Q&A With Jessica L. Cozzi

I recently did a Q&A with Jessica L. Cozzi discussing her career as a publicist. This regular Q&A will discuss her debut novel We’ve Hit Turbulence coming out in spring of 2026. I read a small description that Jessica posted on Instagram, and I am so excited! I know I will read it once it comes out. 

Q: Jessica, would you please give a small description of your debut novel We’ve Hit Turbulence? 

A: Of course! We’ve Hit Turbulence is about a teen who gets on a cross-country flight to visit her boyfriend and fix their rocky relationship – but her seatmate on the plane winds up being the ex that her heart never really got over.

Q: Since you are a publicist representing authors such as New York Times Bestselling author Ace Atkins, how did you balance being a publicist to now being an author?

A: You must find more “tiny slivers” in your day to write – or at least that’s what I do! I work on my writing during my commutes to/from work, during my lunch break, and often after dinner when I get home. I’m more of a night writer, so that works for me – I also meet with a local writing friend every weekend so we can work on our novels together, which keeps me accountable and helps me get a majority of my writing done for that week.

Q: Since you are an author now as well as a publicist, are you your own publicist for your book We’ve Hit Turbulence? 

A: We’re too early for me to know the publishing house’s plans for publicity, but I plan on sharing my book news with some of my friends in the media spaces that I’ve gotten close to throughout my years as a publicist to let them know about We’ve Hit Turbulence!

Q: Where did the idea for We’ve Hit Turbulence come from? How long have you been working on the novel and what made you decide now was the right time to release it?

A: My brother actually lived in Hawaii for 5 years, and I got the idea when I flew to visit him one time – I’m pretty afraid of flying (ironic for someone writing a book about planes, I know!), so I was thinking about how grateful I was that my seatmate was my sister, who I trusted and felt safe with. But then I started wondering…what if my seatmate wasn’t just a stranger, but instead, someone who I really wouldn’t want to find myself sitting with, especially on such a long cross-country flight? And thus the book was born! I started drafting this book in November 2022, so by the time it hits shelves in spring 2026, it’ll have been almost four years!

Q: Would you say that your career as a publicist had an influence on your novel, and are any of the characters you created loosely taken from real people you know and places you’ve been?

A: None of my characters are the same as people in my real life, but I definitely pull little character traits from some of my favorite people and plant them in my characters! For example, my protagonist’s mom is described as having a distinctly loopy, half print/half script handwriting, which my own Mom has. Character’s birthdays or favorite songs or unique quirks are often like those from my own friends and family! It’s my way of infusing them into my stories without directly putting them on the spot. 😉 As for being a publicist, I don’t think that’s had an influence! But it’s cool being in the publishing industry from both sides.

Q: Without spoiling too much about your novel, what lessons do you hope readers learn after reading the book? 

A: I hope that readers learn that sometimes, especially as teenagers, we make decisions that feel right in the moment, but we may regret later – but if someone’s your real true love, there’s always a chance to fix it. (My own parents met when they were thirteen years old and came back to each other when they got older and were in college, so I’m a bit biased, being a direct result of their own love story!)

Q: Do you plan on writing a sequel to the book or will you write another standalone romance? Who are your favorite authors? 

A: I don’t have any plans for a sequel right now – I think the way Olive and Tyler’s story wraps up fits nicely with the arc of the story. But I have some more standalone stories in my brain! Some authors who I really love and look up to – and who I’m always trying to emulate in the best of ways! – are Laura Taylor Namey, Christina Lauren, Tessa Bailey, Elle Gonzalez Rose, Sarah Dessen, and Rachel Lynn Solomon.