In 2019, we made it our goal is to work with as many debut authors as possible and to spread the word about their debut novels. It was such a success last year that we decided to continue the fun for years to come! Follow us this year as we pick the minds of the 2021 debuts and chat with them about their writing process and what it's like to be a new author. Also stay tuned for news of giveaways, Twitter chats, and more!
At the end of 2020, we Tweeted about wanting to discover more debut authors and their books. We ended up finding Jennie Wexler and her novel WHERE IT ALL LANDS, and we have been interested in it ever since! We are so excited to have Jennie on the blog today to answer some of our questions!
Jennie Wexler spent the first part of her career producing television shows appearing on VH1, Bravo, and The Travel Channel. She has a BA in literature/rhetoric from Binghamton University and an MA in television/radio/film from The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Jennie’s debut young adult contemporary novel will be released on July 6th, 2021. She is a member of SCBWI and lives in New Jersey with her husband, son, and Havanese puppy.
The Book Bratz: First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a debut author?
Jennie: It feels incredibly exciting to be a debut author. WHERE IT ALL LANDS holds such a special piece of my heart and I can’t wait to share it with readers.
The Book Bratz: In your opinion, what's the best part of the writing process? What's the hardest?
Jennie: For me, the best part of the writing process is the moment a story clicks together. I tend to write out of order so when all the pieces fit it feels like a big accomplishment. But I love every part of the writing process – the initial drafting when I get lost in a story and characters, the revision when I fill in plot holes and character development, and the additional revision when I take a closer look at sentence structure. I revise a lot! The hardest part of the writing process is getting stuck – knowing an element isn’t working and not knowing how to fix it. When that happens, I try to take time away from the manuscript and return a couple days later with fresh eyes.
The Book Bratz: Where did you get the idea for WHERE IT ALL LANDS?
Jennie: WHERE IT ALL LANDS is loosely based on events that happened to me in high school. But I wrote the first draft in 2015, during a time when I was questioning how much control we have over our lives. The rest flowed from there.
The Book Bratz: Who was your favorite character to write? Who was the most difficult?
Jennie: I loved writing Stevie, Drew, and Shane so much. I don’t have a favorite – there are pieces of myself and people I love in each character.
The Book Bratz: Are there any other dual-timeline books or movies that gave you inspiration for your own writing?
Jennie: The movie, Sliding Doors definitely inspired the structure for WHERE IT ALL LANDS. However, Sliding Doors shifts back and forth between two timelines, while WHERE IT ALL LANDS is told in parts after Drew and Shane flip a coin – heads and tails. Other dual timeline books I have loved are THE OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS by Justin A. Reynolds, MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and ONE DAY by David Nicholls.
The Book Bratz: What do you hope that readers will take away from WHERE IT ALL LANDS?
Jennie: WHERE IT ALL LANDS is a story about first love, loss and all the what ifs in life. I hope readers who have wished for a do-over in their own lives find solace in these pages. Even if, like me, they still don’t have all the answers, I hope they can begin to find meaning and peace through this story. WHERE IT ALL LANDS is a love letter to our truest connections and to those we have lost, the ones who have impacted our lives and continue to exist in our hearts – always.
The Book Bratz: Do you plan on returning to the world of WHERE IT ALL LANDS in the future, or do you have any other projects in mind? Can you tell us anything about them?
Jennie: I never say never but there are currently no plans to return to the world of WHERE IT ALL LANDS. I have a few other projects in mind, but I can’t talk about them. Sorry!
Title: Where It All Lands
Author: Jennie Wexler
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: July 6th, 2021
Summary: Stevie Rosenstein has never made a true friend. Never fallen in love. Moved from city to city by her father’s unrelenting job, it’s too hard to care for someone. Trust in anything. The pain of leaving always hurts too much. But she’ll soon learn to trust, to love. Twice. Drew and Shane have been best friends through everything. The painful death of Shane's dad. The bitter separation of Drew's parents. Through sleepaway camps and family heartache, basketball games and immeasurable loss, they've always been there for each other. When Stevie meets Drew and Shane, life should go on as normal. But a simple coin toss alters the course of their year in profound and unexpected ways.
Thank you so much to Jennie for stopping by and answering our questions! We are super excited about WHERE IT ALL LANDS and can't wait for it to be out in the world on July 6th!
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