Jennifer Taylor: A Woman of Many Talents

 

Jennifer Taylor is another fabulous Pen Dame. She is also an author with many talents. She sings, dances, and has a green thumb. She is also mom to a ginormous Great Dane named Bridget.

1.      Jennifer, tell us a little about your musical talent. Did you aspire to be a singer and a dancer?

 Hello, Loretta! Thanks for interviewing me today. That’s a great question. Music is in my bones-my mother was a singer and dancer, and my two brothers are both musicians. I grew up listening to music, my mom’s Goldfinger album, my sister’s Beach Boy albums. I spent hours in front of the mirror singing to my favorite tunes. I wanted-and still want to be--one of Elton John’s backup dancers. In elementary school, I started singing and dancing with a good friend who helped me come out of my shell. In college, I performed at Boblo Island Amusement Park, which was in the middle of the Detroit River. Singing is still a joy to me, and I sing to Bridget a lot with mixed results; sometimes she seems concerned that I may be having a fit of some sort.

2.      What are your favorite things to grow and do you have any special gardening secrets you’d like to share?

I love to grow cucumbers, and when I have a great yield it’s so satisfying. Sometimes gardening is sheer drama. One year I plant Pickle Barrel Hybrids and get a huge yield. Joy! The next year I am bereft of cucumbers. Despair! I am on a mission to grow some good tomatoes this winter. Lazy Housewife Beans (so lazy last year they didn’t sprout), cilantro, hot peppers and arugula for my husband. When you garden in Florida, you always have to deal with pests and mildew. My personal nemesis is the pickleworm. Gardening is relaxing to me and teaches me patience.

 

3. When did your writing journey begin and what drew you to writing?

It all started with music lyrics. I love how they fit together like a puzzle, and how they tell a story in four minutes or less. My childhood friend Diane and I memorized the entire lyrics to the 70’s version of Lost Horizon, and pretty much every song on the radio. I read constantly. It was an escape, an adventure, and introduced me to what good writing is. Wuthering Heights was the first historical romance I read. I thought how cool it would be to create a world of my own making. When my children were young, I tried my hand at children’s books and little plays I helped put on at school. It was a great learning experience.

3.      What are your writing must-haves (e.g. coffee, TV, music, popcorn, post-it notes, etc.)?

Lots of coffee, a content and sleeping Bridget, big strips of butcher paper to work out my plot, and very low instrumental music. If I’m close to a deadline, a Kinder Bueno candy bar saves the day. I have two six-foot folding tables for a desk, so I can spread things out. If my desk is neat, I must not be writing!

4.      What would you consider a perfect writing day for you?

A cottage or cabin on the wild Irish coast. My desk is right where I can see the storm raging. There’s a chill in the air, but a fireplace is roaring. That would do nicely.

5.      I am a travel-lover. What is the most favorite place you have traveled and why?

Ooh, that’s a tricky one. Edinburgh is one of my favorite places, with the castle ominously perched on a rocky cliff. If you walk the streets at night in Rye, England, you could be in the 15^th Century. Rye inspired the setting of my fictional town of King’s Harbour in my Rhythm of the Moon historical romance series. I also loved Nuremburg, Germany, the ancient city walls, the old churches, and the smell of beechwood in the air from the restaurants, the bratwurst, sauerkraut, amazing baked goods.  Food and travel definitely go together for me.

6.      If your books were to be made into a television series, who would you want to play the part of your hero, heroine and main secondary character, and why?

Benedict Cumberbatch would be great as my singer/apothecary hero, Ian. Especially since I found out he can sing. Jessica Brown Findley, who played Lady Edith in Downton Abbey, would work well for my heroine Maggie. Eva Green from the Penny Dreadful series would be amazing as the identical twins Elunid and Bethan.

7.      Besides writing, you also edit for a publishing company. What advice would you give newbie authors?

Read a lot, especially in the genre that you would like to write in. Keep a daily journal that will serve as a place to stash your ideas, your emotions through your writing journey. Don’t try to be perfect, and don’t compare yourself to others. Get those words on page every day, even if all you have is fifteen minutes. Turn off your inner editor for that first draft. Your story will likely go through many stages before it’s complete. And don’t give up.

Also, research the market, find out what publishing companies are looking for. Learn about the business end. And this is a big one: if an editor rejects your partial or your full manuscript but takes the time out of a busy schedule to email you with suggestions about your story, swallow your disappointment, give your manuscript a few days to rest, and then really consider what they have to say. Consider a rejection to be one step closer to publication.

Soak up craft books like Donald Maass’ Writing the Breakout Novel. Before you send your work to an editor, make sure it’s as free of grammatical and punctuation errors as possible. It’s all part of being a professional. And last of all, don’t get discouraged-enjoy the journey of writing your book. (Great advice, Jennifer.)

8.      Do you have any new writing projects on the horizon that you’d like to share with us?

Yes, it’s quite a change from writing historicals set in the 18^th Century. I’m continuing my Rhythm of the Moon series, but I’m currently working on a Redneck romance. It’s set in a fictional town in rural Florida

10. If you do have a new writing project, what was your inspiration for the book?

It all started with a picture of a man and his possum, and a postcard of a hot guy on a beach. I’ve lived in rural Florida for over thirty years, and I’ve been taking notes on this book since 2013. I’ve collected a ton of one-liners. It’s very fun to write.  . (This sounds intriguing. Being a Native Floridian, I’m looking forward to reading about what shenanigans you come up with.)

Thanks for having me on today, Loretta.

I’m sure readers will enjoy learning about your wit and sense of humor, Jennifer. You’ve really entertained us.

Okay viewers, it’s your turn. What question would you like to ask Jennifer? (Remember, no political, religious, or immoral questions. Keep it fun.)