A few weeks ago I gave you a review on the just released Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson. Here's a quick interview I was able to have with her! ENJOY!
1. Was it easy making
the transition from editing at websites to writing a book?
It was a very gradual transition,
so it wasn’t that difficult. When my twin daughters were born, I decided
to stay home with them rather than return to work full-time. My plan
was to eventually go back, but I wanted to have some quality time with
them first. When they were around two, I enrolled in a writing class
with the intent of finally trying my hand at the novel I’d dreamed
about since my first writing class way back in high school. One chapter
in (actually a short story that morphed into a first chapter), I was
hooked, and once I’d written about 50 pages, I knew I wouldn’t stop
until I’d finished telling Georgia’s story. Had I not taken the
time at home with my daughters, I’d probably still be working on Georgia’s
Kitchen. Having those couple of years gave me time to reassess my life
and what I wanted from it. I always tell people that Ava and Flora are
the inspiration behind Georgia’s Kitchen – not the story itself,
but the actual writing. 2. How did you get so knowledgeable about Italy and the restaurant business in NY?
My husband has family in Milan and speaks Italian, which in our minds gives us the perfect excuse to travel to Italy. We’ve traveled fairly extensively throughout the country and were married in Florence. The experience of planning a wedding there was quite different from being a tourist -- there were officials to deal with and notes to post and about a zillion lines to wait on before paying out small sums of cash to seemingly everyone. We met a whole different set of characters and saw the city in a completely different light. As for the restaurant industry, a lot of my friends in New York are involved in the restaurant world – as chefs, investors, managers, etc. Luckily, they’re a generous bunch and were happy to answer all my questions, no matter how nit-picky they were!
3. Are your characters parts of people in your life, or strictly fiction from your mind?
All of the characters are completely made up, although they may borrow certain traits or characteristics from people I know. But no one is a pure extension of anyone I know.
4. Twin daughters and a farm- how do you find time to write?
My daughters are now six and starting first grade this fall. While having twins was a lot of work when they were younger, now that they’re more independent, I find that it’s actually easier than having one. It’s having that built-in playmate that eases the load. Lots of times when I try to join in their games they tell me, “Mama, we’re having private playtime. Come back later.” Though I don’t get a lot of writing done in these tiny bits, I can work through a plot problem, or start to define a new character. We live in the country, but not on a working farm so the only animal chores I have are walking and feeding my dog (and the fish). I write when my kids are at school and, when I’m really on a roll, after I put them to bed, but this doesn’t happen all that often.
5. WOW- are Target Break Out book! Was that the best excitement you had with this book’s release?
Definitely! It was totally unexpected and I am beyond thrilled. I love Target and have since college. I am a frequent Target shopper and I always make sure to check out my book, in the hopes that someone will be flipping through it. So far, it’s only happened once and I almost cried.
6. What is your next book going to be about?
A thirtysomething woman who moves from the city to the country, to a place similar to Dutchess County, where I live. It will explore some of the same themes as Georgia’s Kitchen, but in a totally different way. Stay tuned!
I don't know about you, but doesn't Jenny sound like somebody you'd love for a neighbor and friend? Check out her website and follower her on Twitter and Facebook for more book updates. AND if you haven't bought her book yet, run down to Target and make her day and buy a copy!
