Tess Amy: Be Relentlessly, Illogically Positive

Tess Amy was born in Johannesburg but now enjoys a nomadic lifestyle, living between Europe and South Africa. She holds a master’s degree from the Durban University of Technology and is an outdoor enthusiast, an animal lover, and an unfaltering optimist.

In this interview, Tess shares how a random observation inspired her most recent novel, why she wrote it faster than expected, and more.

Name: Tess Amy
Literary agent: Hayley Steed at Janklow and Nesbit UK
Book title: The Confidence Games
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: July 9, 2024
Genre/category: Crime (heist) fiction / women’s fiction
Previous titles: The Marion Lane Mystery Series under T.A. Willberg
Elevator pitch for the book: A modern day Thelma and Louise meets Ocean’s 8 that follows the exploits of best friends and Europe’s most infamous swindlers, Emma and Nellie.

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What prompted you to write this book?

A real life incident actually inspired me to write this book several years ago, while I was living in Verona, Italy. One night, while out in the city, I saw two girlfriends walking arm-in-arm in front of me, giggling and whispering as they looked down at something one of them had hidden under her coat. Although I couldn’t hear what they were saying, or see what they were looking at, my imagination set off in a spin. I took out my phone and tapped out a note that read: Two best friends who are con artists (Book Idea!). 

In the months that followed, hardly a day went by that I didn’t think about those two women. Who were they? How did they meet? What were they hiding under their coat? Their story became my obsession, and the inspiration for what would later become The Confidence Games.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I wasn’t able to start the book when I first got the idea (in 2020) because I was working on something else. I let it simmer until February 2022, when I pitched the concept to my agent. I told her I wanted to set the story in the 1920s but she (thankfully) suggested I consider a contemporary setting instead. I was apprehensive at first, but as soon as I sat down and got started, it felt right. 

Four months later, I had the first draft ready, which I shared with her. We worked on that draft together for another six months, after which it was just a matter of waiting for the right time to go on submission.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Everything was a surprise with this book. It went to auction in the US just a few days after it was sent out on submission and even before I had an offer on the table, I heard from my agent that the manuscript was in the hands of an A-list celeb. I don’t think I’m allowed to say more about this at the moment, but that day was the start of a series of incredible, unexpected events that have been some of the most exciting of my career!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I initially gave myself nine months to write the first draft for The Confidence Games but ended up writing it in four. Part of the reason for this was because I found it so fun to write, but also because my agent and I realized that heist books were the “in-thing” at the time and we wanted to capitalize on that before the trend waned.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

This is a story about the power of friendship and family. It’s also about exploring the nature of karma, and how much of the way we see right and wrong is colored by our past experiences. By claiming to only con “bad men” Nellie and Emma believe they live by a strong moral code. But do they? Are the “bad” men they deceive always bad? Playing around with this concept has actually taught me a lot about my own prejudices, and I love it when I hear how that’s been the case for my readers too. 

Mostly, though, I want my readers to have fun as they come along on Nellie and Emma’s crazy adventure. There’s a lot of sad, horrible stuff happening in the world right now so I hope to bring a little joy to people in whatever way I can.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Be relentlessly, illogically positive. I’ve had so many setbacks in the past few years, and there have been times when I’ve wondered if I’m cut out for this industry. I know every writer feels this way at some point in their career but the difference between those who find success and those who don’t is resilience and perseverance. If you want to be an author, you have to learn to accept moments of failure and disappointment, and then lean to move past them. 

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