Jody Hadlock
Jody Hadlock: I’ve always loved history. When I was in junior high school in north Texas, I was a member of the Junior Historians of Texas, and history was always one of my favorite subjects. So, of course, my first novel is historical. I also always wanted to be a writer. After getting a degree in journalism at Texas A&M University, I worked as a television news reporter and anchor, and then as a public relations professional before I started writing fiction. I also write screenplays and won the 2020 Dallas International Film Festival’s screenplay contest. My co-writer and I had interest from a Hollywood producer and almost had our award-winning script optioned, but it didn’t work out. Still, it was a great learning process. No regrets.
Instagram: @JodyHadlock
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
No, but I think films in general have influenced my writing. I’ve always loved movies. My husband and I see nearly everything that comes out in the theater, and I think we’ve watched every true crime series ever made on TV. News reporting calls for writing that is clear, concise, and conversational. Much like screenwriting. In between edits on my manuscript for my novel, I started writing screenplays and found that I love it.
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
I’m probably one of the few writers on the planet who doesn’t listen to music while writing. I spend a lot of time on my computer at coffee shops (even though I only drink tea, LOL). The energy and atmosphere of a coffee shop is my music. I read somewhere that the ambient noise at a place like a coffee house is the perfect level for concentrating on a task. I also think my preference for writing at coffee shops comes from my time in newsrooms. They can be noisy, especially around news time, and you have to be able to focus and write under those conditions.
Favorite non-reading activity?
Pilates and yoga. They keep me sane!
Is there a work of art that you love. Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
I love art and I don’t have just one piece I love. My first time in Europe, my best friend and I went to Paris, and we visited the Musee d’Orsay. It immediately became my favorite art museum. It’s set in an old train station that was built around 1900 and is piece of art itself. My favorite period has always been Impressionism, and the O’rsay is filled with the works of the Impressionist and post-Impressionist painters. We spent hours wandering through the museum. Then we went to the museum’s café and I still remember eating the most amazing apple tart. French pastries are the best!
Do you collect anything? If so, what, why, and for how long?
I collect small things. By that, I mean items that will fit in a printer’s tray. My aunt gave me one when I was around ten years old. I started collecting small objects whenever I traveled somewhere, things like thimbles and pins, and I’ve kept personal memorabilia through the years. I have printer’s trays hanging on walls in my bedroom and office, and it’s fun to look at them and remember where I got a particular object.
