J. E. Weiner – Three Questions & a Cover

Three Questions and a Cover — a short interview with one of my favorite authors, along with one of the author’s covers.

Question: What’s your Go-To source when you need inspiration?

Mark Twain famously wrote that “truth is stranger than fiction,” and as a writer of historical fiction, I could not agree more. Verifiable historical events form the backbone of my stories, but I give myself license to imagine the people who inhabit those narratives. I turn to contemporary memoirs and diaries when I am stumped by a particular character, whether trying to capture their voice or their thoughts (or avoid thrusting my own upon them). Their pages contain boldly conveyed world views and intimate thoughts whispered among the lines of text. These are the spaces where a writer can attempt to fill in the gaps and silences often imposed by those who get to determine the facts and write the history, and stumble upon even stranger truths of times long passed.

A searing Southern Gothic saga unfolds in the Texas Hill Country, where history’s silenced voices rise amidst an astonishing tale. On the eve of the Civil War, Polish immigrants Marcin and Agnieszka Anderwald arrive in Bandera, Texas, seeking a fresh start in a new land of fertile soil and freedom. But their dreams quickly become nightmares when Marcin provokes a sinister specter hell-bent on revenge. A battle ensues for the hearts, minds, and souls of the Anderwalds and their extended family of immigrant outcasts, Arab camel wranglers, wounded warriors, and a songstress on the verge of madness. As the generations unfold, each must confront its darkest fears. Can faith, love, and sacrifice overcome unrelenting evil, or will the Anderwalds remain forever wretched and undone? The Wretched and Undone is a sweeping saga set in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and inspired by real people and actual events. Heralded as “a genre-bending thrill ride through Old Texas,” with “characters so well-crafted they crawl off the page,” the novel was named a Killer Nashville Top Pick for 2024 and a Claymore Award Finalist for Best Southern Gothic.

Question: If you have a writing ritual, can you share that here?

With a hectic day job and a busy family, finding the time and headspace to write is challenging. Silence and solitude are also critical. The wee hours of the morning during the weekend are the best times to find all of the above. I am usually up by 4:00 a.m. most Saturdays and Sundays and focus on generative writing for as long as I am productive. I also try to find an hour or two each evening during the work week to edit.

Question: What one piece of advice can you offer to a writer who has yet to tackle the publishing world?

The road to publication is bumpy for all new writers. Traditional book publishing often requires the right agent with the right contacts and the right project at the right time, but the rise of small and hybrid presses and even self-publishing has allowed newcomers to break into the market with greater chances of success. In the end, though, it will all return to the writing. I would have waited longer to begin submitting my manuscript. When a writer types “The End” on the final page of what they think is the final draft, it is important to know that this is just the beginning of the publishing journey. Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park, said it best: “Books aren’t written–they’re rewritten.”

About the Author

J. E. Weiner is a writer and novelist based in Northern California. Her debut novel, “The Wretched and Undone”, is a searing and genre-bending Southern Gothic tale set in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and inspired by real people and actual events. The book manuscript was named a Killer Nashville Top Pick for 2024 and a Claymore Award Finalist for Best Southern Gothic.

Weiner’s previous work has appeared in the literary journals Madcap Review, Five Minutes, HerStry, and Chicago Story Press, as well as the recent grit-lit anthology “Red-Headed Writing” (Cowboy Jamboree Press, 2024). Weiner is a founding member of the Pacific Coast Writers Collective, and while living and writing in blissful exile on the West Coast, her heart remains bound to her childhood home, the Great State of Texas. Learn more about J. E. and her writing at her website.

Follow J. E. Weiner on social media:

Facebook: @J.E.Weiner | Instagram: @jeweinerauthor