I am reliably informed by my parents that once I learnt to talk I never stopped until I was able to read. This was apparently a godsend as it saved my parents’ sanity! I was happy to lose myself for days on end, vicariously enjoying the world and many adventures through the pages of the many books that my parents bought, nearly bankrupting themselves. Surprisingly, I never really enjoyed English classes. Learning about the mechanics didn’t stimulate me, but what I was taught has stood me in good stead when it comes to grammar and punctuation in my writing – don’t get me going on that subject. The one part I did enjoy was creative writing and I think my English teacher used to dread the extravagant visions that I would produce in my essays.
Whilst I am a quiet and somewhat introverted person in reality, when I write I fear I turn into something of a drama queen. I love to explore the hidden inner recesses of my mind as I write and there is a heck of a lot of what makes up who I am that ends up on the page. This is probably the same for a lot of authors. People have asked if there is a strong autobiographical content in my writings and the simple answer is yes. It’s not all autobiographical and I’m afraid I’m the only one who knows which parts are which. If you have any specific queries, do submit a question and, who knows, I may answer it.
Despite my love of writing, I veered towards the scientific end of things in school. I think that is because of my personality type: I am a black and white type of thinker and I love precision. I suspect I am borderline Obsessive-Compulsive. (My loved ones would probably delete the word ‘borderline’!) Thrown into that mix is a strong perfectionist bent which, while frustrating when writing, I think does aid me in seeking to tell a good story.
Following school, I studied for an undergraduate and then postgraduate doctorate – again in a vocational scientific field and have been working in a professional capacity for over 20 years (no, I won’t tell you my age, you do the math!). My ‘day job’ requires precision, clarity and fixed goals. In some ways, writing is an escape where I can throw off some of my natural constraints and create brave new exciting worlds with interesting people doing strange, but fascinating things. I am a hopeless romantic (why does the cliché dictate that it is hopeless?) and that can probably be gathered from what I have written.
I have a wonderful family whom I love dearly. I can’t imagine my life without them and I give thanks to God each day for them. That brings me to another part of who I am. I have a strong faith and regard the spiritual aspect of my being as that which is probably most important above all else. People may not agree with my beliefs, as is their wont, but the hope and strength that they bring is something I could not envisage living without.
When did I start writing? I think I was ‘writing’ for years – only some might call it daydreaming. The first time I seriously put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard rather, was about the turn of the century (love using that phrase!). The story, whilst having some good points, was not one I was proud of in the longer run. It is (hopefully) not available anywhere currently. It took me a few more years to get round to making a second attempt. An idea formed in my mind and slowly grew until I felt that I would burst if I didn’t start to write. Writing it released the pressure that had built up inside me and I spent the next year or so, from November 2002 to December 2003, writing ‘No Half Measures’ (see the Books page for details).
Writing NHM was like a catharsis for me as it allowed me to pour myself into showing off something of who I was – aspects of my character which, as a private person, I don’t care to reveal too often. I was overwhelmed by the feedback I received and was touched by the heartfelt responses that my story seemed to evoke in a number of people. However it was a draining experience and it took me six months before I could even think of writing again. I determined that my next writings would be more disciplined than NHM. For all its good points, I acknowledge that NHM allowed me to be somewhat self-indulgent and it was not as concise or directed as it should have been.
In the summer of 2004, I felt the kernel of a new story taking root in my mind. I resisted the urge to start writing, but I let the idea ferment inside me. I determined that I was not going to start writing the story until I knew the end from the beginning. That way, I could be more focussed and hopefully produce a tighter story. At the start of February 2005, I began to write ‘Breaking Cover’. The six month ‘brewing’ in my mind paid dividends as my Muse stayed firmly with me through that time and I wrote much faster and consistently than before.
I have long had a fascination with the United States and have extensively travelled throughout the U.S. I enjoy each and every visit to this wonderful, beautiful, crazy country. The politics particularly fascinate me, both the good and the bad. This is what then inspired me to write my next book, ‘Chasing Hope’. I sought to incorporate the lives and loves of my characters into the cauldron of a U.S. Presidential campaign, with all the ups and downs along the way. After six months of research – I now know more about the nuts and bolts of primaries and Presidential elections that I could ever have imagined – I started to write. It took three months to complete.
The writing process completely consumes me and I find it immensely satisfying, yet absolutely draining in every way. Each time I finish a story, I swear ‘never again’. I almost thought that would be the case after ‘Chasing Hope’. I did have more story ideas, but life was busy – both ‘day job’ and the usual pressures of family life, wonderful as it is – and I didn’t think I could bring myself to ‘get back on the horse’ again. I did write a little prologue for a story idea back in 2009, but it never went anywhere . . . until 2019. I revisited it, spent time with the characters in my mind, let them live in my crazy brain and I realized that I had to share their story. It’s a story of overcoming deep tragedy, seeking to rebuild a broken life, and hoping to find home, friendship, love and joy along the way. ‘True Calling’ was released in the autumn/fall of 2019.
What do I hope to achieve with my books? Fame and fortune would be nice, but this is really not my primary goal. I want to stimulate people to think about the issues that underlie the genre in which I write. I want to make you laugh and cry as you read. I want to give you a cracking story with real characters who seem like familiar friends to you by the time you finish the book. I want to leave you at the end of each book wanting more. Will I succeed? Time alone will tell…
JennyWalker.Net 