Jessica Guerrieri
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri
Author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and Both Can Be True
About Both Can Be True:
When a local mother goes missing, two estranged sisters are pulled back into each other’s lives and forced to confront old wounds, fractured trust, and the many ways a woman can disappear in plain sight.
Frankie is the funny one, full of restless energy and sharp edges, the sister who got sober, opened a bookstore, and slipped into a version of domestic life without ever fully confronting the past. Mere is the steady one, the caretaker, a mother quietly unraveling under the demands of her neurodivergent daughter and the loneliness of a marriage to a husband who sees the world through an entirely different lens.
For the Gilmore sisters, losing their mother to cancer at a young age gave them a brief window of closeness they’ve never been able to reclaim. But over the years, a mentally ill father, the unspoken trauma of sexual violence, and the different vices they turned to for survival fractured their bond and created a divide of resentment neither of them could bring themselves to cross. When a woman in Frankie’s social circle disappears, the sisters are pulled into a shared reckoning and can no longer deny the past that has shaped so much of their present.
Set against the backdrop of a quiet Northern California mountain town, this gripping and emotionally layered novel unfolds in alternating perspectives, revealing the many ways women vanish inside motherhood, addiction, marriage, and shame. Told with raw honesty and wry compassion, Jessica Guerrieri’s sophomore novel is a story of sisterhood, acceptance, the unspoken truths we carry, and the redemptive power of bridging pain into connection.
About Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea:
After a surprise pregnancy, Leah O'Connor, a bohemian artist, marries into a polished coastal family—but as her drinking escalates and secrets surface, she finds herself at the center of a betrayal that threatens to unravel it all. Set in Half Moon Bay, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a gripping descent into addiction, motherhood, and identity, where the greatest threat isn’t the family she married into, but the woman she’s becoming.
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri
Author I draw inspiration from:
2026: Liane Moriarty, Claire Lombardo, and Celeste Ng.
2025: Claire Lombardo; The Most Fun We Ever Had
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
2026: My favorite place to read is sitting on the beach, with the sound of the waves in the background and nowhere else I need to be. There’s something about the rhythm of the ocean that makes it easier to sink into a story and stay there for hours.
2025: The beach
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
2026: Rocky from Sandwich by Catherine Newman. How I imagine that scenario playing out:
Wendy would immediately start talking, I would immediately start laughing, and by the time the elevator doors opened we’d have covered motherhood, marriage, the emotional chaos of midlife, and at least three very honest confessions about family dynamics. I suspect we’d leave feeling like we’d just had the most unexpectedly therapeutic conversation with a total stranger.
2025: Nicky Blue from The Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.
We’d start off pretending we were too cool to be scared, talking fast, laughing louder than necessary. But eventually, the hum of the elevator would force a pause, and in that silence, I think we’d recognize something in each other—that familiar ache of trying to outrun pain with chaos. I’d tell her what I wish someone had told me before I got sober: that being the life of the party isn’t the same as having a life. That you don’t have to burn it all down to be worthy of love. I wouldn’t try to save her—I know how that ends—but I’d look her in the eye and say, I see you. You can still choose differently. And maybe, just maybe, she’d believe it.
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
2026: The moment I knew I wanted to become an author was when I realized that telling the truth about my life—about recovery, motherhood, and the complicated things women carry—was the very thing that made readers feel seen. What began as a way for me to make sense of my own experiences slowly became something bigger: a way to connect with other people through story. Once I understood that stories could create that kind of recognition and conversation, there was no turning back.
2025: I have journal entries from elementary school that say I wanted to be a teacher, a mother, and an author—and now I can officially say I’ve been all three.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
2026: Hardback for the experience—I love the weight of it in my hands and the feeling that I’m settling in with something substantial. Paperback is perfect for travel or throwing in a beach bag without worrying about it. Ebooks are pure convenience; when I finish a book at 10 p.m., I can immediately start another without leaving my bed. And audiobooks are part of my nightly routine. I fall asleep listening to one almost every night, which means I sometimes have to rewind the same chapter three times, but there’s something incredibly comforting about ending the day inside a story.
2025: Hardback: I love the weight of a hardback—it feels like you’re holding something important. But I wrestle with the environmental cost and the price point. It’s not always the most accessible choice, even though it looks great on a shelf.
Paperback: Paperbacks are my favorite for reading in bed or stuffing into a tote. I don’t love how easily the covers bend or tear, but there’s something approachable and intimate about them—like they’re meant to be well-loved.
Ebook: I like the convenience, especially while traveling or reading at night without waking my husband. But I miss the tactile experience of flipping pages or seeing how far I’ve come in a story without a progress bar.
Audiobook: A great narrator can make the story come alive in a whole new way—especially for emotional or voice-driven novels. But if the narration’s off, I find it distracting. Still, it’s my go-to on long runs or while doing dishes.
The last book I read:
2026: Heart the Lover by Lily King. I absolutely loved it. Lily King has such a gift for capturing the quiet emotional currents that shape our relationships—the things we feel but don’t always say out loud. Heart the Lover is beautifully observed and deeply human, the kind of book that lingers with you long after you finish the last page.
2025: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. People have been pairing our books together, and I consider it such an honor. Between the two of our stories, we cover the full gamut of the destruction alcoholism can cause—across generations, through parents and children, in moments both quiet and cataclysmic. Her book cracked me open. It’s brutal, beautiful, and deeply necessary.
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
2026: Pen and paper to start, computer to make sense of it later. I was recently diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, so I’ve stopped apologizing for my chaotic writing energy and started working with it instead of against it. My ideas usually arrive in bursts—notes in the margins of books, scribbles in notebooks, voice memos, or thoughts I type quickly into my phone.
When I move to the computer, I usually have a working Word document open and I write the scene that’s pulling at me in that moment, not necessarily the next one in chronological order. I’ve learned that if a scene has energy, it’s better to follow it than force the story to unfold neatly from beginning to end.
And then there are the 1 a.m. notes in my phone—those half-awake moments where a theme suddenly clicks and I write something like, “The Poison of Should—edit the dinner table scene to include this.” My process looks chaotic from the outside, but those little sparks are often what lead me back into the heart of the story.
2025: I wish it were pen and paper—there’s something romantic and grounded about it, like the words might carry more weight. But with three young kids, it’s almost always the Notes app on my phone or my laptop in stolen pockets of time. I’ve written entire chapters at Target Drive-Up. It’s not all cozy beach writing and retreats—though sometimes it is, and I savor those rare moments. Wherever and whenever the words show up, I’m there to meet them.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
2026: Phoebe Stone from The Wedding People by Alison Espach.
What is it about them that makes you think you'd be good friends?
Phoebe has that rare mix of vulnerability, dry humor, and emotional honesty that makes you feel like you could skip the small talk and go straight to the real conversation. I’m always drawn to characters who are trying to make sense of their lives in real time, and Phoebe does that in such a raw and relatable way. I imagine we’d spend most of our time laughing about the absurdity of life while also having the kind of deeply honest conversations that turn strangers into friends very quickly.
2025: Honestly, Amy O’Connor my debut.
Amy's the friend everyone needs. The kind who shows up, no matter how messy things get. She’s steady, loyal, and quietly fierce. She offers grace without expecting perfection, and she sees past the performance to the heart of who you are. Amy doesn’t need the spotlight—she’s too busy holding up the people she loves. And in a world full of performative friendships, that kind of unwavering presence is rare.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
2026: If I weren’t an author, I would likely be a relationship coach for adults on the autism spectrum. Before becoming a novelist, I worked in special education, and that experience shaped the way I think about communication, empathy, and the many ways people connect with one another. Helping people navigate relationships—especially in a world that isn’t always designed for how their minds work—would feel like meaningful and deeply rewarding work to me.
2025: If I weren't an author, I'd want to be a relationship coach for people on the autism spectrum. With my background in special education, I feel deeply connected to that work. I want the job of the relationship coach from Love on the Spectrum Jennifer Cook. She brings such empathy, clarity, and humor to her role, and I admire how she helps people navigate the complexities of connection and communication. It's the kind of work that feels both meaningful and joyful—and honestly, a dream job.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
2026: The 1970s. I love the free-spirited, slightly hippie energy of that era—flowy dresses, natural fabrics, and the sense that comfort and individuality mattered more than perfection. There’s something about that relaxed, bohemian style that still feels timeless to me.
2025: The Summer of Love era—late '60s, early '70s. Give me all the boho: flowy dresses, earthy tones, big hair, bare feet. There’s something about that effortless, sun-drenched style that feels like freedom. It’s chaotic and soft at the same time.
Place I’d most like to travel:
2026: Place I’d most like to travel:
Tahiti.
Why did you choose this destination?
I’ve always dreamed of staying in one of those glass-bottom huts over the ocean where you can look straight down into the water. There’s something about the idea of being surrounded by that kind of beauty and quiet that feels incredibly restorative—and like the perfect place to bring a stack of books and disappear for a while.
2025: I’m a beach girlie through and through. Find me anywhere with crystal blue or green water and soft sand, and I’m instantly happy. Bonus points if there’s a hammock and a good book.
My signature drink:
2026: These days it’s a good nonalcoholic mocktail—something refreshing with citrus and sparkling water. I’ve been sober for many years, so I still love the ritual of a beautiful drink, just without the alcohol. A great mocktail feels celebratory, thoughtful, and honestly just as fun.
2025: I'm 12 year sober so my favorite NA drink is sparkling water with a lemon.
Favorite artist:
2026: Joni Mitchell. Her songwriting has always felt fearless to me—deeply honest, poetic, and emotionally precise. I’m drawn to artists who are willing to tell the truth about complicated feelings, and Joni Mitchell does that in a way that still feels timeless.
2025: My favorite artist is Emily Dilbeck. Her abstract work resonates deeply with me and she was my artist muse for Leah. Her work it's soulful, intuitive, and unafraid to let imperfection live on the canvas. There's a kind of quiet chaos in her art that mirrors Leah's internal world—messy, emotional, and deeply human. I even wrote about her influence in an article titled “The Only Way Out Is Through” on my blog, Wit & Spit Up.
Number one on my bucket list:
2026: Becoming a New York Times bestselling author. It’s the dream that lives in the back of every writer’s mind—the one that keeps you going through all the messy drafts, late nights, and rewrites. I would scream and probably never stop.
2025: I want to stay in one of those clear-bottom, over-the-water bungalows. The kind where you can watch fish swim right under your room and step straight into the ocean. Simple, peaceful, and absolutely my kind of vacation.
Anything else you'd like to add:
2026: I’m so excited about the audiobook version of Both Can Be True. I’m thrilled that Mia Hutchinson-Shaw is returning to narrate. She brought so much depth and emotional nuance to my debut, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and hearing my characters come to life in her voice again is such a joy. I’m am incredibly excited to have Rebecca Lowman and Helen Laser joining the cast. They’re phenomenal performers, and I can’t wait to hear how each of them brings these characters to life.
2025: 🌐 Website: www.jessicaguerrieri.net — for up-to-date book tour info, podcast interviews, and articles I've written
Find more from the author:
Instagram: @jessicaguerrieriauthor
Substack: @jessicaguerrieriauthor
Author website: www.jessicaguerrieriauthor.com
About Jessica Guerrieri:
Author Interview - Jessica Guerrieri
Jessica Guerrieri is a proud sober mother of three daughters and the award-winning author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Harper Muse, 2025). Her sophomore novel, Both Can Be True, is a work of literary book club fiction and will be released in May 2026. Her essays have appeared in People, HuffPost, and Writer’s Digest, and she is a frequent voice in the sobriety and mental health communities. She lives in Davis, California, with her family and a small parade of pets.
