Meet Janet Clare | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janet Clare and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janet, why did you pursue a creative career?
Writing was a second career, which I never thought as a career at all until a few stories, essays, and finally, my first novel was published. Early on, I was lucky to have been mentored by one of the best people and a brilliant editor who I continued to work with for many years. A novel takes a long time, but I had fallen in love with the process and with everything I learned from doing research, the surprise of my characters, and where a story might lead.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Several years ago, I wrote an essay for Lit Hub entitled The Power Of Never Giving up. For me, this was about having my first novel published after having gone through some life-changing experiences. Including surviving a catastrophic illness that wasn’t, shuttering a business, divorce, re-marriage, and hiring and firing an agent. I had always been a reader and writing was a dream made real in the same way anything is: by fierce love and hard work. I am exceedingly proud of my second novel, True Home, due in May, 2025.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Los Angeles has some great museums, so for sure the Broad and MOCA, and while we’re downtown, we could check out what might be on at the L.A. Music Center and Disney Hall. We could go to the Grand Central Market to eat or shop or get a bit more fancy at Manuela while visiting the wonderful Hauser Wirth Gallery, which also has another location in West Hollywood. Mid-city, there’s the ever-expansive L.A. County Museum and the Petersen Automotive. We might eat at Fanny’s restaurant nearby or travel further west to the Getty Museum high on a hill or even further to the coast and the Getty Villa. Along the way there are countless opportunities to stop for lunch or dinner or shopping. In Santa Monica, there’s the Galley Restaurant & Bar, a great old place. Once on the coast, however, we would have to go to Back On the Beach where we can dig our toes in the sand, then on to Malibu, perhaps the Sunday street market and a cool drink while drinking in the sublime landscape.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
True Home started out several years ago under the mentorship of the late Les Plesko to whom I remain forever indebted. It was put on the back burner while I finished and published my first novel, Time Is the Longest Distance, then brought to light again with the added benefit, and deep appreciation, of workshopping with Azarin Sadegh, Patricia Abela-Silver, Laura Hubber and Susan Tombrello. I am indebted to David Francis and his brilliant notes sent to me from around the world, and to Marion Rosenberg whose masterly reading was invaluable. I worked on this book during many difficult days while my husband was being treated for the illness that would take his life in 2023. His humor and supreme focus on living every moment taught me how to press on and do the same. I owe him everything.

Website: www.janetclare.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetclare1/

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzDhnHplecY

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Janet Clare