BookHuntersBlog.com: Did you study the craft of writing or dive right into it?
Jennifer Brown: Ultimately I dove right in, but I also turned to different specialty books on how to write love scenes, crime scenes, etc., to broaden my knowledge, and out of interest.
BHB: What do you think of our society’s obsession with celebrities? Are we taking it too far?
JB: To some degree, yes. I think the paparazzi take it too far, and a lot of people get tired of the constant press. Then there are those that seem to feed on it, and go out and buy tabloids every week.
BHB: Would you trade your privacy for fame and fortune?
JB: I am very introverted and suffer from severe anxiety so privacy is a virtue and absolute necessity for me. As long as I have readers who enjoy my books and look forward to what I have in store next, nothing else matters.
BHB: What do you think about the future of books with all the new technology coming out (like Kindle and foldable screens)?
JB: I think it’s inevitable with everything turning digital in a computer age. Although myself I prefer to be able to hold a book in my own hands. Nothing will ever compare to that. But as long as there is a market for it (new technology), and people willing to use it I can’t be totally against it.
BHB: How difficult was the publishing process for you?
JB: Nothing great is ever easy. It takes time to find the right publisher, and even if you decide to self publish there are so many things to consider, and it can be very nerve wracking. But the end result always makes it worth it.
BHB: How much of your own promotion do you do?
JB: I do most of it, at least what I can afford. I run my own site (http://www.jenniferbrownauthor.weebly.com) and put out a trailer for each book I do and usually try to think up something fun to coincide with each release. For instance, with Celebrity Secrets I came up with an online quiz to see which character the reader is most like.
BHB: Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?
JB: Choose a publisher carefully. When coming up with writing ideas, go with different twists, something out of the ordinary that will catch both a reader and publisher’s eye.
BHB: What are your future plans?
JB: I hope to have Secrets Unearthed, the next book in the Celebrity Secrets series out this summer. I’m currently working on a novel, as well as a mystery series “Unscripted” involving a filmmaker. I have other suspense stories in the works as well, and my short story “What the Past Hides” will be included in an upcoming anthology by the Word Weavers.
BHB: How do you juggle writing with the rest of your life?
JB: I pace myself with it. Due to past experience, I hand write everything before typing it out on disk, therefore I take some writing with me at times when I know there will be a wait, like at the doctor’s office for example. Writing time is not easy to find, but if you love it enough you’ll find it!
BHB: Do you have any methods or rituals to your writing?
JB: Since I work on so much at once, I read what I wrote beforehand on whatever story I am preparing to work on, and then of course, proofread once I am done with a chapter. Often people wonder how I manage so much at once, but it is not so hard as long as you do that.
BHB: How do you find inspiration?
JB: Ideas hit me when I least expect them. The best ideas always surprisingly come that way.
BHB: Was there one certain event or happening that made you want to write a book?
JB: I have always had a vivid imagination, and writing was always fun to me. In the third grade, my love for writing was born when my reading teacher wanted us to write a story. I and my classmates got on the floor in groups that day to get to work, and I just took the lead.
BHB: What do you do against writer’s block?
JB: I usually just take a step back, a little break. I allow the flow to come to me when it’s ready.
BHB: Do you use an outline when writing? Do you stay linear or do you skip in time?
JB: I normally let everything come to me in the moment. I think, just in my experience that outlines are a waste of time when it comes to how I write. Sometimes I have a small idea of how I want things to go, but that can always change really quickly and it even surprises me…but it makes total sense too!
BHB: How difficult was it to get an agent?
JB: I have never tried to obtain an agent. Who can sell my book better than I, the one who wrote it?
BHB: How important is a good website and do you utilize blogging?
JB: As mentioned earlier, with the electronic age a good website is imperative to reach a broader audience. Blogging is an excellent way to interact with readers and I use it as much as possible to not only write on different topics but promote my books as well.
BHB: What do you prefer and why: Mass-market paperback or hard cover for your debut novel?
JB: I like paperback myself, because it’s less expensive. The less expensive a book is, the more likely someone will read it, especially with rising prices on everything else. (Gas, prescriptions, etc.)
BHB: What are the most difficult and rewarding aspects of being a published writer?
JB: It’s difficult finding a publisher where you fit in, one where others will not ridicule you. Everyone has their own opinions which they are entitled to, but I am getting my work out there to be read and enjoyed. There will always be someone out there who loves your work, and those who scrutinize it. Just hearing someone say they loved my work is rewarding enough, next to holding the first copy of the result of my hard labor in my hands.
Thank you for this opportunity, and good luck in your career!
Jennifer Brown Profile
