A chat with Jessica Adams

How did your writing career start?
I got my break writing a piece on share accommodation hell for The Sydney Morning Herald in 1987. After that I had something to show Sydney editors, and my career got started - I was 23 years old.

You also provide horoscopes for a number of publications - how does your interest in astrology impact on your writing?
I never sign publishing contracts on Mercury Retrograde! (And neither do a lot of writers I know.)

You work with a number of other authors on the Girls' Night In / Kids Night In books - how did you come involved in that project?
I was asked to start an Australian branch of the childrens' charity War Child, which looks after kids in war zones around the world. I met the War Child staff in London and realised they were running the charity on almost no money. Later that night my spirit guide suggested that I put together a book for them, involving what were (starting to be called) chick fic writers. I went out for a drink at The Groucho Club the next day, and ran into Chris Manby, Fiona Walker and Freya North at the bar. They had exactly the same idea, so we did a Borat-style high-five and went upstairs to draw plans on the back of beer mats. Julie Gibbs at Penguin Australia picked up the down-under version of the book and gave it the legendary brick-sized format, and the very low price. Five years later, the books are still selling, which is fabulous.

Are the experiences in your books based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I never write about my own life because it's far too boring, but I do write about situations which interest me - mediumship is very high on the list.


Who or what has influenced your writing over the years? Did you have a particular author as a mentor?
I've never had an author as a mentor but when I was a child I belonged to The Puffin Club (sadly no longer in existence) which used to publish its own magazine and reward you with free Puffin books if you won their writing competitions. That probably got me started, though my stories were pretty dreadful.

What book are you reading now?
I am reading Kate Morton's excellent story in Some Girls Do.

Are there any particular authors whose work you follow?
I love astrologers like Michael Lutin and Debbi Kempton-Smith (both from New York.) I really like anything by friends who also happen to be authors. I can't wait to read the new one from Nick Earls and Bec Sparrow, who are writing as a team this time round.

Can you tell us about your next project?
I am writing a book about astrology, oracles and creative visualisation for Penguin, with the working title Creating The Future. It's deeply woo-woo!

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Jessica Adams

Latest book:
Summer Psychic is published in May - just in time for Mother's Day!

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Price: $ 22.95

Like Jessica Adams' books? Have you read Rebecca Sparrow?

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