Book Club Kit
A Conversation with ers ©K
tin We i d i n g e r
Lizzy Dent
What inspired you to write this deliciously fun story? I knew I wanted to write a story about Scotland and food. The Summer Job is inspired by the people I met and places I went while working in hospitality in Scotland over a few summers (and winters!). I really enjoyed being thrust into the world of fine wine and gastronomy—it was something so new for me, and I had my fair share of mishaps and hijinks!
How did you come to channel Birdy’s quick-humored, relatable voice while writing? Do you feel you are like Birdy in any way? I really drew from inside myself when I wrote Birdy. I tried to bring out the kind of mixed emotions I have felt when I’m out of my depth—that bracing insecurity and self-doubt. I also used a lot of on-screen women leads as my inspiration—screwups like Fleabag, Mickey Dobbs, Annie from Bridesmaids, and Eleanor Shellstrop for the self-effacing quick wit.
You provide such intricate and mouthwatering details about the food and wine at Loch Dorn. Did you have to perform any research in preparation for Birdy’s summer job? Is there anything you learned about food and wine that surprised you? I did quite a lot of googling about wine and a lot of crawling through Michelin-starred restaurants to get inspiration for the food. The wine list is inspired by the one at the Ritz London, and the menu from the Three Chimneys and LochBay Boathouse on the Isle of Skye.
If you could cast a movie based on The Summer Job, who would you choose to play Birdy, Heather, James, and other supporting characters? Well. Watch this space (!). I’d love to see someone like Gillian Jacobs play Birdy, and James be played by Richard Madden. Roxy could be someone like Freya Mavor, and I’d love to see Irene played by Tilda Swinton! (A girl can dream!)
The charming Scottish setting pairs well with the chic restaurant. Is Loch Dorn a real place? No. But a few years ago I went on a hike in the Highlands with my friend Carolyn and we wandered around a loch with an incredible house right down on the water. It was so majestic, and I thought of that place while I was writing. There are so many unbelievable places to eat in Scotland. It has amazing seafood, game, and foraged foods—and, of course, whisky!
What was your favorite scene to write in the novel and why? Probably the scene where Tim and Damo come to dine at the restaurant and Birdy is completely freaking out. I love that Damo turns out to be a foodie.
What is your favorite aspect of Birdy and James’s dynamic? Where did you pull inspiration from when crafting their romance? I wanted Birdy to not believe that a normal, kind person could love her. I wanted James to be enamored by her sharp wit and unique personality. In the end, she arrived like a warm, fresh wind from the south and he brought her calm and unconditional kindness.
Without giving anything away, did you always know how the story would end? Yes and no. Ha! I wanted there to be an extra layer to Birdy’s bad decision that would, in the end, overshadow the main plot. I wanted there to be a shock!
Is there a lesson you feel readers should take away from The Summer Job? Not really. I just want to write fun, relatable stories, where the lead women have a bit of bite. I really want us to celebrate our mistakes and to be okay with not having BIG DREAMS and just feeling our way in the world.
What’s next for you? I am currently finishing a new book set on the windswept Kentish coast. A very frank and very pregnant fortune-teller goes into labor mid-reading, sending Norah Williams on an unfortunate journey of atonement, personal growth, and a morally dubious date with an Austrian concert cellist. Yeah, I need to work on the logline.
Discussion Questions
1
Birdy’s decision for the summer changes her life in ways she couldn’t have imagined. If you were in her position, would you have done the same as Birdy? Have you ever made a shocking and unexpected decision that changed your life?
2
Confess: Did you drink wine during your read of The Summer Job? If you did, what was your choice of wine and why? If not, what wine would you choose for a fellow reader?
3
Did you learn anything about food and wine that surprised you? If so, what was it?
4
What was your favorite scene in the novel and why?
5
What do you think is special about Birdy and Heather’s friendship? Do you have a similar friendship? If so, who do you identify with more—Birdy or Heather?
6
Why do you think Birdy was attracted to both Tim and James? Birdy is an independent person but how did each of these men influence her life?
7
Which character is your favorite and why? Is there a character you related to more than others?
8
Were you surprised by Heather’s secret? How do you think you would have reacted if you were in Heather’s position when she first found out?
9
Do you think Birdy made the right choice for herself in the end? What do you think this summer job ultimately taught her about life?
10
Were you satisfied with the ending? Why or why not?
How to Fake It as a Wine Expert My aunt took my uncultured ass to a very famous, very fancy restaurant in Piccadilly Circus, London, more than a decade ago. The head chef was famous for his very shouty, very manly knife-throwing genius, and the wine list was legendary. I felt very out of my depth. And so, when the sommelier poured us a glass of wine to taste and offered a kitchen tour for anyone who could pick the country and the grape, I had to outsmart him. It wasn’t rocket science. He was trying to outsmart me by choosing a wine from my hometown in New Zealand. But never try to fake a faker—I’m always two steps ahead. “It smells very fresh and buoyant. Must be a New Zealand Sauv Blanc,” I said, eyeing up the wines by the glass on the weighty list in my lap. He was stunned. “It’s just so obvious,” I said, shrugging. Wine tasting you see, is two parts confidence and one part cheek. Behold my top tips for surviving a swanky wine tasting:
BE BOLD!
COMMENT ON THE COLOR
Confidence is most of it. You could say, “On the tongue it’s like the dusty tip of a disused condom,” or, “It’s got a bouquet like a wet cemetery.” And if you look as serious as possible, people will gasp and nod approvingly. You must know a thing or two!
Just say what you see and you will be 100 percent correct. “What a very deep red. It’s maroon, really,” and, “This white has a slightly green hue.” Or, maybe you could remark that the rosé is “very dark” or “surprisingly light.” There are no wrong observations here—after all, you’re looking right at it. If you can sing a rainbow, you got this.
SNIFF, SWIRL, SIP, & SAVOR It's important to stick your nose deeply into the wine glass and take a jolly deep whiff. Then swirl the wine in the glass to “open the bouquet,” and sniff again. No need to comment if you’re not feeling brave, just take a small sip and moan a bit.
SPIT OR SWALLOW? Depends entirely on the man. I mean the wine. But seriously, only spit if you're at a serious wine tasting with a wine spit bucket. It's definitely not okay to spit in Nana’s potted chrysanthemums.
GET IT WRONG! KNOW WHEN TO SAY NOTHING! If you’re like me, this time will never come. But if you’re five glasses down, you might want to stop spluttering “I really like this one, it tastes just like wine,” as you cling to the walnut bar top. We get it Daphne! You’re toasted.
Think you can smell cut grass but worried some asshat is going to correct you? Fear not. Wine tasting in groups is often about sharing thoughts. If someone says, “No, it’s not cut grass, it’s more like rain on a mossy tin roof,” you can agree and say, “Yes, Rupert, you’re absolutely correct. Here, have some cheese.”
The Summer Job
Playlist
SUDDENLY I SEE KT Tunstall WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN ON ME? Travis SAY WHAT YOU WANT Texas REAL GONE KID Deacon Blue WOULD I LIE TO YOU? (remastered version) Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart ROCKS Primal Scream TAKE ME OUT Franz Ferdinand STUPID GIRL Garbage THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST Rod Stewart BYE BYE BABY Bay City Rollers DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) Simple Minds