Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
Welcome Guest Author Jenni Holbrook!
I haven't always wanted to be a writer. Actually, when I was a little girl, I wanted to be an actress on Broadway. I can act. I can even dance. But I can't sing….Sigh, that career was over before it began. Then I decided to be a teacher. I have taught dance, waterskiing, snowskiing, swimming, sailing, tennis and even coached hockey.
Of course, my degree is in Business Education and I did teach HS for a year. I've also worked as a product and sales trainer. A merchandiser. A secretary. I bookkeeper. Technical Writer. I have worked as a dishwasher and camp counselor. I even waited tables.
I think I am confused. Or maybe it's my Gemini personality, but truthfully, ending up as a writer makes perfect sense. I get to write about (pretend to be) anything I want! It's the best job ever! I mean, I actually get to live in fantasy land.
Well, sort of. Writing is hard work. There are times my characters won't speak to me. Or my plot isn't working. Worse, I have a gaping plot hole! That always sucks the writing weanie. There are times my head hurts from the inability to think straight. I even sometimes sit and stare out the window while some bird flies into it, laughing at me, while no words end up on the computer screen. Though, there are days my fingernails (more like weapons) are clicking away on the keyboard at the speed of light! It's all part of the job, one I love.
It has taken me 43 years to get to this point. The point where I know exactly where I belong. I'm doing exactly what I want to do. What I was born to do, which by the way, has come full circle. I started life wanting to be an actress. I wanted to tell a story on stage. I also danced, which is a form of storytelling. And now, I'm writing stories…. Telling my stories in another form.
What are you chasing? What are your hopes and dreams? Are you doing what feeds you?
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Welcome Jenni!
What a very heartfelt post, and I know where you're coming from -- I think it's interesting that a lot of writers have similar histories, with a variety of jobs and wandering winding paths before we eventually write, and I do think that helps us imagine a wide berth of characters and situations, so all of that experience comes in handy.
I'm definitely chasing my dreams in writing books, and when each one hits the shelf, a little bit of that dream comes true. And the other part of your post is true as well, dreams don't come true without a lot of hard work, that's for sure.
So tell us more about your books -- that cover is gorgeous. What's this story about, and do you have any tales about writing it?
Sam
Hi Sam, I do love that
Hi Sam,
I do love that cover. Actually, IN TWO WEEKS is technically the first book I ever wrote and I wrote it long hand, then put it in a draw. I guess you could call it the book of my heart. The original idea has stayed the same - having everything you need right in front of you, but not seeing it -- however, the story took on many forms while I learned my craft. I also fell in love with a secondary character named Frank who has his own book DARK WATER coming out in October. I probably rewrote this book a dozen times, always loving the characters. This book gave me the courage to write more and continue with my dreams.
IN TWO WEEKS is about love that is right in front of you and made to last. It's a soul mate kind of thing. Pretty much how I feel about my husband.
Jenni Holbrook
www.jenniholbrook.com
Hi
There must have been something about this story that made you keep going back to it. I noticed the cover says Book One. How many do you have planned? And what are the NYS Troopers?
I am chasing the writing dream as well. I've had many stops and starts over the years and have finally gotten it through my thick head that writing is the only thing that makes me happy.
It was the characters that
It was the characters that kept calling to me. They just wouldn't go away until I got the story right. There are two books right now, working on the thrid one. NYS Troopers are the NY State Police.
Jenni Holbrook
www.jenniholbrook.com
Love the cover
Hi Jenni!
I was so excited to see your name at the top of Cigars today! Welcome!
Your book sounds great and the cover is perfect. The lake is a haunting image--if I were reading it at night in my bed, the cover would set the mood perfectly! (Maybe too perfectly. I'd have to leave the light on, no reading by book light.) ;-)
I'm always happy that I'm a writer. It does satisfy me in such a deep way. One of the things I really like about writing is that it requires different kinds of thinking--big picture, details, connections, emotions. I don't think I'd be happy in work that made me focus for too long or excluded me from the nitty gritty details either. I need a mix and the opportunity to switch it up.
Have fun with the new release!
Hi Ellen! Good to see you
Hi Ellen!
Good to see you here! It is a perfect cover. Dark Water is very similiar in feel, so it works great. Happy writing!
Jenni Holbrook
www.jenniholbrook.com
Dark Water
I love the blurb for Dark Water. I love books with kids that age, especially when they need protection. Jack sounds like a great hero. Something good to look forward to next. ;-)
Dream Chasing
My husband and I were talking about this a little the other night. We're both creatives and we're both fairly hard workers. I asked him if my ambition was part of his attraction to me.
There was a few minutes of him outlining other reasons why he's attracted to me, but eventually, he agreed that yes, yes it was part of the mix. That he likes being with someone who shares his work ethic and determination, even when the odds aren't good.
My ambition has always been to become a best selling writer. I've got the writer part. I've got the selling part, lol. Getting to "Best" is a real challenge, though. So I feed my dreams by chipping away at the wall that blocks me, continuing to write and submit and not taking no for much of an answer. And I eat a LOT of cookies.
:)
Hugs,
Dee
Cookies are always good!
Cookies are always good! Never, Never Quit!
Jenni Holbrook
www.jenniholbrook.com
Hi Jenni. My dream is to
Hi Jenni. My dream is to live in Thailand or Cambodia and own a b and b or hostel.
BTW I think writing must be a Gemini thing. Most of my favorite writers happen to be geminis.