Jenna Greene Interview - Heritage ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Jenna Greene

Jenna Greene is the author of the acclaimed Young Adult Fantasy series, Imagine! She is a middle school teacher, dragonboat coach, enthusiastic dancer, and semi-professional napper. She lives in Lethbridge, Alberta with her husband (Scott), daughter (Olivia), and dog (Thor, dog of thunder).

Tell us your latest news.
While I’ve continued to write, and have books in the editing process, I’ve also been working furiously on the podcast I co-host, “Quill and Ink: A Podcast for Book Lovers”. Miranda Oh and I have nearly reached the one year anniversary of our first episode. It’s been a great journey interviewing so many different authors and learning from each of them.

Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
Every teacher I ever had who said I had talent. Writers face a lot of rejection and the one thing that keeps us going is the intrinsic belief that we are good at what we do. While that belief has to come from within, the encouragement we received in early years is what likely started us on this path.

Other writers are constantly influencing my writing, either by teaching me something I don’t know (Chekov’s gun, anyone?), or by confirming the thoughts I have about writing and offering support that way.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
Meeting fans is the number one. Having someone read my work is still so surreal, even after years in the business, and then to know a person read it and liked it, is a step above. To have fans seek you out … wow. Just, wow.

Now, awards aren’t why writers enter the ‘biz’, but it was a major accomplishment when my latest release won two different literary awards. The awards meant a lot, not for the writing, but for the emotion tied to it. I wrote the novel, Reborn, when my mom was dying. There’s a lot of grief/ love poured into it. Having it recognized feels like a tribute to my mother in some ways.

What do you hope for readers to be thinking when they read your novel?
I want them to fall in love with the characters, the story, or both. I want them to get lost in a world and either cry or gasp or have any other reaction with the twists and turns of the story. (I yelled at a book once and threw it – it was SUCH a good story but I was mad the character didn’t listen to me). And I hope that they learn something subtle, about life or about themselves along the way… especially if they don’t even notice it.

In your newest book; HERITAGE (Imagine Series #3), can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it.
The Imagine series has been out for a few years, and Heritage is book 3 out of 4 in the series. There is a lot of stuff that goes wrong for the characters in book two – bad luck compounded by poor decisions – and book three is the aftermath of those mistakes. The characters have new magical challenges to face, new territory to traverse, and difficult decisions to make. They have to decide what kind of world they want to live in, and what kind of person they want to be within it.

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
Naps. I like to lay down to daydream plots. While this strategy used to work really well, as I creep towards the age of 40, it is starting to backfire. But I end up well-rested and ready to type more words.

What part of Becky did you enjoy writing the most?
Becky is the most like me. She’s the dreamer. She’s an idealist. She’s a believer. She has hope for the world around her to improve for the better. Sometimes she can’t see the reality of a situation, but that is a talent as much as it is a flaw.

Which of your characters do you feel has grown the most since book one and in what way have they changed?
I feel it is either Kat or Eston. Kat has had to mature a lot. She began the series as a complainer, who then had to take action. She was hot-headed, and is slowly learning how to challenge her passion into appropriate actions. Eston, while younger than Kat, was mature and calm throughout the series. But he’s had to endure humiliation and degradation, has been reunited with his parents in a non-ideal way, and dealt with a great amount of loss. He’s had to alter how he views himself and his role in a way he didn’t expect.

TEN RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

1. I have a fear of hippos
2. I am massively clumsy but have never broken a bone (But have had three concussions).
3. I love bubble baths
4. I drink more tea than water.
5. I hate the taste of coffee, iced tea, black licorice, and whipped cream.
6. I coach, drum, and paddle dragonboats.
7. I live for naps.
8. I color more than my four year old.
9. I’ll jump on any chance to dress up.
10. I can barely cook.

What’s the most ridiculous fact you know?
I know the jingle for the Goldfish crackers jingle from the 90s. Also, I could totally kill at Jeopardy if the only two categories were literature and Broadway musicals.

What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?
Explore the woods. Paddle a canoe or kayak. Babysit or raise a toddler. Drink tea.

Best date you've ever had?
The above list – with my husbamd.

Last Halloween Costume you wore and when?
Well, I dress up even when it isn’t Halloween. I dressed as Princess Anna and sang “For the First Time in Forever” when my students finally returned to in-person learning. I think I was a domino last year and a penguin the year before for Halloween.

What event in your life would make a good movie?
Pretty much all of them. But no one would believe this stuff actually happens to me. (Often multiple times).

Which incident in your life that totally changed the way you think today?
The death of my mother and the arrival of my daughter.

What is one unique thing are you afraid of?
Hippos.

WRITING BEHIND THE SCENES
I’m an interesting writer, as I have a full-time job that requires a lot of extra work. (Yay teaching!) I like to be busy, so that’s good and I use my commute to work through plot holes and scene dialogue. Many writers do writing sprints or set word count goals, but I’m not like that. Since I have a busy, busy life, and a four year old to tend to, my goal is to sit down and write as often as I can. Whether I write for ten minutes or an hour, I’m happy. Short bursts work for me, both to fit into my day, and for quality of work. For my husband, I let him know not to disturb me when I’m writing by placing a tiara on my head. Then he knows I’m not just playing Solitaire and he SHOULD NOT BUG ME. (Also, tiaras are cool and I buy a new one every time I publish a book).

As Becky tries to adjust to life back on Earth, in Oren, Prince Eston suffers under the deadly effects of broxide poisoning.
While Cristox Savu joins with an unlikely friend as he attempts to save his people from extinction, Leda and Jamee, two of the three Naturals, those born with magic, struggle to defend the sanctuary of the Painter's Valley.

And, even as they finally face the feelings they have for each other, Kat and Ino must evade the Coalition's clutches as they journey to discover what is affecting magic across Oren--before it is too late and magic, and an even deadlier enemy, destroys Oren and everyone Kat cares about.

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