Ask the Author: Jess Montgomery
Answered Questions (10)
Jess Montgomery
Silky,
Thank you for reaching out! I'm so glad you love the Kinship books. Alas, at this point, I don't have any new entries planned for the series--but we'll see! I am working on a standalone historical novel, though, that Kinship readers will hopefully love! If you haven't already, consider signing up for my email newsletter via my website (www.jessmontgomeryauthor.com) to get news of new books and more. Thank you for making my work part of your reading life!
Warmly,
Jess
Thank you for reaching out! I'm so glad you love the Kinship books. Alas, at this point, I don't have any new entries planned for the series--but we'll see! I am working on a standalone historical novel, though, that Kinship readers will hopefully love! If you haven't already, consider signing up for my email newsletter via my website (www.jessmontgomeryauthor.com) to get news of new books and more. Thank you for making my work part of your reading life!
Warmly,
Jess
Jess Montgomery
Hi! I'm so glad you enjoyed THE STILLS, and that you've read all the books in the series. The next novel in the series is THE ECHOES, due out March 29, 2022 from Minotaur Books. I have an email newsletter that provides updates, bonus material (plus bonus content from THE WIDOWS just for signing up), giveaways and more if you want to get updates on THE ECHOES. https://www.subscribepage.com/jessmon... Thanks!
Jess Montgomery
Thank you so much! It means so much that you're reading my books, and that you loved THE WIDOWS. Yes, more books are forthcoming in the Kinship Historical Mystery Series. I'm actually contracted to write two more! The third one (which I'm writing now) will be out in January 2021.
Jess Montgomery
Hi, Lucinda! I will be glad to send those along. I'll send them out on Monday the 29th, so you should get them on Wednesday July 31! There is a book group discussion guide on my website, but I'll also send printed copies of the discussion guide.
I'm so excited you'll be reviewing THE WIDOWS in the Mature Living Magazine in your area! Would you mind sending along a copy? Here's the address: Jess Montgomery, 6077 Far Hills Ave. Suite 156,
Dayton, Oh 45459
Thank you!
I'm so excited you'll be reviewing THE WIDOWS in the Mature Living Magazine in your area! Would you mind sending along a copy? Here's the address: Jess Montgomery, 6077 Far Hills Ave. Suite 156,
Dayton, Oh 45459
Thank you!
Jess Montgomery
Hi! There used to be an independent grocery, called Woody's, where we live. It also had an old-style family restaurant. One of the pies was buttermilk. That's where I first had it. I'm guessing it was invented by some ingenious farm woman who had buttermilk leftover and substituted it in a cream pie recipe! Here's my recipe from my blog: https://jessmontgomeryauthor.com/pie-...
Hope you enjoy it (and THE WIDOWS, too!)
Hope you enjoy it (and THE WIDOWS, too!)
Jess Montgomery
Good morning, Carla. I’m glad to know you’re interested in reading THE WIDOWS. My birth month is January. If you read it, let me know and I’ll send you reader group questions that my publisher created! Thanks, Jess
Jess Montgomery
Good afternoon, Cathy! I'm so glad you've asked! The next novel, THE HOLLOWS, will be published by Minotaur Books in 2020. It moves ahead in time to fall 1926, when Lily is running for re-election as sheriff in her own right, and dealing with the murder of an anonymous elderly woman. The murder has ramifications in the lives of several individuals as well as in the community of Kinship. Coal mining does have a thread in the plot. Marvena is in the novel, but this one is narrated by Lily and another character--I can't say who just yet, as I'm still working on the novel, and this aspect may change! I hope there will be many books in the series. I have another three planned out. It just depends on how well THE WIDOWS and THE HOLLOWS do with readers and in the marketplace! Thanks again for asking, and have a great day!
Jess Montgomery
First, read! Read books that inspire, captivate and challenge you. Read books outside of your comfort zone. Of course you should read in the genre you wish to write, but also read outside your genre.
Learn all you can about the craft of writing before you concern yourself with learning about how to get published. Resources abound for learning about the craft. Attend authors' book events and listen carefully to what the authors have to say about their own process. You'll always learn something. I still do! Read books on creative writing craft, and read magazines on creative writing craft--Writer's Digest, The Writer, Poets & Writers. If you can afford the expenses or time, attend writers' workshops or conferences. Invest in learning your craft!
Write on a routine schedule. You don't necessarily have to write every day, or the exact same time every day, but getting into as much of a routine as possible will really help you get into the rhythm of writing. If you can only write a half hour, or twenty minutes, or ten minutes on a particular day, that's fine. Take that time and write!
When you're writing, try as much as possible to let go and let the words flow--don't pause every few sentences to critique your work. Just get the words down in a raw, rough draft. You can't revise what isn't written.
But do know that real writing is re-writing. You might end up keeping only 10 percent of your original raw, rough draft. That is fine! Revise, revise, revise.
Develop a community of writers. Community is so important! Find a few trusted readers with whom to share your work. Listen for constructive feedback. Provide that as well to a few fellow writers.
If you get feedback from a professional--an agent, a published writer, an editor--listen closely and carefully. Be coachable! It's essential to growing in your craft as a writer.
When you are ready to submit your work, recognize the reality that you will receive many, many rejections before you receive an acceptance. Remember that it is this particular piece of work that is being rejected (or accepted)--not you as an individual, or your overall potential or merit as a writer.
And never give up!
Learn all you can about the craft of writing before you concern yourself with learning about how to get published. Resources abound for learning about the craft. Attend authors' book events and listen carefully to what the authors have to say about their own process. You'll always learn something. I still do! Read books on creative writing craft, and read magazines on creative writing craft--Writer's Digest, The Writer, Poets & Writers. If you can afford the expenses or time, attend writers' workshops or conferences. Invest in learning your craft!
Write on a routine schedule. You don't necessarily have to write every day, or the exact same time every day, but getting into as much of a routine as possible will really help you get into the rhythm of writing. If you can only write a half hour, or twenty minutes, or ten minutes on a particular day, that's fine. Take that time and write!
When you're writing, try as much as possible to let go and let the words flow--don't pause every few sentences to critique your work. Just get the words down in a raw, rough draft. You can't revise what isn't written.
But do know that real writing is re-writing. You might end up keeping only 10 percent of your original raw, rough draft. That is fine! Revise, revise, revise.
Develop a community of writers. Community is so important! Find a few trusted readers with whom to share your work. Listen for constructive feedback. Provide that as well to a few fellow writers.
If you get feedback from a professional--an agent, a published writer, an editor--listen closely and carefully. Be coachable! It's essential to growing in your craft as a writer.
When you are ready to submit your work, recognize the reality that you will receive many, many rejections before you receive an acceptance. Remember that it is this particular piece of work that is being rejected (or accepted)--not you as an individual, or your overall potential or merit as a writer.
And never give up!
Jess Montgomery
The character of Lily Ross is inspired by the true first female sheriff in Ohio--and one of the first in the United States--Maude Collins, who became sheriff in 1925 when her husband was killed in the line of duty.
Our younger daughter attended Ohio U., and while researching places to visit in the area, I ran across the web page for Vinton County and discovered their piece on Maude. The page included a photo of Maude, who looked tough yet vulnerable at the same time.
In Maude's case, there was no mystery about who killed her husband--there were witnesses, and the circumstances were straight forward.
But I started wondering... what if a sheriff was murdered in 1920s Appalachia and there were no witnesses? What if the murder was anything but straight forward. And what if his wife, like Maude, was assigned to fill in his role, but unlike Maude, had no idea who had killed her husband or why, and decided she had to find out?
From those "what if" questions, I created Lily Ross.
THE WIDOWS is told from the points of view of Lily Ross and another strong female character, Marvena Whitcomb--a long time friend of Daniel Ross. Marvena is partly inspired by Mother Jones, as Marvena is an organizer in the local coal mining area.
Lily and Marvena--as well as so many of the secondary strong female characters--are also an homage to strong women in my background.
Our younger daughter attended Ohio U., and while researching places to visit in the area, I ran across the web page for Vinton County and discovered their piece on Maude. The page included a photo of Maude, who looked tough yet vulnerable at the same time.
In Maude's case, there was no mystery about who killed her husband--there were witnesses, and the circumstances were straight forward.
But I started wondering... what if a sheriff was murdered in 1920s Appalachia and there were no witnesses? What if the murder was anything but straight forward. And what if his wife, like Maude, was assigned to fill in his role, but unlike Maude, had no idea who had killed her husband or why, and decided she had to find out?
From those "what if" questions, I created Lily Ross.
THE WIDOWS is told from the points of view of Lily Ross and another strong female character, Marvena Whitcomb--a long time friend of Daniel Ross. Marvena is partly inspired by Mother Jones, as Marvena is an organizer in the local coal mining area.
Lily and Marvena--as well as so many of the secondary strong female characters--are also an homage to strong women in my background.
Jess Montgomery
The next Lily Ross historical mystery!
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