Interview with J Mercer, Author of In One Life and Out Another

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write In One Life and Out Another?

My parents got divorced when I was eight, and unlike most kids I knew, I was happy about it. Still, as a young adult, I often reflected on how my life would have been different if they’d stayed together, and then later, as I thought about destiny and how we end up where we end up, the book was born.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Young adult fantasy and women’s contemporary fiction, along with young adult, and I’ve been writing them all lately as well.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close, Carrie Soto, The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young, and The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Chapter 8, I think!

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

If possible, I keep a scent close by that reminds me of the book. And I try to read in the genre I’m writing when I’m writing it. Not too quirky, I guess.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Prioritize and simplify. You can do it all, but you probably can’t do it all at once.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I hope they’re left feeling something. My favorite books are the ones I close and feel more than think about. Like I went home for a little while, or like someone gave me a great hug.

J Mercer is the author of the new book In One Life and Out Another

Connect with J Mercer

Facebook

Buy The Book