PAULA: What is the funniest thing you remember from your childhood?
JEN: Oh, there are so many stories I could tell, but the one that immediately sprang to mind was when I was in elementary school and hauled out this old boat from the garage and decided it would be a great idea to patch up the holes and take it down to this little neighborhood pond for a sail. It was made out of that hard plastic and had been used as a little kiddie pool for years, until the plastic cracked and it leaked too much. Well, armed with this black glue stuff and some tape, I, along with my friend, Jamie, went to work patching it up. We then dragged it to the pond, set it in the water and…it was floating. We thought we were good to go. In we went, but when we got to the middle of the pond, Jamie shifted around, trying to get comfortable, and her feet suddenly shot through the bottom of the boa, leaving a gaping hole in it. Needless to say, we began sinking. We also began laughing and it’s amazing to me to this day that we somehow managed to make it almost to shore, at which point we were forced to abandon the boat and slog our way to the bank as fast as we could because this particular pond was home to more than a few snapping turtles. And while we thought it was hilarious, our parents weren’t exactly amused.
PAULA: What made you choose the Historical genre to write in?
JEN: In the publishing industry, there’s a saying that a writer should write what they know. I have always been a reader of historical romances, and after experimenting with a lot of other genres when I first started writing, I finally realized my sweet spot was historical after I penned a Regency romance. And while that novel attracted attention from agents, no one actually wanted to sign me because I still had a few craft problems, so I started writing another one. About a chapter in, though, I got distracted because I’d begun reading this nonfiction book about the Vanderbilts. That’s when I became enamored with The Gilded Age, ditched the Regency I was writing, and after doing a lot of research on my newfound favorite historical era, wrote the novel that became “A Change of Fortune.” I’ve been writing Gilded Age romps ever since.
PAULA: Do you base your characters on people you know?
JEN: I have to admit that quite a few of my characters are inspired by people I know. I like to take their quirks and magnify them to make my characters more amusing, which is why I never tell my friends I’ve written a character based on them because you never know if they’re going to find what I’ve done with them amusing or not.
PAULA: Do you people watch to get ideas for your stories?
JEN: Absolutely. People are fascinating to observe, and I’ve really honed the skill of eavesdropping over the years. I find that slipping on dark glasses makes eavesdropping easier because the victims of my eavesdropping are never quite certain I’m watching and listening in on their conversations.
PAULA: Are you a plotter or a pantster?
JEN: I’m more of a hybrid author. I’m turn in a brief synopsis to my editing team before I begin a new series, and when I say brief, I mean it’s lucky if what I hand them is as long as a back-jacket-cover copy. I then plot out five chapters at a time because if I plot more than that, it’s a waste of time. Once I get into writing a new story, my characters take on a life of their own, and plot twists I never considered spring to mind. It’s never a good idea for me to ignore those new ideas because my writing will come to a rapid standstill until I agree to take the story where my characters want me to go. I do, however, always know the opening line of a new book, as well as know exactly how it’s going to end. It’s all that pesky stuff in between that gives me trouble.
JEN: Absolutely. People are fascinating to observe, and I’ve really honed the skill of eavesdropping over the years. I find that slipping on dark glasses makes eavesdropping easier because the victims of my eavesdropping are never quite certain I’m watching and listening in on their conversations.
PAULA: Are you a plotter or a pantster?
JEN: I’m more of a hybrid author. I’m turn in a brief synopsis to my editing team before I begin a new series, and when I say brief, I mean it’s lucky if what I hand them is as long as a back-jacket-cover copy. I then plot out five chapters at a time because if I plot more than that, it’s a waste of time. Once I get into writing a new story, my characters take on a life of their own, and plot twists I never considered spring to mind. It’s never a good idea for me to ignore those new ideas because my writing will come to a rapid standstill until I agree to take the story where my characters want me to go. I do, however, always know the opening line of a new book, as well as know exactly how it’s going to end. It’s all that pesky stuff in between that gives me trouble.
PAULA: Does your husband read your books?
JEN: My husband has read exactly one of my books, and that was only because a male friend of mine reads all of my books and Al was feeling a tad guilty. However, romance really isn’t his thing, and then after he read my book, he wanted to discuss it with me, but I could tell his heart wasn’t really in it, which I found highly amusing, so I have since banned him from reading any of my books. It just makes life easier.
PAULA: Do you read your books after publication?
JEN: I do not. As soon as I turn in what are known as design pages to my editor – the last step I have to take in the publishing process – I never read the book again. I mean, by that time, I’ve read it at least twenty-five times if not more, what with all the edits I do, and there’s really nothing fun about reading a book when you know all the plot twists. I also tend to forget my characters not long after I say goodbye to them, which makes it tricky to talk about the book once it releases because I’m always writing two books beyond a release book.
JEN: My husband has read exactly one of my books, and that was only because a male friend of mine reads all of my books and Al was feeling a tad guilty. However, romance really isn’t his thing, and then after he read my book, he wanted to discuss it with me, but I could tell his heart wasn’t really in it, which I found highly amusing, so I have since banned him from reading any of my books. It just makes life easier.
PAULA: Do you read your books after publication?
JEN: I do not. As soon as I turn in what are known as design pages to my editor – the last step I have to take in the publishing process – I never read the book again. I mean, by that time, I’ve read it at least twenty-five times if not more, what with all the edits I do, and there’s really nothing fun about reading a book when you know all the plot twists. I also tend to forget my characters not long after I say goodbye to them, which makes it tricky to talk about the book once it releases because I’m always writing two books beyond a release book.
PAULA: What author’s books take up the most shelf space on your bookshelves?
JEN: Hahahaha – this is one of those questions that I never answer because I have so many author friends that I wouldn’t want to hurt any of their feelings by singling out one of them.
PAULA: What is your favorite Bible verse?
JEN: Isaiah 30:21 – Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying “This is the way, walk in it.”
JEN: Hahahaha – this is one of those questions that I never answer because I have so many author friends that I wouldn’t want to hurt any of their feelings by singling out one of them.
PAULA: What is your favorite Bible verse?
JEN: Isaiah 30:21 – Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying “This is the way, walk in it.”
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
VISITING WITH US TODAY, JEN!
My new copy just came, but I am finishing up To Write a Wrong first. Oh, it is SO good! I already have a favorite line- so far! Thanks for sharing the fun interview!
ReplyDeleteJen, you have a delightful sense of humor!
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of meeting Jen and she's just as you'd imagine from her interview and her stories! Paula and Winnie's reviews will follow soon along with a giveaway! Thank you for your comments!
ReplyDelete