To me, leadership means asking “Who cares what other people think?” We often know in our hearts what the right path is for a given situation, but we’re afraid to follow it. A real leader has to be brave enough to take those first steps and hope others will follow but also keep moving forward either way.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jacqueline Friedland.
USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of He Gets That From Me, That’s Not a Thing, and Trouble the Water,
Jacqueline Friedland, graduated Magna Cum Laude from both the University of Pennsylvania and NYU Law School. After years as a commercial litigation attorney in NYC, Jacqueline returned to school to earn her Masters of Fine Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, graduating in 2016. When not writing, Jacqueline spends her time reading, and dreaming of exotic vacations, while living in Westchester, New York with her husband, four children, and two very bossy canines.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I grew up in the quiet suburb of Syosset Long Island. I was raised by both parents and lived with with an older sister, two dogs, and a cat. My sister and I both loved writing and music, playing dress up and baking. We went to private school in Locust Valley and spent our summers playing in the woods behind our house. It was pretty idyllic, and I often look back on my childhood with an overflow of nostalgia.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
The books I read and loved when I was a kid were mostly about animals, and I was sure I wanted to be a vet when I grew up so that I could spend my days surrounded by cuddly creatures. I particularly loved Where the Red Fern Grows, The Island of the Blue Dolphin, and The Yearling. Talk about a tear jerker. Unfortunately, it turned out I never enjoyed science and I’m horribly allergic to cats, so the career path had to change.
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
Counting Backwards, is based on a true story from 2020 that barely made headlines about incarcerated immigrants who were being sterilized without their consent. The book tells the story of the one lawyer who tried to help them and how the fight for women’s rights changed all their lives. I hope that the book will open people’s eyes to atrocities that are still happening in our country and inspire people to fight — because we all deserve to have our rights respected.
Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?
An interesting aspect of my book is that it is largely about the right to reproduce. It makes clear that reproductive rights are about so much more than just the right to terminate a pregnancy. In fact, they can often be about exactly the opposite and center on the right to have children. That’s one of the central themes of my book, and I think it’s so important.
What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
I learned about a Supreme Court case when I was in high school where, in 1927, the Court said that a 17-year-old girl could be sterilized without her consent because she was, what they called, “feebleminded”. Ever since I read about that unfortunate young girl, Carrie Buck, I wanted to tell her story.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
Yes! People can:
(1) Demand to know who is running prisons and detention centers and make sure there is transparency about their processes
(2) Keep learning about the law so you know how to fight for your own rights and the rights of others
(3) Make sure to speak up when you see injustice
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
To me, leadership means asking “Who cares what other people think?” We often know in our hearts what the right path is for a given situation, but we’re afraid to follow it. A real leader has to be brave enough to take those first steps and hope others will follow but also keep moving forward either way.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Persistence matters- You’re never going to accomplish anything if you give up before you’re finished.
- The more you write the better you get at it
- Delete, delete, delete. The more you cut, the better the writing gets
- 90% of the time, you don’t need the word “that” — Example: I learned that I hated to be alone at night CAN JUST AS EASILY BE I learned I hated to be alone at night.
- When writing fiction, you create the world, which means you create the rules. Don’t be afraid to do things your own way.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Big shots are just little shots who keep shooting.” — Christopher Morley
I believe so wholeheartedly in this quote. No one starts out as a success. You have to work at it. I believe so deeply in the importance of grit and persistence, and I think this quote perfectly encapsulates that. It took me ten years to write my first book because I had a day job and four little kids at the time. I didn’t give up though. I just kept plugging away until I had something I could publish. Now, seven years later, I’m releasing my fifth novel!
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would like to have lunch with Tom Hanks. He fascinates me because he has been a successful actor for almost the entire time I’ve been alive, yet he has never had any scandalous headlines written about him. He’s played more diverse roles than any actor I can think of and he so clearly becomes his characters in each role he plays. I imagine he must be incredibly intelligent, but he also seems funny and kind. I think a couple of hours of conversation with him would be incredibly eye-opening.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Readers can find me most active on Instagram, at https://www.instagram.com/jackiefriedland/. You can also read about my other books by visiting https://www.jacquelinefriedland.com/
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Jacqueline Friedland Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.