We recently spoke with first-time author Jo Barrett about her novel, The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom.

1. When and where was the "Aha!" moment for this book?
The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom came about as I was transitioning to a new life back in Austin. I guess you could say I made a "major life change." I moved back to Austin from New York City, and started hitting the nightlife scene with a bunch of women. We were all at different stages in our lives: Some of us had been married and divorced; some of us had children; and some of us were still single. I noticed that the action got redirected into the women's bathroom. The bathroom became our powder room powwow; our secret confessional, our sanctuary. It is a place of bonding and sharing among women! You rarely hear the words, "Mind your own business," in the women's bathroom. It's a very inclusive place. In fact, two women can enter a bathroom as strangers and leave as friends.

2. Do women in Texas and the South spend more time in bathrooms than women in New York?
Southern women have flair. And Southerners like to preen in front of the mirrors in their bathrooms. We do what's known as the "turn and twirl." That is, we check the backside as much as the front side. Full-length mirrors are crucial in our bathroom, right ladies? I interviewed so many women for this book–from New York to Texas to California and found out an amazing fact: The "sorority of stall chatterers" is universal! All across the country, you find women going to the bathroom in pairs and really bonding in the bathroom. We aren't like men. For men, going to the bathroom is a solo event. It's in and out. Badda bing. Badda boom. For women, our bathrooms are like private clubs. Once we're inside, we tend to stay for awhile. I would love to write a follow-up novel with real-life stories from the women's bathroom. If you have a great story, please send me an e-mail to my Web site, www.Bathroombookgirl.com. I've already received some fantastic stories. My favorite is about a pair of twins who were both newly married, and decided to play a joke on their husbands. During dinner at a steak restaurant, they went inside the bathroom and changed into each other's clothes! Then, for the rest of the dinner, they pretended to be the other twin! Isn't that priceless!

3. Like your character, Claire, did you write on tissue dialogue overheard in the women's room?
Yes! Whenever I heard fantastic dialogue taking place inside the women's bathroom, I wrote it down. (P.S. Cocktail napkins work better than toilet tissue.) I guess you could say I became a "bathroom-ologist." My favorite pearl of wisdom I overheard in the women's bathroom is: "Don't be the welcome mat to the man in your life—be the door he feels lucky to walk through." The woman who said this was comforting a girlfriend over a recent breakup. I think she did a tremendous job! The women's bathroom is a place for sisterhood. Remember, ladies. We are women first!

4. Why do you love being back in Texas?
What's not to love? You've heard of the slogan: "Don't mess with Texas." Well, I believe this slogan refers to Texas women. Texas gals tend to give it to you straight. No guff. No fluff. Texas women make great characters in novels because they are gutsy, and full of bravado and panache.

5. Tell us about your next project.
My next novel is entitled Killing Carlton. It is about a Texas gal with a penchant for revenge. When my female lead character gets her heart broken by her ex, she decides to hire a bumbling mob hit man. Her motto is: Don't get mad, get even! But of course, she doesn't want to kill her ex. She just wants to play pranks on him. I think every woman can relate to wanting to get revenge against a certain man. I'm thrilled that both The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom, and my next novel, Killing Carlton, are both being shopped as television and motion picture projects in Hollywood! Great news for any author!