Five minutes with Jess Kitching
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When two people searching for meaning enter an experiment that predicts when they will die, can they open their hearts to more when their time together might be brief?
That’s the premises of The Life Experiment by Canberra author Jess Kitching – a new romance novel that will have you reaching for the tissue box. Launching on Wednesday 30 July at the Australian National University with Emma Grey – another local legend – we sat down with Jess to talk about this profound and thought-provoking story.
Can you describe The Life Experiment and what it’s about in three words?
Hope, healing, and love. (But to also note, tissues might be needed while reading it!)
What inspired this book and the concept of an experiment that predicts death?
I actually started writing The Life Experiment in 2020 during COVID as a way to process losing a friend to cancer in my early twenties. That event changed my life in so many ways – it prompted me to move to Australia and chase my writing dreams which was great, but it also made me anxious about always being productive and utilising every minute. Lockdown forcing me to stop was a time of reflection for me, like many others, and I began to wonder how I’d live differently if I knew exactly how long I had left. From there, the idea of the experiment came to mind.
Both characters are searching for meaning in their lives. Do you personally think facing mortality helps us find purpose, or does it paralyse us?
This is such a good question! I think questions like ‘Why are we here?’ and ‘Are we doing enough with our time?’ are something most people ask themselves. It’s natural to wonder, but I do think those questions can be debilitating if you focus on them too much. For me personally, I think a balance is healthy. I like to check in on myself often enough to feel like I am ‘on track’ with who I want to be, but I find obsessing about making the most of my time leads me to burnout.
Did you research any real scientific studies about mortality or life prediction when developing this concept?
My writing process is usually to write a first draft as it comes – I am a big believer in getting that first draft, however messy, on the page. As soon as I stop in early writing stages, I get stuck – so my research is initially a little thin. But as I flesh out a story, I fill in parts that I need. When thinking of how someone would go about testing someone’s life expectancy, I did do a little digging to make sure I was using correct terminologies.
As someone who has previously written crime thrillers, what drew you to romance as a genre? Did you find it challenging to swap between the two?
My journey into romance was actually entirely accidental! I basically started writing The Life Experiment as an ‘antidote to thrillers’ and to explore how losing my friend changed me. I don’t know if I set out writing it with the aim of being published, or if it was more of a ‘I am going to explore how I feel right now and the best way I know to do this is through fiction’ exercise.
The experiment within the story asks big questions about crafting a life of meaning, which was something I was thinking of almost daily. Channelling that thought process into a story felt natural to me, but it was only when chatting to my wonderful agent, Daniel Pilkington, that I realised I’d written a love story.
You’ve been compared to authors like Beth O’Leary and David Nicholls. How does that make you feel?
Truthfully, I don’t think I could be flattered any more than that! I love both Beth and David’s work. They balance light and dark so well, writing stories that are gripping and heartfelt and ultimately human. To even have my name said in the same breath as theirs is the biggest compliment!
How did you balance the heavier existential themes with the lighter romantic elements? Was there a risk of the concept being too dark?
With writing, I always say that I try to write a book that I would want to read. As an avid reader myself, I love books that make me think, make me feel, and stay with me for a long time after I’ve finished them.
With The Life Experiment, I wanted to write about real people living real lives against the backdrop of this experiment and the news it gives them. The experiment of course provided moments of poignancy and sadness, but there was also a lot of humour and bravery to be had around it too.
Life and death go hand in hand – we can’t have one without the other. From losing a friend so young, I’ve been forced to face that, but I’ve also been forced to find a lightness within that too. Hopefully, that comes across in the book.
What do you hope readers take away about how we should live our lives, whether we know our timeline or not?
Honestly, my main thing is that I hope they enjoy the book, but on a deeper level I hope it encourages them to take themselves, their dreams and their rest seriously. To remember to tell the people around them that they love them, and to know that even if things get tough, they will be okay.
You’ve moved from Bradford to Canberra – that’s quite a journey! When did you move here and has that geographic shift influenced your writing and perspective?
Such a journey! I’ve been in Australia for almost seven years now, during which I’ve been lucky enough to call Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra home.
I first came to Australia as a teenager to visit my uncle who had emigrated here with his wife and children in the nineties. I loved Australia from the start – teenage me was very impressed when I heard my cousins talk about pool parties and trips to the coast!
From then, the chance of living in Australia became my goal. I saved money as soon as I started working to fund a year here. I did this for years, never booking a flight, until my life experiences pushed me to be brave and go for it. It’s been such a brilliant adventure, filled with wonderful people, incredible sights and moments I will never forget.
One thing that moving to Australia gave me was the freedom to write. It was a fresh start where I could have the space and freedom to explore the creative side of myself without feeling insecure. I will always, always be grateful to Australia for providing that.
What’s next for you?
Excitingly, I will be heading on an Australian tour to promote The Life Experiment. I cannot wait to meet readers and hear their thoughts on the book! Then, at the end of September when the book is published overseas, I will be doing it all again in the UK. I’m also working on other projects both in the thriller and romance space, so keep your eye out for announcements soon!
