My Personal Path To Publication - Jillian Jenkins

On the blog today, I am welcoming another talented author from my publishing home at Astraea Press.  Jillian Jenkins is also an author after my own heart in more ways than one.  We both write for Astraea, we both have chosen thus far to write for the young adult audience (except for my occasional and unexplained dalliance with the horror genre) and we both made the same career path to write for independent publishing houses.  So we have a lot in common.  Except Jilly has the cutest email address ever.  She wins there, hands down.  Plus, she has been writing a lot longer than I have, as well.  You'll notice though, as you read through her journey, and those of the other authors, that one theme remains consistent.  Don't give up.  If you have a true passion for your writing and your goal isn't money, prestige or fame, just keep at it.  If you do, and you love writing with all that you are, those things may follow.  But write because you just have to, like breathing air.  The rest is secondary.  Read on about Jillian Jenkin's journey and you'll see what I mean.  Enjoy!

1. How long have you been writing?    I would say I started writing consistently about thirteen years ago

2. Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author?   If not, what’s your plan?     I'm a published author through Astraea Press. This happened in February so it's only been about six months, but it's still awesome.

3. Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the “indie” route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?    I went the "indie" route and published through an e-press.

4. Why did you choose that particular route?    I figured it'd be good to get some experience as a writer, plus with how the industry is changing so much it made sense to take a leap. There's plenty of time to get an agent later if I so choose to.

5. How long did it take you to write your first novel?    Around a year.

6. How long did it take you to publish it?    Two or three.

7. How many times did it get rejected before it got published?    Zero, but I also didn't actively pursue the idea until recently.

8. What was the best news you ever got in your writing life and how did it make you feel?    That my book was selling well and consistently.

9. What’s the worst piece of advice you ever got?    To give up writing because "it just isn't your thing".

10. Now, tell us the best!    Keep writing because you love it.

11. What’s the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication?    To just keep going no matter what.

12. Where can we read your blog? Buy your books? Connect with you on facebook? On Twitter? Your website?  

Blog: http://jfjenkinswrites.wordpress.com

My books are on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and every other major online e-book retailer. 

Also check out the publishers website: http://www.astraeapress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jfjenkinsauthor

Twitter: jfjenkinstweets

Blurb for Vala: 

Cheyenne Loveless was just a boring sixteen-year-old girl. Then Denver Collins bit her and everything changed. Her plants start talking to her, she finds out she’s a Nymph, and a witch and the angel of death show up at her doorstep to take her away to the prestigious Vala School and Seminary. Oh, and she has no choice in the matter.

 

All she wants to do is blend in and return to being invisible, but the more time that passes, the harder that 

becomes. Plus she’s a daughter of the Divine, an exclusive secret society which rules the world of myth, and discovers she is a key ingredient to an ancient covenant created before she was born. A covenant that will reshape the order of the world. 


Cheyenne must learn to see through the lies in order to find her place — and possibly even love — in this new world. Adjusting to a new school is difficult enough, but adding on everyone else’s hidden agendas is the icing on the cake. 

Jilly also has a link for the blurb to her other book here:  http://jfjenkinswrites.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/lod.jpg?w=105&h=163

Thank you for getting to know Jillian.  She is a wonderful addition to the Astraea family and as all the authors there, she'd love to hear how you enjoyed one of her books, or just chat with you about an ongoing project you are working on.  Connect with her at all the usual haunts and get ready to make a new writing friend!