Andrew Sanger on “The J-Word”

How much of your own Jewish background is in this novel?

A lot! Largely because of my father’s desire to get away from religion and ritual, especially during my teenage years. Yet in many other ways, culturally we were typically Jewish. As a result, I was rather like Danny in the book, who knows nothing about his Jewish heritage, but is keen to discover it.

What do you hope readers come away with after reading your book?

All I hope is that “The J-Word” is a good, thrilling read, and thought-provoking too. I just want people to enjoy it.

What is your novel writing process?

I carry a notebook with me everywhere and take a huge amount of notes – snatches of conversation between characters, plot ideas and so on. Then there’s all the re-writing and editing. I keep making changes and incorporating new thoughts. At the same time, key unchangeable ‘landmark’ incidents keep the story on track. While writing, I’m pulling the story from one landmark to the next without knowing quite how to get there.

How long did it take you to write the book?

I was surprised recently, when looking through some old notebooks, to discover that my first notes for “The J-Word” were jotted down as long ago as 1999. I roughed out the story at that time, but did not start writing the book until 2005. I wrote the first five chapters early that summer, then had to put  it aside because of other work. In 2007 I returned to it, working right through the summer, turning down all paid work until it was finished later that year. So I guess the answer is: about eight months, but spread out over eight years!

How difficult was it to find a publisher?

Originally I intended to publish it myself. I even got the ISBN for it and had a few copies printed. Then a friend urged me to send it to just one publisher to gauge their reaction. I selected a small, independent publisher who had won a few awards, called Snowbooks. I emailed them the MS and they emailed back that they wanted to publish the book!

What was the most challenging aspect about this book for you?

A big conceptual struggle was to write a story based on my own experiences while the characters and events themselves were entirely imaginary. The other challenge was purely practical. I found it hard to keep track of little details like exactly how old each character was, what colour eyes they have and so on! I had all that stuff on a sheet of paper taped to the wall by my desk.

Your novel is set in England and has some very specific English terms and sentiments. Have you had any problems with crossover audiences (particularly in the US)?

For American readers  “The J-Word” is not just about Jewish life, it’s also a little visit into British life. The American Jewish experience is quite different from Jewish life in Britain. Many American towns have large Jewish populations and thriving Jewish Community Centers, while the Jewish community in the UK generally keeps a pretty low profile. We’re conscious of the need to fit in with the dominant English culture, which we still think of as the ‘host’ society. Yet the issue of the loss of Jewish identity among secular Jews is surely just as relevant in the US as in Britain, perhaps even more so.

Do you plan on writing other novels?

The next book is well under way. It deals with social disintegration and moral decay in modern society and is about the interaction between a Jew and non-Jew as they confront a terrible crime in their quiet London neighbourhood. Beyond that, I am also making a few notes for a novel about woman who converts to Judaism.

What advice would you give to authors looking to get published?

I don’t think there’s any sure-fire way to get published. One piece of advice I would give is to write for a specific market, an identifiable audience that you are familiar with can talk to and know how to reach. This might give publishers confidence that the book can at least be sold into that market, if not more widely.

You can visit Andrew’s Website at www.andrewsanger.com, or purchase “The  J-Word”  on Amazon.

4 people like this post.

Unlike

Pages: 1 2