, but I followed my own timeline for my engagement, not someone else's.

Meanwhile, back on the work-front, people weren't buying those slicer/dicers anymore.  The first two companies where I worked went bankrupt and for the next 10 years I ended up in healthcare advertising and marketing (still not sure how that happened).  I was in account services and missed being creative and writing.

During those 10 years, people wanted to know why I hadn't had a baby yet.  Once again, I was lagging behind.  It didn't matter that I wanted to travel and see the world first and that I just wasn't ready.  What mattered was that there was obviously something wrong with me for still shopping at the Gap when everyone else was hanging out at Baby Gap.  

At last when I was ready, my first of two daughters was born.  People couldn't wait to ask when I'd be having my second one, but at this point I no longer cared what people thought.  This was when I started writing The Marriage Epidemic (at first entitled Conformity).

I decided to stay at home with my daughters until they were at school all day, but knew I needed some mental stimulation as well.  I could only take so much of Barney and those horrendous Teletubbies every day!

I began freelancing for Times Publishing Newspapers, a Bucks County publishing company. 

I also worked for various regional parenting magazines and received an award for one of my articles from the Parenting Publications of America.  Many of my articles were syndicated throughout the country, including Hawaii!

After completing The Marriage Epidemic, I joined the Romance Writers of America (RWA).  I was hired to write for RWA's national trade publication, The Romance Writers' Report.  During this time, The Marriage Epidemic received honorable mention in a fiction contest held by the Twenty-Third Annual Writer's Conference at the College of New Jersey.

As my daughters got older, I took on more writing assignments, like ghost writing several e-books.

Today, I follow my own path in life and don't listen to others tell me what I'm doing or not doing right. Like Jen, the protagonist in The Marriage Epidemic, I went through a journey of self-discovery until I realized trying to fit in with others isn't all it's cracked up to be!

I currently work as an assistant editor at Times Publishing Newspapers and love getting paid to do what I love most, writing (Thank you Donna and Mark for giving me the confidence and support over the years to continue writing!!).

I live with my two wonderful daughters in Newtown, Pennsylvania and when people ask me if I'm ever going to try for a boy, I simply shake my head and walk away.  I no longer waste my time explaining my decisions to people.

Hope you enjoy The Marriage Epidemic! I'd love to hear from you when you finish reading it.

Best Wishes,

June Portnoy