Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Jennifer Wright
I love discovering new-to-me authors, don't you? Jennifer writes wonderful historical fiction. Listen in...
1. When did you know you wanted to become an author?
I’ve always known I wanted to do something involving writing. From a very early age, I was drawn to words and stories, but I actually grew up wanting to become a journalist. I was always a very curious—some might even call it “nosy”—child, and journalism seemed a perfect fit to feed that hunger. I even went as far as to get my master’s degree in journalism before deciding I hated being a reporter and switched to fiction writing instead.
2. What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
It’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing so I’ll have to give you two! Firstly, I love the research that comes along with writing, discovering forgotten tidbits of history and immersing yourself in the past. Secondly, I love engaging with readers who connect to the stories that I write in a deep and meaningful way. Many of these readers have become special, life-long friends.
3. How did you learn to write?
I believe writing is a skill best learned by doing, and that’s what I did. I just started writing. Short stories, long stories, newspaper articles, magazine articles—I just wrote. There’s obviously something to be said about reading as much as you can, seeking out friends/mentors who are also writers, and attending classes or seminars. But I believe there’s no better way to learn good writing than to just write and to write as much as you can.
4. What does your writing space look like?
I struggle with ADHD so I have to make sure my writing space is as free of distractions as it can
possibly be. Just my laptop, a few research books and notebooks, and maybe a cup of coffee. Anything else and my mind will wander…
5. How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
Last Light Over Galveston is my fourth book, and my favorite always tends to be the one I’ve just finished! But, in reality, all of my books are special in their own unique way, and I consider the main character of each a special friend.
6. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
In
Last Light Over Galveston, I was surprised to learn just how much the 1900 Galveston hurricane was a human disaster, rather than just a natural one as many assume. Although the storm itself was an act of nature, there were many mistakes made by those in charge—such as ignoring hurricane warnings from Cuba, misunderstanding the science behind such storms, and rejecting calls for a seawall—that made this particular hurricane one of the deadliest.
7. What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book?
There are two main questions: 1) What is God leading me to write about? That is usually where the spiritual thread of my stories comes in. And 2) what is something I’m interested in enough that I could spend the next year of my life reading and writing about it? Because writing a book takes a LONG time, and you will invariably grow weary of a topic before you’re finished with it if you’re not careful!
8. How did publishing your first book change your writing?
This might sound counter-intuitive, but publishing my first book actually taught me to write for myself rather than an audience. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself trying to write what you believe others want to read, even if it’s not the story God has laid on your heart. Publishing my first book taught me firsthand that I will never make everyone happy; two back-to-back reviews said: “This book is too Christian” and then “This book isn’t Christian enough.” So I learned to let go of that need to appease everyone and just write what I felt led to write, trusting my book will find its way into the hands of those who appreciate it.
About Last Light Over Galveston
Galveston, Texas. September 1900
Only months ago, Kathleen McDaniel returned from finishing school in Switzerland to her family home in New York’s Hudson Valley with a future of promise and privilege set before her. But one horrific event shattered her picturesque life. Now she has fled as far as the train line and a pocketful of money would take her, finding refuge at the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum on Galveston Island, where she helps the nuns care for their young charges and prays her past will not find her. Despite her tenuous standing at the orphanage―and the grief and betrayal that drove her from home―Kathleen slowly begins to make friends. There is Emily, the novice nun she rooms with; Maggie, the tempestuous young girl who only bonds with Kathleen; and Matthew, a kind, handsome man recently employed by Isaac Cline at Galveston’s office of the US Weather Bureau.
Then in one fateful day, Kathleen’s fragile new life begins to crack as it becomes clear that she can’t run far enough to escape the reach of her former life. Meanwhile, as troubling news about a storm crossing the Gulf from Cuba swirls in the Weather Bureau offices, Matthew holds fast to Cline’s belief that no hurricane can touch Galveston. But as darkness falls on the island, Kathleen must gather her courage and reach for a strength beyond her own if she―and those she loves―are to survive."
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Photo credits:
Author and book cover: Jennifer Wright
Journal: Pixabay
Galveston Memorial: Pixabay/grahics4fun