Interview with Jennifer Burke author of Levi’s Gift

Hi Jennifer! Welcome to Destination Amish. Can you share a little about yourself?

Thanks for having me! I live in Dublin, Ireland and my novel Levi’s Gift is being published this month. Last year, I entered a Write A Bestseller completion which one of the major TV stations in Ireland, TV3, was running in conjunction with one of the most well-known publishers in Ireland, Poolbeg Press. Before I knew what was happening, a camera crew was bursting into my office to announce that I had won the competition, and with it a three book deal with Poolbeg Press.

My first novel, The Secret Son, was published less than three months later, to critical acclaim. My second book, Levi’s Gift, is out on 25^th September 2014.

Can you tell us about your latest book?

I was inspired with the idea for Levi’s Gift while in Italy with my choir, The Lassus Scholars. We sang in a seminary, high up in the Italian hills, and I thought it was one of the most beautiful places I had seen.

Levi’s Gift is above all about a mother-daughter relationship, and redemption for choices made in the past. When her daughter Mattie spirals into depression after her child is still-born, Lena realizes that she is not as close to Mattie as she thought, and finds it difficult to help her. Lena takes Mattie to Italy, where she opens up to her about her own past, and the love of her life who she left to his vocation in an Italian seminary many years ago. Lena hopes that by sharing this important part of her own past, she can help her daughter move forward.

Which character can you identify the most with?

My life is very different to the characters in Levi’s Gift, but I feel very close to the two narrators, Lena and Mattie. I don’t think I could have sustained an entire book through their points of view if I didn’t identify with them in some way. They are both very passionate people, they feel deeply and I think I can be like that too. Family is very important to both of them, as it is to me, and they value their past as I do.

What inspired you to become an author?

I think writing is a natural calling. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Quite literally, my earliest memories include sitting at the little desk in our living room, scribbling my stories. I find inspiration all around me, and often out of nowhere, except my own head!

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview?

I suppose it would be great to be asked “How are you finding being such a successful novelist?” because that would mean I’ve done well! But my favourite interview questions are always those about the storyline or characters in my book – that is what I am most passionate about.

What is one thing about you that readers would be surprised to learn?

I have a day job. I talk about writing so much people assume I do it full time, but for now I’m juggling careers. I’m also a full time lawyer.

Do you have anything else that you would like to share?

I love it with people contact me about my books. I write my novels on my own (obviously!) and it takes so long – years – from first idea to publication that once they are out there I just can’t get enough of people’s reactions. I never shy away from critique as well as praise – as long as it’s constructive I can learn from readers’ thoughts and am happy to. If you’ve read The Secret Son, or will be reading Levi’s Gift, please do send me a message through my website www.jenniferburke.ie, or via Facebook (Jennifer Burke Author) or Twitter (@JenniferRyBurke)

What’s next for you?

I’ve plenty going on at the moment. I’m giving a talk at the Red Line Book Festival in Dublin in October and have just re-worked a classic novel as part of AMD Awareness Week (Age-Related Macular Degeneration – an eye condition that can cause sight loss) See www.amd.ie Also, I’m writing my third book, which is currently without a name but about which I am very excited!  I am only in the beginning stages but it is quite different from both The Secret Son and Levi’s Gift, so I’m intrigued to see how it will turn out.

Thanks again for having me at Destination Amish!

Jennifer Burke is a Dublin based author and solicitor. In July 2013, her life changed forever when she had won a Write A Bestseller competition, and with it a three book deal with Poolbeg Press. Her first novel The Secret Son was published in September 2013, peaking at number 5 in the bestsellers list  Jennifer also writes shorter fiction. Her short story, Leaving the Cold Behind, was published in the 2012 From the Well Anthology and she has been shortlisted for the past three consecutive years in the Fish Flash Fiction competition. Jennifer takes part in a monthly writing group in the Irish Writers Centre. Her second novel, Levi’s Gift, will be published in September 2014.

Interview with Jennifer Burke author of Levi’s Gift http://t.co/fn8towCwts

— Destination Amish (@Michelle__Dawn) September 25, 2014