Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of Project Jennifer, For Better or Worse, and the new suspense fiction series, The Fixer. The first book in the series is The Fixer: The Naked Man.
I’ve attended a lot of colleges and changed my major many times. I even went to one college twice! I finally graduated and received my Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Burlington College in Vermont. Both experiences were wonderful. I studied Writing and Literature.
I am a huge reader and I love movies (all kinds, all genres, EXCEPT horror movies. Because I get scared!). My first love was screenwriting and then eventually I tried novel writing. It was very intimidating at first! But I soon fell in love with the process.
I was born and raised on Long Island but I love to visit New York City as often as I can.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is the first in a new fiction suspense series. It’s called The Fixer: The Naked Man. I came about the idea for this book at the end of a very bad bout of writer’s block! I spent a few years starting many ideas for books but I couldn’t get attached to them.
I had friends and family who helped me get over this and encouraged me to re-discover writing for the pure joy of the process.
One day I had an idea of a man and a woman playing a cat and mouse game. She needed information from this man and she was negotiating to try and get that information. The more questions I asked, the more attached I became to the idea. Who was this woman? What did she want? Why did she want this information? I had heard of the term “fixer” and did some research. I found that there are people who make their living solving problems for the wealthy and powerful. Since there are television shows about fixers (Scandal, Ray Donovan), I decided the series would be an origin story, to show how and why this character entered this line of work.
And that’s how it began!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes! I write my stories longhand first and for some reason I can only write the “Fixer” stories in journal books (don’t ask, I have no idea why). Also, I don’t snack or eat when I write, but I think that’s only because I REALLY want to. I would probably eat out an entire bag of Twizzlers or chocolate covered cashews if I got started so I don’t eat or have snacks out when I’m writing or typing up my stories.
I used to never have music on when I wrote or typed because I couldn’t concentrate but now, music seems to help so on some days I will have music playing when I work.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many. I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I’ve read all of the books and I think they’re terrific. Also, I’m a huge fan of Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon spy series. His books are fantastic and I look forward to the new one every year.
There are many more, too many to name!
What are you working on now?
I’m in the editing stage of Book 2 of The Fixer series: The Killing Kind. It’s on schedule to be published later this year. I’m writing Book 3 of the series: The Last Romanov.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m discovering new websites all the time that offer great services to connect writers and readers. I do like connecting with readers on Facebook and Twitter as well. I don’t know that I’ve discovered a best method yet. Marketing is a learning process for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would suggest for new authors to keep reading and keep writing. I find that reading inspires creativity and helps make a better writer. Not sure how that happens, but it does.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The William Faulkner quote, “in writing you must kill all your darlings.” It’s a hard truth. I think the writer has to be willing to take a hard look at the writing and be willing to make edits and admit that it needs work. It’s a process I’ve had to learn.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Daniel Silva’s latest, The English Spy. Amazing!
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve been so lucky to have this “Fixer” idea take shape and take off. I’ve fallen in love with these characters. If I get lucky, I hope to be at work on this series for a quite a while.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Wow! Tough question. I would definitely take a collection of Shakespeare’s plays, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and probably a collection of essays by Nora Ephron and Joan Didion.
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Jill Amy Rosenblatt Website
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