Author interview and book giveaway: Jessica Brody

I'm so, so thrilled today, because the fabulous Jessica Brody has come by to chat! You may know Jessica from her bestselling debut novel, THE FIDELITY FILES, or you may know her as the brain child of the wonderful website FREE BOOK FRIDAY, where she (yes, you guessed it!) gives away free books every Friday. Either way, you know that we are going to have a blast today.

Since Jessica loves to give away books just as much as I do, she's giving away not one, but TWO COPIES of THE FIDELITY FILES! Details on how to enter are at the bottom of this post.


So, without further ado, I give you Jessica:

Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.

The Fidelity Files is the story of a woman who works undercover as a “fidelity inspector,” hired by suspicious wives and girlfriends to test the faithfulness of the men in their lives.

Sorry, that was 32 words. But I swear it was 50 when I started.

How do you fight writer’s block?

I never use the term “writer’s block”…well, except right there. I’m a firm believer in the law of attraction. What you resist persists. What you focus on only gets bigger. If I went around saying, “Crap, I have writer’s block,” then yes, I would have writer’s block. If I refuse to even acknowledge the concept, then it doesn’t exist. And guess what? I’ve never had it. Of course, I get stuck from time to time as any writer does. To deal with it, I usually just mediate and tell myself, “the solution already exists; I just have to remember what it is.” By the time I wake up the next morning, the problem is always solved.

If your book were to become a movie, who would you cast?

Well, we’re really hoping for a TV show! The Fidelity Files was actually just optioned by the executive producer of the movie, CRASH and she’s working on developing it as a TV show. Fingers crossed! There are some amazing actors that she has in mind (I can’t reveal them just yet!) but my dream casting would probably be someone like Megan Fox (on the sexier side) or Rachel McAdams (on the sweeter side). And I’ve always pictured Patrick Dempsey playing Jamie, the love interest. Damn, he’s hot!

What are you working on right now?

The short answer: Lots! The (slightly) longer answer: I just finished the first book in a new YA series that I’m really excited about! It’s the fourth book I’ve ever written (well, technically the fifth if you count that one I refuse to talk about stashed away in my proverbial desk drawer). And now I’m starting on book 5—another YA. It’s the second book in a two book deal I signed with FSG. After that…who knows! I have tons of ideas!

What is your favorite part of writing? Least favorite?

My boyfriend could answer this question for me. In a heartbeat. Actually, let me ask him. Hold on…

Yep, just as I suspected. “Favorite part: Act 1. Least favorite part: Act 2. “

Very good, honey!

For those of you who haven’t read as many screenwriting books as I have, Act 1 is the first quarter of the book. The set-up. When everything is fresh. The character is new and fun and novel. You get to lay the groundwork for the story, build suspense, layer in complex plot points that will be resolved later. And then comes the dreaded Act 2. The heart of the story. The “promise of the premise.” Also known as “my nemesis.” The character is now totally grating my nerves, everything I set up in Act 1 absolutely sucks, I have no idea why I’m even a writer to begin with, I have the vocabulary of a five year old, all the “complex plot points” I thought I was setting up now actually have to be dealt with (yikes!) and I become nearly impossible to live with (my boyfriend will second that.) And yet, somehow, incredibly, magically (as if little elves snuck in my house in the middle of the night and fixed everything that was wrong with my story), I finally arrive at act 3, the conclusion and then I’m like, “That wasn’t so bad. I don’t know why I was so freaked out!”


And then I start all over again with the next book!

Big thanks to Jessica for stopping by today! Want to win a free signed copy of Jessica's book before it hits the screen? Just leave a comment below and you're entered! Want extra entries? That can be arranged.... Blog about it for another entry. Become of follower of this blog for another entry, too. Or you can leave a comment on another one of my blog posts for yet another entry!

The winner will be announced on May 15th.