Tell us about your new novel, Market Street.

Market Street is about the young wife of a UC Berkeley Ethics professor who discovers her husband is having an affair with his student. She must decide whether to give the marriage another chance or open a food emporium in Fenton's, her mother's exclusive San Francisco department store.

Why did you write this novel? What was your inspiration?

I love writing about San Francisco - especially high society San Francisco. It's a gorgeous setting and it is easy to fill it with interesting people. My inspiration was what does a woman do when she has devoted ten years to a marriage and discovers she can't trust her husband. Cassie wants to trust Aidan, but once trust has been shaken, it's hard to get it back.

Which of your characters do you identify with the most and why?

I love Cassie and her best friend, Alexis. I have a particular soft spot for Alexis. Alexis looks like she has everything, but she's actually very vulnerable. And she is funny. I love humor in books.

Why did you choose San Francisco as the setting of your new novel?

I lived in the Bay Area for years and have a love affair with the city. It's a very livable city and the landmarks are recognizable to people all over the world. When I write, I feel like I am there - and San Francisco is a nice place to be!

What is the most challenging part about being a writer? What is the most rewarding?

The most challenging part about being a writer is not to write the whole book at once. I get an idea in my head and want to see the whole thing on paper - I want to read it - but it takes months to get the words and pages down. The most rewarding part of being a writer is creating characters and worlds that feel real.

What are your favorite genres to read?

I read mostly fiction, but within fiction just about anything. I don't read horror because I scare easily.

What was the last book you read that you loved?

I really enjoyed The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin. I love good historical fiction because I learn something when I read.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?

I like to walk to the beach, and I like to eat frozen yoghurt with my children. We are big frozen yoghurt fans.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My advice is to keep writing. When I wrote my first novel, I wrote just for me - and that's the most satisfying way to write. If I liked it, hopefully others would, too.

What are you working on now?

My next novel, Lake Como, comes out on August 13th, 2013. It is set in San Francisco and Lake Como, and it was a pleasure to write. Lake Como is gorgeous, and I felt like I was going there every day.

Thanks, Anita!

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