Jenn Bregman is a white-collar criminal defense lawyer turned novelist. Her first book, The TimeKeepers, was published in May of this year. She is also the mother of five-year-old twin boys. I expect the latter is a much more daunting role. 😊 But do read on and decide for yourself. Welcome, Jenn!

 

Buy Jenn’s book HERE

Tell us a little about yourself.  I am a passionate life enthusiast. I love my family, friends, animals, nature, exploring this wondrous world, and the peace and joy that come through the grace of a close connection to the universe. I love music and was an opera singer before turning to law. I am a pug dog addict and have been known to run across crowded NYC streets to squeeze one! I do, at least, one scary thing a day.

What is the title and genre of your latest book? Who published it?  My debut novel is a legal thriller called The TimeKeepers, published by Triborough Publishing.

Tell us a little about your book.  The TimeKeepers centers on a young, idealistic, naïve lawyer named Sarah Brockman who leaves Big Law in search of work that would make a difference, only to find herself barely scraping by working for clients who can’t pay and pursuing causes she can’t win. Then a random horrific car crash changes everything and she is thrust into a tangled web of massive corruption, fraud, and greed that twists and turns through the highways of Southern California, Mexico, and the Cook Islands – all while kindling a tender romance with her new love, Sam, who’s been following the same trail…but from the other end, and the wrong side of the law.

What inspired you to write it?  I have always been a voracious reader and writer but hadn’t really considered the idea of a novel until these crazy, persistent voices started waking me up in the middle of the night! Literally! Three of the main characters just kept popping in – wholly uninvited. I decided that the only way to get some sleep was to write down what they had to say. And, boy, did they talk! 😊

What is your current writing project?  I am currently working on the sequel, set in NYC. It takes place a few years later, so the characters in Book One are older, possibly wiser, and definitely naughtier! It is set to publish in 2018. The last of the series, set in Colorado, is set to publish the year after.

Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it?  The key is just to know that it, like most things, will pass. That helps you relax and focus on getting through quicker! Movement is best for me. If it’s “writer’s hiccup,” then pacing around the house will help. If it’s more severe, then a long hike in nature, or a long swim, or even a long yoga session can help. I think it’s because the physical discomfort of doing one of these gets you out of your head and into your body. When you get back in your head, it’s usually clearer!

How do you schedule your time between writing and keeping your physical life together?  My morning time is critical. With rambunctious twin five-year-old boys, the only guarantee I have of quiet work time is in the morning. So tushie is in the chair from 5:00 – 7:00 a.m.  No excuses. Ok. Rarely excuses. Then, I fit in two or three more hours during the day in blocks as I can. In all honesty, sometimes the words don’t flow and I stare at the screen for most of the two hours, but I think the discipline of doing (even when it’s crummy) outweighs the “not.”

How and where have you marketed your work?  The paperback is available on Amazon and e-book is available through Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. After the review by Publishers Weekly, where they said: “The TimeKeepers should appeal to John Grisham fans,” many bookstores are stocking it as well. If your bookstore is not presently carrying it, ask them to order it.

What advice would you give a new writer?  My advice is basic, but true. “Just do it!” Make your decision, your plan, and then execute your plan. There will be many, many times when you will feel like quitting for all kinds of reasons, but don’t. Stay the course. Resolve to finish your work. There is much to be said for finishing and very little to be said for not. I guess there’s even less to be said for not starting in the first place! Ha! When you have finished, you may review, edit, wrangle your words in ways that you can’t do when you don’t have the words. Trust yourself and have faith.

What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book?  My hope for my readers is that they will embrace the depth of this book. Even though it’s a thriller, I have woven allegorical themes of service, charity, and justice into the story. There are questions of income disparity and greed – issues that are relevant to us right now! Many of these questions are in the Book Club section of my website. I hope that book clubs, as well as individual readers, will consider these broader ethical themes, reflect, and take away something of deeper value.

Thank you so much, Tina, for hosting me on your beautiful blog. Such an honor.

You’re most welcome, Jenn. It has been my pleasure to host you. I wish you every success with your writing and your books.

Bio

Jenn Bregman is a white-collar criminal defense lawyer who has practiced in both Los Angeles and New York City, where she worked on some of the most notorious cases of our time. A veteran of Big Law and a graduate of the University of Denver and UCLA Law School, her writing has been published in the UCLA Law Review and Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. A marathoner who loves pugs and hiking giant mountains, Bregman lives in Los Angeles and is a member of the State Bar of California, the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, California Women Lawyers, Gamma Phi Beta, and Mensa. The TimeKeepers is her first novel, with a sequel planned for release in 2018.

 Blurb

A fast-paced thriller, The TimeKeepers plunges headlong into the depraved underbelly of Big Law and big money where greed is king, murder is incidental, and winning is the only thing that matters. Attorney Sarah Brockman is young, idealistic, and naïve. Having left Big Law in search of work that would make a difference, she finds herself barely scraping by running her own personal injury law firm working for clients who can’t pay and pursuing causes she can’t win. Then a random horrific car crash shatters everything. Now she’s staring into the darkest shadows of the very system she’s dedicated her life to upholding, filled with corrupt judges, dirty cops and attorneys, offshore banking, massive fraud, and twists and turns through the highways and byways of Southern California, Mexico and the Cook Islands. Facing off against a cunning and deranged adversary, Sarah is aided by a sharp-witted socialite, a felon and occasional crackhead, and a shameless Mexican raconteur. All while kindling a tender romance with Sam, her boyishly handsome new love, who has been following the same trail but from the other end–and the wrong side of the law. Sarah feels invisible strings pulling her ever closer to the core of the conspiracy. But if she’s just a pawn in someone else’s game, are the strings being pulled for good or for bad? Or, even, both? And will she be on the side that wins?

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Thank you so much for stopping by ❤