NATASHA: Hi Fern! Thank you for the interview. Can you tell our readers about yourself and how long have you been a writer?
FERN: Thank you, Natasha! I'm Fern Ronay, Jersey girl living in Los Angeles, host of the Signs from the Other Side podcast and author of Better in the Morning and Better Believe It, novels that I describe as Sex and the City meets Ghost. Better in the Morning is the story of a single 29-year-old Manhattan lawyer guided in her dreams by her dead, Italian grandparents. Better Believe It is the story of an unhappily married mom of one who is guided in her dreams by her dead, chain-smoking cousin. My first book was published in 2016 but it began long before that in a writing class when I was living in NYC. So, well over a decade of writing, rewriting, editing, and writing some more.
NATASHA: When it comes to writing, do you have a certain routine or writing process that allows the ideas to flow better?
FERN: Like most things in life, when I'm not thinking about anything at all, when I release and let go, when I'm in a meditative state even just scrubbing the kitchen sink, that's when the universe sends me ideas - either for a story, a scene, a piece of dialogue. When I'm not in my head, I'm in a state to receive and listen and that's when the universal mind delivers!
NATASHA: Can you tell our readers about your latest book? And how did you come up with the title?
FERN: Better Believe It is the story of Jada, an unhappily married mother of one who finds herself stuck in life and deeply lonely, despite being surrounded by family and co-workers. But, she gets some help from a loved one who has passed. I believe when we are asleep, we can meet with loved ones who have passed, or spirit guides, who want to help guide us. We may not always remember these "dream visits" but there's a reason things often seem better in the morning - so that's how I got the name for my first book! For Jada, she is visited by her cousin Gina who she always butted heads with when Gina was alive. When Jada is awake, she doesn't subscribe to this "woo woo" stuff, but things change. Better believe it, they do.
NATASHA: How do you select the names of your characters?
FERN: Sometimes they come out of nowhere and sometimes they have a special meaning. In Better in the Morning, the main character is named Veronica Buccino. Veronica, because that is what my parents almost named me and I love that name! (They ended up naming me Jennifer and, when there are so many Jens in a generation, you end up with a nickname like Fern - short for my maiden name Fernicola). And Buccino is an homage to my great grandfather who came from Buccino, Italy. In 1910, he formed the Buccinese Society in Altoona, PA along with other men from Buccino. They helped build the Pennsylvania Railroad and formed this society to help each other when things were tough. A century later, your great granddaughter writes a novel and names the protagonist after Buccino and isn't that the American dream?
NATASHA: Why do you enjoy writing women’s fiction stories. And do you write in any other genre?
FERN: Well, I live in Los Angeles so of course, I've recently finished the first draft of a screenplay. But I do love women's fiction because I'm a mood reader and sometimes I'm in the mood to read about a woman in the same place and time but with a completely different life than mine. It's like eavesdropping but even better because you get the whole story. So, while I do love historical fiction, again, it depends on my mood, and sometimes a mood calls for delving into the life of a woman who could be my neighbor.
NATASHA: Besides writing, what do you enjoy doing on your spare time to relax?
FERN: Eavesdrop. Kidding. I love reading, of course, and running, cooking, and going on several mile walks while listening to podcasts. My husband and I are also in the middle of a home renovation so it feels like my spare time is now often spent living my own HGTV show.
NATASHA: Can you share with our readers any future projects that you are working on?
FERN: I am working on book #3 as well as my screenplays. But, I'm also creating content, as they say, on my podcast Signs from the Other Side (on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio) and sharing stories of signs on my social media and private FB group (Believers in Signs).
NATASHA: How can our readers learn more about you and your books?
FERN: To learn more about me and my books, please visit FernRonay.com and @FernRonay on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Thank you so much for having me, Natasha!
Learn More About The Author @
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/.../48749349-better-believe-it
Purchase:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3fs6bdD
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../better.../1134845782...
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/.../better.../id1486932465...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/better-believe-it-1
Google Play: https://play.google.com/.../Fern_Ronay_Better_Believe_It...
Author links:
https://fernronay.com/
https://www.instagram.com/fernronay/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5263737.Fern_Ronay
https://www.facebook.com/FernRonay/
https://twitter.com/FernRonay
About Fern Ronay:
Fern Ronay has lived in NYC, Chicago, and now sunny Los Angeles with her husband, but she will always consider herself a Jersey girl. She is the author of two novels, Better in the Morning and Better Believe It, and is the host of the podcast Signs from the Other Side, as well as a host at the AfterBuzzTV network. Follow Fern on Instagram @FernRonay and check out her free ebook at FernRonay.com.
