If you haven’t heard of Jessica Brody my advice to you is to go and buy her debut novel The Fidelity Files. It is a brilliant novel and the sequel is out in October. Jessica very kindly agreed to do an interview with us and here are her answers!

1. Describe your latest novel in a sentence.

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

2. What, if anything, are you currently working?

A few things actually! The sequel to The Fidelity Files comes out in the UK in October and that’s called The Good Girls Guide To Bad Men (also known as Love Under Cover). I also have a young adult novel that I wrote that will be out in the states in the spring and I hope also in the UK eventually. Right now I’m working on a second young adult novel and I have a new idea for a third adult novel that I hope to start later this year.

3. Can you dish anything more on The Fidelity Files TV show?

I’d love to! Right now, the book has been “optioned” as a TV series. Which basically means that a producer has purchased the right to adapt the book. The producer (the wonderfully talented Marina Grasic who executive produced the Oscar-winning film, CRASH) is currently trying to find the perfect writer for the show and the perfect lead actress, then this summer we’re going to be pitching it to the American networks in hopes of selling the concept to one of them. It’s all very exciting and I’ve got my fingers tightly crossed that it all works out!

4. What inspires you to write?

I think my biggest inspiration is good fiction. When I read a good novel that has an engaging plot, witty dialogue and relatable characters, you’d pretty much have to tie me to a chair to keep me from writing. I just get so inspired by other people’s work that it makes me want to sit down and start hammering on the keyboard…determined to write something that hopefully comes out half as good!

5. What are you currently reading yourself/what are some of your favourite books?

Because I’ve recently started writing for the young adult market, I’ve been reading a lot of books in that genre. I love the TWILIGHT series but I also can never pass up a good chick lit novel! Emily Giffin is one of my favorites as well as Sophie Kinsella. On the YA side, right now, I’m reading the second book in Alyson Noel’s new Immortals series. The first book released in February and it’s become a HUGE hit here in the states. I’m fortunate enough to be good friends with Alyson and she gave me an advanced copy of the second and now I’m ripping through it! On the adult side, I’m currently re-reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. The movie comes out in a few weeks and I want the book to be fresh in my mind when I see the film.

6. Is Jennifer/Ashlyn inspired by you in any way?

I get this question a lot. And as much I’d like to say, yes, I’m this total sexpot who can read men’s minds and always knows the perfect outfit to wear and the perfect thing to say, I’m not at all like that! To me, Jennifer and Ashlyn have always been two different people and I definitely relate more to Jennifer. She’s a little quieter and more reserved. Plus, she knows nothing about clothes (that’s me!). Ashlyn, on the other hand, is sexy, sophisticated, witty and has a certain way with men that I can only fantasize about! So I think, in a way, Jennifer is more like me and Ashlyn is more like the person I’ve always wanted to be. Almost like my fantasy alter-ego!

7. Would you ever fidelity test a partner/husband if you suspected them of cheating?

I feel funny (and a bit hypocritical) saying it, but no, I don’t think I would ever hire someone like Ashlyn to test my significant other. I believe that if you don’t trust someone there’s something wrong. I used to be very distrustful in relationships, always jealous, always full of doubt (not surprisingly that’s when I started writing the novel) but I quickly discovered that I was just with the wrong person. I believe the right person won’t make you feel that way. The relationship I’ve been in for the past three years is completely different from all my past relationships. I would never test him because I don’t think I’d ever have reason to! But I do think that everyone has a right to know if someone is unfaithful to them. No one should have to live with that kind of betrayal. Which is why I created the character of Ashlyn to begin with.

8. What would you say to aspiring writers?

Take criticism. It’s SO important. There’s a fine line between staying true to your art and adapting your work to fit the marketplace. But if you can find the balance, you’re on the right track! When an agent or an editor gives you constructive criticism, that’s a very valuable thing to have (not all of them will give you that!) Try to look at your critiques with an objective eye (I know it’s difficult!) but these are the people that sell the books, they know what the market is looking for and they know what works and what doesn’t. That doesn’t mean you should completely change your entire novel just to fit a mold, but you should always be open to changes and tips for improvement.

Also, read a LOT. Especially books in your genre. Know what is out there and what’s selling. It’ll help you gain perspective in the marketplace. If a book is popular and selling loads of copies, clearly the author did something right. Even if you don’t necessarily like the work itself, you can gain valuable information about what people are reading and what editors are publishing.

Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog!

No, thank you Jessica!

You can find a review of Jessica’s book The Fidelity Files here on Chick Lit Reviews & News

Look out for more Author Interviews soon including Alison Kervin, Debbie Carbin, Christina Jones and more….

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