The Astrology House, by Carinn Jade
Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!
Don’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.
The Astrology House
A group of wealthy Manhattanites visit an astrology-themed hotel, where simmering resentments and long-held secrets lead to a shocking death in this fresh, twisty, and suspenseful debut that “welcomes an incredible new talent to the world of domestic suspense” (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author).
Margot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.
Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this resort should be the ultimate getaway.
For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to invigorate his romantic life and inspire his writing. But his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit that she’s losing control.
Yet no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for her guests, and one of them won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive.
Deliciously twisty, The Astrology House is “a page-turning story of redemption, secrets, and seeking the answers we need in the space between right and wrong” (Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author).
Purchase your copy of Carinn Jade’s debut novel at: Simon & Schuster.
The Astrology House Author Interview with Carinn Jade
The Astrology House focuses on a group of wealthy Manhattanites. You also live in New York City. What is your NYC like? What do you love/hate/find fascinating about that remarkable, but challenging place:
What a fantastic description of New York City!
And that’s what I love/hate/find fascinating — NYC is everything all wrapped into one. I love how you can walk a mile and cross through three completely distinct areas with their own flavor and feel. It’s a wild place, but it’s home to me!
The Astrology House takes place in an astrology-themed hotel. Where did the idea for that setting come from?
I had an idea for an astrologer who is seeking revenge, but I couldn’t conceive how she could keep her client trapped before and after a reading. Separately, I had the idea for a brother and sister going away on vacation together to honor the anniversary of their parents deaths. Somehow, the two threads came together and the story took off!
Tell us about the road to publication for The Astrology House:
The road to publication was a long one for me. When my daughter was born, she came with a panicked feeling that I wasn’t living my life in the way I wanted — which was as a writer. So with two small children and a full-time job, I wrote a rom-drama. I queried and got an agent, but no editors bought the manuscript. I had no idea that was possible! I thought it meant I was not meant for publishing so I gave up. I gave up pursuing publishing quite a lot in ten years, but I could never stop writing.
The characters in The Astrology House interact with social media. What do you enjoy and not enjoy about social media? How do you feel about it overall?
What a great question! Aimee is an mom-influencer and she uses social media as a filter to show only the best parts of her life. That fantasy bleeds into her real life and she develops a huge blind spot for the things that are happening — good and bad — in front of her face.
I enjoy scrolling through social media, seeing beautiful things and having a laugh, but I hate the way it can rob me of time.
You are also a lawyer and cohost of the Pop Fiction Women podcast and author of essays. How do all those pieces fit together for you? Do they inform each other?
I am not currently practicing law, but I can’t seem to stop writing characters who are miserable lawyers!
As for the podcast, I am obsessed with writers and women centered entertainment and I knew I could talk about them for years, week after week. It serves as a great bridge for me to hone what I want to say in my novels.
What are you working on now?
I recently finished edits on Book 2 which will be out next summer!! It’s another vacation suspense, this time featuring a famous actress, a lawyer grappling with motherhood, and an island with secrets.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
It takes a lot of courage to make your dreams come true.
Author Pet Corner!
The Astrology House Author Carinn Jade
Carinn Jade is a lawyer, writer, and cohost of the Pop Fiction Women podcast.
Her essays have been published in The New York Times, DailyWorth, and Motherwell.
She has attended the GrubStreet Novel Generator, Yale Writers’ Conference, and the Northern California Writers’ Retreat.
Carinn grew up on the North Fork of Long Island and lives with her family in New York City. The Astrology House is her first novel.
Follow her author journey on Instagram.
Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor
Header image from Pixabay
