Jessica O’Dwyer
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
Author of Mother Mother.
“A married couple in California grapples with power and race, deception and love when their son comes home from a Guatemalan orphanage.”
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
Author I draw inspiration from: John Steinbeck. His indelible characters are specific to a time and place, yet universal and timeless.
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
Favorite place to read a book: In any chair with a straight back and an ottoman.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Vivian Morris from Elizabeth Gilbert’s City of Girls. Vivian is funny, sharp, and irrepressible, and would make being stuck an adventure.
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: When I got the call that my memoir, Mamalita, had been accepted for publication. I'd supported myself for decades putting words on paper and had written since I was a child. But until that manuscript sold, becoming an “author” seemed an impossible goal.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Hardback or paperback.
The last book I read: Rage Against the Minivan by Kristen Howerton.
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
Pen & paper or computer: Pen and notebook for journaling. Computer for writing.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Andrea Sachs from Devil Wears Prada. We could compare notes on working in creative fields under exacting bosses. And with luck, she’d throw in fashion advice.
Author Interview - Jessica O’Dwyer
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Broadway dancer. (Because we're talking ideal world, yes?)
Favorite decade in fashion history: I just binge-watched Downton Abbey, and oh, the twenties, with its bobbed hair and cloche hats. Then.
Place I’d most like to travel: Antigua, Guatemala is always my favorite destination.
My signature drink: That morning cup of strong black coffee.
Favorite artist: I’m a devoted fan of Guatemalan artist Hugo González Ayala. His painting, Nahualá, is the cover image of Mother Mother.
Number one on my bucket list: Every spring, my family hosts a large party for our close-knit group of adoptive families. We missed this year, and are crossing fingers for 2021.
Anything else you'd like to add: To share a story with someone is a great privilege. I hope you enjoy my book!
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/Mamalita-An-Adoption-Memoir-361427733537/
https://jessicaodwyer.com/
Author Bio: Jessica O’Dwyer is the adoptive mother to two teens born in Guatemala and author of the novel Mother Mother and Mamalita: An Adoption Memoir. Her essays have been published in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Adoptive Families, and Marin Independent Journal. Jessica has worked as an art museum publicist, legal proofreader, magazine staffer, and jazz dance teacher. She earned an MFA from Antioch Los Angeles and a BA in English literature from the University of Delaware.
Jessica grew up at the New Jersey shore, the daughter of a high school shop teacher and Radio City Music Hall Rockette. She lives in California with her husband, son, and daughter.
