Member Spotlight: Jo David

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? My parents named me after Jo in Little Women. They put me in front of a Remington typewriter when I was three years old. I’ve been writing ever since. The permanence of the written word is the way that culture is passed down through time. In my “other” life, I’m a rabbi who specializes in teaching sacred texts as literature. Parts of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) are well over 2,000 years old and we’re still reading those stories and finding them relevant. When I teach about the Bible, I often present texts from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Some of these predate the Hebrew Bible by 1500 years or more. We can read them because someone had the idea that it was important to commit stories to written form. When I write stories, I feel very strongly connected to this literary chain of tradition.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? This is the 64,000 question! The important thing is to be kind to oneself and not berate oneself for not being able to write. The year after my mother’s death, I couldn’t write a word. I was helped by friends who supported me and loved me during that time. When I began to feel a little better, I would try to write something. It was hard to get a rhythm going, but whenever I felt that I could sit down at the computer, I did so, even if I didn’t produce much of anything. Eventually, I was able to string together a few days of writing at a time. As I adjusted to a life without my mother, I was able to begin to write consistently. I think that an important part of the process was the effort of trying to get going again, even though it didn’t happen immediately.

What is your favorite time to write? I like to write in the morning, right after breakfast and before the day has really gotten going. I don’t do email or look at social media. I just sit down and write. When I’m working on a book, I write 2 hours or 2,000 words in the morning. Sometimes, if I’m on a roll, I do more. I’m usually done by about noon. After lunch, I work on “life” and other projects.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Write the stories you would like to read and keep faith with your readers. I think that this is especially true in genre fiction, where there are tropes that attract readers to that genre. For example, in romance fiction, a happy ending is essential, although that doesn’t mean that there’s a marriage or even an engagement!

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? I’ve wanted to write novels since I was a teenager, but found it impossible to maintain the focus to produce a full manuscript. It wasn’t until I was in my early 50’s that I was able to write my first novel – 140,000 words. My first published novel, Anarchy at Almacks, came into the world a month after my 75th birthday. I am at a time in my life when I have the focus and time to devote myself to making my dream come true. I’ve written five novels, which will all be coming out in the next year or so, and I’m busy writing more. I’m extremely grateful to have the health, strength and support of my husband and my editor to be creatively active. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

Jo David’s Midnight Miracle: A Regency Christmas Romantasy, written under her pen name Nola Saint James, is out now with‎ Pinfeather Press.