We chat with author Jacqueline Firkins about The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch, which is a beautiful story of friendship, and second chances at love.
Hi, Jacqueline! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
My primary career is in costume design, mostly for stage but occasionally for screen, though I sneak in writing time whenever I can find it. My writing, like my design work, focuses on character studies, and on translating abstract ideas and themes into a visual language. I’m lucky enough to live near the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver, BC, where I dote on my demanding but adorable Welsh terrier, run enough miles to regularly destroy my toenails, and consume ridiculous amounts of tea and snacks.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always been fascinated with stories, those we tell formally through writing, those we tell verbally and spontaneously with friends, and those we collectively perform for an audience. Even at age 6 or 7, I recall crafting imaginary worlds with elaborate plotlines and histories. My shift to pursuing writing seriously came about ten years ago when my Essential Tremor (a degenerative shake mostly in my hands and head) got significant enough to impact my ability to draw and sew, and I knew I needed to pivot if I wanted to continue working in an artistic career. My design training in world and character development was a natural lead-in to a writing career, especially when paired with years of studying literature in both undergrad and grad school. I still draw and sew, and I hope I’ll continue to do both for years to come, but I love that I’ve been able to develop another creative outlet with which I can share my love of storytelling and connect with other artists.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: The first one I remember that really stuck with me was the Chronicles of Narnia series, which I borrowed from my 2nd grade teacher and instantly devoured back-to-back.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Maybe Jane Eyre. Because I encountered that book at a time when everything I was reading described the heroines as stunningly beautiful, and finally I got to read about a woman who was valued regardless of her appearance. It made me want to write stories that expanded that representation, particularly in romance, where physical attraction is so often the driving force of a story.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I reread this one more than any other book, and every time, I see something new. Mary Shelly wrote it when she was eighteen. EIGHTEEN!! At that age, my greatest literary achievement was probably an overwrought breakup poem I wrote in a diary. And it was, needless to say, not great at all.
Your latest novel, The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch, is out October 31st! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Whimsy, longing, ocean, dogs, hope
What can readers expect?
Lots of comedic (and mostly true) breakup stories, my love letter to the Pacific Ocean, an adult woman still trying to figure it all out, a light touch of magic, themes about art making and the inherent conflicts of creative pursuits, an emotionally charged but also sexy love story, a tight lifelong friendship, a non-idealized small-town setting, a symbolic house, complicated family relationships, dogs and more dogs, flawed characters, some really obscure Henry James and Shakespeare references, and a cat who “likes to watch.”
Where did the inspiration for The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch come from?
I was thinking about two things. 1. How creative pursuits often create a false sense of competition that makes us feel like we’re never where we want to be in our careers because someone else is always out there “doing it better.” 2. How accumulating rejections and failures (however abstract or concrete) can leave us stuck expecting more rejection and failure, and unable to identify when to push on and when to pivot. I put the two together and thought, what if a woman is literally doomed to always be second in everything she does? How can I use a love story to explore the idea of limitations, how we identify them and what we do with them once we accept that they exist?
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Admittedly, I fall in love of with all of my characters, but I think that’s an occupational hazard, or maybe an occupational necessity. But I loved writing Imogen’s mother. She sees the world in a way that’s so different from how I see it. She’s so sure of what’s to come. And I loved writing Imogen and Eliot’s outspoken friend Franny. To me, this is very much a story about three friends, and it only works with all three of them, even though two become the focus of the romance.
This is your fourth published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
I structure my stories from the beginning more now. I find it saves a lot of revising time, though sometimes I miss the pure joy of letting the characters take me wherever they wanted to go, as long as I could rein them back in for the key story beats.
At the risk of sounding overly jaded, I’ve also learned that publishing is a hard industry to fully understand. Some truly wonderful books and talented authors never find a significant readership. And some mediocre books sell really well. There’s an element of luck. There’s definitely an element of privilege. In the end, all we can do is write the best stories we have in us, hone our craft, persist through rejections, and hope we have a community to support us through the highs the lows. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned. Now matter how many hours I spend alone at my keyboard (with my adorable dog and my ridiculous amount of tea and snacks), publishing isn’t a solitary pursuit. It’s a group effort, technically and emotionally. Find your people. You’ll need them.
What’s next for you?
Professionally? Who knows? I need Imogen’s mother to tell me what’s coming down the road! But I have another Women’s Fiction/Romance hybrid I hope finds its way off my hard drive, and a couple YA projects on the go. Included in the various drafts: some fun first kisses, another symbolic house, more complicated families, academia, a super cute bakery, a magic pocket watch, and a few pirates.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Oh, gosh. Where to start, and how to not fill this page with 100 titles . . .
Within the romance space, recent reads I loved include Amy Lea’s Woke up Like This, Tia Williams’ Seven Days in June, and Regina Black’s The Art of Scandal.
Outside the romance space three of my favourite 2023 reads so far are Krystal Sutherland’s House of Hollow, Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House, and a reread of Kashuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go.
Hmm… apparently I do have a thing for a symbolic house!
I read it and loved it!