Today I am super-excited to have with me on the blog Jen Wylie, author of The Broken Ones and Tales of Ever. Make sure to check back tomorrow for my review of Broken Prince and for your chance to win a copy ๐
Lillian: Thank you so much Jen for being here!
Jen: Thank you SO much for having me, Lillian! Iโm so excited to be here. ๐
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Lillian: So I already know you’re an amazing writer, but what do you do in your free time?
Jen: I live in the country, not even in a village, and am not a big fan of cities. ๐ I’m a stay at home mom of two darling boys. When I’m not reading or writing (or editing) I putter about with various crafts. Otherwise I try to to be Supermom and keep the chaotic house in some semblance of order. Hmm I suppose I should also note I live in Ontario, Canada. Yes we get a lot of snow. I dislike snow. ๐
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Lillian (laughing): I’m with you on the snow. Of course I’ve never lived north of Tennessee so…..anyways, what inspired you to become a writer?
Jen: I started puttering with stories in public school, and then got more into it in high school. I finished my first book then, and it thankfully got taken by a computer crash ๐ (It was pretty bad) Iโve pretty much always written since then, except for a few years when the kids were born since I didnโt have the time.
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Lillian: Was there an author or book that influenced you?
Jen: Not any one book, no. My mother started me reading at a very young age, and in my early teens I was reading McCaffrey, Lackey, Eddings and whatever else I could steal from her bookshelves.
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Lillian (smiling): Tales of Ever and the Broken Ones are so unique. Both have extensive world-building so I have to ask…where do you get your ideas?
Jen: My brain is constantly thinking of stories. Sometimes on long drives Iโll โwriteโ a whole book in my ย head. I really have no clue where they come from, my mind just never shuts down and keeps them coming ๐ Trying to get my brain to stop and concentrate on just one story or scene so I can write it down is the hard part.
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Lillian: The relationships between characters are so believable. Aro and her “family”, the love they have for each other is so poignant. Is there anything in your books based on real-life experiences or is it purely imagination?
Jen: I suppose a few things here and there are. Iโm a very emotional person, and that certainly shows up in my writing. For the most part everything is made up, though I do enjoy doing research on landscapes, food, clothing, weapons etc so that they fit with my fantasy worlds.
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Lillian: Some of my favorite scenes are the interactions between Aro and Kei. Kei just seems to bring out the best in her. What was your favorite part to write?
Jen: My favorites are the beginnings. Once I get about 40k into a story my brain is starting to jump ahead to other ideas, so then the writing slows down. Endings are horrible for me, because the stories never want to stop!
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Lillian: Don’t stop then ๐ If you could go back and do it all over again, is there anything you would change in your books?
Jen: Nothing major, just little things like a few odd details I mentioned later, or should have mentioned, like a street name or some foreshadowing.
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Lillian: so what are you working on now?
Jen: Iโm currently working on Book 3 of the Broken Ones. Iโm about 70% finished with it.
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Lillian: Yay! Can’t wait for that one….do you have any advice you’d like to share with aspiring writers?
Jen: Do your homework, there is so much online you can learn from, proper editing, marketing, advice on queries and even simple things like the proper word count for different genres. Authors are wonderful people so donโt hesitate to befriend some! Iโm always happy to ย answer any questions I can (Unfortunately I donโt have time to read books though). There are a lot of critic groups out there that can help a lot too.
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Lillian: Good advice! Anything you’d like to share with your fans?
Jen: Mwah! I love you all! You have all be so wonderfully supportive and constantly brighten my day with posts, messages etc and kind reviews. Your support has certainly pushed me to keep writing more stories! ~~hugs and rainbows!~~
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Lillian (serious): Now for the hard questions…favorite color?
Jen: Black
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Lillian: Favorite movie?
Jen: Princess Bride
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Lillian: Favorite TV show?
Jen: Firefly
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Lillian: Favorite place to write?
Jen: In my room, at my desk
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Lillian: Last question and quite possibly the most important….what brand of cereal best describes you and why?
Jen: Best describes meโฆ Something sugary and brightโฆ Trix I guess.
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Lillian: Well that’s all my questions for now. Thank you again so much for being here! I’m really looking forward to what comes next in the Broken Ones ๐
If you are interested in purchasing one of Jen’s fabulous books, click the title below.
Author Bio:
Jen Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with herย two boys, Australian shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.ย
Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.
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Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people donโt. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.
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To learn more about Jen, connect with her below:
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