We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jean Burgess. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Jean, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
As an author, my “customers” are readers, and they amaze me with every interaction. Whether I interact with my readers via a book club visit, social media exchanges, or over a table display at an author showcase, I garner fabulous feedback from them about their reading likes and dislikes. I’ve learned that my Retro fiction resonates with some readers, but others will literally turn up their noses and walk away. I’ve learned that many will understand that Retro themes of the 1970s and 80s have great relevance to what’s going on today, but other readers simply don’t get it. The surprising thing I’ve learned from my customers is to relax…that my reading audience will find my book. It’s all good.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’d love to introduce myself. I’m an author of both fiction and nonfiction. For over 40 years, I’ve told stories on stage as a professional actor and director in summer stock theatres in New England, dinner theatres in Ohio, and a number of venues in between. In addition, I taught theatre and speech communication in college and secondary settings for 23 years. I like to say that it’s not surprising that my written works often relate to the performing arts. My first published book was a nonfiction entitled, Collaborative Stage Directing (Routledge, 2019). This text included three of my short plays. My debut fiction, That Summer She Found Her Voice: A Retro Novel (Apprentice House, 2024), is inspired by my own experience as a singer touring with a swing band in the late 1970s. The sequel, Navigating Her Next Chapter: A Retro Novel, will be released by Apprentice House next Spring, 2026.
As much as I love being a “Retro Writer,” focusing on themes of 1970s and 80s, my author brand is equally reflected in my desire to help writers and to encourage readers. While many authors are known to be introverts and cringe at the thought of public speaking, I relish in leading workshops and visiting book clubs. Writer’s conferences, women’s organizations, and historical societies are my favorite venues to deliver presentations on topics ranging from “Book Marketing Strategies” to “How I Got My Book Published” to “Research Strategies for Writing Fiction.”
I believe my unique educational background (M.A. in Theatre from Northwestern University; Ph.D. in Educational Theatre from New York University) as well as the combination of my performing arts and teaching career created a strong public-facing foundation for me. I’m grateful for all my past experiences and excited to see what the future holds.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I’ve mentioned my performing arts background, so perhaps I should explain that theatre, singing and dancing began at a very young age for me. My four siblings would probably say, from the time I came out of the womb! In fact, we still laugh about the many times that my parents had friends over dinner and once they settled in the living room for coffee…it was Jeannie Showtime. My five-year-old self would sing, dance, and perform magic tricks until my mother sternly suggested I vacate the premises. I loved an audience! Was this a feeling of empowerment? I suppose. But more so, it tapped into some “gene” deep inside my little self.
I have to say that through the decades, that sense of “empowerment” has never been as strong as when I was five, despite connecting to my performer’s gene. Some years I felt stronger; some years not so much. Life’s responsibilities have a way of sapping us; people have a way of influencing us. I’m happy so say that since publishing my Retro fiction and getting out into the world with promoting and marketing both the book and my workshops, I’m feeling empowered again.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I gave up a number of times, but it’s probably not what you think.
I mean, look at my career – professional actor/director…then a theatre educator for 23 years…then a marketing manager for an IT company for 10 years…now a writer/editor/speaker! And while my career path may look disjointed at first glance, each experience provided useful skills and content knowledge for the next step on the journey. But each step required a conscious decision to “give up” in order to move on.
I’m a big believer in giving up on that which is not working for you. I would apologize if that sounds harsh, but my apology would be insecure. And I don’t mean to take career choices, life responsibilities, and personal commitments frivolously. I worked hard at each aspect of my life, but I also used critical thinking when I came to a crossroads.
For example, early in my acting career in the early 1980s, I lived in NYC as a “starving actor” furthering my training and auditioning for roles to expand my resume. I worked as a receptionist as Radio City Music Hall to pay the bills. Frankly, I was getting nowhere. I made the decision to go back to graduate school and made my move to teaching theatre. Two great things resulted from “giving up” on NYC: I found a new career and my living in NYC experience has become the inspiration for my next Retro fiction, Navigating Her Next Chapter: A Retro Novel.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
I absolutely believe that what goes around comes around or, perhaps better put, what one puts out into the universe, one receives back. In my world of book promoting and marketing, I try hard to not only self-promote but also promote other local authors, indie bookstores, and small publishers. I follow book podcasters and bloggers and online magazines, like VoyageBaltimore, who are willing to support Authorpreneurs with their features. And I believe that genuine gratitude generates great things. I can’t prove it, but it feels true.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
From my point of view, my legacy story is simple: She was an actor and a director, a theatre teacher, a writer. She was a wife and a mom. She loved reading, theatre, history, cats, and birding. She was kinda cool.
The people who know me will each create their own legacy story about their relationship with me. I’m sure they will fill in the blanks!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jeanburgessauthor.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanburgessauthor/
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/jeanmburgess
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmburgess
Image Credits
Kelly Heck Photography
