Jennifer Cohen: On Writing Falling Forward

As a new mom and marketing executive, it wasn’t always easy to find the time to write, edit, re-write, edit again, but I did it. Because that’s what we do for the things that matter, don’t we? We simply make the time. 

Falling Forward, my debut contemporary women’s fiction novel, was published on May18th, 2020 and the date had more significance than any other. National Mental Health Awareness Day was the day I chose to publish the story of Jess Klein and her first-year post-divorce. On the very first page, at an age when most girls are curating picture-perfect Pinterest wedding boards, twenty-six-year-old Jess Klein is sobbing over a stack of divorce papers. 

I felt called to write this story after my own experience as a young divorcee, blanketed in feelings of guilt and shame – followed by many moments of self-doubt and years of introspection. I had no one who understood my journey, and at times the embarrassment felt too much to handle. What I discovered, over the decade since my divorce, is that I wasn’t alone. None of us truly are.

While I was extremely fortunate to be surrounded by the love and support of friends and family, I know many are not as lucky. I hope every woman who reads by novel finds that it is authentic and relatable – and they are reminded that it’s okay to not always be okay. Falling Forward explores self-identity, the power of female relationships, and the painful realization that sometimes you need to lose the life you had in order to create the one that’s waiting for you,

The fact of the matter is, love always starts out as an inside job. As a mother, wife, and woman myself, I recognize the importance of empowering girls and women all around the world to fall in love with themselves first. Because without self-love, there is no love at all. And the truth of the matter is, we’re all just a bit beautifully broke. And that is never something to be ashamed of.

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Author Bio:

Jennifer Cohen is a coffee-drinking, exercise-loving author, wife, and mom. When she’s not lost in a book, she’s spending her days as a corporate marketing executive, helping craft strategies for businesses of all sizes. She studied Journalism and Strategic Media Relations at The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and began her career as a speech writer for General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Alexander Haig. Falling Forward was born during her own quest for self-love and acceptance and is her debut novel. You can connect with her on Instagram: @jenncohenwrites

FALLING FORWARD

At an age when most girls are curating picture-perfect Pinterest wedding boards, twenty-six-year-old Jess Klein is sobbing over a stack of divorce papers. Everyone told her marrying Chris was a monumental mistake, but stubbornness and blind adoration kept her from heeding their advice.

Not long after saying “I do,” Jess is living in her “forever home” all alone, lamenting what could have been. Attempting to piece her shattered fairytale back together while discovering what being on her own truly means, Jess inadvertently seeks solace in a roundup of losers. From the Guy Who Refuses to Eat, to Mr. Neurotic Neat Freak, to the One Who Refused to Grow Up, her luck with love seems to have run dry.

In a desperate attempt to fix herself from the inside out, Jess seeks out advice from the lovable Dr. Green, a seventy-year-old shrink who feels like the only one to truly understand her plight. As Jess continues to fall forward, confident in nearly every aspect of life except for matters of the heart, she embarks upon a journey of self-discovery she never imagined she needed, begging the question: Can she have it all…just not all at once? FALLING FORWARD explores self-identity, the power of female relationships, and the painful realization that sometimes you need to lose the life you had in order to create the one that’s waiting for you.

You can purchase Falling Forward on Amazon 

Social media:

Instagram – @JennCohenWrites

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Publishing