Jessica James is the author of the historical fiction novel Shades of Gray, which has won two Best Regional Fiction awards and was named FAVORITE BOOK of 2008 across all genres on two book review sites. The novel has also been nominated for the 2009 Michael Shaara Award for Civil War Fiction and has climbed as high as #3 on Amazon in the romance/historical/U.S. category, trailing behind a book it is often compared to, Gone with the Wind.
In its review, the BookConnection said, “if you only buy one book in 2009, make it this one.”
Because of the strict attention to language used in Shades of Gray, James has been asked to review a script for a proposed Civil War movie to help with the flow and authenticity of the 19th century dialogue.
It's great to have you here, Jessica. Do you have another job besides writing?
For 18 years, I was a journalist and newspaper editor, which, when combined with writing a novel, resulted in a pretty sedentary lifestyle. In 2006, I quit that career to become a spotlight operator for a Broadway show that came into town. When the show ended after a three-month run, I stayed on as a part-time stagehand – which is anything but sedentary. The flexible hours and the physical aspect of the job meld perfectly with my writing life, and I have the added bonus of getting paid to see a few hundred shows each year.
Article comments