1. Have you always wanted to be an author?
I started writing stories and poems when I was six, and I have always loved reading, but no, actually, I first wanted to be a teacher. The desire to be an author was a process, a dream I did not always believe to be attainable.
2. Who was your favorite character to write and why?
Kiernan Kane has been my favorite character to write, probably because he makes me laugh. I'm better at making people cry, but I'd rather make them laugh with my writing, which is probably why I love Kiernan so much. I also love that he isn't always the main character, in King's Warrior, he is fairly secondary - a very small role, really - but he is much more than he seems and I enjoyed developing that through the series.
3. I loved Kamarie. How did you come up with her character?
Kamarie was one of the easiest characters for me to write as she is me, or rather, she is who I believe I would be if I were a princess in the Middle Ages in a realm of magic...
4. What project are you working on now?
I just finished the first pass of editing on Second Son, the prequel to King's Warrior, and I am about to begin the editing process on Yorien's Hand, the sequel to King's Warrior.
5. Is there a specific food or drink that you like to have while you are writing?
Dr. Pepper and peanut butter twix... although sometimes I like to have slices of cheddar cheese and ritz crackers instead. It depends on my mood.
6. Do you prefer to write with a pen and paper or on a laptop/computer?
I prefer to write a first draft with a pen and paper, as a lot of editing can then occur when I transfer everything to the computer. However, I rarely get to sit down with a pen and paper anymore, so a lot of my first-drafting is now done at the computer.
7. Brant is a very complex character. Was he hard to write?
Brant's story is fun, in that he wasn't supposed to be a main character. He was only supposed to show up in the first chapter as part of Yole's back-story. The whole book was supposed to be about Kamarie... which, as you know from reading the book, would have made the ending rather different... I was writing the book each day, and my dad was reading every new installment out loud to our family each night, and they all just LOVED Brant so much after his one short scene that I realized I had to make him a main character. At frist he was a hard character to write, because I wanted him to be mysterious, and I wasn't at all sure who he was, but once I figured out his back-story writing his character became much easier.
8. Can you describe your book in 5 words or less?
I have a hard time describing my book in less than 300 words... but I'll give it a try: A family-friendly fantasy adventure.
9. What do you think makes a good story?
A good story has to have several elements. First, I need a character to root for. This does not have to be the main character (for example: I enjoyed reading "The Hunger Games" despite the fact that I really couldn't stand Katniss... I liked Peeta and found him worth rooting for), there has to be a character I can cheer for or identify with or just like. A good story also has to be well-written; not simply error-free, but written as though each scene has been crafted to further the story, no wasted words, etc. A good story alos has to have a lot of action to keep my attention. This doesn't have to mean sword-fights, but it does man that by the end of the book I have to feel as though a lot happened. For example: although "Fellowship of the Ring" is not the most exciting book of the trilogy, it feels when you get to the end as through quite a bit has happened, the characters have grown and changed, as well as traveled a long way and overcome many obstacles. Those are just a few things, I think the ingredients fora good story are many and varied, and some of them depend heavily on the genre, but these three are key no matter what genre you're reading: a likeable character, a well-crafted/well-written story, and a plot that doesn't leave you thinking, "Nothing happened in that entire story."
10. Dogs or cats?
Dragons! Just kidding. I'm one of those weird people who loves both dogs and cats. I had a cat when I was little, and I have always wanted a dog.
I want to thank Jenelle for taking the time to answer these questions. I always love reading about not only how authors feel about different parts of their books, but completely random things as well.
Please be sure to check out the following:
King's Warrior on Goodreads.
My review on King's Warrior.
Jenelle's website
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