We recently connected with Jennifer Taylor and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

I’ve always enjoyed entertaining others with my writing. Still, I was not quite sure that I could make a living out of it, so like many, I chose a lucrative career in accounting after college but continued my writing as a hobby. I grew up in a time when letter writing was still prevalent. I went away to college, so I would write short stories and send them home to family and friends. They would look forward to receiving my mail which inspired me to continue writing. As a mother, I would write stories for my children and read them at bedtime. My children outgrew my stories when they became pre-teens. They were bored with some of the short stories I had written for them. I thought hard about this because they had become my number one audience. I thought about what I was writing for them. I was writing a mirror of their lives, mostly about families living in the suburbs, which sparked no interest in them because it was familiar to them. One day, I decided to write about five kids growing up in the intercity of a small town in Birmingham, AL. I decided to mirror my life to give them a different perspective. I would write a few chapters each night and read them aloud to them. As I read, the room was quiet. You could hear a pin drop. I had managed to capture the attention of two pre-teens, a boy and a girl. When they asked me for the chapters, I knew I was on to something. I wrote each night until I finished my first published novel, “Missing Picture.” Because of social media and word of mouth, my audience expanded beyond family and friends. I received so many positive comments about “Missing Picture” from people I didn’t know, which was tremendously gratifying. My new fans, as well as family and friends, wanted more. My second novel, “One Who is Loved,” pulled a character from Missing Picture. I can’t even describe my emotions when writing One Who is Love. This story was born strictly from my imagination, and I enjoyed every moment I spent with each character. Hence, the birth of my third novel, “At What Cost,” creating a trilogy, was born.
What started as a story about five kids growing up in the intercity grew into a thriller, suspense, and mystery with a touch of romance. I enjoy writing and spending time with my characters to bring great stories for the entertainment of my fans and future fans.

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I could think of a few things I want my readers to know most about me. I’m passionate about writing stories that are not predictable but captivating, leaving readers entertained and wanting more. I’m always thinking about my characters and what type of emotions I want to spark in my readers. I don’t have a method, I allow my creative juices to flow, and because I’m always thinking about current and future projects, I never know when that great moment will hit me. I’m most proud of the trilogy that I have written, “Missing Picture,” One Who is Loved,” and “At What Cost.”

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As a writer, I have learned that scammers will come after you when you publish your novel. I feel that I can recover quickly from difficult situations. A few years ago, someone posing as a literary agent contacted me about “One Who is Loved.” She told me that a well knows publisher had reached out to her agency. Supposedly that publisher was very interested in “One Who is Loved .”She said that the publisher wanted to publish it, but it would require an investment to have it re-formatted to the publisher’s standard. She told me her agency was willing to put forth the asset, but it would require a small investment from me. I romanticized what my trilogy would look and feel like on the big screen. I had even envisioned actors and actresses for who I wanted to pay the part. I invested my portion. It was a scam. I beat myself up for being gullible, but I quickly moved on and summed it up to a learning moment. I still receive calls almost every day from scammers. Sometimes, I entertain them, but mostly I ignore the calls.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My best source of new readers continues to be driven by recommendations from current readers to social media. I’m working on becoming more active on social media. I’ve joined several writer’s network groups. I’ve also created a website where I can interact with readers and receive their feedback.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jennifertaylor.us
• Instagram: taylorgigi_
• Facebook: Jennifer Taylor
• Linkedin: Jennifer Taylor
• Twitter: @taylorgigi_

Image Credits
Photographers: Marc Alexander: (White outfits, Green outfit on ledge in front of ocean) IG: marcphoto1966 Tyrone Griffin: (photos of me in jeans/brown vest/black jacket: IG: theblackmarket.com_art Kimberly McDonald: (Green sweater in apartment in NYC and black outfit in front of bridge) IG: kimberlyaleah