Q&A with J. Robert Lennon, Author of ABC Pick “Hard Girls”

We are so excited to share a new interview with J. Robert Lennon, the incredible author of our March book club pick, Hard Girls. Propulsive and completely unpredictable, Hard Girls follows Jane and Lila Pool, estranged twins who must reunite to find and confront their elusive mother. As an identical twin, I was immediately drawn to this story and was fascinated by Jane and Lila’s unique dynamic as they embark on a treacherous quest to uncover the secret that destroyed their family—only to discover darker truths along the way. Read more about Hard Girls and J. Robert Lennon below.

Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and writing process behind Hard Girls? 

I’d been wanting to try a thriller for a while, as I’ve always been a fan of crime fiction, and was out for a walk with my wife, spitballing ideas. “Twin sisters whose mom was a spy” was literally a joke—I was trying to think of something silly to amuse her with. But I couldn’t shake the idea. I love writing about dysfunctional families, so it seemed like a great way to bring some character depth into a largely plot-driven story.

Hard Girls is our book club pick for this month! Are there any discussion questions surrounding themes, characters, or specific moments in the story that you hope people will keep in mind as they read? 

Not really—I feel as though it’s up to the reader to decide what’s important! But I enjoyed thinking about the ways people live their lives at the margins, or entirely outside, of institutions—government, the law, a marriage, a family. My characters aren’t rebels, and you’re not supposed to admire them, but I hope people will feel some solidarity with these actors who can’t respect boundaries.

I’ve read that Lila's character was partially inspired by a song you wrote with your band. Do you feel that your experience writing songs influences your approach to writing books? How is your approach to these two forms of storytelling similar or different? 

Haha, yes, that’s true! Here’s the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InYoQ6lXDxI. Music, for me, usually serves the purpose of getting my head out of writing, but sometimes the two can’t help but come together. That band, The Starry Mountain Sweetheart Band, started out as a writers’ side project, actually—the other members of the band were writers, too, and a lot of our songs were little short stories.

As a twin, I was fascinated by Jane and Lila’s dynamic. How did you go about developing this unique relationship, and what do you think is the fundamental difference between the two twins? 

No kidding! I wonder how realistic the portrayal of twinness seems to you. I have a brother, not a twin, and come from a fortunately stable family without much conflict, so I’m drawing primarily from the imagination here. I mostly was thinking about the particular closeness of twins, the way they share most major milestones in early life, and how neglectful parents might intensify or strain that relationship. It seemed like an interesting laboratory for me to experiment in. I hope it worked!

Like Jane and her father, you are a professor. Do you feel that your teaching experience has changed your own approach to writing?

Oh, sure. When you teach writing to young people, you give a lot of what seems to you obvious advice—and then you realize you don’t actually know why you believe it. Teaching forces me to justify and explain all my preconceived ideas, and has helped me to apply that scrutiny to my own writing. Also, it’s just fun to talk about books and writing all day. I’m easily distracted (by music, video games, TV, etc.), and it helps to keep my mind on the important things.

Your choice to alternate between settings and timelines was such a powerful structure and so much fun to read. Did you always intend to tell the story in this way? What drew you to this narration style?

The original draft of the novel contained a whole novella’s worth of material, featuring completely different characters, who are affected by the cocaine operation the sisters discover late in the book. There were only a few flashbacks to the sisters’ childhoods, and the central trauma of the past was revealed much earlier. My editors suggested I cut the extraneous material (you can read it on Mulholland’s website…if you can find it) and bolster the childhood story. The result was these two plots, arcing together, twenty years apart. I think it was a good note!

Although the plot involves espionage, shocking family secrets, and a wild road trip in search of the truth, at its core, Hard Girls is about Jane and Lila and their sisterhood. How did you go about developing both the fast-paced thriller plot and a thoughtful exploration of their complex relationship, and was it ever difficult to balance these elements?

It was challenging, but in a fun way—I hugely enjoyed making these characters come to life. I talk with students a lot about the intersection of plot and character: if you want to do both well, characters should be motivated, spurred to action, and changed by events; and events should happen because of the personalities and conflicts of the characters. The two sweep each other along. Whenever I thought of something to happen to the sisters, I had to imagine how each would react (and the arguments they’d have), and whenever I wondered what to do next, I found the answer in their impulses and desires. It was difficult to find balance, but that’s what multiple drafts are for. I’m really grateful to my editors, agent, and friends for reading and giving me suggestions.

What is something that your readers (and maybe your students!) would be surprised to know about you? 

When my mother was pregnant with me, she got hypnotized by a family friend, The Amazing Kreskin—look him up, he was a frequent guest on the Johnny Carson show, a self-described “mentalist," TV personality, and writer. (He is still alive and performing!) He said she wouldn’t feel pain during childbirth, and it worked! He couldn’t help her with the pain of raising a future novelist, unfortunately.

The book’s ending leaves the story open for a sequel. What’s next for you and for our new favorite twin investigators? 

BUZZ KILL, the next book, will be out in a year or so—it involves political unrest, deepfakes, a South American coup, and cows. Also, Chloe, Jane’s daughter, gets her first plotline.