Jeneva Rose
Jeneva Rose is the bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage, which has been published in nearly a dozen languages and optioned for film. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband and stubborn English bulldog. One of Us Is Dead is her third novel.
Twitter: @JenevaRoseBooks
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
Outside of writing, my music preference is very eclectic. My playlists are full of everything from pop to country to rap to folk. However, when I write I listen to nature sounds like loon calls, thunderstorms, and babbling brooks. The loon calls remind me of my in-law’s old lake house up in northern Wisconsin. When I first heard the call of a loon while sitting outside in the early morning, I thought it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. It’s such a comfort to me now, and it immediately transports me back to the lake. I also listen to classical music. If I'm writing a dark scene, I lean toward thunderstorms or intense classical music. If it's a lighter scene, ocean waves and loon calls suffice.
What’s the oddest thing a reader has ever asked you?
I’ve had a couple of odd ones. Many readers have asked if my debut The Perfect Marriage, which is about a defense attorney who defends her husband when he’s accused of murdering his mistress—is based on my life? It is not. My husband has not been accused of murder… that I know of.
I’ve also been asked to write some unusual things in my books when I sign them for readers. One man had me write a love letter to his wife in his copy of The Perfect Marriage. Given the premise of the book, I found that odd, and it was just a lot to have to handwrite. Another reader informed me that the book I was signing was a gift for their mistress. I thought he was kidding, but he was not. Due to my shock, my signature was rather sloppy.
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
I would say the horror genre in general has influenced my writing. From a very young age (probably too young), I have loved scary movies. I grew up on Child’s Play, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and all the slashers in the 90’s.
In college, I took a film class that analyzed horror movies and what they had to say about our society during the time they released. It truly opened my eyes. Although, these films seem like pure entertainment, many have a lot of depth to them when you take a closer look. When I write my thrillers, my goal is to entertain, to shock, to thrill, and to make the reader laugh on occasion—just like a horror film. And if you take a closer look, you’ll find some commentary on society within mine as well.
What do you worry about?
Most things. Being an author is a truly incredible career and one I’ve dreamed of my whole life, but it’s also a tough one. Prior to being published, all I had to worry about was writing the best book possible (and also getting published). Now that I have multiple books out, I’ve realized there’s so much more to it. Social media marketing, interviews, book club drop-ins, author events, networking, etc.… plus writing more books, and the added worry of sales. Additionally, I always find myself wondering/worrying no matter how much is on my plate, ‘Could I be doing more?’
What brings you great joy?
My husband, my dog, and my friends. Then there’s the simple things that bring me great joy – an iced coffee in the morning, fresh flowers, a glass of wine after a long day of writing, typing ‘the end’ on a project, cracking open a new book, going for a walk, and interacting with readers.
