Meet Jacqueline Kopito | Writer & Twin Expert

Writing Twintastic, a fiction book for tweens, was an amazing process. I was so happy to find a publisher for my book but no one told me that was just the beginning. The first thing the publisher told me was that I would have to participate in promoting the book.  At the time, I didn’t think much of it, I thought to myself that I had a few contacts, that I would send out a few emails and things would fall into place. I could not have been more wrong! The few contacts I thought I had, disappeared. I quickly realized that I had to start my next journey and risk it all to promote myself and Twintastic. The thought of this made me anxious and I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to do this, but I knew I had to leave my comfort zone and take risks. It was then I realized that I had to become an entrepreneur, develop a business and marketing strategy, and have the courage to keep moving forward, hustling, taking on challenges and never giving up. Otherwise, Twintastic was just going to lie dormant on Amazon.

I always loved to write. I started writing for TWINS Magazine and for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series which I really enjoyed, and then I thought, I have so many ideas, I’m going to write a book. Writing Twintastic was a process. There were days I would sit at the computer first thing in the morning and not leave until evening. Other days, I would write for a while and then pace around the house, listen to some music or throw in a load of laundry, and then try again to finish a sentence, paragraph, page or chapter. Next to my bed I always kept a pad and pen, and I would carry them with me as well, never knowing when an idea would hit. Even though working on the manuscript could be frustrating and all-consuming, I truly enjoyed the journey.

The most challenging part of the journey was finding an agent and publisher. The industry is very competitive and there was so much rejection because you never know what people are looking for. I told myself that I had to keep going and that I couldn’t get discouraged or take the rejections personally. Eventually, it clicked and all came together.

Not only am I a writer, but also a twin expert. I’m an identical twin and I love to share my twin experiences such as feeling my twin’s pain, switching places, going to different colleges, and having a built-in best friend. I’ve heard practically every twin question so I love to assist parents of twins or twins themselves, with my perspective.

I love New York city! Whether I’m uptown or downtown, the city has the best restaurants, galleries, parks, shops and museums. There are always things to do. My friend and I would start in SoHo and go to some art galleries. Next, we would stop to eat at Bistro Les Amis, a French restaurant with a cool decor. I would ask to sit outside so we could watch all the people stroll by. It’s usually an eclectic crowd. On another outing, I would take my best friend to Central Park. It’s very beautiful to walk through and see the vast trees and interesting people walking their dogs, roller blading or jogging. There is also a small petting zoo which would be enjoyable to visit. Afterwards, we would eat on the Upper East Side at Serafina, a delicious Italian restaurant. The following day, we would see a Broadway show. I love musicals such as Wicked, the Book of Mormon, and the Lion King.  Another day trip would be going into the fancy stores on Madison Ave, and checking out the latest fashion trends. I would end my day by taking my friend to Serendipity where we’d chat and have the best frozen hot chocolate. Of course, the itinerary would include: the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Empire State Building, Hudson Yards, and a carriage ride. I think these activities would be incredible and very memorable for my friend or anyone visiting NY City.