Interview with Jennifer Silverwood

About the Author

​Jennifer Silverwood was raised deep in the heart of Texas and has been spinning yarns a mile high since childhood. In her spare time she reads and writes and tries to sustain her wanderlust, whether it’s the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, the highlands of Ecuador or a road trip to the next town. Always on the lookout for her next adventure, in print or reality, she dreams of one day proving to the masses that everything really is better in Texas. She is the author of two series—Heaven's Edge and Wylder Tales—and the stand-alone titles Stay and Silver Hollow.

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The Interview

1. When did you write your first story? Has this story been published or is it hiding somewhere as an original manuscript that got you started writing? 
My first story, I wrote when I was nine about a group of stranded alien kids, that later became my Heaven’s Edge Novellas. My first “book,” if you can call it that, was a Lord of the Rings fanfiction I wrote with my twin best friends, beginning in Jr. High. Fellowship of the Rings had just come out and we loved it so much we wanted our own characters to explore Middle Earth. (In the case of one twin – fall in love with Legolas) We had so much fun writing these together, I finished three full-length novels. At the time I didn’t really know what fanfiction was. I wasn’t publishing it or writing for anyone but ourselves. It was the most fun I’ve had writing anything. Eventually I wanted to create something more original. And while my confession betrays how much of a nerd I was and am, I learned so much creating my first “series.” So if anyone reading this happens to read and write fanfiction, keep writing and keep sharing. You never know where that road will lead you.

2. What does your writing process look like (research, brainstorming, character sketches, writing time, etc.)? 
My process has definitely changed through the years. Today I begin with a loose outline of the whole story. I then dive into the characters and try to root out their motivations, their likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams. As I write, I often write screenplays with dialogue, to see if a scene could stand on that alone. I also keep copious notes on all those tiny details I tend to forget later on. Then I write, I write for at least an hour every day, hopefully a chapter a day. Somewhere in the process magic happens. The characters come alive and breathe and the words flow. At some point I struggle to write a sentence, until I break past the block and keep going. The important thing is to keep writing, no matter what. A big part of my writing process is also my critique partner, Melissa. We exchange chapters as we go and help each other keep track of inconsistencies. Since the twins I mentioned above have very busy lives today, I go to my fellow author friends for feedback. But having a person you trust helps so much in spurring your creativity.
 
3. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile? 
How did you know I had at least 5 books in my TBR? Just kidding, but seriously that is a typical norm for me. At this moment my currently reading list is: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Refugees by R.A. Denny, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin and Ravensdale by Lucinda Elliot.
 
4. What inspired the idea for Silver Hollow? 
Sometime in 2008 I decided I wanted to branch into original fiction. I knew I could write books and I wanted to write something new for myself and the twins. The first few chapters of Silver Hollow came about one random night of inspiration. I printed out the pages and brought them on a girls trip the twins and I took. They loved the story so much, they begged me to write more. So I suppose the first Silver Hollow was very much a “wish fulfillment” fantasy. The kind of life I wanted to be brave enough to live at the time. When I came back to the story last year to rewrite and expand the first edition, I approached it from a more professional attitude. I wanted to tell a moving and compelling story, to really dive into the way fairy tales and legends impact and shape us, to give these characters voice.
 
5. What do you want readers to take away from reading Silver Hollow? 
I hope you are transported, just like Amie, into a world both familiar and stranger than fiction. I hope you are moved and encouraged to be live free and take risks like our heroes. But mostly, I want you to have as much fun reading as I enjoyed writing Silver Hollow.
 
6. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it? 
Around the same time I wrote the first pages of Silver Hollow, I also came up with this idea for a fun urban fantasy series. Every other year or so I would pick it up and dust it off, see what I have and start again. A couple years ago I managed to finally create a cohesive first draft for what would be the first book, then decided it was better written in first person, present tense. I’m excited to finally share the first serialized novel, Angel Blue with y’all this coming August. You can learn more about it on Goodreads. Stay tuned to my website & newsletter for future teasers to come!