A: I’ve
wanted to be a writer ever since I was six years old, and I’ve thusly spent
most of my life pursuing this goal with spunk, gusto, and an unjustifiable
level of confidence. The first book I ever wrote was about a kitten funeral, so
naturally it was clear early on that I was destined for greatness.
Q: What
is your typical writing day like?
A: I wake
up at noon , drown myself in coffee, respond to fan mail, then handle
all of my marketing tasks. Once that’s complete, I write for hours and hours
until I eventually realize that it’s the evening and I’m literally starving. At
this point, I gorge on whatever sustenance I can rummage up, then continue
writing until the wee hours of the morning. Finally, I go to sleep for a
handful of minutes, and then the cycle repeats itself.
Q: Do you
outline? If so, how extensive are your outlines?
A: I
enjoy outlining just as much as I enjoy writing. I don’t understand why
outlines have such a negative reputation. My outline and I are buddies. If I
could fist bump my outline, I would, but I’m not too sure that’s good for the
laptop screen. Oh, and
my current outline is 27 pages long—so pretty extensive.
Q: How
many revisions will you typically do on a novel?
A: I
revise as I go, so it’s really hard to say. Maybe three?
Q: What
is your best tip for editing a manuscript?
A: Hire.
An. Editor. Don’t get me wrong, you should clean it up yourself as well—but for
the love of God, hire a professional!
Q: Which
writing habits and/or tricks of the trade have made you a better writer?
A: Outlining,
trusting my intuition, and sticking to a strict schedule have worked pretty
well for me. You could also try a blood sacrifice or dark sorcery, but the
results are mediocre from my experience.
Q: Do you
ever suffer through writer’s block? If so, how do you fight it?
A: I very
rarely deal with writer’s block these days, but on the off chance it bites me
in the ass, I just force myself to write anyway. The only way out is through. And if that doesn’t work, I
recommend fighting it off with a katana. Nunchucks work, too.
Q: What
drew you to write your preferred genre(s)?
A: While
most girls grew up watching Disney princess movies, I spent my childhood
enjoying old-school adventure movies: Jason and the Argonauts, Clash
of the Titans, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, etc. Ever since then, I’ve always
wanted to write adventure stories; the genre is insignificant, so long as my
characters are on a thrilling adventure—and falling in love along the way, of
course.
Q: Do you
utilize beta readers?
A: Yes.
And if you don’t, what is wrong with you?!
Q: In
your most recently published novel, what’s one scene you really enjoyed
writing—and why?
A: I
really enjoyed writing the first kiss between Eve and her love interest (no
spoilers, but he’s pretty delicious), because who doesn’t want to instigate a
love connection? Go on with your bad self, Eve! You kiss that boy right on his
mouth hole!
Q: What
makes the main character of your most recent novel so special?
A: Evelyn
Kingston is a bad mama jama. She’s a
great blend of strength, snarky humor, and relatable vulnerability. But most
importantly, she’s smart, which is something I think is lacking in new adult
fiction: intelligent protagonists. I’m tired of reading about characters who
make me facepalm over each and every one of their stupid decisions. I wanted to
write someone who, while certainly imperfect, at least has a few brain cells at
her disposal.
Q: What
is your best advice for author self-promotion?
A: Talk
to people. Yes, sometimes people are mean. Yes, sometimes people are stupid.
Talk to them anyway. Guess what? Mean, stupid people buy books, too—and if you
talk to them, maybe they’ll buy yours.
Q: How do
you deal with negative reviews?
A: Voodoo
magic is a completely underrated form of revenge. Just sayin’.
Q: What
is your favorite aspect of being an indie author?
A: The
complete control and accountability of everything that I do. I am my own boss,
and I set my own rules. I am not at the mercy of someone else’s bottom line.
Q: What
is your least favorite aspect of being an indie author?
A: Maybe
the word “indie” itself. It makes me think of a young man at a coffee shop with
a half-assed beard, vacuum-sealed pants, and a thrift store ukulele. Now, pair
this image with “author,” and I still imagine this man, but now he’s writing a
book that, “like, you’ve probably never heard of.” Can I call myself something
else, please? How about a goddess author? I’m going with goddess author.
Q: What
is your current writing project?
A: My
current project is a new adult fantasy. The story takes place in a peaceful
realm governed under the rule of a holy queen, known respectfully as The
Savior. Upon The Savior’s eighteenth birthday, a tournament is held in Her
honor where the finest bachelors compete to be Her husband. The story follows
twenty-year-old Tobias, who enters the tournament due to extenuating
circumstances—and he’s not too excited about it. The tournament is incredibly
dangerous and ripe with political corruption. Even worse, Tobias realizes he
has stronger feelings for a woman in The Savior’s court versus The Savior
Herself. Romance
happens. Shenanigans ensue. And lots of people die. Enjoy!
Q: What
are three of your favorite novels?
A: Dante’s
Inferno (though if we’re getting technical, that’s actually just a
really long poem), A Clockwork Orange, and for the sake of nostalgia, Ella Enchanted.
Q: If you
could have lunch with any novelist, living or dead, who would it be? What would
talk to them about?
A: I
would most certainly choose a dead novelist, and I’d probably spend the entire
lunch asking them what it’s like being dead and subsequently resurrected. To
hell with writing, I could be solving life’s greatest mysteries in a single conversation! If I had
to choose a living novelist, I’d probably go with E.L. James, simply so I could
teach her about the birds and the bees. I mean, someone has to eventually.
Q: What
is your best piece of advice for budding authors?
A: It’s
not too late to seek therapy. But if you insist on being a masochist, I’ve got tons of
actual writing advice on my YouTube channel.
Q: What
is your favorite inspirational quote?
A: “To
put yourself forward as someone good enough to do interesting things is, by
definition, to expose yourself to all kinds of negative judgments, and as far
as I can tell, the fact that other people get to decide what they think of your
behavior leaves only two strategies for not suffering from those judgments: not
doing anything, or not caring about the reaction.” — Clay Shirky
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No witches, warlocks or vampires...
just a sexy tale about trying to live the Hollywood dream...
Luigi's Chinese Delicatessen by Jim Vines
Follow Jim Vines on Twitter!
Jenna -- your book sounds really interesting. Could you make it available for potential buyers to Look Inside on Amazon?
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