Getting to Know you with Jennifer Slattery

Getting to know you with Jennifer Slattery

1.   Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 I’d love to. I have a fierce addiction to flavored almond-milk lattes (wow, just reading that makes me feel high maintenance. Sigh.), and this is equaled only by my ferocious addiction to books of all genres. I’m married to my best friend, and we’ll be celebrating our twentieth this fall, celebrating with a  week-long trip to the beautiful Northwest America. Hoorah! We’ve got a hilariously fun seventeen year-old daughter who’s about to launch from the nest, and I love how writing makes it socially acceptable—even profitable!—to slip into imaginary worlds of my making as often and for as long as I desire.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

One book I remember quite fondly is called The Bun. It’s a Russian version of The Gingerbread Man. My father used to read, or rather, sing this story to my siblings and I, which is probably why I have such fond memories of it. I can still hear his deep voice, lilting and dropping, as he read. Isn’t it lovely how books can draw individuals together and really cement memories in their minds? I’ve often credited my father for my love of words, not just because of his sing-songy story telling but also because of rhyming games he and I often played together when I was young.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

 

I write what my publisher has termed “missional fiction”, which is a genre that often touches on social issues and mankind’s need to make a positive difference in their world. I love reading and writing stories with grit; those that initiate and challenge thinking while motivating positive action. Though I can appreciate a good escapist story, they’re not my favorite. Those that make me cry, grit my teeth and fist my hands, then laugh before crying again—now that’s my kind of novel!

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I had an obsession and fascination with Shakespeare in my teenage years, and I also loved Charles Dickens. I went through a poetry phase, preferring older works than contemporary ones.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

 Writing as a career took me by surprise. Though I’ve always enjoyed writing and have played around with words my whole life, I never considered pursuing publication until around 2009. Prior to that, my heart was set on finding a career that actually made money! Haha. But I’m driven by a strong faith and felt a clear call to write. The only rational decision, it seemed, was to obey, and I’m glad I did. I’ve found such fulfillment in doing what I believe I was created to do.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

It’s been quite a journey! The best thing I did, career-wise, was join writers groups where I connected with and learned from other writers. I also started attending conferences, reading craft books, writing articles, blogging, participating in contests. Doing those things allowed me to hone my skills, grow my connections, build my platform, and discover and settle into my preferred genre.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I’ve always wanted to either be a teacher or be involved in church ministry.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

Oh, my, this could be a long list! I love spending time with my family, whether we’re going for a casual walk or on an exciting trip across the country. I also love trying new things, be it foods or activities, and visiting new places. If I can try new things with my family, even better!

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

Absolutely, though this could be a long list as well! I love Boulder, CO with all its art galleries and bookstores. I absolutely adore Sedona, AZ with its beautiful red rock, trendy stores, and outdoor activities. I’m completing this interview from La Jolla, CA, a tourist town nearby San Diego, watching the waves roll in and children run along the beach. I also love Seattle, WA, with its unique culture, fabulous art galleries, and wonderful food. I really should write a novel set in each of those locations!

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

 

This is going to sound so boring, but for sure I’d say my hubby and daughter. They’re my favorite people and truly make life fun. As for a third person… that’s tough. That’s really tough, actually. I have so many wonderful family members and friends. I’d maybe say Kathleen Freeman, one of my critique partners, only because I adore her and we’ve never had a chance, as of yet, to chat in person. Plus, she’s crazy talented, so it’d be fun to be in the presence of literary genius.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

Absolutely. My latest release, When Dawn Breaks, is about a realtor who, after plunking her life savings into her beachfront dream home, is displaced by a hurricane. As the hurricane forces Jacqueline to evacuate, her need for purpose and restitution propel her north to her estranged and embittered daughter and into the arms of a handsome new friend. However, he’s dealing with his own issues, including a conspiracy at work that could cost him everything, and she’s not sure he’ll be the one she can lean on in the difficult days ahead. Then there are the three orphans to consider. Must Jacqueline relinquish her chance at having love again in order to find purpose and be restored? And can God use a woman who failed her own daughter to bring hope to someone else’s children?

 

I have another release coming out in October titled Intertwined. This one is about an organ procurement coordinator torn between the job she considers her life’s mission and the challenges of raising her children as a single parent.

Abandoned by her husband, an organ procurement coordinator fighting to keep her job and her sanity encounters an old flame facing an unthinkable tragedy.

 For Tammy Kuhn, being an organ procurement coordinator is more than a job. It’s a ministry. But when her husband of sixteen years leaves her for another woman, struggles with childcare, her absentee ex-husband, and an altercation with a doctor threaten her job. Embittered and overwhelmed, she fights to maintain her sanity when a late night encounter with an old flame stirs emotions long since buried but the ICU is no place for romance.

Readers can visit me online at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com, on my group blog at http://faithfriendschocolate.com, on Twitter @Jenslattery or at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte

 Thank you so much for having me and letting me chat with your readers! J