Hi
Everyone!
We're
back again with another author interview and today our guest is Jacci
Turner. Can you tell us about yourself
and how many books you have written, Jacci?
Jacci:
I started writing five and
a half years ago and have published seven books and one booklet. I have another
book edited and ready to go! Funny thing about me, I only write on Tuesdays! I
love writing. It feeds my soul.
Me: Interesting! What is the name of your latest
book and what inspired it?
Jacci: The
last book I wrote is hot off the presses. It's called Shipwrecked and is for
middle grade children aged 8 and up. My friend Dave Brown, invented this
program called epifiction. Teachers sign up for it and the students are
involved in deciding the direction of the story. I was his first author to try
it out. I wrote the first three chapters and then gave the students three
choices. They, of course, chose the direction I was least interested in! That
went on for seven weeks! At the end, we had Shipwrecked. It was a wild ride. The
inspiration, Dave said it had to be an action adventure, kind of melodramatic. That is not my normal style and was a stretch for me. But, I threw
two sisters in a shark infested ocean and we were off!
Me: Sounds like a lot of fun for your
readers! What are you working on now?
Jacci: My Finding Home Series
has been popular with middle grade girls. They want more! So, what I thought
was a trilogy is going on into the fourth book. It's a good thing I like the
characters. Book four will be called Riley's Ride. Now I need to learn about
horses!
Me:
It's funny how writing always teaches us something, isn't it? What
authors, or books, have influenced you?
Jacci: Too many to name! But I
love Madeleine L'engle of A
Wrinkle in Time fame. Her
book, Walking on Water:
Reflections on Faith and Art, helped
me get unstuck in the story line of Shipwrecked. All my books have been based
in reality but she reminded me there there is magic in the world. So, suddenly
the shipwrecked girls were on a magic island and THAT was a lot more fun!
Me: It sounds like fun! What are you
reading now?
Jacci: I'm reading an author
from my #indiebooksbeseen book group. Here book is called: Seed: Keepers of
Genesis 1 and her name is db nielsen. That's how she spells it, without caps.
She's cool that way and so is her book.
Me:
Dee is great, she's been a lot of help with connecting with the
#indiebooksbeseen movement! For those who might consider reading
your book, what would you tell them to expect?
Jacci: I'm a character writer.
All my books are studies on people and their relationships. Also, all
my books are about social justice issue in some way, or at least about the
deeper issues in the world. Expect to go deep with me!
Me: Cool! And what is your favorite part of
being an author?
Jacci: Something about writing
fills my soul. I come away from it feeling like I have gained energy instead of
expending it. It gives me great joy. And, I hope to change the world. There's
that.
Me:
Yeah, writing can definitely be a blast! :-) Do you have a day job as
well?
Jacci: Yes, I'm a bereavement
counselor for people that are dying and their families. That
might tell you something...
Me: Sounds like a hard job. What would you say are the hardest and
easiest parts about being a writer?
Jacci: The hardest part is
the marketing. It's great to connect to fans, hard to find
them. When you find them, and someone actually reads your book, or tells you
that they just read your book seven times and it's their favorite book of all
time, then it's worth it.
Me: Yes, it's an awesome feeling when someone
tells you they enjoyed your work. What genre do you place your book
in?
Jacci: I have four in middle
grade fiction, three in young adult fiction and one on the way.
Me: Great! Anything else you'd like to tell your
readers?
Jacci: You can find a free
first chapter of Bending Willow on my website, it will give you a taste of my
style. Bending Willow is on sale on Amazon for .99 and has been a fan favorite.
It was chosen to represent Nevada at the National Book festival in Washington
D.C. It is an Amazon Best seller in the middle grade action adventure
category.
Me: And so our lovely readers today can find
your work, are there any links you'd like me to post?
Jacci: Sure! You can find me
at http://www.jacciturner.com/ and all my books at http://goo.gl/4xsfup.
I'm on most every social media outlet under Jacci Turner and would LOVE to
connect!
Thank you so much Mistral Dawn for having me on today. You Rock!
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