Author Interview: Jennifer Jabaley of Lipstick Apology [It's out today!!]

Today, Lipstick Apology is being released! Below is the interview I did with Jennifer Jabaley, let's all support Jennifer's debut by going out and purchasing her book!

Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 321
Available Now: Amazon.com

Summary: Sometimes a good-bye is just the beginning…When Emily Carson’s parents die in a plane crash, she’s left with nothing but her mother’s last words scrawled in lipstick on a tray table: “Emily, please forgive me.” Now it’s fall and Emily moves to New York City— where she attracts the attention of two very different boys: the cute, popular Owen, and her quirky chemistry partner, Anthony. With the help of some surprising new friends, Emily must choose between the boy who helps her forget and the one who encourages her to remember, and ultimately heal. Debut author Jennifer Jabaley has written a wonderful, feel-good romantic comedy with real emotional depth. Full of lovably wacky characters, Lipstick Apology is a heartwarming story about the true meaning of forgiveness.

Author Interview: Jennifer Jabaley of Lipstick Apology

Jennifer Jabaley is the author of Lipstick Apology which is being released today! She was born in New York and raised in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Jennifer Jabaley is a graduate of James Madison University and Southern College of Optometry. She began writing in 2006 and tries to manage optometry, writing and motherhood. She lives in Blue Ridge, Georgia with her husband and two children.

For more info on Jennifer Jabaley, check out her official website:
http://www.jenniferjabaley.com/

1) Jennifer, when was the first moment you knew you wanted to become a writer?

For quite awhile I toyed around with the idea of writing a novel, but it wasn't until the idea for Lipstick Apology hit me that I fully committed to the project and said, "I'm going to finish this and I'm going to try and get it published."

2) What inspired you to write Lipstick Apology?

My sister inspired this story. Several years ago she and her husband took their first trip without their children and she was a nervous wreck. Being that I'm their designated legal guardian in the event of an untimely death, and being that at the time of her trip I was single with no children of my own, I think she was beginning to panic, thinking I would have no clue what to do with her two sons. The night before her flight she kept calling giving me updates in the event of a plane crash. She told me where the safety deposit box was, where the will was, where the spare key, the car key, the kids baseball uniforms, her son's special toy - it was getting comical. After the seventh or eight call I turned to my husband (boyfriend at the time) and said, "The plane would be going down and she would whip out her lipstick and start outlining the boys bedtime routine on a tray table." And my husband said, "That would be a great book." So I wrote down "lipstick on a tray table" on a post it note and stashed it away.. Three years later when we were moving I came across that note and the inspiration was born.

3) Are the characters in the book based on someone you know?

No. I think bits and pieces of me or my family or friends show up in a scene or two, but the characters themselves are totally invented.

4) What was the hardest part of writing Lipstick Apology?

The hardest part, for sure, was trying to balance the grief and serious nature of losing parents with my natural light-hearted humorous writing style. My first drafts had a lot more sadness toward the beginning and all the feedback was that the story really started moving once Emily got to New York and had moved past a lot of the grief.. Ultimately what we did was combine the first three chapters of grief into a quick ten page prologue. I learned a lot from this - learned not to fight your nature writing style!

5) If you had to describe Lipstick Apology in one word, what would it be and why?

One word, really? That's sooo hard!! How about entertaining

6) Why did you pick 'Lipstick Apology' for your book title?

I think it's evocative and it encapsulates the problem: an apology left in lipstick

7) Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest?

In the YA world there are a ton of debut authors that have caught my attention: Mandy Hubbard's Prada and Prejudice is adorable. Leigh Brescia's One Wish is wonderful. Chritina Springer's The Espressologist is a fast, fun read. In the adult fiction world, I just read Schooled by Anisha Lakhani and I really enjoyed it.

8) What book are you currently reading?

I just started "Alive and Well in Prague, NY" by Daphne Grab. And I also just started "The Real Real" by the authors of The Nanny Diaries. (I always read multiple books at once)

9) Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I want the readers to know that while the premise of Lipstick Apology is a serious nature, the writing style is fun, fast and humorous. It's an entertaining read that will appeal to anyone who likes stories about friendship, family and first love.

10) Tell us something about yourself that no one knows about.

Hmmm, I adore audiobooks and have more books in my itunes library than music. My favorite Starbucks drink is a hot chocolate. And I can't enter a mall without getting an M&M double doozie cookie from Great American Cookie. (I have a sweet tooth :)