21 Questions with Jennifer Gibson
Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you enjoyed you Labor Day weekend. For me it was fabulous. My husband and I celebrated. It's been 15 years since we met at Laguna Beach and still, I can't get rid of him. No, I'm joking here. He's a wonderful man and I wouldn't trade him for anyone. He's been my rock and a mountain of support...to some extent like the boyfriend of protagonist Jesse in Jennifer Gibson's novel Destiny. Jennifer has agreed to play a little game with me, so enjoy!
21 Questions with Jennifer Gibson
1. Do you remember the first time you wanted to become an author? What feelings did that desire evoke in you? I’ve been writing poems, short stories and articles since I was young kid. Ironically it never really occurred to me to consider writing as a profession since my focus was more on art and photography. I’ve had writing teachers all through college who tried to encourage me to switch to writing instead of illustration. They loved my work. It wasn’t until I met Michael Buble a few years ago, prior to his concert in Toronto that I began to think about it. He is the one who sparked that fire in me to seriously consider a different path in life. As I watched him on stage, I realized that he didn’t reach that level of success without hard work, grit and an incredible sense of passion. I wanted to be proud of my achievements and have my dreams come true, just like him. My mother was my strongest supporter who gave me this advice: "Follow your dreams and trust your heart. If it feels right, go for it." That’s exactly what I did.
2. Do you remember the first story/poem you wrote? What was it about? That’s funny you asked me that, I was just going through a box of my old school reports, yearbooks, stories and poems that I wrote for their newsletters. My very first published poem was when I was in grade 2 and it was about my white cat. Growing up, I’ve always had cats and they were a big part of my life. It’s no surprise that they ended up in my novels.
3. Great authors are also devoted readers. Which author do you look up to and which element of his/her craft do you find most intriguing?Yes, that is true. I’ve always loved reading. My mother often gave me books to keep me entertained and out of trouble. I was not an easy kid to raise. I’m a big fan of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher about a wizard living in today’s society. I enjoy his frank sense of humour and his gumption for trying to fit in even though he is quite different from everyone else. He’s not afraid to hide it and has learned to embrace his uniqueness. Ironically, the author, Jim is also a fencer and martial artist, just like me.
4. We all fear something. Authors often fear a certain genre. Which genre do you fear and think to yourself, I could never write this! Why?Most likely a murder mystery along the lines of Kathy Reichs, who is the producer of the tv series Bones. I’m amazed at her ability to write so many stories in that genre. It takes a lot of imagination as well as a very confident and thorough sense of plotting. It’s an impressive feat.
5. I’m always interested to know how authors come up with ideas for their novels and how they bring them to life. Do you write an outline, come up with characters, the first or the last sentence, drink gallons of coffee, lock yourself in the basement, rub the magic lamp…? What is your writing process?It changes with each book depending on the theme and the mood I’m trying to maintain. I wrote my first novel Sway in my bedroom on an old-fashioned school desk with a small hole for an inkwell. It worked well since there were a lot of scenes that took place at high school. For the second book, Compass, I wrote parts of it on the school desk as well outside on the porch during the warmer days since there were more scenes away from school. I wrote Destiny in various locations including outside on the porch and beside a crackling fire in the living room. All three books were written out by hand in journals and notebooks which made it easy for me to write anywhere. Inspiration can hit me at any time and I want to be able to grab a pen and jot it down before the characters drive me insane with their incessant chatter. I usually know the overall arc before I start writing, I tend to have a good sense of how it will begin and end. Any plotlines, ideas for a chapter or specific conflicts are written down so that I can include at the right time and keep track of my progress. When I realized that Sway was going to be a trilogy, I had to include a much larger arc that spanned three books. Coffee and dark chocolate was a definite must-have item beside me during my writing process. I also like having scented candles on the table while I write which is interesting since those scents can trigger a memory. Whenever I smell frosty pine, it reminds me of when I wrote Sway since I had used that particular candle at the time.
6. Your novels, Sway, Compass, and Destiny in which you draw on personal experiences are about a hard of hearing teenage girl. What advice would you give to today’s teenagers who face the same or similar challenges like your protagonist? What would you tell the bullies?My advice to teenagers who are struggling with issues like this is to believe in yourself and stay strong. If you have a confident personality, you will become less of a target. Instead, they will look up to you and want to be your friend. If it’s a difficult situation, I highly recommend finding someone that you can trust to talk about what’s happening before it gets any worse. Having a sense of support is extremely important. In my experience, there is usually a reason why someone chooses to be a bully and it’s often related to something happening at home and they are transferring their anger on to someone else so that they don’t have to feel the pain. It’s an unfortunate and vicious cycle of hostility. We need to learn to let go of that negativity, we don’t need it in our life. That’s one of the reason’s why I have the phrase "Find the light within you and let it SHINE." written on the back cover of Destiny. It’s to remind people to focus on the positive attributes of their personalities. When I was very young and at a new school, I became a target by a particularly cruel teacher who didn’t know how to deal with disabled kids. That kind of negative attitude was contagious which spread to other teachers and students. They continuously lashed out at me and made going to school a terrifying experience. I wish that someone had listened to me, gave me the support I needed and did something to stop it.
7. Is there an essential advice regarding the craft of creative writing you live and breathe?Yes, keep a journal. Write down your dreams, ideas, intense emotions and thoughts. That’s what I did and many of those moments ended up in my books. It made it easy for me to expand on them and turn it into a wonderful story.
Now, on a more personal note, just so everyone knows that authors are human, not just some ethereal force spewing words onto pages.
8. What makes you laugh? My cats, when they are being silly. And the hilarious antics of Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural.
9. What makes you cry? Whenever I see an animal suffering from neglect. I’m like the cat whisperer around here, they seem to find me and ask to be rescued. I will also cry when I run out of dark chocolate or coffee. Jensen Ackles (aka Dean Winchester) is extremely good at making me cry, he tugs at my heartstrings whenever he is conflicted with his inner demons. * sniff *
10. Favorite film? Do I have to pick just one? For the kid in me, it’s Tangled. To appeal to my geek side, the winner is Serenity. The X-Men series with Hugh Jackman has a special meaning to me since it involves being different from the rest of the society and learning to embrace it.
11. Favorite children’s book? Bruno and Boots by Gordon Korman, I had always wanted to write books like that and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle for having a unique imagination.
12. What are you reading right now? I just received Midnight Riot by Ben Arronovitch which is similar to the Dresden Files.
13. What is your favorite word? Believe.
14. Which word do you hate? Disabled.
15. Since we’re with words; I’m always on the lookout for a new Oxymoron. Care to share one? “Original Copy” and “New and Improved”
16. What are you wearing right now? Orange jeans, rich purple t-shirt with a large orange heart in the centre that I wore to the Coldplay concert. It’s the beginning of fall and I’m in the mood for something more colourful, especially in warm hues.
17. Favorite junk food? Potato chips.
18. What do you believe? I believe in kindness and not judging people. And that Mulder was right: The truth is out there.
19. What do you think is totally far-fetched? That Obama will put a stop to genetically modified food.
20. When was the last time you tripped and fell in the physical sense? A few weeks ago when one of the cats got tangled up between my feet.
21. And finally: Look at your coffee table. What do you see shouldn’t be there but is and why?A huge stack of books. They belong in a bookcase but I don’t have any room.
Blurb:The trilogy series was based on a true story featuring snapshots of the author's life growing up with a severe hearing loss. Many real life scenarios have been incorporated into the story to provide a rich and sometimes, gritty setting that can be shocking at times to read. Aside from the moral lesson of dealing with a disability, it offers an amazing sense of appreciation of how much it takes to persevere through a difficult time in life. Throughout the turmoil in her life, Jessie discovers that she has friends in the most unexpected places. Together they guide her through some of the darkest moments she has to endure and they help her rise up and believe in herself once again. Synopsis for DESTINY, Book 3: Jessie’s journey began in Sway and Compass. As we continue to follow her in Destiny, she stumbles across a revelation that could change everything and finds herself standing on the precipice of life.
Jessie is determined not to let her hearing loss hold her back. She aims her sights even higher as she ventures in a new direction. With a Black Belt on the horizon, and so close to achieving it, she is unaware of the danger closing in on her. Will she be strong enough to hold on or will she succumb to the darkness that surrounds her?
*Includes BONUS SHORT STORYHappy Holidays...or is it?
Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYAPLDO
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destiny-jennifer-gibson/1116046839?ean=2940148392712
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/336082
KOBO: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Destiny/book-AqDVirPKZ0eIajd7PY60rQ/page1.html?s=SGQSeNeegUq2irf7nCaamA&r=1
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-destiny-1241445-140.html
BOB: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/store-home/paranormal-romance/destiny-with-bonus-story-happy-holidaysor-is-it
Author's Bio:
Jennifer is an award winning photographer, freelance Illustrator, graphic designer and published author.
Her photography & graphic design has been featured extensively in many media formats including CHEX TV, National Geographic, SNAP magazine and Watershed Magazine as well as various local tourism/promotional materials. Jennifer's current line of work features professionally designed book covers for authors from around the world.
Jennifer was selected as one of 12 winners for the prestigious 2010 Oticon Focus on People Award and the only Canadian to have won in this national competition (North America). She was nominated as an outstanding individual with a hearing loss and for the portrayal of a hearing impaired teen in her young adult novel entitled Sway. Recently, Sway was nominated as a Finalist in the 2012 InD'tale Magazine RONE Awards.You can view more information about the series at her website http://www.jennifergibson.ca/jennifers-books.php
Latest news are featured on her FB Author page www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferGibson
She's on Twitter: @charmedchickJG
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Gibson/e/B00CAWK4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_nu_X7.ArbA48F9A4
21 Questions with Jennifer Gibson
1. Do you remember the first time you wanted to become an author? What feelings did that desire evoke in you? I’ve been writing poems, short stories and articles since I was young kid. Ironically it never really occurred to me to consider writing as a profession since my focus was more on art and photography. I’ve had writing teachers all through college who tried to encourage me to switch to writing instead of illustration. They loved my work. It wasn’t until I met Michael Buble a few years ago, prior to his concert in Toronto that I began to think about it. He is the one who sparked that fire in me to seriously consider a different path in life. As I watched him on stage, I realized that he didn’t reach that level of success without hard work, grit and an incredible sense of passion. I wanted to be proud of my achievements and have my dreams come true, just like him. My mother was my strongest supporter who gave me this advice: "Follow your dreams and trust your heart. If it feels right, go for it." That’s exactly what I did.
2. Do you remember the first story/poem you wrote? What was it about? That’s funny you asked me that, I was just going through a box of my old school reports, yearbooks, stories and poems that I wrote for their newsletters. My very first published poem was when I was in grade 2 and it was about my white cat. Growing up, I’ve always had cats and they were a big part of my life. It’s no surprise that they ended up in my novels.
3. Great authors are also devoted readers. Which author do you look up to and which element of his/her craft do you find most intriguing?Yes, that is true. I’ve always loved reading. My mother often gave me books to keep me entertained and out of trouble. I was not an easy kid to raise. I’m a big fan of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher about a wizard living in today’s society. I enjoy his frank sense of humour and his gumption for trying to fit in even though he is quite different from everyone else. He’s not afraid to hide it and has learned to embrace his uniqueness. Ironically, the author, Jim is also a fencer and martial artist, just like me.
4. We all fear something. Authors often fear a certain genre. Which genre do you fear and think to yourself, I could never write this! Why?Most likely a murder mystery along the lines of Kathy Reichs, who is the producer of the tv series Bones. I’m amazed at her ability to write so many stories in that genre. It takes a lot of imagination as well as a very confident and thorough sense of plotting. It’s an impressive feat.
5. I’m always interested to know how authors come up with ideas for their novels and how they bring them to life. Do you write an outline, come up with characters, the first or the last sentence, drink gallons of coffee, lock yourself in the basement, rub the magic lamp…? What is your writing process?It changes with each book depending on the theme and the mood I’m trying to maintain. I wrote my first novel Sway in my bedroom on an old-fashioned school desk with a small hole for an inkwell. It worked well since there were a lot of scenes that took place at high school. For the second book, Compass, I wrote parts of it on the school desk as well outside on the porch during the warmer days since there were more scenes away from school. I wrote Destiny in various locations including outside on the porch and beside a crackling fire in the living room. All three books were written out by hand in journals and notebooks which made it easy for me to write anywhere. Inspiration can hit me at any time and I want to be able to grab a pen and jot it down before the characters drive me insane with their incessant chatter. I usually know the overall arc before I start writing, I tend to have a good sense of how it will begin and end. Any plotlines, ideas for a chapter or specific conflicts are written down so that I can include at the right time and keep track of my progress. When I realized that Sway was going to be a trilogy, I had to include a much larger arc that spanned three books. Coffee and dark chocolate was a definite must-have item beside me during my writing process. I also like having scented candles on the table while I write which is interesting since those scents can trigger a memory. Whenever I smell frosty pine, it reminds me of when I wrote Sway since I had used that particular candle at the time.
6. Your novels, Sway, Compass, and Destiny in which you draw on personal experiences are about a hard of hearing teenage girl. What advice would you give to today’s teenagers who face the same or similar challenges like your protagonist? What would you tell the bullies?My advice to teenagers who are struggling with issues like this is to believe in yourself and stay strong. If you have a confident personality, you will become less of a target. Instead, they will look up to you and want to be your friend. If it’s a difficult situation, I highly recommend finding someone that you can trust to talk about what’s happening before it gets any worse. Having a sense of support is extremely important. In my experience, there is usually a reason why someone chooses to be a bully and it’s often related to something happening at home and they are transferring their anger on to someone else so that they don’t have to feel the pain. It’s an unfortunate and vicious cycle of hostility. We need to learn to let go of that negativity, we don’t need it in our life. That’s one of the reason’s why I have the phrase "Find the light within you and let it SHINE." written on the back cover of Destiny. It’s to remind people to focus on the positive attributes of their personalities. When I was very young and at a new school, I became a target by a particularly cruel teacher who didn’t know how to deal with disabled kids. That kind of negative attitude was contagious which spread to other teachers and students. They continuously lashed out at me and made going to school a terrifying experience. I wish that someone had listened to me, gave me the support I needed and did something to stop it.
7. Is there an essential advice regarding the craft of creative writing you live and breathe?Yes, keep a journal. Write down your dreams, ideas, intense emotions and thoughts. That’s what I did and many of those moments ended up in my books. It made it easy for me to expand on them and turn it into a wonderful story.
Now, on a more personal note, just so everyone knows that authors are human, not just some ethereal force spewing words onto pages.
8. What makes you laugh? My cats, when they are being silly. And the hilarious antics of Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural.
9. What makes you cry? Whenever I see an animal suffering from neglect. I’m like the cat whisperer around here, they seem to find me and ask to be rescued. I will also cry when I run out of dark chocolate or coffee. Jensen Ackles (aka Dean Winchester) is extremely good at making me cry, he tugs at my heartstrings whenever he is conflicted with his inner demons. * sniff *
10. Favorite film? Do I have to pick just one? For the kid in me, it’s Tangled. To appeal to my geek side, the winner is Serenity. The X-Men series with Hugh Jackman has a special meaning to me since it involves being different from the rest of the society and learning to embrace it.
11. Favorite children’s book? Bruno and Boots by Gordon Korman, I had always wanted to write books like that and A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle for having a unique imagination.
12. What are you reading right now? I just received Midnight Riot by Ben Arronovitch which is similar to the Dresden Files.
13. What is your favorite word? Believe.
14. Which word do you hate? Disabled.
15. Since we’re with words; I’m always on the lookout for a new Oxymoron. Care to share one? “Original Copy” and “New and Improved”
16. What are you wearing right now? Orange jeans, rich purple t-shirt with a large orange heart in the centre that I wore to the Coldplay concert. It’s the beginning of fall and I’m in the mood for something more colourful, especially in warm hues.
17. Favorite junk food? Potato chips.
18. What do you believe? I believe in kindness and not judging people. And that Mulder was right: The truth is out there.
19. What do you think is totally far-fetched? That Obama will put a stop to genetically modified food.
20. When was the last time you tripped and fell in the physical sense? A few weeks ago when one of the cats got tangled up between my feet.
21. And finally: Look at your coffee table. What do you see shouldn’t be there but is and why?A huge stack of books. They belong in a bookcase but I don’t have any room.
Blurb:The trilogy series was based on a true story featuring snapshots of the author's life growing up with a severe hearing loss. Many real life scenarios have been incorporated into the story to provide a rich and sometimes, gritty setting that can be shocking at times to read. Aside from the moral lesson of dealing with a disability, it offers an amazing sense of appreciation of how much it takes to persevere through a difficult time in life. Throughout the turmoil in her life, Jessie discovers that she has friends in the most unexpected places. Together they guide her through some of the darkest moments she has to endure and they help her rise up and believe in herself once again. Synopsis for DESTINY, Book 3: Jessie’s journey began in Sway and Compass. As we continue to follow her in Destiny, she stumbles across a revelation that could change everything and finds herself standing on the precipice of life.
Jessie is determined not to let her hearing loss hold her back. She aims her sights even higher as she ventures in a new direction. With a Black Belt on the horizon, and so close to achieving it, she is unaware of the danger closing in on her. Will she be strong enough to hold on or will she succumb to the darkness that surrounds her?
*Includes BONUS SHORT STORYHappy Holidays...or is it?
Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DYAPLDO
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/destiny-jennifer-gibson/1116046839?ean=2940148392712
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/336082
KOBO: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Destiny/book-AqDVirPKZ0eIajd7PY60rQ/page1.html?s=SGQSeNeegUq2irf7nCaamA&r=1
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-destiny-1241445-140.html
BOB: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/store-home/paranormal-romance/destiny-with-bonus-story-happy-holidaysor-is-it
Author's Bio:
Jennifer is an award winning photographer, freelance Illustrator, graphic designer and published author.
Her photography & graphic design has been featured extensively in many media formats including CHEX TV, National Geographic, SNAP magazine and Watershed Magazine as well as various local tourism/promotional materials. Jennifer's current line of work features professionally designed book covers for authors from around the world.
Jennifer was selected as one of 12 winners for the prestigious 2010 Oticon Focus on People Award and the only Canadian to have won in this national competition (North America). She was nominated as an outstanding individual with a hearing loss and for the portrayal of a hearing impaired teen in her young adult novel entitled Sway. Recently, Sway was nominated as a Finalist in the 2012 InD'tale Magazine RONE Awards.You can view more information about the series at her website http://www.jennifergibson.ca/jennifers-books.php
Latest news are featured on her FB Author page www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferGibson
She's on Twitter: @charmedchickJG
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Gibson/e/B00CAWK4TS/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_nu_X7.ArbA48F9A4
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