Join bookpleasures.com for an interview with Martin Sneider, author of Amy Unbound. Martin was a luminary in the shoe and clothing industries spanning over five decades.

Since 1992, Martin has been an adjunct professor at Washington University's Olin School of Business, renowned for his creation and instruction of a groundbreaking course centered on luxury goods merchandising and marketing.

His innovative approach included immersive trips to Milan, Paris, and London, where students explored the showrooms of iconic brands like Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Burberry, and Cartier.

A scion of retail, Martin began his journey as a humble shoe salesman, ascending to the heights of president, chief merchant, and co-CEO of one of the nation's foremost fashion and shoe apparel specialty chains.

His contributions extend beyond the boardroom, having served on the Alumni Board of Directors of Harvard Business School and as chairman of St. Louis Children's Hospital. Martin's distinguished career has been recognized with the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award from Washington University.

Not content with industry accolades alone, Martin is also an accomplished author, celebrated for his debut novel "Shelf Life" and its sequel "Amy Unbound." He has also penned a compelling nonfiction work delving into the intricacies of the shoe industry.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Martin cherishes his role as a family man, with two children and four granddaughters. Splitting his time between St. Louis, Missouri, and New York City, Martin continues to be a beacon of knowledge and innovation in the world of fashion and business. Join us as we delve into his remarkable journey and glean insights from his wealth of experience.

Norm: Good day Martin and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Can you share the inspiration behind Amy Unbound and what motivated you to explore the intricacies of modern marriages in the novel?

Martin: Amy is a modern woman.  The reader meets the college-age Amy in the first book of the Feldman saga, Shelf Life.  She marries Josh Feldman in 1981. 

But she makes it clear that she has career ambitions and is a social justice warrior but intends to balance family and career issues. 

She articulates this in part because Josh has been raised by his loving and doting mother Maddy, a woman of the 1950’s, who was a stay-at-home mom.  

Josh is wholly supportive as Amy becomes a partner in a prestigious law firm and is named head of various civic organizations.  After a bitter showdown with his father, however, 

Josh goes into a prolonged funk and is filled with guilt and self-doubt.  Amy grows frustrated with her husband’s bad mood and temper and yearns for greater career challenges and sexual satisfaction.  Amy decouples herself from Josh. Amy Unbound.

Norm: The novel touches on the consequences of questionable actions. How did you develop the theme of consequences, and why did you choose to focus on it in the context of relationships?

Martin: Amy’s affair with Chip Henson is an act of liberation and self-affirmation for Amy.  Her success in D.C. is equally affirming. “I’ve still got it.” 

Professional excellence and sex appeal.  Commuting to Chicago and D.C. gives her the space and opportunity for her infidelity. This contrast with her ho-hum life in St. Louis and deteriorating relationship with her husband reaffirm her decision to separate from Josh.

Norm: The character Amy undergoes significant personal growth and embarks on a journey for independence. What influenced her character arc, and how did you see her evolving throughout the narrative?

Martin: Blinded by her triumphs she loses sight of what Josh means to her, her true love since college days.  As her self esteem is bolstered by her achievements, she becomes increasingly confident that life without Josh may be possible and maybe preferable to the moribund situation in St. Louis.  “He’s not the Josh I married.” She rationalizes to justify the prospective divorce from her husband.

Norm: The novel explores the challenges of balancing career aspirations, personal development, and marital bonds. How did you approach depicting these challenges, and what message do you hope readers take away from this aspect of the story?

Martin: I believe many women of Amy’s modern generation struggle with the tradeoff between career ambitions and at-home obligations.  Amy’s quandary is accelerated by her husband’s inattention in and out of the bedroom.  

So, for Amy, who is wealthy, sexy and capable, escape and freedom are not only possible but preferable to the balancing act and tradeoffs she has to employ at home.  

Many women lack Amy’s wherewithal to break free of the quandary of career, family and a flagging marriage and reconcile themselves to the status quo.  So, in this sense, Amy is not a role model.  These women may fantasize about breaking free, but few can afford to do so.

Norm: Why do you believe readers are drawn to narratives that delve into the hidden complexities of romantic infidelity, corporate betrayals, and the suffocating dynamics of suburbia and cross-club culture, as explored in your novel?

Martin: I suppose many people, men and women, want to immerse themselves in the fantastical life of a character like Amy in a movie, video series, or novel.  They may also forget to remind themselves that it is fiction!  

But most of us enjoy the vicarious thrill of a forbidden romance.  Or thrill to a fractious boardroom drama.  We take sides, the adulterer or the cuckhold, the corporate takeover big shot versus the family run business operator.  

But for most of us it’s the stuff of fiction and enjoyable and a welcome diversion from carrying out the trash and helping kids with their homework.

Norm: The character Allison aligns herself with a left-wing newspaper advocating for societal change. What role does she play in the broader narrative, and how does her perspective contribute to the themes explored in the novel?

Martin: Allison is a wild child.  Smart, articulate, talented but a bomb thrower.  One bomb in particular, the prank at Northwestern University, unwittingly puts her mother’s job in jeopardy.  

Learning that her actions are not merely performance art but have real life implications is a wake up call for Allison.  

Her character arc is important as it helps define Allison and prepare the reader for the third book in the Feldman Family saga which will be published next year.

Norm: Amy's pursuit of a role with an advocacy group and her interactions with Chip Henson delve into themes of social change and corporate involvement. Can you discuss the research or inspiration behind these aspects of the story?

Martin: Years ago, I saw an ad for a petroleum company which extolled its efforts to save the planet.  I muttered to myself, “This is Eco-pornography.”  My personal view is that almost every major corporation’s focus is on pleasing the stockholder, not saving the planet.  

Proof of that is in the CEO remuneration incentives articulated in the company’s proxy statement.  While those same corporations spout their ecological efforts, profits, profits, profits drive their behavior.  

This is true of Diversified Industrials, the fictional corporation in Amy Unbound.  It’s an oil company that allocates a minor amount to social justice pursuits and almost breaks it arm patting itself on its back.  I wanted to highlight this hypocrisy.

Norm: The novel is divided into seven distinct parts, each introducing various characters and story lines. How did you decide on this narrative structure, and how does it enhance the storytelling experience for readers?

Martin: Each of the seven sections help to keep the story moving, introduce new character like Chip Henson and Andy Womack, and hopefully induce the readers to keep turning pages.

Norm: The novel explores the fragility and resilience of the human heart. How did you approach portraying the emotional complexities of love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness in the novel?

Martin: Josh’s heart is broken when he secretly discovers the probability of his wife’s affair.  That discovery prompts self-examination.  “What have I done to cause this?”  His brother Rand drives that message home at various times.  

Josh is determined to save the marriage, but his early efforts prove futile. At this point in the novel, I want the reader to begin sympathizing with Josh, root for Josh, yet be at a loss as to how to achieve a reconciliation with Amy. 

 Maybe the reader sympathized with Amy in her early adventures and endeavors.  But maybe the reader switches sides as the novel progresses…as he or she witnesses Josh’s refusal to stray while Amy has her affair, his steadfast loyalty to Amy contrasting with her betrayal of him, and his misery over her affair?  I believe or rather hope that the arc of the reader progresses in concert with the arc of the characters.

Norm: How did you decide on the setting, particularly the locations Amy visits during her journey, and what role does the setting play in shaping the overall tone of the novel?

Martin: Place matters.  Chicago works for a number of reasons.  It is an easy commute from St. Louis, giving Amy space and opportunity.  But like many fortunate well-meaning people she has no clue as to how the poor live.  

She rejects the Elevated in Chicago for taxis.  She spends her free time shopping on the Miracle Mile of Michigan Avenue.  She buys her dress at Valentino which she will wear to the fund raiser. 

Rather than rent an apartment she arranges to stay at the Four Seasons Hotel and convinces herself she’s saving money.  Importantly, her daughter, Allie, spends freely and unwisely while working for a left-wing throwaway newspaper.  I wanted the reader to see the parallel.  

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and Amy Unbound?

Martin: Readers can find out more about me and Amy Unbound at various personal appearances.  Am currently booked in New York, Chicago (suburbs and downtown), St. Louis, Omaha other cities.  My website will have a complete schedule. 

What is next for Martin Sneider?

Martin: The multi generational Feldman family saga will end with book five.  Books 3, 4 and 5 will take the reader to Chicago, Miami and New York where their stories unfold. Challenges will test them and their relationships.  Tragedies and traumas will befall them.  But they will triumph.   I fell in love with the family.  I hope the reader will as well.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors

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