Come Selahway With Me…

An impenetrable safe is breached and a secret artifact is stolen. Containing information that could change the course of the world, its desperate owner sends Gideon Quinn, his head of security, and Gideon’s wife Rei, an art preservationist, to find it at any cost. What they discover is a clue to the lost throne of King Solomon, the real object of the theft. They are thrust out on an adventure that leads them halfway around the world. Following letters left by a Jesuit in 1681, they must weave through ancient sites along the Portuguese Spice Route, keeping ahead of a secret militant order that is determined to beat them to Solomon’s Throne.

Filled with fast paced action and having broad appeal, Solomon’s Throne is an ingenious treasure hunt adventure that sweeps the reader around the globe in a race against time.

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SJ:  Every writer has some sort of process. Give us a glimpse into yours. Do you meticulously outline? Do you write depending on what calls are out there?

JW: I like the word “process” – it implies organization! I’m not the most organized person, but I do work through my writing in a pretty consistent way. I do a lot of research, as all my books involve historical elements and/or backstories, so I always do that first (and it is ongoing while I write). I am a combination of plotter/pantser, meaning I do have a general outline of the beginning and end, any major plot points that need to be included, the locations the characters will travel to (in the treasure hunts they’re all over the place, so I always know where they’ll go so I can move the story forward), and, the last thing I figure out, the main characters. After that, I just write! I write what interests me – I’m drawn to interesting locations and stories, and I write in whatever genre suits the story.

SJ:  Are you a meticulous planner or do you believe in the muse? Where do your ideas come from? Do they filter in through your dreams? Do they show up at inopportune times and whap you upside the head? Do they result in a shady deal with a dark power?

JW: My ideas always come from a place. Even if that place ends up not being in the story (this happened with a screenplay I wrote in the spring), it was inspired by a place. I do a lot of staring off into space (mostly when driving!) and thinking through the story after I’ve gotten an idea from whatever location struck my fancy. Who would go there? Why? If there are multiple locations (as in the treasure hunts) what links them? What is the history of the place and what’s the backstory? I tend to email myself a lot of articles on interesting locales, and I read a lot of picture captions and the “aside” blurbs in history books. I like quirky things, and when something hits me, I just let it marinate while I do research and see if it can become a story.

SJ: What’s the book/story that’s closest to your heart? Is there a piece that you clearly feel is a piece of you? Do you play favorites?

JW: The one I’m working on is always my favorite!  Since I’m a little ADD apparently, I’m always excited about what my husband and I call “TNT” – the next thing.

SJ: If you could only write one genre ever again upon pain of being sacrificed to Cthulhu, what would it be and why?

JW: If I had to choose, I’d probably pick the treasure hunt/action adventure stories; I really enjoy writing about Rei & Gideon Quinn and their pilot pal Mac McMillan, and I can get a ton of fun history in them. And more great characters will probably come along, either in this series or a new one.

SJ: What’s your biggest frustration as a writer? What do you consider the downside, or is there one? Is there any cliché that makes you want to wring people’s necks?

JW: My biggest frustration is probably myself. I think all creative people, who really do all love what they do, find that there are times they’d rather scrub the toilet rather than create. I’m not very organized or routine oriented, and, because we’ve homeschooled and been self-employed for 20 years, people are used to me being available all the time. So my 2013 goal is to act like I actually have a job. I’ve told my family, “I have a job now, and until after 5pm, I’ll be working!” We’ll see how it goes, both for them and for me!

SJ: If you had to be stuck in one of your own books/stories for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? If you had to stick a loved one in one of your own books, what would it be and why? An enemy?

JW: I would definitely NOT be in any of the dystopian ones, although I love writing dystopian! The enemies can go there… I would pick the Quinn books, because they get to travel all over the place searching for treasure. How bad could that be?

SJ: Do you think it’s possible to develop a sure-fire recipe/formula for success as a writer? Would you want to, or does that compromise the art or the fun of it?

JW: We’ve owned a business for 20+ years, and I have had a non-profit in Uganda for four. I’m also a very practical person by nature. I look at writing as a business.  I’m not sure there’s any sure-fire way for success except tenacity and perseverance, no matter what you’re doing. That’s my strategy!

SJ: Everyone has words of wisdom for young writers, so I’m not going to ask you about that. With a few unknown writers becoming success stories, a lot of people seem to think it’s an easy career choice. What would your words of wisdom be to these people?

JW: It’s a lot of work. Even people who have had a lot of success have worked hard. Amanda Hocking had over a dozen books before she “suddenly” made it. The key to being a writer is to write. There’s no other way. Write the stories, get objective beta readers, work on your craft, and treat it like a business. Artists of all kinds have a hard time with the business aspect of it, but if you plan to make a living at it, you must learn business, marketing, bookkeeping, and all that other boring stuff.

SJ:It seems like everyone likes to gang up on certain genres as being inferior, less meaningful, or cheap entertainment (especially if it’s speculative in nature). Make a case for the genre you write.

JW: I write action adventure/treasure hunts, Christian historical romance, dystopian, YA sci-fi/fantasy… and there’s probably a mystery in my future! I think you should write what you want to write, what’s in your heart to write. If that’s profound literary fiction, that’s great. If it’s fun YA like Rick Riordan, that’s great, too. I write to entertain people. My books aren’t going to be taught in college, and they’re not going to be analyzed for hidden meaning. But my hope is that people enjoy them, learn a little history, have fun, and get a break from reality.

SJ: What do you want people to instantly think of when they hear your name or your work mentioned?

JW: “She writes really interesting stories.”

SJ:  Please tell us about your latest/favorite work or a little bit about what you’re working on right now. It’s plug time, so go for it!

JW: Right now I’m working on finishing book 2 of a YA sci-fi/fantasy trilogy (with some dystopian thrown in). The first book, Ixeos, will be released in February; book 2, Ixeos: Rebellion, in April; and book 3, Darian’s War, in June. (Although I have 2 graduations in May and a wedding in June, so we’ll see!)

My other books are the action adventure treasure hunts featuring Rei & Gideon Quinn: Solomon’s Throne and The Hoard of the Doges; and a Christian historical romance set in the Civil War called Undaunted Love.

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 Born and raised in Rockledge, Florida, Jennings spent her early years reading anything she could get her hands on, when she wasn’t spending time in and on the water. She won a prize in the 6th grade for her science fiction stories.

Jennings attended the University of the South and the University of Tampa, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science, and almost enough credits for B.A.s in both English and History. She spent time over the years doing various kinds of script doctoring, business writing, editing, and teaching writing, but mostly having and raising her family, homeschooling her children, owning and running a business with her husband, and starting a non-profit to Uganda.