GCC author intervew and book giveaway: Jessica Brody!

The Girlfriend Cyber Circuit continues!

Today we've got the fabulous Jessica Brody here to chat. Not only is she the author of THE FIDELITY FILES, but she's also the brainchild of the awesome book giveaway site, Free Book Friday.

And she is spreading the wealth! Since Jessica loves free books as much as I do, she's offered to give away a signed copy of her latest release, LOVE UNDER COVER, to one lucky winner! Deets on how to enter are at the bottom of this post.



About LOVE UNDER COVER:

In her job, she’s an expert on men…

In her own relationship, she doesn’t have a clue.

Boyfriend behaving badly? Suspect your husband of straying? Jennifer Hunter can supply the ultimate test. She runs a company which specializes in conducting fidelity inspections for those who suspect their loved ones are capable of infidelity.

An expert on men, Jennifer can usually tell if they're single, married or lying... Unfortunately, her new boyfriend, Jamie, is one of the few men that she's never been able to 'read.' Has she finally found the perfect man or is he too good to be true?



Sounds amazing, right? Well, it gets better: It's currently in development as a TV series by the executive producer of Crash!

The buzz on the book is amazing.....

"With a complicated, sympathetic protagonist, worthy stakes and a clever twist on the standard chick lit narrative, Brody will pull readers in from the first page."

– Publisher’s Weekly

"Those who enjoyed Brody's debut will be eager to catch up with Jennifer, but newcomers will be intrigued, too...an honest, witty portrayal of modern love."

- Booklist

If you ask me, praise like that couldn't be given to a nicer girl! Don't believe me? Let's start our chat with Jessica!

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

LOVE UNDER COVER is the compelling story of a woman who runs a “fidelity inspection” agency, hired by suspicious spouses to test the faithfulness of their loved ones.

When did you first begin writing?

In the second grade we were assigned to write a one-paragraph book report on the book of our choice. I turned in four pages. I remember my teacher showing it to every other teacher in the school saying, “We have a little writer on our hands.” I wouldn’t realize until 20 years and three corporate jobs later that she was right. I truly believe we’d all be a lot of happier if we could choose our careers at age 7. Although we might have an excess number of princesses, ninjas and astronauts on our hands.

What are you working on right now?

I’ve got some really fun stuff in the works. I’ve been revising a manuscript which is going to be the first book in a new young adult series about time travel. I’m really excited about it! Also I just wrapped up my second young adult novel, MY LIFE UNDECIDED, which will be out in Spring of 2011 and I’ve just sold my third YA novel to my publisher so I’ll be starting that in the next few months. I like to keep very busy. Idleness is my worst enemy!

What is your favorite part of writing? Least favorite?

My favorite part? Definitely the first 50 pages. They fly by. They’re brilliant and fresh and exciting and full of promise. I feel like I could do anything. I feel like I write an entire novel in two weeks.

My least favorite part? Everything that comes after that.

What tips would you offer to aspiring writers?

Take criticism. Believe in your work and stand behind it, but don’t be afraid to make changes. Use rejections to evolve yourself as a writer, not just to line your waste basket. When someone rejects your work and offers a reason, don’t just blow it off and claim that they “didn’t get it” or that they clearly didn’t read it closely enough, dissect it and try to figure out if what they’re saying makes sense and if it will inevitably help your work. There’s a fine balance between staying true to your art and being open for suggestions, try to stay somewhere in the middle. If they “didn’t get it,” chances are, readers won’t get it either. And you won’t be there to explain it to them in the middle of Barnes and Noble.

Thanks so much for stopping by, Jessica! It's always so nice to have you!

To enter to win a copy of LOVE UNDER COVER, just leave a comment below. Winners will be announced on On November 26th!