WASHINGTON鈥� When Emily Giffin graduated from law school, she had a plan.
It didn鈥檛 involve landing a job at a large Manhattan law firm鈥斅爏he already did that. Her plan was to work for as long as she needed at that demanding job until she paid off her student loans. Then, she was going to quit and write a novel.
That plan doesn鈥檛 work for everyone, but for Giffin, it did.
After five years, the University of Virginia law graduate said 鈥済oodbye鈥� to the lawyer life and started to write full-time.
鈥淓veryone goes to law school when they have no idea what it is they want to do or they鈥檙e afraid to do what they want to do. I mean, how often do you meet a 鈥榰sed to be鈥� doctor?鈥� said Griffin, who was recently in D.C. for a book signing at The Hepburn.
鈥淚 think that writers know that from a very early age. It鈥檚 just something that鈥檚 in you.鈥�
Of course, success wasn鈥檛 immediate. Giffin says she struggled for a few years before she became a celebrated author.
鈥淚 had written a manuscript to a novel that was rejected by eight publishers 鈥斅爀veryone I submitted it to,鈥� she said.
But in 2004, her book, 鈥淪omething Borrowed,鈥� which was later turned into a movie starring Kate Hudson and Gennifer Goodwin, climbed the charts to popularity. This summer, the New York Times bestselling author is out with her eighth book, 鈥淔irst Comes Love.鈥�
Giffin鈥檚 new novel focuses on two sisters, both of whom are at a crossroads in their lives and are forced to come to terms with a family tragedy.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e really asking themselves: are they living the life they鈥檙e meant to be living?鈥� Giffin explained.
Meredith, who has a husband and a child, questions her path and her marriage. Her sister, Josie, on the other hand, would give anything to be in Meredith鈥檚 shoes, and even considers having a child without a significant other.
At first, Giffin says she was hesitant to tackle the complex relationship of sisterhood. (She, herself, has a sister, and they are close in age and in bond.)
鈥淚 think part of me was concerned I wouldn鈥檛 be able to separate myself from the one relationship I鈥檝e had my whole life 鈥� But sister stories have always fascinated me and it was a lot of fun to explore this family dynamic,鈥� she said.
In addition to sibling rivalry, Giffin says exploring how different people cope with tragedy inspired the novel, as did women in their 30s realizing, 鈥渢his isn鈥檛 what I imagined for myself.鈥�
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 always hard to pinpoint the one inspiration, because it鈥檚 so many different things,鈥� she said.
Giffin鈥檚 latest book will no doubt find its way into the beach bags of many readers this summer. But if you鈥檙e looking to expand your summer reading list, we found out what鈥檚 on Giffin鈥檚 nightstand this season.
Here鈥檚 what she鈥檚 reading: Curtis Sittenfeld鈥檚 鈥淓ligible,鈥� Leigh Himes鈥� 鈥淭he One That Got Away,鈥� Allison Winn Scotch鈥檚 鈥淚n Twenty Years,鈥� Rumaan Alam鈥檚 鈥淩ich and Pretty,鈥� and Julia Claiborne Johnson鈥檚 鈥淏e Frank With Me.鈥�
