Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions
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Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

You must have an extensive background in knitting to so lovingly, and with great detail, write about the patterns, yarns, and supplies needed to knit. Tell us a little bit about your own knitting experience.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm a knitter, but I'm no expert. My two grandmothers were knitters, and my mom was a crocheter, but I wasn't interested in that kind of thing as a kid. So I didn't learn how to knit until I was an adult -- many of my girlfriends have become knitters now even though we didn't learn until we were grown -- and even so I'm simply a hobby knitter. I like easy, quick stuff. I'm really not the most coordinated person in the world! My main craft is writing. And when it comes to writing, I think it's important – even necessary for the creative process -- to not just write what you know. That's one reason why I write characters who are quite different from me.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

How did the idea for FNKC evolve?

Fiction reflects what's in the culture: knitting is experiencing renewed popularity and therefore there are knitting and craft novels. That's a natural progression. Still, every writer needs to find their way into the story, and for me The Friday Night Knitting Club is first and foremost a story about friendship. So as I was writing I thought often of my experience coming to New York from small-town Canada and knowing no one in the big bad city, and how I really needed to build a community of friends to feel at home. Then I grew to love Manhattan. We all need to find our place and that's what the characters in FNKC are doing. They're finding each other.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

I'm always curious, are any of the characters based on yourself and/or someone you know?

It seems to make perfect sense, doesn't it? That a writer bases their characters on themselves, or their friends, or their frenemies, perhaps. I get it. I read books and I wonder the same things myself. Is this character the writer? That one? And yet, it's just not always that clear or straightforward. Sometimes characters will take on a quirk or a catch phrase that I use myself, but otherwise be completely different from me. FNKC is not autobiographical even as I drew upon personal emotions as I wrote. That said, Georgia's Gran and the relationship between the two women echoes, in some ways, time I shared with my own grandmother. And many of the activities that James and Anita do with tweener Dakota are fun things I did with my niece Emily when I lived in New York. Though Dakota is not Emily and vice versa. I would say Dakota is somewhat like what I was at twelve -- my older sister certainly insists that is the case! And in developing Darwin, I drew very broadly on concerns I had when I was as a teen about domesticity and women's roles and about empowerment.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D
Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert! Do NOT Read THIS BOX unless you don't mind knowing the end of the book!

Georgia is a strong, capable, caring person. Seems to me the old phrase applies here - "what didn't kill her made her stronger." In the end though, she loses the battle with cancer. Did you know from the beginning that Georgia would die? Did you have a hard time writing this because I had a hard time reading it! Tears everywhere...

I cried when I wrote it and I cried each and every time I had to re-read those sections as I proofed the pages. Georgia is a character I care about very deeply. Yes, I knew the conclusion, and it was the right ending for the story. That doesn't mean it is an easy ending, for the reader or for me. But it fits. It also hope it does a few things, such as informing readers a bit about ovarian cancer (and perhaps encouraging them to find out a bit more about the symptoms and to be aware), and it also puts in sharp relief just how important it is to recognize the people we care most about. This is a novel about the significance of friendship. And it's easy to take people for granted -- until something tragic happens. Finally, I wanted the characters to have a transforming event, something that would push them to the next level in their emotional journey.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

There are quite a few characters in this novel, all complete with their own complex lives and stories. What is the significance of Darwin developing from what I considered to be a feminist and crusader *against* traditional female roles/activities to learning to knit and loving it?

Dear Darwin. She's so annoying in the beginning, isn't she? Not because of her ideas per se but because of her lack of social skills. She's awkward. Well, here's the thing: I don't think she stops believing in feminism; I think that, at the end of the book, her eyes are open to more ideas than she thought possible. You know, I'm not so big into labels but I do consider myself to be a feminist. I also believe women have a right to define for themselves what they want to do with their lives and not be judged by other women (or by men) for those choices. Early in the book, Darwin is more like I was when I was a teenager, when I saw everything in black and white. I was so certain of my opinions when I was a kid. But it was untested certainty. It hadn't met the real world yet. One belief I held as a teen was that having any sort of domestic ability could impede my chances for professional success; I questioned why my mother was a stay-at-home mom. What was she doing with all that time, I wondered? (The answer, which becomes obvious now, is that she was raising me so that I had the skills to do exactly what I wanted to do. Fascinating how our vantage point changes what we're able to see, right?) As I became older, graduated from school, began to navigate the world, experience helped me to become a bit more nuanced. In my opinion, being a feminist is about rejecting limitations, inequality, disadvantage. By the same token, I think it's very feminist to honor the women who came before us, by valuing their skills and abilities. In fact, the people who precede us -- in our families, in our societies -- have much to teach and tell us, if only we would listen. Darwin learns to listen with an open heart. That's all. Because, I'll tell you, I like to knit. I like to cook. I also like to write books. To earn a living. To make my own decisions and define my own life. Each ones of us deserves to be treated with respect. None of those things are mutually exclusive. And that is Darwin's aha moment: When she realizes there is strength, not weakness, when we respect the skills and integrity of the women who came before us.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

I felt like each woman had a controversial issue to deal with in their lives. For Georgia it was having an interracial relationship and child. For Anita, it was the thought of love (and a sex life) after a certain age. For Lucie, it was becoming a single mother after 40. For Darwin it was cheating on her husband in order to find her "self." For Peri it was breaking the mold of what is expected of a young college grad in order to start her own passion-based business. And for K.C. it was being laid off after years of dedicated service to one place. Am I way off base here with these issues? Which was closest to your heart?

I once called in to a book club -- that is something I've had the privilege of doing, just telephoning book clubs who email me via katejacobs.com and invite me to join them -- and a reader asked me why the heck was so much going on in this book! That made me laugh. She's right, of course. There is a lot going on here. Maybe it's too much. But hey, this was my first novel. What if I never got to do a second? I had to have my kick at the can. These are the type of experiences that make up our lives. All of us. Let me tell you: It's all close to my heart. I have been laid off. I've had my heart broken. I've had someone very close to me die unexpectedly. These are the hard moments. So what do you do? You move forward. There is only one direction to go. And it is not easy. But there are good times, too. Many of them. And FNKC is, to me, ultimately a hopeful book. There is always a chance for better. For good days again.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

I had a love-hate relationship with James. I loved that he came back but hated that he did it so easily. On page 246 it says "Georgia loved James. And that's all there was to it." Is it really that easy to forgive almost 13 years of hurt? Can someone really be carrying a torch for another for that long?

That's a great question. Does love go away? Sometimes. Sometimes not. Can you forgive after years of hurt? Maybe. I think you can. If you want to. And if you don't, you won't. Forgiveness is about choice and about grace and about courage. Still, when I write characters I try to stay true to their personalities and their motivations. That means characters sometimes do things differently than perhaps you or I would do in our private lives. But it has to be about the character, not me. Do their actions fit their story? And characters really take on a life of their own. Let's look at the specifics of Georgia's experience: She has one great passionate, exciting relationship, which leaves her with a child she adores. She has no other significant romantic relationship, or a significant sexual relationship, after James. For that reason alone he has loomed large all of these years. And then one day he returns and she discovers she remains physically and emotionally attracted to him, even as she is resentful and suspicious. I don't think it was easy at all for Georgia to forgive. But James works very hard to make amends and win a second chance with her. And Georgia wants to not only recapture the romance. Being with James again reminds her of when she was younger and felt she could take on the world.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Who is your favorite secondary character? I'm going to have to go with Marty. He was the knight in shining armor for me. Everybody should be so lucky as to have a Marty in their life.

Dan. I love Dan. He is such an unconditional support to his wife. He has faith, even when he doesn't know it. I smiled every time I wrote about Dan.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

There are so many books now about female relationships. You broke away from the norm by having these women meet over a shared passion. The neat thing is that knitting is something we think of our grandmother's doing! Since reading your book I've seen several others in the stores about this subject. Do you think knitting is making a comeback? Is it because women are trying to "get back to their roots?" Or is it just a great way to relax and let go of some of life's stresses for awhile?

Knitting is definitely undergoing resurgence, and I think there is a combination of factors. One is that we live in troubled times and we're all looking for a bit of nostalgia, a way to touch the "good old days" (assuming they ever existed) and a way to connect with each other. Two is that knitting is a soothing activity and a great way to unwind. Three is that it provides a way to take a bit of time for oneself while still feeling that you're being useful; a way to recharge but not feel guilty. When I was growing up, knitting was for grannies. Now it's for anyone who wants to take up the craft.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Is it hard to make the transition from a great idea into an actual manuscript?

An idea is just a starting point, and without the work of writing there is no manuscript. It's that simple. And writing is hard work! To focus and to listen to the characters and concentrate, concentrate, concentrate. And always keep in mind that, above all else, my goal is to tell an entertaining and engaging story.

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

You've been a busy gal lately on your 2008 book tour to promote FNKC. Any spots you've visited and fallen in love with?

I am such a homebody that gearing up to hit the road is a big deal for me. I get a little nervous when it's time to pack my bags and get out there and promote. But I have so much fun meeting readers on book tour; everyone is so kind and welcoming. And I love seeing different parts of the country. Of course, my visits to each city are fairly brief -- I tend to have a lot of bookstore, hotel and car time -- but not a lot of sightseeing time!

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

So Comfort Food is on its way to shelves soon. Any little tidbit you want to tell our readers about what to expect?

I'm really excited about Comfort Food. It's a story about the power of food to bring people together and the importance of savoring every bite of life. The main character, Augusta "Gus" Simpson, is the host of a television cooking program and the novel follows her as she deals with the personal and professional challenges in her life. The first chapter is up at www.katejacobs.com and I'll be starting book club call-ins for Comfort Food -- in which I telephone book clubs who contact me via my website --as soon as it hits stores on May 6!

Kate Jacobs Answering Interview Questions with Queenie D

Thanks Kate for taking the time to talk to us and bring some of your own words to your loyal fans! We're all really excited to read Comfort Food and look forward to our next chat!

I am delighted to chat with you; thank you for asking me. And I see that I've been rather long-winded. Note to self: I talk too much!