We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Shaw. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As an introvert, I enjoy my alone time and spent much of it observing the world around me, pondering life and exploring “what if” scenarios. While I use my musing and life experiences to inspire my creative works, I am not much of a story planner. That said, I always have a good idea of where to start my novels, where to end, and approximately what needs to happen in the middle to move my story toward a resolution. The rest is undecided. Beyond this loose plan, I usually have an overarching theme that I weave into my novels.

Once I have my stories premise, I will develop all-encompassing meaning or message and careful sow those seeds into my protagonist’s journey. For example, the overall undertone of my fantasy adventure is our shared desire to find acceptance and belonging, as expressed through Callum’s longing for friendship, family connections, and a place to call home.

This process allows me the freedom to let my creative juices flow, and, at times, the story feels as though it is writing itself, and I’m just along for the ride. These moments of in the zone writing have often create scenes for which I receive the most compliments.

Jennifer, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always wanted to become a published author. Once I decided to pursue that goal, I spent a few years searching for an agent and publisher and received some offers of representation. In the end, I chose to self-publish, for two reasons. Firstly, I could not bring myself to sell the rights to my creative works any more than I could sell my children. Secondly, those wanting to buy my work had expressed their plans to change some details. In my mind, the thought of altering my stories was akin to someone buying the “Mona Lisa” and drawing eyebrows on her, and I could not, in good conscience, allow that to happen.

Admittedly, self-publishing is far from easy, and the learning curve is daunting. I had to educate myself on the ins and outs of marketing, social media, and how to generate an online presence. I have attended countless book signings, author talks, and other events so the world might know that my novels exist, all the while penning the next few books in my series. Through it all, I have learned that patience and perseverance are crucial requirements for any author.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As I write, I cannot help but pour my heart and soul into my creative works, and publishing takes courage as I leave myself vulnerable to critique in an often unforgiving world. Writing is a passion, and each novel is an individual expression. It is important to remember why I am writing, otherwise, I can become lost trying to meet the needs and expectations of everyone else, and my art will become stale and emotionless. For this reason, every time I sit down to write, I take a moment to remind myself that whatever I create must come from my heart.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I started writing over thirty years ago because I needed a creative outlet. My mother had just bought me a typewriter at the time, I tried my hand at writing and loved it. However, what started as hobby, soon became a passion and, eventually, an obsession. Now, I write because its entertaining and emotional therapy all rolled into one.

Although I spent much of my life writing, I was never brave enough to share my stories. It was not until 2019, after being diagnosed with autism and ADHD, that I wondered if writing was my special interest. My diagnosis gave me the courage to send the first manuscript in my series to an editor. Not only was their feedback overwhelmingly positive, but I was strongly encouraged to publish. Two years later, I did just that, and, as of now, I have three books published and a fourth on the way.

Beyond my publishing career, I am a wife and mother of two busy boys who demand much of my time and attention. While all the myriad of tasks required for publishing can be scheduled, outsourced, or even deferred, quality time with my children cannot. It is, therefore, no surprise that one of my biggest challenges as an author is finding the time to write, but I persist in those moments of silence because it is my passion.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jmshawauthor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmshaw_author
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmshawauthor
• Other: Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/27659310.J_M_Shaw