Interview with Award-Winning Author Corie Adjmi

 

1.What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into a book?  I set out to explore a given circumstance, or character trait, and wrote one story at a time, approaching writing as a hobby, a creative outlet. I didn’t know it would turn into a career. After about half a dozen stories were published as standalone, individual pieces, I realized these tales belonged together in a collection, as it seemed my characters would know each other, even if by six degrees of separation. And in fact, in Life and Other Shortcomings, each short story links with the next, creating a story arc much like a novel.  

2. What is it about and who is it for?  The stories have male and female protagonists. Even though the reader gets a view from both perspectives, and while men have enjoyed the collection, Life and Other Shortcomings is more often for women ages 25-60. The stories are about relationships and marriage. Difficult topics like infidelity, patriarchy, and domestic violence are explored. There is pain and anger but also humor. This book is for anyone who wants an honest take on the female experience.  

3. What do you hope the reader will be left with after reading it? A bit of self-empowerment and a desire to teach the next generation of women to do it better. It seems to me things are improving for women. There is much more awareness today, but we still have a long way to go.  

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?  Two things:

1. Just Write
2. Don’t expect your first draft to come out brilliant. It’s all in the editing. Work on your craft.

5. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? More and more writers are moving away from traditional publishing and it seems to me that indie books are making a significant mark in the industry. Indie books, for some reason, don’t have the same clout as indie film or indie music just yet; but I think it’s coming. Also, who is getting published is changing. We are hearing from a variety of voices, from marginalized communities, more than ever before.  

6. What challenges did you overcome to write this book? When I started writing, I had five small children. It was hard to find the time to write. I’d work whenever I had a moment. But I also had doubts, and wondered if I was just wasting valuable time. So, I made sure to take classes and attend workshops in order to have community, feedback, deadlines, and accountability.  

7. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Life and Other Shortcomings was written up as a book to read when you are tired of binge-watching Netflix and as an essential book to read to get you thinking and talking about feminism. I take this to mean that Life and Other Shortcomings is both fun and poignant. Because this book is a collection of stories, the reader gets to travel from New Orleans to New York to Madrid, while simultaneously spending time with a large cast of characters, including a rebellious teenager, a woman struggling in her marriage, an orthodox Jew, and a newly divorced man. Life and Other Shortcomings is a great conversation starter and book club pick.  

About The Author: Corie Adjmi is a multi-award-winning author and women’s empowerment activist. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, Motherwell, Kveller, North American Review, Indiana Review, South Dakota Review, Evansville Review and others. Life and Other Shortcomings is Corie’s first book-length publication and this collection of stories has won a 2021 International Book Award, a 2021 IBPA: Ben Franklin Award, a 2020 American Fiction Award, a 2020 Best Books Award, and has most recently been nominated for a Zibby Owens Book Award. For more info, please see: corieadjmi.com.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.