Author Denise Jaden only discovered her knack for writing four years ago, but has already experienced measured success. Not only is Denise represented by one of the top literary agencies, Sterling Lord Literistic, she is a two-time finalist in RWA's Launching a Star Contest, and winner of the infamous Miss Snark's First Secret Agent constest. She is also the winner of YAfiction's First Three Chapters contest with her entry from Losing Faith:
Sixteen-year-old Brie Jenkins thinks sneaking out with an older boy and setting her own rules makes her mature. But when her older sister Faith dies in a mysterious cliff accident, Brie grows up for real, and in a hurry. The police rule the death suicide, which Brie can’t believe of her levelheaded and religious sister. Then Brie hears rumors dispelling Faith’s steadfast youth group attendance. She wonders if she ever really knew her sister and sets on a course to find out.
Brie tracks and befriends the lonely and confused
brother of Faith’s youth group leader. Together, the two discover that the
youth group is actually a cult in disguise and may include death rituals. One
question remains for Brie: was her sister a victim or a follower of the secret
group? To find out, Brie must risk her life and join the cult.
You've only been writing for 4 years - what was the process of beginning to write like for you? Did you spontaneously conjure up an idea for a novel, or was it more of a determined effort?
Not only was I never a writer growing up, I was never even
really a reader. I'd grown up thinking of reading as a chore, a part of school.
But one day about four years ago, an idea sprouted in my head, kind of an
off-shoot of something that was happening in my own life. Even though, I'd
never been a journaler either, I sat down at my computer and started to
"journal" a story. As it progressed, it departed from anything related to my
life and took on a life of it's own. I followed it through, and eventually it
became a novel! From there, I tried writing (and reading) young adult fiction
and found something that really felt like it fit me, since I never really grew
up :). Now I read a couple
of books a week and love it!
Where did you get
your idea(s) for Losing Faith?
Pretty much all of my story ideas come in the early hours
of the morning, a time I allow myself to just lie in bed and think for a few
minutes before getting on with hectic life. I'm drawn to stories
with characters searching for some sort of higher truth and I
tend to get ideas that somehow revolve around that.
What kind of writer are you - do you impose a schedule upon yourself, or do
you work on your writing when the mood strikes?
I'm a scheduled writer. I write (or revise) almost every day while my son is napping. By the grace of God, he's still napping at five years old, and I'm still writing!
Can you describe your experience
pitching your own work at conferences? What did you learn about it, and
when/why did you start to feel confident?
I've had a lot
of success at conferences. I think of them as learning experiences, since it
doesn't matter how much an editor or agent "likes" me... I know
my book won't get published unless the writing is good. I'm pretty
personable, since I've been on stage since an early age, but I still get
nervous with the one on one pitch sessions. I try to get as many pitch
appointments as possible though, because I do get better with
repetition.
Can you tell me a little about yourself? You have
an interesting background! From Polynesian dancer to mushroom farmer to future
published author...there must be even more in between!
I don't work outside the home, but I do homeschool my son, and dance with a professional Polynesian troupe, which keeps me busy. I love trying new things. I love being involved in creative endeavors. As much as Polynesian dance and culture will always be a part of me, I felt like I needed another creative outlet for the days coming when I won't be as young and performance-ready as I am today. I'm glad I found writing and feel like it's something I will never tire of.
Thank you Denise! To read an excerpt from Losing Faith, please click here.
