Jewish Author Spotlight! Jacqueline Friedland: ‘Breathing Under Water’
It’s nearly pub day for USA Today bestselling author Jacqueline Friedland, as Breathing Under Water hits bookshelves tomorrow, August 4. Jacqueline’s sixth novel tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a mother struggling to balance work with family life and a college swimmer who’s at risk of losing her scholarship. Their paths converge in an unexpected way in this “…big-hearted story about messy families, impossible choices, and human connection that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.”
Already making a splash in the literary world, Breathing Under Water was selected as a highly anticipated summer read by People, Zibby Owens, and The Jewish Joy Book Club. Kristy Woodson Harvey (New York Times bestselling author of Summer State of Mind) says, “Engrossing and deeply moving, Breathing Under Water is a graceful exploration of womanhood at every age and stage. Jacqueline Friedland expertly captures the fierce love and quiet resilience of motherhood, the intense pressures of coming of age, and the unexpected ways in which we save each other. An unforgettable story with indelible characters that will stay with readers long after the final page, this is a must-read novel of the year!”
I couldn’t wait to learn more about the book, Jacqueline’s writing process, and her personal experience in the publishing world, in this third installment of my new series highlighting Jewish authors as they publish new work. (Because if you haven’t noticed, there’s never been a better time to support the Jewish community.) Let’s dive in…
Leah Grossman: Hi, Jacqueline! Tell us about Breathing Under Water and what you’re most excited for readers to take away from this story.
Jacqueline Friedland: Breathing Under Water follows two women at very different stages of life who are brought together by a teenager with autism. Berry is a middle-aged mom whose son, Leo, is on the autism spectrum. As he nears the end of high school, she’s trying to teach him independence, but also struggling with letting him go. Meanwhile, McKenna is a college swimmer and nursing student who is caring for her grandmother with dementia while trying to keep her own dreams alive. When McKenna gets framed for something she didn’t do and wonders if she’s about to lose everything, it turns out Leo is the one person who might be able to clear her name. As the characters become part of each other’s lives, each is forced to reconsider what family, resilience, and success really mean.
More than anything, I hope readers come away from the novel thinking about the assumptions we make about other people. It’s easy to look at someone and believe we understand their story, but almost everyone is carrying burdens that aren’t immediately visible. I also want the book to spark conversations about inclusion, caregiving, and the many different ways people define a meaningful life. Ultimately, though, I hope it’s a story that leaves readers feeling encouraged, that even in life’s most overwhelming moments, connection and kindness can change everything.
Leah: You said previously, “With Breathing Under Water, I wanted to write a story where a teen with autism isn’t sidelined or saved, but is instead at the heart of the story, helping someone else find her way.” What inspired the character of Leo and this refreshing approach to his story?
Jacqueline: My inspiration really began with my mother, who spent her career working with children and adults with autism. She was a pioneer in the field, and growing up, I had the opportunity to visit schools and programs with her and see firsthand the incredible potential she saw in every student. Getting to know her students and learning about their needs, as well as their dreams, shaped the way I see the world. I wanted to write a story where a teenager with autism wasn’t cast as someone who needed saving, but was just another integral part of a human journey. I didn’t set out to cast him as a hero specifically, but as the story progressed, that was what he became all on his own. I was delighted that the final product ended up showing how people have all different types of strengths and that we, as humans, all have the power to help transform the lives of the people around us.
Leah: Your last book, Counting Backwards, was released less than a year and a half ago—you work fast! With Breathing Under Water being your sixth novel, do you feel you’ve mastered a formula or routine that works best for you? How has your writing process evolved?
Jacqueline: Ha! I definitely do not have a formula. Unfortunately, I find that the process of writing a novel never gets easier. In order for a book to be meaningful and heartfelt, I think a writer has to dig so deeply in both her soul and in her brain that there’s no easy path. What I have learned is that I need to be able to sit in the comfort of the messy middle, understanding that drafts take time to evolve into something a person can be proud of.
The only part of my writing process that is routine is the fact that I have no routine! Between managing the marketing of my other novels, working with aspiring writers, and staying involved with my large family, I find that every week in my house looks different. What has worked best for me is to steal every free moment I can, whether it’s four hours or only twenty minutes to focus on whatever work in progress is sitting on my computer. I’ve learned over time that my work tends to be stronger when I’m more awake, so most of my writing happens during daylight hours, rather than at night. But not always! Because I’ve also learned that life gets busy, and if we want to get anything finished, we have to be flexible and find time wherever we can!
Leah: You contributed a touching and relatable essay to Zibby Owens’ anthology On Being Jewish Now, describing the mental struggle between joy and sorrow as your daughter became a bat mitzvah in November 2023 (just a month after the attack). Tell us more about the balance you found in that moment, and your feelings about it now (two and a half years later).
Jacqueline: What I learned from trying to have a celebration so soon after the tragedy of October 7th is that we do have a duty to mark life’s milestones with joy. So much of Judaism is about learning to balance happiness with pain, but I really believe that resilience is so important. We have to keep laughing and singing, dancing at weddings, kissing our loved ones, making more babies and grandbabies, hugging and loving with abandon. We cannot let evildoers rob us of those moments, which make up our hearts and lift up our souls.
I just returned from my first trip to Israel since October 7th. We went to see the Nova site, as well as several memorials in the surrounding areas. There’s a monument that’s been built in the city of Sderot, a place where so many Israelis were killed on 10/7 (including many devoted members of the local police), where 18 pillars are erected in their memory. One of the pillars bears the words from the poet Erez Biton, “Upon these ruins we will build a place of prayer to make room for a sanctuary.” This sentiment echoes yet again how two truths can coexist. We cannot simply look at ruins and leave them as they are. Instead, we have to continue adding beauty and light to the world at every opportunity.
Leah: On the professional side, what has your experience been like as a Jewish author in a post-October 7th world? Have you felt the antisemitism that’s been so pervasive in the publishing industry (and beyond)?
Jacqueline: I have definitely had many sobering moments as a Jewish author in a post-October 7th world. I’ve watched Jewish friends end up on blacklists for doing no more than putting an Israeli flag on their Instagram. I’ve received book reviews on various internet sites saying things like, “No stars. This author is a Zionist.”
But I have also found so much solidarity within the Jewish community and so much desire to support Jewish authors. I truly believe that most of the reading public is open-minded and would be happy to read any good book, whether written by a Jew or anyone else. One of the best things readers can do to support Jewish authors and show publishers and event organizers that they still want Jewish books is to go online and leave positive reviews. We have to counteract the hate and the loud voices of the misinformed however we can, and this is one way the gatekeepers can see that the public still love books by Jewish authors.
Leah: We have some incredible bookstagrammers in our community who are steadfast in their support of Jewish authors—I love including questions from them! Traci (@the_real_bookkeeper) asks a great one: “Breathing Under Water is all about balancing motherhood with career and life’s demands. As a busy mom with a demanding career, how do you balance it all? What do you do for self-care?”
Jacqueline: I’m glad it looks from the outside like I’m balancing it all because from where I’m sitting, it feels like every day is a triage situation. What’s due today? What cannot wait? I try to check off whatever I can and then get back to the writing, but the days are not always smooth. I love self-care and have so many dreams about ways to add it to my life. For now, the thing I try never to sacrifice is exercise. I find it’s so important for my sense of equilibrium to get in a good sweat session several times a week. I know, I know. We’re all supposed to be focused on strength training now, but for me, cardio is still where it’s at. After I finish a good run, I’m more focused and also a whole lot nicer!
Leah: Some readers may be surprised to learn that you stepped away from a career in corporate law to write full time. Do you have any advice or insight for those who are thinking about taking a similar leap to follow their passion?
Jacqueline: I don’t think you have to choose between being practical and following your passion. Law gave me an incredible education and taught me discipline, critical thinking, and how to research for endless hours without getting frustrated. These are skills I use constantly as a novelist. But being a lawyer was never my dream. It was just a responsible choice following college. I knew pretty quickly after starting work that I would never learn to love law, and I was committed to finding a way to pursue a career that would mean something more to me. The nice thing about writing is that it doesn’t have to be your only job. I was able to start slowly, writing after work and on weekends. I had a full-length draft of my first book before I left the law. It was slow going, but eventually, I made it work. My best advice is that you have to be patient and determined, but if you keep coming back to the same dream, it’s probably worth finding a way to pursue it.
Leah: In addition to buying and reading Breathing Under Water, how can we support you?
Jacqueline: If you love the book, tell friends! Buy more copies to give as gifts! Leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and any other reading site you enjoy. For all the reasons I explained above, it’s so important for an author’s success to get those reviews. Suggest my book for your book clubs. I am happy to Zoom in and meet with groups anywhere. Also, follow me on Instagram @jackiefriedland so you know what’s coming next.
Breathing Under Water is available August 4 and can be purchased here or anywhere books are sold.
Keep up with Jacqueline on her website and Instagram.
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