Authors at Home: Jeanette Escudero, “The Apology Project”
By Andrea Yang
This week’s spotlight Q&A is on Jeanette Escudero, attorney and author of the new novel, The Apology Project, which Lake Union Publishing will release on August 1, 2021. We had the opportunity to chat with Jeanette about her life, work, and writing. Read on to learn more about Jeanette Escudero and her new novel in today’s Authors at Home feature.
What are you currently reading, watching, listening to? Anything you wholly recommend as being inspiring, uplifting or just really fun?
The last book I read was Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds. It was amazing. It was inspiring and also so beautifully written; I completely lost track of time and just read for two solid days. I also picked up Tif Marcelo’s book In a Book Club Far Away. So far it’s the perfect heartwarming book I need.
Can you take us through the day in the life of Jeanette Escudero? What’s your day-to-day routine like — when you’re writing a book, and when you’re not?
I’m always writing (or editing) something. My days normally entail waking up and getting my three kids ready for school. Then I just relax and drink my café con leche in bed for about 30 minutes or so. It’s the only alone time I get!
From about 9 to 4 pm, I either go into the office, meet a client, or work from home. Attorney stuff normally entails arguing with someone, which is not my favorite thing to do. When my kids get home, I argue with them about homework or about getting ready for dance, kickboxing, or piano. My husband, who is wonderful, takes them to most extracurricular activities and I usually spend that time making or ordering dinner (thank you Uber Eats!), doing laundry, or catching up on work. Although, sometimes I do sneak in some Wendy Williams time, because I love mindless television once in a while.
Sometime around 8 pm, I’ll sit and start writing. If I get into a good groove, I may keep writing well into the night, but I usually write until around midnight. If I am not feeling the words that day, I find myself scrolling through social media while I tell myself I’m writing. That’s about the gist of it. On weekends, I try to limit the writing to the evenings because I do love to spend non-arguing time with my kids.
Are you working on any projects that we should look out for in the future?
I just finished my second novel, Happyish. This should come out fall of 2022. I’m now brainstorming and playing around with what I want to write next and have been pitching ideas to my agent, while I wait for edits for Happyish.
If you weren’t writing books right now, what would you be doing?
I’d probably just continue to practice law, like I’m currently doing. I wish I could be a professional reader. If there is a job for that, I’d take it!
What is one big message you want readers to take away from The Apology Project?
That people change. Amelia became someone she didn’t like or rather, someone she didn’t recognize. We all get caught up in our life and before you know it there may be things about ourselves we don’t love. It’s okay to self-evaluate and make changes. It’s always best to try and be the best version of yourself you can be. And not everyone will love you and that’s okay.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve ever had to apologize for?
My temper. Before I started writing, I was working 80-hour weeks, much like Amelia. I didn’t realize how quick-tempered and unengaged I was on a daily basis. It was hard to come to that realization and then change things in such a major way. Writing has been such a great outlet and helps me put things into perceptive. I’ve apologized to my family for not being present for so many years, but I don’t think apologizing is enough. It’s the actual changes I’ve made in my life that shows them how sorry I am.
What is your favorite food? Your go-to drink?
Pizza or grilled cheese. I can eat both any time, any day. I drink a lot of coffee. I don’t know if it’s my favorite drink but it’s definitely my go-to drink.
How has your Cuban American heritage influenced your work and your writing?
Because Cubans are so family-oriented, when I’m on a deadline, I do rely on my mother, father, and even my grandmother’s help with the house and the kids. They gladly help. As for my characters, I find myself using a lot of nuances and quirks from my culture in my characters. In Happyish, I have even more Cuban(isms) in the storyline and in the tone of the dialogue.
In explaining why you wrote The Apology Project, you wrote about the expectations for women and how women can often feel like they have to do everything and do it perfectly. What advice would you give to young women who feel like they have to do it all?
I think when we are in our twenties we feel as if we have to conquer the world. We have this need to show everyone that we can do it all. At least, that’s how I felt. I wish I would have understood what “all” really meant at 20 or even at 30. But I don’t think even if I were to go back and tell myself that happiness is not about success but about being at peace with what you have, it would have changed anything. I think only life experiences teach us that. So I think I’d tell young women to take it all in and to remember to take a break and enjoy what they have at that moment. I wish I would have discovered my passion for writing at 20. I’d ask a young woman: what is your passion? What do you love to do? And then do that instead of trying to achieve the unattainable “all.”
Book Summary:
Dear (almost) everyone: Can we be friends again?
Life is about to get complicated for Amelia Montgomery, a prominent litigator in Chicago. She’s been fired for not compromising her principles in a high-profile case and then punching her partner in the nose for the misogynistic comment he made in retort (not her finest moment). Leaving a career that gave her purpose, Amelia can only ask, What next?
Let it be better than her epic failure of a fortieth birthday party: an open bar full of no-shows except for John Ellis, a total stranger and the new associate at her ex-firm. As it turns out, though, he’s very good company — and a wake-up call. With the help of John and a lot of champagne, Amelia considers the people she’s wronged, from old besties to former boyfriends to coworkers. Amelia resolves to make amends — to those who really deserve it.
One apology at a time, Amelia’s looking at the choices she’s made in the past, the new ones she’s making with John, and those she’s making for herself. What next? Maybe a second chance she never expected.
Author Bio:
Jeanette Escudero worked as an attorney before picking up a pen at thirty years old to write something other than legal briefs. Being published fulfilled a dream and gave her an outlet for her imaginative, romantic side. Writing as Sidney Halston, she is the USA Today bestselling author of the Panic series, the Worth the Fight series, the Iron-Clad Security novels, and the Seeing Red duet. In addition to writing and reading, Jeanette has a passion for travel and adventure. She and her family have been to the Galapagos Islands and have hiked Yellowstone, the Shenandoah mountains, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents, she currently lives in South Florida with her husband and her three children, in whom she’s instilled a love of nature and an appreciation for the planet.
Website: www.jeanetteescudero.com
Instagram: @authorjeanetteescudero
Facebook: @AuthorEscudero
Twitter: @authorescudero
