Interview with Jamie Brenner

Jamie Brenner, author of eight novels, is a bestselling author with deep Mainline roots. Jackie and I met her years ago at a book signing for The Husband Hour and we’ve been friends ever since. We’ve interviewed her numerous times at local bookstores and I just knew she would be the perfect first author for our revived Local Literari series.

I wanted to find out her favorite things about living on the mainline, get her take on fantastic new books, and have her settle the age-old question of which beverage is the superior choice. Read on for Jamie’s take on all of the above!

Jamie Brenner on the Mainline

What is your connection to the Philly area and if you went to school here, where?

I grew up in Wynnewood, went to high school at Lower Merion (Go Aces!), and returned to the area in 2020 after 25 years in Manhattan.

What is your favorite restaurant in the Philly area?

Gypsy Saloon in Conshohocken. 

What is your favorite hidden gem in the area?

Home Room café in Gladwyne. The salads are divine. And the staff are just so cool and friendly and there’s a great energy in the place all the time. 

What is your favorite memory of this area?

Summers at the shore. I’ve traveled to beaches all over the country and nothing can compare to my memories of Ventnor and Margate in the 80s and 90s. 

What do you love most about the Philly area?

The community.

Jamie Brenner on Reading

What sparked your love of reading?

It’s hard to say what sparked it – I was probably born hard-wired for books. My mother read to me from an early age, and thanks the libraries and bookstores around here I never lacked for a good book. My father used to take me out to breakfast every Saturday morning and then to a little bookstore that used to be in the Wynnewood Shopping Center. I forget the name of it. I read constantly – mostly books by Norma Klein, Francine Pascal, and Judy Blume. 

What are some of your favorite reads?

My all-time favorite novels are Mistral’s Daughter by Judith Krantz and Chances by Jackie Collins. My favorite novels of the past quarter century are probably American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld and Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead.

What is the last book you read and love?

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. It’s going to be an HBO series soon.

Where is your favorite place to read?

My bed.

What’s on your nightstand?

My TBR: God of the Woods by Liz Moore and Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser Akner.

Jamie Brenner on Her Job

What inspired you to become an author?

It’s been a strong drive for as long as I can remember.  There were two things I knew while growing up: I knew I wanted to have children, and I knew I wanted to write books. It wasn’t even a conscious choice – more like an innate need.

What is your favorite part of your job?

The freedom and thrill of thinking of what I want to write next. That to me is pure joy.

Can you tell me about your new book.

A NOVEL SUMMER is about a debut novelist who returns to the beach town that inspired her books and is shocked to find she’s lost friends because of what she’s written. It’s the first book I’ve written about writing and is also a love letter to my best friends from college.

What is the biggest challenge you face as an author?

Time management.

What is the most surprising thing about being a writer?

The amount of extroversion it demands.

Jamie Brenner on the Great Coffee/Tea Debate

And most importantly, coffee or tea? Tell me your go-to order!

Coffee all the way! Beverage of champions.

Epilogue

I have long believed that Jamie is a gifted writer, whose book releases mark the start of the summer season for me. I love how she writes about relationships, family, and vacation locations. It’s been a joy to see this Philadelphian’s literary success.

If you haven’t yet read a novel by Jamie Brenner, what are you waiting for?? If you have, let me know which book of hers is your favorite! Please, let me know if you enjoyed this interview with Jamie Brenner and which local author or literary personality you would like me to interview next!