Author Interview: Jill Tew
Debut author Jill Tew (she/her) has arrived in the Rambling Realm. During her stay, she kindly agreed to chat with me about herself, her debut novel The Dividing Sky, and the secrets of her writing process.
About Jill Tew
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a writer and mom to two young kids, living in Atlanta, Georgia. On the rare occasions when I’ve got some free time, I love to spend it baking or doing something outside, even if it’s just going for a walk. I’m a lover of storytelling of all mediums (books, movies, musicals, video games– love it all!).
What inspired you to start writing?
I loved storytelling as a kid, but when it came time for college I majored in something more "practical". After graduating from an undergrad business school, I had a series of very high-demand, stressful jobs. One day after work, some friends and I went to see the new "Divergent" movie, and it was like a light turned on inside of me. I remembered the way it felt to read and watch those kinds of stories, and suddenly realized that that was how I wanted to make people feel. That night I went home and started work on my very first novel. That was ten years ago!
About The Dividing Sky
What can you tell us about your debut?
The Dividing Sky is set in a hyper-capitalist, near-future Boston, where everyone works for a massive corporation called LifeCorp. The wealthiest residents (Uppers) work at their computers pretty much 24/7, while Lower class people called Proxies modify their brains and bodies so that their wealthy clients can keep working. Proxies raise the Uppers' children, run errands on their behalf... but using the neurochips in their brains, Proxies can also go on dates on their clients' behalf, or read books for them, or watch a sunset, so their clients don't have to stop working.
Liv is an EmoProxy, whose job is to have these emotional experiences, and transfer the memories to her clients. She deals a few of these memories illegally to her fellow lower class workers to make ends meet, but she's still only scraping by. So when a client offers her a huge sum of money for a dangerous assignment outside the city's borders, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive.
Meanwhile, rookie LifeCorp Forceman Adrian Rao is on the trail of a mysterious new drug that seems to be altering the Lowers' brain chemistry, making them less obedient to LifeCorp. He traces the source to Liv, all the way out in the wilderness. But when he finds her, there's a problem: She's wiped all of her memories. Can he bring himself to arrest her for a crime she doesn't even remember committing? You'll have to see where the story goes from there!
What was the inspiration for The Dividing Sky?
Before becoming a full-time writer, I worked several high-demand jobs. There was always more work to be done, and I found myself outsourcing parts of my life – grocery shopping, pet care, laundry service– in order to make more room. But I always filled whatever time I got back with more work, never with anything truly fulfilling. I found myself wondering about a world where technology advanced so that we could potentially outsource every aspect of our lives… at what point, if ever, would someone say enough is enough?
If you were a character in The Dividing Sky, who would you be and why?
It’s easy to say I’d be Liv, but I’m not sure I’d be as brave as she is. More likely I’d be a character similar to Celeste, Liv’s 9-year-old friend (basically a little sister to her). Celeste is a tech whiz but her head is also easily turned by all of the shiny things the Metro promises– that the most important thing in life is to be useful, and to contribute to your family financially. I think all of us have some of that desire inside of us, just because of the society we live in today.
Can you share a favorite quote or excerpt from your book?
The phrase I quote most often is “Follow the Glow”. In the book, it refers to the way a truly happy brain looks on a scan– certain areas are lit up as the serotonin floods the system. It starts as a mantra for the Forcemen, to help them track down citizens who have been “victimized” by this new “drug”. But in the end I hope the reader sees it as a rallying cry to slow down and forego more instant/temporary forms of pleasure, in favor of joy that’s truly lasting.
Tew’s Advice
What do you think is the most important thing for debut authors to know?
The relationship between you and your publisher is a partnership, but at the end of the day you know your book best, and you know who you wrote it for. Especially for marginalized authors, if that means speaking up when your book is positioned or distributed in a way that misses your actual readership, that’s what you have to do. You become an advocate for your readers, even before you have them. You have to make sure they can find you, and that when they do, that your book is exactly what they’ve been looking for. At the end of the day, nobody else matters.
What does Jill read?
What genres do you enjoy reading the most?
I love romance of any kind, any subgenre.
Tew’s Plans for the Future
What are you working on next?
I’ve got a middle grade novel coming out with Freedom Fire / Disney Hyperion in April, called Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement. It’s the story of a 12-year-old Black girl growing up in suburban Atlanta, who longs to be crowned queen of her local Renaissance Faire’s summer camp. It’s a love letter to my young, Black, nerdy self, and it’s a lot of fun. Freedom Fire is a new imprint from Disney dedicated to Black joy, Black resilience, and Black storytelling, and I’m honored to be a part of their initial lineup.
And then next up for Joy Revolution is An Ocean Apart! It’s a standalone prequel to The Dividing Sky, about a girl from a water-starved community who sneaks aboard a wealthy water heir’s ship and enters a dating competition to steal his heart (and his wallet). Think The Selection meets Waterworld, with a love triangle that will have readers screaming in my DMs, I’m sure. Look for that next fall!
Where can readers find your book and connect with you?
The Dividing Sky is available anywhere books are sold. You can find me on Twitter and Threads (occasionally) and Instagram (most of the time) at @jtewwrites. I also sometimes embarrass myself on TikTok at @jilltew.
Unfortunately, the time has come for Jill Tew to continue her journey. But if you wish to find her outside of the Rambling Realm you can do so by visiting her website or listening to her Podcast “Afronauts Podcast.” You can also follow her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Goodreads.
You can get your copy of The Dividing Sky by following this link.
