Interview with Jinn Nelson

I am very happy to be able to post  the results of my first author interview. It was an idea that was inspired by many author interviews at that time. Also, by the imminent release of Jinn's book "Fear the Hunted".  I had eagerly been anticipating reading it since I had met the fun and friendly author herself sometime earlier. When I asked her she graciously accepted my request. I had an awesome time getting to know her better and I hope you will too.

With extreme pride and pleasure, I present

An Author Interview with Jinn Nelson

I know when we talked much earlier  I mentioned  fanfiction and it providing the foundation for my writing along with what I have learned. Did you write fanfiction and if so how did you make the cross over to writing original fiction? 

The only fanfiction I wrote was a story derived from the movie Newsies when I was in grade school.  It was basically me inserted into the Newsies' world and outsmarting everyone, hehe. I out-shined most of the main characters; they never showed up in it.  Great story. It will live forever . . . in my closet. *grins*

Other than that, I was inspired by the books I read over and over: the Song of Albion series by Stephen R. Lawhead, Magnus by Sigmund Brouwer, and of course the Wheel of Time series . Certain things from those stories stuck in my imagination and influenced my writing, but mostly those influences helped me figure out my own voice to tell my own stories.

Your “about me” section on your website says almost every story you've written has been teeming with swords and tattooed warriors and visits to other worlds. What makes you want to write fantasy?

I have a problem with my imagination being too big. It doesn't like confined spaces like classrooms and biographies and reality. Whenever it sees a cool thing, my imagination wants to add wings and glowing purple hair and stick it in an alternate universe where the usual rules don't apply. It's always on the lookout for portals to fall through.

The other problem is that my imagination is impertinent. It has no patience for stories that have been told before and no respect for tradition.  It feeds on weird, creative things and it gets riled when someone tries to trick it with dull, recycled ideas.  

Some of my better stories were written because my imagination was annoyed.

It's so big and loud and obnoxious that I'm about ready to name it Herman and give it its own room.

Just kidding.

Sorta.

What can you tell us about your book?

Fear the Hunted is about identity. The heroine, Troy, has to forge an identity from nothing. At first she is chased by a nameless enemy, then she learns who her enemy is and infiltrates his stronghold to undermine his rule of Cathylon. On a deeper level Troy afraid that all the worst things her enemy says about her are true. That is what drives her throughout the story.

What inspired you to write “Fear the Hunted”?

It started with a girl I knew in high school named Tristan. Her real name was actually Margaret, but I didn't know that until later. I used to tell her stories, and she would play songs she wrote on the piano.  We talked a lot about identity, and this story grew from those talks. 

And then Herman, my imagination who I just named, kept going on about tattoos, and a boy who makes his own bow and arrows, and a girl with a giant sword. Every time I heard a certain epic song, Herman would play a trailer in my head with images he cooked up that weren't connected to anything—but they did look pretty cool. I had to write them down or explode.

Would you say you wrote the story for that friend?

Honestly, I wrote it for anyone who likes to think—though, an appreciation for swords would probably also enhance a reader's enjoyment.  The work itself is dedicated to a few people, but it's for everyone.

How long did it take you to complete “Fear the Hunted” ?

I wrote the first words one night in my bedroom when I was 16. I wrote the last words before the book went to print last year when I was 29.

Did you feel elated or deflated when you finally completed the book? 

Oh man—it's hard to describe it. 

When I finished, I felt like Frodo returning to the Shire after taking the ring to Mordor. Nothing changed, but everything was different.

Do you have a favorite character in the book? 

My favorites change depending on what scene I'm working on or what mood I'm in at the time. I can give you the current top three:

D'tanesse, the obnoxious singing alchemist. 

Maon. There's just something awesome about a character who walks around with a ton of weapons on his person.  

Mytch, Troy's sort of adopted brother and sometimes antagonist. There's just a lot there, beneath the surface.

Are any of the cultures in Fear the Hunted taken from the real world?

There is a bit of Gaelic, a bit of French, a tiny bit of Latin and an even tinier bit of Spanish.  The history of Cathylon is that several races came to the island long ago, and intermingled over several generations.  For the most part, though, I can't adhere to the real world. Herman my overactive imagination won't tolerate it because the real world bores him silly. I'm driven to create my own cultures from bits and pieces of existing cultures.  

My works might become the Frankensteins of literature. I'm okay with that.

Any other projects you’re working on?

Several.  All are fantasy/science fiction. One Steampunk epic. I multitask.

Do you outline your books or do you prefer to begin writing and let the plot sort itself out? 

I am intrigued by the notion that writing a story requires either a formatted or a freeform approach, but not both.  Personally I don't see the sense in ignoring any useful tool in the writer's toolbox. Usually, the first draft I write is freeform.  Sometimes I start with a loose plot; usually all I have is a picture of the ending or the beginning.  Somewhere toward the middle I pause and figure out a rough timeline. After the first draft is done, I take a step back and connect the dots. Then I rewrite, giving the story structure. Rewriting is often freeform as well.

I guess my approach to writing is like a ping-pong match. Freeform, plot, freeform, plot, freeform, plot, book.

What do you consider the best time of day for writing?

I like mornings, between 7 and 9 am, because I'm a morning person. I get tired in the afternoon, so writing is harder then. However, some of my best scenes were written at 2 am. Right now, I write  at 6 am for three to four hours and again with a writing partner from 9 pm to midnight and beyond.  I've found that the time of day doesn't matter as much as being consistent. 

Do you have any unusual habits when you write? (i.e. consuming inordinate amounts of tea and/or coffee, sitting in one position the whole time, etc.)

Um...wow. I have to be careful here or I'll embarrass myself. 

I write on the walls.

I drink a lot of tea

I pace a lot and talk to myself. Wait. That's not very unusual for a writer, is it?

As a Christian, is your faith a central theme in all of your books? Why or why not?

I think the beliefs of the writer bleed into their work, like their own character traits sometimes slip into their fictional characters. It just happens. I like that, because it frees me to pay attention to the story I'm telling and let my message, or my beliefs about the world, occur naturally within it.

Yeah. I agree with you. Personally, as a writer I would want it to come naturally and not have people feel like they're being bludgeoned over the head with the message/theme I'm trying to convey.

And finally, do you have any wisdom for young authors that you would care to share?

Yeah. If you want to write, whatever kind of writing it is, start now and never stop. 

Also, read. Reading teaches you to write. Read a lot. If you want to write fiction, read James Scott Bell's books on writing. All of them. If you want to write nonfiction, start with On Writing Well

You can find out more about Jinn and her book "Fear the Hunted" at http://www.jinnnelson.com/  

If you like to help get the word out about "Fear the Hunted" you can share Jinn's author page on Facebook or leave a review on Amazon.com. A review on Amazon will it move up then ranks so other people can find it easier. 

Deep Thanks goes out to Jinn Nelson and and anyone who read this far. Thank You all.