Freesytle Friday-Author Interview with Jordan Deen

Today the Oasis has the honor of interviewing debut YA author Jordan Deen.  Her novel, CRESCENT, was released earlier this year.  The sequel will be released early next year.

Here's her bio courtesy of her website:

I grew up in a small town 45 minutes outside of East St. Louis, Illinois.  I discovered my talent for wordsmithing at the age of seven when my family home burnt down.  Of course losing my family home wasn't exciting enough!  So, aliens did it.  The dogs wanted revenge against the cats becuase they could be inside... you get the idea.
At twelve, my family relocated to California and I've continued to concentrate on my love of all things reading, writing and story-telling.
My reading taste hovers towards the YA audience as there is just something authentic and magical about first loves and building friendships that will last a lifetime (or not). 
Even though 'The Crescent' is a YA Urban Fantasy, I tend to write a bit of everything.  I have a few edgy YA novels in process, a book about witches, a Sci-Fi novel and several others that I'm not sure where they are going yet.  Again, I write what I feel, when I'm feeling it.

Writing is like the air I breathe, I'd die without it.

Without further adieu. I give you...Jordan Deen!   

 

1.     How long have you been writing? Was it always a passion or was it a craft you slowly grew to love? 

Hi everyone! Thanks for having me. I’ve been writing poetry, songs, and short stories since I was seven. But, my first completed novel came about two years ago. I never thought I could sit down and write a full length novel—it wasn’t until I sat down and started writing a story that I loved, that I realized I had the makings of a series rushing around in my head. Four novels, and less than six month later—I realized I could do it. Of course that writing was extremely rough, but it was just the beginning.

2.     Any insider tips for stress-release after a grueling day of writing, editing, or waiting for news?  

My best advice is to take time off. Pencil it in if you have to. Don’t write and write and write unless your muse will not be silenced. If you are forcing things too much, it’s time to walk away for a day. Make sure you spend time with your family and your friends—every experience can bring motivation!

3.     As a wife and mother who also holds down a full-time job, how do you balance that part of your life with writing?

I’m extremely lucky that my five year old is as in love with books as I am. He knows what I’m doing at the computer and he knows how important it is to me. It amazes me how he can understand what is going on at such a young age. I’m lucky enough to have a spouse that is big enough to admit he doesn’t understand what I’m doing, and at times, why I’m doing it. But, he supports me all the same. I think that for me it’s more important for me to have the space and protected time to write. Without that, being able to creatively and coherently weave together make believe worlds would be impossible for me. My child and hubs truly understand that is a *must* have for me.

4.     Can you tell us a little about your writing process?

I do work full time, ten hours a day. I’m usually away from my house at least twelve hours a day between drive time and so forth. So, when I get home, it’s a show or two with my boys, dinner and some quality time with my four legged children- (Autumn and Shortie, my German Shepherd and Westie). After that, the son is in bed by 8, hubs in bed by 8:30, and my writing time begins. I usually write from around 8:30 to 12pm, however, my thoughts roam to the characters, the book, the scenario, and their plight all day long. I usually have two to three chapters floating around in my head at one time.

5.     Any writing advice for aspiring authors?

Never give up. Don’t write putting the expectation on yourself that you have to get published or else. Writing should be fun and it should be personal. There should be part of yourself in your novels. Don’t write to the market- write what you feel and who you are. The market will catch up to you.

6.     Congratulations on the recent release of Crescent.  I’ve obviously read the whole thing and I really enjoyed it! How did you find your style? 

‘The Crescent’ is actually my seventh novel. I think I’m still finding my style. I think as your life and experiences change, so does your writing. I think the stories and characters I’m writing now are different, stronger, and more confident than my first characters. So, seeing that difference now, I know in another three years my characters will change again.

7.     There’s a wonderful story behind why you chose werewolves and Grant in particular.  Will you share it with our readers?

Of course. This story always gets a really great laugh since I’m a grown woman and I shouldn’t be scared to be home alone. However, I do live five miles off dirt road and there are no street lights or neighbors where I live. One night, I was home alone and my dogs wouldn’t quiet down. My (late) German Shepherd, Biscuit, wouldn’t let me back into the house and my imagination took over. Although the dog probably just wanted some attention, I decided that someone was had broken into the house and the dog knew I was in danger. Yup, go ahead and laugh. However, I was freaked out. I let both of my dogs into the house to check every room, every closet, every nook and cranny of the house to make sure no one was hiding to get me. Of course, no one was there, but it got my brain going. I was actually working on another novel at the time and I stopped to write out the story of Grant and the girl he is destined to protect, Lacey. It was a frightening and amazing experience.

8.     The sequel HALF MOON is under process, can you tell us anything about it? 

‘Half Moon’ is the continuation of ‘The Crescent’—the story of Lacey Quinn and her discovery that she is destined to become a werewolf. In the first novel, Lacey is faced with the ultimate decision between her heart and her head. In ‘Half Moon’ we get introduced to more of the Amanas, their hierarchy, how Lacey was stolen, and who her real family is. The story gets more detailed and into the ‘meat and potatoes’ of this werewolf world that is getting darker and darker as the pages go on and on. I can not wait to share ‘Half Moon’ with everyone.

9.     Do you have any other works you’d like to share with us?

I have so many other novels in the works right now. (I think that is every writer, though!) I think the one that I’m focusing on right now that I’m really anxious to share, is ‘Benches’. It’s an edgy young adult novel about a young girl and her family that has to flee their small town amidst rumors of adultery and arson. She is lost and struggling to hang onto a past that is based on nothing more than lies. The second part of the story follows Danny, a boy that is lost in his own right and struggling to figure out any possible future. He has been hurt by his family and the existence he's come to accept means he’s just barely getting through each day. It’s a strong, passionate story of the trials that life likes to throw at us sometimes and how we try to ignore them, avoid them or struggle through them.

10. If you could pick one book to bring to your own private oasis, what would it be?

This is a no brainer for me- if it is my own book, it’s have to be ‘Benches’. If it’s not one of my own, it would be ‘Perfect Chemistry’ by Simone Elkeles. It is by far my favorite book and I have read it so many times that I can almost quote it to you page by page. In fact, I just picked it back up again—for the close to thirtieth time. Shhh… don’t tell anyone… Oh, wait. 

ROFL.  Thanks for joing us Jordan.  As always it's a pleasure to have you.  

Book cover and blurb of CRESCENT.  Please visit her website for details on the release of it's sequel.

Becoming a werewolf is not an option for seventeen-year-old Lacey Quinn, but death can be a strong motivator.   Lacey is so focused on her future that everyday life has passed her by. Counting down the days to her eighteenth birthday, Lacey is almost home free. But when she falls for the mysterious Alex Morris, she lands in the middle of an ancient war between two enemy wolf packs. Tempting dreams, tantalizing lies and a dangerous love triangle ensues leaving Lacey heartbroken and confused. Lacey's fate rests in the hands of Alex and Brandon, but both are pulling her strings for their own agendas. Even as she slips further into the dark world of werewolves, Lacey struggles to find the truth and save the only family she's ever know.