An Interview with Jennifer Westerfeld

Born in Los Angeles, I moved with my mother to Rome, Italy, at age nine. She worked in the Forum at an archaeological site, and I went through high school there. I returned to the States for an art degree but went on to become a sound mixer for film and television. After six years in NYC, I moved back to LA, where I was able to spend more time with my father. I soon met my husband while we were both working at CBS. When our three kids were small, we decided to move to Austin, Texas. When the children were a little older, I started a fitness business from our home. I am now semi-retired from that profession, which allows me to pursue my writing. We have lived in that house for thirty-three years and been married for forty.

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What inspired you to start writing this book?

My family history dates back to Western Russia and Budapest. My ancestors on both my parents’ sides emigrated from the Riga area in the mid to late 1800s, when the political climate made it very difficult for Jews. After the war, my mother’s cousin moved to Paris, where he taught American literature, married a French woman, and started a family. I have always had a soft spot France, especially the Burgundy region which I have explored with my wine-loving husband. Paris and Burgundy were a logical setting for a major part of the story. The periods in history I chose to cover are rich in human drama, so it all came together in the Phoenix.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

I believe that titles can evolve as the writer navigates through the writing process. I had a couple of working titles, but the “Eureka” moment came later. The meaning of the title reveals itself later for the reader as well.

Describe your dream book cover.

I actually have found my dream cover for this book. The search took me through many cover artists’ work, then through museum collections of public-use imagery. Finally, I was looking through Getty Images and spotted one photographer’s work. The image that came up was an instant “YES”. It is now mine to use, and I think it will serve me well on a shelf or display. The bold colors and design stand out, and it is sure to capture the attention of a curious reader. I had to go to the photographer’s website, and he is a true artist, using the photographic medium as his canvas.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

Hmm. I would say Russian Klesmer, with balalaika for the earlier part, moving on to French cafe music such as Django Reinhardt and his contemporaries. Later, some classical pieces such as Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (“Leningrad”), Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, and Richard Strauss’s Metamorphosen. At the end, Ravel and Bernstein.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

Since Phoenix is currently in the hands of the development editor, I have moved on from historical research to some variety. I am an audiobook listener, since that medium allows me to spend much more time consuming literature than if I were to sit down and read. Currently, I am listening to The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and for my book club, The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. I think they are competing for “Longest Contemporary Fiction,” but they do offer a deep dive into the writers’ perspectives and styles.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I think I covered my professional life earlier, other than a brief and unhappy stint as a graphic designer. But I have a great love of animals and rode and competed on horseback for years. After a particularly spectacular buck by my least-favorite mare, I flew free of my interest in riding. That moment actually occurred on the landing side of the event. Since then, I have enjoyed learning to train and compete with my Labrador, Elmo, in dog agility.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I have always been an avid reader from early childhood. I tried my hand at some writing when I was of school age, but I never felt the drive to pursue my imagination until the past six months. The Phoenix framework has always lurked in the back of my mind, but when I sat down, it took vastly different forms than I could have predicted. It took from March until July to write, revise many times, send to a couple of incredible beta readers, revise again, and finally send to the editor. I am looking ahead to more revisions and beta reads before sending it out into the world. But I can’t say that one author in particular influenced me. I have always enjoyed reading historical fiction from that era. The Hannah Vogel series, by Rebecca Cantrell is a favorite.

Where is your favorite place to write?

My gym studio table, with Elmo close by, or anywhere my iPad and its keyboard will take me. I plan to spend some time by a lake in Wisconsin this summer, where my daughter resides with her husband and two dogs. Of course, Elmo will be there. I am writing a new book, a whodunit that takes place in 1930s California. This one is a very different journey.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

Too soon to answer this one! I am still my past self.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

I hope the contemporary significance of the historical period resonates with younger readers. My hope for all readers is that they resonate with my characters and grow to love them and cherish their hopes and dreams as I have.

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