We caught up with the brilliant and insightful D.L. Jennings a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, D.L. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

One of the earliest memories I have is my mom reading us “The Magician’s Nephew” by C.S. Lewis, part of the Chronicles of Narnia. For the life of me I couldn’t tell you why that one stands out more than the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, but it always has. I think it has to do with the magical escapism that came with it, and the intrigue of the characters.

My parents fostered a love of reading in me that continues to this day, and I fully credit both of them for my love of fantasy, the genre in which I now write. My mother’s deep love for all things Tolkien spilled over into me, and I remembering reading the Hobbit before I could drive, and the Lord of the Rings before I could legally drink (and reading it as an adult who CAN drink is a special experience in itself).

My parents’ encouragement of my writing and pursuit of my career as a fantasy author is the best thing I have going for me. While my mother passed away before she could read my third book, I was able to read her my notes and intentions for the story — and she was as proud and invested as any human being could be.

D.L., 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 grew up a fantasy reader, so it was no great surprise that I ended up wanting to write it as well. The thing that mostly surprises people is my background: I spent 14 years in the U.S. Air Force — and 10 of them in special operations under AFSOC. I did several deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and parts of Africa, and it was on one of those deployments that I found myself with idle time on my hands and a desire to do something creative. I decided that, since I grew up reading fantasy, I would try my hand at writing it. The end result was that in 2018, Gift of the Shaper was published — my very first novel — the entry into what would become a trilogy, my Highglade Series.

The thing that continues to amaze me to this day is how receptive people have been about my work. Some of my most vocal supporters have been people whose taste in books I have always respected, and it really tells me that I’ve done something worthwhile. My books have won a few awards as well — Best Indie book award, Next Generation Indie Award, NYC Big Book Award — which made me happy.

The best thing I’ve ever done, in my opinion, was write these books. I’m just happy to get them in the hands of new readers.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I always tell people that the best ways to support an indie author are these:
(1) buy their books
(2) review their books
(3) request their books at local stores
(4) REVIEW THEIR BOOKS!

People tend to forget how important a single review is for an author whose books might have fewer than a hundred. The more people review a book, the more people will see it as something worthwhile. It’s so vital to the success of smaller authors.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I honestly love writing and I try to do some of it every day. My first three books were independently published, but my goal for my next project, which I’m currently writing, is to be traditionally published. I’m lucky enough to not be a “starving artist,” and have the freedom to send as many query letters as it will take. Being an indie author has been a great experience for me, but I also feel like my books and my writing would do well if they were traditionally published, and when I set my mind to something, I don’t quit.

At the end of the day, I am just happy that people are picking up my books and enjoying them. I love being able to reach people on an emotional level, and I think my books have done a good job with that. I hope to continue writing, and don’t ever see myself stopping. Some people have a story to tell; I, apparently, have several.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dl-jennings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dl.jennings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamdavejennings/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamdavejennings