My guest today is Jenna Greene. Hello, and welcome to Writing in the Modern Age! It’s such a pleasure to have you here.
Of course!
Can you give us a brief one or two sentence description of your latest book? When did it come out? Where can we get it?
My latest release is Reborn, which was published at the tail end of 2018. Its release was through Foundations Books and it can be found on Amazon Kindle, and all the usual channels, in print or as an e-book.
Nice!
I think it was my destiny to be a writer. My grade two teacher told my parents I had a knack for it, and it all spiraled from there. The creativity was always there, but the encouragement at such a young age meant the thread of ambition came with it.
I am a teacher. I don’t know if I could sit still long enough to be a writer full-time. Besides, working with children helps an author stay imaginative.
I’m half a plotter and half a pantster. (Planster?) I know where my story will begin, and how it should end. The middle is a bit of a muddle, as my characters are a bit feral and have a mind of their own. They really direct how the tale develops.
Imaginative. Quirky. Nerd.
The characters of Alana and Petie from my IMAGINE series. They are hilarious to write. They are Brownies, just a few inches tall, but they have the spunk of giants. I know other characters get annoyed by them, (especially when they need information from the pair), but I simply adore them.
I write sequentially. I can’t do it any other way, as the story is unfolding as I write it. If I didn’t write it from beginning to end, nothing would match and I’d have to do a LOT of editing.
I tend to write in short sprints. I’ll write from twenty minutes to an hour, then take a break. I’ll daydream the next scene (or the next part of the scene) and then write again for another short spurt. If it’s during the teaching year, I’ll write 3-4 times a week. During the summer, I get lots more done, writing 3-4 times a day.
That's fantastic!
I see that you write fantasy/dystopian. Do you find that challenging, or does it come naturally to you?
It’s crazy, since I didn’t read much fantasy as a child. There just wasn’t the wide range of literature available in the 1980s and 1990s as there is today. I knew The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and I read the original Shannara trilogy, but that was it. But a fantasy tale popped into my head one day and I simply went with it. Then, as my teaching career developed, I spent over a decade with a middle school audience and swapping book recommendations with teens. Thus, my love for dystopian literature developed.
The sequel to Reborn will be released some time in 2021. As well, I’m working with illustrators for some picture books.
Nice!
Please list a few of your favorite authors and a top book title for each, so we can check them out too! ;)
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle – Avi
The Hunger Games series (of course) – Suzanne Collins
anything by Victoria Aveyard
Besides writing, give us a random talent or hobby that you have.
I can dance (clumsily), I can nap (any place/ any time), and I can trip over anything (or nothing).
(Laughs.)
Oh, I'm clumsy, too!
So...can you provide some of the obstacles you had to overcome to get published? Is there some advice you'd like to share with your fellow writers to encourage them on their journeys?
Um, I’ve had a publisher accept my novel and then pass away, the company folding with her. That was devastating. I’ve had novels be written and re-written and still not find a home. An author must have a thick skin, and a fearless determination that they will eventually succeed. They have to play the long-game, and just stick with it. Write, submit, write, submit, write, write, read, read, read, read.
I'm sure readers are curious about your next big project. Can you tell us what you've got cooking up now, or is that a secret?
As I mentioned, the sequel to Reborn is in the editing stage. As well, I’m working on a dark fantasy novella for an anthology. It’s not for a YA audience and is quite DARK.
Cool! Thank you so much for stopping by Writing in the Modern Age! It was such a pleasure to have you here!
Readers, this is the blurb for Reborn.
Those who bear marks on their skin are doomed to a life of slavery. Lexil has seven.
Sold into servitude, Lexil must deal with brutal punishments, back-breaking labor, and the loss of every freedom. When a young child she has befriended faces a horrible fate, Lexil must intervene to protect her, no matter the risk.
With the help of a boy named Finn, the trio flee into the Wastelands. There, they must evade those who hunt them while trying to survive a barren landscape. Lexil must face challenges she's never imagined existed, all while learning what it means to truly be reborn.
The Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this stunning new release. Buy REBORN now to find out if being branded a reborn is a myth, a curse... or a destiny.
Here is an excerpt.
She eased her arms forward and pressed her palms into the dirt. As soon as she lifted her back, she emitted a sound that was half-scream and half-gasp. It took a long time before she rose to her knees, and even then her body was shaking. Fresh tears rolling down her cheeks, she lifted her trembling chin and gazed at the fading stars.
What did I do to deserve this punishment?
Nothing. They’d found an excuse. She was a slave, destined to be used and abused at the whim of others, all because she’d lived a previous life. Or so they said. Finn didn’t believe it, though it was a bit unclear whether he didn’t think doing so merited servitude. For her own part, Lexil wondered how great her former life had been. Had she been rich? Happy? Had it been such that she now deserved this fate to balance the scales.
Wobbly legs struggled to support her as she rose to a standing position using the fence for balance. Lacking food, her stomach expelled bile. Wiping it from her chin, she drew in slow breaths and blinked moisture from her eyes.
Then she saw them. The glowing orbs that stalked her each time she was alone in the dark. Like beacons, they cut through the blackness around her. Though her breathing stalled, her heartbeat remained steady. Holding still, as much for prudence as a necessity, she stared back at the shining eyes.
A paw edged forward, just reaching the sphere of her vision, large and tinged with silver, but mostly dark. The other foot appeared a second later, accompanied by a low growl.
“Lexil!”
She jerked and instinctively shut her eyes. By the time she recovered, the creature was gone. As if it stole her energy with its departure, her knees buckled, and she slumped forward.
Arms slid around her. “I’ve gotcha, girlie.”
Miller’s voice. Why was he here?
Fear and relief collided. From her core to her exterior, she shook. The beating, the creature… all too much. As she was lifted, her lids slipped closed again, and her mind faded into blankness.
Purchase Link:
Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/mdnPxl
Wow, it looks like such an intriguing story!
What are people saying about Reborn?
We'll be sure to check out this dystopian fantasy novel!
https://books2read.com/u/mdnPxl
Author Bio
Jenna Greene is an author
from Lethbridge, Alberta. She is also the co-host of Quill and Ink: A Podcast
for Booklovers.
Website/Blog: www.jennagreene.ca
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Greene/e/B07MFR13KY/
No comments:
Post a Comment