Written by Steven Allison
Earlier this month, I connected with the lovely Jen Crane! Taking a leap into the author’s fantastic mind, I learned about her journey as a writer and gained a fascinating insight into her latest book, Sunscorched.
Already the recipient of substantial critical acclaim and winner of the 2017 Rosemary Award for excellence in young adult fiction, this fast-paced post-apocalyptic thriller is the first offering in Jen’s Subterranean – a dystopian adventure series set against a terrifying backdrop of solar destruction.
A master of her craft, this author certainly knows how to build a world – and what an uncompromising underground realm she pulls us into. The ingeniously plotted Sunscorched has a rare depth to it, and I absolutely dare you not to get invested in the book’s expertly-developed characters.
Action-packed and twisty as can be, this tale of survival and self-discovery will leave you yearning for more. Luckily for you, Jen has already written Terminal Combustion, the second book in the Subterranean series. You can get your hands on that as soon as she’s ploughed through her editing.
In the meantime, I’m pleased to present my interview with Jen. Happy reading!
Hi Jen. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi. Sure. I live in the southern US with my family and pets. Actually, just this week we welcomed a new addition, a Goldendoodle named Clark. I love to be outside, whether it’s gardening or running or camping. I also love live music and old books. And if you want the quick and dirty version, I’m a control freak trying – and failing – to be a free spirit.
How and when did you realise that writing was your thing?
Writing has always been the one thing I could do well. In school, math made me cry, but grammar and writing came easily. I studied to be a journalist, but in the end, decided it wasn’t for me. I worked in government for several years, studying complicated bills and laws and boiling them down to press releases and talking points.
So, before I became an author, all of my training and practice had been taking lengthy works and shortening them. This is the opposite of novel-writing, where readers want the details. It took some time to retrain myself on the craft of writing books, but I have loved every minute of it.
So, am I right in thinking that writing energises you?
Yeah, it does. I love to write. I consider it the ultimate privilege to get to do this. I treasure my writing time because it’s precious and hard to come by considering my kids’ activities and other school and community commitments.
Considering that the time you have to write is limited, how long does it take you to get a book out from start to finish? And how do you find all of the processes involved with that?
It took me two years to write my first book. One year to write the second, and six months to write the third. The fourth and fifth took half-years each, too. I’m not one of those people who can generate a book a month. I don’t think I ever will be, and I’m okay with that. I love to research and to build worlds readers can get lost in, and that takes time.
The editing process usually takes me – and an editor – two or three weeks, but the publishing process could really be considered endless, couldn’t it? I’ve chosen to go the self-published route, and am so glad I did. When something isn’t reaching the right audience, I can change it. If I want to run a sale, I do that. I choose my covers and promos. See, I told you I was a control freak.
Given that you’re a self-confessed control freak, I doubt this, but have you abandoned books before?
I haven’t, no. I put too much time and energy into them. If anything, I have a backlist in my head I can never seem to get to, but that’s all right. I love having something to dream about, something to look forward to.
If you could tell your younger writer self absolutely anything, what would it be?
I would tell myself to slow down and to hire the best editor I could afford. In this business, there are so many things to learn. When I first began, I wish I had known that developmental editors existed who could have helped me through some newbie mistakes. I thought all editors were essentially proof-readers, which is definitely not the case.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Sunscorched and Subterranean, and what readers can expect from them?
One day, I was thinking about doomsday preppers, and wondered what would happen if there was a whole other world existing below ours; people who had gone to ground years ago during nuclear proliferation. What would happen if they hadn’t just existed but thrived below the Earth’s surface? What would their dark world look like? And what would happen if one of us stumbled upon this gritty subterranean world?
The main character in Sunscorched, Nori, was a natural fit. She’s faced physical challenges her entire life and has suffered great loss. She lives with the ghosts of siblings lost in the sun scorch. An extreme allergy to the sun forces her underground under the threat of another scorch, and the dangerous adventures she finds there are what you’ll find in this first book in the Subterranean series.
How does Sunscorched compare with the books in your other series, Descended of Dragons?
The Descended of Dragons series is a fantasy romance/paranormal novel for adults. Sunscorched is a young adult post-apocalyptic novel, so a new genre and audience for me. I love fantasy of all types, so both were fun to write.
In the Descended of Dragons series, Stella learns the truth about her heritage and faces significant challenges adjusting to being a shapeshifter in an eye-opening, magical world.
In Sunscorched, Nori encounters self-discovery of her own in a strange new world, so they’re similar in that way, though vastly different books.
Both feature complex and dangerous love interests, but don’t ask me to pick a favourite!
What advice do you have for those trying to get published? Any common traps to avoid or must-dos?
I advise would-be authors to read, read, read. Read everything in your genre that you can. Know what’s out there and how to find your audience.
The next advice I would give is to take your time. Write two books, or more, before you publish anything. Know how long it takes you to write a book so you can correctly calculate timing for covers and editing and promotion and release dates. There’s no real hurry anyway as readers are always hungry for something new. Rushing the process, and yourself, will only force mistakes. If you want to do this as a career, you can’t afford many.
What’s next? After Terminal Combustion, of course?
I’ve outlined book three in the Subterranean series. I’m very excited about it, and anxious to begin writing. It doesn’t yet have a name.
I’m also working on another young adult series on Southern folklore. It will be gothic or horror; think Three Billy Goats Gruff meets Stranger Things.
Other than your own, are there any books that you’d recommend?
Sure, I recommend books all the time. If readers would like to see those recommendations, they can follow me on most social media platforms. My handle is: @JenCraneBooks. BookBub is also a great place for author recommendations, and you can find me there!
Currently, I really like Sherry Thomas’s Lady Sherlock series and Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles.
If you didn’t write, what would you do instead?
Oh, writing is my dream job. There’s nothing I’d rather do. I’m going to continue writing the best books I can for readers who love to get out of their heads for a little while.
Jen, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Thanks so much for your time.
Thank you for having me. I enjoyed speaking with you.
