Kelly and I ping-ponged for quite some time, and the idea of these characters and their setting was born. And I guess like bacon, everything is better with wine involved.
Jennifer Hamm – 29 August 2023
The Back Flap
Vene feels like she and her mother have always been at odds—since she was a child, the first word she used to describe Olivia was “cold.” When news of her mother’s imminent death comes, Vene returns to her family’s home in Napa to see if their strained relationship can be mended, only to find Olivia as harsh as ever and their reconciliation seemingly unreachable.
But when Vene stumbles upon Olivia’s old cookbook, she discovers a passion within her mother she didn’t know existed. The clipped tone and quick judgments of her dying mother don’t match the young woman whose voice she finds between the pages—one that tells a story of romance, longing, duty, and aching heartbreak. Curiosity consumes Vene, and she embarks on an intimate journey to learn about the Olivia she never got to meet—before it’s too late.
A captivating story told in alternating perspectives a half-century apart, One Friday in Napa explores the pains and joys of devotion as two women learn the price of loyalty, the power of secrets, and the meaning of sacrifice.
About the book
What is the book about?
The book is about a woman named Vene who returns to her family home, a winery in Napa, to say goodbye to her dying mother in the hopes of reconciling their tumultuous relationship before it’s too late. It isn’t easy or going well. And then Vene stumbles upon Olivia’s worn cookbook that reads more like a diary than anything else. She discovers a passion within her mother she didn’t know existed. Who was this woman who wrote notes all over these pages about romance and longing, duty and an aching heartbreak when the woman she knew was cold and controlled?
With time ticking loudly, Vene embarks on an intimate journey to find answers to questions about her mother she never even had before, and an understanding to the woman who was always a mystery to her.
When did you start writing the book?
I started serious notes for the book six years ago. I would have said half that, but I just checked my first notes. It was six.
How long did it take you to write it?
The first draft took a whole year. Then it went on from there. After two years I thought it was ready for early readers. I’d say it was in good enough shape for first critiques, but it wasn’t until I hired an editor that I realized how far from ready it was. It took another two years.
Where did you get the idea from?
My friend, Kelly Hail, came to stay with me for a week. As a thank you she wanted to cook my family something special. She opened one of my very lovely cookbooks and proceeded to write all over one of the recipes – in pen! Apparently, her own cookbooks read like a diary. I joked that only my grandmother did that in my family, and so the seed of this story was planted. What gems could be found by reading someone’s inner thoughts in seemingly obscure places? Kelly and I ping-ponged for quite some time, and the idea of these characters and their setting was born. And I guess like bacon, everything is better with wine involved.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Writing such an internal story for Vene was difficult as there’s not a lot of action or plot to follow and I needed to give space and time and voice to her thought process. I tried very hard to remain real with her struggles without sounding too much like ‘therapy talk’ – something this character went through for years.
What came easily?
Dialogue
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Fictitious, although every one of my female friends have shared a story – or twenty! – that helped shape the relationship struggles of my two main characters. Mothers and daughters are hugely layered and wonderfully complex. But I have four sons, so hey…
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Would never say no to James Baldwin or more recently Ann Napolitano. His pure poetry and her use of simple language to make you feel and see everything, amazing. On my desk right now is also Virginia Woolf, Ian McEwan, Jonathan Franzen and Maya Angelou. Sure, I’m attracted to a poetic sentence, but these authors all have that uncanny ability to say something simple in a way that gives you pause. Huge lessons in word choice for me.
Do you have a target reader?
I wrote this book for anyone who’s struggled through family relationships and wanted a deeper understanding and unpacking of it all. I also love exploring the two sides of one story.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I literally started this novel using Darren Hardy’s ‘90 minute’ philosophy for production. If you do one thing, just one – no emails/texts/calls/laundry/or unnecessary trips to the bathroom – for ninety minutes straight, your ability to be productive will be immense. Our brains can absolutely hyper-focus for 90 minutes. After being a full-time mom for so long, my brain desires multi-tasking. It’s trained that way now, so this process was extremely important for me. I did it, five days a week, often craving multiple times a day, and a year later I had my first draft.
I also hiked every morning with my dogs, pretending, of course, to be talking to them when we saw a passersby, and worked out my ideas for that day’s writing in the mountains. I always need to move my body to think properly.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I absolutely outlined the whole book and wrote at least a rough paragraph for every chapter, sometimes with random dialogue I could hear in my head at that time. I usually used it.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I don’t edit as I go. I think if I did, I’d still be editing!
Did you hire a professional editor?
I hired an editor – Bella Pollen, goddess of editing – and then submitted for publishing. My incredible publisher, She Writes Press, then had their editorial process after that.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
When I was writing in the period of the 1940’s I often played music from that era, especially when the chapter was about the character singing or dancing to that music. But other than that, I don’t.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
A few. Got some great rejection letters I must say.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
The entire time I spoke with agents about publishers, they all recommended trying a hybrid publisher that is selective. So, I did my research and found that She Writes Press was considered one of the best by both the agents and authors alike. I’d add my own review here to say I agree.
I went down the traditional route for several months but kept the ‘She Writes Press tab’ open on my laptop. Something was telling me to submit to them at the outset, clearly. Their submission process was extensive, so it took a while to push send. But they do respond in a timely manner. Honestly, it was the best result I could have had going with them. I am learning so much, being held accountable, and have an incredibly capable team behind me every step of the way in this process
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My publisher’s design team created the cover, with my influence along the way.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I hired Crystal Patriarche at BookSparks and her amazing team to market the book.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I am loving the process of hybrid publishing as I wanted to learn and be a part of the book’s afterlife in a meaningful way. I hugely recommend this choice if it’s a possibility.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Born and bred in LA baby!
Where do you live now?
Between LA and London.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I was a writer before I was anything else. But I chose to raise my four sons full-time and writing anything of length got pushed to the side for a very long time. It was the right decision but now was no longer a valid excuse for not trying again. So, at a slow and steady pace, I dove in again. One step at a time, but with a consistency. You can achieve your dreams if you keep going, ignore the devil on your shoulder and just do the work.
What are you working on now?
The film script of the novel😊
End of Interview:
Get your copy of One Friday in Napa from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
