On The Beach House, Dune Road and Jemima J: Jane Green Interview

I have a Jane Green book shelf in my house. I’ve read all of her books, except for one, which reminds me that I need to buy it today.

I’m thrilled to feature my recent interview with bestselling author Jane Green.

Jane Green’s last novel, The Beach House, was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured her largest audience yet.

Her latest novel, Dune Road, will be released in June 2009.

Jane Green Warburg, who writes as Jane Green, was born in London and has lived in Connecticut for seven years. Green now writes novels that reflect the lives of real women today, telling her stories with stunning wit and exceptional wisdom.

She began her writing career in entertainment journalism and P.R. and soon become a feature writer at The Daily Express in London, where she became known for her “wry take” on dating and relationships.

Green then took the leap to follow her dream of becoming a writer. She left the The Daily Express to freelance, and started work on a novel. In August of 1996 there was a bidding war for her first novel, Straight Talking; Jemima J, her second novel, was an international bestseller. Green has written 11 novels.

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Laura Cococcia: Where do you get all of your ideas for your characters? Is it just from writing about what and who you know or are their other techniques that help drive your storytelling?

Jane Green: I’m usually inspired by something, or someone, but they very quickly become their own people. Nan in The Beach House was inspired by a woman I used to see cycling around the beach at midnight with a cigarette in hand, and I took that picture and created a character, who I imagine is quite different from the woman I used to see – I used her as a snapshot, which is how I so often start.

Laura Cococcia: You began your writing career in journalism, but followed your dream, wrote a novel and ended up publishing multiple bestsellers. Was that a difficult transition or did it come naturally since you had a writing background?

Jane Green: The part of journalism I always loved was the writing. The actual getting of the story never interested me as much as sitting down and playing with the words. I was also a huge reader, ever since I was tiny, and in many ways I think that was the greater training. Where the journalism has proved invaluable, however, is in discipline. I was trained to write 1,000 words at a moments notice, whether I was inspired or not, and that has served me better than anything.

Laura Cococcia: What are you reading right now? Any particular authors that are your favorites?

Jane Green: A lot of non-fiction books, but am excited about Pat Conroy’s new book, out later this summer, South of Broad.

Laura Cococcia: I know many of our readers are not in journalism or writing careers but want to follow their writing passion. What advice do you have for new writers who are unsure of how to get started?

Jane Green: Just do it. And then…finish it. So many people start out with great intentions, and whilst I believe anyone can start a book, few actually go on to finish one. Writing requires enormous discipline, but if you are passionate, you must follow it. I would also pass on great advice that was given to me years ago: start with the characters, for once you have your characters, they will tell their own stories.

Laura Cococcia: Your new book, Dune Road, is coming out in June. I grew up in Connecticut so I’m always excited to see your characterizations of it. Was there any particular inspiration for this novel that you can share with us as we gear up for its release?

Jane Green: I started out thinking I was going to try my hand at a mystery, but it turns out I wasn’t quite as comfortable with the genre as I had hoped. It is now a fairly classic Jane Green – single mothers, estranged relatives, difficult relationships with ex’s – with a little more of a twist…

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Many thanks to Jane Green for taking the time to share her thoughts with us. Her words of wisdom remind us that anything is possible.

For more on Jane Green, you can visit her website or see her list of books.

Tagged as: Book Reviews, Interviews, Laura Cococcia, Writing