Authors Answer: Amy Lorowitz
Authors Answer Q&A #610
Author interviews almost always focus on questions regarding an author’s latest publication (and that’s great because it’s how readers discover new books!) but sometimes it’s fun to ask authors to talk about their lives beyond the book they’ve just written. Authors Answer (started as a blog in 2020, moved onto Substack in 2025), is an attempt to give authors space to wax eloquent about the other influences on their writing. The questions posed here move beyond the formulaic classics like, “What books are on your nightstand?” or “What book inspired you to be a writer?” and even “You’re having a dinner party….which three authors (dead or alive) do you invite?” There are 20 standing questions. Authors pick FIVE that they want to answer.
Are you an author? Visit the Questions page to learn more about participating.
Today’s post features Amy Lorowitz.
Amy Lorowitz is a lifelong New Yorker. She grew up in Brooklyn, attended University at SUNY Binghamton, and ultimately made her home in Manhattan with her husband and two daughters, only leaving New York for a three-year stint living in Tokyo, Japan. Summer Husband is her debut novel.
Not all books are for all readers… when you start a book and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
Prior to writing Summer Husband I rarely bailed. I’m a person who likes to finish anything I start. Now that I understand and appreciate the time and effort that it takes to write a book, I respect authors too much to bail. Therefore, I no longer bail.
Do you collect anything? If so, what, why, and for how long?
I lived in Tokyo, Japan for three years in the mid 1990’s. During that time, I started to collect dragon flies. The Japanese believe dragonflies represent courage, strength, victory and happiness. That spoke to me. I have dragonflies in every room of my house, and I wear dragonfly rings, earrings, and pendants. My husband just surprised me with a beautiful pin to wear for my book launch.
Favorite non-reading activity?
Going to see plays and musicals on Broadway – an advantage to living in NYC!
I know that playing with my grandchildren is a totally cliché answer. But I take a lot of pride in the way I brought up my two daughters and now I get to sit back and get to delight in my grandchildren.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
Interestingly, as a child I was always a sweets girl, okay a chocolate girl! As a matter of fact, I had received the book Chocolate the Consuming Passion by Sandra Boynton from many different friends. Since my children were born, my go to comfort food is salty pretzels. But I’d never turn down a chocolate covered pretzel!
What’s the oddest thing a reader has ever asked you?
I was asked what my book was about in front of several people. I started with it’s a Romance and this one guy made a disparaging face. I asked him, tell me about the book you wrote. His face changed to surprise and then respect – I am unsure if he realized that not everyone could write a book or that I stood up to him.
Endnotes!
This newsletter is a passion project started by me, Elizabeth Rynecki, to try to help shine a light on new-to-me authors. I am also an author (and a documentary filmmaker and podcaster) and if you want to learn more about me, you can visit my website or read my personal newsletter, Ink Trails: A Chronicle in Creativity.
I’ve never made Authors Answer specific social media accounts, but you can find me on Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.
Hello Elizabeth