The Literary Vixen presents…
Joining us today is Jenna Rivers! Her paranormal romance book, Spell Shocked (A Charmed Midlife Book 1) released on March 8th 2022.
How long have you been writing?
I used to write when I was younger, but I started writing longer fiction about a decade ago. I started off with contemporary romance, but I love all things paranormal too much not to include witches and vampires and fairies (oh my!) in all of my stories.
Describe a typical writing day.
I just got a brand new “used” desk that I absolutely love. It’s become the grounding of my work, and now I love being in my office all day long. I get up in the morning, grab my breakfast and coffee, and sit down to do some writing sprints first thing. Usually, I have one of my cats sitting near me. When I get tired of sitting, I have a standing desk that I also use. I typically finish writing by lunchtime, and then in the afternoon, I either write more or plan what I’ll be writing the next day.
Where do you get your inspiration for your books?
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of inspiration from the shows that I watch. I fell head-over-heels in love with Netflix’s Wednesday, and I also love the show A Discovery of Witches. A lot of times, I’ll even get inspiration for stories from non-paranormal shows when I imagine what they’d be like if you added supernatural elements to them.
What are some challenges that have come up during your writing and publishing journey?
Unfortunately, I lost my father a couple of years ago. That really rocked my creative world and made it more difficult to find my footing in my writing again. The good news is that I feel like some of those skills are returning, and I’m so excited for the books I’m working on.
When you’re writing an emotionally draining (or sexy, or sad, etc) scene, how do you get in the mood?
Music is the key for my inspiration. Whether it’s listening to Lo-Fi music while writing or setting the mood, I constantly have my noise-cancelling headphones on so I’m immersed in the sound. I have my go-to playlists for different moods. For example, I listen to a band called Two Steps From Hell and their music when I want to write a fight scene because what they play is so cinematic.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Chatty, loyal, and determined.
How do you deal with emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?
Sometimes, if a book takes a toll on me, I’ll have to do some self-care days. That could mean no writing at all, allowing myself time to read instead of write, or getting out of the house completely to go out and get in some exercise outside. I also have some special places I like to write in that help me push through the tougher scenes to write because I find comfort being in them.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with me?
I am finishing up Bombspell, book 2 in my Charmed Midlife series. Fun story is that I had a clear outline and plan for my characters. And yet, they had other plans for themselves, so it’s taken extra time to adjust the story and give them what they want. It’s hard realizing that your characters sometimes know better than you.
What advice would you give to other aspiring authors?
Write your first book all the way through. Get some feedback on it, pick some top things to fix, but then get it out there. After that, write your second book. Writing is a skill that you have to practice, and the best way to get better at it is to write the next book and the next book. Also, perfection is overrated, and trying to make a book perfect means you’ll never share your story with anyone else but yourself.
What is the one thing you want people to know about you and your books?
I put a lot of myself and my life into my stories. While I might not always share the exact details, I hope the readers feel like they get to know me through my writing.
Thank you Jenna Rivers for chatting with me! I will include her information down below. Check out her paranormal romance, Spell Shocked today!
~Synopsis~
One feisty aunt with talking animals, a surprisingly supernatural lakeside town, and a boatload of magic are all it takes to shake up my midlife.
No one should live day to day just to exist. It only took an invite from a person I’ve never met to a place I didn’t know existed to tempt me to walk…no, run away from everything I knew. How sad is it when I’m the last one to see that my crappy life needs a do-over?
Starting over in my midlife wasn’t exactly the plan. But with the discovery that I actually have an aunt I never knew existed, magic is real, humans can turn into animals, and there might even be a real freaking dragon living in Guardian Lake—I can’t help but hope there has to be a better life waiting for me to choose it.
I’m going to make the rest of my forties fabulous by any means necessary. From here on out, I’m carving my own path in life, choosing my own adventures, and creating my own happy ending.
Once I get the hang of my Charmed Midlife, I intend to never look back!
Spell Shocked is a slow-burn romantic paranormal women’s fiction with a woman who’s rediscovering her sass and learning how to kick a little ass.
Jenna is a lover of all things paranormal! When she’s not dreaming of hot shifter men or deciding what magical power she’d like to possess, she’s busy writing Paranormal Romance and Paranormal Women’s Fiction. She suspects she’ll be inheriting her powers any day now that she’s officially middle-aged, although she thinks she’d use her magic to help her write more words faster. When not writing, she’s busy playing ukulele, hiking, or learning a new recipe to cook!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jenna-Rivers/author/B09GH2H91P
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennariversbooks
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/659904638465163
Website: https://jennariversbooks.com/
The Literary Vixen 