Authors Interviewing Characters: Jeneva Rose
We are excited to share this authors interviewing characters piece from best-selling author Jeneva Rose. Her last book, The Perfect Marriage (2020), went viral on TikTok when her husband pretended to be the adulterous (and murderous) character in the book – he was so convincing many thought it was real! ONE OF US IS DEAD (April 26, Blackstone Publishing) is set to be just as dramatic and heart-racing.
Authors Interviewing Characters: Jeneva Rose
About One of Us Is Dead
Opulence. Sex. Betrayal … Sometimes friendship can be deadly.
Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.
Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge …
Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against …
Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book …
Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell?
Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.
Jeneva Rose Interviews Olivia Petrov
JR: Thank you for joining me, Olivia. I know you’re a busy woman. Can you start by telling me a little about yourself?
OP: Well, I am a busy woman. So, thank you for acknowledging that my time is valuable because it is. Oh, and about me, my favorite thing to talk about. [chuckles]
JR: [clears throat and laughs awkwardly]
OP: You’ve probably heard, but I am the new Chairwoman of the Buckhead Women’s Foundation, which essentially makes me the queen of Buckhead… if you wanted to put a title on it. Pretty much any important event, fundraiser, gala, you name it—it runs through me.
JR: Wow. That sounds very high profile. Congratulations on your new position! How did that come about?
OP: Well, Shannon Madison, you probably haven’t heard of her and there’s no need to remember that name. No one else does [chuckles]. But she was the former chairwoman, however, she was lacking in her duties. Her husband traded up for a newer model, can’t say I blame him, and Shannon really suffered. But we didn’t want the foundation to suffer just because she was. It was an easy decision to replace her with me.
JR: Interesting. Is there anything else you’re involved in?
OP: Aside from running Buckhead, I’m also an angel investor in that salon on Peach Street. Glow Beauty Bar. Without me, that place would look more like a Great Clips than an upscale, full-service salon for the elite. Pretty much everything I touch improves, so I try to get my hands in everything.
JR: I’ve heard nothing but good things about Glow Beauty Bar. Maybe I should try to get in there for a root touch-up?
OP: You are so brave to walk around with hair like that. I could never.
JR: Ummm, then I guess you agree that I definitely need to get my hair done?
OP: You do. But you’ll never get into Glow. It’s exclusive, which is what makes it so special.
JR: Even if you put in a good word for me with all of your pull?
OP: Well, naturally, but why would I do that? My philanthropy efforts are also very exclusive. That’s why they’re special. And besides partaking in this interview was quite charitable of me, don’t you think?
JR: [nods] Yeah…So, Olivia, you’ve been living in Buckhead for quite some time. It’s a very wealthy uptown district of Atlanta, coined ‘the Beverly Hills of the East.’ What do you like most about living here?
OP: Probably that most people can’t afford to live here.
JR: Have you always been able to afford to live here?
OP: [clenches jaw] That’s a silly question.
JR: All right, let’s move on. What’s most difficult about being a Buckhead socialite?
OP: Keeping everyone in their place. Some of these women don’t know what rung of the social ladder they’re on, and I feel it’s my duty to remind them and sometimes… flick their little claws off of it and send them back to the bottom. I strongly believe that everything has a place… even people.
JR: That sounds pretty cutthroat. You don’t think there’s room for everyone at the top, so to speak?
OP: Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not.
JR: Would you still believe that if you weren’t at the top?
OP: [chuckles] You have quite the imagination, Jeneva, to think of something that fanciful. How much longer is this going to take?
JR: I had a couple more questions, but we can wrap now if you’d like.
OP: [pulls out cellphone and begins texting] Yes, that’d be great. I have more important things to tend to.
JR: But before we end the interview—is there anything else you want to mention? Any final words?
OP: I suppose I should plug the upcoming gala. It’s put on by the Buckhead Women’s Foundation for… a charity. Actually, I’m not sure why I’m mentioning this. It’s not like you or anyone reading this would be invited. [laughs] But I am in a charitable mood, so I’ll leave you with some much-needed advice, Jeneva.
JR: Okay, what’s your advice, Olivia?
OP: There are only two things you should aspire to be in life—clexy™ and make sure you trademark that when you write this up, because I coined it.
JR: What’s it mean? Clexy, that is?
OP: It’s the perfect combination of classy and sexy. Clexy™.
JR: And what’s the second thing I should aspire to be in life?
OP: Rich.
JR: [clears throat] Okay. Thank you for the advice and for taking the time to meet with me, Olivia. It’s been a real pleasure.
OP: I’m sure it has… for you.
—
Jeneva Rose is the bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage, which has been published in nearly a dozen languages and optioned for film. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband and stubborn English bulldog. One of Us Is Dead is her third novel.
Category: Interviews, On Writing
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