We chat with author Olivia Jackson about Digging Dr Jones, which is a laugh-out-loud spicy adventure romcom, perfect for fans of The Lost City, Lyla Sage and Christina Lauren.
Hi, Olivia! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Thank you so much for chatting with me. I’m a former software engineer reformed into an author of steamy contemporary romance. I migrated from Russia to the USA when I was seventeen, and since then, Atlanta has been my home, which I now share with my husband, two kids, and two cats (Hairy Houdini and Bess). When I don’t write, I enjoy reading, traveling, and experimenting with cooking, and most of the time, I end up eating the new meals myself because my family has a limit on how much they love me.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have wanted to be a writer since age twelve when I learned about baobab trees in geography class. I remember coming home that day, ignoring my homework, and drafting a book about friends going on an adventure in Africa. Thirty years later, my adult debut novel is also an action-adventure set in Colombia. I guess the adventure bug never left my system.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The one that made you want to become an author: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon reminded me that once upon a time, I also wanted to write.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Angélique the Marquise of the Angels Novel by Anne Golon and Serge Golon. It was the first romance novel I read as a teenager.
Your debut novel, Digging Dr Jones, is out May 2nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Indiana Jones with high spice.
or
A laugh-out-loud spicy adventure romcom.
What can readers expect?
Indiana Jones and the Lost City vibes with a lot of spice and laugh-out-loud moments. I believe my book is perfect for anyone looking to escape reality and have fun reading adventurous romance by the pool or on the beach.
Where did the inspiration for Digging Dr Jones come from?
I was drafting a different romance where the main character had to pitch her book. The plot of her book wasn’t the central part of the novel, so I quickly threw the first idea that came to my mind: an antique bracelet delivered to the wrong hotel room. A woman put it on and couldn’t remove it, so she had to embark on an adventure in Colombia with a hot archaeologist. That week, I received notes back from my critique partners, and one of them highlighted that pitch and said, “This sounds like fun. You should write that instead.”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I absolutely loved writing banter between Adriana and Andrew or Adriana and her brother William. Creating the secondary character, William, was a pure joy. I don’t have a brother in real life, but I would want him to be like William if I had one.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
English is my second language, and I have dyslexia, so I’m a slow reader and writer. During revisions, sometimes, I get stuck rewriting the same sentence several times and cannot move forward with the chapter until I get it perfect. Also, my brain sometimes does something bizarre: it thinks of one word, but my fingers type a different one. And I’m not talking about “effect” vs “affect.” Here is the latest example: in my mind, I was describing hair length as “shoulder length,” but what I wrote was “armpit length.” I didn’t notice it until the intern at my agency read the novel and left a note: “armpit length just feels a bit gross.” When I saw it, I laughed so hard that I had tears. I’m unsure how to overcome this oddness … I need to learn to triple-check my work and then recheck it for good measure.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I want to think my journey falls somewhere around the median on the difficulty meter. I started seriously writing in 2018, and it took me three novels and five years to find my agent. In 2022, I queried my (now) agent, Helen Lane, with a book, Hunter’s Treasure. Helen requested full, but a week later, she turned it down with the loveliest rejection. I promised myself that I’d query Helen again once Digging Dr Jones was ready because she seemed delightful and great to work with. In March 2023, I sent her a new query and sample pages. She requested full, and three months later offered representation. Later on, after five months of being on submission, she sold both books I had queried her.
What’s next for you?
I’m revising my second book, Hunter’s Treasure. It’s also an action-adventure, but only this time, the treasure hunt takes place on a deserted island in the South Pacific. Once I turn my edits in, I’m diving headfirst into drafting my third rom-com, which wouldn’t be an action-adventure per se, but there will be puzzles, riddles, and a search for a lost heirloom.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
So many outstanding books have already been released this year, and there are so many more I can’t wait to hold in my hands. I’ll try not to limit it to ten 🙂
- To Hell With It by Claire Frances
- The Love Haters by Katherine Center
- It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
- How to Write a Rom-Com by Cristina Wolf
- Winging It with You by Chip Pons
- Back in the Saddle by Maggie Eckersley
- Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady
- Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler
- Love Sick by Deidra Duncan
- Overruled by Lana Ferguson
