An Interview with Author Jet Parker

Jet graduated from the University of Texas, Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree. She started her first company as a very young entrepreneur in 1986. Each venture became more successful and demanding. Jet celebrated some exciting achievements throughout her corporate career: she edited and published the first full-color (print) newspaper for CEOs written by CEOs, became a national speaker, published her first book, ABCs for CEOs, and closed her first multi-million-dollar deal. She currently operates two small companies while completing her first three novels.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

I was still working on my first novel when two things happened. While on vacation in June of 2023, I was walking across a bridge and watching the dolphins in the ocean below. Suddenly I envisioned an entire scene that would make the perfect ending to a novel. A new story began to unravel in my head faster than I could write. Then I went on a boating trip in July and the story took a crazy turn when I fell instantly in love. The result was a new novel (RAW), a new character in RAW, and more depth and dimension to the main character in the book.

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

RAW was a natural extension of the storyline so it was an easy choice. I also happened to love that it has an intriguing edge to it.

Describe your dream book cover.

Provocative, abstract artwork in vibrant colors that scream at you that something inside this story reflects the raw nature of a broken human amidst new love.

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

What a fun question! If I turned my book into a movie and I could create the soundtrack of my own novel as performed on the screen, the music would move the listeners’ emotions like I want the book to do. Some songs for the soundtrack might be: “Adagio for Strings” (as performed by Hauser), “Sound of Silence” (as performed by Disturbed), and “Zombie” (as performed by The Cranberries)…

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

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Loved the defining, female voice. Verity by Colleen Hoover. Nice page turner that kept you wanting more. I am about to read Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney as I’m told you can’t put it down. I want some of these characteristics to come out in RAW.

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

I spent many years in the corporate world producing special events for a 27-store retail chain before opening CEO IQ. Today, I own two small companies: a pet care company called Creature Concierge and Stem Cell IQ. I’ve always had a passion for animals (wild and domesticated) as I believe caring for animals makes us better humans. Being around creatures reminds me that a simple gesture of affection can earn you a lifetime of devotion. Perhaps a lesson we all need sometimes. Stem Cell IQ is my other passion because it enables virtually anyone to enjoy the magnificent, life-changing health benefits from generating their own fresh stem cells at such a ridiculously low cost. The creature business fuels my heart; the stem cell business fuels my passion for helping humans find a wellness they probably haven’t enjoyed since they were a kid.

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

I started writing in elementary school. My parents encouraged it. My mother (an English teacher for 48+ years) helped refine my writing skills. I’d say reading so much as a kid helped too. Reading stretched my small-town world at an early age. Most of my career was about writing about business issues. I enjoyed this immensely but my first books about animals, including 5-Step Canine Care released more of my creative instincts. This made me literally ravenous for writing outside the business purview. Writing novels was like getting that coveted permission slip to get out of school, liberating me to go anywhere my imagination wanted to go.

Where is your favorite place to write?

On a hotel balcony overlooking water or in the quiet of the morning at a cabin or remote area.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Rituals? Not really. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say I have writing habits. I generally like to get up early, scalding cup of coffee on hand, and write from 4:30 am to 11:30 am. My mind is vibrant and on fire in the morning. Writing on my vacation is also something I LOVE to do and, I can often write off and on all day when I’m away from the office.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

When you finish reading RAW, I want my readers to feel charged up by characters that speak authentically yet seem to hold back a piece of themselves so there is a sense of mystery to them. I want them to feel a sense of urgency to chase down the words on the next page and anticipate my next novel. My perfect reader wants characters that get under their skin or characters that can penetrate a private place in their heart embedded within a storyline that has some sneaky surprises.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.