I spoke with prolific New York-based writer Elinor Lipman about her latest novel Every Tom, Dick & Harry, a lighthearted, funny story about a 32-year-old woman named Emma Lewis, who, stalled in her career, reluctantly takes over her parents struggling estate sale business.
No sooner do Emma’s parents leave town to enjoy their retirement, than she lands the company’s biggest get, an impressive mansion on the exclusive Quail Ridge Road. Only, this mansion has a less than exclusive past. A bed and breakfast for male guests that was more bed than breakfast. Another promising fancy house Emma takes on has a similarly checkered past.
Should Emma let prudish principals get in the way of making money? Falling for the town’s chief of police only complicates matters. Expect an active plotline, some unusual and timely deaths, lots of romance, and some good luck for those who had given up on it. Below is an edited version of our chat. You can listen to the entire conversation here on Elena Meets the Author, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Elena: Elinor, you’ve written 17 books. Where do you get your delightful madcap ideas from? And specifically, where did you get the idea for Every Tom, Dick and Harry?
I don’t get a full-blown idea ever. I don’t get a plot. If I’m lucky, I get an opening line. And then I follow the advice of an old writing teacher of mine: prepare to write badly. I just think of a sentence that’ll lead to the next thing, maybe it’ll inspire me, a character pops in. It’s sort of a seat of the pants approach, but it’s what I’ve done.
And as far as Every Tom, Dick and Harry with Emma taking the reins of her parent’s estate sale business, I go to estate sales a lot. I got a few things that made me feel like I had a bit of a link with the owner. I got a plate; I got some serving bowls. Every time I use them, I think of the owner. Usually, I write something and then throw it away. Not the whole thing, maybe the first chapter. I’ve thrown away as much as 125 pages.
I’m constantly polishing, until I feel I can move on. So, this is not a guidebook to anyone thinking, how do I get an idea for a novel? But it’s more just sit down and don’t be put off by the fact that you feel uninspired. You may have the glimmer of an idea or an opening line. Start with an opening line.
I saw in your acknowledgements that you thank your police chief friend, someone that you’ve known since fourth grade.
Jimmy Mulligan, bless his heart. Yes.
I was just wondering whether he gave you some good narrative advice on being a cop. And if so, can you tell us any of his tips.
He was a police officer, a chief and a superintendent and he went to the FBI academy and all this other stuff so sometimes I’ll send him an email and say something like, the cop is at the end of the street, and he’s not letting people go through because there’s been a possible tragedy. When’s he going to let the people through? When’s anyone going to being able to get to the house? He gives me specific advice. So, whenever there’s a policeman and Luke (the policeman in the book..) is in the scene, Jimmy Mulligan has approved the dialogue.
Did you stay in touch with him since the fourth grade?
I think it was my 20th high school reunion; I saw Jimmy at the event.We talked and he gave me his card and said, if you ever have a question about a cop, call me. Well, I certainly did. Cops show up in all my novels.
In your acknowledgements, you also thank, Facebook friends and a neighbor for their contributions. It seems that you don’t have to look that far for story ideas or information helpful to your novel. You just have to be open.
I think that’s very true. I remember once being at a reading with Anita Shreve, who was a really close friend of mine, and I just miss her terribly. Someone was asking about research. Her books take place, here, there, and everywhere.
And I remember Anita saying that she does research on a need-to-know basis. I do too. I don’t get in my car and go to 20 estate sales and take notes. It’s more what I gleam looking back at things I’ve noticed.
And you know the other thing that was hugely helpful in this novel besides Jimmy Mulligan is Jonathan, my English beau. He is an appraiser for an auction house. He’s the one that leads me to these estate sales. He was very helpful in terms of what would be on the wall at this fancy B& B/brothel. The ending has a lot to do with art too.
And I remember the auction business featured in your last hilarious book, Miss Demeanor. Thank you, Jonathan. Hah
Oh yeah, big time. We joke about how much I’ve monetized him because I’ve written about him in Modern Love (Taking a Break for Friendship) , and I’m working on another piece right now for the Free Press that Jonathan enters into because it’s about widowhood.
Didn’t you also have a collection of essays?
Yes
What’s it called?
It’s called, I Can’t Complain.
And one of the essays was about him before you started going out…
It was when we were seeing each other as friends, his choice, not mine. I called what we had going on a nomance, because it was. We were seeing each other for about six months. My collection came out, with the essay called A Fine Nomance about meeting him, and how nothing happened, and I pretended in that essay that that was about right for me.
You know, like I was a widow, and that all I needed was this friendship. And he read that essay. We were seeing each other still in a platonic fashion. But I was picking up a few new vibes. He said he wanted to talk to me. And he came over. I had wine and smoked salmon ready.
But it happened to be a distracting day. It was the same day that this really wonderful review appeared in the New York Times of both books that were brought out simultaneously. The View from Pantos B and the essay collection. So, he comes over at six, and I was getting phone calls. And I talked to my son, and I was getting emails. Finally, he told me that what he wanted to tell me was that he didn’t want to be just friends anymore.
He was taking his time. Maybe he was just being British?
Oh, for sure. And that was 12 years ago.
I’m so glad it worked and I’m so glad he’s a font of material for you.
A font of material is right, and he’s such a good sport.
Back to your book, I notice in both Miss Demeanor and in Every Tom, Dick and Harry, your novels take place in small settings. Do you prefer limiting your settings to one place where everybody knows each other, or they’re somehow connected?
Yes, I would say so. I was recently asked, what are your goals for the next book? And I began by saying, I’m always trying to get my characters outside. I have a t-shirt that says Indoorsy. I have to push myself
That’s funny because in Miss Demeanor they’re under house arrest.
That’s the ultimate. I have to push myself to not have every conversation taking place at the table. Dialogue is the easiest thing for me. So where does the dialogue take place? I don’t have them on adjoining treadmills at the gym. I have them sitting down, eating.
Maybe personally that’s where you’re happiest?
Yes, I also like the cooking part of it.
You probably get this question all the time, but what advice would you give aspiring comedic writers?
I don’t like books that are allegedly funny, and I can see that the author’s straining to tell jokes and be funny. When I do a reading, I discover what people find funny, what they’re laughing at.
So, people laugh at a sentence, a word sometimes. And I think, well I didn’t know that was funny. But of course, at the next reading or event, if people don’t laugh at that same line, I’m disappointed. I would say, if I find myself reaching to say something funny for a line, I cut that line out.
So, maybe you’re either a funny person or you’re not. And if it’s forced, it will come off as forced.
When I watch a standup comedian, I like the ones that are just talking about their life and their observations. They are just observations, but they’re funny to other people, and it’s their rye way of viewing things.
I don’t like comics who laugh at their own jokes. I like a straight face where they describe something that they experienced, something that they viewed, and it’s funny.
I have a question about your schedule. Do you pretty much, regardless of whether you have an idea or not, do you say, I’m going to sit down at my computer, at such and such a time, five days a week or more?
I like to write in the morning. And that of course had to do with when my son was in nursery school, and then school, and my husband went off to work at 6:30 in the morning. He was a doctor. That was very convenient, out the door at 6:30. I aim for 500 words a day, five days a week.
But if the 500 words come quickly because it’s a lot of dialogue, I say, okay, it’s only nine in the morning, or nine thirty, or ten. You’ve got a whole day ahead, and that’s disgraceful, and why don’t you keep going. So then, 750 sounds good, and then I think, well, as long as I’m at 750 words, do 1,000.
I definitely push myself. I don’t know what’s next, but I’m just going to give it a try and write something. And then maybe I throw that away, but it leads to an idea. I’m quite religious about that.
And if we’re out driving – not me driving, Jonathan- and I get an idea for the book, then I’ll take out a pen and the notebook that’s sitting there near the gear shift and write it down. I got the idea for Good Riddance sitting in the passenger seat of the car. I pay attention to those little glimmers. Jonathan’s used to it. It might be just the tiniest thing that one of the characters I’m working on is doing tomorrow.
My last question is what books are you excited to read?
I’m reading a book right now by British author Marianne Cronin. She’s really a smart writer. It’s called Eddie Winston is Looking for Love. Eddie Winston, who’s 94, has never been kissed. He works in a charity shop, so it’s full of second-hand stuff.
I’m also reading Emma because Simon & Schuster is doing an anthology where each story is going to be about a minor character in any Jane Austen novel. And I’ve chosen Miss Bates from Emma. So, I’m rereading Emma and watching every movie and TV program about Emma. My story is due March 1st.
You are busy. It’s impressive. Well, that’s all my questions. It was really lovely talking to you.
Same here.
Thank you and good luck
March, 2025
