Interview

Hi, Jenyfer and welcome. I am so glad you could join us here at

RomanceJunkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current projects?

 

I’m very excited about my book, ONE CRAZY SUMMER, which came out September 6th. The idea was born during an accounting class I was taking at the time. Cross that with the spirit of “Romancing the Stone”. Actually my book isn’t much like that movie at all, but that is a great movie isn’t it?

 

At present, I have two projects on the go. A follow-up novel to ONE CRAZY SUMMER which will tell the story of Summer’s younger sister Skye. She’s somewhat less flaky than Summer but still has a bit of a wild streak in her.

 

My second project is more of a chick-lit/women’s fiction story of a woman who has spent ten years to become the perfect wife and suddenly finds her world turned upside down after her husband leaves her for another woman. Who is she now that her identity has been stripped away? She goes on a vacation to get away for a bit and ends up rediscovering herself along the way.

 

What is the first thing you do when beginning a new project?  At what point do you decide on a title?

 

One of the first things I do is to take a few notes. Who are the characters? Where do they come from? What in their life has shaped their world-view and how will they react to their current circumstances? I usually have an idea about the bigger plot points and will jot those down too – all the little details come to me as I go along.

 

Generally speaking, titles are one of the hardest things for me to come up with! I’m often totally finished with the manuscript and still struggling to come up with a title. Imagine my distress when Cerridwen accepted my first novel, but on the condition I change the title!

 

What was the best piece of writing advice you've received; the one tidbit you always make sure to pass on because it was so perfect?

 

There are a couple of tidbits that are often repeated because they are true: write what you love and never give up.

 

First, if you try to write what’s trendy or popular for the sake of taking advantage of the trend, it will show in your writing. The best stories come out of a writer’s passion for the story and the characters they create.

 

Second, believe in yourself and don’t give up at the first rejection you get. Or the second. I won’t tell you how many rejections I received when I first started submitting things – not only have I lost track but it’s embarrassing! Writing is a very subjective thing to judge and a writer only has seconds to grab an editor’s / agent’s attention. Unless they give you some sort of really specific reason why they are rejecting your work, move on and try someone else.

 

Do you miss your characters when you finish their story, or are you ready to move on to the next book?

 

Normally by the time I’ve finished a story, I’m ready to move on. That’s not to say that with a little time and distance I don’t look back at them fondly though.

 

What does your writing space look like?  Do you eat there?  Play any computer games?

 

If I didn’t eat in front of my computer I’d miss half my meals of the day!

 

Fortunately, we have a dedicated computer room/study in our house. I share a desktop computer with my husband and I write in the mornings when he’s out at work. The desk is cluttered with scrap papers and notebooks, and I face away from the window or I’d never get anything done! There are also several bookshelves full of inspiration and an easy chair for times when I need to take a step back.

 

I do my best to stay away from computer games – I find them addictive and I have enough distractions in my life as it is. My biggest addiction is email and forums. I got a lot more writing done when I didn’t have internet at home!

 

Wow… one cannot say you're not well-traveled!  What is the longest you've stayed in one country?  Which one was way different than you'd thought it'd be once you got there?  And, which one would you love to visit if the opportunity arises?

 

Well, we lived in the United Arab Emirates for six years so that’s the longest, hands down! Traveling? Most of my trips are fairly short. I was in Germany for ten days earlier this year. A great place. So great my husband was afraid I wouldn’t come back!

 

The country that was different than I expected was Vietnam. I had been to Cambodia and Thailand and loved them both – the scenery was so interesting and the people were so gentle and friendly. I had assumed the Vietnam would be much the same but Ho Chi Min City was nothing like I expected. It was very congested and dirty and the people I ran across in the market were much more jaded and cynical when it came to dealing with foreigners. That said, I haven’t written Vietnam off – just wasn’t impressed with Ho Chi Min City. (Though I have to say the food was incredible!!)

 

One country I would love to visit one day is Australia. And South Africa. And Brazil…

 

What made you take up quilting?  How long does it take you now that you are quite experienced to finish one?

 

I have loved sewing since I did my first cross stitch project in grade school and I fell in love with quilting the moment that I saw one that an adult friend bought at a fair. I think I was about twelve at the time. The first project that I ever did was thirteen years ago - a baby quilt for my sister which I made from a kit and did completely by hand. I can work a lot faster now that I have the proper equipment!

 

I’m a person who likes to finish projects once I start them (not that I’m obsessive or anything – not me!) Normally

 speaking it will take me a couple of weeks to put the top of a queen sized quilt together on my machine and then a month - six weeks to complete the quilting, which I do by hand while watching TV in the evenings.

 

Name the one thing you'd love to do, but probably will never have the nerve? 

 

Skydive. I love the idea of floating down to earth with a parachute but can’t imagine actually stepping out of a perfectly good airplane!

 

What is the one thing that you have done that still surprises you today?

 

Sample ‘happy herb’ pizza in Cambodia. Comatose pizza is more like it!

 

How did you and your husband meet? Was it love at first sight?

 

My husband and I met while in grad school. We had a few classes together and got to talking in the hall after class one day. I was working as a computer lab monitor at the time and he started coming in to do his homework while I was working (yeah, right!) Love at first sight? Well, we were married within a year so I suppose you could say so!

 

What was the most romantic gift you've ever received?  What about the best one you've ever given?

 

Now this isn’t to say that I don’t love the big splashy presents that come in small fuzzy boxes, but I think the most romantic presents are the ones that aren’t expected – the ones that show you your loved one has been listening to you and what you really desire. The most romantic gifts come out of the blue and for no special occasion. Sometimes that just means a large bar of dark chocolate at the appropriate moment.

 

One of the most romantic gifts I can remember receiving was on Valentine’s day when my husband and I were newlyweds. We had no money and barely a full time job between us. He came home from work with a poem he’d written for me on a heart shaped piece of paper. I still have it all these years later.

 

My husband isn’t easy to buy presents for (are any of them?) I try to spoil him by giving him things that I know he wants but won’t buy for himself. Not sure if this qualifies as romantic but one of the nicest gifts I’ve given him recently was a space to work. We had this tiny little room in our last house that I was using as a sewing room while our desk and computer was shoved in the corner of our bedroom. My husband was not happy with the arrangement because he had nowhere to work and spread out his papers. One day while he was at work, I went out and bought a filing cabinet and switched the rooms around – the desk, filing cabinet and reading chair went into the tiny room and my sewing table and supplies came into our bedroom. He was pretty surprised – and pleased – when he came home to a whole new space.

 

How do you describe Jenyfer Matthews?  How does Jenyfer Matthew's husband describe her?

 

Jenyfer Matthews is tall, cool, sophisticated and worldly with a keen fashion sense and a mysterious look about her. She has a dry sense of humor and a bit of a silly streak and is patient and irrational by turns.

 

Mr. Matthews will tell you exactly the same thing if he knows what’s good for him.

 

MORE FUN…

 

Fall is here! Hard to believe summer is over!  What was the "funnest" thing you did this year?

 

A sunset “felucca” (sailboat) cocktail party on the Nile River .

 

Rumor has it, Jenyfer Matthews loves to garden.  What grows in Jenyfer's garden?  Does she always have one no matter where she lives?

 

I have always had a green thumb and love to have plants around me. Perennial flowers are a favorite and bougainvillea is a sure thing in the hot climates I’ve lived in lately. Most recently I planted some basil and some cherry tomato seeds. It might seem an odd time of the year to start those but the climate in Egypt is warmer so they won’t freeze!

Name your favorite vegetable?  Which is the one that if it never showed up again on your plate, it would be too soon?

 

Favorite vegetable: asparagus. Least favorite: brussel sprouts.

 

And lastly, no interview of a writer would be complete without this question:  what is your favorite comfort food?

 

Baked macaroni and cheese like my mother makes.

 

I love macaroni and cheese!   Thank you very much, Jenyfer, for spending time with us.   Continued success with your writing.

By Brooke Wills

Romance Junkies Publishing Editor

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