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Let me just say off the bat (and I say this with no shame whatsoever) how utterly…no - murderously - jealous I am of any author who gets her novel characterized as “gorgeous” by my idol and personal writing Goddess, Marian Keyes. Here’s the rest of the quote for you, and seriously, could it be more glowing??
“Driving Sideways is a gorgeous novel — I LOVED it!! It’s enjoyable, uplifting, and so so so funny and sparky. I found it hugely entertaining and very touching. Jess Riley’s voice is irreverent and wonderful, and her writing is genius.” — Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of Anybody Out There?
And as if this weren’t enough, I’ve just found out that the novel recently went into it’s fourth printing. Go Jess, and, to those “death to chick lit” naysayers out there: Ha ha.
Of course, it does help that Driving Sideways has one of the most original premises I’ve come across in a long time: Girl is a kidney transplant recipient, girl gets diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), so girl goes on solitary, cross-country road trip to find her kidney donor’s family. And, oh yeah (here’s where the chick lit bit comes in)… herself.
Let’s meet Jess Riley, who, does not (as I dared to assume) have personal experience with PKD. She gained knowledge about the disease in the good old fashioned novelist way: extensive research.
What makes a book un-put-downable for you?
Great question! First, a protagonist I can’t stop worrying about and rooting for. (And there are a million ways to create a sympathetic protagonist!) Second, a compelling, well-structured, interesting story: it can be languorous or fever-pitched, funny or heartbreaking, but it must keep me up at night. (This is deeply tied to number one). Third, the author must have a way with language that makes me pause to reflect, reread lines to savor them, underline phrases, and read them aloud to my husband.
Name a book that you wish you’d written.
Oh, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I LOVED that book. And if my father-in-law is reading this, I want that book back so I can read it again! *grin*
Have you ever traveled to a place that made you think: wow – this would make a great setting for a novel! What was so inspiring about this place?
Yes, yes, YES! I took the Driving Sideways road trip with my own best friend twice, and I knew after the first time that I’d put it in a book someday. There’s so much beautiful scenery from Wisconsin through Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and into Utah…and so many hilarious tourist traps to explore: the Corn Palace, Wall Drug, endless roadside souvenir stands. Not to mention the characters you run into along the way. I love the old-school kitschy feel of an old-fashioned American Road Trip.
Can you tell us about any real-life events that inspired a scene or two in your book?
So many anecdotes from real-life found their way into Driving Sideways…Geoffrey with a G’s ad campaign? Based on real events. The 19 year-old ski bum sneaking up on Leigh in the night? Happened to me. How Larry died? Way worse in real life. My friends treated the book like a scavenger hunt as they read, calling me and sing-songing, “I know where you got the line on page 274!”
Some readers have told me that while they loved the story, they felt I was a bit too liberal with the dirty jokes and language. Well, I have to say that in real life, most of my friends are somewhat potty-mouthed and bawdy, so I simply wrote to reflect a reality that I find endlessly amusing. To me, the real obscenities are things like poverty and racism and injustice…not a naughty word or orgasm joke sprinkled here and there. (Nadine: Jess, I could not agree with you more. And I’d like to ask people who like their books expletive-free what planet they live on and if maybe they’re trying to pretend the one we’re living on doesn’t exist)
What has being published changed about your life?
Other than the fact that my extended relatives now know exactly how nutty and vulgar I am, not much! I still organize my gemstones and cut Jeeves’ weekly paycheck the same way everyone else does.
What’s the most useful thing, in terms of promotion, that you’ve done?
Having a blog connected to an accessible website. For sure. Also, here are some tips: if you’re doing signings, bring a stack of postcards featuring your book cover and put the synopsis and maybe two blurbs on large labels on the back (printer-ready shipping labels work great)…this way people can pick a card up and walk away to read it, and won’t feel pressured to make a purchasing decision in front of you. (Obviously, this is not applicable to Big Name Authors.) And always send handwritten Thank-You notes after meeting with book clubs or doing a bookstore event.
What was the most rewarding aspect of writing Driving Sideways?
The writing process can be somewhat grueling at times, so the most rewarding part of the entire deal (to me) is hearing from readers who take time from their busy lives to write and tell me how much the book meant to them. That makes everything entirely worth it!
Thanks Jess - Can’t wait to read it!
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