Jackie Collins Interview: 3 Tips on Balancing Career and Family (Giveaway)

I’ve been in the news industry for over ten years and have interviewed a ton of A list celebrities. But, they were nothing like Jackie Collins.

When I was asked to interview Jackie Collins about her new book The Santangelos at the Secrets, Revenge, and Sex Book Club Event in New York City, I didn’t know what to expect from the the top-selling author.

From the moment she entered the room, she had a way about her. The British born mom of three didn’t hold back at all.

We started the conversation with The Santangelos. I received a copy of the book before attending the event. The Santangelos reads like a juicy romance novel with all the grittiness of a gangster movie. It’s an epic saga surrounding Lucky Santangelo, who is the head of a powerful Italian family.

Her son, Bobby, is framed for a murder he didn’t commit. Her daughter, Max, is becoming the “it girl” in Europe’s modeling world. With the support of her husband, Lenny, Lucky is there to solve everyone’s problems.

Jackie Collins is very much like the character Lucky. She also grew up as a self proclaimed “wild child.” I love her honesty, strength, and wisdom. We also talked about current events, pop culture, and how much things have changed from when she was growing up. With the rise in technology and social media, she also expressed parental concerns she would have if raising small children now. She even talked about favorite shows and some of her favorite artists, including Snoop Dog, Usher, and Drake.

After the event, I was able to speak with her privately about parenting, marriage, and career. I told her about my recent career change. She congratulated me on making such a tough decision and shared these three tips:

1. Put your husband first. She advised that the key to keeping a marriage sexy after kids is by role play and dressing up. “But you have to stay in character,” she emphasized.

2. Educate children about important life lessons. “Teach them about music, reading. You could teach her to be a strong woman. Teach your son how to treat women,” she advised.

3. Find a balance. I asked her how she managed a successful career, marriage, and taking care of three kids. She said that being “a hands on mom” was important. In addition to being a career mom, she also wanted to support her husband’s business endeavors. He owned a nightclub, which involved late nights. Collins kept busy writing when the kids were asleep or in school. She spent nights at the club with her husband, while her daughters were at home with the nanny. She would come home to rest for a few hours, and was up in time to take the kids to school.

Let’s face it; it’s hard to find that perfect balance. Jackie Collins managed to achieve what many of us seek out to do. She conquered being an attentive wife, and hands on mom with a great career.

Jackie Collins has offered to giveaway a signed copy of her latest novel, The Santangelos. All you have to do is leave a comment below to enter to win. A winner will be announced on July 6, 2015. You must be at least 18 and reside in the U.S. or Canada. In the meantime, please head over to my BabyCenter blog for more on my interview with Jackie Collins.