Jody Paschal
Author Interview - Jody Paschal
Author of Groomed
Groomed is a dark comedy coming-of-age story of Myles “Mylo” Gunn, a middle-aged man reflecting on his life during the 2020 global pandemic and #MeToo Movement. After watching a news exposé about an older politician grooming a teenager to be her husband, Mylo realizes he was groomed into his first marriage. He takes a deep dive into his past to cope with this new revelation, but his trip down memory lane takes an unexpected detour. Groomed is a humorous, thought-provoking look into the complexities of manipulation, trust, and healing and the journey to regain control and self-worth.
Author Interview - Jody Paschal
Author I draw inspiration from:
Goodness, I don't know if I can name just one author who inspires me. I'm inspired by new authors all the time. But if I have to choose a favorite, I'd say Gloria Naylor. I read her book, "Mama Day" once a year. Yes, I love the book THAT much! It's one of the most uniquely beautiful love stories I've ever read. It's mundane, mysterious, tragic, familiar, ambiguous, and slightly out of reach. You need to read it a few times to piece together all the connective tissue. I love writers who challenge you to think.
Author Interview - Jody Paschal | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I always read in bed. It's a habit instilled in me by my grandmother. When I was little, Grandma read the newspaper in bed before going to sleep every night. I'd climb into the bed beside her, and she'd let me read the comics and the advice column (I still read those sections first). Then, before Grandma tucked me into my bed, she'd read me a story from her wonderful children's book collection. It helped me develop a love of reading, and I still read a newspaper before bed every night.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I'd love to get stuck in an elevator with Ifemelu from the book "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For some reason, I think Ifemelu would be claustrophobic and freak out being stuck in an elevator. She's such a resilient character, but I think having this phobia would be her Achilles heel. I envision myself calming Ifemelu down by telling her how my mom tried to make jollof rice for a visiting professor from Ghana she was trying to impress. However, Mom forgot to rinse the rice and ended up creating "the most flavorful paste" the professor had ever eaten. Then I imagine Ifemelu arguing that my mother ruined the rice because she used a Ghanaian recipe and "everyone knows Nigerians make the best jollof." After bonding over ruined rice, we'd have a deep existential conversation and debate the best places to get your hair braided while sharing the emergency candy bar I keep stashed in my purse.
Author Interview - Jody Paschal | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I don't know that I ever wanted to become an author. I've always been good at writing and enjoy telling stories, but I never saw myself as an author. It wasn't until I had a conversation with my friend who inspired me to write Groomed that I thought about writing a book. Calling myself an author still feels awkward, but I'm slowly getting more comfortable in that skin.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I love hardbacks except for the removable covers. I like to lend books to friends, and they always return the hardbacks with missing or bent covers, which drives me nuts. I'm sure I can join a support group somewhere to get over this.
Paperbacks are my weapon of choice. They're convenient, comfortable, and portable—like a favorite sweater always on standby or a best friend you know you can reach at any time of day.
I resisted ebooks for the LONGEST time. I was married to being a tactile lover of physical books, and no one could convince me otherwise. I finally saw the light in 2011, and now I can't imagine life without my Kindle app. Reading a book on my phone while standing in line and not worrying about where to store my monthly book purchases has been a game changer!
Audiobooks are a different animal. I listen to podcasts ALL the time, but I can't stay focused on an audiobook for more than six minutes. It's like my psyche finds the act sacrilegious and forces my ears to resist it. What can I say? I prefer the written word.
The last book I read:
I just re-read "Third Girl From the Left" by Martha Southgate and WHEW! I enjoyed reading it when it was released in 2005 and am even more obsessed with it in 2025. I love taboo topics and authors who approach them with raw sensitivity and a fresh lens. This book ticked both those boxes with some historical fiction mixed in for extra bonus points. I HIGHLY recommend this book as a must-read. You won't be disappointed.
Author Interview - Jody Paschal | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Both. I'm an analog girl who is digitally savvy. When writing, I use a journal to record my thoughts and ideas. I also record notes on my phone and then transfer them to paper. Once I've outlined and storyboarded everything on paper, I can focus on making the prose come alive on my laptop. It's a strange and sometimes cumbersome process, but it works for me. I need to be tactile to be creative.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Oh, that's the ending to the stuck elevator story. After Ifemelu and I get rescued from the elevator, we become best friends. We go get our hair braided together, Ifemelu teaches me how to make a proper jollof, and we edit each other's writing. We bond further over our cultural curiosities, poor dating choices, and fierce independence, then collaborate on a project that sets the literary world on fire. Like the literary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
That question has always been a multiple-choice answer for me. My family always thought I'd be an actor or politician, and my friends pegged me to be a standup comedian. But I enjoy being behind the scenes too much for any of those occupations to stick. I'm already on my second career (third if I stick with this author thing). However, I'm incredibly artistic, love analyzing people, and enjoy solving challenges, so I think I'd make a good interior designer, therapist, or publicist. As long as I'd have the opportunity to meet interesting people and tell interesting stories, I'd be content.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
Hands down, 1960s fashion. I call it the waiting-to-exhale era. To me, it represented self-expression that lived out loud. Experimental, unapologetic, and rebellious, the fashion was both buttoned up and going with the flow. It put chic on a spectrum from beatnik to boho and normalized casual dress culture.
Place I’d most like to travel:
For the last 15 years, I've been drawn to Bali, Indonesia. It may be some strange spiritual connection; I'm not sure. I'm usually attracted to places where I know people. I don't know a soul from Bali yet, but I somehow feel connected to the place. It's meditative, a feeling of calm and solace that makes my heart smile. I'd love to visit there when I retire so I can spend an extended amount of time exploring the connection. Who knows, it could be my eat, pray, love moment.
My signature drink:
I haven't named it, but it's white tea, pineapple juice, and vanilla-flavored seltzer. It's like a vacation in a glass. I add an umbrella on days I'm feeling extra zesty. That sounds dorky, but I don't drink alcohol and have become the queen of Bahama breeze without the buzz. Maybe that’s what I’ll call the drink. Cheers!
Favorite artist:
Art and music are my oxygen, so I could wax poetic with a rap sheet of names. I'm a huge fan of South African art and follow several artists practicing in Johannesburg—my favorite being the late Benon Lutaaya. His collages are breathtaking and hopeful but birthed from a place of lack and despair. Please Google his work and bio. An amazing artist gone too soon.
I listen to too many genres of music to pick one artist. Currently, I'm obsessed with Emily King and Ibrahim Ferrer, and have their music catalogs on repeat.
Number one on my bucket list:
Now that I've finally ticked writing a work of fiction off my bucket list, I'd like to try my hand at being a podcast producer. Something related to music, relationships, books, or taboo topics. Like I said, I enjoy being behind the scenes.
Anything else you'd like to add:
Life is messy. Don't be afraid to jump in the puddles.
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About Jody Paschal:
Author Interview with Jody Paschal
JODY PASCHAL is a first-time novelist addicted to storytelling and sarcasm. With a soft spot for underdogs, existentialism, and making people feel seen, Jody penned her debut novel, Groomed—a dark comedy, coming of age story that exposes the messiness of trauma, self-discovery and the resilience it takes to reclaim one’s sense of self. When she’s not reconciling being raised in the middle of nowhere by a family of airhorns, you’ll find Jody consulting, creating to-do lists, and finding humor in life’s clutter.
