Jennifer Vaughn interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

When did your love of books begin?

Hello Readers!

My love affair with books started long ago, at a young age, when pictures and rhyming verses mesmerized me. From there, I was grabbing anything my mom was reading from her nightstand, including classics like Gone With The Wind, To Kill A Mockingbird, and more ... ummm ... adult-themed offerings from Jackie Collins, Stephen King, and Sidney Sheldon.

After college, I became a TV news reporter, and then anchor. I/ve cover everything from presidential politics, Super Bowls, and the daily mundane occurrences of quiet towns and larger cities. I'm the author of six books, including Award-Winning Narrative Nonfiction, and Fiction. I expect my seventh book, this one Romantic Suspense, to be on the launch pad soon for a summer release.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

Deep into my TV career, I gave writing a go. Just started it one day. I found the writing part easy, and the publishing part not so much. It remains that way. Publishing is a long and winding road, with a bunch of potholes and dangerous shortcuts. I recommend you educate yourself about what sort of literary agent may be best to represent your work; and if you even want an agent, be ready for rejection. It's part of the process. Consider what sort of publishing option you prefer, and MAKE CERTAIN you do some research. You can self-publish, you can work up a hybrid of sorts, or you can wait for that dream contract with a Big Five publisher who will endeavor to make your book a bestseller. But, beware, there are many shady operations out there who prey on desperate and uninformed authors. And just know this: the publishing industry is not for the faint of heart. It takes stamina, self-confidence, and determination to make it work with a no matter what it takes attitude.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

For the wannabes out there: JUST DO IT! I talk to writing clubs, students, authors, and hopefuls all the time and this is my enduring message. No, it's not easy, so don't expect it to be--but get all those ideas and thoughts out of your head and onto your journal pages or into the  documents section of your computer right away. Even if you don't have it all worked out in your head yet, don't let the flow of your imagination slip away. The first day of your writing journey is one day closer to your work being read, enjoyed, and hopefully published!

Tell us about your book/books:

My Fiction books mirror much of what I've seen and lived. My TV job provides endless ideas, and richness for plots, twists, character development, crime, resolution, justice, and entanglements I can work with to map out plots, concepts, endings, and dialogue. Life experience, no matter where it is attained, should absolutely help you devise a thick story, layered characters, and delicious scandals. Just click onto social media for that last bit; scandals almost write themselves! My Narrative Nonfiction is based on real life events, and involves a pivot into research, lots of hours on the phone with my subjects, interviews with supporting characters, and reimagined dialogue from long ago. Which genre do I prefer? Neither. I love both the exact same.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

The writing community is like a giant hug for authors. A place to chat with others who adore books in the same way all us writers do. A place for "Hey, keep at it," and "Don't let that get you down," along with "I loved your last book, when is the next one out?" And so much more. If there can be down sides to instantaneous access in this hyper-technological world, social media writing communities are NOT one of them. Instead, they often keep the writer on track and dedicated to what can be a frustrating and difficult world to break into.

Where can people connect with you?

You can find me at www.jvwrites.com or here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Vaughn/e/B005V3RBY4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1650039904&sr=8-1